Warwickshire &amp; West Midlands


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why">WHY?</h2>



<p>Part of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this honey-tinged village is Cotswolds living at its best – think amazing views, some pretty great drinking holes, gorgeous country gardens and a community feel (there&#8217;s a <a href="https://www.ilmingtonshop.co.uk">community-owned village shop</a> with 120 volunteers). It&#8217;s also just eight miles out of Stratford-upon-Avon so close enough if you need a culture fix, and five miles from the gorgeous market town of Chipping Camden.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1188" height="1790" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Screenshot2023-09-18at09.00.51.png" alt="The Fuzzy Duck Chef " class="wp-image-58270" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Screenshot2023-09-18at09.00.51.png 1188w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Screenshot2023-09-18at09.00.51-531x800.png 531w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Screenshot2023-09-18at09.00.51-664x1000.png 664w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Screenshot2023-09-18at09.00.51-768x1157.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Screenshot2023-09-18at09.00.51-1019x1536.png 1019w" sizes="(max-width: 1188px) 100vw, 1188px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The Fuzzy Duck</figcaption></figure>



<p>Michelin-rated <a href="https://fuzzyduckarmscote.com">The Fuzzy Duck</a> is a dead cert for a delicious meal out, courtesy of chef Andy Edwards. The Scotch eggs is outrageously good, and the&nbsp;market fish of the day&nbsp;is a must. For more gastro fare there&#8217;s <a href="https://howardarms.com/">The Howard Arms</a>. It&#8217;s a gorgeous 400-year-old stone inn (voted West Midlands Pub of the Year 2023), serving beautifully-presented, locally sourced dishes, homemade bread and an excellent wine list. Slightly further afield is Ettington Park Hotel (Ettington), <a href="https://michaelsmediterranean.co.uk/">Michael’s Mediterranean</a> (Chipping Campden) and&nbsp;<a href="https://bower.house/">The Bower House</a> (Shipston on Stour) – he latter serves a particularly good Sunday lunch. Cotswolds Distillery is based just out of town and has a lovely <a href="https://www.cotswoldsdistillery.com/pages/cafe">café</a> onsite too. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1330" height="1258" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Handmade-frost-proof-terracotta-pots.jpg" alt="Handmade frost proof terracotta pots Whichford Pottery Ilmington Warwickshire" class="wp-image-58273" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Handmade-frost-proof-terracotta-pots.jpg 1330w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Handmade-frost-proof-terracotta-pots-800x757.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Handmade-frost-proof-terracotta-pots-1000x946.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Handmade-frost-proof-terracotta-pots-768x726.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1330px) 100vw, 1330px" /></figure>



<p>It&#8217;s ot a shopping mecca, so be prepared to travel a little – nearby towns like Shipston-on-Stour aren’t too far away. There’s <a href="https://www.rhcollection.co.uk/">The Richard Harvey Collection</a>&nbsp;for interiors which is definitely worth a stop, independent wine merchant&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sheldonswines.com/">Sheldon’s Wine Cellars</a>&nbsp;for a bottle of red, white or fizz (or all three) and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whichfordpottery.com/">Whichford Pottery</a>, an independent family business making handmade frost-proof British flowerpots with its own café. For designer gear, you&#8217;re 55 mins from doing some serious damage to your bank balance at luxury designer outlet&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tbvsc.com/bicester-village/en">Bicester Village</a>,&nbsp;with 160+ boutiques and restaurants. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-health-amp-wellbeing">HEALTH &amp; WELLBEING</h2>



<p>There&#8217;s yoga, Ayurvedic therapies and more at <a href="https://www.shipstontherapycentre.co.uk/ayurvedic-yoga-therapy">Shipston Therapy Centre</a> and for pilates head to <a href="http://www.meonpilates.co.uk">Meon Pilates</a>. For classes like tai chi and table tennis you&#8217;ll want to visit the village hall while there&#8217;s a medical centre and pharmacy in the centre of Shipston-on-Stour.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-community">COMMUNITY</h2>



<p>What makes Ilmington extra special is its community spirit &#8211; after the local shop closed some years ago, 120 locals clubbed together to run the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ilmingtonshop.co.uk/the-shop/">Ilmington Community Shop &amp; Café</a> which stocks all local produce, and essentials, including croissants baked daily by local volunteers. There&#8217;s also village fairs, markets, fun dog shows, book clubs, baby clubs and supper clubs. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/07/Untitled-design-13-1.jpg" alt="Joseph's Amazing Camels" class="wp-image-57433" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/07/Untitled-design-13-1.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/07/Untitled-design-13-1-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/07/Untitled-design-13-1-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/07/Untitled-design-13-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Joseph&#8217;s Amazing Camels</figcaption></figure>



