Staffordshire town named one of 50 top places to live
Eccleshall has been named one of the 50 best in UK by the Sunday Times.
This weekend, the paper will announce part three of its annual "Best Places to Live" list, covering towns and suburbs.
Eccleshall joins Ludlow in Shropshire in making the list. The two towns are included in just seven from the Midlands area.
The locations are judged using data and statistics such as crime rates, house prices and school performance together with the local knowledge of Sunday Times writers, and aims to flag up the areas offering the best quality of life to the widest number of people - combining features such as a positive community spirit, good local shops and services and attractive outdoor spaces.
Chair of Eccleshall Parish Council, Councillor Gordon Dale, said: "It's very interesting that we've been selected, there is great community spirit here and we've got all the facilities. Lots of people would like to live here, it's a very attractive town, but housing is very expensive.
"The High Street is a conservation area with most of the buildings listed, and there are all the old pubs - it was a coach and horses town on the Chester run in its heyday, and going back further there was a skirmish here with the Royalists and Oliver Cromwell.
"The only downside is the traffic - the A519 cuts right through the town and we have more and more large lorries coming through these days."
Communications billionaire John Caudwell lives in a stunning mansion house in Eccleshall.
The Sunday Times Best Towns and Suburbs to Live is the third in a four part series. Parts one and two focused on rural idylls and the coolest city locations while part four will reveal The Best Places to Live Overseas.
A winner and five runners-up from the 50 towns and suburbs will be revealed on Sunday.
