village

Netflix’s Man vs Baby has been a hit with viewers and they can’t get enough of the picturesque village at the beginning of the series.

Man vs Baby, featuring Rowan Atkinson reprising his role as Trevor Bingley, has become a massive hit on Netflix. The festive comedy is a four-part sequel to Man vs Bee, and it sees Trevor taking up a new position as a school caretaker. Following his separation from his wife, Trevor leads a simple, somewhat solitary life in a quaint rural cottage that still relies on a coin meter for electricity. He was looking forward to his daughter’s Christmas visit, but a change of plans left him alone.

After a string of unexpected events, Trevor ends up house-sitting a luxury penthouse in London, where most of the story unfolds. However, viewers have been captivated by the idyllic village featured at the start of the series, which is currently topping the Netflix charts, and are eager to know its location.

The opening scenes of this Christmas comedy were shot in the charming village of Aldbury in Dacorum, Hertfordshire. Dacorum Borough Council proudly shared a snapshot of the film crew on their Facebook page, delighted to see their picturesque locale gaining recognition.

They explained: “The production, which includes Rowan Atkinson among its cast, brought a festive transformation to Aldbury last winter, complete with snow-covered streets, Christmas trees, and seasonal decorations. Working under the production code name St James, Aldbury Parish Council supported the Netflix team throughout the process, with local residents and businesses helping to ensure smooth filming.”

“Hertfordshire Film Office also assisted with traffic management. Many community members had the opportunity to observe filming, with several external scenes shot around the village. Thank you to everyone involved in supporting another production in Dacorum.”

The picturesque village of Aldbury, home to fewer than a thousand residents, centres around Aldbury Village Store. Viewers are also treated to glimpses of the village pond, the historic manor cottage, and the Greyhound Inn’s exterior, the beloved local pub.

The scenes depicting St Aldwyn’s Church of England Primary School were actually filmed at Longfield Hall, a Victorian community venue dating back to 1904 in Camberwell, South London. For the railway station sequence, whilst Tring Station was nearest, its contemporary appearance meant producers opted for Ongar railway station in Essex instead.

Enjoy Dacorum portrays Aldbury as a “pretty, traditional English village with a church, village pond, ancient whipping post and stocks and two pubs”. Thanks to its quintessentially charming character, the village has become a sought-after filming destination for major productions including Midsomer Murders and the second Bridget Jones film.

The 2023 film Lord of Misrule also featured scenes shot in Aldbury, with the Parish Council publishing a touching note from the production crew on their website. They said: “It has been an enormous privilege for us to shoot our movie in such a beautiful, characterful setting and I think we’ll all take a little piece of Hertfordshire away in our hearts as we leave.”

Actor Atkinson reflected on how the concept of a solitary Christmas formed the foundation of the series, explaining: “I certainly like Christmas, like most people. I was quite drawn to the idea of, without wishing to spoil the plot of Man Versus Baby, a lonely Christmas.

“Other than having the baby for company, Trevor’s alone because his daughter has booked a last-minute holiday to Barbados. He’s flat-sitting at Christmas without any of his family around him, and that can be hard.

“When we first see him, he’s got all these presents wrapped by a tiny tree decorated with Heroes wrappers, and he’s looking forward to it, and then he gets abandoned by his family, which is quite sad.”

The series has garnered glowing reviews from both viewers and critics, who have praised it as ideal family viewing. The Mr Bean star explained: “As long as people enjoy what I’ve put a lot of effort into producing, I’m happy. I’ve worked on this show every day of my life for the last year and a quarter, at the very least. I definitely put in the hours.

“I’m someone who does that. I don’t just turn up to act the role: I’m part of the writing and very much part of the post-production, so I’m in every sound mix and visual effects meeting. I’m there from the bitter beginning to the bitter end and so it’s a big commitment. If all of that effort ends up in something good that people like, that’s all you can hope for.”

Man vs Baby is available to stream on Netflix.

