Brill by name and brill by nature. At least that’s the proud declaration of those who live and know the beautiful little Buckinghamshire village of Brill.
Despite its tiny size, it has impressed many – including the legendary author JRR Tolkien who was so impressed with it that he used its name as the inspiration behind the Middle-earth village of Bree in his Lord of the Rings series.
Brill is also known for its windmill as with timbers dating from 1685 Brill Windmill provides one of the earliest and best preserved examples of a post mill in the UK.
Indeed so lovely is Brill – with a population of around 1,000 – that lifestyle blog Muddy Stillettos recently placed the village in its top 250 places to live in 2023.
It said: “Brill – affectionately known as ‘Brill on the Hill’ – has a Grade II listed windmill sat on a (yes, you guessed it) big hill that looks over the border between Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire.
“And it’s a suitably rural symbol for this sweet, red-bricked little village that woos residents and visitors alike with its bucolic charms but yet is only a 15-minute drive to Thame and 33 minutes to Oxford.”
The blog also picks out some of the highlights of living in the area such as cosy country pub The Pointer which in 2018 was crowned Michelin Pub of the year.
And it’s not the only place to chow down here with A Guide to Brill on Boutique Retreats revealing more foodie hints and tips when visiting.
It said: “For a small village, Brill offers a great choice of places to eat.
“Named Michelin Pub of the Year 2018, the Pointer is a dog-friendly country pub in Brill that turns heads and tempts stomachs with hearty British pub grub comprised of local farm-to-fork ingredients.
“Also located within the village is the Pheasant, a popular dining pub that serves classic favourites alongside an ever-changing specials menu.
“For meals at your luxury home from home, the Pheasant also offer a takeaway service.”
It adds: “Every Saturday morning you’ll also find a local farmers’ market outside the Pointer, while the village is served by a local store and butchers as well.”
As well as places to fill your belly the village also offers a local supermarket and a C of E primary school rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.
But for those looking to relocate to Brill, unsurprisingly the property aren’t cheap – with an average property price of £556,550 which compares to a UK national average of £285,000.
