There’s nothing quite like a quintessentially English village. Requirements are a village green, village church, village hall, a few thatched cottages, a manor house, a phone box and probably a pub. There is something cosy, warming, homely about these beautiful places. And nowadays they get harder and harder to find as cities and towns expand and new housing developments pop up everywhere.

But without a doubt, Rutland is home to many stunning villages. Rutland is England’s smallest county, and it’s largely untouched. The roads are mainly narrow and windy, and connect one beautiful village to another. It really does feel like England of old, and it’s absolutely idyllic. You can read my guide to visiting Rutland here, but if it’s villages that you like – here are 6 of my absolute favourites.

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1. Exton

Picture perfect Exton is the most famous village in Rutland, because everywhere you turn is a beautiful cottage. My favourite parts are ‘The Nook’, a wonderful cottage, Pudding Bag Lane and Blacksmith’s Lane. Also nearby are the lovely Barnsdale Gardens, as well as Rutland Water if you want to make a day of it.

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2. Egleton

Off the beaten track, but absolutely no less beautiful is Egleton. This charming little village is home to less than 100 people, and everyone seems to maintain their houses so that they always look beautiful. The village church is also a stunner.

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3. Wing

Topping the list for best named village, Wing is home to a turf maze and a good pub called The King’s Arms. It has less thatched cottages than some of the other villages, but the stone buildings look beautiful in the sunshine.

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4. Hambleton

My personal favourite, Hambleton is full of character. There used to be three Hambletons (Upper, Middle and Nether), but the latter two were submerged under water to make way for Rutland Water. Upper Hambleton became Hambleton, and thank goodness one survived. Still home to a beautiful old post office and telegraph station, as well as another good pub and my favourite cottage in the whole of Rutland, it’s an absolute must visit.

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5. Empingham

Slightly bigger than the previous 4 entries, and only slightly less quaint is Empingham. It still makes the list as it has plenty of little streets off the main road which look postcard perfect, and obviously has some beautiful thatched cottages to enjoy.

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6. North Luffenham

North Luffenham was a delightful surprise. Again there is a nice pub called The Fox which has a little outdoor area for drinks, an absolutely epic manor house and cottages galore. My favourite part though was the church – lying in the beautiful hills of the English countryside, it really felt like you’d been transported back in time. Also in the cemetery is a section for the RAF’s Commonwealth War Graves which were all beautifully tended and cared for.

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So, what do you think? Would you like to do a tour of some of Rutland’s prettiest villages? Would you want to live in the rolling English countryside? If you enjoyed this post, then you may also like:

• A guide to Rutland
• Cambridgeshire’s prettiest villages

Thanks for reading! Stay safe and happy travelling.