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Home > Beautiful Villages of England > The West Midlands
Beautiful Villages: The West Midlands
 Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire
Eardisland, Herefordshire
Forming part of the ‘Black and White Village Trail’ on account of the number of half-timbered houses to be found here, Eardisland is a picturesque little village of some 500 residents.
Close to Leominster, the eastern boundary of the parish is defined by the ancient Roman road of Watling Street West. Map
Places to stay: Bed & breakfast accommodation within Eardisland is available at Lawton Bury Farm. Nearby Leominster offers other period options, including Ryelands B&B which is a fine Grade-II listed Regency country house and the Best Western Talbot Hotel whose origins are 15th century. Those seeking holiday cottage self-catering options, however, will find plenty to choose from in and around Eardisland. These include Arrow Lawn Cottage (above).
Eastnor, Herefordshire  

Named after nearby Eastnor Castle (seasonal opening), the village itself possesses some attractive half-timbered houses and the Church of St. John the Baptist (extensively restored by Sir Gilbert Scott in the mid-19th century). The small town of Ledbury is close by, while Hereford, Worcester, Gloucester and Cheltenham are all within easy reach. Map
Places to stay: Those who like to combine heritage with their accommodation will find the best options in nearby Ledbury. These include The Talbot Hotel which dates from the late 1500’s and is typical of the half-timbered houses which so typify the area.


Weobley, Herefordshire  

Boasting the second tallest church spire in the county of Herefordshire, Weobley is also of the larger villages on the Black and White Trail. The others include Pembridge, Eardisland, Eardisley, Yarpole and Dilwyn. Map
Places to stay: There are very few places offering B&B accommodation in Weobley itself. Worthy of note, however, is Moccas Court which is seven miles to the south west – a lovely Grade-I listed Georgian country house of which independent guest reviews are excellent. Those more keen on self-catering, though, will find some splendid old buildings within Weobley. Ella's Cottage, for example, is a classic oak-framed house over 500 years old.

Cardington, Shropshire 

Close the South Shropshire Hills an in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Cardington is a pastoral conservation village within easy reach of Telford, Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. It contains a number of listed buildings dating from the 15th to 19th centuries, while the Grade-I Church of St James possesses a nave dating from the Norman period. Map
Places to stay: Those seeking hotel accommodation are best served by the small towns of Much Wenlock and Church Stretton (hotel and inn options, together with reviews are available courtesy of Booking.com). The nearest inn with rooms, however, is The Feathers at Brockton – a charming piece of old English architecture around ten minutes drive from Cardington towards Much Wenlock.
 

Alstonefield, Staffordshire  

In an area inhabited by man for thousands of years, the origins of this little Peak District village are probably Saxon (the name meaning “Aelfstan’s open land”). Alstonefield has a small but thriving resident community, and is located close to Staffordshire’s border with Derbyshire. Map
Places to stay: Bed & breakfast accommodation is available at Alstonefield Manor (details at TripAdvisor) - a pleasing 16th century house with later Georgian additions. Nearby Stanshope Hall is a fine peak district property dating from the 17th century which also offers bed & breakfast. Also close by is the Manifold Inn which is a traditional coaching inn.


Avon Dassett, Warwickshire

With a resident population of little over 200, this small village is situated amid the attractive Burton Dassett hills. It possesses a large number of listed buildings - most of which are privately owned - and an award-winning inn, The Avon. Map
Places to stay: Crandon House (reviews can be found at TripAdvisor) offers bed & breakfast within the village itself. Alas, we are unaware of any period accommodation in the immediate outlying area.

The Howard Arms, Ilmington
Ilmington, Warwickshire
Set around an ancient village green, Ilmington is the highest village in Warwickshire and located at the northernmost end of the Cotswolds. With a shop, post office and two inns, the place is distinctly more self-sufficient than many other villages of equal size. Map
Places to stay: Folly Farm Cottage offers B&B accommodation, while The Howard Arms (left) is the village’s 400-year-old inn. See LateRooms.com
Shottery, Warwickshire

Effectively a part of Stratford-upon-Avon but with an identity all of its own, Shottery is a tiny village most famous for being the site of Anne Hathaway’s Cottage. Map
Places to stay: For those requiring historic hotel accommodation then there are a significant number within Stratford upon Avon, many of which are within easy walking distance of Shottery - see our page devoted to historic Alveston Manor, for example. Alternatively, The Legacy Falcon, Mercure Shakespeare Hotel and the renowned Ettington Park Hotel are all close by, too (details and reviews for all can be found at the Stratford upon Avon section of Booking.com). However, there are some fine old cottages available within Shottery, such as Hathaway Hamlet


Wilmcote, Warwickshire

Only two miles to the north west of Stratford-upon-Avon, Wilmcote is a quiet village famed for being the birthplace of Mary Arden - William Shakespeare’s mother. Experts also say that the village is named in The Taming of the Shrew. Map
Places to stay: While there are numerous heritage hotels within Stratford (see Shottery, above), Wilmcote itself offers a notable bed & breakfast in The Old Post House (for details see TripAdvisor).
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