This little village sits within the stunning North York Moors National Park and is the real-life set for a number of popular TV and film productions – but there’s more than meets the eye

Nestled within the stunning landscape of the North York Moors National Park, this charming village brims with character and boasts surprising connections to the entertainment world.

Goathland sits amid the Yorkshire Moors, crafted as a perfectly English settlement with abundant discoveries awaiting visitors. Most will instantly recognise it from its starring role in the beloved television series Heartbeat, where it’s known as Aidensfield. Debuting in 1992, Heartbeat was a British police drama set in this Yorkshire village during the 1960s. The show proved enormously popular with audiences and enjoyed an impressive television run until its concluding episode in 2010. Yet Heartbeat’s finale wasn’t Goathland’s last moment in the spotlight, as it became a key filming location for the Harry Potter movie series.

Indeed, the picturesque railway station served as Hogsmeade Station throughout the films and boasts a fascinating heritage of its own. It stands as a treasured piece of history along the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) heritage route, celebrated for its authentic Victorian architecture from the 1800s, drawing countless visitors eager to witness these features.

The location serves as a paradise for train enthusiasts, with the railway operator providing various steam journeys featuring breathtaking trips across the moorland. A recent visitor to the station shared on TripAdvisor: “We enjoyed travelling on the steam trains and made some very special memories. We found all the staff (many of which are volunteers) to be very friendly and more than willing to chat and share stories of the railway. We thoroughly enjoyed our time visiting and would recommend.”

Beyond the station, this charming village boasts an enviable location, nestled near Whitby whilst bordering tranquil countryside. This makes it the perfect retreat for those eager to discover the great outdoors, particularly within Dalby Forest. The park encompasses a staggering 8,500 acres of terrain that provides breathtaking vistas, countless hiking paths and cycling routes for those wanting to explore the region. Part of this includes the Dalby Activity Centre, which boasts an array of adrenaline-fuelled pursuits and several Go Ape courses to challenge your adventurous spirit.

Other delightful features of this concealed village treasure include its nearness to Thomason Foss, a charming small waterfall providing a peaceful stroll and spot for a wild dip during summer.Afterwards, when keen ramblers seek somewhere to pause for a swift drink, they’ll frequently end up at The Goathland Hotel Bar.

Alternatively, guests can unwind with a brew at the traditional village tea rooms, which one recent guest described as a “great find”. They commented: “Excellent food and service, Would thoroughly recommend to anyone visiting Goathland. Plenty of tables to accommodate all sized parties and allowing well behaved dogs is a bonus.”

ONE small village around an hour from Nice transforms into an open-air Christmas scene in the wintertime.

It has the most amount of nativity scenes in France with a dedicated trail to see them all – and it draws in thousands of visitors from around the world.

The medieval village is called Lucéram which is just 15 miles from the coast, but sits up on a rocky hilltop in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region – and it has a reputation for Christmas decorations.

Every year the locals set up around 500 nativity scenes, or as they’re known in French, crèches – this is the most of any place in the country.

Across the village are model replicas of the nativity set around the cobbled streets, at churches, schools, barns and even in the village bread oven.

They can range from miniature scenes on window ledges to life-size displays.

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The traditional nativity trail is called Circuit des Crèches, it has been running for nearly two decades and is completely free.

The trail is open every day from 10am to 12.30pm and from 2pm to 5.30pm, with afternoon-only opening on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

This year Lucéram even has a nighttime candlelit trail on Friday 19 December.

And there are two Christmas markets on two Sundays – December 14 and 21.

If you want a glimpse of the decorations then you’ll want to head out soon as the trail concludes on January 4, 2026.

The village sits on a hilltop and isn’t just pretty thanks to its Christmas scenes.

Lucéram has retained it’s medieval charm with stone houses that have terracotta-tiled roofs and vaulted passageways.

Also in the village are two chapels with impressive wall murals and an old olive oil mill.

Another popular activity is hiking to the nearby Vallée des Merveilles.

