_The Charms of Prime Village Life

So what is it that prompts people to choose this kind of country living over staying in town or buying the sprawling manor house? Knight Frank's Christopher Dewe believes that the answer changes depending on what stage of life his clients are at.

"A village house can be an initial rural base before selling up for good in London and buying a bigger and more remote house," he explains. It can be a wish - often after the kids have left home - to cut down on the maintenance of a big house and swap it for somewhere that's easy to lock-up and leave. Interestingly, it can also be a staging post for those locally who are approaching retirement and ultimately want to move back to Central London."

Another factor that Dewe pinpoints is changing work patterns, He notes that as remote working increases and train journey times shrink, the country cottage dream is becoming a viable option for more and more purchasers. 

The resulting influx has led to a corresponding change in the most popular villages, with delis and gastropubs joining the traditional butchers and corner shops. Even Michelin-starred restaurants and world-class art galleries are getting in on the act, all to meet the demands of this growing, cappuccino-hungry population.

Dewe has also seen the list of locations to choose from grow in step with the market, commenting, "A decade ago, the search would have concentrated on the Cotswolds or, for those with looser ties to the capital, Devon and Cornwall. But steady price rises in these areas have seen many buyers looking elsewhere. The winners have been the likes of Dorset and Somerset, Sussex, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Yorkshire - all counties with a good stock of picture postcard villages and most within reasonable travelling times to London."

For those not quite ready for the slower pace of village life, market towns offer a good middle ground with their rich social and cultural possibilities, Waitrose branches and faster links to town. From Sherborne to Hungerford, Winchester to Beaconsfield there are plenty of destinations offering a great choice of traditional cottage properties - either to buy or, for those wishing to test the waters first, to rent.

"With our offices in London and the prime country markets, we've helped some families with every stage of the country property lifecycle, from moving out to downsizing to moving back to town in retirement." says Dewe, "We've become their estate agent partners for life, if you like."