Area Guide: The pretty Hertfordshire hamlet of Tyttenhanger

The unusual name Tyttenhanger - or Tydenhangre - was first recorded in 1248, and is thought to mean 'the wooden slope belonging to Tilda'.

Property 

The Tyttenhanger Park estate is situated between London Colney and Colney Heath, across the A414 from Tyttenhanger.

This includes the historic Tyttenhanger House, which has Grade II listed stables, a chapel and residential accommodation set in 42 acres of parkland.

 
In 1528, Henry VIII spent time at the house in an attempt to avoid the 'sweating sickness' that was spreading through London.

The estate was owned by the Abbey of St Albans until the Dissolution of the Monasteries, when it was granted by the Crown in 1537 to Sir Thomas Pope, founder of Trinity College, Oxford.

His family retained ownership of the estate until 1973, when it was converted for use as commerical offices, and was sold for £4.7 million in 2018.

Another notable building in the area is the Grade II listed Hill End Farm, and it is said that the first steeplechase in England ran through the land which is now known as Highfield Farm.

There aren’t currently any homes for sale in Tyttenhanger itself, though there are a couple of nearby options, including a detached four-bedroom on High Street, Colney Heath for £775,000 and a three-bedroom end of terrace at Hall Gardens, Colney Heath. 

Amenities 

Amenities in Tyttenhanger include a Spar store, a couple of takeaways, a doctors' surgery and a barbers at the nearby Highfield Shops on Russet Drive.

There is also The Plough, which is a friendly, unpretentious pub on Tyttenhanger Green.

Transport 

Tyttenhanger is within easy reach of the M1, M25, A414 and the A1(M) by car. Train services are a short distance away in St Albans, with fast services available into central London.

Sport and leisure 

The Charles Morris Hall is the local community centre for Tyttenhanger, and is available for hire. It was named after a previous owner of Highfield Hall, who left the funds to build the community centre.

Tyttenhanger has a strong sense of community, as many events are organised by the village committee, including an annual bonfire and fireworks display, a Christmas party and regular quiz evenings.

Immediately north of the hamlet is Highfield Park, which offers 60 acres of green space, including bike paths, boules courts, orchards and a maze.

The area is also great for bird watchers - as Tyttenhanger Gravel Pits are one of the best places in Hertfordshire to see a variety of interesting bird species.

The restored gravel pits and woodland area between London Colney and Colney Heath are recognised by both the RSPB and Herts Bird Club.

The main pit is used to source water to wash the sand and gravel which is extracted from an active quarry south of Coursers Road.

Not only can gulls, waders, sandpipers, dunlins, ruddy ducks and sand martins be seen in this area, but also butterflies and dragonflies, and the area's fishing lakes are also popular.

There are two nearby leisure centres within easy proximity for residents. One of these is Nuffield Heath in Highfield Park Drive, which is a members' club and has personal trainers, a gym, pools, tennis and squash courts and clubs, physiotherapists and a rehabilitation gym.

For a more affordable alternative there is the YMCA community gym on Russet Drive, which has two gym areas, a multi-use sports hall, a couple of dance studios, an astro pitch and personal trainers.

Schools 

The closest primary schools for children living in Tyttenhanger include Windermere and London Colney (both rated ‘good’ by Ofsted). Children aged four to 19 are served by Samuel Ryder Academy (rated 'good'), which is an all-through school in St Albans. 

This area guide is sponsored by Frost's, who have offices in St Albans, Marshalswick, Wheathampstead and Harpenden (Image: Frost's)