Welcome to Wheathampstead

Wheathamstead

Hamptons offers you a warm welcome to Wheathampstead

Congratulations, if you are house hunting in Wheathampstead, you have already won. A home in this great area with all it offers, automatically makes you the envy of many. Now in order to make your transition as smooth and hassle free as possible Hamptons have put together this great guide which will help you choose the best schools, learn a little about planning and building control, read tips on where to shop, eat and lot’s more, all packed into one little guide with clickable links. Perhaps most importantly we have researched some of the leading local professionals and experts who can help you add value and personalise your soon to be new home. A big WELCOME and enjoy.

A little bit of history

There has been a settlement of one form or another in the Wheathampstead area since the Iron Age, when the Celtic Catuvellauni tribe called it home. Local tradition dictates that the Devil’s Dyke to the east of the village was the scene of Julius Caesar’s victory over tribal chief Cassivellaunus in 54 BC, although this is disputed by some historians. The railway arrived in Wheathampstead in 1860, but its station closed in 1965. Locals have since restored the platform and the site now forms part of the Wheathampstead Heritage Trail.

Wheathampstead offers a large proportion of period properties, from country cottages to characterful terraces to detached houses set in significant plots, although there is also a selection of more modern homes. The village has too many historic buildings to count, but some notable examples include St Helen’s Church at the heart of the town which dates to the 13th century, the medieval grade II listed house Wheathampstead Place and the Victorian Wheathampstead House constructed in 1840 for Field Marshal Frederick Rudolph Lambart, 10th Earl of Cavan.

Why move to Wheathampstead?

The picturesque Hertfordshire village of Wheathampstead is situated between Harpenden and Welwyn Garden City, the perfect location for families seeking a slower pace and idyllic rural lifestyle. Occupying a glorious spot on the River Wey, the village is home to many historic buildings that will pique the interest of residents and visitors alike. It is less than 5 miles to the north of vibrant cathedral city St Albans and its speedy rail links to London from neighbouring Harpenden ensure its enduring appeal to the commuter.

Wheathampstead’s charming traditional high street is made up in large part of local traders operating from historic premises, including a familyrun butchers, bakery, florist and barber shop. The village is also home to a library, doctor and dentist surgeries, a convenience store with post office and a Tesco Express for daily amenities, as well as a cricket club and golf course. A wider range of amenities is available a short drive away in St Albans.

Resting in the middle of unspoilt countryside the village offers an island of idyllic English rural living. Current resident, Barbara Green, explains how that ‘Englishness’ attracted her and her husband when they moved from South Africa 30 years ago. Barbara, who is parish council clerk, explains, ‘At the time Wheathampstead offered it all. Most shopping needs were catered for; we had a baker, where you could buy freshly baked bread, a butcher, a supermarket, a shoe shop and a gentleman’s outfitters, to name just a few.

‘Unfortunately, today we have lost a lot of those businesses, although we still have a very good butcher, a wide selection of high-standard restaurants and some lovely pubs.’

The village remains self contained by a swathe of green countryside that forms an invisible defence barrier to the outside world, just as the area’s Devil’s Dyke did in Saxon days for villagers and their livestock during times of upheaval.

While a gloriously colourful history and a bountiful present may form the allure of Wheathampstead today, does the village have an auspicious future to look forward to? Well yes actually, thanks to the foresight of the current parish council, which, having bought acres of Wheathampstead’s surrounding land and placing them into a trust through the National Playing Fields Association, has managed to protect the village boundaries.

www.greatbritishlife.co.uk

FAMOUS RESIDENTS

Wheathampstaed and the surrounding area has been a home to rockstars, celebrities, athletes, academics, artists and common or garden members of the upper-crust for generations. Here are a few notable names you may or may not know..

Bruce Forsyth,

Television Personality

Nathan Byrne,

Footballer

Apsley Cherry-Garrard, Polar Explorer Reginald Owen, Character Actor Nick Halling, TV presenter and Sports Journalist Nick Payne, Playwright William Beach Thomas KBE, Author and Journalist William Henry Bell, Musician, Composer Jez Butterworth, Writer Paul Cattermole, former member of S Club 7 Ralph Chubb, Lithographer Sally Connolly, Author Dark Stares, Rock Band Christopher Debenham, Cricketer Trash Boat, Pop-punk band Nick Gentry, Portrait Artist Nigel Gibbs, Watford footballer Russell Green, Cricketer Willis Hall, Playwright and TV Tommy Hampson, Athlete Cheryl Campbell, Actor