Castle Cary, a charming market town near Glastonbury, has been crowned the best place to live in the UK. The town, which boasts a castle with Norman roots, has secured the top spot on Muddy Stilettos' list of the top 260 places to live for 2024 . The accolade comes from a reader-voted competition, with the publication boasting "insider knowledge of England's loveliest villages, towns and cities.
" Despite being surrounded by more well-known neighbours such as Glastonbury, Frome, and Wells, Castle Cary has outshone them all to be named not just the best place to live in Somerset but in the entire country. Wells took second place in Somerset, while Frome was fifth, and Glastonbury did not appear on the list this year . With an average house price of £369,833—surpassing the UK average of £289,000—Castle Cary is a picturesque village steeped in history and culture.
The village's name harks back to its castle, which was dismantled in the 18th century after falling into disuse since the 1400s. The documented history of Castle Cary kicks off shortly after the Norman invasion, with Cary Castle facing sieges during the Anarchy in 1138 and 1152. While there are signs of earlier settlements before the Normans, details of this period in the town's past remain largely a mystery, reports the Express.
Despite its medieval roots, many of Castle Cary's most notable landmarks hail from the 18th century. These include the stunning grade II listed market house at the heart of the village an.