Posted on January 31, 2020
If you're considering a move to The Cotswolds from London, or another major city - chances are you're hankering after a slower pace of life, a more rural outlook and community village feel. Good news is that The Cotswolds has all of this in spades, however you don't need to compromise on losing out on the the buzz, amenities and transport links that city living has to offer - here are our top 5 village locations that are brilliantly positioned in rural idylls, yet with great access to The Cotswolds' best towns:
Blockley
Close to Broadway (read our full Area Guide here), Blockley is a really pretty spot, popular with buyers - there's a great café at the heart of the community and it's close to Snowshill, Broadway town and a cluster of pretty villages for weekend jaunts.
Guiting Power
One of The Cotswolds' most picturesque villages, the russet coloured houses of Guiting Power cluster around a sloping green at the centre. There's a great post office that sells lots of Cotswolds' based brands and Adam Henson's farm is close by, a top 3 pick for family day's out. Stow-on-wold with its many antique shops is accessible, while Bourton-on-Water (the 'Venice of The Cotswolds') is nearby, too.
Chedworth
Chedworth is perennially popular with our buyers for its proximity to Cheltenham, yet with a thoroughly rural outlook. It's a great community, with a handy farm shop, pub and school at its centre. View Salters Barn in the village, an exceptional Cotswold home with annex and stables set in circa 10 acres of gardens and grounds.
Southrop
Southrop has gained popularity as a village location with buyers in recent years, thanks in part to the Thyme Hotel (pictured above). A 'village within a village', the cluster of 17th-century cottages and refined rooms are dotted throughout Southrop Manor’s 150-acre estate, with an on-site farm and kitchen garden, spa and even village pub. The hotel’s cookery school has an excellent reputation amongst local foodies, too. The characterful town of Burford is close by, with easy access to Oxford and Cheltenham further afield.
Chipping Campden
An old wool merchant town, Chipping Campden is the perfect location if you want to experience quintessential, idyllic Cotswolds' life - yet still want access to the best market towns and historic cities of the surrounding shire counties of Oxfordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. From Blenheim Palace and the Cotswolds to the south, to Worcester and the Malverns to the west plus Stratford-upon-Avon and Warwick (with the best medieval castle in Europe) all within an hour's journey.