Ayot St Lawrence

George Bernard Shaw lived in the village, at Shaw's Corner, from 1906 until his death in 1950; his ashes are scattered there.^[2][3] The house is open to the public as a National Trust property.^[4]

Other residents of the village included Shaw's friend, neighbour and bibliographer Stephen Winsten (1893–1991) and his wife, the artist Clare Winsten (1894–1989).

During the 1950s, the silk-maker Zoe Dyke (1896–1975) moved her business to Ayot House.^[5] The historical novelist, biographer and children's writer Carola Oman, Lady Lenanton (1897–1978) lived at Bride Hall with her husband. She died there on 11 June 1978.^[6]

The village has a timber-framed public house, The Brocket Arms, which may date back to the early 16th century.^[7] It also offers meals and accommodation.^[8]

The village has two churches:

• Old St Lawrence Church, in the centre of the village, was partially demolished in 1775, because it was obstructing the view from Sir Lionel Lyde's new home.^[9]

Field Marshal Frederick Rudolph Lambart, 10th Earl of Cavan (1865–1946), a British Army officer and Chief of the Imperial General Staff, is buried in the churchyard.^[10]

• New St Lawrence Church was designed in a neo-classical style by Nicholas Revett^[11] and features a Palladian-style frontage with Doric columns.