Village definition
A village is a human settlement of a small size which is typically situated in a rural location. Broadly, a village tends to have a population of between 500 and 2,500, making it larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town. Historically, in the UK, villages tended to be classified as such when a church was built.
During the Industrial Revolution, people were drawn in greater numbers away from villages to towns and cities, or villages grew into towns themselves.
Traditionally, many villages developed as a form of community that was based around some form of amenity or trade, such as subsistence farming or fishing. In some cases, a village would be a form of ‘linear settlement’, i.e. one that was built in a line such as a along a railway line, road, river or coastline. Alternatively, they could be clustered around a central point, such as a church, market, or public space such as a ‘village green’. This is referred to as a ‘nucleated settlement’.
Planned villages are those which do not develop naturally around a central point or linear settlement but are instead created by urban planners.
In January 2017, the government announced the development of the 14 garden villages across England, with the potential to deliver more than 48,000 new homes. These may range in size from 1,500 to 10,000 homes, and will be distinct new places with their own community facilities, rather than extensions of existing urban areas. For more information, see Garden village.
The term ‘village’ can also be used to refer to particular neighbourhoods within a larger area, such as Greenwich Village in Manhattan, Chorlton Village in Greater Manchester, and the Olympic Village in London. These are often seen as being desirable areas and are sometimes part of a process of gentrification.
NB The GEN Glossary, published by the Global Ecovillage Network, [accessed 24/20/2022], defines a village as: ‘A clustered human settlement, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town, with a population ranging from a few tens to a few thousand. Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to urban neighborhoods.’
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
Apprenticeship announcement by the Prime Minister
Welcomed but with call for more actionable detail.
Heat pump announcements, what homeowners need to know
An 'ultimate guide to heat pumps' from a heating company.
Construction contract awards reach £7.1bn in February
Their highest level in seven months.
The journey to sustainability in heritage
Research is the key to better understanding.
Heritage approaches to adaptation, mitigation and loss.
Bridging the gap between policy, finance and installation.
Development on brownfield land
Definition, background, policy and the latest consultation.
With the Design Framework for Building Services.
Retrofit of Buildings, a CIOB Technical Publication
Pertinent technical issues, measures and the roles involved.
ECA joins HSE campaign to support mental health
Working Minds’ five simple steps based on risk assessment.
Mental health in the construction industry
Mental health issues in brief with related articles.
Transitional arrangements, Building Control and the BSR.
For pre-October buildings with substantial progress by April.
Why quality counts in domestic ventilation systems
From products, to systems to the installation.
Empowering the Future with CIOB Academy
Lifelong learning, upscaling, and reskilling for the built environment.