Brits can get to Lucéram by flying to Nice, a route which is offered by airlines like British Airways and easyJet.

From there, Lucéram can be reached in under 40 minutes by car or just over an hour on public transport.

This tiny European town is what people describe as a real-life Disney village…

With brightly coloured timber houses and window boxes full of flowers, Riquewihr in France has been compared to villages from Disney films.

Riquewihr is a village in the Alsace region known for having a blend of French and German culture resulting in picture perfect communes.

These have half-timbered houses, cobblestone streets, and vineyards.

Unlike surrounding towns like Colmar, Riquewihr is much quieter when it comes to high season.

While it doesn’t have the canals that Colmar does, the town of Riquewihr has been called just as beautiful by visitors.

One visitors wrote on Tripadvisor: “This town is so cute you’ll think it was made for a Disney movie. we were here at Christmas and it gets EVEN CUTER with the decorations. you won’t believe it. i think it’s the cutest of all the Alsatian towns.”

Another added: “Picturesque would be an understatement. It’s a fairy tale village that doesn’t seem real.”

You’ll find the town between the Vosges mountains and the Alsatian vineyards, which only adds to its beauty.

For more pretty French villages, this one regularly tops list of France’s most beautiful places thanks to medieval homes, car ban and cute vineyards.

And the world’s most beautiful village is just two hours from the UK – with classic car tours and fairytale lavender fields.

This lesser-known village features in All Creatures Great and Small, which is set in the 1930s Yorkshire Dales, and offers a ‘true taste of rural England’ with cobbled market squares and beautiful walks

All Creatures Great and Small captivated viewers when it debuted on our screens in 2020, with its delightful period Northern England backdrop – and it transpires the historic town is nearer than you might imagine.

Envision cobblestone market squares, quaint cottage-style shops, and panoramic vistas of the Yorkshire Dales. This perfectly describes Grassington, both in reality and on television. The village provides a charming shopping experience featuring handicrafts, art exhibitions and regional products all curated by independent artisans, plus welcoming establishments for refreshments. Among these establishments is The Hutch Handmade Gift Shop, adored by residents and highly rated amongst Grassington’s attractions.

A visitor described the shop as a “gorgeous spot”, noting on TripAdvisor: “A treasure trove of handmade gifts. Lots of colourful, unique, one-off gifts made by small independent artists, designers and crafters…mostly from Yorkshire.” Another popular attraction that attracts numerous visitors is Grassington Folk Museum. It showcases a fascinating collection of historical artefacts unearthed locally, transporting visitors through time via medical equipment, vintage garments, household objects, geological samples and agricultural keepsakes.

Many regard it as a “lovely museum”, with one recent visitor saying: “We stopped by on a whim and were so glad we did! Lovely collection of items, and the delightful volunteer in the museum was so friendly and knowledgeable! I wish I had gotten her name. Well worth a visit.”

The settlement provides a “true taste of rural England”, which is precisely why it served as the perfect backdrop for a popular television programme. The plot centres around three veterinarians operating in the Yorkshire Dales during the 1930s and draws inspiration from novels penned by writer Alf Wight.

The village serves as an excellent base for outdoor enthusiasts eager to discover the surrounding countryside. Numerous walking and cycling trails await exploration, including a brief circular route connecting Grassington with neighbouring Dales settlement Hebden. Another pathway offers a seven-mile return journey from Kettewell to Grassington.

Home to approximately 1,000 residents, this peaceful location provides genuine serenity. Nowhere captures this tranquil atmosphere better than the town’s Linton Falls, where the River Wharfe tumbles dramatically over spectacular limestone formations. The area’s natural splendour attracts countless visitors. One recent reviewer said: “This place is magnificent! Standing on the bridge as the water thunders beneath is breathtaking. We were even able to have a little paddle upstream.” For those yearning for more natural beauty, Widdop Reservoir is equally stunning and provides a tranquil atmosphere throughout the year. The secluded moorland presents a delightful walk that spans approximately three miles around the reservoir.

