Ashwell, Barkway and Barley
Ashwell (population 1,660*)
An extensive and beautiful village to the north of Baldock and one of the showplaces in Hertfordshire. The parish church dates almost entirely from the 14th century and is renowned for its exceptionally ornate church tower which soars to 176 feet, and is crowned by an octagonal lantern with a leaded 'spike'. The village itself is a visual delight with a splendid collection of houses, mostly in a fine state of preservation, from the medieval cottage to the fine town house, plastered or timbered, thatched or tiled, in Tudor, Carolean or Georgian brick. 'Scheduled' listed buildings include the St Johns Brotherhood House of c 1500, which is next door to The Guildhouse of 1687, and the carefully restored Foresters Cottages, Chantry House with its 15th century window, the 16th century Town House now a local Museum, the Maltings now converted into flats, and a small brick house which was first built in 1681 as a school by the Merchant Taylors. Ashwell Bury, a large Victorian house, was remodelled by Lutyens in the 1920s.
Barkway (population 656*)
Close to Royston and the county border is Barkway, another village of old attractive buildings that include the 17th century Manor House, the 18th century Red House and, in the High Street, a house behind whose frontage is concealed a mediaeval hall-house. The former Queen Anne House of Newsells Park was destroyed during the war and replaced by the present house in the neoGeorgian manner. The parish church, which has a chancel dating from the 13th century, and nave and aisles from the 15th century, possesses a little mediaeval glass and some fine monuments. The tower was rebuilt in 1861.
Barley (population 659*)
Located on the Royston to Saffron Walden road, Barley centres around a church rebuilt in 1871 to the designs of Butterfield who incorporated the 12th century tower with its Norman tower arch. Of interest in the village is the 17th century half-timbered lockup and the early Tudor Town House with its large timbered upper room.
