Alnwick is top place to live

The Prince of Wales recently opened Alnwick Gardens

The small Northumbian town of Alnwick is the best place to live in the UK, according to a magazine survey.

The home to the wealthy Dukes of Northumberland since 1309, is the best when it comes to house prices, crime rate and local amenities.

The survey rated Midhurst in West Sussex, home to rock stars, as second best.

The Cornish fishing village Fowey, and Tetbury, Gloucestershire, were close behind.

Top 10 places to live

1. Alnwick, Northumberland

2. Midhurst, West Sussex

3. Fowey, Cornwall

3. Tetbury, Gloucestershire

5. Crail, Anstruther, Scotland

6. Presteigne, Welsh Border

7. Fakenham, Norfolk

8. Richmond, North Yorkshire

9. Framlingham, Suffolk

10. Wimborne, Dorset

The study says Alnwick is also best for local character, quality of local produce, sporting and outdoor opportunities, weather and historical or cultural buildings.

The town also scored highly for its transport links to cities, traffic congestion and future development possibilities.

Although the magazine said Alnwick was a surprise winner, it came first by "a country mile".

It scored well on local history, being home to the famous castle which has been a backdrop to many films, including a starring role as Hogwarts Castle in the Harry Potter movies.

The Prince of Wales recently opened Alnwick Gardens, designed by Lady Jane Percy, which include huge water features and which cost of £7m.

The town, 30 miles north of Newcastle, is close to the exceptional countryside of Northumberland National Park and the North East coastline.

As hill farming is the mainstay of the local economy house prices remain low.

The town was voted top in a magazine survey

Although there are plenty of historic stone homes in the town, "Alnwick is no chocolate-box fantasy of rural living... it has the facilities required for life in the real world", said the survey.

Alnwick Town mayor Ken Gray said: "My first reaction to hearing this is one of pleasant surprise, but really pleased we have got this.

"Alnwick is one of the most unspoilt towns that we have left in the country.

"It is a tribute to all of the local authorities and to the people of Alnwick that have done a lot to make Alnwick the place that it is."

Country Life editor Clive Aslet said: "Money doesn't necessarily make you happy... although it is home to the Duke of Northumberland so he may be the exception."

The editor said he hoped the outcome of the survey would not make Alnwick even more popular.

"I don't think it needs much encouragement, it seems to be doing very well on its own."