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Straddling the airy chalk ridge of the northern Chiltern Hills,
North Hertfordshire boasts fine countryside of undulating farmland
and woodland and its full share of picture postcard  villages.
From Ashwell to Langley, Nuthampstead and Newnham, curving through
to Wymondley and on to Weston, the villages of North Hertfordshire
have magical names, rich pasts and a lively present.
Some were familiar to kings and queens, others boast idyllic ponds,
thatched cottages and greens. All are strong communities, much loved
and cared for by residents in partnership with North Hertfordshire
District Council.
Take the time to look around them or try one of the many walks and
bike rides that link parishes throughout the area. To whet your
appetite, here is a brief guide to them all.
Ashwell Ashwell was one of the premier towns in Hertfordshire at
the time of the Norman invasion and boasts a wide range of fine
timbered buildings, springs that feed the River Cam and heart-rending
graffiti in the village church referring to the arrival of pestilence
and plague in the village and the ‘miserable wild distracted’
dregs of people who remained.
The 14th Century church, visible for miles around, has a 176-ft
ornate tower with an octagonal lantern and leaded spike.
The village has a railway station, a school, several pubs and shops
as well as a museum housed in a 16th Century historic building.
It is open Sunday and bank holiday afternoons. For more details
call 01462 742956.
Barkway Barkway is a delightful village full of fine old buildings
and home to descendants of Dr Thomas Dimsdale who earned a vast
fortune in 1768 by successfully inoculating Catherine the Great
of Russia against smallpox.
The village was once an important community with a thriving market
and inns catering for coaches travelling between London and the
north. It became something of a backwater with the arrival of the
railway and it is now a quiet picturesque village with a school
and hall.
Barley Barley’s village hall, known as The Town House, is
one of the oldest buildings in the village and has been at various
times a school, a workhouse and a garage for the fire engine. In
1726 Daniel Defoe described the merriment in its upstairs room,
with a spit, large cauldron and bride bed for a newly-married couple
to use on their first night together.
The village is also well known for the Fox and Hounds pub sign which
straddles the road.
Bygrave The tiny village of Bygrave, on a hill overlooking the ancient
Icknield Way, was once important enough to host a three-day fair.
Its church, dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch, stands on the site
of an earlier Saxon church and features a carved Norman doorway
and a nave strengthened with Roman bricks.
Caldecote and Newnham Caldecote is the smallest parish in North
Hertfordshire with a farmyard that includes a disused church featuring
a canopied and crocketed stoup for holy water.
Newnham is only slightly larger than Caldecote and has a church
of its own with Medieval wall paintings and 15th Century stained
glass. Reginald Hine, who was a nationally-acclaimed historian,
was born in the hamlet and a tapestry in the church commemorates
his death in 1949.
Clothall Clothall, set among woods and trees, remained locked in
the past until the 20th Century, a rural community with a fine church
and remnants of the ancient Medieval strip system of farming. St
Mary’s has a 14th Century tower unusually incorporated into
its porch, a 12th Century font, poppy head pews and fragments of
15th Century stained glass.
Clothall should not be confused with nearby Clothall Common, a new
estate to the east of Baldock.
Codicote Codicote, one of the district’s largest villages
with more than 3,000 inhabitants, boasts the oldest licensed premises
in the county at the former George and Dragon, now the As You Like
It Chinese restaurant. It was recorded in 1279 and was used by pilgrims
travelling to the shrine of St Albans.
Nearby is the thatched Node Dairy, built in the 1920s to a circular
design modelled loosely on Marie Antoinette’s model farm at
Versailles. It is now offices.
Codicote has a variety of timbered and listed buildings as well
as recent housing, several pubs and shops, a village hall, a sports
and social centre, thriving clubs and activities and a 12th Century
church.
Graveley Graveley is situated on the historic Great North Road and
for centuries its inns catered for travellers on horseback, in stage
coaches and then in cars. To the north lies Jack’s Hill, named
after a legendary giant who terrorised the neighbourhood and is
now buried in nearby Weston churchyard. The sad remnants of St Etheldreda’s
Church still exist at Chesfield on the road to Weston, abandoned
after the village was devastated by the Black Death around 1350.
Hexton Long before the Romans came to Britain there was an Iron
Age camp at Ravensburgh Castle above the present village of Hexton.
