Rutland

This diminutive county is proof that size isn’t everything.  At just 18 miles in breadth, and England’s smallest county, Rutland boasts over 40 pretty villages and two market towns, Oakham and Uppingham.  There are also three castles, including Belvoir, Rockingham and Oakham – the latter of which was built around 1180.  In the 1970s, this landlocked region gained a 3,100-acre reservoir, Rutland Water, which is stocked with 130,000 trout and offers opportunities for sailing, windsurfing and canoeing – as well as fishing.  Rutland Water is also a nature reserve, providing a sanctuary for over 20,000 waterfowl and providing a breeding site for ospreys.  From 1974 until 1997, Rutland was part of Leicestershire, after which it was granted independent county status.

Barchester homes in Rutland: