Great Leighs the nearby Leez Priory, and Great Leigh's church. At The Castle, various references can be read on the walls that tell more of the history. Local folklore also tells that the inn is haunted by the troubled spirit of a witch burned at the stake and buried beneath a stone at the nearby crossroads. In December 2009, a £730,000 project to renovate the Village Hall was completed. It was aided by money associated with a new housing development within the village, extensive fund raising and help from funding bodies and Essex County Council. The incumbent priest during the First World
Eppie's Great Race Time." In 2005, a concurrently running and cycling Kid's Duathlon put on by Eppie's Great Race was introduced to area youth. Both events are presented by Eppie's Great Race Foundation and are the primary beneficiary to Sacramento County Therapeutic Recreational Services, which is part of the County Parks System, assisting with the disabled community in recreational services.To date, Eppie's Great Race Foundation has donated more than $1 million to this cause. Eppie's Great Race celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2013. The 2014 Great Race was the first without founder Eppie Johnson who died in September 2013. The 2018 Great Race