6 Most Beautiful Towns & Villages in Cambridgeshire

What are the best villages in Cambridgeshire?

If you are thinking of moving to one of Cambridgeshire’s most beautiful villages, this is the ideal article for you.

Living in Cambridgeshire ensures locals have access to an outstanding rural location.

As with all the top counties, Cambridgeshire offers some really delightful and picturesque locations.

Cambridgeshire boasts some breath-taking countryside as well as some beautiful villages.

So, what are the best villages in Suffolk?

The county is one of the top spots for commuters traveling to both Cambridge and the capital.

There are some genuinely stunning villages in Cambridgeshire!

It is no wonder that the regions reputation has grown!

In this article we will discuss all of the best villages in Cambridgeshire.

We have put collected a list of our top picks.

Hopefully, we can assist you, allowing you to pick the dream Cambridgeshire location!

These are our 8 best villages in Cambridgeshire.

The Shelfords

The small villages of Little Shelford and Great Shelford sit around 4 miles south of Cambridgeshire’s county town Cambridge. It is an enviable part of the county in which to live.

As the crow flies the two villages are only around a mile apart and combined, they have a population of around 5000, as its name suggests Little Shelford is the smaller of the two villages.

The pretty River Granta picturesquely winds its way between both Great and Little Shelford.

The villages both offer a quiet safe lifestyle which makes them very sought after with retirees.

Great Shelford has a good assortment of older homes for sale as well as a selection of more modern apartments and new builds such as the Meadow View site.

The majority of sales in the area during the last year were detached properties. Due to the idyllic location, buying a home is expensive and currently the average cost is £544,400.

Residents enjoy a limited, but a quality range of amenities and services and the local monthly farmers market is a popular occasion.

The villages are served by Shelford railway station on the West Anglia Main Line from Cambridge to London Liverpool Street a journey of just under 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Travelling by road is via the nearby M11 offering a route to Cambridge, London, Bedford, and Luton and beyond.

Shelford is home to Great & Little Shelford C of E Primary School. It currently has around 200 pupils and obtained a “Good” Ofsted rating.

Local life is enhanced by the surrounding countryside which is cross crossed with walking routes.

These two very attractive and distinct villages are places where true community spirit exists and where many residents have lived for years.

Grantchester

Grantchester is a small village on the river just before it enters Cambridge from the south-west.

A very old town which can trace its history as far back as prehistoric times, the Roman occupation, and the Saxon era.

The village is notable for a number of reasons

Grantchester has the highest population of Nobel prize winners in the world.

The village is also the setting for James Runcie’s sleuth novels The Grantchester Mysteries.

For those who live here, it is an oasis of calm with access to some very pretty rural areas but not too far from larger towns and cities if you need to work or for recreational purposes.

Grantchester is a popular tourist’s location.

Visitors often travel from Cambridge by punt to picnic in the meadows or take tea at The Orchard.

The locals enjoy a number of annual events including the Christmas party and Barrel Rolling festival. The tradition of rolling large wooden barrels in a relay race up and down the Coton Road before lunch on Boxing Day.

Beside the riverside water meadows is the perfect spot for a paddle in the summer and as a place to enjoy a picnic. The riverside pathway leads directly into Cambridge and is round 2 miles long.

The M11 sits very close to Grantchester offering routes up and down the region by road and the train station at Dummer Street has services direct into Cambridge in under 20 minutes.

Although you do not have to be a Nobel Prize winner to live in this stunning location those who move here will find that it has everything that is expected from an English village; history, countryside, four pubs, and plenty of character.

Histon

Histon in fact consists of two villages, the other being Impington.

Over the years the two villages have grown and entwined together, to such an extent that many villagers today do not know where one ends and the other begins.

Located just north of Cambridge, the two villages had a populace of around 9,000 at the last count.

Both are recorded in the Domesday Book, so they have been in existence for a very long time. In fact, some of the trackways that pass through these villages are believed to be prehistoric.

The district is surrounded by fields and open countryside ideal for those who enjoy a rural outdoorsy lifestyle.

