Perfectly placed at the centre of England, the Notswolds is where a timeless rural heritage meets modern life. From handsome country homes and leafy village greens, to vibrant market towns and celebrated schools, this is a region offering the rare luxury of both quality, and the time and space to enjoy it. And yet, with London is just an hour away by train and equally well connected across the midlands and to the North, it’s a place to slow down, without stepping out of the world.

A New Chapter in English Country Living

Here in the heartland of the country lies a landscape rich in character. Nestled around Rutland, England’s smallest county and stretching across six distinctive counties, the Notswolds is one of England’s most exciting emerging regions.

Unhurried, unspoilt and understated. A place where limestone shapes the character of streets and squares, rolling pastures give way to ancient woodland, and where a slower pace invites people back to nature, to craft, and a gentler way of living. This is not a story of escape, but of connection.

Many are now looking beyond the most fashionable, and crowded, rural enclaves in search of something more grounded: quieter, less polished, and quietly redefining what rural life can be.

Where Market Towns Meet Modern Life

The market towns and villages of the Notswolds define its appeal. Elegant yet unpretentious, steeped in heritage yet alive with contemporary energy. Uppingham, Market Harborough, Oundle and Stamford, regularly ranked among the UK’s most desirable places to live, offer independent shops, galleries and cafés within streets of Georgian beauty. Stamford alone, with over 600 listed buildings, was described by Betjeman as “the finest stone town in England” and in 2024 was named the UK’s top high street for independents — representing the local community’s fierce commitment to small, local shopping.

The Notswolds is scattered with charming villages, from Barrowden’s duck pond in Rutland to Medbourne, one of the Welland Valley’s most sought-after villages, Here, life flows at a gentler rhythm: village shops stocking local produce, the pub hums with conversation into the evening and seasonal markets and fêtes bringing neighbours together. It’s a countryside that feels lived-in, understated, authentic, and deeply connected to the seasons.

Rolling Hills, Ancient Woods, Endless Trails

Daily life in the Notswolds is closely tied to the landscape, with a pace and character attuned to nature and the changing seasons. More than 1,000 miles of long-distance trails, quiet footpaths and traffic-light roads invite nature lovers and adventurers to explore with a sense of ease and freedom.

It’s a haven for cycling enthusiasts, with routes ranging from family-friendly lakeside loops to challenging hill climbs. This is also the home of J Laverack Bicycles, makers of award-winning titanium frames and collaborators on the ‘Aston Martin .1R’, the world’s most bespoke, most advanced and most meticulously engineered road bike — featured in Country Life’s ‘Best of Britain’ issue (June 2025).

At its heart lies Rutland Water, one of Europe’s largest man-made lakes, offering sailing, cycling, fishing and birdwatching, while its shores have become a sanctuary for wildlife, including the returning Rutland Ospreys. County lines dissolve into a landscape of rolling pastures, meadows, woodlands, and landmarks that speak of England’s layered past.

County lines dissolve into rolling pastures, meadows and woodlands, where valleys shape the region’s quiet beauty. Meaning “beautiful view” in Norman French, the Vale of Belvoir, unfolds in gentle hills and storied villages topped by Belvoir Castle. A little further south, the Welland Valley threads between Market Harborough and Stamford, its riverside paths and lush meadows punctuated by the iconic 82‑arch Welland Viaduct, still carrying trains between Melton Mowbray and London St Pancras. Eastward, the Lincolnshire Wolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, is a landscape of rolling chalk hills, hidden valleys and winding lanes, where quiet villages sit among rich wildlife habitats. It is also home to one of Britain’s largest networks of chalk streams, rare, ecologically rich waterways that support species such as otters, water voles and brown trout, making the area a hidden biodiversity hotspot.

Once blanketed by dense woodland and royal hunting forests, from Sherwood in Nottinghamshire to Rockingham in Northamptonshire, the Notswolds retains traces of these ancient landscapes and their folklore in today’s nature reserves, bridleways and adventure parks.

Seasonal, Simple, Soul Food

In the Notswolds, food isn’t a trend; it’s an inheritance. Generations of farming have instilled a seasonal, land-led approach to eating. Fertile Lincolnshire fields still feed much of England, pastures nurture rare-breed livestock, and market, farm shops and fresh bread from independent bakeries still set the rhythm of the week.

Rutland, known as “The County of Good Taste”, distills this ethos beautifully. Michelin-starred Hambleton Hall and its celebrated bakery set a high bar for craft and care, while Jericho in Plungar, a Michelin Green Star holder, champions sustainability and seasonality. Across the region, a scattering of Michelin‑recommended restaurants, seasonal dining and wild food experiences at Keythorpe Hall, and brunch spots like Woolfox and Rutland Watermill reflect a quietly confident food culture.

