170 years of providing a true personal service

We are a family business that began five generations ago.

The Boydens story dates back to 1852 with George Boyden, a master builder and Quaker, who started his own business, later led by his son, Aston Boyden, until World War II broke out.

After Aston’s death in 1947, his son, Desmond Boyden, was too young to join the building business immediately, so studied engineering and worked for a commercial chartered surveyors firm in London and then Colchester, specialising in residential property and farms.

In 1966, Desmond set up his own residential property business, initially at Blackheath, Colchester. and then at Balkerne House in Crouch Street. Following expansion, the business moved next door to Aston House in 1988, where it has been based ever since.

Desmond’s son, David Boyden, joined the family business in 1976. In partnership with his father, he built Boydens’ reputation, taking the best of the family ethos – and blending it with a modern approach – to further expand the business. boydens.co.uk

After graduating from university with a degree in Rural Property Management, Philip Boyden joined the family business in 2014.

Today, David and Philip work alongside each other and the dedicated teams that make up Boydens’ branches across North Essex and South Suffolk: Coastal; Colchester; Sudbury; and West Essex.

With Christmas upon us and the children back at school, many families will be considering moving home now.

Attwells move their clients on average 3 weeks faster than other firms* which may mean you are in your new home for Christmas or the start of the new year.