Anne Curry Studio and Sculpture Garden

Anne Curry's studio sits just outside Royston, a working space where you can actually watch sculpture being made rather than just gaze at finished pieces behind rope. The sculpture garden itself is the real draw - modern bronze and stone work scattered across what feels like proper countryside, not some manicured gallery lawn. You walk between pieces at your own pace, which beats standing in a climate-controlled room squinting at artist statements.

It's genuinely worth stopping if you're into contemporary sculpture or just fancy something different from the usual Essex day out. Families with older kids do well here; younger ones might lose interest after twenty minutes unless they're really into art. The garden gives you space to roam, and there's something satisfying about encountering a bronze figure tucked behind a hedge when you weren't expecting it.

If you're camping at Pightle Farm nearby, this makes a cracking afternoon trip without the drive. Combine it with a wander around Royston itself - the town's unremarkable on first glance but has decent independent shops and cafes for lunch. Allow a good hour if you're taking it seriously, less if you're just passing through. Check ahead for opening times and whether you need to book, as it's a working studio rather than a commercial gallery with fixed hours. The location means you'll need your own transport, so not ideal if you're relying on buses.