Cottered

{{Short description|Village in Hertfordshire, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}}

{{Use British English|date=June 2025}}

{{Infobox UK place

|static_image_name= St John the Baptist, Cottered, Herts - geograph.org.uk - 355543.jpg

|static_image_width= 240

|static_image_caption= St John the Baptist Church

|country = England

|coordinates = {{coord|51.95|-0.083333|display=inline,title}}

|official_name= Cottered

| population = 634

| population_ref = (2001)
659 (2011 Census){{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11122359&c=Cottered&d=16&e=62&g=6433377&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1477650803682&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date=28 October 2016|publisher=Office for National Statistics |work=Neighbourhood Statistics}}

|civil_parish= Cottered

|shire_district= East Hertfordshire

|shire_county = Hertfordshire

|region= East of England

|constituency_westminster=North East Hertfordshire

|post_town= BUNTINGFORD

|postcode_district = SG9

|postcode_area= SG

|dial_code= 01763

|os_grid_reference= TL3129

}}

Cottered is a village and civil parish {{convert|3|mi|km}} west of Buntingford and {{convert|6|mi|km}} east of Baldock in the East Hertfordshire District of Hertfordshire in England. It had a population of 634 in 2001,[http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/viewFullDataset.do?instanceSelection=03070&productId=779&$ph=60_61&datasetInstanceId=3070&startColumn=1&numberOfColumns=8&containerAreaId=790416 Office for National Statistics : Census 2001 : Parish Headcounts : East Hertfordshire] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612112828/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/viewFullDataset.do?instanceSelection=03070&productId=779&$ph=60_61&datasetInstanceId=3070&startColumn=1&numberOfColumns=8&containerAreaId=790416 |date=12 June 2011 }} Retrieved 2 February 2010 increasing to 659 at the 2011 Census.

Cottered is home to a Japanese garden designed in the early 20th century by Herbert Goode, at the Garden House. It is listed Grade II* on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.{{NHLE|num=1000558|desc=The Garden House, Cottered|access-date=16 February 2018|mode=cs2}}

North of Cottered, on a private drive off Throcking Road, is Broadfield House. This was rebuilt for Lady Hester Ley, daughter of the Earl of Marlborough, who married into the local Pulter family. Her daughter Margaret married John Forrester: their son James (d.1696) had Broadfield Hall extended, with stables designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor which are now Grade II listed.

Among those who have held the living of Cottered may be mentioned the Rev Anthony Trollope, who was grandfather of the authors Anthony Trollope and Thomas Adolphus Trollope. He was incumbent of Cottered for forty-four years and died in 1806.[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43609 Victoria County History: A History of the County of Hertford: volume 3]

Cottered also has a blue plaque to the first president of the Republic of China Sun Yat-sen, who stayed at The Kennels, country home of James Cantlie.{{cite web|last=Roberts|first=Damion|title=Getting to know Cottered|date=20 March 2012|url=http://www.hertfordshirelife.co.uk/out-about/places/getting_to_know_cottered_1_1568885|publisher=Hertfordshire Life|access-date=13 April 2014}}

It has a football club, Cottered FC.{{Cite web|url=http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/cotteredfc/|title = Leaguewebsite.co.uk has now closed}}

A Manor House built in the 1400s, said to be the "oldest inhabited house in Hertfordshire", stands in Cottered. "The Lordship" is a Grade I listed building. The summary states: "Early-mid C15 (probably for John Fray who held the manor 1428-1461...), altered in early C17 ... chimney dated 1699, later modernizations ...".[https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1348017 THE LORDSHIP] According to a 2021 report in Country Life, the property was owned by Gwilym Lloyd George in the 1950s. The subsequent owners maintained the house well, but it was due for "some gentle updating".[https://www.countrylife.co.uk/property/the-oldest-in-habited-house-in-hertfordshire-comes-up-for-sale-a-15th-century-home-with-some-very-21st-century-touches-223154 The oldest inhabited house in Hertfordshire comes up for sale, a 15th century home with some very 21st century touches]