A County Durham village has been named one of the poshest places to live in the UK.

Brancepeth was included in The Telegraph's roundup of the country's 54 smartest villages - which saw it rank among some of the most picturesque locations around.

With ivy-covered cottages, this former colliery village may be small but has an almighty beauty and was given eighth place in the rankings. 

Brancepeth Castle dates back to the 12th century, with a cafe in the gatehouse and even a golf course next to the village hall. 

And for the charms and quirks of the village, it has a reasonable price tag, with the average costing £390,238. 

This is not the first time the village has won such an accolade, being named on the poshest villages list in 2022 as well as being called one of the most desirable places to live.

Also featured on The Telegraph's list of the poshest villages were Kirkby Overblow in North Yorkshire, Warkworth in Northumberland, and Dinnington in Tyne and Wear.

According to recent research by property agent Savills, the exhaustive list includes 54 villages from up and down the country that were deemed “most desirable” in terms of costs and the lifestyle they offer.

With more people having greater flexibility about where to live through working from home, demand for rental homes in the countryside has risen since the pandemic, with high numbers of households spending a fortune renting in lesser locations for months, and possibly years, until a home in the right village comes up.

More than half of estate agents working for Savills across the country reported a rise in demand in the most desirable countryside locations, with 57% saying they were unable to buy where they wanted.

Frances Clacy, analyst at Savills, told The Telegraph: “People want villages that have a bit of everything, from schools to stunning countryside, with accessibility to cities and transport infrastructure. Less well-trumpeted factors count too, such as the main road through the village should only lead to other villages.”

The Telegraph’s top 54 "most desired" villages, based on a combination of highest housing values, best lifestyle facilities, connectivity, and chocolate-box appeal along with trendy amenities like yoga studios, cycling shops and running clubs, is listed below.

Along with general stores that offer zero-waste refill stations for domestic supplies and homemade ready meals and vegetable boxes, there is also the juxtaposition of an authentic architectural aesthetic (the older the better) around a green.

History, a strong sense of self, and a sense of community are also important.

List of the poshest villages in Britain and the average house price:

  1. Bedfordshire - Studham - £700,494
  2. Berkshire - Sunningdale - £1,101,285
  3. Buckinghamshire - Turville - £1,463,240
  4. Cambridgeshire - Hemingford Abbots - £829,437
  5. Cheshire - The Alderleys - £1,268,175
  6. Clwd - Rowen - £363,214
  7. Cornwall - Rock - £1,080,534
  8. County Durham - Brancepeth - £390,238
  9. Cumbria - Hawkshead - £460,001
  10. Denbighshire - Llanarmon-yn-lal - £290,118