Pretty English village with huge sailing reservoir, quaint thatched houses and ties to the Gunpowder Plot
WHAT makes a great English village? Quaint thatched houses, a couple of cosy pubs and a ties to a huge national scandal that we celebrate centuries on?
Well if that’s the case, Dunchurch in Warwickshire has made the cut – and it’s just a short five-minute drive from Draycote Water, a huge sailing reservoir.
When telling your kids about Guy Fawkes this November, the tiny village of Dunchurch would be lucky to even make it as a footnote, with the focus on places like the House of Lords and Lewes.
But the village pub, now known as Guy Fawkes House, played a significant role in the events of that day 419 year ago.
While the British soldier never stepped foot in the building, it is tied to the Gunpowder Plot.
Nowadays, Guy Fawkes House is a private home but back on November 5, 1605, it was the Old Lion Inn – a pub where several of the conspirators met to wait for news about the destruction of Westminster.
When Guy Fawkes was arrested, their plan to seize Princess Elizabeth from nearby Coombe Abbey was swiftly abandoned, leading to their defeat on November 8, 1605.
While visitors can’t enter the building, they can admire the blue plaque on the outside of the house that commemorates its ties to the Gunpowder Plot.
With just over 4,000 residents, there are just two pubs in the village, including the Dun Cow where the Gunpowder plotters also stayed.
The country pub is also named after a local myth, the Dun Cow was said to be a “monstrous” beast that provided milk to the locals until a witch made it go on a murderous rampage.
The story ends with the beast being slain by Guy, the Earl of Warwick.
Dunchurch’s other pub is the Green Man with other restaurants including Malancha and the Cinnamon Lounge.
Further afield Draycote Water, a huge sailing reservoir is just a five-minute drive from Dunchurch.
The 240-hectare reservoir and country park draws its water from the River Leam.
Draycote Water is a popular spot for watersports, with activities like sailing, paddleboarding, windsurfing and powerboating all taking place on the reservoir.
For those who don’t want to go on the water, a flat five-mile pavement snakes around the circumference of the reservoir.
Parking charges apply and dogs are not permitted at Draycote Water.
Visitors who want to stay overnight in Dunchurch can book a room at the Dun Cow where prices start from £80 per night.
Dunchurch is a seven-minute drive from Rugby, and it’s also by bus with journeys taking just 10 minutes from the Warwickshire town.
Three other villages to visit in England
ENGLAND is home to more than 6,000 villages, which means there are plenty to discover. Here are just three others to visit this year:
- Located in Kent, Biddenden is somewhat overlooked by holidaymakers. That being said, there’s lots to do in the Kent village, including a stroll around Biddenden Vineyards – an award-winning vineyard.
- Beaulieu in Hampshire sits on a river of the same name and is famous for its motor museum, its ponies and its spectacular nature. Its surroundings earned it a place on a list of the most beautiful villages in the country, where it beat other picturesque destinations like Orford in Suffolk.
- Saltaire, a Victorian village in West Yorkshire, is actually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was first created as a model village, with houses built for the Salt Mill factory workers between 1851 and 1871.
Another tiny village in the UK has been compared to a retro 1940s film set.
And an abandoned village in England only opens to tourists once a year.