Places of interest in Hertfordshire

Knebworth House

One of England's most beloved stately homes, Knebworth House is famous worldwide for its rock concerts and as the home of Victorian novelist Edward Bulwer Lytton - author of the words "The pen is mightier than the sword" - this beautiful gothic mansion is situated 29 miles north of London off the A1(M) at Stevenage.

Aldenham Country Park - 175 acres of woodland with meadows and reservoir, sailing, fishing, rare breeds farm, childrens adventure play area.   Great for the children! 100 acre wood is a recreation of all the features found in the stories of Winnie the Pooh but very much in keeping with a countryside site.

Berkhamsted Castle - Berkhamsted Castle is a good example of a moat and bailey castle where the original wooden defences were later rebuilt in stone. It consists of a large bailey, with parts of its curtain wall still standing, and a moat to one side, on which there are traces of a stone tower. The entire castle is surrounded by two moats, separated by an earth rampart.

City of St Albans

St. Albans is Hertfordshire's oldest town, a modern city shaped by over 2000 years of human occupation. The town first appeared as Verlamion, a Celtic Iron Age settlement whose name means 'the settlement above the Marsh'. After the Roman conquest of Britain in AD 43, it developed as Verulamium and became one of the largest towns in Roman Britain. Built mainly of wood, it was destroyed during the revolt of Boudicca in AD 60-61 but was rebuilt and grew to feature many impressive town houses and public buildings. It was encircled by gated walls in AD 275.

Many of St Alban's historical buildings and sites remain today and provide much tourism for the city. A lot of these buildings date back to the 15th Century, including the Clock Tower and St Alban's Street Market which is still held every Wednesday and Saturday.

A warm welcome awaits visitors to Fern Cottage , a charming 19 th century house set in a conservation area five minutes walk from the centre of the historic city of St Albans. Each beautifully decorated room at Mrs Bristow's delightful home has its own individual style, and all have en suite shower and WC, cable tv and tea/coffee making facilities. A freshly prepared English or Continental breakfast is served in the sunny breakfast room. Off-street parking is available at Fern Cottage, which is a homely, civilised base for guests whether staying on business or pleasure.

Hatfield House

Hatfield House , where Elizabethan history began, is a superb redbrick Jacobean mansion built by Robert Cecil, Ist Earl of Shaftesbury and Chief Minister to King James I, in 1611. The house has been in the Cecil family ever since, and is the home of the Marquess of Salisbury. Superb examples of Jacobean craftsmanship can be seen throughout the house, notably in the Grand Staircase with its elaborately carved wood and in the stained-glass window in the private chapel. The state rooms are treasure houses of the finest furniture, world-renowned paintings, exquisite tapestries and historic armour; they include the fabulous Marble Hall, the Long Gallery and King James' Drawing Room.

At 1st Associated our surveyors use a system called the 'Pro Survey Database'. This is a database of property problems built up over many years from knowledge of many decades or surveying. This system gives the Surveyors carrying out independent building surveys a vast selection of reference materials from which to draw and this enables them to give the best informed advice in our surveys for any problems that we have found at the property we are surveying. See www.prosurveys.co.uk for more information.

Our surveys contain an Executive Summary, which has a sections entitled 'The Good', 'The Bad' and 'The Ugly' which helps you to 'see the wood for the trees', so to speak. We report not only on the 'Bad' issues but we also consider the 'Good' points that the property has to offer and 'the Ugly' section draws your attention specifically to issues that need to be resolved before you purchase or lease the property. Call freephone 0800 298 5424 for impartial advice and to discuss your survey requirements.