England is full of beautiful chocolate-box villages, many of which frequently appear on lists of the country’s hidden gems. These villages are reminiscent of those that used to appear on Cadbury boxes, leading to the name ‘chocolate box villages’. And with so many of these dotted around the countryside, it can be difficult to know which one to visit first.
That’s where Independent Cottages has stepped in to help. They are looking at which of these villages is the most quintessential and worth visiting. They looked at the number of historic buildings, the oldest recorded existence of the village, whether it’s in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), online search volume, and TikTok videos.
Topping their list was Bourton-on-the-Water in Gloucestershire. Part of what makes this Cotswolds village so special is the River Windrush running right through the middle, crossed by low stone bridges that everyone wants to photograph.
However, while stunning, Bourton-on-the-Water has recently experienced an influx of overtourism, with locals complaining that it is “overflowing with coach trippers” and is”busier than London.”
Despite this, the fairytale-looking village remains incredibly popular and was even named the “most romantic” place in Britain back in 2023.
Not just perfect for those wanting to visit a quintessentially English town with beautiful houses and indepent businesses, Bourton-on-the-Water also has a rather spooky past, filled with ghosts, witchcraft and secret passageways.
Visitors can learn more about this by joining a Bloody Bourton Walking Tour, which has received rave reviews on Google, with one tourist writing: “We had the walk & loved every second of it!
“Edward has great knowledge of the area & brings humour as well as his passion for local history to the walk. I highly recommend it for all!”
While another added: “I have been on this tour several times now and always find it enjoyable with lots of interesting stories. Edward is very knowledgeable about this village and the Cotswold area as a whole.
“Would recommend this tour to anyone who loves tales of ghostly happenings and stories about the darker side of the village.”
On the list of quintessential chocolate box villages, Bourton-on-the-Water was closely followed by Wiltshire’s Castle Combe in second place, with Clovelly in Devon coming in third.
England’s most perfect chocolate box villages
- Bourton-on-the-Water, Gloucestershire
- Castle Combe, Wiltshire
- Clovelly, Devon
- Bibury, Gloucestershire
- Cartmel, Cumbria
- Bosham, West Sussex
- Lavenham, Suffolk
- Broadway, Worcestershire
- Brockenhurst, Hampshire
- Grasmere, Cumbria