Best places to live in Hertfordshire

As one of the most popular home counties, with locations that offer more than simply an easy commute, in this blog we explore the best places to live in Hertfordshire.

On London’s outskirts with good transport links to the North and a choice of nearby airports – Luton, Stansted, and London Heathrow are all typically under an hour’s drive away – Hertfordshire is very well-connected.

But while it offers excellent transport links, Hertfordshire also has stunning countryside offering bracing walks and outdoor activities, history, idyllic chocolate box villages, and lively towns. 

St Albans

Key facts:

• Education: there are no fewer than five highly rated primary schools (for children of ages 3 to 11) in St Albans along with two public sector secondary schools (for students aged 11 to 18) – Beaumont School and the 100-year-old Roman Catholic school for girls, Loreto College. St Columba’s College is an independent, co-educational school for students aged 4 to 18 and St Albans High School for Girls is also a selective, independent girls school for those aged 4 to 18;

• Transport links: St Albans is a cathedral city on the ancient Roman road known as Watling Street and was the first town that travelers would have encountered as they moved north from London. It has long been a key transport hub. Today that means the city is roughly 3.5 miles (5.4 km) equidistant from the M1 motorway near Hemel Hempstead and the London orbital M25 motorway. London’s centre is only 26 miles (42 km) due south and takes approximately an hour to drive. Heathrow Airport is roughly 26 miles (41.6 km) away while Luton Airport is closer at around 13 miles (21km) and with an approximate 25-minute drive;

• Trains: St Albans City mainline railway station has frequent services to London St Pancras for a journey lasting around 20-40 minutes depending on the time of day you travel.

Why live in St Albans?

St Albans offers an incredibly swift train connection to London in around twenty minutes. Few locations this far from the capital geographically boast such a fast connection.

Whilst working from home is now commonplace, many may need to travel to central London offices periodically and those living in St Albans will enjoy some of the quickest commutes from more rural settings. 

St Albans is one of the most popular London commuter hubs in the UK but that’s not all it has to offer – it is a thriving centre for the arts, and there are numerous highly-regarded and high performing schools at every level in both the public and private sectors. Its parks are impressive and there is a bustling centre filled with shops and a choice of places to eat and drink.

Property in St Albans is in high demand meaning the market can be incredibly competitive and move at a fast pace.

Tring

Key facts:

• Education: St Bartholomew’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, in the neighbouring hamlet of Wigginton is highly regarded. Tring School is a public sector secondary school with Academy status and a further sixth form of around 300 students. Some 6.8 miles (11 km) away is Berkhamsted School – a group of six independent schools providing both co-educational and single-sex education from nursery ages through to sixth form – with an impressive academic record;

• Transport links: Tring is alongside the main A41 trunk road, approximately 9 miles (15 km) equidistant between Aylesbury to the northwest and Hemel Hempstead to the southeast. The University City of Oxford is some 32 miles (51.5 km) to the west. London is approximately 38 miles (61 km) to the southeast – a drive of just over an hour;

• Trains: frequent train services from Tring station to London Euston take around 40-50 minutes.

Why live in Tring?

The small market town of Tring sits in a narrow gap in the surrounding Chiltern Hills.

Tring is particularly popular with families due to the excellent educational establishments in the area and its great transport connections. 

The town centre provides a range of small independent shops, restaurants, and public houses.

Watford

Key Facts:

• Education: schools of note are Cherry Tree Primary School catering to ages 3-11 and Nascot Wood Junior School for ages 7-11. Watford Grammar School for Boys and Watford Grammar School for Girls, both cater to students aged 11-18, are highly regarded. The co-educational Purcell School in nearby Bushey, is renowned for its music curriculum;

• Transport Links: Watford is approximately 4.5 miles (7.2 km) from the M1 motorway. London’s city centre, located about 17 miles (27.3 km) south-east, is reachable in under an hour by car. Distance to Heathrow Airport is about 20 miles (32.2 km), and the closer Luton Airport, roughly 16 miles (25.7 km);

• Trains: Watford Junction railway station offers frequent and rapid services to London Euston, with journeys taking approximately 20-30 minutes depending on the time of day.

Why Live in Watford?

The quick commute from Watford to central London is a significant advantage for professionals who, while possibly working from home, may need to travel to London on occasion.  

The presence of top-tier schools at both primary and secondary level in the public and private sectors make Watford an ideal location for families.

