Sarratt

The flint- and brick-built Church of the Holy Cross was founded c 1190, reputedly reusing Roman tiles in its construction.[4] It is the parish church of Sarratt.[5] From the 17th century a large linear village developed nearly 1 mile (1.6 km) away. Nowadays this area is referred to as Sarratt Green and the area around the church is known as Church End.

The village also included a Baptist Chapel and an independent Providence Mission Hall—both closed in recent years and have been converted into private residences.

When the M25 London orbital motorway – widened in 2011 to eight lanes (four each way) – was opened, the rural atmosphere of Sarratt changed. Where it passes Sarratt, it is less than 1 mile (1.6 km) distant at its nearest point, the bridge carrying Sarratt Road.

Junction 18 (M25) is on the Chorleywood Road (the A404) only 2 miles (3.2 km) by road from the village.

Sarratt's Church of England school, situated near the junction of Church Lane and The Green, is the village's primary school with 160 – 170 pupils. In December 2015 Ofsted inspected the school and judged it to be good across the board,[6] having been rated inadequate since December 2014.[7]

Sarratt Ducklings, an independent pre-school for children aged from 2 to 4, located in the grounds of Sarratt Primary School, is a registered charity. It was judged outstanding by Ofsted in 2015.[8][9]

In some of the early novels of John le Carré, Sarratt is the fictional location of an agent training school and interrogation centre for the British foreign intelligence service called the nursery.[10] Le Carré and Mikhail Lyubimov, a former KGB colonel, contributed to a book published by Village Books in 1999 as a fund-raiser for village charities titled, Sarratt and the Draper of Watford.[11]

Sarratt has been used as a location in television and film productions, including:[12]

• Murder Most Foul – (1964 film) – Margaret Rutherford as Miss Marple
• Tightrope – (ATV, 1971) – Children's espionage series, written by Victor Pemberton
• Four Weddings and a Funeral – (1994 film) – The church was used
• The Demon Headmaster – (BBC TV) – Second series of children's drama series
• Just William – (BBC TV) – Children's drama series
• The Woman In Black – (1989 film) – The external funeral scene

• Sydney Valentine, actor, lived at Pear Tree Cottage, Sarratt.[13]

People and military units who have received the Freedom of the Parish of Sarratt.

• Carol Chorley MBE: 10 December 2019. [14] [15]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sarratt.

• 'Parishes: Sarratt', A History of the County of Hertford Date accessed: 29 December 2006.
• Holy Cross Church Website