Meadgate Church is situated in the village of Great Baddow, on the outskirts of Chelmsford. Although it has managed to maintain its small village feel Great Baddow is only a stone’s throw from the busier centre of Chelmsford which boasts many shops, restaurants, theatres and other places of interest. In March 2012 Chelmsford was awarded city status. It was awarded the accolade by HM The Queen as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations. It was the only town in England to be made a city and is the first city in Essex.

The High Street and main line train station are easily walk-able from Great Baddow and there is a good transport network. Just 30 minutes by train from London, less than 2 hours from Oxford, 45 minutes from Stansted Airport, and 1 hour 30 minutes from Gatwick and Heathrow Airports, Chelmsford is the ideal place to live for those who might need to travel. In 2007, the Channel 4 programme Location, Location, Location voted Chelmsford as the 8th best place to live in the UK. Chelmsford is a thriving and expanding city, with a booming economy.

Chelmsford is officially the UK's hottest spot, with its own microclimate. Summers in Chelmsford have hit 35.2 degrees Celsius. During August, Chelmsford hosts one of Britain's biggest music festivals, the V Festival in Hylands Park.

Chelmsford is steeped in history and was one of the original settlements of Great Britain. Residents of Chelmsford are known as 'Chelmsfordians'. The city has a population of roughly 120,000 and is still growing. It is a modern, well placed city that has a large number of commuters who work in the City of London financial sector. The City centre is surrounded by many small villages that retain their original charm (as well as Great Baddow, examples of these are Danbury, Writtle, Good Easter, High Easter, Roxwell, Little Baddow, Great and Little Waltham).

Chelmsford is also the birthplace of radio. Guglielmo Marconi, the pioneer of radio, built the world's first radio factory in Hall Street, Chelmsford in 1899, with a new factory opening in 1912 in New Street. On the 15th June 1920, the first entertainment radio broadcast was made from Chelmsford, featuring Dame Nellie Melba – a famous opera soprano of the time. Other notable people who were born in Chelmsford are: James Gibson (world swimming champion), Harry Judd (drummer in the band McFly), Penny Lancaster (model), Malcolm O’Kelly (Irish international rugby union player), Tom Payne (actor) and Nigel Spink (former England and Aston Villa football player). Sir Geoff Hurst (1966 England football World Cup final player), although born in Greater Manchester, grew up in Chelmsford.

Chelmsford is popular with all ages. The beautiful open spaces and enjoyable country walks make it popular with nature lovers, whilst young, affluent commuter families enjoy Chelmsford, not least for the excellent quality of the local schools and a wealth of activities for families to enjoy. There are exceptional sporting facilities at Chelmsford’s Riverside Ice & Leisure Centre, which boasts a swimming pool, ice-rink and squash courts. Nearby to Riverside, is Essex County Cricket Ground, where regular matches take place.

"Chelmsford has been named the happiest place in the country to live"
(The Daily Telegraph)

“Chelmsford is the 8th best place to live in the UK.”
(Channel 4, Location, Location, Location)