Spellbrook’s story
4 listed buildings
Historic England lists them inside Spellbrook’s built-up area, along with 1 scheduled monument.
7% of its homes were built before 1919, against 15% in the typical UK town.
Explore the history →
SpellbrookHertfordshire
318 people live in this village in Hertfordshire, East of England.
7 places within 12 milesMap →
Photo: Bill Boaden · CC BY-SA 2.0
Population
318
Census 2021 · East Hertfordshire council
Median home
£579K
12 sales in 3 years
Median age
52.4
23% are 65+ · Hertfordshire 17%
Degree level
35%
of residents 16+ · England 34%
Walk, cycle, bus
18%
of commuters · England 27%
Is Spellbrook a good place to live?
Spellbrook is below the 1,000 residents fair grades need, but every figure on this page is real. Its listed buildings number 4, with 0 at Grade I. The median home sold for £578,500. People aged 65 and over make up 23% of residents.
What makes Spellbrook stand out
The 3 things Spellbrook does most differently from other towns.
Listed buildings per 10,000 residents
History
0 Grade II*; 5.2 times the typical UK town for its size
Historic England’s list, October 2026.
Median sale, £ thousands
Housing
2.1 times the typical UK town’s £277K
Standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026.
Residents 65 and over
Who lives here
23% are 65 or over
Against 18% across England’s towns
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Spellbrook.
Who lives here
Children make up only 14% of Spellbrook, fewer than in Hertfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
Young adults of 15 to 24 are nearly a tenth of the population. People 65 and over make up nearly a quarter of the town, above Hertfordshire’s towns (17%) and England’s towns (18%) alike. Spellbrook has a median age of 52.4 years.
52.4median age
SpellbrookHertfordshireEngland
Ages · share of residents
23%
Qualifications · residents 16 and older
No qualifications24%
Apprenticeship3%
A levels or similar12%
Degree level35%
Women and men · all residents
51% women, 49% men
About an even split. Across England, 51% of residents are women.
| Spellbrook | Hertfordshire | England | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 14% | 19% | 18% |
| 15–24 | 8.5% | 11% | 12% |
| 25–44 | 18% | 27% | 27% |
| 45–64 | 36% | 26% | 25% |
| 65+ | 23% | 17% | 18% |
| No qualifications | 24% | 15% | 18% |
| Apprenticeship | 3.4% | 4.5% | 5.3% |
| A levels or similar | 12% | 16% | 17% |
| Degree level | 35% | 39% | 34% |
ONS Census 2021 · Hertfordshire and England: all residents of their built-up areas · OGL
Schools
The schools around Spellbrook
At the 7 primary schools within 3 km, nearly three quarters of pupils reach the expected standard in reading, writing and maths (three-year average). There is one school here; it is shown below. Secondary results at the 2 secondary schools within 3 km: an Attainment 8 score of 52, with 58% at grade 5 or above in English and maths.
| School | Level | Pupils | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spellbrook CofE Primary SchoolLargest primary schoolPrimary | Primary | 105 | B |
Department for Education · GIAS, Key Stage 2 and GCSE resultsThe Schools page →
Work & commute
3.7% of 16 to 64s in Spellbrook claim unemployment benefits, more than in Hertfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The Census was taken on 21 March 2021, in lockdown, so 41% of workers were mainly at home; shares here are of those who travelled.
The car took 78% of commuters, above Hertfordshire’s towns (73%) and England’s towns (70%) alike. Spellbrook counts 1.2 jobs per working resident. Work in town: 2% of resident commuters. 33% of commuters travelled under 5 km to work.
