The Dorset village of Cerne Abbas has been named Britain's most appealing village in a survey for The Sunday Times.
The survey, conducted by estate agents Savills, aimed to commend not only the prettiness of the buildings and surrounding scenery, but also the calibre of local amenities, from shops to schools to pubs.
Cerne Abbas is perhaps most famed for the vast chalk image that adorns the hills overlooking the village. Such figures are commonplace in the West Country, having marked the landscape since time immemorial. However, although chalk horses are rather commonplace, Cerne Abbas's 'Rude Giant' is remarkable in that it depicts a naked man, seemingly aroused by the quaint village scene below.
The village of Cerne Abbas grew up around a Benedictine Abbey that was founded in the tenth century. The village has remained a small settlement with just 800 inhabitants. However, it boasts an impressive three pubs, so epicurean visitors will not be left in the lurch.
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