Just a short drive outside of Salisbury is the quaint village of Hindon, hidden within the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Hindon was recently listed among the top 20 ‘secret’ villages in the UK in the Sunday Times, so I decided to venture out to see it for myself.
The village boasts two pubs, a village shop with post office (a rarity in villages of its size these days), and a school.
Hindon was established as a new borough in 1220, but in 1754, a fire devastated the high street. It has now been re-built with stone and brick, boasting a beautifully traditional looking village, embellished with greenery and flowers.
Visually, Hindon could be described as a quaint and British, with traditional features like a village hall, church and, while disused, red phone box.
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The village shop is run almost entirely by volunteers, selling fresh baked goods, sandwiches, and all the classic items like milk and store-cupboard essentials.
Jeremy Pontin, 83, volunteers in the shop, and lives just a short walk up the road.
“I call it 'heavenly Hindon in wonderful Wiltshire'," he said.
“I retired here, and I’m probably the oldest who works here as I’m in my mid-80s. I enjoy mixing with people – it’s a great community. As the report (in the Times) says, it’s got everything: two pubs, a shop and a lovely community.”
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Jeremy also told me about the importance of village events, such as the upcoming harvest supper and village hall coffee mornings.
While there, I made use of the community convenience store and picked up lunch: a fresh sandwich, soft drink and cheese straw. I then spoke to a villager passing by.
David Wilson, 58, lives at the bottom of the village with his wife and dog, Fig.
David said: “We moved from Salisbury two years ago, the children moved out so it was time for us to go on an adventure.
“It’s just a lovely, friendly, great place.”
The village is also home to two pubs; The Lamb Inn and The Grosvenor Arms. As the Times describes, they are “pubs with open fires and upmarket menus”.
Another local business is Matthew Burt Furniture Showroom owned, unsurprisingly, by Matthew Burt. A designer and maker of 21st century English furniture, the business has designed both the font and altar in St Thomas’s Church in Salisbury, but resides on the High Street of Hindon.
Matthew said: “I like the fact Hindon’s on the Chalke, I like the fact it’s got reasonable pubs and a community shop. I like it because it’s close to where my ancestors came from.”
Hindon can be found just a mile from the A303 or A350, just 16 miles outside of Salisbury.
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