One of England’s prettiest villages has quaint thatched cottages, cosy pubs and a starring role on a hit TV show
WHAT makes a great English village? Quaint houses, a nice cosy pub, rolling fields on the doorstep?
Well if that’s the case, the Long Crendon in Buckinghamshire has made the cut – and it’s got a famous TV show under its belt too, thanks to a starring role in Midsomer Murders.
Towns and villages across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire have provided a backdrop for the long-running ITV show, with devote fans flocking to Long Crendon to see their favourite filming locations.
Based on the novels by Caroline Graham, Midsomer Murders takes place within small country villages across the fictional English county of Midsomer.
With over 100 episodes, plenty of filming locations have been used across the country, including historic buildings in Long Crendon.
Photography experts at ParrotPrint.com have called Long Crendon the “perfect English village” and Visit England have called it one of ‘England’s most beautiful places and prettiest villages’.
Meanwhile, TikTok user Amy Lee described the Buckinghamshire village as a “hidden gem” and the “perfect place for calm and reflection”.
It’s also been voted the best place to live in Buckinghamshire by local website Muddy Stilettos thanks to its award-winning pubs and quaint high street.
Long Crendon, which sits between Oxford and Aylesbury, is home to thatched cottages, a 15th century courthouse and high quality pubs.
While neighbouring Thame is the focal point of Midsomer Murder walking tours, Long Crendon, and other smaller villages have also welcomed fans.
In Long Crendon, die-hard Midsomer fans will want to head to places like Long Crendon Manor, Frogmore Lane, the High Street, the Eight Bells Pub, the Library and St Mary’s Church.
Known as Crendon in the Middle Ages, Iron Age, Roman and Saxon artefacts have been found in the Buckinghamshire village.
After the Norman invasion in 1066, the manor in Crendon was given to Walter Giffard, Lord of Longueville, one of William the Conqueror’s major supporters.
It is thought that the Giffard family built a castle in Long Crendon – although this was destroyed at the beginning of the 13th century.
Fans of the Midsomer Murders will want to make a beeline for St Mary’s Church, which dates back to the 17th century.
Other stops on the unofficial walking tour of the TV show include Long Crendon Manor.
Dating all the way back to the Doomsday Book, Long Crendon Manor started its life as a dwelling for the abbots of Notley in 1187.
The Instagram account midsomerlocations documents their adventures exploring the filming locations from the TV show.
In a recent post, they revealed Long Crendon Manor as one of their favourites, writing: “Another of my very favourite Midsomer locations: Long Crendon Manor in Buckinghamshire. I was lucky to spot them filming back in 2004, where the manor doubled up as a Spiritualist Church run by a shady medium.”
Another of my very favourite Midsomer locations
Set in the heart of the village, visitors can book an overnight stay in Long Crendon Manor, with stays starting from £165 per night.
There’s also the Old Courthouse, which was built in the 15th century.
Split across two floors, the lower level was used to house the poor, while the upper floor was used as a Manor Court.
Hundreds of years after the Old Courthouse was built, it fell into a state of disrepair.
The property was bought by the National Trust following a fundraising campaign.
Shortly afterwards, the building was restored and repaired, with the top floor open to the public on certain days of the year.
In addition to following a walking tour of popular film locations, there are plenty of other things to do in Long Crendon, including the Phoenix Trail.
The seven mile path is ideal for cyclists, ramblers and horse riders.
While the trail currently runs between Thame and Princes Risborough, it is hoped that the route will soon extend as far as Oxford.
The tiny English village is home to several pubs, including the Eight Bells pub – an award-winning boozer that serves traditional grub.
Other pubs include the Churchill Arms and the Black Horse.
Long Crendon is a 40-minute drive from Oxford, and it’s a 20-minute drive from Bicester.
There are plenty of other quirky towns and villages to visit in the UK too, including Bournville in Birmingham.
Bournville, Birmingham
Located in southwest Birmingham, Bournville is a tiny village that was built by the Cadbury family.
While the model village may sound fairly idyllic, it isn’t without its quirks.
Because of its Quaker heritage, there are no pubs in Bournville, so those residents, and tourists, who fancy a swift drink need to visit boozers in other parts of Birmingham, like Selly Oak and Stirchley.
Painswick, Cotswolds
Often dubbed the “Queen of the Cotswolds” by travel experts and tour operators, Painswick has also been called the “most magical” town in the UK by holidaymakers on TikTok.
Even though Painswick is fairly small, there are several sites for day trippers to explore including St Mary’s Church.
The church lies in the heart of the town and is surrounded by a churchyard dotted with graves, tombs, and 99 Yew trees.
Three other villages to visit in England
ENGLAND is home to more than 6,000 villages, which means there are plenty to discover. Here are just three others to visit this year:
- Located in Kent, Biddenden is somewhat overlooked by holidaymakers. That being said, there’s lots to do in the Kent village, including a stroll around Biddenden Vineyards – an award-winning vineyard.
- Beaulieu in Hampshire sits on a river of the same name and is famous for its motor museum, its ponies and its spectacular nature. Its surroundings earned it a place on a list of the most beautiful villages in the country, where it beat other picturesque destinations like Orford in Suffolk.
- Saltaire, a Victorian village in West Yorkshire, is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was first created as a model village, with houses built for the Salt Mill factory workers between 1851 and 1871.
Another tiny village in the UK has been compared to a retro 1940s film set.
And an abandoned village in England only opens to tourists once a year.