A former winner of the Essex Best Kept Village award, the picture postcard market town of Coggeshall was also named the Eastern England & Home Counties Village in 2003. Situated between Colchester and Braintree, it has almost 300 listed buildings. Many local businesses, such as the charming White Hart Hotel and the Chapel Inn have been in situ for hundreds of years. This attractive town became prosperous through its trade in wool and cloth which was started by monks in the 12th Century. The remains of the abbey, a chapel, the large 15th century church of St. Peter-ad-Vincula and the 13th century Coggeshall Grange Barn (owned by the National Trust) can still be visited.