When looking for historical quotes to set the context for an article, you are rarely disappointed by the words of Winston Churchill. Indeed, it was he who said, “We shape our buildings, thereafter they shape us.”

Not bad as a prelude for a piece on the impact of how the heritage of the built environment affects the desirability of a city. But to continually rely on one man for words of inspiration can smack of a lack of imagination.

And so, it came as a blessed relief to stumble upon the words of John Ruskin, a polymath of the Victorian era, who said, “When we build, let us think that we build forever”. Ten words that sum up why the architectural pedigree of an area and its enduring appeal are closely interwoven.

The subjective nature of what constitutes good architecture sits somewhat uncomfortably for someone who spends more time analysing statistics than extolling the virtues of streetscape. But fortunately, from an analytical perspective, there are others who have done that heavy lifting in listing our nation’s heritage buildings and designating our Conservation Areas.

And it was these two measures which we used to deliver a shortlist of the most desirable heritage cities.

To ensure they would offer all the other advantages and amenities of city living, we added the proviso that these should have seen at least 2,500 housing transactions in the past five years. To include St David’s in Pembrokeshire (with a population of less than 2,000) would have sat uncomfortably, as would have accommodating the primarily financial district of the City of London.

That is not to denounce the charm of smaller cathedral cities, such as Ripon in Yorkshire, Wells in Somerset or Ely in Cambridgeshire, but instead to ensure our statistical selections have the broadest appeal for those who seek urban life. A mention in dispatches should also go to Canterbury, whose historical significance means it benefits from an abundance of heritage buildings, but unusually does not command a house price premium.

The top five include Bath with a plethora of crescents and circuses, and Edinburgh with the medieval street patterns of the Old Town and more regimented streets, squares and gardens of the New Town. While others contain buildings recognised by UNESCO, these are the only two conurbations in the UK with more widespread World Heritage Status.

The appeal of both owes much to the quality of their Georgian architecture. No coincidence that this came out as the most popular historical architectural style in our recent client survey.

But, by ranking desirability by reference to how the average house price in each shortlisted city compares to its wider regional equivalent, the City of Westminster comes top of the list. This is despite the pressure seen on house prices through the likes of Mayfair, Marylebone, St James’ and St John’s Wood in recent years.

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_{Read the articles within Prime UK Residential – Spring/Summer 2026 below}