We all wish life could be a little bit like the movies, especially when the movie in question is The Holiday.
With its cosy cottages, snowy countryside and Jude Law sitting in the local pub, the iconic Nancy Meyers flick makes life in Shere, Surrey, look like an absolute dream.
But what is it really like to live in the village that had a starring role in one of the most famous Christmas films of all time?
Well, according to those who live and work there, it actually is just as idyllic as it seems on screen. And with a café called The Dabbling Duck and a church that looks straight out of a fairytale, it’s not hard to see why people are so enchanted by the place…
‘You can’t go into Shere and not fall in love with it,’ Howard Wagstaff tells Metro.
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‘It’s such a quintessential little English village, with a stream running through the middle. It’s got a greengrocer’s and a little bakery – it’s very cute.’
The 41-year-old sales executive has lived in the village for nine years. Having grown up in Surrey, he moved to Shere after falling for its charm, and then experienced his own real-life rom-com while living there.
He fell in love, got married, and they’ve since welcomed three beautiful children.
Outside of work, Howard raises sheep, which are kept in a very special spot in the village – the field in which Kate Winslet’s cottage was built for the film.
Yes, I’m sorry to break it to you, Holiday fans, but that beautiful house doesn’t actually exist; the crew merely built a facade in a field behind the church.
But this doesn’t stop tourists from flocking to the village in search of it, as well as other popular locations visited by Cameron Diaz and Jude Law.
While some in Shere aren’t so keen on their village being constantly swarmed by film lovers, Howard enjoys the ‘hustle and bustle’, and acknowledges a lot of the local businesses probably still wouldn’t be going if it weren’t for tourism.
‘The Holiday is one of my favourite films, my wife always takes the p*ss out of me for wanting to watch it as many times as I can at Christmas,’ he admits.
‘Myself and a couple of local families raise sheep in the same field that was used in the film, so I often find myself talking to tourists, showing them where they built the cottage.
‘One time, I met a lady who was in her 80s, and she was struggling down a nearby country lane with her suitcase.
‘I pulled over to ask if I could help, and she told me she’d flown over from Canada and wanted to see the village.
‘I threw her luggage into the back of my Defender and gave her a tour of the place. She loved it.’
As well as the field, people also love to go for a drink or roast dinner at the White Horse pub, in the centre of Shere.
Covered in wooden beams, with a roaring fire, the White Horse is everything you’d want a country pub to be, but it’s not its appearance that has people desperate to get in.
‘They have the section where Cameron Diaz and Jude Law sat and had a drink, and people literally queue up to take a quick photo at that table. It’s very popular,’ Howard explains.
His favourite thing about living in Shere isn’t its Hollywood links, though, it’s the community spirit.
‘Everyone’s got your back, it’s incredible. Whenever I nip to the shop, I always end up getting a message from my wife asking if I’m lost, and it’s because I’ll have bumped into someone, and people here really want to know how you are, it’s very wholesome.’
Hannah Connell, the co-founder of Split Figs, an interior design and concept store in the village, agrees that the local community is phenomenal.
‘There’s an amazing community, and you might be surprised to know it’s actually a really young community. The village is really great for people of all ages,’ she says.
The 43-year-old, who founded Split Figs in 2022 with her mum Moya, has become an integral part of the village, and the shop itself has carved out its own cult following online. Shoppers come from all over to visit the store, travelling from the Cayman Islands, New Zealand and all across the UK.
The store recently went viral for its Christmas decorations thanks to the giant red and white striped bow over the front door, which even earned them Nancy Meyers’ seal of approval.
The director commented that she ‘loves it’ on the ‘gram.
Hannah lives in nearby East Molesey, but spent a lot of time visiting a family friend in Shere growing up, and knew instantly it was the perfect place to set up shop.
‘My mum always used to say, going to Shere was like going to Narnia, it feels like you’ve gone through the wardrobe and into another world.
‘You really feel it when you’re coming from the A3, you drive over Newlands Corner, and suddenly the scenery is just so beautiful, with all the rolling hills.’
But her favourite part is when you reach the village itself, as no matter how many times she drives in, she’s always struck by what a ‘remarkably special’ place it is.
‘Shere has this magical quality to it, it opens up in the daytime, and it’s so full and busy. But the real beauty of it is actually in the evenings, when everyone has gone home, and the village goes to sleep, and kind of goes in on itself.’
Both Howard and Hannah agree that during the week is when Shere is at its quietest, and when it comes to places you have to visit in the area, the pair couldn’t praise Hilly’s Tea Shop enough.
‘Definitely grab a coffee or a scone from Hilly’s,’ said Hannah, who also recommends taking your kids to Shere Delights for ice cream or sweets ahead of a walk around the area.
Howard agreed Hilly’s was a must, and revealed a local secret, sharing that it’s the best place to go in the village on a Friday night.
‘Dean, one of the owners at Hilly’s, turns it into a cocktail bar, and he does the most awesome cocktails.’
He adds: ‘On a summer’s night, the square outside is rammed, as people stand out there sipping drinks, and ordering pizzas to go with them.’
This story was first published on December 24, 2024.
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