Watford’s parks, shopping centres, and an array of dining and entertainment options contribute to a lively and fulfilling living experience.

Harpenden

Key facts:

• Education: there are no fewer than five primary schools (for children up to the age of 11) and three public-sector secondary schools and academies high regarded – the non-selective, co-educational St George’s School, Sir John Lawes School, and Roundwood Park School. Nearby independents include the King’s School – a non-selective, co-educational Christian school – and the preparatory Aldwickbury School for boys;

• Transport links: Harpenden lies just to the east of the Chiltern Hills, roughly 6 miles (10 km) equidistant between St Albans to the south and Luton to the north. Since it also lies practically alongside the major north-south motorway, the M1, Harpenden is especially well connected to the national road network. Although it is possible to follow the ancient route of Watling Street into Central London, the faster journey is taken by driving south along the M1, across the M25 orbital road, and on into Central London – a trip of around 34.3 miles (55.2 km) and taking about an hour to drive; 

• Trains: frequent services run from the mainline railway station at Harpenden to London St Pancras for a journey time of around 25-40 Minutes.

Why live in Harpenden?

Harpenden is a great place to live and that appeal has translated into no fewer than 116 of its streets containing homes worth £1 million-plus.

But it is not all big houses, nature and its green open spaces are also in abundance in and around the town.

Berkhamsted

Key facts:

• Education: three primary schools (for pupils up to the age of 11) in Berkhamsted are highly rated – St Thomas More Roman Catholic Voluntary Aided Primary School, Victoria Church of England Infant and Nursery School, and Westfield Primary School and Nursery. The public sector’s secondary modern school (aged 11 to 18), Ashlyns School, is well regarded. Berkhamsted School is a group of six independent schools providing both co-educational and single-sex education from nursery ages through to sixth form – with an impressive academic record;

• Transport links: Berkhamsted lies alongside the main A41 trunk road roughly 8 to 10 miles equidistant from Hemel Hempstead and Aylesbury, in neighbouring Buckinghamshire. Hemel Hempstead provides a junction with the north-south M1 motorway and the nearby London orbital, the M25. Central London is approximately 40 miles (64 km) away – a drive of around an hour and a quarter depending on traffic;

• Trains: frequent trains from Berkhamsted mainline railway station to London Euston take around 40 minutes.

Why live in Berkhamsted?

Berkhamsted not only stands out but this West Hertfordshire market town has previously been voted the best place to live in the South East of England

The reasons given for that accolade included the “affluent and attractive” living offered by a town with “chic shops and great places to eat” while still retaining its “medieval heart”.

Hemel Hempstead

Key Facts:

• Education: Belswains Primary School and Boxmoor Primary School provide a solid educational foundation for children aged 3-11. The well regarded Hemel Hempstead School caters for ages 11-18;

• Transport Links: Situated approximately 5 miles (8 km) from the M1 motorway. London is about 24 miles (38.6 km) to the southeast, reachable within an hour’s drive. Luton Airport, is only 15 miles (24.1 km) away, and Heathrow Airport, about 22 miles (35.4 km);

• Trains: Hemel Hempstead railway station provides rail services to London Euston, with journey times of around 30-40 minutes depending on the time of day.

Why Live in Hemel Hempstead?

Hemel Hempstead offers swift access to London for commuters in an environment that is peaceful and culturally rich with a community-oriented ambiance.

Beyond its convenience as a commuter town, Hemel Hempstead’s lush parks, varied shopping centres, and a diverse range of dining and leisure activities add to its appeal.

Rickmansworth

Key facts:

• Education: no fewer than four of the primary schools in Rickmansworth are highly rated, as is the public sector’s secondary school (for students aged 11 to 18), St Clement Danes School. The Royal Masonic School for Girls (originally founded in London 1788) is a popular independent day and boarding school in Rickmansworth;

• Transport links: Rickmansworth is on the A412, which leads to Watford (5 miles, 8 km) and its junction with the M1 motorway – and, from there, the whole of the UK’s motorway network. It lies within London’s orbital M25 motorway – 7.8 miles (12.6 km) from the M25’s junction with the M40 to Oxford. The fastest route into Central London by road is via the M4 and M25 motorways – a distance of around 30 miles (48 km), taking approximately three-quarters of an hour to drive;

• Trains: mainline trains from Rickmansworth to London Marylebone typically take less than 30 minutes. Rickmansworth is also on London Underground’s Metropolitan Line for tube services into Central London or Amersham.

