Area Guide: The Hertfordshire village of Codicote

With its picture perfect high street and rich history, it’s easy to see Codicote’s appeal. Jacob Savill found out more

This large rural village and civil parish lies in a valley in the Chiltern Hills, between Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City. It uses both the Hitchin postcode (SG4), and the St Albans postcode (AL6).

To the north-east of the village lies the picturesque St Giles Church with its adorned chapel of the Holy Innocents, dedicated by the Bishop of Rochester between 1108 and 1115.

Property

There is a wide range of property currently for sale in Codicote. from a five-bed farmhouse - on the market for £1.395m - to a two-bed terraced house, with an asking price of £289,995.

According to Rightmove, the average sale price for a property in Codicote was £426,366 during 2017.

Prices were generally similar to nearby Knebworth (£418,571) last year, but cheaper than Welwyn (£650,400).

Prices were down 20 per cent on 2016, but 12 per cent up on 2015 when they averaged £382,290.

Amenities

The scenic high street is lined freely with pubs and eateries. Particularly popular with the locals is The Globe, a traditional pub which also hosts live music performances, DJ sets, and offers a much vaunted Thai food special on Fridays and Saturdays.

The two other pubs on High Street are The Goat Inn and The Bell Motel, the latter of which houses 25 residential rooms and a social function room behind the main building.

The village’s first pub, The George and Dragon, was built in 1279. It eventually became the As You Like It Chinese restaurant, which recently closed down. The ever popular Codicote Spice Indian restaurant, remains a culinary hot-spot, however.

Schools

Codicote Church of England Primary School dates back to 1857, but the current school building on Meadow Way was established in 1972, and it was further expanded in 2001. The school was rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted at its last inspection.

Secondary education is provided by schools in nearby towns, including Monk’s Walk in Welwyn Garden City (‘good’).

Transport

Knebworth train station is just two miles outside the village. Also nearby are Welwyn North and Welwyn Garden City railway stations, which have great links to the major towns and cities in the area.

Codicote is also well connected to major roads, eight miles from the M1 and three miles from the A1(M). It is also around 20 minutes from Luton Airport by car.

The Codicote community

Codicote is known for its excellent sports facilities. In 2015, the John Clements Sports and Community Centre was opened, following a campaign which saw £550,000 raised. It was named in honour of local Codicote man John Clements, a teacher at Sherrardswood School in Welwyn Garden City, who lost his life rescuing 35 children from a burning hotel during a ski trip to Italy in 1976. He was posthumously awarded the George Cross.

The new sports centre has contributed to the excellent level of sporting participation in the village, particularly football, tennis, mini rugby and indoor bowls. The centre also plays host to social activities, including live music by local bands, race nights, quiz nights, christenings, parties and the occasional wedding

In the middle of the high street is the Codicote Peace Memorial Hall, an ideal venue at the heart of the village to hire for social functions. The main hall has table seating for 120, a sprung floor, and built-in stage lighting.

Without doubt, the social highlight of the year is the Codicote Village Day which takes place in the summer. This year it will be held on July 21, and the theme is ‘Animal Kingdom.’ It offers fun activities for children, a procession, and serves also as a vehicle for local organisations, businesses and charities to raise money and awareness.