Area Guide: The affluent Hertfordshire village of Tewin

Lower Green, Tewin (Image: Archant)

With a population of around 2,000, this small but perfectly formed village is about three miles from Welwyn Garden City, within an easy commute of Hertford, Hatfield and Stevenage.

An affluent, community-minded place, Tewin residents are proud of where they live and believe in doing their bit to make it an even better place to be.

Take Tewin Stores, for example. This shop/café/post office hybrid was established in 2007 and is run “by the village, for the village”. It’s open daily and sells everything from newspapers, to bread, milk and locally-sourced eggs and bacon.

There is also a café on site, which serves all the classics, from English breakfast through to afternoon tea with bread that is baked fresh in house. For six hours a week Tewin Stores also houses a post office.

St Peter's Church, Tewin (Image: Archant)

History

Tewin dates back to Anglo-Saxon times and has been recorded in the Domesday Book as ‘Tewinge’ and ‘Theinge’.

Tewin Stores, Hertford Road (Image: Archant)

Tewin’s name is derivative of the Old English words for the Norse god Tyr and meadow (Ing). It became known as ‘Tewin’ in the 18th century.

There are several historic buildings in the village, including St Peter’s Church dating back to 1086AD, 17th century cottages, and a pub thought to have been built in the 1500s.

St Peter’s Church cemetery is the burial site of the first wife and two of the sons of Sir Geoffrey de Havilland, the famous aircraft designer who lived locally.

Tewin Memorial Hall, Lower Green Road (Image: Archant)

Property

To give an idea of just how posh Tewin really is, of the seven homes currently listed for sale in the village on Rightmove, only one has an asking price below £1million (a three-bed terrace on Godfries Close – a snip at just £400,000).

According to Rightmove, the average price for a property in the village during 2017 was £954,587, up 12 per cent on 2016 and 4 per cent on the 2008 level of £920,263.

Schools

Tewin Cowper is a small village school for children aged between four and 11. Unusually for a state primary school it has its own outdoor swimming pool. Older children compete in an inter-house swimming gala each year and the pool is open throughout the summer for the use of families. The school was rated ‘good’ by Ofsted at its last inspection

Secondary school pupils travel to Stevenage, Hertford or Welwyn Garden City.

Transport

Although the village lacks a railway station, it’s only a short drive to Welwyn North, Hertford North or Welwyn Garden City stations, from which regular trains services run to London. There are also public bus services to Stevenage, Hertford and Welwyn Garden City.

Sports and leisure

Local community group Friends of Tewin is behind many popular annual events, from maypole dancing at the village school to Carols on the Green in December. The group also organises an annual senior citizens’ lunch.

An active over 50s club meets each Thursday, Tewin Table Tennis Club meets weekly between September and May and Tewin Tennis Club offers games for all ages and abilities on its two all-weather courts. More competitive players can get involved with the Datchworth league, playing against other Hertfordshire clubs.

Eating and drinking

There are two pubs in the village: the Rose and Crown offers hearty pub grub from an idyllic setting right on the village green, while the Plume of Feathers serves food in a character-packed setting on Upper Green.

Tewin Bury Farm on Hertford Road is a hugely popular four-star hotel which is well used as a wedding venue.