Britain's 30 greatest villages

Thank you so much for sharing. I've just reviewed the article and it has so much good information, I've bookmarked it. Its villages are one of the reasons I love Great Britain so much.

Thanks JC!

Pretty funny that the RS Southern England tour stays in Alfriston which is on the list. It was fun to visit and had a lovely church. I just read the Wikipedia article on it to remind me of it and saw that the words to the hymn "Morning has Broken" were written here based on the lovely view.

I've also enjoyed a day in Laugharne on a Road Scholar tour. It's very interesting as well. As we were walking back from Dylan Thomas' writing shed the Welsh guide was reciting some of his poetry and just finished a line that said "and the curlew cried" and danged if a curlew didn't cry from the mudflats below us! Very memorable. They also have a wonderful mixed voice choir!

Agree with Laurie Beth.

It’s how I felt about Richmond before Ted Lasso.

Thanks for sharing.

Will use as a resource for the next UK sojourn.

This is great; thanks, JC! I am obsessed with English villages. I have my work cut out for me — I’ve only been to two of the thirty.

I’ve only been to Cartmel for the sticky toffee pudding.

I guess the UK’s 30 greatest villages is similar to Spain’s prettiest villages list. I’ve visited a number of them and came away wondering what the criteria was to make the list.

Thanks for sharing.

Nice article, JC! I've been to 4 of the named villages:

Hutton-le-Hole, North Yorkshire: I loved this little village, also home to the Ryedale Folk Museum, which is so well worth a visit.

Alnmouth, Northumberland: I stopped here for lunch and enjoyed it, but I don't if it should join in with the 30 greatest villages.

Lustleigh, Devon: This was a very charming village but I would never go there with a car. It was impossible to drive and and I got stuck quite a few times. Very narrow roads but also very curvy with lots of cars parked all over the place.

Tobermorey, Isle of Mull: I left my heart here. I love this town and it is quite wonderful. I would love to go back to Tobermorey and to the Isle of Mull.

ETA: I just saw in the article that "Balamory" (a children's TV series filmed decades ago on Tobermorey), is being rebooted in 2026. I wonder if they will film it on Tobermorey again? I'll bet that will increase tourism there.

Great article!!! I especially like:

Mells (Somerset) - not only a lovely village but also a place of great interest to those interested in the Great War (World War I). The Horner family lost their heir ( and their son-in-law (Raymond Asquith, son of the British Prime Minister) during the war. Inside the local church is an equestrian statue of Edward Horner designed by Edwin Lutyens. In the churchyard are buried Siegfried Sassoon (Great War poet), Catholic theologian Ronald Knox, and Violet Asquith Bonham-Carter and her husband (great grandparents of the actress Helena Bonham-Carter).

Bosham (Sussex) - a truly delightful place. Just be sure not to park your car near the water because the tide rises quickly.

Yay!!!!! Ditchling makes the list!!! I often recommend it here. Glad to know I’m not barmy, and that it really is that fabulous. :-)

Thanks for the link. What fun!

Mells is lovely. The May Bank Holiday Fair is a lot of fun. Many villages in that part of Somerset hold May fairs that are worth visiting if you’re in the area at the time.