North of the ancient city of St Albans, on the boundaries of Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Luton, sits the historic locales of Markyate & Flamstead. Markyate, being the northern-most village near bordering Luton, and Flamstead to the south. Both villages have recorded history dating from the 11th-12th centuries; with Flamstead first being recorded in 1006! Owing to its countryside locale and agricultural history, properties in these villages are often grand-scale and expensive, boasting significant acerages (sometimes in excess of 11 acres!), and ranging in excess of £1.5 million. Markyate is the significantly more expensive and significantly larger in population, and currently has a Georgian Grade II* listed mansion property on the market for £2.7 million!

Markyate’s history is entirely connected to the local Benedictine convent that operated out of Markyate, which was founded in 1145, under the prioress Christina of Markyate. Unlike other dissolved priories and convents throughout England, the Markyate Priory has extensive records including records of each prioress of the convent. The convent thrived until the 1530s, during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries and suppression of religiously-affiliated buildings. Soon thereafter, a large country manor was constructed on the convent’s site in around 1539-1540. This manor house is now known as Cell Park, which dominates the land north of Cell House.

Markyate sits on the ancient Roman Watling Street road, as does Flamstead. There is a wealth of archaeological evidence that suggests that Flamstead had been occupied since the era of Roman Britain 43-410 AD. In 2008, the Wessex Archaeology team was commissioned to evaluate the evidence uncovered by Channel 4’s ‘Time Team’ programme and unveiled the presence of not one but four Romano-British temples in Friar’s Wash, west of Flamstead!

Although both of these villages are just north of St Albans, they are actually under the jurisdiction of the Dacorum Borough Council; which represents Hemel Hempstead. Due to their rural and agricultural backgrounds, development in these village areas is often slow and met with challenges due to private land-ownership. In the Dacorum Borough Council’s local plan 2024-2040, they have not identified Flamstead as an area of potential development. However, this plan has put forward provisions for the construction of 53 new homes in the Markyate area!