Where do you start?
The local area is farmland with a network
of footpaths providing some excellent walking and attractive
scenery. The village has
an active history group and St
Ippolyts Church is
one of only two churches in England dedicated to St Hippolytus,
the Patron Saint of horses. Crusader Knights called here on their
way to the Middle East to have their horses blessed by the vicar
and carved crosses in the wall of the church with their swords.
These crosses can be seen on what are now internal pillars of
the south aisle just inside the door.
The charming market town of Hitchin (markets
Tuesday, Friday and Saturday) is just over 1 mile away and has
a very active support group, The
Hitchin Society and is promoted
by Hitchin Initiative.
There is a wide variety of restaurants and specialist shopping.
The Queen Mother
Theatre produces
an extensive range of high quality drama throughout the year.
The Hitchin
British Schools Museum is a step back in time and is only
a short walk from the Hitchin
museum and Art Gallery located
at Paynes Park just off
the town centre.
Anyone using Luton Airport will
find us very helpful and the journey from here to the airport
shows Hertfordshire at its best.
1m to the south on top of the hill is the ruined (haunted)
church of Minsden
Chapel.
Close by are five major estates of historical
note and interest:
3m south is the Bowes-Lyon estate where the Queen
Mother grew up at the tiny village of St. Pauls Walden , there
is a monument to her, recently erected in the Churchyard.
5m south is the Knebworth
Park estate
home of major pop festivals and the Lytton
Cobbold family.
There are many events held here each year from craft festivals
to motor shows and the grounds are open for recreation during
the summer.
8m south the beautiful parklands of Brocket
Hall now
with two established golf courses, notorious for the antics
of Lord Charles Brocket (he's a celebrity and he got out of
here), and a more celebrated previous tenant Lady Caroline
Lamb and her affair with another Lord and Poet, Byron.
8m west the Luton Hoo estate
now a luxury hotel and golf course but with previous Royal connections
is of interest as is the nearby Stockwood Park museum and Stockwood Park itself.
10m south is the Salisbury estate and beautiful Hatfield
House, entrance opposite Hatfield railway station, where
Queen
Elizabeth 1st learned of her succession to the throne.
At Welwyn village we have the Roman
Bathhouse discovered during
the extension of the A1( M).
And for those with a wish to discover more about local Roman
occupation there is the
museum at Verulamium, St. Albans.
St. Albans named after England 's first Christian martyr has
its market and Cathedral. For
other tourist
information click here.
Stevenage and Luton provide larger shopping
facilities and Milton Keynes is a pleasant drive from here passing
through Woburn with its famous Woburn Safari Park and
Historic House.
A little way to the north at Old Warden is the Shuttleworth
historic aircraft collection, the birds
of prey centre and Swiss
Garden.
On the other side of the A1 at Sandy is the home of the RSPB
at The Lodge, Sandy where you will find
the reserve and HQ of the organisation. There is a train service
from Hitchin to Sandy .
On the way to Old Warden you pass close through Upper Stondon
where the Stondon
Transport Museum is located.
Fishing particularly for Carp is plentiful in the area; there
are many small lakes and ponds, with Stanborough
Lakes at Welwyn Garden City, Fairlands
Valley in Stevenage and St.
Neots easily accessible.
A recent extension to the Chiltern
Way is virtually
on our doorstep for those who would like a more challenging walk.
If our accommodation is full you may wish to consider the Brocket
Arms at Ayot
St. Lawrence about
6m from here this fine example of a real country pub is run
by a fellow, but much more, eccentric landlord, C Toby
Wingfield-Digby , and is literally just round the corner
from the home of George
Bernard Shaw. Here you will
also find another ruined church opposite the pub ask Toby about
the story.
