Moving back to the U.K. but to where?

[KobaniDaughters]

We’ve been expats for 5yrs and looking to move back to the U.K. possibly as soon as this summer. For various reasons we won’t be able to do a reccy before the summer so trying to decide where to live from abroad is tough, would love any thoughts and opinions to look at from far away. If we move early 2022 we can reccy this summer but for school reasons I’d rather come back for the start of the academic year so assume we can’t.

Needs:
1.5hrs by train to London
1.5-2hrs drive from Horsham/Guildford area
Close to a reasonable sized city
Small town or big village
Good local primary and secondary (D.C. would be entering yrs 5&8) but not grammar (don’t imagine DC1 would get in and we’ve missed the deadline for the tests anyway) that DC can get to Independantly
Good sense of community/things to do/cycling clubs/opportunities to meet people (we’re very social)
Liberal leaning
Be able to rent a 4bed detached house for under £2500pcm or buy a 4bed detached house for under £600K (pref rent but there seems to be nothing on the market) and need dedicated office space

We know and love Sussex, and pockets of Surrey and Hampshire. Would be happy to live in a town or village close to Horsham, Billingshurst, Chichester, Winchester. I don’t know Oxfordshire or Wiltshire at all and would love to find out more about both. I’m assuming East Anglia and Cambridgeshire would be out of the question due to distance to Sussex.

Have been looking at the Hassocks/Keymer/Hurstpierpoint area but houses are few and far between

DH would be working remotely, I am a freelancer with some work remote and other projects would be in London so I wouldn’t have to do the commute full time. Ask away any other questions that might be relevant! I’ve been on Rightmove for YEARS but feel free to send any specific ideas...

Sorry Worth Way.

Will have a look at east grinstead. Honestly if we’re within an hour on the train of London and in West Sussex we only need 3 bedrooms if there is a dedicated office space anyway.

There might end up being a situation whereby DC and I go ahead of DH so we could rent somewhere that gets us into a school for the first few months until he joins us upon which we’d need the office space for him so there could def be a lot flexibility for the initial move

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/map.html?locationIdentifier=REGION%5E21393&maxPrice=600000&minPrice=475000&numberOfPropertiesPerPage=399&propertyTypes=detached%2Csemi-detached%2Cterraced&primaryDisplayPropertyType=houses&includeSSTC=false&viewType=MAP&mustHave=&dontShow=&furnishTypes=&viewport=-0.0597243%2C-0.015779%2C50.7942%2C50.8106&keywords=

@BasiliskStare

Winchester is a lovely city & nearby is e.g. Chandlers Ford which has Thornden school - ( have not had a child there myself but reputed to be a very great state secondary school.) It has a very specific catchment area though so you would need to check that. I think the area is mainly Hilitingbury which is a nicer area of CF and you are within 5 / 10 mins drive of Winchester which I think is a lovely city - also close almost walking distance to Eastleigh ( which is useful ) and near to Southampton .

As I recall Winchester to London trains are approx an hour and you can drive to Guildford / London in and hour and a half.

I'm coming at this from the 2ndary school angle ( Thornden ) and so I think you will ( in catchment ) living in a nice safe area but not buzzy. However near enough towns / cities to find that. It isn't chocolate box village style but Thornden I believe is a great school.

Others will be able to speak more knowledgeably about state schools in Winchester - which I think is prettier but more expensive.

All best

Basilisk

I know of a child who lives in Chandlers Ford and went to Kings in Winchester. The commute was fine with regular buses.

Winchester itself is lovely, secondary school wise there's kings, Westgate and Henry Beaufort. Peter Symonds is a very good sixth form college (ranks highly I believe). I don't live far from Winchester and my son attended secondary school there. There's a few new housing developments going up at the moment

You could look at Abingdon, Oxfordshire. Pretty town on the river, easy reach of Oxford and also Reading. The North side of town is the more desirable area and you could get something in your budget. Trains into London from Radley or the neighbouring town Didcot has trains that take you into Paddington in 45 mins.

Winchester

I’ve never actually been to Winchester but keep hearing great things about it (maybe apart from traffic but I currently live in one of the most highly trafficked cities on the planet!)

I adore Winchester, the Christmas market is my favourite I've ever been to & I'd move there in a heartbeat.

Crowborough,Uckfield,Heathfield,Lewes...beautiful countryside and Brighton /Eastbourne close by.

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/90938020#/

£2,600 pcm.

Thanks again everyone, this is all really helpful

Does anyone know Fleet/Church Crookham/Hook area at all?

@KobaniDaughters I have been looking into Hassocks area as well and nothing comes up. Where did you end up at ? Horsham and Dorking are also in my options.