Why live in Rickmansworth?

Substantial, detached homes in Rickmansworth are highly desirable, with many set back from the road within their own grounds and offering seclusion.

For a town so close to London and within the boundaries of the M25 motorway, Rickmansworth is surprisingly green and leafy. 

Several public parks and nature reserves offer glimpses of the countryside, wildlife, and bracing walks. 

In short, it provides the perfect mix of town and country.

Hitchin

Key facts:

• Education: in Hitchin itself, three primary schools are highly rated – St Andrew’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, William Ransom Primary School, and Samuel Lucas Junior Mixed Infant School. Two high-ranking public sector, secondary-level, academies are Hitchin Boys’ School and Hitchin Girls’ School (both for students aged 11 to 18). On the outskirts of Hitchin, set in 100 acres of parkland, is the independent co-educational day and boarding Princess Helena College;

• Transport links: Hitchin is in the north of the county, alongside the AI(M) motorway, between Stevenage to the southeast and Letchworth Garden City to the northeast. Stevenage is just 6.5 miles (10 km) away, and the gateway for the 38-mile (62 km) drive to Central London, which takes roughly an hour and 10 minutes;

• Trains: from the mainline railway station at Hitchin, there are many and frequent trains to London St Pancras International, making the journey around 45 minutes.

Why live in Hitchin?

Thanks to the semi-rural living it offers and the easy access to the capital by fast and frequent train services Hitchin is one of the best places to live in Hertfordshire.

Hitchin has a strong sense of community spirit and enjoys a lower than average rate of crime. 

There are excellent schools for parents of children of all ages and there is an ongoing Hitchin Business Improvement District (BID) for local enterprise. 

Abbots Langley and Kings Langley

Key Facts:

• Education: for ages 3-11 there are quality schools such as Abbots Langley School, Tanners Wood School in Abbots Langley, and Kings Langley Primary School. For secondary education, Kings Langley School is well regarded for students 11-18. Haileybury is a highly regarded independent, co-educational boarding school set in 500 acres of countryside near the county town of Hertford – some 21 miles (34 km) to the south-west;

• Transport Links: situation either side of London’s orbital M25 motorway (Junction 20) and approximately 5.6 miles (9 km) from the circular’s junction with the M1 motorway (either to Central London or all points north).

• Trains: direct services from Kings Langley arrive at London Euston in around half an hour.

Why live in Abbots Langley and Kings Langley?

Abbots Langley and Kings Langley have village charm while still having access to the amenities and opportunities of larger towns and cities.

The communities are known for their tight-knit feel, historical significance, and beautiful surrounding countryside.

Both areas boast an array of local shops, traditional pubs, and community events.

When we took a look at Hertfordshire houses that were ripe for upsizing, we gave special mention to Kings Langley as a historic village steeped in history – with even a Roman villa discovered there in the 1980s.

Redbourn

Key Facts:

• Education: Redbourn Primary School, is known for its nurturing environment for ages 3-11. For ages 7-16 St Luke’s School is highly regarded. For secondary level, nearby St Albans offers a range of quality educational institutions, Beaumont School, Loreto College for girls and St Columba’s College. St Albans High School for Girls is also a selective, independent girls school for those aged 11 to 18;

• Transport Links: situated near the M1 motorway.  London is approximately 25 miles (40 km) away. Luton Airport is around 9 miles (14.5 km) away.

Why Live in Redbourn?

Redbourn, often referred to as the “jewel in the crown” of Hertfordshire, hosts numerous local events and activities that take place throughout the year, such as the annual Redbourn Village Festival.

Its favourable location ensures that residents can enjoy the serenity of village life while having the option to commute easily to London or other major centres. The accessibility to quality education within and around the village makes it an attractive location for families.

The village offers recreational activities with its picturesque common, various sports facilities, and a vibrant high street filled with independent shops and eateries.

Chorleywood

Key Facts:

• Education: Primary education is well-represented with schools such as Chorleywood Primary School, which is noted for its engaging learning environment. For older students, there are comprehensive options in the vicinity, including the highly regarded St Clement Danes School, which serves the secondary age range;

• Transport Links: part of the London Underground’s Metropolitan Line, offering direct services to Central London. Located close to the M25, providing excellent road connectivity to the wider region. Heathrow Airport is a mere 15 miles (24 km) away.

