The 64th competition has just been launched to find this year’s ‘Best Kept Village’ in Wiltshire.

And it’s not just about looks. 

The Competition seeks to find the villages that are best looked after by their inhabitants and where community spirit is strong, rather than just to find the prettiest villages. 

Organisers say successful bids are more to do with villagers making the best of their surroundings.  

Judging has just begun for the competition, which is being sponsored by CCm Technologies, who are based in Swindon, for the first time. 

Judging in the first round, within each of the four former districts of Wiltshire, will continue until mid-June.  

The four winners in each of the three size categories (Large – population over 1000; Medium – population 300 to 1000; and Small – population under 300) will then be judged in July to determine the three Best Kept Villages in Wiltshire for 2022.

This year 29 villages have entered, a small increase on last year and a move towards pre-Covid levels. 

Prizes of £200, £100, £60 and £30 will be won by the winners, runners up, third and fourth-placed villages in each size category.

Entries are from:

  • Kennet district: All Cannings, Bromham, Froxfield, Rushall, Seend and Woodborough
  • North Wiltshire district: Ashton Keynes, Biddestone, Blunsdon, Box, Brinkworth, Charlton, Great Somerford, Hankerton, Hullavington and Tadpole Garden Village 
  • South Wiltshire district: Alderbury, Hindon, Stapleford and Whiteparish
  • West Wiltshire district: Bishopstrow, Bulkington, Dilton Marsh, Heytesbury, Hilperton, Knook, Southwick, Sutton Veny and Tytherington

The three winning villages are given an eight-foot standard with a mounted shield for a year, emplaced on their village green. 

The award ceremony will be held at each of these villages on Sunday 25th September when CPRE Wiltshire’s President, the Lord-Lieutenant for Wiltshire, Mrs Sarah Troughton, will pull away the Union Flag surmounting the shield.

The awards are set to include the Newcomer’s Award, in which this year, four villages (Heytesbury, Knook, Southwick and Tytherington) have qualified for this section of the Competition in an attempt to win the £150 prize.

There will also be the Laurence Kitching Award. 

The winning six villages from 2019 and 2021 cannot compete in the main competition but are encouraged to enter the Laurence Kitching Award, including Ansty, Bratton, Castle Eaton, Ramsbury, Tilshead and Urchfont.

Do you think your village stands out from the crowd and deserves to be recognised? 

You can find out more on CPRE Wiltshire’s website www.cprewiltshire.org.uk/