Between Poděbrady and Sadská, along the road that used to be called Slezká (Silesian) or Náchodská (according to the town of Náchod) there are four villages with Lhota as part of their name. They are as follows: Přední Lhota (Front Lhota), Vrbová Lhota (Willow Lhota), Písková Lhota (Sandy Lhota) and Kostelní Lhota (Church Lhota) respectively. In addition all of them are spread along the road and all of them have a rather spacious village common. The dominant building of Kostelní Lhota is naturally the local church that - together with the vicarage and school - comprises the historical village center.
      All of the above Lhotas were established in the second half of the 14th century. There used to be deep forest in this area before, as well as a rather wide-spread marshland reaching up to the place where Vrbová Lhota is located now with the Výrovka River, which was not regulated then. There was no road leading to Poděbrady then, thus those wandering to Poděbrady Castle had to go from Sadská through Zvěřínek, Hořátev, Polabec and across the Elbe River at a nearby ford.