Living in Welwyn Garden City
With good schools, shops and local amenities, Welwyn Garden City is a great place to live for families, first time buyers and commuters. Less than half an hour from central London, this peaceful Hertfordshire town was one of Britain’s first developed garden cities, and still offers the best of both town and country living.
History of the area
Welwyn Garden City has a unique place in modern British history. It was the UK’s second garden city, an ideal combination of urban and country living first proposed by the social reformer and town planner Ebenezer Howard. Formally opened in 1920, Welwyn Garden City was largely laid out to a plan devised by the French-born architect Louis de Soissons, featuring a long central boulevard, wide leafy avenues and no more than 12 houses to every acre.
The idea of garden cities was to bring people back from big cities and to create communities that would be self-sufficient and close to nature, offering work, leisure, entertainment and better places to bring up children. In 1948 Welwyn Garden City also became one of the first New Towns, as the UK sought to resolve a housing shortage after the Second World War and reduce the overcrowding and poor living conditions of people in London and other large industrial cities.
The property market
Popular places to live
The most sought after streets in the town are on the ‘west side’, the leafy avenues to the west of the main high road, Parkway. On Sherrardspark Road, High Oaks Road and Valley Road you will find large 4, 5 and 6 bedroomed villas built in the neo-Georgian style. They have ample off-street parking and large gardens, and are close to the attractive green spaces of Stanborough Park and Sherrardspark.
Up and coming areas
The former Panshanger aerodrome to the east of the town will be the site of a major housing development, with plans for 760 new homes, as well as retirement accommodation, schools, a community centre, shops and public parks.
Schools and education
One of the best primary schools in the area is Welwyn St Mary's C of E in Welwyn village, which has an “outstanding” Ofsted rating. Secondary state schools with a ‘good’ Ofted rating include the maths and computing specialist academy Stanborough School and Monk’s Walk School in the Knightsfield area. Singer and TV personality Alesha Dixon is a former pupil of Monk’s Walk School. Oaklands College offers further education courses, apprenticeships and foundation degrees at its Welwyn Garden City campus.
Transport links
As might be expected for a new town, Welwyn Garden City is ideally located. It is just off junction 4 of the A1 (M), the old Great North Road. Trains to central London from the town’s station take just 26 minutes to reach Kings Cross, which perhaps explains why it has become such a popular commuter town. For holidays, getaways and business trips, you have an international hub on your doorstep; London Luton Airport is just half an hour’s drive away.
Lifestyle and leisure
Places to see
The Grade II* listed Tudor Gothic Knebworth House is just 7 miles away, with the country house and gardens open to the public all year round. If you have an interest in the history of Welwyn Garden City, you will find statues of Ebenezer Howard and the houses where both he and Louis de Soissons lived. Quite incredibly there are the remains of a Roman Bath complex just outside the town. They are actually located under the A1 (M), and were discovered in 1960. Shaw’s Corner is a National Trust property in the nearby village of Ayot St Lawrence, and was the home for 40 years of the playwright George Bernard Shaw.
Things to do
Welwyn Garden City is home to a number of well-supported arts venues. The Barn Theatre hosts a lively programme of amateur theatre, live music and comedy nights. Classical music lovers are catered for by the Welwyn Garden Concert Club, with regular concerts at St Francis Church. The 126-acre Stanborough Park has a model boating lake, a restaurant and fishing area. There is a 3-screen cinema and skating rink in the ‘Campus West’ complex, while Gosling Sports Park has plenty on offer for sports lovers, including a swimming pool, athletics track, cycling track and gym.
Where to eat
Welwyn Garden City has plenty of options for eating out. Fans of Italian food will love Terranova Italian, a restaurant overlooking the south lake at Stanborough Park. If you’re looking for a high quality pub meal, try the Cowper Arms in Digswell or The Crooked Chimney, a country pub in Lemsford, just outside WGC. For a hearty evening meal in the town why not try Gräs restaurant and lounge in Howardsgate in the town centre, or go for the Mediterranean-inspired dishes of Megan’s in the Garden City, also in Howardsgate.
The surrounding area
This part of Hertfordshire has plenty to offer. Predominantly rural, dotted with pretty villages like Wheathampstead and Ayot St Lawrence, one of the biggest local attractions is Hatfield House, once home to the young Elizabeth I. Just 8 miles away is the Roman city of St Albans, where you can visit the Norman cathedral and the Verulamium Museum, filled with ancient treasures and Roman mosaics.
Thinking of living in Welwyn Garden City?
If you are considering a move to Welwyn Garden City, let us know. We have a wide range of stunning period and modern properties available to buy within the area. Give us a call directly on 01707 935430, send us an email at Welwyn.Garden.City@chewtonrose.co.uk or come in and visit our Welwyn Garden City branch at 23 Stonehills.
