The buzzing cathedral city of St Albans, Hertfordshire, is popular on the commuter belt – trains to King’s Cross take as little as 18 minutes.
Now, Roman remains and medieval architecture are complemented by the city’s first garden-square development, Gabriel Square. It's a development that has somehow been fitted into the very heart of the city, an easy five-minute stroll from the station and not much more than that into the centre of town.
There are 52 townhouses and 28 apartments, with prices starting at £1.195m for the former and £450,000 for the latter.
The garden at Gabriel Square is a particular highlight: it's adorned with sculptures by David Harber, twice an award-winner at the Chelsea Flower Show. The gardens themselves incorporate lawns and courtyards, plus picnic and play areas.
The interiors have been designed by Conran and Partners, with kitchens by Poggenpohl. Overall the ethos is aimed at a design-led, understated elegance – something that few new builds manage to achieve.
We’ll leave you to judge from these pictures how well they have hit their target – and we've included a couple of alternative places nearby to give you an idea what else is on the market in St Albans with similarly superb locations.
See www.gabrielsquare.com for more details and pictures.
What else you could get in St Albans
£1.1m – Four-bed semi-detached close to the Roman ruins
This house in the city's Old Conservation Area is a longer walk from the station than Gabriel Square (just under 15 minutes), but is very close to the centre of town, the cathedral and Verulam Park. It's on the market via Druce & Partners.
£434,995 – Two-bedroom flat near the station
This split-level maisonette is almost on top of the station, though not adjacent to the tracks so noise shouldn't be too much of an issue. At almost 900sq ft plus a bit of outdoor space it seems a bit of a bargain, despite needing a bit of updating inside. It's for sale through Bradford & Howley.
Credit: Castle Grant
A 17th century castle set in 35 acres of the Highlands for the price of a St Albans semi
Castle Grant, a few miles from Grantown-on-Spey, is a fascinating home blessed with a truly splendid setting.
A riverside house with gardens which look like they’ve escaped from a Monet
The Mill House is a Hertfordshire home with genuinely spectacular gardens, but none which is in need of some TLC
A sublime Georgian estate for sale that was once the residence of the Duke of Buckingham
The Abbey at Aston Abbotts has the potential to become the perfect small country estate.
Houses with libraries so lovely you’ll feel positively bookish
Read ’em and weep.
The 50 best places to live near London
Where are the best villages, towns and small cities which are a pleasure to live in, but still offer a
The best places to live for commuters: Hertfordshire
Here's our list of the most attractive villages in Hertfordshire which boast an easy commute into London.
Save
-
‘Some people find it a bit daunting being faced with a big beast and a couple of utensils’: Mitch Tonks on the perfect seafood platterMitch Tonks creates the ultimate fisherman’s feast using crab, langoustines and of course, oysters.
-
The ring ouzel: The mystery behind the common blackbird's feral twinA master of disguise, inexplicably shy and unpredictably wild, the increasingly rare ring ouzel warrants giving any blackbird a second glance.
-
Location, community and charm: the enduring desirability of London's mews housesFrom birds, to horses, to beautiful family homes, the mews of London are some of the nation's most sought-after homes. But why?
-
The distinctive and historic home that might just be 'one of Dorset’s most picturesque'Grade II*-listed Manor House, set in just under eight acres, dates from the 16th century.
-
A 17th century farmhouse in Surrey with one of Britain's oldest squash courtsFords Farm is on the market for the first time in over half a century.
-
The 15 best-value commuter towns for people working in London, according to new research from one of Britain's top estate agentsSavills have released their list of the best-value commuter towns in Britain. But do the sums add up? Toby Keel takes a look.
-
What everyone is talking about this week: Where are the new Cotswolds?The appearance of American Vice President J. D. Vance in the Cotswolds is a sure sign that they're saturated, but where else can you escape to that has the same charm?
-
19 outstanding country homes, from £450,000 to £20 million, as seen in Country LifeA spectacular country house in Yorkshire and an enormously impressive Channel Islands retreat are among the stand-out homes on the market this week.
-
Three homes down by the Thames, perfect for those who love messing about on boatsThis summer’s scorching temperatures will no doubt have endorsed the perennial appeal of Thames-side houses with frontage and private access to the river. Penny Churchill and Toby Keel pick out some prime examples.
-
A pavilion, pool and pleasure gardens at this Devon country house 'with not another building in sight'Ebberly House is a majestic country house in Devon built by one of John Soane's pupils — and as it comes to the market, it's a place Penny Churchill knows well.
