Bayford

BAYFORD is significantly more rural than Cuffley. It is set quietly in the heart of the Broxbourne woods, which are full of footpaths and bridleways, and is not so overburdened with modern development. The older Georgian houses have a pleasing presence as a result. The village is rather spread out. It has both a pond and an open space, which it treats as a green, and a cricket field with a cricket pavilion built with Lottery money. There is a pub, the Bakers Arms, but no post office or shop, and most people stock up from Waitrose or Tesco in Hertford. The village has its own mixed infants and junior school, but older children go out of the village – there are good secondary schools in Hemel Hempstead and St Albans. Every two years villagers open their gardens to the public, with the admission charges going towards local amenities.

Together with its neighbours – Brickendon, Little Berkhamsted, Epping Green and Bayfordbury – Bayford exudes wealth and charm, and there is little point harbouring any ambition to live here unless you’re looking in the £400,000 bracket. Three-bedroom cottages start at £325,000 and houses at £500,000. Detached houses sell for £1.5m–£3m. Brickendon is little more than a tiny hamlet set around a green, half a mile’s walk from Bayford. Little Berkhamsted is delightfully wooded and has some lovely weatherboarded cottages opposite the church. Bayfordbury is perhaps not so exclusive since it has the B158 running through it.