Nestled on the southwesterly edge of Hemel Hempstead and north-west of Watford, sits the small village and civil parish of Bovingdon, Hertfordshire. The civil parish of Bovingdon comprises of the village and several smaller settlements, such as Flaunden and Chipperfield. The area of Bovingdon is affluent, with many houses boasting signficant acerage, at price-points over £1 million!

Originally developing as a small hamlet, first records of Bovingdon date back to the thirteenth century. First recorded as Bovyndon, it’s thought that the most important industrial export of Bovingdon was initially straw-plaiting. The Church of St. Lawrence is a Grade II listed building dated back to the 13th century with Decorated Gothic and Perpendicular Gothic architectural styles, and was completely restored in 1845 by Thomas Talbot Bury as part of the neo-Gothic Victorian revival! Several historic structures still stand in the Bovingdon area, and there is currently an 18th century cottage situated on Bovingdon high street on the market for £800,000!

Bovingdon also developed its history alongside military history, principally with the creation of the RAF Bovingdon airfield built in 1941-42. The site was closed as an airfield in 1968, but was revived for a completely different usage - it’s now a film studio! Owned by ITV studios, the studios are home to several large-scale ITV productions, from ‘The Masked Singer’ to the new location of ‘Big Brother UK’!

Due to its village status, Bovingdon’s development has historically been slow, with limited housing projects. However, as part of Dacorum Council’s local development plans for 2024-2040, the council is aiming to develop 230 new homes in the Bovingdon area, with 70 of those homes designated for social housing needs!