Lacock village in Wiltshire is steeped in history and has been used as a filming location for Harry Potter, Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice and Wolf Hall, making visitors feel like they’re living in a period drama

A key filming spot for the BBC’s 1995 Pride and Prejudice adaptation, Lacock’s charming cottages and stunning countryside make visitors feel as though they’ve stepped into a period drama.

Its Wiltshire timber-framed buildings and magnificent cloisters have drawn numerous productions beyond Austen’s tale to its grounds. Lacock’s famous medieval Cloister, dating back to around 1450, also houses a verdant Cloister Garth. This striking architectural feature appeared in countless Downton Abbey scenes, and doubled as sections of the castle in the original Harry Potter films. It also featured in the BBC’s Wolf Hall adaptation. One TripAdvisor reviewer awarded the destination five stars, saying: “An absolute must if you are in the area! A beautiful village, which you can visit by parking just across the road in the National Trust car park.

“The village is a pleasure to walk around, totally untouched throughout history and is quintessentially English! From the rows of tiny cottages, the church, the tiny bakery, the village pub and a hotel, it has everything and all these are open and running. We stayed for a couple of hours and then had a wander around the Abbey which is also impressive.”, reports Gloucestershire Live. Another reviewer described the village as “frozen in time”, with Explore the Cotswolds concurring that the location “looks a lot like it would have done 200 years ago.”

Lacock’s magnificent abbey began life as an Augustinian nunnery, shuttered during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. Subsequently, John Ivory Talbot constructed the mock-Gothic hall – both are now in the care of the National Trust and available for afternoon exploration. A stone’s throw away stands St Cyriac’s Church. Initially believed to be a Saxon worship site, it later became Norman-controlled. The Church was erected near the close of the 11th century by Edward of Salisbury and William of Eu. The dedication to St Cyriac honours a beloved Norman saint.

The church houses numerous later memorials to the Baynards, Bonhams, Crokes, Sharingtons, Talbots and Awdreys. Yet for Harry Potter enthusiasts, the cloisters steal the show. For one devotee, exploring the cloisters topped her agenda upon arriving in Britain. She wrote: “Harry Potter fans NEED to do this! We’re from Canada. As soon as we landed in London, this was the very first thing we did. We did the Harry Potter Tour of London for Private Groups by Black Taxi. “Our guide was Richard and we can’t say enough good things about him! He was absolutely incredible! Ask him how he knows so much about this…such an interesting person, so knowledgeable and passionate about it all.”

Just up the road from Whitby, this village offers golden sandy beaches, rugged cliffs, traditional cottages and ‘the best seafood restaurant’ visitors claim

Nestled along Yorkshire’s captivating coastline, just a short distance from Whitby, lies this charming fishing village boasting secluded beaches – ideal for those seeking a more serene retreat.

Boasting its own stretch of golden sand, Sandsend provides a far more peaceful alternative to its lively neighbouring town. The scenery features dramatic cliffs, gentle sands and the most delightful traditional cottages, creating a picture-perfect British village. When the weather’s fine, both residents and tourists can enjoy a seaside stroll, a refreshing swim or simply unwind whilst catching some sun. A recent guest said on TripAdvisor: “A beautiful coast; would highly recommend. Lovely atmosphere and views. My children loved it here; it’s very peaceful, and if you love a quiet coastal trip, then I would advise visiting here. There are a few pubs, cafes and restaurants too.”

During the warmer months, one holidaymaker remarked: “Beautiful stretch of coastline any time of year. We often visit in the spring/autumn; this was our first time visiting during the summer, and it was great to see this beach in all its glory! Lovely calm water for swimming; it was great for beating the heat after we had walked the length of the beach.”

Originally two separate villages – Sandsend and East Row – the area boasts a lengthy heritage in fishing, operating as a local port engaged in inshore fishing that remains active today. Visitors can savour locally caught fish at the village’s diverse dining establishments, ranging from cafés to restaurants and, naturally, fish and chip shops.

