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‘Hidden gem’ village in Wigan named one of the poshest in Britain

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Emily Sergeant - 2nd April 2024

A “hidden gem” village in Wigan has just been named one of the poshest in Britain, according to The Telegraph.

Posh may not be a word associated with Wigan all too often, but in this case, a little village within the borough has found itself featuring as Greater Manchester‘s only representative on a round-up list of Britain’s poshest that’s recently been compiled by The Telegraph.

Fresh off-the-back of 2024’s edition of the annual Sunday Times ranking of the UK’s best places to live being released last month, where two Greater Manchester towns made the coveted cut, now another national publication has decided to shine a spotlight on one of our region’s highly-regarded neighbourhoods.

And yes, whether you can believe it or not, The Telegraph thinks Wigan is, indeed, ‘posh’, as it’s named Haigh as one of the 48 ‘poshest’ villages in Britain.

Home to Haigh Woodland Park and the country mansion Haigh Hall, and an average house price of £283,414, the village of Haigh – which is just a few miles from Wigan town centre – has been singled-out by The Telegraph as one of several in the North West, and the only one within our region, for its “posh appeal”.

The Telegraph has used exclusive research provided by leading real estate company, Savills, to reveal the “most desirable villages” the country has to offer.

The list is based on the combination of highest house prices, best lifestyle amenities, connectivity, and aesthetic appeal.

Describing the Wigan village and what makes it so ‘posh’, The Telegraph wrote: “Shrouded by trees, Haigh is a hidden gem just a few miles from the busy Wigan town centre. There’s an imposing country mansion, Haigh Hall, built between 1827 and 1840, and the restored Haigh Windmill, originally used to pump water to Haigh Brewery. It is also home to Haigh Woodland Park, with miles of winding trails through woodland and manicured gardens.”

Frances McDonald, who is the Director of Research at Savills, explained that the COVID pandemic made city dwellers “flock to the countryside” in search of green open spaces to “make lockdowns more tolerable” – but she says the search criteria has “shifted” within the past 18 months, as workers have returned to the office. 

“Our latest research indicates that proximity to a train station, place of work, and family has become much more important for those searching for a new home,” Frances commented, “particularly as individuals are more likely to be commuting to the office multiple times a week. 

“While still important to some now, pandemic buyer wishlists favoured proximity to parks, shops, and local pubs, and restaurants.

Read more:

• Two Greater Manchester towns named among UK’s best places to live in annual Sunday Times ranking
• Greater Manchester area named one of the best places in the UK to raise a family
• Stockport named one of the best places in the UK to retire

“Exactly what village characteristics are classed as essential will vary from buyer to buyer, but we know that access to education, attractive surroundings and connectivity is a decent definition of a ‘have it all’ village.”

Featured Image – Wigan Council