Chipperfield is an appropriate name for this village tucked in the Hertfordshire Green Belt. Due to its location at the edge of the Chiltern Hills, it definitely has the rural feel that many dream of. More importantly, its welcoming community and clean fresh air will leave you feeling “chipper”. With plenty of local small cafes, shops and businesses including Common Ground Coffee House and the Chipperfield Larder, Chipperfield is the perfect place to raise kids and soak in the rural life.

For centuries, Chipperfield wasn’t much more than a few scattered houses sitting on the edge of Kings Langley. It was first mentioned on paper in 1316, when King Edward II gave the land to the Dominican Black Friars, who consequently built a church nearby. Its roots are primarily Anglo-Saxon and was most likely a trading or market community; evidenced by its own name. Chipperfield originates from the two terms “caepere” and “feld”, meaning trader field. It was only after the Second World War that the population really grew, as the now-privatised housing estates were established. The local manor also became a bit of a celebrity hotspot in the 1960s when comedy legend Peter Sellers brought it up and invited all his famous pals over.

You wouldn’t believe it but Chipperfield is the sort of place that produces presidents. The familial roots of none other than ex-US President Jimmy Carter can be found in Chipperfield.

Local residents are currently most concerned about maintaining the character of the village, specifically its historical and rural nature. They’re concerned about the threats of overdevelopment as housing demands have risen. As the village doesn’t have its own station though, there are some limits to its accessibility.

Due to the fact that Chipperfield is within the Green Belt and thus protected by conservation laws, there seems to be few developments going on in the area for the time being. Interest in the area has increased amongst developers but the local council has been very picky about approvals. In Kings Langley, housing proposals are gaining momentum, with many submitted for planning application and others already underway. In the same vicinity, a service station proposal off of Junction 20 on the M25 was recently rejected for its potential impacts on the environment and surrounding communities. It also received more than 1,600 objections from locals and other organisations making it the most disliked scheme in Three Rivers District Council’s history.