The Hertfordshire village that appeared in A Thousand Blows

Fans of the Disney+ drama A Thousand Blows, which returned to screens earlier this month, may recognise the area as it was partly filmed there.

Located in south-west Hertfordshire around four miles north of Rickmansworth, it has been featured in numerous other TV shows and films, including the 1994 film Four Weddings and a Funeral and TV shows like The Demon Headmaster and French and Saunders.

Sarratt is a quiet, picturesque village. (Image: Sarratt Neighbourhood Plan)

The village is nestled within the Chiltern Hills and surrounded by a mix of farmland and woodland with the River Chess, a chalk stream, running through the village, making it a good place for walks and sightseeing.

History

The village dates back to the Bronze Age, although walking through the village the oldest buildings you’ll spot date back as early as the 12th century.

Examples of its oldest buildings include the Church of the Holy Cross, consecrated in 1204, and Rose Hall Manor, dating back to 1166 and linked to Royalist history during Cromwell’s Interregnum.

The village is nestled within the Chiltern Hills and surrounded by a mix of farmland and woodland. (Image: Sarratt Neighbourhood Plan)

One of Sarratt’s most notable natural features is the River Chess, a clear chalk stream that runs through Sarratt and rises in the Chiltern Hills, and once supported a watercress industry.

In the heart of the village is its green, which began life in the 17th century and features the village water pump dating back to the 1800s, along with numerous oak trees planted over the years to mark special events like the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1952.

The green was also one of the key filming locations for A Thousand Blows.

Great pubs

Sarratt boasts several village pubs which have been a part of the social scene for centuries.

The Cock Inn dates back to the early 18th century. (Image: The Cock Inn)

The Cock Inn dates back to the early 18th century and has served as everything from a resting place for coffins en route to burial to a makeshift coroner’s court.

Today it has a much more cheery role in the village as a cosy pub with exposed wooden beams  decorated with fairy lights.

Today it is a cosy pub with exposed wooden beams  decorated with fairy lights. (Image: The Cock Inn)

Meanwhile The Boot has records stretching back to at least 1739.

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It features an outdoor beer garden in the warmer months and a log burner in use during the colder weather.

The Boot has records stretching back to at least 1739. (Image: The Boot)

Another popular pub is The Cricketers, made up of three former cottages, this pub began life as a 19th-century beer house.

Today it still retains much of its homely charm with a cosy log burner and exposed brick walls.

Despite its rural feel, Sarratt is just a mile away from the M25, making it easy to access by car from London.

Just an hour's drive from London lies the village of Sarratt which has been featured in TV and film. (Image: Sarratt Neighbourhood Plan)