Moving to Northamptonshire

[belle40]

Hello. I'd be grateful for any advice from anyone who lives in / knows Northamptonshire. I've recently been contacted about a position in Northampton but I'm a countryside lover and have a young child (primary school age) and dog. Are there villages that are reasonable commutable distances from Northampton that would provide a safe, fairly quiet lifestyle? Thanks in advance

There are lots of lovely villages around Northampton...Boughton, Church and Chapel Brampton, Ecton, Kislingbury, Great and Little Houghton are all within easy reach.

Yes, Northanrts has some beautiful villages. The towns can be a bit crap but the villages are great.

have a look at this site

www.pinterest.co.uk/bettyroswell/beautiful-villages-in-northamptonshire/

My ex lived in Litchborough, was a lovely village, 20 minutes drive from Northampton and there's loads of beautiful villages in that area. Towester, although it's a town, is very nice too.

I grew up in Crick, which is about 30 minute from Northampton, on the Warwickshire border. It’s a lovely little village.

Northamptonshire villages are lovely. The only bad thing I would say is that public transport is a bit hit and miss and some don't even have a basic shop or primary school (next village over usually does but important to think about).

Lots of lovely villages around Towcester; I've got a friend in Potterspury and we go for lunch in Stoke Bruerne sometimes, it's a lovely area. Just off the A508. Her children are older now and at private secondary schools but there were some very good primary schools in the area a few years ago.

Third vote for Towcester and the surrounding villages. I grew up in Syresham/Silverstone. Lots to do, considering they're villages, and so much countryside to enjoy. Grand prix weekend is a but of a PITA though.

Look in the band ten miles below the A14 - West Haddon, Kelmarsh, Brixworth. North of the A14 also.
Look at west of the A5 - Farthingstone, Adstone, Blakesley and up to Green's Norton.

There are some lovely villages around but i would look at where in Northampton your job is and where you'd park (if it's slightly different) and ask on here to see what the traffic is like to commute in - it would be really annoying to choose a nice village that's 15 minutes drive normally but to discover that you have to queue for ages to get across town and it's actually a 45 minute commute, whereas if you'd chosen a village on the right side of town, you'd be the same distance out but it would only take you 20 minutes in the morning!

Thanks everyone!

If you give us a budget and criteria, we can probably suggest some nice houses / areas. Love a bit of virtual house shopping.

Oh and wibdib makes a good point about where in Northampton. The A45 runs NE - SW and when it runs well it is great for commuting into the town centre, but when there is an accident or something then everyone starts diverting round country lanes.

Northamptonshire county council has had many financial issues, it went bust and required govt bailout, so public services etc have had quite a few cuts and council tax rises each year are quite high in comparison to other counties.
Depending on where your job in Northampton is, consider going into Buckinghamshire. Olney is a very lovely country town, about 20 minutes from Northampton, has great schools, community feel and has the benefit of not falling under a bankrupt local authority.