At its centre there are plenty of old buildings and narrow winding streets with a brook which runs through the village green.

The compact and vibrant High Street with a broad range of shops, pubs and community facilities is the heart of the local community.

Various churches, the library, and other social clubs support community life, together with schools, a village college and healthcare facilities.

There has been a little new build activity however, what makes the area special is that unlike many locations across Cambridgeshire, Histon has not had masses of new housing estates.

Thereby retaining its exclusivity.

Property is an attractive mix from the thatched roof cottages, to the Chivers’ workers’ cottages of the last century.

The cost of purchasing a home is not quite as expensive as you might expect, however it is still way above the National average and recorded as being £435,893.

Fulbourn

The village of Fulbourn has a long and rich history. The name has so far been traced back to 991 AD.

It is thought to derive from the Anglo-Saxon “Fugleburn” or “Fugolburna”, meaning “stream frequented by waterfowl”.

There are several small industrial sites to the north of the village providing some jobs.

However, most residents are employed outside the area in Cambridge or elsewhere in the county.

The attractive main shopping area or High Street is home to a number of stores including a Co-op Supermarket, a butcher, several clothing shops, and an antique shop.

Around two miles from the village there is a large Tesco Superstore.

Having Cambridge close by serves as the major retail and entertainments location for the village.

To the west of Fulbourn is the site of the Ida Darwin Hospital built in the 1960s.

The area is suitable for development. Proposals are currently under consultation.

On the pricey side but considering its pleasant location, amenities, and travel links, the cost has not dissuaded potential purchasers, many have decided it is well worth the money.

Fulbourn offers a lively, friendly, and well-balanced community life; a very good village to live in.

Comberton

Living in Comberton offers locals an excellent balanced lifestyle.

Living in this village in Cambridgeshire allows for the perfect equilibrium.

Located just 6 miles Cambridge, you are never too far away from the action of a busy city.

Whilst this is certainly close enough to enjoy the benefits of the city, it also allows enough separation for those days where you want to be more in touch with nature and enjoy the tranquillity of the countryside.

The village provides buyers with a mixture of older homes as well as some modern properties.

Comberton has excellent local educational facilities.

The local Comberton Village College is a highly regarded state school located in the area.

The village is ideal if you are seeking a simpler lifestyle with the convenience of being close to the city.

Whittlesford

Located a little outside of Cambridge, the quaint village of Whittlesford typifies what it means to live in a village in Cambridgeshire.

The village is ideal for residents looking to commute to both Cambridge and London.

Whittlesford provides residents with the convenience of its own train station.

Locals also have easy access to the A505 and M11.

This makes it the perfect spot for commuters.

Living in Whittlesford also provides an abundance of local activities and amenities.

Residents have access to an excellent restaurant, primary school and even a cricket club.

The cricket ground, popular local restaurant and local primary school also attract those seeking a quieter way of life.

This excellent equilibrium of work and down time that Whittlesford offers has ensured house prices in the village remain high.

As of January 2021, house prices in the village are sitting at an average of £557,033!

If you are on the hunt for a semi-detached property you can expect to pay an average of £418,554.

Ready to Start Living in a Village in Cambridgeshire?

Are you thinking of living in a village in Cambridgeshire?

Hopefully, we have been able to highlight some of the best villages in Cambridgeshire.

Each location in Cambridgeshire has a variety of fantastic draw factors!

With a range of different properties in each village, there is undoubtedly a home for you!

GoodMove make house removals to Cambridgeshire an easy and stress-free process.

We take great joy in ensuring everything runs smoothly and flawlessly, helping you to settle into your new home right away.

As well as our competitively priced removals package, we can also offer extra services such as temporary or long-term storage facilities should you need them.

GoodMove cover all areas of Suffolk, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Essex and our friendly estimators can call round at a convenient time for you and strategically plan your move to perfection.

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Using our new technology, we can gather all the information required to assist with your move, from the comfort of your home!

Video surveys will help you save valuable time and preserve the best safety levels.

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