England's third most beautiful village unveiled but there's a big catch when visiting

A picturesque fishing village in North Devon with Victorian gardens, coastal walks and donkeys, has been praised for its “beauty” and “uniqueness” - but there is one downside.

Clovelly, which was once owned by the Queen of England, has a history stretching back to William the Conquerer, who gave it to his wife.

Visitors can explore the Clovelly Court Gardens with its restored Victorian greenhouses, and meet the donkeys, including Rex, Bert, Ernie, and Alfred who live at the top of the village.

For history lovers, there is the Fisherman’s Cottage and Kingsley Museum, where you can see how a village fisherman lived in the 1930s.

There are treasures from the period on display including furniture, pictures, straw mattresses, and a kitchen. Clovelly has been named the third most beautiful chocolate box village in England by Independent Cottages.

At the top of one of the cobbled streets sits Mount Pleasant - a popular picnic spot with a memorial to the village men who died during the First World War. Visitors can relax on the benches and look out at the views across Bideford Bay.

The one downside to the village is that visitors have to pay to enter and explore it. Adults are charged £9.50 for the day while children aged 7-16 are charged £5.50, and under-7s go free.

The village website explains that it relies heavily on the entrance fees for maintenance and upkeep that comes with an “ancient village perched on a 400ft cliff”.

Your entry fee includes parking, entry to the gardens and museum, an audio-visual experience, and access to walks and picnic spots. Clovelly’s site says: “Your entry fee also goes towards our tree planting and conservation initiatives that you can see around the village.”

Craft workshops are also available in the village and Clovelly says that its many shops provide “pure retail therapy” to visitors, who can explore pottery, silk, and soap offerings. The church, in the grounds of Glovelly Court, is the Norman church of All Saints.

Visitors to the village have praised its history, character, and charm, with one reviewer writing on TripAdvisor: “Clovelly is a beautiful village to visit and I have been visiting with my family for the last 30 years. Yes, you pay to enter (like most historical landmarks) and yes, it’s steep! both of which are well advertised on the website prior to visiting. There really is no other village quite like it in the UK. The beauty of Clovelly is how it remains unchanged and hopefully will remain this way for many years to come.”

Another said: “This place is good value for money and is full of history and character. There is also a shop, tea room and pub within the village and all the staff were friendly and happy to help.”

A third wrote that the only downside is that the steep hill means the village might “not be suitable to visit for everyone”, while someone else posted: “Loved it here. Absolutely loads to do. Found it easily. Massive car park, got the camper van in easily. Huge reception area with shop and cafe. Started off with coffee and toasted tea cake. Very friendly staff. Excellent coffee and food.”