The “poshest” village in the UK has been found, and it’s home to some stunning sites and amazing pubs. Hodnet in Shropshire has won the title thanks to its boutique hotels, beautiful 16th-century coaching inn, and timber-framed manor house, Hodnet Hall.
Hodnet, with a population of just 1,534, is close to the town of Market Drayton. The village, on the A53 road from Shrewsbury to Newcastle-under-Lyme, was even name-checked in the Domesday Book.
Tripadvisor lists it as one of the top places to visit in 2023. Essential must-sees in the village are the Hodnet Hall Gardens and the Wollerton Old Hall Garden.
Highly rated hotels in the area include The Bear Inn, Hawkestone Hall, and Ternhill Farm House.
Much of Hodnet’s desirability is down to the £2 million refurbishment of The Bear Inn in 2021, transforming a tired village local into a stylish gastropub and boutique hotel.
The inn is rated “excellent” on Tripadvisor. One visitor gushed: “Excellent rooms and service. Such a great place to stay. I would happily take the room and en suite and plonk it into my own house. So tastefully done. Breakfast was also excellent. The room was also extremely quiet. Would definitely stay again and happy to give it 5 stars.”
Another wrote: “For an unassuming country inn, we were so impressed with the Bear’s recent renovation, character, luxury, and style, all at very affordable prices. I stayed in the Juniper Suite, which had a living area on one floor and a bedroom on the one above. The rooms were so comfortable and modern but with an authentic country house charm. I especially loved the random but well-selected books in my room.”
In second place was West Yorkshire’s Saltaire, near Bradford. Forest Row near Crawly, in East Sussex comes in at third. Its distance from London makes it a popular weekend getaway and it is home to the five star Ashdown Park Hotel and Country Club.