A North Yorkshire town known for its picturesque buildings and “wiggly” streets of independent shops has been named one of the prettiest in the UK by The Telegraph.

Ripon made the top list and it seems to be quite the compliment as there are around 1,250 towns across England, Scotland and Wales.

The publisher said: “But which are the prettiest towns in Great Britain? To find out, we called upon our experts across the country to give their verdict on the most beautiful settlements in the land.

“We asked each expert to rank their towns on the pleasantness of their shop fronts, historic architecture, low traffic/litter, stunning viewpoints and plentiful greenery, culminating in a score out of 50.”

What did The Telegraph say about Ripon being one of the UK’s prettiest towns?

Ripon received an overall score of 41/50 and a score of 8/10 for its shop fronts.

The Telegraph commented: “Technically, Ripon is a city, but to the 16,000 locals it’s a town that just happens to have a cathedral.

"Visit on market day (Thursday) and the central market place is filled with the buzz and chatter that only local town markets – cheese stall, artisan breads, farm-produced sausages – can engender.

“Running off the market place are wiggly streets of independent shops – from an art gallery and bookshop to butchers and an eco-shop – plus places to eat and drink, including an Anglo-Indian tea shop and French-inspired bakery and restaurant.”

It added: “Buildings are a pleasant jumble of Georgian and Victorian with the odd half-timbered Tudor façade while sitting modestly just off-centre is the medieval cathedral with its wide-open welcoming doors, Anglo-Saxon crypt and Tudor misericords.

“Other historic buildings house the town’s three well-run museums. With three rivers, a canal, plus the spa gardens (bowling green, bandstand, crazy golf), there are numerous walks and quiet spaces.

“Alternatively, a decent programme of live music can be found in both its pubs and churches as well as at an annual beer festival in the cathedral’s gardens.”

The publisher said Ripon’s best view point is “from the lower end of cobbled Kirkgate, with its colourful shop fronts, towards the golden-hued west front of the Cathedral.”

Commenting on where to stay, The Telegraph recommended Valentino’s, an Italian restaurant with five townhouse-smart rooms (doubles priced from £120 B&B).