Built in 1986, Cunningham House is located in a village in North Weald Bassett, Essex. The original building was extended in 1996 and a Specialist Dementia Unit was added in 2006. The house has 54 bedrooms, 33 of which are en-suite. The rooms can be decorated to personal preferences and we encourage our residents to bring their own furniture and photos along to make their room their own.

The house is situated by the well known North Weald Market and the historic city of Chelmsford. Epping town centre is close by where you will find a post office and a number of shops, restaurants, pubs and GP surgeries. A bus stop is close to the house and local amenities are within walking distance. 

When you choose Cunningham House you are choosing a lifestyle. This starts with you deciding how you wish to be cared for and supported, and the activities you wish to be involved in. Whether it be enjoying peace and quiet in one of our libraries, choosing to take part in one of our exercise classes with our Personal Trainer, or taking part in one of the many outings that are arranged away from the house. Michelle and Paula are our activities co-ordinators and they will support you through the varied activities, in and outside of the house and help you to continue to pursue your hobbies. We also have weekly hairdressing visits from Lily Pins at the Salon situated within the house.

Our focus is your wellbeing and we aim to achieve this through simple pleasures and our 7 domains of wellbeing; Identity, Growth, Autonomy, Security, Connected-ness, Meaning and Joy.

As part of your personalised care package you will have a named senior member of staff who will work with you to devise your care package as well as having a named key worker. The entire team will work with you to ensure your time with us is both happy and enjoyable. In addition to this you are invited to attend our monthly resident meetings that keep you up to date of what goes on in the house and you will have the opportunity to express your own opinions. We also hold monthly relative meetings in order to keep your relatives and loved ones updated. The Care Team are dedicated to providing a service that caters to your needs and preferences.

Talk to us about respite stays

We’re proud to offer respite stays at Cunningham House, a short-stay that can be planned ahead, or in the case of an emergency, last-minute. Suitable for individuals seeking support following post-operative or hospital care, or whilst their regular caregiver takes a break, respite care can also be used as a way of introducing long-term residential care to a loved one.

At Cunningham House our respite stays include:
- 24/7 Care support from our qualified and friendly staff
- Daily activities
- Nutritious meals served daily (dietary requirements can be catered for)
- Housekeeping and linen service

*Respite prices may vary depending on needs.

We are part of PROSPER which is an Essex County Council initiative that aims to reduce hospital admissions caused by pressure sores, water infections and falls. At Cunningham House we have introduced several initiatives to enhance the lives of our residents including hydration stations, ferrules checks, jellies offered as an alternative to fluid, and regular exercise classes. We won a regional competition with PROSPER for the wackiest idea with an 'Alice In Wonderland Mad Hatters Tea Party' that we held to celebrate Hydration Week!

This property is managed by The Abbeyfield Society trading as Abbeyfield Living Society.