Why Live in Chorleywood?

Chorleywood boasts an area of outstanding natural beauty, with Chorleywood Common providing a large, open green space for leisure activities and community events.

The village centre hosts a variety of local shops, cafes, and amenities, creating a friendly and welcoming atmosphere.

The balance of life in Chorleywood is perhaps its most compelling attribute; residents can enjoy the peacefulness of the countryside, engage with a vibrant community, and still maintain the convenience of city access.

Bovingdon

Key Facts:

• Education: Bovingdon Primary Academy is reputed for high standards and a supportive learning environment for ages 3-11. For secondary education, St Clement Danes School is highly rated. The Royal Masonic School for Girls is a highly regarded independent day and boarding school in Rickmansworth

• Transport Links: only a short distance from the M25 and M1 motorways, providing easy access to London and the North.

• Trains: The nearby towns of Hemel Hempstead and Chesham offer convenient rail links.

Why Live in Bovingdon?

Local events, such as the Bovingdon Market and the annual village carnival, are highlights of the social calendar.

The village is also known for its picturesque surroundings, including the Bovingdon Green.

It offers peaceful village charm without sacrificing the convenience of connectivity to larger urban areas.

Radlett

Key facts:

• Education: St John’s Church of England Infant and Nursery School (ages 3 to 7) in Radlett is rated highly, as is the state secondary school and sixth-form college, Beaumont School, in St Albans (6 miles, 10 km away). The leading independent schools (for students 11 to 18 years of age), Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School and Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls, are both in Borehamwood, just 4 miles (6 km) away;

• Transport links: for its excellent transport links, Radlett can thank its position on Watling Street, one of the oldest (Roman) roads in Britain, between Elstree and London to the south and St Albans to the north. It is just 2 miles (3.5 km) to the M1 motorway and the whole of the national road network and lies within London’s circular M25 motorway.  A drive into the centre of the capital is around 22 miles (35 km), just over an hour away and depending on traffic. The drive to Heathrow airport takes approximately 40 minutes while Luton Airport is around 30 minutes away;

• Trains: from the mainline station at Radlett, there are frequent services to London St Pancras, which take around 30 minutes. Trains from Radlett also run to Gatwick and Luton airports.

Why live in Radlett?

Radlett offers a highly desirable, semi-rural environment within the perimeter of the M25 motorway, with an easy commute when residents should need to travel into London.

Coupled with the ready access to some of the finest schools – from infant years to sixth-form – Radlett is an ideal community in which to be based, commute to work, and bring up your family. 

Cuffley

Key facts:

• Education: there are five excellent primary schools (for children up to the age of 11) in Cuffley and its catchment area. St John’s School – provides state-funded secondary education for girls and boys between the ages of 11 and 18. The highly regarded independent schools Haberdashers’ Aske’s Boys’ School and Haberdashers’ Aske’s School for Girls, are both in Borehamwood – some 11 miles (18 km) away;

• Transport links: Cuffley occupies a semi-rural location just to the north of London’s main circular M25 motorway – roughly 6 miles equidistant from the junction on that motorway at Waltham Cross to the south-east and Potters Bar to the south-west. It also lies in a position midway between the main A1(M) to northern England and the A10 to Cambridge. Central London is some 23 miles (37 km) miles to the south – a drive of around 50 minutes;

• Trains: from the mainline railway station at Cuffley, regular trains run to London Moorgate in a journey time of around 45 minutes. In the opposite direction, trains travel to Stevenage.

Why live in Cuffley?

Cuffley is easily one the most desirable places to live in Hertfordshire

For somewhere well connected by its road and rail transport links; on the very northern edge of Greater London, yet just beyond the defining M25 motorway; Cuffley has that rare combination of out-of-town gentility, as well as quick and easy access to the bright lights and high life of the capital.

Buyers continue to be drawn to the lifestyle, generously proportioned homes, and excellent Cuffley schools and its immediate surroundings.

