Great Horkesley’s story
30 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Great Horkesley’s built-up area.
9% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
Great HorkesleyEssex
It is a village of 2,232 residents in Essex, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Glyn Baker · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
2,232
Census 2021 · Colchester council
Median home
£375K
82 sales in 3 years
Median age
42.2
21% are 65+ · Essex 20%
Degree level
33%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
14%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Great Horkesley a good place to live?
The local economy does well: mean household income £69,105; 1.8% of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits. Where it falls short is hazard risk: 0.6% of homes face a high or medium risk of river or sea flooding. Homes sell for a median £375,000, about 6.1 years of what households in the Colchester council area earn. Its listed buildings number 30, with 0 at Grade I.
Figures: income, ONS · claimants, DWP · flood risk, Environment Agency · prices, HM Land Registry, the last three years. Great Horkesley is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
How Great Horkesley grades
Each subject compared with the 2,160 UK towns with an overall grade (schools within England), ordered by how far Great Horkesley is from typical. American towns are graded separately.
Great Horkesley is graded on each subject, but towns under 2,500 get no overall grade.
Jobs & incomeIn the top fifth of the towns comparedAOpen →HealthLife expectancy 81.4 for men, 85.1 for womenAOpen →SchoolsPrimary results beat 83% of towns in England; secondary results beat 59% of towns in EnglandA−Open →SafetyGraded on crime per residentB+Open →Hazard riskMore exposed to natural hazards than mostC+Open →Cost of livingRent £1,197 a monthB−Open →WalkabilityBased on walking, cycling and transit to everyday placesB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
HistoryNear typical for the towns comparedBOpen →Outdoors78% live within 400 m of a park; 25% of land within 5 km is National Park or National LandscapeA−Open →Civic life3.1 local charities per 1,000 residents; 0% live within 1 km of a libraryB−Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
What makes Great Horkesley stand out
The 3 things Great Horkesley does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 5.5 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Walk, cycle or public transport
Getting around
14% leave the car
of commuters walk, cycle or take public transport (England’s towns 27%)
41% of commuters travel under 5 km.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
1.4 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Great Horkesley.
Health
86% of people in Great Horkesley say their health is good or very good, more than in Essex’s towns or across England’s towns
86%good or very good healthAHealth Grade
Seeing a GP means leaving Great Horkesley: the nearest practice is 1.4 miles away. At the census, 3.6% of residents said their health was bad or very bad, lower than both Essex’s towns (4.8%) and England’s towns (5.2%). 15% of residents in Great Horkesley live with a disability. Women here live to 85.1 on average and men to 81.4 (2019–23).
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 4%
| Census 2021 | Great Horkesley | Essex | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 83% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 3.6% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 17% | 17% |
81.4
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
85.1
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · These shares come straight from the census, without allowing for age, and young towns benefit; the Health Grade instead weighs age-adjusted measures, including life expectancy and early deaths.
SchoolsA−
On exam results, Great Horkesley’s schools beat 76% of towns in England
A−School Grade
Key Stage 2 results at the 9 primary schools within 3 km: just over two thirds of pupils meet the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). There is one school here; it is shown below. Secondary results at the 3 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 47.4, with 47% at grade 5 or above in English and maths.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Bishop William Ward Church of England Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 203 | C+ |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Safety
Burglary and damage are rarer in Great Horkesley than in Essex’s towns or across England’s towns: 4.3 per 1,000 residents a year
22violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a yearB+Safety Grade
Police recorded 88 crimes inside Great Horkesley’s built-up area in the 12 months to August 2026, plus 8 reports of anti-social behaviour. 65% of the crimes fell under violence and sexual offences. Also worth knowing: there were 3.3 anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 residents (not graded), below both Essex’s towns (4.6) and England’s towns (7.8).
Compared with UK towns its sizeLess crime per resident than 45% of the 1,541 UK towns of 1,000 to 2,500 people: about the middle for its size. Context only, not part of the grade.
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual57
Other theft10
Burglary6
Damage & arson5
Public order3
Vehicle crime3
Drugs1
Weapons1
Anti-social8
Not gradedAnti-social behaviour, shoplifting and other theft are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence and crimes against homes and vehicles per resident.
22
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
4.3
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
3.3
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
88
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.
History
Great Horkesley is rich in listed buildings: 134 per 10,000 residents, more than Essex’s towns or England’s towns
30listed buildingsBHistory Grade
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
9% of homes date from before 1919.
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II30
0
scheduled monuments
0
registered parks and gardens
9%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
134
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
HousingCost of living grade B−
Most households in Great Horkesley own their home: 81%, more than in Essex’s towns or across England’s towns
£375Kmedian sale
Private tenants account for just over one in ten households. Social housing holds 7% of households, lower than both Essex’s towns (15%) and England’s towns (18%). The £375,000 median rests on 82 standard sales inside the built-up area (September 2023 to August 2026).
