HERTFORD, HERTFORDSHIRE
MANGROVE ROAD
Price: £525,000
A roomy four-bedroom Edwardian family home, ideally positioned for Hertford’s town centre and just a stone’s throw from the Simon Balle School – a top comprehensive. The landscaped garden has an exotic flavour, with a beach-style hut, a summerhouse, and an ornamental pond with an accompanying bridge. Contact: Steven Oates: www.stevenoates.comlucks.co.uk
DOLPHIN YARD
Price: £285,000
This slick two-bedroom apartment is part of an intimate new development of 16 homes, located close to the centre of Hertford on the banks of the River Lea. Balconies and raised walkways make the most of the river views, while communal courtyards give the project a community feel which many new developments lack. Contact: Mullucks Wells: www.mullucks.co.uk
DENE HOUSE, BAYFORD
Price: £4.35m
This stately four-bedroom family home is crammed with quirky features and charming period details, from large bay windows and open fireplaces to a roll-top Victorian style bath. There is plenty of space too, with two reception rooms, a generously sized garden and a brick outbuilding for storage. Contact: Savills: www.savills.co.uk
NEED TO KNOW | AREA INSIGHT
Commuting: There are trains running every half an hour from Hertford East station to Liverpool Street, with a journey time of just over 50 minutes.
Crime: Towns don’t get much safer than Hertford, whose crime rates are significantly below national averages.
Education:. In the state sector, secondaries Simon Balle and Richard Hale Schools achieve exam results well above the UK average. Distinguished boarding school Haileybury offers the International Baccalaureate, a vast range of extra-curricular activities and spectacular grounds.
Restaurants and bars: Hertford House Hotel’s is for summertime alfresco dining. Head to Bluecoat in the colder months for comforting English dishes made with locally sourced ingredients.
Leisure: Hertford boasts several cultural gems including an ancient castle, the Corn Exchange – which hosts live music and comedy – and the small but perfectly formed Hertford Museum. Surrounding countryside makes the town a walker’s paradise.