The parish of Braughing with its population of 1150 in 463 households (2001 Census) includes the hamlets of Bozen Green, Braughing Friars, Upp Hall, Dassels, Hamels Park and Hay Street and lies in the narrow valley of the river Quin, which rises in Barkway and flows south into the river Rib, a short distance to the southwest of Braughing village.

People have lived in Braughing at least since the iron age (see A very short history of Braughing). It has many listed buildings, a number with medieval origins. Hertfordshire's County Archaeology team has recently highlighted Braughing's national importance in one of a series of archaeological surveys of historic urban areas in Hertfordshire (part of the English Heritage Extensive Urban Survey Programme).

The community is proud of its heritage and traditions, such as Old Man's Day which has been celebrated for over 400 years. It is also famous for its geese and ducks, local sausages, an annual wheelbarrow race and drama group. Braughing recently won the Village of the Year Award for the eastern part of the county and its website was judged best in the IT award category in 2003. A Millennium Village Sign was created in bronze by local sculptors in June 2000.

Employment

During the first half of the 20th century, most residents worked either on the land or in allied trades. Market gardening was carried out at Bury Farm, in Broad Meads watercress was grown and sent by train to London. There are now only a few large arable farms.

There are still shops and businesses in the parish including Post Office with general stores (in 1998 judged to be best village shop in Hertfordshire), a butcher (who won a top award for spicy pork burger from the Good Housekeeping Institute), chartered surveyors, motor vehicle engineers, graphic design consultants, farm shop, carpenter, nursery and garden centre, poultry farm, decorators, garden care and design, sculptors, skip hire, farms, equestrian, beekeeper, etc. etc.

Education serving Braughing
Local schools are in a three-tiered system based on Buntingford.

Pre-School: Pumpkins - daily morning sessions in the Playing Field Community Centre
Also pre-school nurseries at Standon and Buntingford.

Jenyns First School
The school was built on the site of a cottage left in the will of Thomas Jenyns in 1579. In the nineteenth century the cottage became derelict and the trustees of the Jenyns Alms House Charity built a Girls School on the land. In 1860 this was called ‘Jenkyns' and in recent years, Jenyns. It became a mixed school when the boys transferred from the Old Boys School opposite the church in 1868. Work on a new school building began in September 2003.

At nine years of age children transfer to middle schools, Ralph Sadleir in Puckeridge or Edwinstree, Buntingford. The Upper School is Freman College, Buntingford.

Health serving Braughing
Doctors: Standon and Puckeridge Health Centre, Station Road, Puckeridge
Pharmacy: The Ridge House, High Street, Puckeridge .
Dentist: Buntingford and nearby towns of Ware, Bishops Stortford and Hertford.
Hospitals: outpatients - new community Hospital at Bishops Stortford,
Accidents and full medical care: Princess Alexandra Hospital, Harlow and Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, Welwyn.

Housing
Braughing is fortunate in having attractive housing in a variety of styles, sizes and age. The first council houses in Hertfordshire were built here in 1919. Thanks to forward thinking by residents in the 1960s, much of the best architecture in the village has been preserved and is either listed or part of a conservation area.

Braughing Housing Association Ltd was formed in 1965 and Orchard House was built on land generously donated by a local parishioner. A quarter of the cost of construction was raised through public donation. Orchard House provides affordable housing for elderly people of Braughing with 7 single-person units to rent.

Mobile Library
The Hertfordshire Library Service Mobile Library visits on alternate Tuesdays calling at the Post Office, The Square and Longmans.  Phone 01438 737333 (Mon-Fri 08.00 to 20.00, Sat 09.00 to 16.00) for details.

Parish Council
Braughing Parish Council first met on 4 December 1894. (See separate History of the Parish Council). There are 7 members and a Parish Clerk.

It has the power and influence to effect significant improvements in the parish. The services include grass cutting, maintenance of the local rights of way, street lighting, litter picking, support for local groups such as the Playing Field Association Trust, churchyard, Youth Council and maintenance of the play area.

A Parish Design Group was set up under the auspices of the Parish Council with the task of producing a design statement for the parish. The final Statement will have long term planning implications for the community and there has been widespread public consultation at every stage.

Policing
There is a Community Policeman and a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme. Mobile Police Station visits once a month.

Recycling
Textiles: The Community Centre, Station Road, Puckeridge
Glass, Paper & Cans: Pearce's Farm Shop , A10, Puckeridge.

Religion - churches for Braughing residents
Church of England: St Mary the Virgin, Church End.
Braughing is part of a united benefice with Furneux Pelham and Stocking Pelham. The Rector lives in Braughing. Parts of the present church are thirteenth century with other sections from the fifteenth century.
Services: every Sunday but times vary - see St Mary's Web page for details.

