Car Hire Sawbridgeworth

Positioned along the A1184 and near the M11 corridor, Sawbridgeworth offers excellent connectivity for exploring East Hertfordshire. This historic market town, with approximately 8,500 residents, enjoys mild summers that reach 23°C and cool winters averaging 5°C, creating pleasant driving conditions throughout the year. The town’s proximity to Bishop’s Stortford and Harlow makes it an ideal base for exploring the region.

Sawbridgeworth boasts over 1,000 years of history as a chartered market town, featuring the magnificent Church of St Mary the Great with its impressive 15th-century tower, historic Bell Street with its Georgian and Victorian architecture and the beautiful River Stort flowing through the town centre.

Attractions In Sawbridgeworth

Medieval market charter traditions continue through this riverside town where the River Stort provides peaceful walking routes, the high street offers antique hunting opportunities and nearby Pishiobury Park hosts outdoor concerts and festivals.

Pishiobury Park

Pishiobury Park is an outstanding and historically significant green space located near Sawbridgeworth. Originally laid out by the esteemed landscape architect Capability Brown, the park features sweeping, mature parkland, historic avenues of trees and views over the River Stort. It is now a highly valued public resource for peaceful walking, nature observation and appreciating the grand, traditional English landscape design.

The Gibberd Garden

This remarkable sculpture garden, located on Marsh Lane in Harlow, opens on Wednesdays and Sundays from 2 PM to 6 PM, showcasing 90 works by English sculptors. Created by renowned architect Sir Frederick Gibberd, the garden represents a true national treasure maintained by dedicated volunteers under a local trust. Allow at least three hours to fully appreciate the sculptures hidden throughout the beautifully landscaped borders and enjoy refreshments at the on-site café.

Tudor House Gallery

Knight Street is home to this charming independent gallery and craft shop, which celebrates local artisans and their unique creations. You’ll find handmade jewellery original paintings, photography and crafts that simply cannot be found on typical high streets. The Tudor building itself adds character to your shopping experience, offering inspirational gifts and affordable treasures that support the vibrant local creative community.

RAF Sawbridgeworth Aerodrome Memorial

Located at Shingle Hall on Trims Green, this poignant memorial was erected in 2006 by the Hertfordshire Airfields Memorial Group. The site commemorates both the wartime aerodrome and 2 (Army Cooperation) Squadron, honouring local service personnel who made the ultimate sacrifice during World War II. Two separate plaques detail the airfield’s history and the squadron’s contribution to the war effort, creating a moving tribute to wartime sacrifice.

Exploring the surrounding area? These nearby destinations offer additional adventures:

• Bishops Stortford
• Buntingford
• Stansted Airport
• Ware
• Hertford
• Stapleford
• Hoddesdon
• Broxbourne

The Playbarn Sawbridgeworth

Parsonage Lane hosts this fantastic indoor adventure centre, which operates on Tuesdays through Fridays from 9:30 AM to 11:45 AM and on Saturdays from 10 AM to noon. The facility specialises in children’s parties and family entertainment, featuring impressive slides and play equipment that consistently delights young visitors. Staff members receive particular praise for their professional party management and ability to handle large groups with enthusiasm and skill.

River Stort Sawbridgeworth

The stretch of the River Stort passing through Sawbridgeworth is a crucial component of the town’s geography and history. Navigable via a series of locks and weirs, the river and its adjacent towpath are highly popular for walking, cycling and boating. This picturesque waterway maintains a tranquil, riparian environment, reminding visitors of its historical importance as a commercial route connecting Hertfordshire to the London docks.

Park Baylis

This historic country house on Chandlers Lane represents Sawbridgeworth’s Georgian architectural heritage, situated within landscaped grounds that reflect centuries of meticulous care and maintenance. The property showcases how wealthy families once lived in rural Hertfordshire, with its formal gardens and parkland providing insight into 18th and 19th-century estate management.

Shingle Hall

Shingle Hall refers to a significant, Grade II listed country house and estate located in the rural area surrounding Sawbridgeworth. Noted for its handsome architecture and historical pedigree, the building and its grounds represent the area’s rich past, particularly its deep connections to agricultural wealth and gentry. The Tudor and Georgian elements reflect different periods of expansion and renovation by successive owners.

Former RAF Sawbridgeworth

High Wych marks the location of this significant Second World War training facility, which played a crucial role in preparing aircrew for combat operations. The airfield served as a flying training school, where pilots honed their skills before deployment to operational squadrons. Though the runways have long since been repurposed, the site remains significant in understanding how rural Hertfordshire contributed to Britain’s wartime aviation training programme.

Sawbridgeworth Memorial Hall

The Forebury houses this community cornerstone that operates daily with weekday hours from 9 AM to 9 PM and weekend hours extending to midnight. Recent renovations have added a second floor and improved accessibility with the installation of a lift, creating multiple meeting rooms for various community activities. The hall serves as a venue for exercise classes, local events and social gatherings, though cleaning standards sometimes lag behind the busy usage schedule.

Sawbridgeworth Marsh

Sawbridgeworth Marsh is a protected and ecologically important area of wetland located along the River Stort floodplain. This designated marshland habitat is crucial for supporting diverse local flora, waterfowl and invertebrates. Managed primarily for conservation, it offers a distinct, wilder contrast to the cultivated parkland nearby, providing excellent opportunities for quiet wildlife spotting and appreciating the natural complexity of the river valley environment.

The Rivers Heritage Site And Orchard House

Bell Street leads to this fascinating heritage centre, which opens on Sundays from 9 AM until 5 PM, focusing on the historical importance of the River Stort to local communities. The site explores how waterways shaped settlement patterns, trade routes and agricultural development throughout the centuries. Traditional river maintenance techniques are demonstrated, showing how communities managed their waterways long before modern engineering methods became available.