Farnham has been named in the top ten best places to Live in the South East in the annual Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide.

The Sunday Times judges said: “There might be a lot of expensive properties in Farnham – and lots of ex-Londoners – but it also has a vibrant and creative community with a rich heritage and great schools, all set in the rolling Surrey hills.

“Farnham’s greatest hits include its 12th-century castle, home to the bishops of Winchester for more than 800 years, and its handsome Georgian streetscapes. Named England’s first world craft town in 2020, it’s also a major hub for artisans.”

The number one Best Place to Live in the South East as ranked by The Sunday Times this year is Folkestone, Kent, while North Berwick, East Lothian was named the overall best place to live in the UK.

Making up the top ten in the South East was: Chorleywood (Herts), Hove (Brighton & Hove), Milton Keynes (Bucks), St Albans (Herts), Sevenoaks (Kent), Stockbridge (Hants), Wadhurst (East Sussex) and Winchester (Hants).

Published by The Sunday Times, the guide includes 72 locations across the UK and was released today (Friday). An abridged version will be published as a magazine supplement on Sunday. 

Expert judges visited all the locations and assessed factors from schools to transport, broadband speeds to culture, as well as access to green spaces and the health of the high street.

“We do consider affordability, though high house prices are no barrier to inclusion – as long as they provide value for money,” said Helen Davies, the guide’s editor. “Different people may be looking for different things, but what all our best places have in common is that people love living in them and are proud to call them home.”

The guide is sponsored by Halifax.