A slice of rural heaven, this riverside haven has buzzy pubs, indie shops and an whizzy commute to London... we have a worthy winner!

The privet hedges were trimmed, the brass knockers polished and it was a tooth-and-nail contest among Berkshire’s finest towns and villages. But your votes in the inaugural Muddy ‘Best Places to Live’ competition have now been counted and…*drumroll*….the we’re delighted to announce that the worthy winner is: 

PANGBOURNE

This picture perfect village in West Berkshire has inspired literary greats and, because of its super whizzy commute into old London town, is one of the most sought-after locations to call home. It will seduce with its chocolate box prettiness, riverside walks, cosy pubs, outstanding schools and a high street full of chichi independent shops. Here, read our full Best Places to Live guide to Pangbourne to get a 360 on what makes it so special, and check out the final voting results.

1/ Pangbourne
2/ Cookham
3/ Windsor
4/ Bucklebury
5/ Wokingham
6/ Caversham
7/ Wargrave
8/ Riseley

Want a peek over the border at the best places to live in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire or Surrey maybe plot the location for your next break or dream holiday home? Check out the full list of winners across 25 counties. 

Don’t agree with the verdict? Let us know in the comments below if you have a gem we’ve missed out and we’ll hotfoot it down there to see if can make the cut for next time.