[2] Within the space of a few hundred yards there are two 400-year-old watermills, (both now private residences), a 100-year-old iron bridge over the River Colne, two local nature reserves and several walks.

The area is covered by the Lexden ward and elects 2 councillors to sit on Colchester Borough Council.

The parish church was founded early in the 12th century and a number of houses of medieval origins survive in Lexden Road (the A1124).

A Parliamentarian fort was built on Great Broom Heath (now called Hilly Fields) which overlooks the town.

Lexden Heath was a large area of common land used for grazing, horse races and military camps; it was inclosed by Act of Parliament in 1821.

[7] Straight Road was created at this time to make a way across the new inclosures to the hamlet of Shrub End, which became a separate parish in 1845.

A Methodist chapel was built in Straight Road in 1859 and a mission hall (now Lexden Evangelical Church) in 1885.

[9] The Avenue of Remembrance was built in 1933 to relieve traffic on the London Road and as a memorial to the fallen of Colchester in World War I.