The historic market town is just 40 minutes by train from London
New research by Expedia looked into social media mentions from UK holidaymakers and found that posts about Bishop’s Stortford had increased by 90 per cent compared to the year before. Bishop’s Stortford is a historic market town situated along the River Stort, close to the Essex border.
It has a population that is estimated to be between 44,000 and 44,400, up from almost 41,000 in the 2021 census. It makes a great commuter town as it is just over an hour’s drive from London or under 40 minutes by train.
The overall average house price in Bishop’s Stortford is approximately £470,000 to £485,000, with asking prices averaging slightly higher at around £508,000. Property values have seen modest year-on-year growth of roughly 1 per cent, according to Rightmove.
One person who knows the area best is MP for Hertford and Stortford, Josh Dean. He told MyLondon: “We are a really historic, market town community… Bishop’s Stortford goes all the way back to the Domesday Book. People are very proud of our history, and you can see that reflected in the architecture, the museums and the local community.
“It’s got good rail links, so it’s very easy to get here from London, but also very easy to come here from Stansted Airport. It is nestled in the countryside but also semi-rural which I think gives you the best of both worlds.”
About the town’s growth in popularity, he said: “It is a hidden gem and people are becoming more aware of Bishop’s Stortford as we can see, and historically it has allowed people to get out of London nicely and easily and gives them the opportunity to explore the hospitality, the businesses and the environment and I think that’s what people like.
“The town centre is now a Purple Flag accredited for its community, its nightlife and its safety, which is fantastic! You’ve got all of this sort of alongside a really beautiful countryside setting with local chalk streams.”
He told MyLondon that being the MP for Hertford and Stortford is the ‘privilege of his life’ as he grew up in Hertford and he is proud that his constituency office is on South Street, which is right in the Heart of Bishop’s Stortford, where he spends his time when he isn’t in the Palace of Westminster.
Pressed to name some of the best places to visit in the area, Mr Dean said: “ That is a really tough question but I always encourage people to pop into South Mill Arts. It is a fantastic arts centre here in Bishop’s Stortford, just down the road from my office, in South Street actually. They have a fantastic programme of events, shows and so on.
“Our town centre is also fantastic. I really encourage people to visit our local independent businesses. They are really special to our community and also Jackson Square, which is our shopping centre. But if people are looking for history, there’s not just the architecture, the town itself, but we’ve got an old replica Norman castle. So there’s always something to look at there and again, lots of green spaces that people can go to if they’re trying to get outside and get some fresh air!”
Asked to sum up Bishop’s Stortford in a few words, he responded: “a fantastic place to live, work and learn.”
