There’s something uniquely charming about some of the towns and villages along the British coast that seem like they have been frozen in time.

The sort of places where cobbled lanes have been walked over for hundreds of years, where the pace of life is much slower, and where you don’t get elbowed in the ribs every time you board the tube. 

They are rare, and many of these quaint villages were uncovered long ago and have become the unsuspecting victims of coachloads of tourists.

Travel writers often talk about “hidden gems,” but this is something different. Its cliff-side geography and windy, narrow streets seemed to have protected it from hordes of holidaymakers who can’t squeeze through its streets. 

With cars completely banned from many of its roads, like centuries ago, you’ll find donkeys doing much of the heavy lifting, helping locals get their goods from A to B and even offering an old-fashioned ride on the beach.

That village is Clovelly, a picture-perfect spot on the north Devon coast. With its whitewashed cottages, flower-decked balconies, and views stretching across the sea, it has long been a favourite spot for visitors lucky enough to know about it.

But aside from its unique transportation, Clovelly boasts a rather grand claim to fame, once being owned by the Queen – not Lizzie but England’s first ever crowned Queen, Matilda of Flanders.

Originally, the estate was owned by William the Conqueror, who gifted it to his wife, where it would be a private royal village for hundreds of years, until it was acquired by the Giffard family and would remain relatively unknown for the next 800 years.

Today it belongs to the Hon. John Rous, whose mother was a cousin of the late Queen Elizabeth II, giving the village a royal link that’s as unexpected as it is impressive.

The picturesque corner of Devon has also inspired some of the best creative works of the generation. J.M.W. Turner painted the village’s coastline, and Charles Dickens even wrote about it in his 1860 short story “A Message from the Sea.”

One happy visitor leaving a review on TripAdvisor said: “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 before 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.”

While another added: “We were very lucky that when we first arrived at the car park it was lunch time and it was raining cats and dogs (mid-July) so we decided to have our packed lunch in the car.

With its historic streets,  trademark donkeys, and stunning views, Clovelly remains one of the must-visit hidden gems of England, and is well worth a stop by on a trip to Devon – even if it does cost £9.50.