20 Must See Beautiful English Villages

Quaint stone cottages, cute historic pubs surrounded by rolling green hills and little streams flowing through – there are few things in this world more picturesque than a quintessential English village. The countryside of England is home to an abundance of stunning little towns and villages, each one just as pretty as the next.

Some are so beautiful, it’s hard to imagine that people actually live there and you’re not walking through the set of a movie! Full of character and old-world charm, every village has its own story to tell. Each one featured in this article would make an excellent addition to your England road trip itinerary, otherwise it is possible to visit most of them on a day trip from London if you’re short on time!

Retreating to the English countryside is the perfect way to escape the city, take a step back in time and enjoy the slow-paced way of village life. From the popular Cotswolds villages to some lesser known gems, here are 20 of the most charming and beautiful English villages to inspire your next visit.

20 of the Most Charming and Beautiful English Villages

Broadway, Worcestershire

-By Wendy from Empty Nesters Hit The Road

Located in West England, the Cotswolds is full of picturesque villages. Choosing which one to visit is never easy, but Broadway is a good bet. Like all of its neighbours Broadway is full of honey coloured stone buildings, streets lined with ancient trees, and plenty of window boxes filled with colourful flowers. But as it’s larger than many of the surrounding towns, it offers great boutique shopping and a selection of excellent restaurants. As a popular destination for artists, there is also a nice selection of galleries in town.

With its location along The Cotswold Way, Broadway is a popular overnight stop for multi-day hikers. It has a nice selection of bed and breakfast inns and guest houses, most of which are locally owned and operated. After a long day in the countryside, walkers look forward to the creature comforts of this lovely village.

For history and architecture buffs, the famous Broadway Tower is located one mile south-east of the town in Broadway Tower Country Park. Built in 1798, this tower is known as the Highest Little Castle in the Cotswolds. Today the tower houses a museum on three of its floors. Also located in the park is a herd of red deer. In the Spring and Fall it’s possible to see the deer and their babies.

Broadway is just two hours northwest of London. Many visitors opt to take the train from Paddington Station to Moreton-in-Marsh and then a cab or bus to Broadway.

→Click here to browse accommodation options in Broadway←

Painswick Village, Gloucestershire

-By Sophie from We Dream Of Travel

Painswick is a beautiful, quaint village tucked away amidst the British countryside within the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  With its honey-hued homes and cobbled streets, it is easily the prettiest village in the Cotswolds, if not the whole of England!

Located just over 2 hours’ drive from London, it makes for a perfect day trip to escape the hustle and bustle of the city and can be combined with any of the other charming Cotswold villages.  Painswick is steeped in history and as you meander through its labyrinth of streets and alleyways, you’ll encounter clues to the past.  Many of the buildings have small plaques on them to acknowledge their former use and there are a number of informative boards around the town to give insight into the village’s long history.

There were once 17 inns and alehouses in Painswick, and today Painswick is still well known for its excellent restaurants. Be sure to keep an eye out for the Golden Heart pub sign on Tibbiwell Lane.  While the pub no longer exists, the sign remains as part of a protected Grade II listed building.

The village of Painswick is also renowned for its church garden, home to 100 yew trees.  Until 2000, there had been 99 yew trees and legend told that the hundredth yew tree planted would be destroyed by the devil.  However, to commemorate the millennium, each parish in Gloucester received and planted a yew tree.  Contrary to the legend, the 100th tree is still alive and well!

Painswick is also home to the Rococo gardens, dating back to 1748 and hailed as one of the Cotswolds’ best kept secrets.  These gardens provide the perfect place for an afternoon stroll.

Bibury, Gloucestershire

-By Christina from Travel2Next

British poet William Morris wasn’t wrong when he called Bibury “the most beautiful village in England”. When the sun streams on the honey-coloured stone cottages of Arlington Row, it’s undoubtedly one of the most beautiful of all the Cotswold villages. It looks like it’s straight out of a storybook. Completing the picture is a bubbling brook, lovely gardens and a tranquil pond. Arlington Row is possibly the most photographed village in England. Built in 1380, the cottages were initially used to store wool but later became weavers’ cottages to produce cloth that was sent to Arlington Mill for processing.

While most people are attracted to Bibury to take photos of Arlington Row, it’s also worth visiting the Bibury Trout Farm to learn how they breed Rainbow and Brown Trout. The farm has been operating since 1902 and has a gift shop, picnic areas and a fresh seafood counter where you can buy smoked trout and other seafood. On weekends, a fun thing to do is to go fishing and catch fish to take home. The farm supplies fishing rods and the activity is suitable for beginners, and you pay for your catch by weight.

There are some charming cottages to stay at in Bibury, but you’ll want to book a room at The Swan Hotel, which was once a coaching inn and is beside the River Coln. You can get to Bibury by train, public bus or by car but if you’re planning on exploring other villages in the Cotswolds driving is the most convenient way to get around.

Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire

-By Emily from Kids and Compass

Bourton-on-the-Water is one of the most beautiful and popular villages in the Cotswolds. Think old, honey coloured houses, covered in climbing roses with pretty little gardens lining a stream; cute cafes and boutique shops.

Bourton-on-the-Water is also known as the Venice of the Cotswolds. The river Windrush is crossed by several little bridges, although sadly you can’t punt up and down as the stream is far too small!

