ROYAL HISTORY
Stunning English village you need to pay to visit and was owned by the Queen of England
The village has resident donkeys and a very royal history
A PRETTY village in the UK was once owned by the Queen of England... and you'll need to pay to visit it.
Clovelly was owned by William the Conqueror who then gave the village to his wife, Matilda Flanders, as a gift.
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The village was owned by royalty until the 1200s.
Since then, Clovelly has been owned by different families and is currently under the care of John Rouss, who inherited the village from his mum in 1983.
If you plan a visit, the village looks like it's stuck in time with quaint cobbled streets.
Even the 83 cottages in the village are hundreds of years old and the fact Clovelly car free adds to the atmosphere.
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The stunning seaside village requires a ticket and entry fee for anyone planning a visit.
Adults can visit Clovelly for £9.50, with children aged seven to 16 needing to pay £5.50.
It's worth it though as the charge covers the cost of parking, entry to the Court Gardens, museums and the film show where you can learn about the village history.
The fee goes into maintaining the village to preserve its character and charm.
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There are lots of things to pack into a day in Clovelly, so stop at the Court Gardens which are open all year round.
One happy visitor called the gardens a "hidden gem" and its no surprise given they have lots of flowers, Victorian greenhouses, and views of Bideford Bay.
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At the top of the village are the Clovelly donkeys.
Because locals aren't allowed to use their cars they used to transport their belongings or deliveries using donkeys.
Now, they use sledges, to get heavy or awkwardly shaped goods down the hill, they'll put them on a sledge and let them slip down the streets.
But you can still visit the donkeys, called Rex, Bert, Ernie and Alfred, in their stables, who are a symbol of the village.
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For anyone who wants to learn more about the village history, The Fisherman's Cottage is found on the coastal path.
The cottage has been made to look like it belongs in the 1930s so you can see how a local fisherman would have lived.
Other attraction spots in the village include Clovelly Quay, the Mount Pleasant Monument, and the All Saints Church.
For anyone planning to fish in the harbour, a licence must be brought first from the Red Lion pub.
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Speaking of, the Red Lion, built in the 18th century, has an incredible sea view and has 17 rooms for anyone who wants more than a day to explore the village.
Here, the Sun Travel team picked out their favourite English villages.
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