<p>Apart from touring the North Cotswolds villages and towns, we recommend National Trust’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/upton-house-and-gardens">Upton House</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/charlecote-park">Charlecote Park</a>, the arts and crafts inspired garden at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hidcote">Hidcote</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kiftsgate.co.uk/">Kiftsgate Court Gardens</a>, which celebrates three generations of female gardeners. Also worth mentioning is Warwickshire’s answer to Stonehenge – the Rollright Stones, a collection of neolithic monuments on the Oxon border.&nbsp;If exotic animals are your thing then, visit <a href="https://jacamels.co.uk">Joseph&#8217;s Amazing Camels</a> for trekking and to stock up at the camel milk shop. Pop to Cotswolds Distillery for a tour and tasting &#8211; make sure you&#8217;ve booked a room at <a href="https://bower.house">The Bower House</a>, so you don&#8217;t have to pick out a designated driver.  </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<p><a href="https://www.rsc.org.uk/">The RSC</a>&nbsp;is just up the road and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.warwick-castle.com/">Warwick Castle</a>&nbsp;is 25 mins away. There&#8217;s the Ilmington Show held annually or head into Stratford for the Motoring Festival, Literary Festival and annual Food Festival. <a href="https://www.shipstonproms.org/">Shipston Proms</a>&nbsp;takes place just up the road each year with music of all genres taking part. Not too far away is the county’s big hitter,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.comptonverney.org.uk/">Compton Verney Art Gallery and Park</a>, with its Capability Brown landscape and excellent exhibitions.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-prices">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICES</h2>



<p>Average house prices come in at £452,625, although detached homes sell for around £648,000, and semi’s in the region of £371,250. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property">HOT PROPERTY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1500" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Untitled-design-172.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-58171" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Untitled-design-172.jpg 1500w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Untitled-design-172-800x533.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Untitled-design-172-1000x667.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/warks/wp-content/uploads/sites/18/2024/09/Untitled-design-172-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1500px) 100vw, 1500px" /></figure>



<p>Pack up and move in, this beautiful 7-bed period house comes with a coach house and outbuildings. <a href="https://www.knightfrank.co.uk/properties/residential/for-sale/queen-street-halford-shipston-on-stour-warwickshire-cv36/str012454642" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">On the market with Knight Frank for £1.6m</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nurseries">NURSERIES</h2>



<p>There&#8217;s <a href="https://www.shipstonpreschool.co.uk">Shipston Pre-School</a> and <a href="https://ettingtonpreschool.co.uk">Ettington Pre School</a>. <a href="https://www.littledragonsnursery.com">Little Dragons</a> is in nearby Snitterfield and <a href="https://www.croftschool.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Croft Prep</a> in Alveston provides care from age 3 yrs.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-schools">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p>There’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ilmingtonschool.co.uk/">Illmington CoE</a>&nbsp;(‘Outstanding&#8217;),&nbsp;<a href="https://www.shipston.warwickshire.sch.uk/">Shipston-on-Stour Primary</a>&nbsp;(‘Good)’,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newboldtredington.warwickshire.sch.uk/">Newbold and Tredington C of E Primary School</a>&nbsp;(‘Good’) and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.shipstonhigh.co.uk/">Shipston on Stour High School</a>(‘Good’).&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sggs.org.uk/">Stratford Girls’ Grammar</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kes.net/">King Edward VI</a>&nbsp;(both ‘Outstanding’). Independents include&nbsp;<a href="https://www.croftschool.co.uk/">The Croft Prep</a>, Alveston,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crackleyhall.co.uk/page/?pid=8">The Crackley Hall School</a>, Kenilworth,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thekingsleyschool.co.uk/">The Kingsley School</a>, Leamington Spa, and schools within&nbsp;<a href="https://www.warwickschool.org/warwick-independent-schools-foundation">Warwick Independent Schools Foundation</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p>American billionaire tycoon Les Wexner, the former owner of Victoria’s Secret, is the (secret – shush!) owner of Grade II-listed stately home, Foxford House in Illmington. Since purchasing the 11-bed 18th-century property in 1997, he’s converted it into a £20m estate and shooting lodge. It was previously a private school before being bought in the 1960s by an heir of Boots, The Chemist.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute">COMMUTE</h2>



<p>A mere 6 miles to Moreton-in-Marsh for trains to London Paddington taking around 1 hr 40 mins.</p>



<p><em>View the full&nbsp;<a href="https://muddystilettos.co.uk/best-places-to-live" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top 300 Best Places to Live</a>.</em></p>


Ilmington

See more in Warwickshire