Ilmington – a village straddling the two areas – the North Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Shakespeare Country.

My own village and location for our cottage www.houfy.com/1016 and we wonder how long we can keep it hidden. I am probably not helping matters by putting it in this post! It is not on any tourist route so generally we get virtually no tourist traffic, save for cyclists and walkers. To my knowledge are no tour buses coming through Ilmington. The walking/hiking opportunities from Ilmington take in fabulous vistas and you can choose from flat or hilly routes both for hiking and cycling. Nestled at the foot of the Ilmington Downs (there is a 1 in 14 hill coming in from Chipping Campden). It has a Norman Church and a medieval manor house (privately owned and only rarely opened to the public). It is picture book pretty with only a few modern houses. Most of the buildings are built of the old Cotswold stone. The church, reached by one of the many footpaths which criss cross the village in between the houses, has examples of the carvings of 'Mouseman' Thompson whose signature on the hand carved pews is a little mouse. There are 11 to be found in the church. Ilmington is home to the Ilmington Morris Men for over 300 years. Even if you are not here in the summer (when they dance in villages all around the area), you may be able to see them practice in the Village Hall on a Wednesday evening.The larger of the two pubs in the village, The Howard Arms has been in the Michelin Eating out in Pubs guide and has won numerous prizes in recent years and the village itself was a contender in the Village of the Year competition on Channel 4, 2018. We may not stay hidden for long....

Nearby towns and villages:

Stratford upon Avon, home to Shakespeare and steeped in history

Moreton in Marsh (mainline railway station here for Oxford and London)

Chipping Campden

Ebrington – the pub there, the Ebrington Arms won the Times UK no. 1 village pub

Shipston on Stour

Open Gardens within 3 miles of Ilmington:

Hidcote Manor Gardens

Kiftsgate Gardens