18%walk, cycle or ride
How commuters got to work · March 2021
Driving78%
Train6%
On foot5%
Bus3%
Bicycle2%
Underground, tram1%
33%
of commuters travel under 5 km · England 45%
41%
worked mainly from home in March 2021
£68K
mean household income, before tax
3.7%
of 16 to 64s claim unemployment benefits (2026)
ONS Census 2021, method of travel and distance to work · ONS small-area income · DWP claimant count · OGL
Housing
Spellbrook is a town of owners: 84% of households own their home, above Hertfordshire’s towns and England’s towns
The private rented sector houses nearly one in ten households. 7% live in social housing, below both Hertfordshire’s towns (18%) and England’s towns (18%). Private rents average £1,533 a month across the East Hertfordshire council area.
£579Kmedian sale
Median sale price · Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
Spellbrook£579K
Typical UK town£277K
| By type | Median | Sales |
|---|---|---|
| Semi-detached | £455,000 | 5 |
84%
of households own their home · England 61%
9%
rent privately · England 21%
£1,533
average private rent a month, East Hertfordshire council area
£2,467
council tax, Band D, 2026–27
HM Land Registry Price Paid · ONS private rents · MHCLG / Welsh Government council tax · ONS Census 2021 tenure · OGL
Safety
Violence is recorded less often in Spellbrook than in Hertfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 15.7 per 1,000 residents a year
Over the year to August 2026, 11 offences were reported in Spellbrook, along with 3 incidents of anti-social behaviour. Each year, 12.6 burglaries and acts of damage are recorded per 1,000 residents. Of all the crimes, 27% were violence and sexual offences.
15.7violent and sexual offences per 1,000 a year
Reports by type · Sep 2025 to Aug 2026
Violence & sexual3
Other theft3
Vehicle crime3
Burglary1
Other crime1
Shoplifting0
Damage & arson0
Public order0
Anti-social3
Not gradedAnti-social behaviour, shoplifting and other theft are shown but left out of the Safety Grade, which counts violence and crimes against homes and vehicles per resident.
15.7
violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
12.6
burglary, vehicle crime and damage per 1,000 a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026
9.4
anti-social behaviour reports per 1,000 (not graded)
11
crimes recorded in the 12 months to August 2026
data.police.uk street-level crime · points inside the ONS built-up-area boundary · OGL · The police category of violence and sexual offences includes harassment and stalking.
Health
Bad health is less common in Spellbrook than in Hertfordshire’s towns or across England’s towns: 2.2% of residents
The nearest A&E to Spellbrook is The Princess Alexandra Hospital, 5.3 miles away. At the census, 86% of people in Spellbrook called their health good or very good, near Hertfordshire’s towns (85%) and higher than England’s towns (82%). Seeing a GP means leaving Spellbrook: the nearest practice is 1.6 miles away.
86%good or very good health
General health, self-reported
Good or very good 86%Fair 12%Bad or very bad 2%
| Census 2021 | Spellbrook | Hertfordshire | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Good or very good health | 86% | 85% | 82% |
| Bad or very bad health | 2.2% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Disabled (Equality Act) | 15% | 14% | 17% |
78.8
life expectancy at birth, men (2019–23)
86.6
life expectancy at birth, women
ONS Census 2021, general health and disability · OHID Fingertips, life expectancy 2019–23 · OGL · Young towns look healthier on these answers, which aren’t adjusted for age; the Health Grade uses measures that are, such as life expectancy and early deaths.
History
Spellbrook is rich in listed buildings: 126 per 10,000 residents, more than in Hertfordshire’s towns and across England’s towns
The heritage lists give each building’s grade but not its age, so we don’t say which is oldest.
7% of its homes were built before 1919, below Hertfordshire’s towns (12%) and England’s towns (16%) alike. One scheduled monument lies in Spellbrook.
4listed buildings
Listed buildings by grade · Historic England
Grade I0
Grade II*0
Grade II4
1
scheduled monument
0
registered parks and gardens
7%
of homes built before 1919 · typical UK town 15%
126
listed buildings per 10,000 residents · typical UK town 24
Historic England list, October 2026 · Valuation Office Agency, homes by build period · OGL
Nearby attractions
All attractions →Henry Moore Foundation and 5 more in and around Spellbrook
Museums, castles, gardens and days out in and near Spellbrook. Best known first.