You’ll find plenty of attractions in Bourton-on-the-Water when you’re finished admiring the surroundings. Families will enjoy visiting Birdland which is home to flamingos, cassowaries and other exotic species, although it’s also a haven for wild birds. Don’t forget the Jurassic Journey walk, where kids can look for dinosaurs hidden in the undergrowth.

The Cotswold Motoring Museum has an incredible collection of cars, buses and other vehicles and motoring memorabilia. There’s a great collection of toys too. You might also want to visit the miniature village in the town centre.

Bourton-on-the-Water also has a cute little hedge maze. You have to solve clues as you walk around, and you won’t be able to find the treasure at the centre without completing the puzzle.

Bourton-on-the-Water is a two-hour drive from London. If you can’t drive, then take a train to Moreton in Marsh and then a bus to Bourton-on-the-Water. The town is also a great base for exploring the rest of the Cotswolds as it’s so centrally located.

Stay in the boutique and centrally located Chester House Hotel, although there are plenty more choices to suit any budget.

Lower Slaughter, Gloucestershire

–By Wendy from The Nomadic Vegan

Lower Slaughter is a picturesque Cotswold village in the county of Gloucestershire, filled with limestone cottages built in the traditional Cotswold style. It doesn’t receive as many tourists as some of the more popular Cotswold villages and has managed to retain a more authentic charm. As a vegan traveler in the Cotswolds, I was a bit wary of staying in a place called “slaughter”, but thankfully the name does not refer to the slaughter of animals.

Rather, it comes from the Old English word sloh, which means “a marshy or muddy place”, and refers to the nearby wetlands and the Eye stream that flows through the village. Lower Slaughter is known as one of the Cotswold’s “water villages” and features several quaint stone footbridges that cross the stream. You can often see geese and other water birds paddling around in the water. Copeshill Road, which follows the stream, has been voted the Most Romantic Street in Britain!

As you may have guessed, there is also a village called Upper Slaughter, which is just a short walk away. This lovely stroll along the stream takes about 25 minutes and is highly recommended. Along the way, you’ll pass the Old Mill, which was built in the 19th century and has now been converted into an arts and crafts shop. The mill’s original water wheel is still functioning.

By car, Lower Slaughter is about a two-hour drive from London. If you’re taking public transport, the train takes about three hours, while the National Express bus is a bit faster and also much cheaper.

Castle Combe, Wiltshire

-By Josie from Where Jo Goes

Often lauded as England’s prettiest village, Castle Combe in Wiltshire is a single meandering high street of honey coloured stone, a brook bubbling through it. At one end of the street is the much photographed bridge with the picturesque cottages that overlook it. At the other stands the Market Cross, the village pump, traditional English pubs including the 12^th Century Castle Inn and St Andrews Church. You’ll notice the locals sell produce such as home-made cakes and jams straight from their doorsteps, bringing a touch of local personality to this bucolic spot in the heart of the English countryside.

On arrival, Castle Combe may well look familiar. War Horse was filmed here and it features in Downton Abbey and many period dramas.

The Manor House Hotel at Castle Combe is a luxury hotel with a Michelin starred restaurant. Take a wander through the Italianate gardens or along the river bank if you’re stopping for a meal or drink in the hotel or a game of golf at the hotel’s club. It’s also the perfect spot for a quintessentially English afternoon tea. Confession, I spent the first night of my honeymoon here so it has a soft spot in my heart, it’s such a beautiful spot!

For a more adrenaline filled pursuit, Castle Combe Circuit offers a range of driving experiences.

Getting here: A 3-hour drive from London or 50 mins from Bristol, the village is best reached by car. Nearest train station: Chippenham (15 mins drive away). Click here to find train times and tickets.

If you are on the hunt for yet more gorgeous English villages, combine with a trip to Lacock or head to Bath to sample the spa waters.

→Click here to book your accommodation in Castle Combe←

Lacock, Wiltshire

-By Laura from What’s Hot Blog 

Lacock is a charming English village that has somehow managed to preserve its medieval spirit to this very day. As you wander through the village, you’ll see cosy pubs and eateries, even the odd honesty vegetable stall or two. Locals will often leave their homegrown vegetables and other homemade wares on their doorsteps and windowsills and you can leave a coin or two in exchange.

Just 30 minutes by car from Bath, Lacock is definitely worth visiting for an afternoon, especially if you’re a film aficionado. Walking through the streets of Lacock, you could be forgiven for thinking you’d stumbled into a period drama. That’s exactly why this tiny British village is so often used as a filming location, famously for the most magical tale of our time: Harry Potter.

The best thing to do in Lacock is to visit Lacock Abbey, which dates back to the 13th century. The interiors are beautiful with ornate decorations and furniture. It also served as a Harry Potter filming location with its cloisters being used as Hogwarts corridors and the now-empty rooms doubling up as Quirrel and Snape’s classrooms. In the main village, you’ll see other traditional, quaint British homes, one of which served as Harry Potter’s parents’ house and another as Slughorn’s hideaway. Other films shot here include Wolf Hall, Cranston and even an episode of Downton Abbey.

It’s small, but it’s beautiful. If you want to feel like you’ve stepped into times gone by and have a very charming British day then you must add Lacock to your bucket list.

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The Best Tours to the Cotswolds from London

Looking to take a day trip to the Cotswolds from London? Find some of the best Cotswolds tour options below or click here to read my complete guide on choosing the best Cotswolds tour from London.

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Bampton, Oxfordshire

-By Faith from XYUandBEYOND