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Hadleigh is known for its castle, and the country park to the south of the town centre. This gives its name to the local government district of Castle Point, with its extensive views overlooking the Thames Estuary. Most of the facing stones were stripped from the castle in the 16th century - the only bits still visible today being high inside the surviving towers and a small section of the 'gate house' - so most of what remains today is the rubble infill that was packed between the outer facing stones. Despite this the skeletal remains are pleasing to the eye and have been considered a romantic ruin for a few hundred years. John Constable painted Hadleigh Castle in 1829. The painting now belongs to the Yale Center for British Art, and is on permanent display in its museum on the Yale campus.
Based on the previous census, writing in 1848, Samuel Lewis, summarised the facts of its history and economy as follows:
- It had 366 inhabitants.
- The Poor Law Union covering the area was Rochford.
- In the reign of Henry II of England a castle was built here by Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent, the remains are situated on the brow of a steep hill, and consist chiefly of two circular towers.
- The living is a discharged rectory, valued in the king's books at £11. 14. 7.; net income, £450 [per year]; patrons, the Rector and Fellows of Lincoln College, Oxford. The church is an ancient structure, of which the eastern end is semicircular, and in the Norman style..
In the 19th century, Hadleigh was the home of the cunning man James Murrell. He died in the town in December 1860.
The town has never had a railway station and almost all of its architecture is late 19th and 20th century – only three buildings are listed but one of these is the church, which is Grade I listed.
Set at the top of a hill overlooking the Thames Estuary, from the Castle ruins, Canary Wharf development to the west can be seen when visibility is adequate. Another building of note is St. James the Less Church which was believed to be Norman but is now known to be Saxon because of its general dimensions, window alignments, Saxon Romanesque arches, pagan Saxon 'pudding stone' inclusions and the pagan Saxon 'fairy wheel' motif carved into the wall by the north door. The church remains picturesque and its neighbouring street layout resembles St Clement Danes in that it stands in the middle of a bustling high street, however has a considerably larger churchyard.
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