Hertfordshire's five most desirable villages have been revealed – and three of them have an average property price in excess of £1m.

The upmarket hotspots feature in a new study by Savills' research team, which ranked villages on a combination of highest house prices, best lifestyle amenities, connectivity and ‘chocolate box’ appeal.

Nick Ingle, head of residential sales at Savills in Harpenden, said: “The lifestyle opportunities that people have been looking for since the outbreak of the pandemic continue to motivate buyers and I think that’s something reflected by all the villages on this list.

"As well as a strong sense of identity and community spirit they have a little bit of everything – highly desirable, full of character and surrounded by stunning countryside.

"They are also well connected to other towns and villages – with good access to train services to London – and are close to plenty of shops, pubs and restaurants. The quality of schooling is also very good which is a huge draw for families."

Here are Hertfordshire's five most desirable villages...

Little Gaddesden

Located in the Chiltern Hills, between Dunstable and Berkhamsted, the pretty village of Little Gaddesden is adjacent to the 5,000-acre Ashridge Estate.

The tiny village school, which has around 100 pupils on roll, is ranked 'outstanding' by Ofsted. There is also a popular pub, The Bridgewater Arms.

This combination of stunning scenery and excellent nearby amenities is beyond the reach of many, however, with the average house in the village costing £1,333,501.

Aldenham

Ideally placed between Radlett and Watford, Aldenham offers a rural idyll packed with chocolate box charm.

Residents benefit from proximity to some of England's most prestigious private schools, such as Aldenham School and Haberdashers’ Aske’s boys' and girls' schools, and the average home costs £1,081,320.

This isn't the first time Savills have ranked the village highly in such a study: Aldenham East and Aldenham West came second and fifth respectively in a recent ranking of Herts local authority wards with the highest priced properties.

Little Berkhamsted

Dating back to Saxon times, leafy Little Berkhamsted has a couple of pubs, a shop and around 560 current residents. It also has links to William the Conqueror.

Confusingly, Little Berkhamsted is about 25 miles east of its namesake town, but just five miles from Hatfield and Hertford.

It's a case of Little Berkhamsted, big price for anyone planning a move, however: in 2018 Robins Nest Hill was named Britain's third most expensive street outside London, and the average home in the village currently costs £1,036,040.

Tewin

Just three miles from Welwyn Garden City, historic Tewin is mentioned in the Domesday Book.

Community-minded residents bought shares in the local shop back in 2019, which is now run "by the village, for the village".

There are a couple of appealing pubs on offer, plus the Tewin Bury Farm hotel on the outskirts of the village. Unusually for a primary school, Tewin Cowper C of E (ranked 'good' by Ofsted) has its own outdoor heated pool. The average price of a property here stands at £937,517.

Sarratt

Close to the Buckinghamshire border and four miles north of Rickmansworth is the village of Sarratt.

Surrounded by idyllic countryside, it boasts a handful of popular pubs, a post office and a village school ranked 'good' by Ofsted.

An average house price of £912,147 makes it the fifth most expensive village on this list, and as part of Chorleywood North & Sarratt, it recently came fourth in Savills' ranking of Herts wards with the highest priced properties.