The lines of the ditch that surrounded the 22-acre site can still
be seen.
The village has a thriving school, a church which is also used as
a community centre, a popular pub and numerous clubs and societies.
In Edwardian times the vicar, the Rev Fillingham, became nationally
known because of his controversial views which were unpopular with
the establishment. He is buried in the churchyard.
Hinxworth Hinxworth is the most northerly village in the district
and, although tiny, it has a village hall with a stage, a pub and
several clubs including archery. The church tower dates back to
1304 but the chancel is 18th Century brick.
Holwell St George, Jack Frost and the Turkish Knight are characters
who can be seen in the unusual setting of Holwell Village Hall when
Offley Morris Men stage their annual mummers play just before Christmas.
They also practice in the village, which lies close to the Bedfordshire
border. The church, largely rebuilt, retains some Perpendicular
features.
Ickleford In Victorian times Hitchin was one of the country’s
leading lavender producers. Now lavender is again grown nearby,
at Cadwell Farm in Ickleford, which is open for visits during the
summer. The church is also worth a visit with its 12th Century Norman
nave, carving around the north doorway and fine stained glass in
the east window dating from 1860.
Kimpton This thriving village with its own school and buildings
dating from the 16th Century lies along the route of a dried-up
river bed. It hosts a very popular May festival each year, complete
with a May Queen, attendants and Morris Men, and supports numerous
clubs and organisations. Many meet in the village hall, which was
completely rebuilt within two years of being destroyed in an arson
attack in 1981 thanks to a tremendous community effort.
Kings Walden The village is at the centre of attractive woodland,
scattered farms and hamlets. The church features a William Morris
stained glass window of three archangels. John Bunyan preached from
the pulpit of the church in nearby Breachwood Green which now lies
under the Luton Airport flight path.
Knebworth
Knebworth, situated on a major north-south road and main railway
line, has grown into a small town with a variety of shops and businesses.
Nearby Knebworth House, now open to visitors, was often visited
by Charles Dickens and has been home to the Lytton-Cobbold family
since 1492. The grounds boast a dinosaur trail among other attractions.
Knebworth House is a famous venue for rock concerts featuring Robbie
Williams in 2003, the Rolling Stones in 1976 and Queen’s last
concert in 1986. The house had also been the venue for many top
films including Batman and Wings of a Dove.
Lilley
The Telegraph Hill at Lilley is the highest point in the district
at 600 feet above sea level. John Bunyan preached in a cottage in
the village and the well-known  19th
Century alchemist Johann Kellerman lived there, using a furnace
in the cellar of his home for his experiments. There used to be
a race course nearby which was a frequent haunt of the Prince Regent
and Rupert Brooke mentioned Lilley Hoo in a poem - he knew the village
from his regular walks along the Icknield Way.
Nuthampstead This tiny hamlet was the site of an American airfield
in the last war, used by the Flying Fortress bombers of the 398th
Heavy Bombardment group. Although all that now remains are fields,
it is still a site of pilgrimage for many Americans.
Offley Offley, at the summit of a one-in-eight hill, stands to the
west of the ancient Icknield Way and was plagued by traffic travelling
between Hitchin and Luton until a bypass was built in the 1970s.
It has two thriving pubs, a school and a church with some splendid
monuments. Among the larger old homes are Offley Place, a popular
venue for weddings which was rebuilt in the 19th Century but still
retains a Tudor porch. Nearby Little Offley is a Tudor brick-built
manor house.
Pirton Visitors to Pirton, one of the largest villages in the district,
can walk round the remains of a motte and bailey castle known as
Toot Hill next to the village church. The tower had to be rebuilt
after it dramatically collapsed in 1874 and is now topped with a
Hertfordshire spike.
Pirton has a picturesque village green surrounded by cottages and
two pubs making it an ideal spot for an interesting stroll.
Preston The Red Lion pub at Preston is owned by the villagers and
overlooks the green, which features an old well with an octagonal
roof. There are a number of picturesque cottages, a village hall
and a small school. Princess Helena College is located at Temple
Dinsley, a Georgian Manor House adapted by Lutyens and built on
the site of a preceptory of the Knights Templar.
Radwell The small and picturesque village of Radwell is notable
for the brasses and monuments in its church, especially the poignant
alabaster memorial to Mary Plomer, who died aged 29 in 1605 giving
birth to her 11th child. She is portrayed cradling the dead baby
and surrounded by her other children.
