Thirty villages have entered the first round of this year’s CPRE Wiltshire Best-Kept Village Competition.

Now in its 64th year, the much-loved competition is being sponsored for the second time by Swindon-based CCm Technologies.

This year 30 villages have entered the first round, a slight increase on last year. Prizes of £200, £100, £60 and £30 will be won by the winners, runners-up, third and fourth-placed villages in each size category.

The four winners in each of the three size categories (Large – population over 1000; Medium – population 300 to 1000; and Small – population under 300) will then be judged in July to determine the three Best Kept Villages in Wiltshire for 2023. 

The competition seeks to find the villages that are best looked after by their inhabitants and where community spirit is strong. 

It is not aimed at finding the prettiest villages but rather those where villagers make the best of their surroundings. 

Judging has just begun in the first round, within each of four districts of Wiltshire, and will continue until mid-June. 

Entries are from:

Kennet district: All Cannings, Bromham, Rowde, Seend and Urchfont.

North Wiltshire district: Ashton Keynes, Biddestone, Blunsdon, Box, Charlton, Dauntsey, Great Somerford, Hankerton, Hannington, Hullavington, Seagry and Tockenham.

South Wiltshire district: Alderbury, Burcombe, Dinton and Stapleford,

West Wiltshire district: Bratton, Bulkington, Heytesbury, Hilperton, Horningsham, Knook, Sutton Veny and Tytherington.

The three winning villages are given an eight-foot standard with mounted shield for a year, emplaced on their village green.

The award ceremony will be held at each of these villages on Sunday, September 24 when CPRE Wiltshire’s president, the Lord-Lieutenant for Wiltshire, Mrs Sarah Troughton, will pull away the Union Flag surmounting the shield. 

This year two villages (Hannington and Tockenham) have qualified for this section of the competition, having not entered for at least the last five years, in an attempt to win the £150 prize. 

The winning six villages from 2021 and 2022 cannot compete in the main competition but are encouraged to enter the Laurence Kitching Award.

They are: Castle Eaton, Hindon, Ramsbury, Rushall, Tilshead and Whiteparish.  In 2022 Bratton, near Westbury, were the winners. 

Entries for this award are due in by Wednesday, May 31. Judging for this takes place in July at the same time as the second round of the main competition.

The Winner of Winners will once again be presented with a tree for the whole village to enjoy. As last year, the tree, chosen by the winning village, has been donated by CPRE Wiltshire's countryside ambassador Carly Paoli.

Find out more on CPRE Wiltshire’s website www.cprewiltshire.org.uk or by contacting CPRE Wiltshire by email admin@cprewiltshire.org.uk or telephone 01380 722157. The main contact is Mike Manson.