Whispers of a Swedish family echo through Sarratt. This charming Hertfordshire village nestled near the River Chess boasts a history stretching back to around AD 700. Some believe the name Sarratt itself originated from the Scandinavian word ‘swyra’ meaning a prominent ridge. Others point to ‘syreth’ an Old English word for a dry place. Sarratt’s location on high ground overlooking the Chess Valley certainly fits both descriptions.
Imagine Sarratt in 1842. A journey back in time reveals a sparsely populated hamlet. Farms like Bragmans and Newhouse thrived. The River Chess flowed beside Sarratt Mill House powering the old mill. Church Lane offered little beyond the Cock pub and the Rectory. The Green was then just a single road. The present road in front of the shop appeared later.
A walk along the road revealed a series of farms. Great Wheelers Farm stood proud. Pear Tree Cottage served as a small farm. The Boot pub and Sarratt House were already there. Red Lion Corner existed much as it does today. The Tithe Map of 1842 documents this quiet landscape. It shows only two functioning pubs: The Cock and The Boot alongside The Red Lion and a beer house.
By the 18th century Sarratt Green expanded. It gradually absorbed the area around the church. This area is now known as Church End. Today Sarratt is larger. It includes hamlets like Belsize Bucks Hill Commonwood and Chandlers Cross. The village boasts a community shop a post office a primary school a church doctors and several welcoming pubs.
The Church of the Holy Cross stands in Sarratt. Some believe it was built on a Roman burial ground. A Roman road from Verulamium to Silchester is thought to have passed through Sarratt. Strip lynchets running along the Chess Valley below the church might also be Roman in origin. The church itself dates back to around 1190. It is built from flint and brick with possibly reused Roman tiles.
Sarratt’s tranquil beauty has attracted filmmakers. It features in productions like Four Weddings and a Funeral. The village also served as the fictional location of a British intelligence training school in early John le Carre novels. Sarratt’s rich history its scenic location and its literary connections make it a place truly worth exploring. Its story continues to unfold. The echoes of history remain in every stone and every field.