We visited a hidden gem village in Staffordshire with an iconic brewery and a café hoping to create a tight-knit community

The village lies within classic West Midlands countryside, with neighbouring communities such as Kinver, Bobbington and the small hamlet of Six Ashes nearby. Six Ashes is notable for once marking the historic boundary between Staffordshire and Shropshire, a division formalised in 1405.

Enville’s name has ancient roots — recorded as Efnefeld in the Domesday Book — with the first part believed to derive from the Welsh word cefn, meaning “ridge” or “hillside,” a nod to the village’s gently rolling setting. 

Despite its small size, the village supports a range of amenities. At its heart are local essentials including The Cat Inn, a traditional village pub with the rural surroundings offering easy access to walking areas like The Sheepwalks and nearby Kinver Edge.

"It's lovely working at the pub," landlord Dan Hicks said. "It's very traditional here, the building is 300 years old and we've got open fires, real ales, we're dog friendly and we're on a popular walking route.

"We get lots of walkers that come all year round and people from the village drink here as well so its a lovely community.

"A lot of people from Kinver and the surrounding areas will come here, mainly in the day time when they've been on walks.

"In the village we've only really got the pub and the post office so this is where everyone meets and it's a really important part of the community."

A notable part of the village’s identity is Enville Brewery, which has been brewing award-winning ales since the early 1990s.

Set up in former farm buildings on the village’s edge, the brewery produces traditional real ales — including the celebrated Enville Ale, based on a 19th-century recipe — that are enjoyed throughout the Midlands and beyond.

Elsewhere, the historic St Mary’s Church, located to the west of the village, reflects centuries of architectural and spiritual heritage. Its Norman nave and transitional chancel date back to the 12th and early 14th centuries respectively, and the church still retains medieval features despite later restorations.

A new popular spot in the village is Archie's, a café, community hub and gift shop that offers far more than just a lovely cup of tea and a delicious slice of cake.

"We're an independent café with coffee that is roasted in Shrewsbury and all our bakes that are homemade," owner Emily Bowen said. "We have loads of community events going on here, and that's everything from an open-table coffee morning to a board games night, craft classes and workshops, so come along.

"The problem is after lockdown everyone was big on being a community and sticking together, and then it kind of went when everyday life went back to normal.

"We all went back to work and back to our normal lives and we need to have a bit more of what he had.

"Sometimes people are lonely, not because they don't have people around them but because they just want to go for a cup of tea and know that someone will be there to talk to them.

"I've been welcomed to Enville with open arms. I'm not a local, I'm a Birmingham girl born and bred, but I've moved over and got involved, and I've been welcomed by the community.

"This is the last point of the Staffordshire way so if you're a walker, a cyclist or just a family that wants to get out and about there are some amazing spaces around here."