THIS charming village shows a whole other side of Essex.
Finchingfield is one of the prettiest villages in the UK, so much so that American soldiers even tried to buy it during World War Two.
Finchingfield, which is sandwiched between and , has thatched cottages, beautiful walks, , tearooms, a duck pond and windmill.
The village is home to celebrities and has even had a very notable visit from the one and only Walt .
Walt Disney visited the village to meet the author Dodie Smith and broker a deal for her successful novel, “.”
Dodie Smith lived in a cottage called The Barretts, in Finchingfield.
It’s rumoured theGrade II listed Georgian manor Greys Hall, in the nearby village of Sible Hedingham, was the inspiration for Cruella de Vil’s home.
The book “One Hundred and One Dalmatians” was released in 1956, and the Disney adaptation came out in 1961.
Dodie Smith died in 1990, aged 94, and is buried in the village.
Dodie wasn't the only person taken with Finchingfield, it was also a popular spot for American soldiers.
The village was very close to the former airbase, RAF Wethersfield, which was allocated by the RAF to the US Air Force during World War Two.
It's said that the soldiers took a liking to the village.
Roy Cox, who runs the Finchingfield Community Group, said that when the war came to an end, they were reluctant to leave it behind.
Talking to ITV, Roy said: “When the Americans were at the base two miles up the road, they loved this village and all the pubs.”
“When the war ended, they didn't want to leave the village and a few of them got together – quite wealthy, I understand – and they put in an offer to buy the village and it, or parts of it, back to America.”
More recently, the village has appeared on TV.
The Sky TV series Chickens, written by and starring star and , was filmed in the village of Finchingfield.
The show, released in 2013, told the story of three young men who avoid fighting in World War One.
The village is also a haven for TV chef , who lives there with his family.
The Olivers' £6million country home has a huge garden, and even a pitch.
Jamie and his wife, Jules, often let fans take a peek inside their home when he shows .
Here's another .
And the .