Culinary heritage runs deep: Melton Mowbray pork pies, Stilton, Lincolnshire sausages and Grantham gingerbread tell stories of place. Today, vineyards, breweries and distilleries give the Notswolds its own contemporary flavour, making it a destination for food lovers as much as for those drawn to the land itself.

Hosting Art, Performance and Play

From intimate galleries and historic theatres to open-air festivals and global events, the Notswolds offers a cultural tapestry where market towns, rolling landscapes and grand country estates provide the stage for world-class art, music, and performance.

Gladwell & Patterson, with roots dating to 1746, brings centuries of fine art expertise. Operating from Stamford and London’s Knightsbridge, the gallery exhibits at leading art fairs across the US, Asia, Europe and the UK. In Uppingham, Goldmark Gallery has spent over five decades curating fine art and studio ceramics, earning its place among Britain’s most respected independent galleries.

For live performance, the landscape itself provides unforgettable settings. Each June, the Nevill Holt Festival transforms its historic estate, where a decade of world-class opera performances has grown into an annual celebration of arts and culture. At its heart is a sleek, award-winning theatre set within breathtaking gardens. At Tolethorpe, the Stamford Shakespeare Company, founded in 1968, welcomes audiences to its woodland amphitheatre for productions as timeless as their surroundings. The Stamford Arts Centre offers theatre, film, and music under one roof, while the Stamford International Music Festival bringing rising stars of chamber music to historic venues each spring.

Rutland’s Global Birdfair draws wildlife enthusiasts from around the world and September’s Land Rover Burghley Horse Trials remains one of the world’s great equestrian events. For festival-goers, Belvoir Castle’s Forbidden Forest Festival transforms ancient woodland into a luminous playground.

For sports fans, the Notswolds is a breeding ground for national talent. Rugby giants Leicester Tigers and Northampton Saints have long supplied England with legends like Martin Johnson and Courtney Lawes, while Leicester City’s 2016 Premier League triumph gave football one of its greatest underdog stories. Even in cricket, Nottingham’s Trent Bridgestands as a jewel in England’s sporting crown, hosting Test matches and nurturing stars such as Stuart Broad.

A Strong Foundation for Families

For families, the Notswolds offers something rare: a place where children can grow and thrive, surrounded by outstanding schools and inspiring landscapes.

At the earliest stages, parents are drawn to the region’s abundance of nurseries and primary schools embracing outdoor learning and forest school principles. Here, children are encouraged to connect with nature, with an emphasis on curiosity and creativity helps lay strong foundations for future learning.

Prep schools like Copthill and Witham Hall are celebrated for blending nurturing environments with academic rigour, preparing children for success at top senior schools.

Older students benefit from renowned institutions like Stamford Endowed Schools, Uppingham, Oakham, and Oundle, each offering a rich mix of tradition, innovation, and opportunity, consistently ranking among the region’s best.

High-quality education isn’t confined to the independent sector. Across the region, state schools enjoy strong reputations, with a mix of Outstanding and Good Ofsted ratings reflecting high standards in teaching and pastoral care. From village primaries with close-knit communities to well-regarded secondary schools and sixth forms, parents have a broad choice of settings, making it a natural choice for families investing in their children’s future.

Well‑Connected, Unhurried Life

With easy rail links from Stamford, Oakham, Market Harborough, Peterborough, and Grantham, London is just over an hour away - ideal for both commuters and those seeking spontaneous city trips. Yet the region’s connections extend far beyond the capital: direct train services link the Notswolds to the North West (Manchester), the Midlands (Birmingham, Nottingham), Yorkshire (York), the North East (Newcastle), and even Scotland, placing it firmly within reach of the entire UK.

Major airports - including East Midlands, Birmingham, Manchester, and Luton - bring international travel within easy reach. The Notswolds sits in that rare Goldilocks zone: close enough for convenience and opportunity, yet removed enough to retain a strong sense of identity and a thriving local community.

A Place to Belong

This is the Notswolds: a region where life feels balanced, rooted in heritage, shaped by community, and enriched by nature. Not a brand. Not a boundary. But a way of seeing: the joy in the everyday, the luxury in simplicity.

The shift north reflects a quiet movement towards places of heritage, potential, with space to grow, create and focus on what matters. Here, tradition and modern life sit side by side. Landscapes invite you to pause. The Notswolds is more than a destination — it’s somewhere to keep returning to. A place to belong.

We invite you to step in and discover it for yourself.