Malmesbury named as one of the best places to live in the UK by The Times and Sunday Times

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This market town is historic and homely with easy access to Bristol, Swindon and Kemble for trains to Cheltenham.

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Malmesbury, in Wiltshire, is a hotbed of innovation — but hasn’t lost its market town vibes

 

Tim Palmer

Friday March 21 2025, 6.00am GMT, The Sunday Times

 

Reputedly England’s oldest borough, whose notable local Athelstan became the first King of England in 924, Malmesbury has long been a place of innovation. A millennium or so ago it was the scene of one of the earliest attempts at human flight by a monk called Eilmer. Results were mixed. His primitive hang-glider took him 200 yards through the air, but he broke both his legs on landing. Along with Athelstan, the flying monk remains a familiar figure here, lending his name to many of the cafés, breweries, clubs and art events that make this ancient burgh such a sparky place to call home.

In the 21st century, innovation comes courtesy of the UK’s inventor-in-chief James Dyson, who employs more than 3,000 people at a creative and engineering campus in the town. These jobs, plus seriously good schools and easy access to Bristol, Swindon and Kemble for trains to London and elsewhere, make Malmesbury a reliable place to settle down and raise a family rather than just somewhere to gaze at the magnificent abbey and the hilltop views of timeless countryside.

 

Malmesbury offers a wide range of properties for potential residents

 

A good choice of properties helps, from characterful cottages to family-friendly newbuilds. “It’s still a working town and it feels quite buzzy. It isn’t trying to be too chichi, it’s retained its market town feel and there’s lots of energy and ideas,” says David Drake, a curator and writer who moved here from Bristol with his wife, Karen, four years ago. “I’m a city boy, and although I thought I would miss it when I came here, I haven’t because there’s a lot going on in Malmesbury.” Drake is injecting some of that energy himself, as one of the owners of Caerbladon, a community-focused art shop, gallery and creative space that has been responsible for festivals, exhibitions and art classes — including a new scheme for young people — as well as the striking Flying Monk Art Trail.

 

The highlight of the Malmesbury calendar is the annual carnival, proudly “by the community, for the community”. The town also has sports clubs, a theatre group, the Athelstan Players, and hard-working community groups tackling environmental issues, preserving habitats and improving riverside footpaths, all of which are covered by the Jackdaw, the popular alternative community magazine. The abbey hosts concerts, skateboarding events and livestreams its services. There’s a good selection of independent shops — bookshop, toyshop, baker and deli — and an impressive pub culture, led by the friendly and super-innovative Three Cups. Proudly meat-free, it’s the venue for all kinds of fun goings-on, from folk, experimental music and comedy to board games, language lessons, ramen nights and the occasional “discussion salon”.

 

Malmesbury is reputedly England’s oldest borough

 

What are the best shops and restaurants in Malmesbury?

 

There’s a Waitrose on the edge of town and a winning hand of independents on the historic high street. Useful highlights include Barn Owl Books, which is particularly good for children, Sassy & Boo for just-fashionable-enough clothes and French Grey for scented candles. Food-wise, the Old Bakehouse is the place for home-baked buns while Michael’s butcher and deli is the linchpin of the town’s so-called gastro quarter — a few minutes’ walk from the main drag — where you’ll also find the Three Cups pub and the Cosy Cone gelato parlour. The best coffee is probably found at the Summer Café, while the Old Bell hotel — one of many claiming to be England’s oldest — is a justly popular spot for a smart dinner or Sunday roast (three courses £40) or a cocktail with a view.

 

Where can I travel to?

 

There’s no station. The nearest trains are from Kemble, 15 minutes’ drive to the north (London Paddington 1 hour ten minutes, Cheltenham 45 minutes). By car, it takes 15 minutes to reach the M4 and 45 minutes to the centre of Bristol.

 

What is the mobile coverage in Malmesbury?

Good — a strong signal from Three, EE and O2.

 

How fast is the broadband?

Openreach full fibre is widely available, apart from at White Lion Park. Outside the town, Gigaclear is the most common full-fibre option.

 

The town’s ancient abbey streams its services, as well as hosts concerts and occasional skateboarding events

 

What are the best schools in Malmesbury?

 

Education is a big draw. Malmesbury School, the local comprehensive, was rated outstanding at its last Ofsted inspection in 2024, and ranks in the Sunday Times Parent Power guide. The town’s three primaries are all rated at least good.

Westonbirt School (annual day fees from £22,140), which features in the Sunday Times Parent Power Guide, is in Tetbury, a short drive away.

 

What’s the best area to live in Malmesbury?

 

There are lots of attractive period properties dotted around the town centre, from about £330,000 for a three-bedroom cottage up to £1.25 million for a detached house. For something a little bigger, look to the outskirts and streets such as Arches Lane and Gloucester Road. Allow about £600,000 for a four-bedroom family-friendly newbuild to the north of the town, close to the Dyson campus.

 

What are the house prices in Malmesbury?

Average property price: £490,000
Source: Halifax using Land Registry data