Area Guide: The idyllic Hertfordshire village of St Ippolyts

We found more about this pretty area...

The origin of the unusual name 'Ippolyts' is from St Hippolytus, to whom the village church was dedicated.

Although the standard spelling is accepted as 'St Ippolyts', there has been some discrepancy over the name of the village through the years.

The 1881 census mentions 28 different spellings, all of which refer to the same place.

Even today, official road signs to the village on consecutive junctions on the A602 show a contradictory spelling - with the name spelled 'St Ippollitts'.

Little is known about St Hippolytus's origins or his life, although he is believed to be a second century Christian theologian.

The church was built in 1087 on a green hillside overlooking the village, and the building still stands fully intact today.

According to church records, the building was commissioned by Judith de Lens, the niece of William the Conqueror.

Judith de Lens gave evidence against her husband Waltheof, a Saxon Earl, which led to his execution. The funding of the church was an attempt to make amends for this act. 

Property  

St Ippolyts boasts many charming period properties in the centre, which are in keeping with the village's aesthetic. These include 17th century gabled houses and 16th century timber-framed homes.

There are also Grade II listed detached properties available, although it is admittedly rare to find one for sale.

St Ippolyts is always evolving. The first council houses were built in 1921, and the quaint village green has existed since 1969 - following the demolition of 18 cottages.

The Broadmeadow estate was built in the 1990s, followed by housing association developments The Glebe and Townsend Place.

According to Rightmove, properties in St Ippolyts had an overall average price of £624,667 over the last year. 

Homes currently on the market in the village include a six-bedroom detached house on Stevenage Road for £1.9m, a four-bedroom detached property on Ashbrook Lane for £1,395,000 and a three-bedroom semi-detached house on Waterdell Lane for £625,000 

Transport  

St Ippolyts has good connections to neighbouring areas. The village is a short drive from Junction 8 of the A1(M), and the closest train station is in Hitchin, which is just over two miles north of the village. 

The village is also connected to many larger towns and cities by bus services, with links to St Albans, Hitchin and Welwyn Garden City.

Schools   

St Ippolyts Church of England Primary School was founded in 1847 and has strong links with the local church and its community. 

The school states its aims in providing "the best possible education for each individual child, underpinned by Christian values". It received a 'good' rating in its most recent Ofsted report. 

Popular secondary schools nearby include Hitchin Girls' and Boys' schools, which were both rated 'outstanding' in their latest Ofsted reports. Both schools are under three miles away from the centre of the village.

Kingshott School is a co-educational prep school for children between the ages of three and 13, and is immediately north of the village.

Pubs   

St Ippolyts has a surprisingly large number of pubs within walking distance for a rural village.

These include The Rusty Gun, which has hearty lunch and dinner menus as well as its own farm shop, piglets and fire pit.

The Bird in Hand in Gosmore is also nearby, and offers food as well as a 30-strong gin menu, a children's play area and Sky and BT sports. 

Sports and leisure   

Community facilities in St Ippolyts include the friendly and welcoming parish hall on Waterdell Lane, which brings people together from around the village and beyond.

The hall hosts a number of community groups, including Cubs, Beavers, Brownies and Rainbows - and the venue also provides a space for table tennis, bridge, Pilates, dancing, dog training and more. 

St Ippolyts has active football and bowls clubs, both of which meet at Orchard Close.