This affluent, green part of town is exactly where you will find the sleepy, peaceful Watford village of Croxley, most famous for its 19th century Grade II listed windmill. But that’s not all it has to offer – rolling hills of green belt space, a plethora of golf courses and gorgeous walks along the canal, this village is a little rural gemstone for those looking for idyllic country life only a short distance from the inner city. Croxley Underground station operates on the Metropolitan line, and while it sits about 20 miles from central London in Zone 7 it’s under an hour to Waterloo. The neighbourhood lacks its own high street, though Watford town centre is nearby, and possesses all the conveniences that one could ask for.

A history of Croxley is never complete without reference to its famous windmill, which sits opposite the Grand Union Canal. Built by paper manufacturer John Dickinson in 1830, it unsurprisingly produced an array of stationary. It was also powered by wind until its sails were sadly blown off in a gale in the 1880s, meaning that the mill then switched to steam. Interestingly, during the Second World War, it was the site of an observatory for air raid precautions and even had its own air raid siren. Sadly, it is no longer a windmill or observatory, but a residential building – but its spirit still lives on in the history of Croxley.

London black cabbie and 1980 BBC Mastermind champion Fred Housego once lived in the area. His specialist subject on the final was the Tower of London.

The fact that Croxley is in Zone 7 can be considered a downside, but, on the other hand, having tube access this far out of London is a godsend for commuting residents. Because of its rural nature, it is limited in its amenities and opportunities.

The local council has plans to spruce up the village centre – specifically to improve its appearance and available amenities to optimise space. Plans to resurrect a shelved project to develop a rail link between Croxley and Watford have also gained new found support by Watford Council. Additionally, space in and around Killingdown Farm is to be made into a variety of mixed housing. Hill Group won its appeal to develop a site adjacent to Killingdown Farm to create an attractive new neighbourhood extension to the village of Croxley Green, which would include 160 new homes and is expected to begin in late 2022. However, because of the ecological protection of this Green Belt area, large scale development is highly unlikely.