Geographical Description
Ardleigh stands on a flat gravel plain in open countryside between Colchester and Manningtree. The parish measures some 6 kilometres east to west and about 5.5 kilometres north to south. It consists principally of agricultural land, but there is an obvious village centre, in the vicinity of St Mary's Church and the A137/B1029 crossroads.
To the west and south of the village centre, there is a valley system, which may no longer be very apparent to the casual passer-by. Ardleigh reservoir fills a large part of one of these valleys and the only obvious sign of that valley's existence is at John de Bois Hill. However, there is also a hilly, sunken lane leading down into the wooded area of Spring Valley, which is strikingly different in atmosphere from the essentially flat gravel plain on which most of Ardleigh lies.
