HOW can I choose only a handful of favourite English villages? One of the marvellous things about them is their huge variety. Even neighbouring villages can develop very differently, their characters reflecting their own particular histories and the people, influences, mishaps and opportunities that have shaped them over centuries. It is a joy to explore an unfamiliar village and stumble across some unexpected, extraordinary feature that I haven’t seen before and it’s almost possible to find a favourite for every day of the year.
This selection includes those I love that illustrate some key village-heritage themes and share characteristics with many other places. It’s probably no coincidence that they are also great to visit for various non-historical reasons—not least good walks, a cup of tea and a slice of cake or a decent pint.
1 West Stow, Suffolk: the origins of English villages
The present-day village of West Stow has some notable historic features: a Tudor manor house and a church mentioned in the Domesday Book. The origins of the village, however, lie even further back in time. In the 1960s, archaeologists excavated the remains of an early Anglo-Saxon settlement here. This was an important leap forward in our understanding of ‘Dark Age’ England. Most English villages get their names from settlements founded in this period, but physical evidence of those village ancestors is elusive.
This story is from the January 12, 2022 edition of Country Life UK.
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This story is from the January 12, 2022 edition of Country Life UK.
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