There have been quite a lot of threads about Ashford- try a search.

I've lived in Ashford for 23 years and I hate it. I can't see why anyone would want to live here but people are moving here in their thousands so hey, must be me.

I do take issue with Whiffy about the schools though.. that is one thing we have got right. 10 years or so ago most of the high schools in Ashford had a bad reputation but all have pulled their socks up. As for the grammar schools, Langton has a better reputation but is much harder to get into than Knatchbull, simply because there are more people chasing fewer places. And I have heard bad things about Maidstone Girls.

Most of Ashford's housing is new estates. The newer ones are very expensive and well out of the reach of anyone born and brought up here. As for nice areas, there are a few areas best avoided that will be obvious if you visit... everywhere else depends on what you want. Some people enjoy living on the larger estates and seem to have quite a good sense of community while others slag them off. I think it's fair to say that the more you pay for your house the "nicer" the area is likely to be

One word of warning though is that schools don't have a catchment area as such. Probably you'd be OK coming into the area but we have a school 2 minutes from our house that wouldn't take our kids. There is no guarantee that moving next door to a "good" school automatically gets you a place.

ononemap.com shows you on a map where there are houses for sale, with a picture, so should give you an idea of what is available.

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Ashford itself pretty ropey - has always been the very poor relation to places like Canterbury. Schools don't have best reputation either. When I was a kid my mum disapproved of my having friends from Ashford IYKWIM. The whole town is wall to wall with 70's and 80's characterless housing estates which are all showing their age.

But but but there are some truly fabulous villages to live in around Ashford - houses are half the price of what you would pay for the equivalent in the home counties. Wye is a huge village, really civilised, more like a small town really. If you want something smaller with shedloads of character then go for villages like Pluckley (where 'darling buds of may' was filmed) & Marden. If you can fo further afield then Cranbook and surrounding villages must be one of best spots in the country to live - very beautiful, reasonable train links and just about every school in area has a fab reputation.

Another alternative if you can afford it is Chilham which is beautiful and very des res though the nearest good primary school is a drive away in Selling.

Area has grammer schools but I think the better ones are in Canterbury (Langton) or Maidstone rather than the ones in Ashford. Very very good private schools also in Canterbury or Maidstone (or further afield in Dover). I haven't heard of any good private schools in Ashford area - don't think there is the demand - but there's a good private prep in Wye I think (might be girls only, not sure).

Good websites www.struttandparker.com for posh houses in area, Browns is name of estate agent for smaller cottagey houses in area but don't know web address. If you type KentMessenger.co.uk into internet you will get the local newspaper group for area so that will give you lots of links.

Yell if you need further info.

sorry that should be advise you.

We don't live in Ashford so I can't advice you but a good place to start some research is www.upmystreet.com.

HTH

We may have to move there in the next year. How is it- house prices, schools, nice areas etc?