An attractive village in north-west Hertfordshire located on the boundary of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, it’s easy to see Markyate’s appeal.
Close to the borders of Bedfordshire and Buckinghamshire, Markyate is in the borough of Dacorum, but comes with a Luton dialling code of 01582, and a St Albans (AL3) postal code.
We found out more about this pretty part of Hertfordshire...
History
Markyate is situated on the A5, the old Roman Road (Watling Street), north of Junction 9 on the M1.
According to the parish council's website, the total population of Markyate is approximately 3,000.
In medieval times, a community of Benedictine nuns was established in Markyate. The first prioress was Christina of Markyate.
On the ruins of the original priory a manor house, Markyate Cell, was built. It's had many additions over the centuries, but parts of the original Tudor building are intact.
Markyate’s Parish Church, St John the Baptist, stands on a corner of the grounds of Markyate Cell.
Notable residents
Markyate has had several residents of interest over the years. Perhaps the most notorious is Katherine Ferrers, the so-called ‘Wicked Lady’.
According to legend, Lady Katherine terrorised Hertfordshire as a highwaywoman during the mid-1600s.
The 17th century aristocrat is the most famous – or should that be infamous? – former resident of Grade II* listed Markyate Cell, which sits in about 80 acres of parkland and formal gardens immediately north of the village.
In her early teens she was married off to Sir Thomas Fanshawe, who took control of her estate and sold off many of her assets, including her manor at Flamstead and much of its surrounding land.
Katherine decided to take her financial future into her own hands, and was highly successful, before she was reportedly killed by a gunshot wound in a botched robbery on Nomansland Common, Wheathampstead.
She was aged just 26. The pub near the Common is called The Wicked Lady.
Her former home was listed for sale last year for £9.5m. The price has since dropped. Called Cell Park, the 10-bedroom mansion currently comes with a guide price of £6.5million.
The house was originally built c.1539 for Humphrey Bouchier on land previously belonging to Markyate Priory and has subsequently been extended and remodelled, although it still retains some of its Tudor features.
Chris White, former bassist of St Albans rock band The Zombies, grew up in Markyate, where his parents owned a grocery store.
Property
While there are period homes aplenty in and around the village centre, many more modern properties have been built between High Street and the Markyate bypass since the 1950s.
Since 2014, new houses have also shot up in the area off Hicks Road, which was once occupied by light industry.
According to Rightmove, the average sale price for property in Markyate over the last year was £402,985. The majority of sales during this period were terraced properties, selling for an average price of £342,978.
Flats sold for an average of £230,862, with semi-detached properties fetching £410,000.
Detached properties went for an average of £866,929 over the last year, a price inflated by the £2,250,000 sale in January of a six-bed mansion in Roe End Lane, Markyate.
Homes currently on the market in Markyate include the aforementioned country house Cell Park.
Among its many noteworthy rooms are the magnificent drawing room, the dining room, which was formerly a ballroom with its sprung floor and curved ceiling, and the principal bedroom suite with a pair of dressing rooms with bespoke furniture and a luxury en suite bathroom.
To the west wing of the house is a cinema room, gym/dance studio and a spacious home office. There's also a snooker room.
Grade II listed, the gardens and park feature formal lawns, a box parterre and a tiered walled historic kitchen garden, while the River Ver, occupying the valley to the south-west, flows intermittently through the estate.
A slightly cheaper alternative is the stunning 18th century Home Farm on Luton Road, which comes with a price tag of £5m.
Once the coach house to nearby Caddington Hall, it's an impressive six-bedroom family house with a separate two bedroom self-contained 'guest annexe' in a secluded location surrounded by 10 acres of parkland grounds and formal gardens.
There's an equestrian facility in Gills Hill complete with swimming pool that will set you back just shy of £4m.
At the other end of the price scale, a three-bed family home in Roman Way is on the market for £375,000, the same price as a three-bedroom end of terrace property in Hicks Way.
A three-bedroom character property in High Street is on the market for £490,000, and a charming listed cottage on the same road for £500,000.
For the same price you can get a spacious three-bedroom detached bungalow in the heart of the village in Cowper Rise.
Transport
About 15 minutes by car from Harpenden, Luton and St Albans, the area has strong transport links.
Not far from Flamstead, Markyate is close to the M1, via Junction 9, and for international travel, London Luton Airport is seven miles away.
Harpenden is also about seven miles away and offers a fast rail service to London St Pancras.
Amenities
Most of Markyate's amenities are arranged around its historic main street, which is lined with period buildings.
This charming strip is home to a mix of independent shops and a few chains, including a pharmacy, beauty salon, hairdressers, a convenience store, a fish and chips and kebab shop, and a cluster of curry houses.
The High Street has a well-known local bakery, Pruden’s, which was established in 1928, and a Nisa store complete with a Post Office.
For young people, there's a Scout group in the village, and Markyate also boasts a football and cricket club.
Pubs
Markyate was a popular stop-off point in the coaching era, with a number of public houses serving those passing through the village.
Just two of those traditional English village pubs survive: The Plume of Feathers and The Swan.
The Swan, in High Street, also has its own separate function room – the 300-year-old Barn.
Then there's The Local, a charming micropub which opened on High Street in 2016.
Serving real ales and local beers as well as wines and ciders, it describes itself as a "no gimmicks, no loud music" public house.
Schools
Markyate Village School and Nursery was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted at its last inspection in December 2019.
Beechwood Park, an independent co-educational prep day and boarding school for ages three to 13, is located on the outskirts of the village.
Beechwood’s gardens were originally designed by Capability Brown, and these surround the stunning Georgian manor house which now forms the main school building.
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