Your favourite English towns?

[Austrian Gull]

While over in England over Easter, I happened to stop in a couple of quaint, little towns which I frankly had barely heard of before - Stamford (Lincs) and Oundle (Northants).

Nice pubs, high streets with some life about them, some original, non-chain shops, plenty of green space. I thought they were bloody lovely.

It struck me that there must be plenty more underrated small town gems out there amongst our fair land.

Care to name any?

 

[n1 gull]

Burgess Hill, especially the Martlets, a perfect example modern English town planning

 

[whitelion]

Tunbridge Wells

 

[Hunting 784561]

Appledore in Kent, and Rye in East Sussex.

 

[Racek]

Would love to live in Lewes.

 

[Norman Potting]

Rye is a good call. Further afield Totnes (the Lewes of the West, or is Lewes the Totnes of Sussex?) and Dartmouth, both in Glorious Devon and recently visited. Closer to home Midhurst is nice but I haven't visited it for a while.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Cheswardine

 

[Seagull Steve]

Mousehole in Cornwall is one of my absolute favourites.

http://www.cornwall-online.co.uk/westcornwall/mousehole.htm

Rye is also lovely, as are some parts of Chester.

 

[bhaexpress]

Always enjoyed Norwich, nice area and it's far enough out of London to have a clear identity. It's supposed to have a pub for every day of the year as well.

 

[Max Paper]

Padstow is Cornwall is great

 

[daveinprague]

Had a brief 6 months in Hereford following an ill advised moment and joining the Air Force. Following training was posted to Stafford so told them to feck off and joined the navy, but always felt that Hereford and its surrounds were quite nice.

 

[Marc1901]

Gillingham. Beautiful place.

 

[brighton_girl87]

I really like Looe in Cornwall.

 

[Mackenzie]

Ironbridge in Shropshire, Broadway in Worcestershire.

 

[Norman Potting]

Forgot to mention Bridgnorth in Shropshire and Bewdley in Worcestershire, with the added benefit of being able to travel between them on a steam railway.

 

[Paskman]

Tenterden in Kent
St Ives in Corwall
Winchelsea in Sussex
Ledbury in Herefordshire
Bradford-on-Avon in Wiltshire

 

[ali jenkins]

Lyminster in the new forrest is nice

 

[Norman Potting]

Gillingham. Beautiful place.

The finest view of Gillingham is from the rear view mirror.
One thing you musn't miss if you go to Gillingham - the last bus home.
If someone wished to give the world an enema guess where they would stick the tube.

 

[NMH]

Would love to live in Lewes.

I just moved from there, but can only recommend you do it

The Northern equivalent imo, is Hexham, about 15 miles from Newcastle near the Sweaty border. Also nice.

In Cumbria, Keswick is lovely, as is the smaller Windermere and Bowness just down the road.

In close proximity, is the lovely town of Arundel - always worth a visit, great little places to eat and shop, flea markets, antique shops, and pubs. Right on the Arundel Lake (which is great to walk around, has the rowing boats in summer - nice for kids), is a rather good and not too expensive restaurant that is bloody good. Not too far to drive to Amberley, with cafe and pub on the river, and easy from there through scenic farmlands to Storrington and Steyning along the Downs.

I've heard good things said of Winchester, Stratford-upon-Avon and Bath - but have yet to visit those hamlets.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Winchester is lovely. It is also a CITY.