Markyate lies in the Ver Valley and on the A5, the ancient Roman road. The village’s history ranges from the founding of a Benedictine nunnery in 1145 to a Coronation Clock dating from 1911. It is also the endpoint of the fifth section of the Hertfordshire Way, which finishes on the High Street. This gives you two distinct options for your stay: historic sites and a walking stage with a precisely specified distance.
Road links and landscape
The A5 reflects the area’s historical connection with the road: Markyate lies on the ancient Roman road and north of M1 junction 9. The Ver Valley describes the village’s landscape setting. The road, valley and connection to the M1 are three distinct points of reference. When choosing where to stay, you can weigh up the transport and landscape perspectives separately.
Cell Park and its layers of history
Markyatecell Park lies on the northern edge of Markyate and covers approximately 35 hectares. Markyate Cell is listed as a Grade II registered park and garden. The history of Cell Park goes back to the site of the church of a dissolved Benedictine nunnery. Abbot Geoffrey of St. Albans founded the priory in 1145 together with Christina of Markyate, who became its first prioress. The rest of Cell Park was extensively redesigned by Robert Lugar for Daniel Goodson Adey in 1825–1826. The eastern part of Cell Park House, by contrast, was built as early as 1539–1540 for Humphrey Bourchier. These dates describe different stages: the founding of the priory, a specific part of the house and the later redesign of the rest of the park. This makes it possible to distinguish the priory’s history, the house’s construction phase and the park’s landscaping in chronological order.
Listed buildings and the High Street
The Church of St. John the Baptist in Markyate is listed as a Grade II* building. The Old Brewers Yard is listed as a Grade II building. The building was constructed around 1820 as a brewery building for the former Golden Lion Brewery and is now a private house. A Coronation Clock dating from 1911 stands at the southeast corner of 48, 48A, 48B and 48C High Street.
The High Street is also home to a well-known local bakery; a bakery business was established in 1928. This date adds a different kind of local time marker to the history of buildings and listed sites. Together with the clock, it gives the High Street its own historical connections without needing to combine the different buildings into a single story.
The Hertfordshire Way as a walking option
The fifth section of the Hertfordshire Way, between St Albans and Markyate, is 11 miles long and includes the 1.8-mile “St Albans loop”. Its endpoint is on the High Street in Markyate. The two figures describe different scales: 11 miles is the length of the whole section, while the 1.8-mile loop is included within it and is not an additional stage. This makes it possible to compare the length of the loop with that of the whole section without adding the figures together. Check the route details before setting out. This clearly specified walking option complements the village’s historical attractions when planning your trip.
Discover more destinations: Tewin, Broxbourne, Letchworth, Ware, Stevenage, Rickmansworth, Sawbridgeworth, Hatfield
For the main travel overview: Hertfordshire.
