Oundle named among best places to live in the Midlands

The quaint market town is the only place to make the top 12 from Northamptonshire.

The annual list combines data and statistics such as crime rates, house prices and school performance.

The locations were selected for offering the best quality of life to the widest number of people, and combining desirable features such as a positive community spirit, good local shops and services and attractive outdoor spaces.

An Oundle Town Council spokesman said: “This is something that we’ve believed for a long time.

“It’s a wonderful place to live and something to be proud of.

“We’ve worked very hard to make the town look and feel good but architecturally it’s beautiful.

“Many people come here to visit and when they do they comment on how beautiful the town is.

“It’s got all the amenities of a decent town but it’s still got that village feel and that’s what we like about it.”

Other areas to make the list include, in no particular order: Bishop’s Castle (Shropshire), Moseley (Birmingham), Leamington Spa (Warwickshire), Ledbury (Herefordshire), Leek (Staffordshire), Leominster (Herefordshire), Oakham (Rutland), Shipston-on-Stour (Warwickshire), Southwell (Nottinghamshire), Tideswell (Derbyshire) and Upton-upon-Severn (Worcestershire).

The Sunday Times’ home editor Helen Davies said: “The second part of the Best Places to Live guide continues our tour of Britain as we highlight the wonderful array of places to live across the country.

“Each place truly deserves its inclusion on the list, as we carefully consider each one, combining key statistics with our writers’ informed knowledge to produce a truly authoritative guide.”