Overview

• Independent Cottages published its first list on July 26, scoring villages by listed buildings, age, AONB status, online search volume and TikTok activity
• Broadway in Worcestershire ranks eighth with 158 listed buildings, origins in 1066 AD, an AONB location, 600 monthly searches and 467 related TikTok posts
• Croston in Lancashire sits at 29th place with 54 listed buildings, a suggested founding in 601 AD, 350 monthly searches and 178 TikTok posts despite falling outside protected landscapes
• Visit Lancashire highlighted Croston’s picture-postcard cottages, a Norman-era church and a 15th-century cobbled packhorse bridge as key attractions
• Local tourism bodies such as The Broadway Cotswolds website are leveraging the rankings to promote these villages as must-visit rural escapes