The Most Beautiful Villages of England

Clustered around the parish church and green, or winding along an eccentrically curving street, villages are the very embodiment of Englishness. The village inn and the local farm, great houses, humble cottages, and beautiful country gardens speak of a way of life that has developed peacefully since Anglo-Saxon times.

History, location, and local building materials have etched the distinct character of each region onto each village. Honey-colored cottages form peaceful Cotswold communities; splendid thatched roofs sweep over eaves and windows in the villages of Hampshire; half-timbering, flint, and limestone give Suffolk hamlets their characteristic appearance; and limestone, sandstone, and millstone grit lend a darker look to those of Yorkshire, Durham, and Northumberland.

Grouped by area and subdivided by county—northern, midland, eastern, southern, and western—this is a spectacular celebration of England's picture perfect villages. 285 color photographs.