There are many church activities including choir for adults and children, bellringers, Mothers' Union, also various rotas of those offering particular help, eg cleaning, flowers, etc.

Church in the community:
The building is used for village events and exhibitions. The Braughing Local History Society regularly exhibits material and the Braughing Music Society holds excellent concerts. (See Organisations web page).

The church publishes a monthly parish magazine St Mary's Review, for the benefice of Braughing, Furneux Pelham and Stocking Pelham. It includes news from church and village, announces events and has regular contributions from the parish councils. Braughing has published a monthly magazine since 1903, when it was an insert in a Diocesan journal. The print team also offer a service to local organisations at a reasonable rate.

An annual Village Directory is distributed free, listing the principal organisations and services available. For the Millennium a special book was produced, given to every household in the village, with a history of the parish and details of every village organisation.

Home-made teas are served every Sunday afternoon from April to October with a craft stall to raise money for the church. Teams from both congregation and local organisations help in this effort.

St Mary's Parochial Church Council and the Parish Council jointly set up and fund Braughing's own community website, www.braughing.org.uk, working with a local company, Easykey.

Friends of St Mary's, Braughing is a separate registered charity for those who wish to see the historic building maintained but who are not necessarily church goers.

The Church Hallwas built in 1903 by Herbert Shepherd-Cross of Hamels. The present kitchen and toilets were added in 1988. Further toilet facilities for the disabled were installed in 2001 from money raised from Sunday Teas and local government grants. The building is attached to the Old Boys School, with printing room on the first floor and caretaker's house, all dating from 1574. In addition to church activities, the buildings are used by a wide range of organisations and for private functions.


Braughing Chapel - Congregational & Evangelical, Fleece Lane
This chapel was erected in 1762, although parts of the fabric are much older than that.
Services: Sunday at 11.00 am for worship (this is followed by Communion on the 2nd Sunday of the month)

The Braughing Hall at Green End was built in 1889 south of the Manse and is the used for social purposes.

Braughing Methodist Church, The Street
A Wesleyan Chapel, Green Hill was opened in 1834, after six years of meetings in a private house. By 1893 it had been rebuilt as the Methodist Church.
Services: Sundays 11.00 am

Roman Catholic Church
The Roman Catholic parish of Puckeridge and Old Hall Green, which includes Braughing was the very first parish in the country to be established after Roman Catholic worship was permitted. The nearby Roman Catholic school, St Edmund's College, is also the oldest catholic school in the country.
Services:
Puckeridge Saturdays 6.00 pm Mass
Sundays 9.00 am Mass
Old Hall Green Sundays 10.45 am Mass

Shops and Services
Butchers: D White, Green End - home of the world famous Braughing sausages and usual range of fresh meat
Fruit and vegetables: Pearce's Farm Shop, A10, north of Puckeridge - also delicatessen goods and plants.
Post office and general stores: H & N Jones, Green End - range of groceries, also newspapers, magazines, fax and photocopying, lottery tickets, wines and spirits, .dry cleaning, fresh flowers etc.
Public Houses: The Axe & Compasses and The Brown Bear, both in The Street

Sports and Leisure
Allotments, between the playing field and Friars Road.

Braughing Playing Field Association Trust was formed in 1964 and is responsible for:
Playing Field: football, cricket and tennis facilities;
Community Centre: badminton, carpet bowls, and other activities.
All sports have their own clubs

Church Hall is used for Aerobics and body toning, Jazzercise, Tai Chi and children's dancing classes.

Voluntary Organisations - adults (For further details about some groups see Organisations page)

Voluntary Organisations - Children

Uniformed organisations 

Cubs meet in the Congregational Chapel Hall. Guides in the Community Centre. Rainbow, Scouts and Brownies meet in Puckeridge.
Braughing Scout and Guide Band started in 1978 and is the last surviving band in Hertfordshire. It plays regularly at events in the area.

Church groups:

Junior Choir, Little Fishes (pre-school children) and Acorns (Sunday School). Walnuts (children aged 9+), Sunday Supper Group (12+)

Transport infrastructure
When coaching routes developed in the 17th century, the road through Braughing from Puckeridge towards Barkway became part of a much used route to Cambridge. The railway came to Braughing in 1863 and ran from St. Margaret's, Stanstead Abbotts to Buntingford. It closed in September 1965.
Buses that serve Braughing on a regular basis are 757/717/331.
Buses that operate less often or on certain days only are the 386/34.
There is also transport schemes for the elderly - Dial a Ride and a hospital visiting scheme.