The UK’s ‘best village’ named – and it’s cheaper than the Cotswolds | UK | Travel
Malpas in Cheshire has been named as one of the best villages in the UK – with it’s exciting history and beautiful quaint style, this comes as no surprise.
Located in the South Cheshire countryside, The Times claimed Malpas is one of the best and most picturesque villages in the UK.
It has a Norman motte and castle, as well as a medieval street pattern showing the history of the area which is fascinating to those who live and visit there.
If you’re interested in the village’s history, visiting St Oswald’s which is a 14th century church is a great way to learn more about the heritage of the area. The church contains Flemish window panels and a 13th century oak chest.
While exploring the rest of the village, you’ll find a range of great traditional pubs where you can stop off for a bite to eat or a drink. Malpas is an ideal place to stop off if you are visiting Cheshire, Shropshire or North Wales.
Malpas has many similarities to the Cotwolds but at a cheaper price. According to Rightmove, the average price of a house in the Cotswolds is £466,238 where as the average price in Malpas is £442,424. This difference of over £43,000 is a significantly cheaper price for those wanting to move to a countryside village.
The village is a good rival for the Cotsworlds which are known for their quaint look and community village feel. Malpas has significantly less tourists than the Cotswolds and offers the same feel.
Both places are situated with easy access to countryside and Malpas has good connections to Wales and is also located not far from major cities such as Manchester and Liverpool.
To get there, if you are driving, you should take the A41 towards Whitchurch from Cheshire – the village is signposted off the A41. If you plan to travel by train, the nearest train stations are Chester and Crewe.
Exploring the nature trails which lead out of the village is a great way to soak up the surrounding area. Malpas is a popular spot for dog walkers who can often be found on the local trails.
Bickerton Hills is a popular National Trust site and is just 10 minutes away from the village. This route will provide great views and on a clear day you might be able to see all the way to Liverpool. The route takes an hour or two and is a much loved spot in the area.
The village’s name is derived from old French language, it means bad (mal) passageway (pas). Historically, Malpas was known as Depenbach, meaning ‘deep valley with a stream’.