Bayford

Key facts:

• Education: Bayford Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School (for children up to 11 years of age) rates highly. Simon Balle All-Through School in the nearby county town of Hertford – 4 miles (6.4 km) away – is a highly regarded public sector school for both primary and secondary education levels (ages 4 to 18). Also, near Bayford is the acclaimed, independent, co-educational Haileybury School for students aged 11 studying for A-levels or the International Baccalaureate Diploma;

• Transport links: Bayford is in a rural part of Hertfordshire just a few miles south of the county town of Hertford, which also gives access to the main A10 trunk road to Cambridge. At Hatfield – some 8 miles (13 km) – to the west, is a junction with the arterial south-north A1(M). The latter provides the fastest road route into Central London – 28 miles (45 km) – a drive of around an hour and 20 minutes;

• Trains: from the mainline station in Bayford, trains to London Euston take just under an hour.

Why live in Bayford?

Bayford is an ancient settlement – it is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 by the name of Begesford.

Today, it is ideally connected to the major road networks, just 28 miles from Central London, and less than an hour’s commute by train.

Bayford offers a desirable mix of tranquil village life, a choice of quality properties, a village school and a convenient train service right on your doorstep.

Essendon

Key facts:

• Education: Essendon Church of England Primary School is highly regarded, as is the public sector secondary school and sixth-form Richard Hale School (ages 11-18) which is six miles (9.5 km) away in Hertford. On the outskirts of Hertford in an expansive rural estate is the independent co-educational Haileybury School for students aged 11-18;

• Transport links: Essendon is in the countryside, more or less 6 miles (9.5 km) equidistant from Hertford to the northeast and Hatfield to the west. On the outskirts of Hertford is the main road, A10, north to Cambridge and at Hatfield, a junction with the north-south A1(M). The latter provides the fastest road route into Central London – approximately 27 miles (43.4 km) – a drive of just over an hour;

• Trains: frequent trains to London Kings Cross depart from the nearest mainline station at Hatfield and make the journey in a little more than half an hour.

Why live in Essendon?

Essendon is a picturesque rural idyll, just a 30-minute train ride from Central London and overlooking the River Lea valley.

Despite that proximity to the capital, Essendon retains all the hallmarks of a rural community – with its hub, the village hall, where you can participate in Pilates classes, play carpet bowls, or attend meetings of the Essendon Society and the Women’s Institute. 

The romantic novelist Barbara Cartland used to live in the village.

Brookmans Park

Key facts:

• Education: Brookmans Park Primary School is rated highly, as is the local secondary-level and sixth-form academy Chancellor’s School. 25.5 miles (42 km) to the northwest is the highly regarded co-educational independent Bishop’s Stortford College for students aged between 4 and 18 – and which ranks among the top ten boarding schools in the UK;

• Transport links: Brookmans Park occupies a semi-rural location alongside the main north-south motorway, the A1(M), and just to the north of London’s orbital M25. To the north of the village is Hatfield, and to the south, just the other side of the M25, are the London Boroughs of both Barnet and Enfield. Central London is less than 20 miles (31 km) to the south – about an hour’s drive;

• Trains: Brookmans Park has a mainline railway station, with London Kings Cross about a 30-45 minute ride away.

Why live in Brookmans Park?

Described as a quintessential Hertfordshire village, Brookmans Park is an idyllic place to live.

Thanks to its picturesque setting, village atmosphere, proximity to London, and easy access to the national road network, Brookmans Park is an incredibly desirable place to live with many upmarket homes.

As well as having impressive homes and train services that reach London within around forty minutes there is also a selection of excellent schools in the area.

Welwyn

Key facts:

• Education: Welwyn St Mary’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School for pupils up to 11 is highly rated, as is the nearest public sector secondary school (ages 11 to 18) Monks Walk School in Welwyn Garden City – 3 miles (5 km) away. The independent, co-educational Sherrardswood School, for ages 2 to 18, on the outskirts of Welwyn, has a solid academic performance and was rated by the Sunday Times as among the UK’s top 70 schools;

• Transport links: Welwyn sits alongside the main north-south A1(M) motorway just to the north of Welwyn Garden City and about 12 miles (19 km) north of the junction with London’s orbital M25 motorway. Central London is around 27.5 miles (44.2 km) away – about an hour and a quarter’s drive;

• Trains: from the mainline railway station at Welwyn North, trains to London Kings Cross typically take just over 30 minutes.

Why live in Welwyn?

The small town of Welwyn a quiet, rural, and strong sense of community, yet is also incredibly well connected by transport links to the national road network and train services.

