Sarratt Explained

Country:England
Static Image Name:HolyCrossSarratt.JPG
Static Image Caption:Church of the Holy Cross, Sarratt
Coordinates:51.6836°N -0.4875°W
Official Name:Sarratt
Population:924
Population Ref:(2001 census)[1]
1,849 (2011 Census)[2]
Shire District:Three Rivers
Shire County:Hertfordshire
Region:East of England
Constituency Westminster:South West Hertfordshire
Post Town:Rickmansworth
Postcode District:WD3
Postcode Area:WD
Dial Code:01923
Os Grid Reference:TQ045994

Sarratt is both a village and a civil parish in Three Rivers District, Hertfordshire, England. It is situated north of Rickmansworth on high ground near the county boundary with Buckinghamshire. The chalk stream, the River Chess, rising just north of Chesham in the Chiltern Hills, passes through Sarratt Bottom in the valley to the west of the village to join the River Colne in Rickmansworth. The conditions offered by the river are perfect for the cultivation of watercress. Sarratt has the only commercially operating watercress farm in Hertfordshire.[3] The valley to the east of Sarratt is dry.

Church and chapel

The parish church of Sarratt is the Church of the Holy Cross. Founded, construction is flint-and-brick built with, reputedly, reused Roman tiles.[4] [5]

From the 17th century a large linear village developed nearly 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 and converted into private residences.

Motorway

When the M25 London orbital motorwaywidened in 2011 to eight lanes (four each way). Where it passes Sarratt, it is less than distant at its nearest point, the bridge carrying Sarratt Road.

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

Schools

Sarratt's Church of England school, situated near the junction of Church Lane and The Green, is the village's primary school with 160170 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]

Fiction and filming

In some of the early novels of John le Carré, Sarratt is the location of a fictional agent-training school and interrogation centre for the British foreign intelligence service, which is nicknamed '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]

Notable people

Freedom of the Parish

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

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: All people in Settlements in Hertfordshire . 2001 Census, Key Statistics for HCC Settlements . . 2009-03-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090326085841/http://www.hertsdirect.org/infobase/docs/pdfstore/tabKS01sett.pdf . 2009-03-26 .
  2. Web site: Civil Parish 2011. 26 October 2016. Office for National Statistics . Neighbourhood Statistics.
  3. Web site: Village farmer only one still growing the salad leaf with health benefits. www.hemeltoday.co.uk. 2016-02-04.
  4. Web site: Victoria County History. British History Online. 2014-11-13.
  5. Web site: The Foundation of Holy Cross. www.holycrosssarratt.co.uk. 2012-04-14.
  6. Web site: Find an inspection report and registered childcare. 31 March 2019.
  7. Web site: Headteacher of Sarratt Church of England School says the future is 'very exciting' after the school was taken out of special measures.
  8. Web site: Find an inspection report and registered childcare. 19 November 2019.
  9. Web site: Pre-school rated as 'outstanding' by education watchdog.
  10. Starry-eyed Sarratt . https://web.archive.org/web/20081120001145/http://www.hertfordshirelife.co.uk/the-magazine-places-starry-eyed-sarratt--33867 . 2008-11-20 . Hertfordshire Life. 2009-05-23. Clark. Jessica.
  11. Web site: Sarratt And The Draper Of Watford and Other Unlikely Stories About Sarratt. Nigel Williams Rare Books. 2009-05-23.
  12. Web site: Titles with location 'Sarratt, Hertfordshire'. The Internet Movie Database (IMDb). 2012-04-14.
  13. [Sydney Paxton]
  14. Web site: Freedom of the Parish for Carol . Sarratt Village . 13 July 2021 .
  15. Web site: RECOGNITION: Carol awarded Freedom of the Parish by Sarratt council . 19 December 2019 . My Local News . 13 July 2021 .