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Markyate sits on the edge of the Chiltern Hills, positioned right on the historic border where Hertfordshire meets Bedfordshire. Most of the village’s character is defined by High Street, which follows the ancient route of Watling Street; until the bypass was built in the 1950s, this was the primary road for coaches travelling between London and the Midlands. This history is still visible in the architecture, with several 16th and 17th-century timber-framed buildings and former coaching inns tightly packed along the main stretch. Just to the north lies the Cell Park estate, built on the site of a 12th-century priory and famous for its association with Lady Katherine Ferrers, the "Wicked Lady." Geographically, it’s a practical location for those needing access to the M1 or Luton Airport, yet once you walk five minutes east or west of the village centre, you are into open Hertfordshire countryside and woodland. It feels more self-contained than many commuter villages, largely because it retains its own doctor’s surgery, a primary school, and a small row of local shops that keep the centre active during the day.