Moving to Shropshire: advice please!

[Ruraldream]

Hi, dh and I would like to move to Shropshire to experience a different way of life to the city. We would like something like a market town or a busy village. We'd like somewhere with amenities and a community feel. We have primary aged dc so would need a good school too. I would need to find admin/tto type position.

We'd like a four bed detached around £300K budget.

Can anyone please recommend some areas that we can go and visit?

Bump please!

Oswestry would be worth looking at. It's not isolated, and has decent amenities and schools. Houses aren't as expensive as those in Shrewsbury, and there's a good mix of housing.

Shifnal. Expanding village very close to telford, where there would be jobs for you and lots of amenities. Good schools too.

Glentworth View, Morda, Oswestry, SY10
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-59617839.html

No idea about house prices but bridgnorth is nice and commutable to telford, shrewsbury etc. lots of primary schools to choose from, then 3 secondaries (one is a bus ride away). there's no massive need to leave town regularly, there is even a cheapish cinema in the town, but there is no train station and buses can be unreliable in the area so you must drive to be able to leave!

Lots of community events, carnival and euro food market in summer and christmas lights event in winter. There's often stuff on at the park too. Market is on saturday mornings and absolutely consumes the high street so expect to have to walk down if you go!

Nearby is broseley (technically telford, small, no supermarket, but not isolated), ditton priors (isolated but has a little shop, post office, gp) and much wenlock (also a market town). Church Stretton is in the middle of the AONB and has a train station and everything you need in town, but is in the middle of nowhere! There's also Ludlow which has a market but I've never visited so can't comment!

Also visit aforementioned shrewsbury, many of the small towns I have mentioned are near to either there or one of the other big towns so you would go there at some point eventually.

Newport has 2 of the best secondary schools in the county. The primaries are fab too, outstanding rated.
Lovely sized town, plenty of local amenities and good transport links and you'd get a good sized house for your budget.

Bridgnorth is a lovely area. Lots to do locally and nice schools available to you.

Shifnal is also nice. A lot going on there and it's got a nice vibe to it. Lots of places quite local. I'm not familiar with the schools there though.

Not wishing to offend anyone but Oswestry has one of the worst drug problems in Shropshire. I would go to Newport or Shrewsbury.

I would have previously said Shifnal but given how many houses they’ve built and how few services to go with them, and one single lane road to the shops in the middle I wouldn’t anymore...

Not sure which city you’re coming from but really I’d aim for Shrewsbury, Whitchurch, Ludlow. Some parts of Telford can be nice. A lot of Telford and around is rough. I was born there so feel qualified

Shropshire countryside is amazing.

Bridgenorth also food suggestion.

Shrewsbury. Lovely town good arts culture, food, schools. Excellent range of beautiful walks / sights nearby.

I live close to Shropshire, the south east side of it anyway.
Bridgnorth does have a train station - but for Severn Valley Railway steam trains!
It also has a funicular railway linking High Town with Low Town.
It’s a nice town with individual shops and pubs, cafes etc, plus country pubs and easy access to Telford as a pp said, and Wolverhampton, the Black Country, Shrewsbury and Kidderminster.
Telford is good for leisure facilities and shopping with a huge park, ice rink etc, and again easy to get to surrounding towns for work. I don’t think I’d choose to live in Telford though. It’s a bit soulless.
Don’t know much about Church Stretton except it’s in lovely countryside.
Again I don’t really know much about Ludlow, Shrewsbury or Oswestry.
Shropshire in general though is a pretty place to live. Lots of rivers, the main one being the Severn, hills, and both indoor and outdoor activities. And not too far from Wales for days out in the mountains or by the coast.

South Shropshire is good with reasonable links to the M5. Cleobury Mortimer is a lovely village. Craven Arms is a nice market town. Not sure about schools though.

Shrewsbury is lovely. Telford not so much.

Thank you everyone! I'll make a note of those. What is Market Drayton like?

Shrewsbury church Stretton south Shropshire is lovely. House prices a bit steeper than your budget in some parts. Church Stretton is lovely good schools nice community gorgeous scenery but small depending what you are used to.
Market Drayton is ok I can’t comment on community or anything but it’s a bit run down in places. The villages around the area are pretty such as Audlem but again one shop type place.
Personally and I live in Shropshire I would go Shrewsbury area or south like Ludlow.

Saint Martin’s maybe? It’s quite difficult to find a busy village as post offices and shops closed long ago in most villages, but Stan’s supermarket is keeping St Martin’s more vibrant as a village.

I also like Ellesmere a lot, it has a cuter vibe than St Martin’s.

There are also some lovely villages across the border in Wales but they are overrun with tourists for most of the year which gives them a different feel.

Cleobury Mortimer is a sweet village

though strictly worcestershire i moved to Tenbury Wells nearly 4 years ago and have never regretted it. it is a lovely town lots to do and good bus service lots of housing too good schoools etc

drugs are everywhere, although Shropshire does have a big 'county lines' problem from Birmingham and Liverpool. Thank you to all the mumsnetters who see no harm in recreational drugs and teach their kids the same. You support the crime, the stabbings and the cuckooing.

Don't come to Shropshire unless in good health; current plan is to close Telford A and E and Shrewsbury is already hopelessly overloaded. Anything serious goes out of county to Stoke.

don't come here to give birth either, you'll be looking at a long drive for that unless you are in Shrewsbury. Plus side is much less traffic so at least it won't take so long.

Labaz, I came on here to recommend Ludlow, a stunningly beautiful town where I went to school, then I saw your mention of Tenbury Wells.

Yes, officially Worcestershire, though the county boundary is on the bridge at the end of Teme Street, where I was born.

We live far away now, but returned last week for my brother's funeral and I was struck yet again what a lovely little town it is.

I am so glad you enjoy living there.

Otherwise, If Shropshire is a 'must do' I would suggest the OP only looks at towns south of Shrewsbury, much nicer than those to the north and east.

TrickyD Ludlow is a very pretty place always enjoy going to the market and shops there. well worth a visit
you are right about the boundaries re the bridge sorry to hear you had to go to funeral.

mencken has good points. Issues with hospitals most places, but them closing Telford A&E will mean a long old drive to an overfull Shrewsbury.

I think Market Drayton is an odd one really. I like the centre, it's got some lovely little independent shops (including a gorgeous choc one and a great health food store) plus a thriving festival hall BUT it seems to have a bit of a rough reputation. The secondary school used to have a dreadful reputation but I think it has improved a lot recently.

Shropshire is very pretty.
Having spent quite a lot of time in Ludlow I have to say I find it very dull. It's an older persons town. My DD really dislikes visiting and always comments on how few children there are.
Leominster is grim.
Shrewsbury looks really nice but I don't know it.