LOCAL AREA

The one road of this picturesque village leads to Aspenden Hall, and then continues as a bridleway to Cottered. It has a traditional village green which houses the Cricket Club, a pub (The Fox) and St Mary's Church. The church has a tomb which marks the resting place of Sir Robert Clifford. 

Sir Robert was a knight to King Henry VII. He was involved in the plot to remove the King, but he betrayed his co-conspirators and was banished to Aspenden.

His role of Lord of the Manor was subsequently held by Ralph and William Freman. Ralph was Lord Mayor of London and the brothers are also buried in the church.

For those who do not know, Braughing is pronounced 'Braffing'.

This pretty village lies in the valley of the River Quin and has been in existence since Roman times being close to the Roman road, Stane Street, from Colchester to St. Albans. 

There is also evidence of an Iron Age site nearby. 

The village is centered on the picturesque ford, and timber framed buildings surround the church, St. Mary the Virgin. There are also Methodist and Congregational churches dating from the early 1700s.

Braughing has been popular with film makers. In 1953, Happy Ever After, starring David Niven and Yvonne De Carlo, was filmed at the station. Several television advertisements have also been filmed at Braughing. The Old Boys School and the Church were featured in a 2004 episode of the TV drama series Foyles War.

Buntingford Town Centre has remained substantially unaltered over the last century.

Its central Conservation area, which includes the River Rib, is designated an area of outstanding architectural or historical interest. Many of its buildings date from the 15th century. 

In the last 30 years Buntingford has seen significant large-scale development, but this has not altered its atmosphere. The town of 5000 inhabitants straddles the London to Cambridge road (The Roman Ermine Street) and has benefited from the opening of a bypass in 1987.

The earliest mention of 'Buntas Ford' is in a document of 1185, which related to land owned by the Knights Templar. It is referred to as a town for the first time in Henry III's Charter of 1253, which allowed it to hold a weekly market and an annual fair.

Buntingford began to thrive and the market is still held today on a Monday. Buntingford's past industries included cloth making, dyeing, and tanning.

The height of Buntingford's prosperity was in the early 18th century stagecoach era. Its many inns served travellers on the Roman road to York, Ermine Street. Samuel Pepys recorded that he and his wife stayed at The George Inn, where she became ill after drinking cold beer.

St. Peter's Church was built in 1614 on the site of an earlier chapel. Until St. Peter's Church was built, worshipers had to cross the ford and climb the steep path to the then parish church, St. Bartholomew's, now a private residence, which has a 14th century chancel, in the deserted medieval village of Layston.

On Market Hill, next to St. Peter's Church, are the Bishop Seth Ward's almshouses, built in 1684 by Bishop Seth Ward, a mathematician and astronomer, who was born in the town.

In the centre of the High Street is the town clock, which is a rare 16th century turret clock, notable for not having a minute hand. 

These two villages to the west of Buntingford are noted for their beauty. Cottered has many thatched buildings, and Cromer boasts a restored 17th century post mill. This windmill is open to the public on Sunday afternoons in the summer months.

The villages of Great Hormead, Little Hormead, and Hare Street lie to the east of Buntingford. They are abundant with 16th century and some earlier properties.

Westmill has been a winner of the Conservation Society's coveted Best Kept Village award and consists of a village green and thatched cottages overlooked by the imposing St. Mary's Church.

The village shop and tearoom also featured, along with Braughing, in an episode of Foyles War.