Ryan Reynolds and Claire Foy: Famous faces with links to the best places in the UK to retire

To many, retirement is a time in life when you can finally get your feet up and enjoy your days after a lifetime of hard work. It's a moment to look forward to once you reach your middle years and one to be relished.

As a result, many people who have been living in busy bustling cities may want to find quieter digs in towns or the countryside to settle down - somewhere with a little more peace and quiet on offer.

But where do you go to find this? Thankfully, Which? has compiled a list of the 12 best places in the UK to retire.

The research includes areas in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England - these are the locations making it onto the list:

• Broxbourne
• Elmbridge
• Exeter
• High Peak
• Kirklees
• Merton
• Mid and East Antrim
• Newcastle-under-Lyme
• Outer Hebrides
• South Tyneside
• Stockport
• Wrexham

In light of the list offering an insight into where is best to spend your later years, NationalWorld takes a look at the famous born who live or were born in these areas.

Broxbourne

This town in Hertfordshire is only 17 miles north of London and just outside the M25. The name is believed to derive from the Old English words brocc and burna meaning Badger stream.

A famous resident of the town was legendary goalkeeper Ray Clemence who won three European Cups for Liverpool and holds the record for most clean sheets in football history at 460.

Clemence died in 2020 after a long battle with prostate cancer.

Elmbridge

This trendy Surrey borough is home to a number of famous stars. Among them are tennis ace Sir Andy Murray, former footballer John Terry, and music legend Sir Cliff Richard.

Only an hour away from Central London, the borough has proved a popular location with some of Britain's most famous faces. It's easy to see why it has garnered a reputation as Britain's Beverly Hills.

Properties here don't come cheap though. On one estate, houses have sold for as much as £20 million.

Exeter

Exeter is a UK city known for its Cathedral and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery. The Devon city has a strong history linked to the arts, culture, education and sport.

It is yet another place where famous people have settled. One of those is the controversial celebrity figure Katie Hopkins.

After being handed a £500,000 legal bill after being sued for libel by Jack Monroe, Hopkins spoke about how she was forced to sell her £1 million five-bed mansion on Magdalen Road, Exeter in 2018.

High Peak

The Borough of High Peak in Derbyshire is situated on the edge of the Peak District National Park and is partly made up of the spa town Buxton. Buxton is England's highest market town at 1,000 feet above sea level.

One famous person from Buxton is actress Elizabeth Spriggs who was famous for her roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 1978, she won the Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for Arnold Wesker's Love Letters on Blue Paper. Spriggs died in 2008.

Kirklees

Kirklees is a district in West Yorkshire comprised the eight towns of Batley, Birstall, Cleckheaton, Dewsbury, Heckmondwike, Holmfirth, Huddersfield and Mirfield. The largest settlement in the district is Huddersfield.

The town is well-known as the place Sir Patrick Stewart was born and home to his beloved Huddersfield FC. Undoubtedly one of the best actors of his generation, Stewart has long keep his Huddersfield roots close to his heart.

Merton

The south London borough of Merton was formed in 1965 when Mitcham, Wimbledon and Merton merged. It's the place the world-famous All England Lawn Tennis Club is based.

It is also been home to a number of famous residents including comedian Jo Brand. Brand has lived in South London for much of her life including while working at South London Bethlem Hospital before her career in comedy.

Mid and East Antrim

This Northern Ireland borough is where the town of Ballymena is located. Ballymena is the seventh largest town in the country and was built near the Braid River on land given by King Charles I.

A famous person who hails from the town is Northern Irish TV presenter and journalist Jackie Fullerton.

Newcastle-under-Lyme

Despite its name, this town is actually located far away from the city of Newcastle and in the county of Staffordshire. The town was formed off the back of the silk weaving and coal mining industries.

One famous face born in the town is TV personality and Love Island star Wes Nelson.

Outer Hebrides/ Western Isles

Along with being a great place to retire to, the picturesque area is also a tourist hotspot for those looking to get away from it all. The islands are home to various important prehistoric structures, many of which pre-date the first written references to the islands by Roman and Greek authors.

Famed poet and writer Angus Peter Campbell was born on South Lochboisdale, South Ulst, which makes up part of the Western Isles. Campbell was an award-winning poet, journalist and broadcaster whose works were mainly written in Scottish Gaelic.

South Tyneside

South Shields is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, another area featuring in the list of best places to retire. A famous resident from South Shields is Dame Catherine Cookson whose novels about life in the North East have topped £100 million in sales.

Cookson died in 1998 after a life devoted to the North East. She was born in Lean Lane, Tyne Dock in 1906.

Stockport

There's no shortage of celebs to pick from when it comes to Stockport. The industrial town is only seven miles south of Manchester.

One star hailing from here is actress Claire Foy who played Queen Elizabeth II in the earlier seasons of The Crown. It is also where Michelle Keegan, Tess Daly, and footballer Phil Foden spent their early years.

Wrexham

The final place on the list is Wrexham. Wrexham County Borough is located just near the Wales-England border.

The area has grown in fame in recent years thanks to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's takeover of Wrexham AFC in November 2020. Thanks to the Hollywood stars, life in Wrexham has never been so appealing.

So much so that Ryan Reynolds himself is reported to have bought a £1.5 million mansion in the borough's village of Marford for £1.5 million earlier this year.