If you’re finding the sheer size of the capital city slightly overwhelming, allow us to point you in the direction of a place that is small but oh-so mighty. Just thirty minutes from London, you’ll find Bekonscot Model Village. This teeny-tiny town is now the oldest original model village in the whole world. And it’s a filled to the brim with delightfully detailed buildings, models, and immaculate gardens to gawp at.
The history of Bekonscot
At some point in the mid-1920s, Roland Callingham (an accountant from London) had a pretty avid interest in model railways. His wife (understandably) told him to take his hobby outside the house, and – well… her wish truly was his command. Callingham snapped himself up four acres of land in Beaconsfield and built himself an entire mini model English village – complete with 366 metre-long model railway. Because, why not, right?
In 1929, the model village opened to the general public as Bekonscot. It rapidly became a popular tourist attraction, and the rest is history, really. It’s still going strong to this very day, and has seen over 14 million visitors take to its tiny streets to get up close and personal with the intricately detailed model buildings. It’s had some pretty impressive claims to fame over the years, too. Enid Blighton’s short story, ‘The Enchanted Village’ was supposedly inspired by Bekonscot, it featured in an episode of ‘Midsomer Murders’, and it’s been visited by multiple members of the royal family. Not bad, hey?
Bekonscot nowadays
Not a great deal has changed in the 96 years since Bekonscot first opened its doors to the public. I guess that’s part of the charm of it. It still perfectly captures small-town life in 1930s England, but has been updated a few times along the way. In the 1990s, for example, various office buildings were added to Bekonscot, and a mini replica of Concorde was added to the teeny-tiny airfield section.
Made up of seven fictitious villages, Bekonscot Model Village boasts hundreds of elaborately-detailed buildings, many of which are replicas of notable buildings across the UK. There’s an airport, a cable car, a cathedral, a castle, a fishing port, a zoo, and various pubs and windmills. You name it, Bekonscot has probably got a mini version of it. The model railway now spans almost 400 metres of track, and there’s 12 stations scattered across the village. Bekonscot is also home to 3000 model shrubs and trees. Alongside wandering through the picture-perfect areas of Bekonscot, you can also hop on the ride-on light railway, visit the pirate-themed adventure playground, or have a pit-stop in the tearoom. It truly is the ultimate family-friendly day out.
Getting to Bekonscot from London
Bekonscot is within very easy reach of the capital city, making it the perfect place for a daytrip from London. Direct trains from London Marylebone to Beaconsfield take just 26 minutes, and Bekonscot is then just a short walk from the station. If you’d rather hop in the car, though, Bekonscot is approximately an hour’s drive from London. And there’s free parking available at St Teresa’s church which is directly opposite Bekonscot.
Find out more about ticket prices, opening times, and planning your visit to Bekonscot here.