Reed Reed’s village church features interesting Saxon long
and short work at the four corners of the nave. It is located close
to the route of the Roman Ermine Street and the grid layout of the
streets indicates it may have been a Roman settlement before the
Saxons settled there.
Rushden Although Rushden is a small and scattered village, it has
an illustrious past. The Victorian writer Anthony Trollope was a
frequent visitor, staying with friends there, and the Duke of Wellington
was a guest at the former forge. The Flemish ambassador during the
reign of Queen Elizabeth I is believed to have hidden a valuable
ring under a tree at his home in the village, before he was murdered
by robbers.
St Ippolyts The spelling of St Ippolyts underwent a succession of
variants before settling on the present form. It stems from the
name of the village church, dedicated to Hippolytus, the patron
saint of horses, and appears to be unique in this country. Legend
has it that horses were once taken to services in the church to
be blessed.
The Rev William Lax had the stream dammed 200 years ago and used
the lake for ice skating and to stock his ice house. An astronomer,
he installed an observatory in the grounds of his home at St Ibbs
which was once used by Sir Isaac Newton.
St Paul’s Walden This hamlet is notable for being the childhood
home of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, who is recorded as having
been born at St Paul’s Waldenbury and was christened in the
village church. The interesting church features an 18th Century
vaulted and stuccoed chapel and an ornate Perpendicular screen.
Nearby Stagenhoe Park, an 18th Century mansion, now used as a Sue
Ryder care home, was once occupied by Victorian composer Sir Arthur
Sullivan who liked it so much he tried to buy it.
Sandon Sandon, a long-established agricultural community mentioned
in the 1086 Domesday Book, is made up of a number of scattered settlements
around Church End where the 14th Century church is located. The
annual flower festival attracts visitors from many miles around.
Earthworks at nearby Sandon Mount are of the oldest known windmill
in England.
Therfield and Kelshall The villagers of Therfield and its nearby
tiny neighbour Kelshall know all about appreciating each other to
build a strong community - that’s the motto of their vicar,
the Rev Richard Morgan, who won a Country Living magazine award
as the nation’s best-loved vicar in 2005. He is particularly
famed for his acting and singing skills and his sense of humour.
Kelshall has only about 120 inhabitants but nearby Therfield has
a school, pub and a number of thriving clubs. The communities each
have a church and a village hall.
The nearby heath is a popular walking spot and features prehistoric
barrows.
Wallington Picturesque Wallington, close to the Icknield Way, is
notable as the home of writer George Orwell who ran the village
shop with his wife Eileen from 1936 until 1940. He was married in
the church, wrote The Road To Wigan Pier in the village and left
to fight in the Spanish Civil War, returning to draft Homage To
Catalonia. After he moved to London he published Animal Farm, set
at Manor Farm, Willingdon - a Manor Farm had been close to his Wallington
home. A plaque marks the pretty thatched house where he lived.
Weston
 Two
stones in the churchyard mark the legendary resting place of Jack
O’Legs, the giant who stole from the rich to give to the poor.
When caught in Baldock he was condemned to be hanged and shot an
arrow to determine where he would be buried. It landed in Weston.
The church has some fine Norman work and was extensively restored
in the mid 19th Century.
Whitwell
Whitwell is a large village with a number of picturesque houses,
two pubs, a doctors’ surgery, a shop and a school - but no
Anglican church because that’s up the hill at St Pauls Walden.
‘Whitwell watercress’ was once a famous cry on the streets
of London and the sought-after watercress is still grown at Nine
Wells Farm near the village.
Little and Great Wymondley These neighbouring villages, which boast
three pubs between them, also include three greens at Todds Green,
Titmore and Redcoats in their parish. Great Wymondley is a picturesque
community gathered round the Norman church, one of only three in
the county to boast an apsidal chancel.
The village has links with Henry VIII, who was entertained at Delamere
House by Cardinal Wolsey, and with the 17th Century preacher John
Bunyan as well as with the present Queen, who presented a plaque
to residents for the Best Kept Village in 1982.
Charles Dickens visited the famous Victorian hermit of Redcoats
who was actually the wealthy James Lucas, reputed to be mad but,
in Dickens’ opinion, a charlatan. There is now a pub named
after him.
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