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
Great Northern Derby (race) held at Ellerslie Racecourse for the first time. Just three horses took part, of which one was withdrawn before the start and another failed to complete the course, leaving Toi to finish the race and become the first Derby winner. In 1887 it was renamed the "ARC Great Northern Derby Principal race over 12F" The race kept the name Great Northern Derby regularly until 1973 when the Great Northern Derby was combined with the New Zealand Derby from Christchurch to form one race, called the New Zealand Derby, which was run at Ellerslie. Riccarton was instead given two 1600 m