Moving to Wiltshire

error - Trowbridge cinema, etc, has certainly made that a nice area, and we go a lot - but have you been in the town centre recently??

Sounds to me like Salisbury might be the best move for all of you as a family ... wish I lived there!!

Frome is a good area. Still got the trains to Bath, good schools and lots of artisan shops.
Wiltshire generally is a little odd (meant kindly, we moved here 25 years ago from London)
But it's a great county. I don't think The Deverills are particularly well served by public transport, and most 17 year olds do learn to drive (ime) so they have more independence.
I love Salisbury, but Bath has more going on for teenagers. Also Salisbury is the only area in the county with Grammar schools, for the rest if us it's not an issue that's even in the radar. There are some excellent comprehensives. But do your research.
The area around Warminster is very much focussed on the families of armed forces.
Trowbridge has improved hugely in the last few years, there's a lot investment happening currently. The area around the cinema is very family friendly, and there are some great independent pubs and restaurants, plus easy access (20mins by train) to Bath. It's just that the secondary schools aren't that great.

I didn't like Westbury much it looked really rundown. But there is a free school in Frome I was looking into.

The deprived areas and the over privileged areas in London are all expensive. But I agree it is an odd county. The house I'm viewing tomorrow is Hill Deverill south of Warminster. It's all basically down to more house and more driving there. Or less driving and more expensive house in Salisbury with really good
Schools. I have had enough of adulting now. It's still cheaper then the alternative and the schools in London are not good.

Depending what side of Warminster you are, Westbury has good train links to Paddington. Wouldn't recommend schools in Westbury, though. There are plenty of free school buses that serve rural areas, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.
For a 17-year-old's social life I'd recommend Salisbury or anywhere that links to Bath (Trowbridge or Bradford, by train). For secondary schools I'd recommend Salisbury grammars (if your middle child is currently finishing Y5 then probably not too late to do the 11 plus??) Chippenham, Marlborough, Bradford. Not sure what the non-selective schools are like in Salisbury, because obviously the grammars will cream off the top sets.
It's a funny county, ranging from quite deprived towns to super-posh.

I can mix with middle class and the roughians....... being that I'm from
London class doesn't really matter to me just hate scummy people. The house I wanted just outside of
Trowbridge has now gone (we are renting for now). I'm over tomorrow and will be seeing a house 3 miles
Outside of Warminster and one just north of Salisbury. Worried that one in Warminster is a little to remote for my 17 year old. I feel I'm going to be a taxi service if I don't pick Salisbury.

Hi there

Salisbury has the only grammar schools in Wiltshire. I've known people move there specifically to be in the catchment. Agree with the above post that St Augustine's is the only really good school in Trowbridge. Chippenham schools both good, but Chippenham and Trowbridge are not middle-class towns if that matters to you.
Salisbury, Malmesbury. Bradford and Marlborough are leafy and middle-class. Devizes is a mixed bag.
There's a good new state school in Marlborough - St John's - with a popular sixth form. PM me if you like!

Thank you. Where I was looking was a 2 /3 miles outside Trowbridge. As I don't like the look of the area it self. I think my daughter is going to have to learn to drive as soon as possible. Do school buses come go to different areas?
I'm also looking at Salisbury. But it's so much more expensive and Bath isn't close.

It's all so confusing.

Oh and re transport, as in many rural area there are school buses.

Have a look at Chippenham, preferably in the catchment for Sheldon or Hardenhuish.
There's a Wiltshire College campus, opposite the train station. Direct trains to Paddington and more locally, Bath and Bristol.
I would only look at Trowbridge if you are catholic, the other 2 secondary schools are significantly less good.
Bradford on Avon is very pretty, good secondary school but your older DD would need to travel to College, short bus/train to Trowbridge college, or a lot of the local kids get the train to Bath College.
If you want pretty, also look at Malmesbury. Beautiful tiny town, excellent schools, but poor public transport for the older teen.