The Perfect Village

Page 3 of 8

• 1. Introduction
• 2. Dedham and Alderley Edge (Essex and the North West)
• 3. Bourton on the Water and Ardglass (The West and Northern Ireland)
• 4. Rogart and Tonyrefail (Scotland and South Wales)
• 5. Heighington and Milton Abbas (the North and the South West)
• 6. Polperro and Wye (the South West and the South East)
• 7. Silver End and Poundbury (the East and the South West)
• 8. What makes the perfect village?
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Bourton on the Water and Ardglass (The West and Northern Ireland)

Theme: The reality and myth of the village

Bourton on the Water has a population of 4,000 and is the most visited village in the Cotswolds (last year over 75,000 visitors passed through the doors of its visitor centre alone). Literally coachloads of tourists come each summer to experience what is perceived as the epitome of Cotswold villages. Bourton is a tourist village and has arguably become a parody of itself. There are a number of attractions, including the Model Village which is a miniature replica of Bourton – a Bourton within Bourton.

The villagers have learned to accommodate their visitors. They’ve provided jobs and a good income, but there’s a different life behind the touristy façade. Most of their homes are away from the village centre and are very quiet, and the locals tend to shop early in the morning before the visitors arrive.

Like Bourton, the picturesque Irish fishing village of Ardglass in County Down is steeped in history - it boasts no less than seven fortified medieval tower houses and retains its original medieval street plan. Once a royal port and fashionable spa, it’s now a centre for the fishing industry. In the early hours of every morning, around 25 boats head into the Irish Sea to fish for langoustines, although Ardglass itself has no fresh fish shop. The marina has a capacity of approximately 80 craft and there are plans afoot to regenerate the village waterfront, a move which would help Ardglass develop as a tourist destination.

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