Coordinates : 51 ° 44 ′ 10 ″ N 0 ° 28 ′ 47 ″ E \ / 51.7361 ° N 0.4798 ° E \ / 51.7361 ; 0.4798 Chelmsford is the principal settlement of the City of Chelmsford and the county town of Essex , in the East of England .
Coordinates : 51 ° 44 ′ 10 ″ N 0 ° 28 ′ 47 ″ E \ / 51.7361 ° N 0.4798 ° E \ / 51.7361 ; 0.4798 Chelmsford is a city in the county of Essex , England .