Bishop’s Stortford

Key facts:

• Education: there are three highly regarded primary schools in Bishop’s Stortford – Northgate Primary School, St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, and Windhill21. Bishop’s Stortford has five excellent public sector secondary schools or academies (for students aged 11 to 18). On the edge of the town, occupying a 130-acre campus is situated the independent, co-educational, day and boarding school for around 1,200 students between the ages of 4 and 18, Bishop’s Stortford College;

• Transport links: Bishop’s Stortford lies alongside the M11 motorway which runs north to south between Cambridge and London. Its road links are further enhanced by relative proximity to the A1(M) junction at Stevenage – some 24 miles (38.4 km) away. Following the M11 south, Central London is some 39 miles (62.5 km) – about an hour’s drive away;

• Trains: from the railway station in Bishop’s Stortford, trains to London Liverpool Street take around 45 minutes.

Why live in Bishop’s Stortford?

Thanks to its inhabitants’ robust life expectancy, high levels of average earnings, and the academic excellence of its schools, Bishop’s Stortford has regularly featured as one of the best places to live in the south-east of England.

Bishop’s Stortford is a charming market town and an ideal home for those who want to commute to London.

Royston

Key facts:

• Education: St. Mary Roman Catholic Primary School, in Royston is highly regarded, as is the public sector’s academy (for students aged 9 to 18), King James Academy Royston. Independent, co-educational, The Perse School, founded in 1615, near Cambridge – 13 miles (21 km) to the north – has previously been voted the sixth-best independent school by academic results in the UK;

• Transport links: Royston is in the countryside, between the A1(M) to the west and the M11 to the east, approximately 13 miles (21 km) equidistant between Cambridge to the north east and Letchworth Garden City to the south west. It is about 43 miles (69 km) north of Central London – a drive of a little more than an hour;

• Trains: frequent trains from the mainline station at Royston make the journey to London Kings Cross or St Pancras in about an hour.

Why live in Royston?

In the northern part of Hertfordshire, Royston lies so close to Cambridgeshire that the county boundary once ran through the town’s centre. 

It was built by the Romans in the early 1^st century AD and ran between London, York, and the even older, prehistoric Icknield Way (from the Thames Valley to East Anglia).

The beautiful countryside around Royston has been rated as the most underrated in the UK. Yet it is still a relatively short commute into Central London.

Little Gaddesden

Key facts:

• Education: Little Gaddesden Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, for children up to 11, is rated highly. Some 5 miles (8 km) away is the highly regarded public sector’s secondary modern school, Ashlyns School. Berkhamsted School is a group of six independent schools providing both co-educational and single-sex education from nursery ages through to sixth-form – with an impressive academic record;

• Transport links: Little Gaddesden sits in the northeast of the Chiltern Hills, between Luton to the northeast and Hemel Hempstead to the southeast – which both offer access to the main north-south M1 motorway and the whole of the national road network. Central London is just over 34 miles (55 km) to the south – a drive of a little more than an hour.

• Trains: the nearest mainline station is at Berkhamsted – 5 miles (8 km) – where frequent trains to London Euston take around 40 minutes

Why live in Little Gaddesden?

The village has been described as one of the best places to live for commuters in Hertfordshire.

Although now in Hertfordshire, the parish of Little Gaddesden was formerly in Buckinghamshire and continues to include the hamlets of Ashridge, Hudnall, and part of Ringshall.

The scenic beauty of Little Gaddesden has not been lost on the movie industry – the immediately surrounding countryside has featured in many films.

Aldbury

Key facts:

• Education: St Bartholomew’s Church of England Voluntary Aided Primary School, in neighbouring Wigginton, is highly rated. Less than 5 miles (8 km) away in Berkhamsted is the reputable public sector secondary modern Ashlyns School. The highly regarded Aylesbury Grammar School is some 11 miles (18 km) away;

• Transport links: Aldbury is in the northeast part of the Chiltern Hills, to the east of Tring, and the north of Berkhamsted. Via Tring, the east-west A41 leads to Aylesbury, while the A41 at Berkhamsted runs south to join London’s circular M25 motorway near Kings Langley. From Aldbury to Central London is a distance of some 40 miles (64.4 km) – a drive of just over an hour;

• Trains: the nearest mainline railway station is at Tring – 3 miles (5 km) – and trains from there to London Euston take around 40-50 minutes.

Why live in Aldbury?

