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Sands Home Search are independent buying consultants specialising in finding and acquiring prime country houses & estates, farm & equestrian property and waterside homes for retained private & corporate clients.

For further information about our service use the menu at the top of this page.

About the County of Hertfordshire
(For a list of all the prime country estate properties sold in Hertfordshire recently, scroll down to the bottom of this page)

Despite its proximity to London and excellent communications to the capital by road and rail, Hertfordshire is deeply rural - and house prices are surprisingly reasonable

Although it is one of the smallest counties in England, Hertfordshire has a great variety of scenery, mostly, in the words of Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, 'uneventful but lovable'. Despite its proximity to London and excellent communications to the capital by road and rail, parts are surprisingly rural.

Hertford, the county town, is still an old market town, and wheat and barley are grown in abundance in the north, on the Cambridgeshire border. The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty just touches the south-west of the county.

In the south, the soil is clay and the landscape heavily wooded. Building materials include the traditional timber - the county has an exceptionally high number of timber-framed buildings, constructed from the 13th to the 18th centuries.

The county has a long history: as Verulamium, St Albans was one of the main Roman towns in Britain, and more recently, a succession of great houses were built, including Hatfield House and Knebworth.

Given Hertfordshire's accessibility from London, house prices are surprisingly reasonable. The most popular areas include the corridor close to the M11 , within easy reach of Harlow and Saffron Walden, and the towns of Berkhamstead and Hampenden.

Major towns

Hertford, St Albans, Watford, Hemel Hempstead, Stevenage, Ware, Hatfield, Letchworth, Welwyn Garden City, Hitchin, Harpenden, Potters Bar, Cheshunt, Bishops Stortford and Royston.

Transport links

Train: King's Cross to Stevenage 19min; Euston to Hemel Hempstead 25min; Ware 35min.
Car: Stevenage is 28 miles from central London, via the A1(M); Hemel Hempstead 25 miles, via the M1 and Ware 23 miles, via the A10.

Public schools

Berkhamsted Collegiate School (01442 863236). Co- educational, with separate campuses for girls and boys in the senior school. Fully co- educational preparatory school and sixth form, day and boarding. Age range 7- 18.
www.berkhamstedcollegiateschool.org.uk

Bishops Stortford College (01279 838575). Co-educational, age range 4-19, day and boarding. www.bishops-stortford-college.herts.uk

Haberdashers' Askes School, Elstree (0208-207 4323). Boys only, age range 7-18, day. www.habsboys.org.uk

Haberdashers' Askes School for Girls, Elstree (0208-953 4261). Girls only, age range 4-18, day. www.habsgirls.org.uk

Haileybury College, near Hertford (01992 463353). Co-educational, age range 11-18, day and boarding. www.haileybury.herts.sch.uk

Princess Helena College, Hitchin (01462 432100). Girls only, age range 11-18, day and boarding. www.phc.herts.sch.uk

St Albans High School for Girls (01727 853800). Girls only, age range 7-18, day. www.stalbans-high.herts.sch.uk

St Albans School (01727 855521). Boys only (co-educational sixth form), age range 11-18, day. www.st-albans.herts.sch.uk

Leisure

Golf courses: Dyrham Park, Barnet (0181-440 3361); Moor Park, Rickmansworth (01923 773146).

Hunts: The Aldenham Harriers, the Enfield Chase, the Puckeridge and Thurlow.
Yachting club: Aldenham Sailing Club.

Fishing: rivers Bure, Wissey, Yare, Waveney, and the Broads.


THE BEST HERTFORDSHIRE COUNTRY HOUSES FOR SALE IN 2004
(A breakdown of what was for sale & purchase prices)

Ayot Montfitchet, Ayot St Peter (remodelled 15th Century house, 21 acres): £5.5m

Tom's Hill Estate, Aldbury (period house, 150 acres): £4.2m

Danes Estate, Little Berkhampstead (436 acre residential estate): £3.5m

Rectory Farm, Shenley (new 6 bedroom house, 134 acres): £4m

Essendon House, Essendon (8 bedroom Georgian House, coach house, stabling, 17 acres): £2.85m

Source: Country Life

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on 01425 462 549.