Particularly noteworthy is The Fish Cottage in Sandsend, a charming whitewashed establishment serving as both a seafood restaurant and fish and chip takeaway. Located merely 20 yards from the beach, some diners have even dubbed it “the best seafood restaurant by far”.

Additionally, they operate another location in Robin Hood’s Bay, another picturesque village on the opposite side of Whitby. Following a spontaneous visit, one diner shared on TripAdvisor: “Whenever I’m in the area, I cannot help myself; be it lunch or dinner time, I have to call in, and I am never disappointed. Staff are so so nice and very accommodating. The restaurant, although small, is lovely. If you’re ever in the area, honestly, this fish restaurant is the best.”

If that’s insufficient to entice you, an enchanting castle, Mulgrave Castle, stands just beyond the village and features a fascinating ‘ancient’ tale. According to legend, the site was established by a 6th-century ruler of Hälsingland, with its ruins now serving as a testament to the area’s fascinating past.

One visitor said: “It’s a bit of a slog getting there through the beautiful woods, but it’s well worth the effort. There was only one other person up at the castle, so it felt like the place was all mine. The views are breathtaking, and the ruin itself is very romantic.”

I feel terrible … I’ve left the children at home and Seiffen, nicknamed Spielzeugdorf (The Toy Village), is literally a Christmas wonderland. Every street is alive with sparkling fairy lights and soft candlelight. There are thousands of tiny wooden figurines, train sets and toy animals displayed in shop windows, wooden pyramids taller than doorframes and colourful nutcracker characters. Forget elves in the north pole, this is the real Santa’s workshop. For hundreds of years, here in the village of Seiffen, wood turners and carvers have created classic wooden Christmas toys and sold them around the world.

Near the border of the Czech Republic, Seiffen may be well known in the German-speaking world as the “home of Christmas”, but so far it has been largely missed by English-speaking seasonal tourists. Tucked away in the Ore Mountains, about an hour and a half south of Dresden, it is not the easiest place to get to by public transport – the nearest train station is in Olbernhau, nearly 7 miles (11km) away. Buses are available, but we opt for a hire car and make our way into the hills, arriving the day after the first snowfall of the year. The roads are cleared quickly, but snow clings to the branches of the spruce trees. We half expect to see the Gruffalo’s child, but only spot a rust-coloured fox making its way through a fresh field of snow.

The surrounding forests we drive through are key to Seiffen’s survival. (The only reason we are here is a tipoff from a friendly German forester who said it was a must-see.) The Ore Mountains – Erzgebirge in German – were classified as a Unesco world heritage site in 2019 due to their rich history of mining. For 800 years, the area was shaped by intensive silver and tin mining (and later uranium).

Seiffen was built in the 1300s just below the mountain ridge and is surrounded by forests of spruce, pine and beech. Mining and forestry go hand in hand. Timber was essential for making pit props to hold up the roofs of mines, and for tool-making. So when the supply of tin dried up and the miners were forced to find an alternative way to make a living, they sourced the timber on their doorstep, modified their machinery and first made wooden bowls and spoons, before turning to what would make them famous – toys. One craftsman took his toys to a nearby Christmas market and came back with pockets full of coins, and the rest, as they say, is history. Families in every corner of the village began making small animals and figurines in their homes, with everyone pitching in to help carve and paint them.

It is difficult to know where to start in a town full of twinkly lights and warm, inviting shops, but a trip to the toy museum (Erzgebirgisches Spielzeugmuseum, €9) makes sense. Open since 1936, it tells the story of Seiffen’s toy-making traditions. The short video is recommended as it is the only information supplied in English. Despite the language barrier, the 5,000 exhibits – ranging from nutcrackers to train sets, Noah’s arks to minuscule matchbook carvings (including the “smallest kitchen in the world”) – will, if you are into that kind of thing, keep you amazed for hours. There are even traditional wooden toys that little (or big) kids can play with. To this day, Seiffen continues its toy-making tradition and even played host to the European Toy Maker festival earlier this year.

