Inside sleepy UK village where Rupert Grint grew up with homes costing £447,000

Rupert Grint (Image: Getty)

Household favourite Rupert Grint, who skyrocketed to stardom as Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter series, hails from Harlow but now calls Hertfordshire home.

Born in Essex, the celebrated 36-year-old actor moved to Watton-at-Stone in the picturesque county of Hertfordshire north of London, which is famed for its idyllic villages and historic landscapes.

Rupert is now also a father after his girlfriend Georgie Groome gave birth to their first child in May 2020. Their daughter is called Wednesday G. Grint.

The celeb is known for his impressive acting but what most people do not know is his earliest goal in life was to become an ice cream man. Rupert later bought an ice cream van while still filming the Harry Potter films, even turning up to the last day of filming in it.

He is the eldest of five siblings, where he grew up in Watton-at-Stone and was educated at Richard Hale School in Hertford.

Richard Hale is a Hertford boys' secondary school, which has seen numerous notable students come through its school doors. Other well-known people who attended Richard Hale include: Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Oliver Skipp, Nottingham Forest defender Harry Toffolo and former leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats and MP for Ceredigion Mark Williams.

But what is the area of Watton-at-Stone like? The village, which is halfway between Stevenage and Hertford, has a population of around 2,500.

It has quintessential English pubs, including The Bull which dates to the 15th century, and describes itself as a "local village pub" which serves food.

Properties had an overall average price of £447,680 over the last year, according to RightMove. Terraced properties sold for an average price of £431,475. Flats sold for an average of £382,500, with detached properties fetching £610,750.

Meanwhile, the "new town" of Harlow, where Grint was born, emerged after World War II and prides itself on modernist architecture, sprawling green spaces, and community-centric living. This culturally rich borough brims with parks, sculptures, and plenty of facilities that shaped the early days of Grint's life preceding his film career ascension.

Despite often being overshadowed by more conventionally attractive parts of Essex, Harlow holds many undiscovered treasures. The town is essentially split into two—the Old Town oozes historical allure with its Georgian and Victorian street fronts, whereas Harlow New Town is the brainchild of post-war innovation, created to remedy the London housing crisis with its contemporary urban design.

The town was meticulously planned by Sir Frederick Gibberd, a forward-thinking architect who prioritised green spaces, modern infrastructure and community living. It is believed that Pete and his cherished dogs spent some time residing in the coveted Newhall Estate on the fringes of Harlow.

This ultra-modern development is renowned for its innovative and design-focused approach to housing, boasting contemporary architecture and chic homes. The larger properties within the development can command prices up to £850,000, significantly above the average house price in the area.

According to RightMove, purchasing a property in Harlow comes with an average tag of £338,484 for a three-bedroom dwelling. Breakdown of sales by property type reveals terraced homes averaged at £324,196, flats at £203,937, and semi-detached properties commanded prices around £407,847, reports indicate from the property experts.