Discover what Essex was like in the Ice Age, how the shape of the county was affected by the passage of enormous blocks of ice, and how the coastline has changed over time. Read about the coming of the Romans, Saxons and Normans and the influence this had on the lives of ordinary people. This section will allow you to explore the story of Essex, from the Stone Age to modern times.

Click on a link to the right to choose a particular period, then follow the links to more specific topics.