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Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Alex McIntyre & Kieran Isgin

The tiny Cheshire village hidden on a hillside with stunning views

Cheshire is home to many a scenic view, but chief among them are the vistas of Burwardsley Village.

The 'picturesque' village is tucked away in the hills of the Sandstone Ridge and is home to a charming village shop with a post office, the institute building - used for events or meetings - and a historical church. As of 2019, the small settlement and wider parish is home to roughly 200 people.

A description of the area on the parish council website reads: "The picturesque village and parish of Burwardsley with a population of approximately 197 people in 2019 occupying 76 dwellings, lies some 10 miles south east of Chester and two miles from the larger township of Tattenhall, Cheshire Live reports.

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"It is set amongst the undulating western slopes of the Peckforton Hills on the central section of the Mid Cheshire Sandstone Ridge. The 961 acres (389 hectares) of the parish are within an area of Special County value."

The bench and flower display outside of the village institute in Burwardsley (Cheshire Live)

The name Burwardsley is said to mean 'clearing in the woods' and is believed to made up of two Anglian words - 'Burgweard' and 'leah', which means 'clearing'. Throughout the 19th century, the village was simply referred to as a 'township-chapelry' in the Bunbury parish.

It has been referred to as an 'architectural gem' thanks to the locally mined sandstone. There is an inscription on St John's Church which reads: "In the Year 1795 this chapel was put in perfect repair by the Revd. John Price the then Incumbent thereof."

The church is also listed as a Grade II building on the National Heritage List for England. However, the Pheasant Inn is said to be even older than the church.

Burwardsley's Grade II-listed St Johns Church (Cheshire Live)

According to the venue's website, there were three ale houses in the village by 1650 - it is believed The Pheasant was one of these. Now, it is listed among the best pubs and hotels in the county, winning multiple awards and honours while boasting some of the best views in the UK.

It was even listed in the AA's prestigious restaurant guide for 2022. The entry reads: “The far-reaching views from The Pheasant stretch as far as the Welsh hills. Pub classics done well rub shoulders with more contemporary ideas on their crowd-pleasing menu.

"Steamed Menai mussels followed by Italian-influenced pork saltimbocca then local Cheshire Farm ice cream is one way to go.”

The Pheasant Inn (Cheshire Live)

The village use to house a primary school but it has since been closed and turned into an outdoor education centre run by Conway Centres. The Conway Centres site reads: "Within the grounds of Burwardsley, there is a pond, an adventure playground and a large grassed playing field.

"Burwardsley has its own replica Iron age roundhouse, enabling pupils to learn about culture, art and farming of the period. Pupils can also gain experience of wattle and daub construction, making clay pots, string making and an archaeological dig.

"Other areas of study at Burwardsley could include den building within Willow Hill woods, environmental art, pond dipping, habitat walks, orienteering and problem solving."

If you could see yourself living in the charming village, you will likely have to fork out a lot of cash. According to Rightmove, the average property price throughout the previous year was £775,000.

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