Ayot St Lawrence is a picturesque village in Hertfordshire, located on country lanes between Wheathampstead and Welwyn.
The village is known for its links to playwright George Bernard Shaw, as well as its unusual Greek-inspired church.
About the Ayots
Ayot St Lawrence is situated within the triangle formed by Stevenage, Harpenden and Welwyn Garden City, and is often regarded as one of Hertfordshire's finest villages.
The village is about five miles from Welwyn Garden City and a similar distance from Harpenden in the opposite direction.
Ayot St Lawrence falls under the council borough of Welwyn Hatfield - with the village of Wheathampstead under three miles away.
The village, which has chocolate box cottages and an idyllic rural setting, is famed for its links to famous Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw.
His former home - Shaw's Corner - is now a National Trust property.
Zoopla has previously crowned Ayot St Lawrence as Hertfordshire's most expensive village, with house prices averaging £1,655,000.
The village is home to 14th century inn The Brocket Arms, and is known as one of 'the Ayots' along with its smaller neighbours Ayot Green and Ayot St Peter.
Shaw's Corner
Ayot St Lawrence was the home of renowned Irish playwright, polemicist and political activist George Bernard Shaw.
Shaw moved to Ayot St Lawrence in 1906, and made his home at Shaw's Corner until his death in 1950.
The house is an Edwardian Arts and Crafts-influenced villa. It was originally a rectory, but was opened as a National Trust property in 1951.
Shaw's Corner remains much the same as when Shaw left it, including the playwright's famous revolving wooden writing hut, which is still tucked away in the grounds of the estate.
Shaw referred to the hut as 'London', so that unwanted visitors could be told he was away 'visiting the capital'.
A tale of two churches
Ayot St Lawrence is known for its old 12th century church and its new 'Palladian' place of worship.
The old church is dedicated to St Lawrence, the village's namesake, and was partially demolished under orders from local squire Sir Lionel Lyde in 1775.
According to legend, Sir Lionel was only stopped from completely demolishing the church by the then Bishop of Lincoln.
The Grade II-listed ruins of Ayot St Lawrence Old Church still attract visitors today.
The ruined Norman church was replaced with a neoclassical structure, which is now known as the Palladian Church.
The new church - which is Grade I listed - was commissioned by Sir Lionel around 1775, and was designed in the Greek revival style by architect Nicholas Revett.
The church's design is loosely modelled on the columns found in the temple to Apollo on the island of Delos, in the Cyclades.
Each year the church hosts the hugely popular Ayot St Lawrence Art Show.
Property
Homes in Ayot St Lawrence come on the market infrequently, and don't come cheap.
There is currently one property on the market - Bibbs Hall Barns in Bibbs Hall Lane - which is a four-bedroom semi-detached house for £1,895,000.
The Brocket Arms is a cosy country inn dating back to the 14th century, which until the Reformation was the monastic quarters for the nearby Norman church.
The pub offers accommodation and retains the traditional features one would expect in such a building - including low ceilings, oak beams and inglenook fireplaces.
The bar and restaurant serve good quality, seasonal food, along with a range of real ale and wines.
According to legend, the inn is haunted by a monk or a priest, who was tried and hanged in the building.
Transport
Although small, the village is far from isolated, with nearby trains from Welwyn North and Welwyn Garden City stations.
You can also travel into London from stations in Harpenden and St Albans.
For motorists, the A1(M) is close to hand at Welwyn.
Schools
The nearest primary schools are in the nearby villages of Codicote, Kimpton and Wheathampstead.
Two of the closest secondary schools are Monk's Walk in Welwyn Garden City, which was rated 'good' at its most recent inspection in October last year, and the new Katherine Warington School in Harpenden, which was also rated 'good' at its first inspection earlier this year.
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