To experience the toy-making in action, we head to the Seiffener Volkskunst workshop for the toy-decorating session we have booked. We walk through the shop, the tiny figurines and moving candle wheels stealing our attention, then past the viewing gallery of wood-turners and toy-painters. The way they turn the wood here is something special. In the 1800s, craftsmen created a method called hoop-turning, in which a specifically designed lathe turns a piece of wood into a thick ring shape with notches and grooves. When they slice it, the shape of the animal or toy is revealed. This enabled the mass production of figurines, contributing to the economic success of Seiffen throughout the 19th century. Currently, only a few people in the world still use this technique.

For our decorations, I choose a Christmassy-looking toadstool to paint, my partner a characterful duck, plus we take home a forest house to build with the children. Our little decorations are made with wood from local birch, beech, maple and linden trees. We sit alongside the professional toy painters, who are painting nutcrackers and snowmen, a slow mindful feeling settling over us.

One decoration I am particularly drawn to is the candle arch, or schwibbogen. These beautifully crafted objects depict the history of the village, sometimes with the local church above and mining figures at work below. Heritage is important in Seiffen, and when the advent season starts each year, there is a miners’ parade, with costumes that would have been worn 400 years ago.

Next, our decorations safely packaged away, we walk the streets of the village and come to understand that each shop has its own style and personality. Some toymakers focus on nutcrackers, some on angels, some on Räuchermänner, incense-burning figures. The more modern artisans’ shops, such as Wendt & Kühn, are fascinating to look around, with smartly decorated interiors, although the toys’ price tags reflect this. In fact, you could spend hundreds of euros in even the most down-to-earth places, with some pyramids costing more than €2,000.

After a lunch of delicious leek soup called Heidi (€7.80) at Hotel Seiffener Hof, we walk to the church, an unusual octagonal shape, which is depicted in so many of the archways and decorations they sell here, and listen a while as the organ is played.

As the Christmas season sets in the sun drops early, so we try a shot of heisse holunderbeere, hot elderberry served with vodka and a dollop of whipped cream on top, to warm us up. Then we take two cups of red glühwein on a walk up the hill and on to the historic miners’ trail. The snow is untrodden up here and it crunches underfoot as we make our way to the Binge, once the opencast mine used to extract tin, now an amphitheatre for the community. The wooden benches arranged in a semi-circle are white, and the only sound we hear today is the dripping of the melting snow.

We climb further up the steps on to the hill made of the waste material left over from the mining years. Now there are birch trees thriving, and we look down over the valley as the lights of the houses click on.

Before the temperature drops further, we enjoy rostbratwurst (grilled sausage) from a street seller and another mulled wine outside the central Hotel Erbgericht Buntes Haus. It is properly cold now. The shops are shutting and the paths are freezing, so we begin to walk back up the hill to our hotel, stopping every few minutes to look at the lights below. We are welcomed into the Panorama Berghotel Wettiner Höhe (rooms from €79), where we settle in for the night, well and truly ready for the Christmas season ahead.

This charming village near the Peak District offers an impressive food scene, independent shops, and the stunning 14th century ‘cathedral of the Peaks’

This sizeable village, nestled amidst the stunning beauty of the Peak District and perched high in the hills, boasts a fantastic array of small businesses serving up delicious fare to locals.

Tideswell, situated on a limestone plateau just six miles east of the renowned Derbyshire spa town Buxton, may not be as frequented by tourists but has much to offer. Serving as a hub for surrounding villages, it’s an excellent spot for a cuppa, a pub crawl, or sampling delectable food – all supported by local businesses. In honour of their culinary delights, the village hosts an annual food festival. The next one is slated for 2 May 2026, celebrating the local flavours. The community bands together to display their hard work and sample a diverse range of artisan foods, along with other handmade goods.

