Cheshire is home to lush and rural plains with green flowing hills and meadows dotted with a collection of quaint and picturesque villages. A few of these villages are among the most sought-after places to live in the UK – basically rural enclaves for those who’ve made it big in nearby Manchester.

Even if Cheshire is home to the rich and famous, you can head out on a road trip to these villages and admire the beautiful English countryside, the rich history that lies in its medieval buildings and chapels, as well as the pleasant and scenic trails for the adventurous at heart.

  • 1

    Alderley Edge

    A charming ‘treasure trove’ of a village

    Alderley Edge
    • History
    • Luxury
    • Photo

    Alderley Edge is one of the most picturesque and most affluent villages in the UK, part of the so-called Cheshire Golden Triangle. Diehard football fans know it as the favoured residence of many Premier League stars, along with multi-millionaires and media celebrities. Its connection with wealth goes way back, with the discovery of prehistoric gold bars and a Roman coin hoard between 1993 and 1995.

    The village’s historic charm lies in its dozens of listed buildings, which date back as far as the 16th century. The pretty houses are set among lush greenery and the village itself is surrounded by woodlands. A very pleasant place to live, it’s also well-centred – only 20 minutes from Manchester Airport and within 2 hours of just about anywhere in England.

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  • 2

    Audlem

    A pretty and festive waterside village

    Audlem
    • Adventure
    • Photo

    Audlem is a beautiful traditional Cheshire village bordering Shropshire that offers a balance between old and contemporary charms. Located 7 miles south of Nantwich, this Edwardian village is known for lively festivities celebrating music, food and a canal boating heritage.

    See hundreds of vintage automobiles and boats paraded during the Audlem Festival of Transport, usually held in July. On any day, a stroll around the Shroppie Fly by Shropshire Union Canal and minor waterways running through the village is enough to give you a feel of this pretty waterside village. Unwind after with a delicious scone and cup of tea at any of Audlum’s humble teahouses.

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  • 3

    Disley

    A great base for exploring the nearby Peak District

    Disley
    • Adventure
    • History
    • Photo

    Picturesque Disley in Cheshire is a go-to for hikers looking for gorgeous countryside views with lush rolling meadows and peaks. It’s the starting point of one of the most scenic walks in the UK, known as the Cheshire Gritstone Trail, which runs 35 miles towards Macclesfield.

    From Disley, you can discover the large and stately 14th-century mansion house of Lyme Park in the Peak District. Set among beautiful Victorian gardens, this major landmark is considered the largest house in Cheshire.

    Map
  • 4

    Holmes Chapel

    Take a scenic stroll over the Dane Valley

    Holmes Chapel
    • Adventure
    • History
    • Photo

    Holmes Chapel is one of the most picturesque villages in Cheshire from where you can enjoy scenic walks and cycling tours over the Dane Valley. Some of the most beautiful nature spots around the village are Boundary Park with its shallow, swimmable lake, and Dane Meadow – a great spot for birdwatching.

    Old charms in the heart of the village include the Grade I-listed St Luke’s church, unmissable with its tall sandstone tower. It’s home to Cheshire’s oldest brass candelabra. Holmes Chapel has the Jodrell Bank observatory on its doorstep, which houses the 250-ft-tall Lovell Telescope.

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    photo by Ydam (CC BY-SA 3.0) modified

  • 5

    Lymm

    A village of medieval charms and natural beauty

    Lymm
    • Adventure
    • Families
    • Photo

    Lymm is a charming Cheshire village straddling the Bridgewater Canal, surrounded by verdant woods and meadows. Reachable within a 30-minute drive southwest of Manchester, the sleepy village features a waymarked heritage trail that takes you on a self-guided valley walk spanning about 3.5 miles. Scenic stops along the route include Lymm Dam, the Dingle, and the historic Slitten Gorge that’s home to 16th-century slitting mills.

    At the village’s hub, you'll find Lymm Cross – a Grade I-listed building dating back to the 17th century. Out on Lymm’s outskirts, Spud Wood is a lush woodland park that’s good for when the whole family's looking to take a breather.

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  • 6

    Styal

    A charming Cheshire village on the River Bollin

    Styal
    • History
    • Photo

    Styal is a small Cheshire village on the River Bollin, just 3 miles east of Manchester Airport. The main highlight is the heritage site of Quarry Bank Mill, which harks back to the early Industrial Revolution. You’ll easily lose a sense of time exploring the extensive gardens of the mill, along with Europe's most powerful waterwheel.

    Check out Styal Henge, a mini Stonehenge, at Oak Farm. Most of the historic houses in the village belong to the mill's estate, which features cobbled lanes between tall green hedges. You’ll easily see early 19th-century buildings, such as thatched cottages and chapels, on your walks through the village.

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  • 7

    Daresbury

    Go down a rabbit hole in this wonderland of a village

    Daresbury
    • History
    • Photo

    Daresbury is a quaint village in Cheshire that’s best known as the birthplace of Lewis Carroll. The author probably drew inspiration from his home village’s surroundings for his novel’s surreal worlds, like the lush forested hills of Daresbury Firs.

    It’s hard to separate Daresbury from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland as when you tour the village, especially as there’s the Lewis Carroll Centre at Daresbury’s All Saints’ Church to explore. Even the church’s stained-glass window has characters from the enduring novel. South on Higher Lane is the charming Centenary Wood, where you can learn about local history as well as Carroll's other works, including poetry. Watch out for any white rabbits with pocket watches, while you're there...

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  • 8

    Prestbury

    Admire the rows of stately Georgian-style country homes

    Prestbury
    • History
    • Photo

    Prestbury is a charming Cheshire village and one of the most sought-after places to live in the UK. It’s part of the Cheshire Golden Triangle and is home to many football and TV celebrities. Fandom aside, you can enjoy pleasant walks through the heart of the village with plenty of heritage buildings in dark red Cheshire brick and Georgian architecture in view.

    The village’s main street is a Conservation Area dominated by the Grade I-listed St Peter’s Church. Check out the old stained-glass windows showcasing brilliantly depicted scenes or the Saxon cross within the Norman Chapel. The nearby graveyard has many headstones, some with still-readable inscriptions that take you back in time.

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    photo by Peter Barr (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified

  • 9

    Astbury

    A pretty Cheshire village with medieval treasures

    Astbury
    • Adventure
    • History
    • Photo

    Astbury is surrounded by verdant village greens and has a hub where gothic buildings are seemingly lost in time. The main landmark in the heart of the village is the imposing 12th-century St Mary's Church, with its detached tower and spire as well as a yard filled with historic headstones.

    Enjoy pleasant nature walks just outside the village. The nearest destination would be Astbury Mere, a lake and country park with mile-long walking trails. The village also serves as a gateway to the Peak District National Park. Visit in spring for the pretty sight of daffodils speckling the greens.

    Map
  • 10

    Gawsworth

    A rural countryside village on the eastern edge of Cheshire

    Gawsworth
    • Adventure
    • History
    • Photo

    Gawsworth is a hushed village where you can experience a soothing Cheshire countryside, with medieval manor houses and unique pools as its centrepiece. Eye-catching old structures such as the black-and-white timbered Gawsworth Hall make for spectacular sights to behold.

    Nearby, the Medieval Anglican church of St James the Great dates back to the 15th century but has managed to retain much of its original brilliance. Both landmarks overlook the string of 5 lake-like pools stocked with carp, some of which are available for leisure anglers.

    Map

    photo by Stephen Craven (CC BY-SA 2.0) modified

Ari Gunadi | Compulsive Traveller