Villages

There is a tradition that the origins of Culross were as a 6th century Christian community, headed by St Serf. St Mungo, or St Kentigern, is reputed to have been born here and a chapel, the ruins of which can be visited, was built on the site of his birth. An abbey was founded in the 13th century and the monks began coal mining. There was an iron industry too, and salt panning. It was a busy port. In 1575, Sir George Bruce, a descendant of Robert the Bruce, was granted the lease of the abbey's collieries. Bruce built what is believed to be the first coal mine to extend under the sea, and invented the means by which it could be kept drained. He was also the builder of Culross Palace. James VI visited and granted the burgh of Culross royal status – so as ‘the Royal Burgh of Culross’, it prospered. However, a great storm destroyed the submarine coal mine. For a while, Culross had a thriving boot and shoe industry. But industries declined and so did the town. The National Trust for Scotland acquired the palace in the 1930s and set about preserving and restoring it, as well as many of the town’s other buildings. The result is that Culross looks like something from the 17th century, albeit a little sanitised version of it (thank goodness). In addition to the ochre-coloured palace and its garden, highlights include the Town House (reputedly used as a prison for witches) and the abbey. But simply wandering round the old cobbled streets is very pleasant too.

There is a car park a short walk from the village centre.

Exton in Rutland is one of those villages that could be described as ‘quintessentially English’.  It probably isn’t, because it is too picture-perfect, with a large number of chocolate-box cottages much loved by Instagrammers, an attractive tree-planted village green with a pub, the Fox and Hounds, and an interesting historic church dedicated to St Peter and St Paul, which dates from the 13th century.  Nearby is a large country estate, Exton Park, and Barnsdale Gardens, created by Geoff Hamilton of the BBC television series Gardeners' World.  Exton is also very handy for Rutland Water.

The village has an interesting history going back before the Norman Conquest, and is mentioned in the Domesday Survey of 1086, but the current buildings are mostly Victorian.

Godshill is a pretty little village, famed for its thatched cottages, tearooms, medieval church, model village and the fact that the first Isle of Wight Festival was held at nearby Ford Farm in 1968.

The model village is at 1:10 scale and depicts Godshill and Shanklin's old village.  The church, All Saints', is noted for its medieval wall painting of a Lily crucifix and has a William Morris stained glass window.

The small village of Harby in Nottinghamshire is just a few miles west of the City of Lincoln. Harby's main claim to fame is that it was where Eleanor of Castille, wife of King Edward I of England, died on 28 November 1290. There is little to see.  The site of the house of Richard de Weston where she died is behind the Victorian church of All Saints, but the only visible remains of it are some bumps in the grass where the moat was. A chantry chapel was set up in 1294 to hear prayers for Eleanor, but this was destroyed in the 16th century. The church replaced an earlier chapel of ease. There is a statue of Eleanor on the tower of the church and the local primary school is named for Queen Eleanor.

Mayfield is a large, bustling, attractive, Wealden village, with many independent shops and stone, timber-framed and weather-boarded buildings dating from 15th century.  The Middle House Hotel is dated 1575. Situated on a high ridge, there are fabulous views.  Legend has it that St Dunstan, patron saint of ironworkers, had a forge in the village and fought the Devil by tweaking his nose with a pair of tongs.  This image is reflected in Mayfield’s village sign.  Dunstan went on to become Archbishop of Canterbury in 959AD and built a wooden church in the village – or perhaps a palace.  Certainly, the Archbishops of Canterbury had a palace here, the remains of which (with additions) are now an imposing looking school with a wonderful, medieval, gatehouse.  After the Reformation, the Palace became the home of the Elizabethan trader, financier and gun maker, Sir Thomas Gresham.  The Mayfield Cannon, cast in the Mayfield furnace, probably owned by Gresham, is on display in the High Street.  The present church, named for St Dunstan, dates from the 12th century though little remains from a disastrous fire in 1389, which destroyed the village.