Art galleryHenry Moore Foundation4.3 km outside town, to the west
CastleWaytemore Castle (remains)3.7 km outside town, to the north
MuseumSouth Mill Arts2.8 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumBishop's Stortford Museum2.8 km outside town, to the northPark or estatePark or estate · National TrustHatfield Forest5 km outside town, to the northeastMuseumMuseumHenry Moore Studios & Gardens4.6 km outside town, to the westPlaces: © OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata
Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (3)
- Henry Moore Foundation: DeFacto, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Waytemore Castle (remains): PAUL FARMER, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- South Mill Arts: Acabashi, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Keep exploring
Everything we know about Spellbrook
13pages on Spellbrook
The big questions
Safety15.7 violent and sexual offences per 1,000 residents a year, averaged Sep 2023 to Aug 2026Cost of livingMedian home £579K · rent £1,533 a monthHousing2 sold in 12 months · busiest street London RoadSchools1 state schoolHealthLife expectancy 78.8 (men), 86.6 (women)Work & commute60% of working residents work in the townFlood & hazards3.6% of homes at high or medium flood risk
Spellbrook’s neighbours
The nearest built-up areas, from ONS’s 2022 boundaries. See them on the map →
Little HallingburySawbridgeworthBishop's StortfordHatfield HeathHadham CrossStansted MountfitchetHarlowSpellbrook
How the neighbours grade
| Town | People | Miles | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spellbrook | 318 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Little Hallingbury | 1,434 | 0.8 | — | B− | A− | A |
| Sawbridgeworth | 10,471 | 1.6 | A− | C+ | C+ | B+ |
| Bishop's Stortford | 40,916 | 2.2 | A | C+ | C | A |
| Hatfield Heath | 1,789 | 2.6 | — | B− | B+ | A |
| Hadham Cross | 1,275 | 3.7 | — | C− | A− | B |
| Stansted Mountfitchet | 8,629 | 4.9 | A+ | B+ | B+ | A |
| Harlow | 93,570 | 5.3 | D | C− | D | C− |
Little Hallingbury, Hatfield Heath and Hadham Cross have fewer than 2,500 residents, so they get subject grades but no overall grade. People: Census 2021. Miles: centre to centre.
Questions about Spellbrook
How many listed buildings are there in Spellbrook?
That is 5.2 times the typical UK town for its size. It also has 1 scheduled monument.
About Spellbrook
Village in Hertfordshire, England
Spellbrook is a built-up area of 318 people, in the East Hertfordshire council area. TownRatings uses ONS’s 2022 built-up areas as towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a council district, so its figures cover the town itself.
Built from ONS geography and Census 2021
- Population
- 318 (Census 2021)
- Council
- East Hertfordshire
- County
- Hertfordshire
- Region
- East of England
- Area
- 0.1 sq mi (0.3 km²)
- ONS code
- E63004263
Sources: ONS Census 2021, output areas summed to the ONS 2022 built-up area · HM Land Registry Price Paid (standard sales, September 2023 to August 2026) · ONS Price Index of Private Rents (August 2026, by council) · MHCLG and Welsh Government council tax, Band D 2026–27 (with parish precepts in England) · data.police.uk street-level crime, 36 months to August 2026, points inside the built-up-area boundary · ONS small-area life expectancy and healthy life expectancy, 2019 to 2023 (England and Wales), OHID Fingertips small-area indicators (England) and Census 2021 health, adjusted for age · ONS small-area income estimates (financial year ending 2023) · DWP claimant count via Nomis (January to August 2026) · Historic England, National Heritage List for England (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, battlefields, World Heritage Sites), October 2026, inside the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary · Valuation Office Agency, Council Tax: stock of properties by build period (31 March 2025) · TownRatings grades: our own summary of the data, ranked against UK towns only. All under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.