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Great Horkesley£375K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Detached | £460,000 | 47 |
| Semi-detached | £350,000 | 19 |
| Terraced | £312,500 | 10 |
| Flat or maisonette | £154,000 | 6 |
81%
of households own their home · England 61%
11%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,197
average private rent a month, Colchester council area
£2,297
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A
Great Horkesley is a driving town: 84% of commuters go by car, above Essex’s towns and England’s towns
14%walk, cycle or ride
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 36% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
Great Horkesley counts 0.3 jobs per working resident. At the census, 14% went to work on foot, by bike or by public transport, below both Essex’s towns (23%) and England’s towns (27%). The 2026 claimant rate among 16 to 64s was 1.8%. About 3% of its commuters stay in Great Horkesley for work.
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving84%
On foot4%
Bus4%
Train4%
Bicycle2%
36%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£69K
mean household income, before tax
1.8%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
B−
Walkability: more walkable than 54% of UK towns
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Who lives here
Children make up 20% of Great Horkesley, above Essex’s towns and England’s towns
42.2median age
Half the people of Great Horkesley are older than 42.2. People aged 15 to 24 make up a tenth of the town, below Essex’s towns (11%) and England’s towns (12%) alike. Retirement age and beyond: 21% of residents are 65 or older.
Great HorkesleyEssexEngland
Ages · share of residents
21%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications16%
Apprenticeship6%
A levels or similar19%
Degree level33%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Great Horkesley | Essex | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 20% | 18% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 9.6% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 25% | 26% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 25% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 21% | 20% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 16% | 19% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 6.1% | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 19% | 17% | 17% |
| Degree level | 33% | 27% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Essex and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Great Horkesley
14pages on Great Horkesley
The big questions
SafetyB+22 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingB−Median home £375K · rent £1,197 a monthHousing25 sold in 12 months · busiest street Keelers WaySchoolsA−1 state schoolHealthALife expectancy 81.4 (men), 85.1 (women)Work & commuteA54% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazardsC+0.6% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Out and about
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Colchester Castle and 14 more in and around Great Horkesley
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Great Horkesley. Best known first.
CastleColchester Castle3.7 km outside town, to the southeast
Abbey or priory · English HeritageSt. Botolph's Priory4.1 km outside town, to the southeast
FortBalkerne Gate3.6 km outside town, to the south
Abbey or priory · English HeritageSt. John's Abbey Gatehouse4.2 km outside town, to the south
Art galleryFirstsite3.9 km outside town, to the southeast
MuseumHollytrees Museum3.8 km outside town, to the southeastPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (6)
- Colchester Castle: George Gastin, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St. Botolph's Priory: Maria, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Balkerne Gate: Tanya2501, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- St. John's Abbey Gatehouse: Saltmarsh, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Firstsite: Alexis Ip, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Hollytrees Museum: Jarry1250, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
About Great Horkesley
Village in Essex, England
Great Horkesley is a built-up area of 2,232 people, in the Colchester council area. TownRatings uses ONS’s 2022 built-up areas as towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a council district, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from ONS geography and Census 2021
- Population
- 2,232 (Census 2021)
- Council
- Colchester
- County
- Essex
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.4 sq mi (0.9 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004035
Great Horkesley’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
West BergholtColchesterEight Ash GreenArdleighCopfordBerechurchBuresGreat Horkesley
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Horkesley | 2,232 | — | — | B− | B+ | A |
| West Bergholt | 3,175 | 1.5 | A+ | B− | B+ | A |
| Colchester | 130,259 | 2.9 | B | A− | D | C |
| Eight Ash Green | 1,769 | 3.3 | — | B− | C+ | A |
| Ardleigh | 1,042 | 4.7 | — | D− | C+ | B |
| Copford | 1,794 | 4.8 | — | C+ | B | A− |
| Berechurch | 7,702 | 4.8 | C+ | A | D | D |
| Bures | 1,183 | 5.2 | — | B− | B− | B+ |
Eight Ash Green, Ardleigh, Copford and Bures have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Great Horkesley
How many listed buildings are there in Great Horkesley?
That is 5.5 times the typical UK town for its size.
Are schools in Great Horkesley good?
Primary schools stand out: Key Stage 2 results beat 83% of towns in England. Secondary results are closer to the middle, beating 59%. One state school is inside the town; places are handled by Essex council.
Is Great Horkesley expensive to live in?
Homes cost more than in most UK towns: the median sale over three years was £375,000, against £277,000 in the typical UK town. By type: flats £154,000, terraced houses £312,500, semi-detached houses £350,000 and detached houses £460,000. Household incomes are higher than in 87% of UK towns, so cost of living still grades B−.
Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · HM Land Registry Price Paid (standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026) · ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026, by council) · MHCLG and Welsh Government council tax, Band D 2026–27 (with parish precepts in England) · data.police.uk street-level crime, 36 months to August 2026, points inside the built-up-area boundary · ONS small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, 2019 to 2023 (England and Wales), OHID Fingertips small-area indicators (England) and Census 2021 health, adjusted for age · ONS small-area income estimates (financial year ending 2023) · DWP claimant count via Nomis (January to August 2026) · Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.