Area Guide: The affluent Hertfordshire village of Radlett

Located between St Albans and Elstree, Radlett is one of the most prosperous parts of the county and regularly features in lists of the ‘best places to live’ in the UK.

Population

According to figures from the UK Office for National Statistics, Radlett had a population of 8,108 in 2019.

The village – which falls under Hertsmere Borough Council – has a large Jewish population, making up 28.3 per cent of all residents in the 2011 census.

Watling Street, the main road running through Radlett, has plenty of businesses catering for the Jewish community, including kosher butcher Silvermans, a Jewish-style bagel bakery, patisserie and delicatessen, and a kosher deli.

There are also a couple of synagogues – the Radlett United Synagogue and Radlett Reform Synagogue.

Herts Advertiser: Radlett Reform Synagogue Radlett Reform Synagogue (Image: Google Street View)

Radlett’s churches include Christ Church & St John’s Radlett, St Anthony of Padua, and the United Free Church.

Famous former Radlett residents include Simon Cowell, who went to school in the village, and ex-Girls Aloud star Cheryl, who left her home just off Watling Street in 2017 for a new (and temporary) life with One Direction’s Liam Payne.

Celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo and his wife Jessica used to frequent a gym in Radlett when they lived down the road in Elstree.

A number of Arsenal and Tottenham players have lived in the area over the years, due to the proximity to the clubs’ respective training grounds.

Composer Jeff Wayne also lives in the Radlett area.

History

The road now known as Watling Street existed during Roman times, taking people from Londinium (London) to Verulamium (St Albans), and passing through the site of modern-day Radlett.

Radlett is thought to derive its name from the Old English word for junction, and there has been a settlement with that name as far back as 1453.

Previously the settlement comprised of just clusters of dwellings and farms, while the area today has been largely created since the 19th century.

The village became a real community with the arrival of the railway, when the Midland Railway Service was extended from Bedford into London and a station was built in Radlett in 1860.

In the 20th century, Handley Page built aircraft at what was then the Radlett Aerodrome. The former airfield site is now the subject of a long-running dispute over a proposed rail freight depot.

Property

Properties in Radlett are far from cheap, with most in significant excess of £1million.

A detached two-bedroom bungalow is currently for sale at £850,000, one of the cheapest options currently available.

At the other end, nine-bed detatched stately home Halcyon Hall is currently for sale at £15,000,000 with ‘a plethora of rooms to cater to all needs’ including a cinema and a wine cellar, as well as 15,000 square feet of living accommodation.

Schools

Radlett is home to three state schools – Newberries Primary, Fair Field Junior School and St John’s Church of England Infant and Nursery School – all of which are rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

Herts Advertiser: Newberries Primary School was rated 'good' at its last Ofsted inspection Newberries Primary School was rated ‘good’ at its last Ofsted inspection (Image: Google Street View)

There is also Hertsmere Jewish Primary School (HJPS), a member of the Jewish Community Academy Trust.

Fee-paying options include Edge Grove, an independent day school in Aldenham which caters to boys and girls aged three to 13, and Radlett Preparatory, a day school for children aged four to 11 – and former school of Simon Cowell.

Transport

The village is a commuter hotspot, with close access to the M25 and M1, and a train service to London St Pancras which takes less than half an hour.

Sport and leisure

Radlett has cricket, rugby and golf clubs for sports enthusiasts to enjoy.

Herts Advertiser: Watling Street in Radlett Watling Street in Radlett (Image: Middlesex Cricket Club)

Radlett Cricket Club’s grounds are at Cobden Hill, which is occasionally used by Middlesex for first class matches.

Next door is Radlett’s rugby club Tabard- a family oriented club with both women and men’s teams, while Porters Park Golf Club is in Shenley Hill. The famous Samuel Ryder – originator of the Ryder Cup – was a former golf club member.

For racket sports, there is also Radlett Lawn Tennis & Squash Club.

The village’s main entertainment venue is the Radlett Centre in Aldenham Avenue, which shows a wide variety of performances throughout the year.

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