The ‘secret’ Pembrokeshire village named among the UK’s best to live in

Choosing the perfect place to live is one of the many challenges that people face when they decide to move home.

To help make this decision a little easier, The Times has come up with a list of the best ‘secret’ villages in the UK, revealing “the places few have heard of but where everybody wants to live”.

Introducing the list, the news outlet said: “With more than 6,000 villages in the UK of every shape, size and situation, there’s a community out there for anybody looking for life on a smaller scale.

“How do you find the one that’s right for you?

You probably haven’t heard of these communities — and that’s part of their charm. Tim Palmer visits the friendliest and prettiest under-the-radar spots to move to. https://t.co/7IeMF0oFXc

— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) September 8, 2024

“This list should be a useful starting point, highlighting 20 villages that aren’t well known across the country but are always in demand among those in the know.

“They all have useful amenities, appealing locations and great communities — and often house prices that reflect their popularity.”

The best secret villages in the UK

The UK’s best secret villages to live in, according to The Times, are:

1. Malpas, Cheshire
2. Maenclochog, Pembrokeshire
3. Ebrington, Gloucestershire
4. The Hartings, West Sussex
5. Bishop Wilton, East Yorkshire
6. Broughton, Hampshire
7. Worstead, Norfolk
8. Hindon, Wiltshire
9. St Boswells, Borders
10. Nunhead, London SE15 and SE4
11. Blagdon, Somerset
12. Constantine, Cornwall
13. Longhoughton, Northumberland
14. Cilcain, Clywd
15. Gaydon, Warwickshire
16. Whiteleaf, Buckinghamshire
17. Kingsbarns, Fife
18. Barlaston, Staffordshire
19. Ockham, Surrey
20. East Hanningfield, Essex

You can see the full list of the UK’s best secret villages to live in on The Times’ website.

Why Maenclochog is among the UK’s best secret villages to live in

Maenclochog, located “deep in the Pembrokeshire countryside”, was one of only two locations in Wales named among the best ‘secret’ villages in the UK.

The Times said it was the Pembrokeshire village’s “sense of community that makes it stand out”.

“This hearty little community deep in the Pembrokeshire countryside has brilliant village shops, a much-loved pub, two petrol stations and a choice of excellent English or Welsh-medium schools, but it’s the sense of community that makes it stand out,” the news outlet explained.”

The locals agreed, with some saying the ‘secret’ village had a “great spirit” to it.

Locals have said Maenclochog has a “great spirit, brilliant facilities, a lot of history and a really beautiful setting”. (Image: Google Maps)

Carol Peett, the owner of West Wales Property Finders, said: “Maenclochog is a village where they really look after their own from cradle to grave,” says .

While Amanda Harris-Lea added: “We’ve got great spirit, brilliant facilities, a lot of history and a really beautiful setting.”

Harris-Lea lives in the village with her husband and two daughters and runs Foxy Pheasant, a country clothing and textiles business.

Despite the “out-of-the-way” location, with the help of the local community, Foxy Pheasant, along with the other local enterprises, thrive, The Times said.

In fact, the location of the village, according to Harris-Lea, was a “strong point”.

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The Times added: “It’s 20 minutes from the sea at Newport, near enough for a swim but far enough to avoid the worst of the summer holiday traffic.

“The Preseli Hills are on the doorstep, where both strollers and hardy fell-runners taking part in the annual Preseli Beast race are rewarded with views as far as Ireland, Devon and Snowdonia.”

The average house price in Maenclochog is £302,190.