This fantastic four-bedroom house with off-street parking forms part of the renowned Grade II-listed Cockaigne Housing Group development in Hatfield, Hertfordshire. Designed by architects Peter Phippen, Peter Randall and David Parkes, these exceptional houses were built in the mid-1960s and are celebrated as one of the finest post-war private housing schemes in Britain.

This particular house was originally designed as a two-bedroom home, but has been extended and reconfigured by previous owners. It retains many of its original features, including a glazed entrance courtyard and a private garden at the rear, along with pine-clad interiors and open-plan configurations.

Accommodation is arranged over a single storey, and includes four bedrooms, a living room with full-height, full-width double glazing, separate kitchen, dining room, rear glazed veranda, two bathrooms, utility room and store. There is electric underfloor heating throughout. The houses were traditionally designed around an internal courtyard, which in this instance has been covered with a glass roof; there is a beautiful large liriodendron in the centre of the courtyard. The spaces are versatile and can be configured in various ways with the use of original bi-fold doors.

There are private gardens at both the front and rear and an integrated garage which the current owners use as a workshop. The rear garden has a wonderful array of shrubs, mature plants and trees including a large flowering liriodendron, a weeping flowering cherry which is a vibrant burst of pink in the blossoming months, a clematis montana, grape vine and a large climbing hydrangea petiolaris. A sunny patio area provides a wonderful place to eat outside and at the back of the garden there is a useful storage shed and gated access to the communal gardens.

Owners of Cockaigne houses have a share of extensive communal gardens, spanning just under three acres in total which  includes a tennis court and a secure children’s play area. There is also an invaluable community house which plays host to yoga sessions, supper clubs and Christmas get-togethers and also houses a self-contained one-bedroom guest flat which residents can book for visitors, for a nominal charge.

The Ryde is close to the historic site of Hatfield House and Gardens and residents of this area are entitled to apply for a pass that allows free access to Hatfield Park throughout the year. The shops of Welwyn Garden City (including John Lewis and Waitrose), Hertford, St Albans and Hatfield are a short drive away and supermarkets are within walking distance. The area also has a number of good schools.

Hatfield railway station can be reached on foot in approximately ten minutes and trains run direct to London King’s Cross (approximately 19 minutes) and London Moorgate (30 minutes).

Tenure: Share of Freehold
Lease length: approx. 943 years remaining
Service charge: approx. £650 per annum which includes repairs to shared areas and the outside of the building, cleaning services, a sinking fund and maintenance of the communal gardens

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.