Galvin Green Man takes private lunches, dinners and small wedding receptions in five private dining rooms seating 7 to 18 guests, with standing parties of up to 25 in its Communal Room. The pub belongs to the Galvin restaurant group and stands on Main Road in Howe Street, a hamlet close to Great Waltham, north of Chelmsford in Essex.
Weddings and receptions
The Marriages Room is the room the group promotes for wedding celebrations. It seats 11 to 12 guests, which suits a wedding lunch or dinner with close family after a ceremony held elsewhere. Larger groups can look at the Communal Room, a semi-private space for 12 to 18 seated guests or up to 25 standing. The website does not describe a ceremony licence or an exclusive hire of the whole pub, so check with the team before planning a bigger celebration. Birthdays, anniversaries and family gatherings fit the other rooms.
Rooms and capacities
Each of the five rooms has its own name and size. The Adnams Room seats 12 to 14. The Marriages Room seats 11 to 12. The Maldon Salt Room takes 8 to 10 for special occasions. The Union Room, decorated together with Union Coffee, seats 7 to 8. The Communal Room is semi-private and seats 12 to 18, or 25 for a standing party, with views over the Essex countryside. Room names echo producers the group works with. Party requests go through an online booking form handled by the events team.
Catering
The kitchen cooks modern British food alongside pub dishes such as fish and chips, a pie and a Sunday roast, with seasonal menus built on local and sustainable suppliers. The pub holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and has won National Pub & Bar Awards at national, East of England and county level. Private dining menus are set with the team when booking. The restaurant serves Thursday evening to Sunday, while Monday to Wednesday are for pub bookings only, which matters when choosing a date. The group also runs wine dinners, themed dinners and live music days.
History and setting
The building dates from 1341 and is listed, which places it among the oldest pubs in Essex. Chris and Jeff Galvin, the brothers behind the group, now run it as a country pub with a serious kitchen. Outside, a large garden is crossed by the River Chelmer, with a terrace and a children's play area. The garden stays open for drinks all year, which gives a party a place to gather before sitting down.
Getting there
The address is Main Road, Howe Street, Chelmsford CM3 1BG. A large car park on site has two accessible spaces by the main doors, and an overflow car park next door opens on weekends, bank holidays and event days. Chelmsford station, on the line from London Liverpool Street, is too far to walk, so guests take a taxi or the hourly bus, whose last return service leaves at 22:43. London Stansted is the closest major airport. For a private dinner, booking a taxi for the return trip in advance saves a wait at the end of the evening.