Among the village’s most acclaimed eateries are The Merchant’s Yard Restaurant, The Star Inn, Tideswell Lounge, The Anchor Inn, and the modest chippy, Elliott’s Fish and Chips. When it comes to food and drink, the village packs a punch, with seven pubs dishing out tasty grub within a compact area. Beyond its gastronomic offerings, the village is home to an extraordinary church boasting unique architecture, often dubbed the ‘cathedral of the peak’.

The Church of St John the Baptist, constructed in the 14th century, houses a collection of original monuments, brasses, and woodcarvings. The church has held Grade I listed status since 1967 and, with support from the Friends of St John Tideswell, has undergone numerous restoration, preservation and repair works.

The group continues to help preserve this magnificent structure, which they regard as “one of the most important of the county’s mediaeval parish churches”. A recent guest shared their thoughts on TripAdvisor, saying: “A beautiful church; it’s easy to see why it’s known as the Cathedral of the Peak. I’m told I’d been before, but I couldn’t remember anything about it, so I enjoyed a visit in peace and tranquillity. Spectacular stained glass windows and beautiful and intricate carvings in the choir, combined with an interesting history, make it worth a visit. Also don’t miss the altar tomb, which is very unusual, as is the stone effigy beneath.”

Tideswell historically served as an important centre not just for markets but also for numerous industries including quarrying, lead mining and cotton and velvet production. Much of this heritage survives in the town today, with many choosing to explore the Tideswell Dale walk, which passes the historic mill.

Following the river’s course through the village, this six-mile route takes walkers across level ground for a journey lasting two to three hours. Many consider this an excellent opportunity to appreciate the area’s natural splendour whilst discovering the town’s character.

A picturesque Peak District village in Derbyshire, gained worldwide fame when its railway station appeared on Oasis’s ‘Some Might Say’ single cover – the band’s first number one hit

A quaint Derbyshire village nestled at the edge of the Peak District may seem like a typical old hamlet, but upon closer inspection, it’s more familiar than you might realise.

Historically, this place is renowned for its role in the industrial revolution, with Sir Richard Arkwright establishing the world’s first water-powered cotton mill there. From 1771 onwards, Cromford emerged as a trailblazer for factory systems, fostering an entire community of industrialisation that remains accessible for exploration today. However, it’s not this history that makes the now-defunct railway station in the village centre recognisable to many. Oasis fans worldwide will identify this building as the train station featured on the cover of the band’s first number one hit, Some Might Say.

The album cover depicts famous brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher standing at Cromford railway station, situated right in the heart of the Derwent Valley in Derbyshire, during the winter months. Liam can be seen on the bridge, saluting the camera, while Noel is on the platform edge, holding a watering can.

But the burning question is, why did they select this station, so distant from their native Manchester and seemingly unrelated to the song? The answer lies in the station’s history – it fell victim to the cuts of the 1960s when it was part of a main line between London and Manchester, before its closure in 1968. This left the remainder of the line as a single-track railway, rendering their waiting room and platform completely derelict with no purpose. Consequently, it provided the ideal location for the Gallagher brothers’ photoshoot without any train disruptions.

Graphic designer and art director Brian Cannon, who helped create the cover, explained to the BBC that the entire artistic concept hinged on using a disused station. He said: “The idea was if you’re standing at a disused station waiting for a train, you’re in need of education, which is the next line of the song.”

The lyric he references is: “Cause I’ve been standing at the station, in need of education in the rain.” Alongside photographer Michael Spencer Jones, they dismissed numerous other stations before settling on Cromford.

The station remains standing today as a Grade II listed structure owned by Network Rail and overseen daily by East Midlands Railway. Tucked behind the waiting room sits a stunning house that was previously neglected but has since been purchased and transformed into a magnificent residence with quite spectacular views.

Beyond this, holidaymakers often flock to the renowned Cromford Mills, celebrated for their significant role in Britain’s industrial revolution. The site provides a guided tour that delves into the rich history of the building and the Midlands’ pioneering early days that had a profound influence globally.