The 12 best market towns in Britain

Beaconsfield Old Town also has an attractive high street, the first Michelin-starred Indian chef (Atul Kochhar at Riwaz; riwazrestaurants.co.uk) and, brilliantly, the world’s oldest model village (bekonscot.co.uk).

Stay: The Crazy Bear (0203 9944 555; crazybeargroup.co.uk) offers doubles from £119pn room-only.

6. A brilliant bookstore

According to an Institute of Place Management report, bookshops contribute significantly to the vitality and viability of high streets: they support community, host events and look jolly nice too.

My favourite: Wigtown, Dumfries & Galloway

Wigtown must be vital and viable indeed. Scotland’s “Book Town”, on the edge of Wigtown Bay, was once the capital of Galloway; now it’s a quiet bibliophile’s heaven, jam-packed with stores selling books old and new. Pop into Byre Books for mythology and folklore, Faodail for Scottish antiquities, ReadingLasses for books and cake. The Wigtown Book Festival takes over town every autumn (wigtownbookfestival.com).

Stay: Craigmount (01988 402178; craigmount.info) offers B&B doubles from £100pn.

7. A medieval market cross

Being granted a market charter was a big deal back in medieval times. Crosses, of all styles, were erected to mark these honoured spots. 

My favourite: Malmesbury, Wiltshire 

Malmesbury’s octagonal cross – a pinnacled, buttressed affair, with stone benches inside – is especially elegant. Built, according to records, “for poore market folkes to stande dry when rayne cummith”, it has endured since the 15th century, despite once being hit by a lorry.