Aldbury has become one of the County’s most exclusive and desirable postcodes.

It has a history – there are signs of settlement dating back to the 10^th century BC and the village was certainly in existence by the time of the Norman Conquest in the early 11^th century AD. 

It remains a quaint, picturesque, and quintessentially English hamlet, with the obligatory village shop and a couple of pubs.

Much Hadham

Key facts:

• Education: St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School is 3.6 miles (5.8 km) away. There are five quality public sector secondary schools or academies in nearby Bishop’s Stortford – 4.8 miles (7.8 km) (for students aged 11 to 18). On the edge of the town, occupying a 130-acre campus is situated the independent, co-educational, day and boarding school for around 1,200 students between the ages of 4 and 18, Bishop’s Stortford College;

• Transport links: the primary transport link is via nearby Bishop’s Stortford to the main M11 motorway, which travels north-south between Cambridge and London. Central London is some 37 miles (60 km) to the south – a drive of a little more than an hour;

• Trains: the nearest railway station is at Bishop’s Stortford – 4.8 miles (7.8 km) – where trains to London Liverpool Street take around 45 minutes.

Why live in Much Hadham?

Much Hadham is said to be one of the oldest – and most picturesque – villages in Hertfordshire.

Living here, you enjoy all the attractions of country living and a friendly community spirit yet typically remain less than an hour away – by train or by road – from Central London.

Ayot St Lawrence

Key facts:

• Education: Codicote Church of England Primary School, in a neighbouring village just 2 miles (3 km) away, is highly regarded, as are two public sector, secondary-level academies and former grammar schools (for students aged 11 to 18) – Hitchin Boys’ School and Hitchin Girls’ School – some 9 miles (15 km) away. On the outskirts of Hitchin, set in 100 acres of parkland, is the independent co-educational day and boarding Princess Helena College;

• Transport links: Ayot St Lawrence is in the Hertfordshire countryside. It is a mile or two to the west of the north-south A1(M) motorway and roughly 9 miles (14.5 km) equidistant from Stevenage to the north and Welwyn Garden City to the south. A junction with the M1 motorway is just 10 miles (16 km) to the west. Central London is approximately 29 miles (47 km) away by road – a drive of about an hour and 10 minutes;

• Trains: the nearest, most convenient, mainline railway station is at Welwyn Garden City, where frequent direct services to London Kings Cross make the journey in around 40 minutes.

Why live in Ayot St Lawrence?

The unusual and distinctive name might be reason enough to live here! 

Perhaps it’s the name that attracted the famous playwright George Bernard Shaw to move to the village in 1905 – and stay for the next 44 years.

Then again, it might have been the chocolate box cottages and picturesque rural setting that attracted him and lent weight to his description of the place as “a twelfth-century village where the last thing of real importance was perhaps the Flood”.

Whether or not it harks back to the past, the present village has some of the most expensive property in Hertfordshire and London remains a short and pleasant commute away.

Wheathampstead

Key facts:

• Education: the local St Helen’s Church of England Primary School, Crabtree Junior School on the outskirts of nearby Harpenden – 3.5 miles (5.6 km) are highly regarded. Harpenden is also the location for three excellent public sector, secondary-level Academies – St George’s School, Sir John Lawes School, and Roundwood Park School. Aldwickbury School is a small, independent, all-boys preparatory school on the outskirts of Harpenden;

• Transport links: Wheathampstead lies in the countryside to the west of the main north-south A1(M) motorway. It is roughly 5 miles (8 km) equidistant from Welwyn to the northeast and Welwyn Garden City to the southeast. The M1 motorway also runs north to south to the west of Wheathampstead – which is approximately 10 miles (16 km) equidistant from Luton to the north west and Hemel Hempstead to the south west. Central London is about 27 miles (44 km) to the south – just over an hour’s drive away;

• Trains: the nearest mainline railway station is just 3 miles (5 km) away in Harpenden, and trains to London St Pancras take around 45 minutes.

Why live in Wheathampstead?

Noting the proximity of this quiet and tranquil “chocolate box” village to the livelier Harpenden, Wheathampstead is a popular place to live – it offers a broad range of amenities whilst being within a short drive of not only Harpenden but St Albans too.

Wheathampstead offers a unique blend of rural living, with the resources and outlets of larger towns nearby and the metropolis itself only an hour’s drive or 45-minute train ride away.

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