Page 8 | Where is your dream village in the UK to call home?

flutterbye88 · 2025-10-08T10:14:15+00:00

Hi everyone! After a year of googling, reading posts and mini breaks to check out areas - we're still lost in our search for a forever home/area. It's so hard to get a feel for a place in a short amount of time! We've discovered many beautiful villages, but we're holding out for 'the one' - one with like-minded sociabe folk and utterly charming!! So I'd love to put the question to the Mumsnet Hive - Where is your dream village in the UK to call home? Who we are and what we're hoping to find: We’re a family with young children (aged 6, 3, and 1½). hoping to find our ^forever place,^ somewhere we can put down roots and be part of a warm, lively community. We don’t have much extended family around us, so we work on building that sense of belonging from within, for us, and for our kiddies. We’re the kind of family who love ^travel, adventure and a bit of fun^, but we’re also very ^grounded and homely^. We love the idea of raising our kids somewhere they can have a proper childhood - muddy knees, village fêtes, neighbours who become friends for playdates AND wine!! Somewhere, the children will feel they have proper roots and people who know them, once we pass. What we’re looking for: ✨ A beautiful, friendly village with a ^really strong sense of community.^ Somewhere where people get involved and look out for one another. ✨ Good schools ✨ Close enough to a safe, interesting town so they’re not climbing the walls as teenagers! ✨ Somewhere that feels special/charming - pretty, welcoming, with that hard-to-describe “spark” that makes you fall in love with it. ✨ A place where, one day, our children will feel proud to come back with their own families. We work remotely, so we’re flexible on location and can choose anywhere in the UK. Our budget is up to £850k (for a 4-bed house) Do you live somewhere like this, or know a village or small town that sounds this dreamy? We’d ^LOVE LOVE LOVE ^to hear your suggestions, stories, or tips. We’re ready to build a life somewhere special. 💛 Thank you so much in advance! x

Crikeyalmighty · 10/10/2025 10:14

If I can just say OP, I like the area you live too - if it’s just that you want a bigger house and a bit more space had you also looked at other places in east or West Sussex, there’s a beautiful village on way into Brighton we went through - I’ve forgot what it was called!! Also places like Hassocks , Ditchling I would have thought ticked a lot of your boxes too

ElizaMulvil · 10/10/2025 10:37

Re Dore. Another big plus Olivia Blake MP. Increased her majority by 8,000 last election.

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 11:44

pinkspeakers · 10/10/2025 10:09

To be honest, I am not quite understanding the need for you to create "deep roots" somewhere for your children "long after you've gone". Presumably by the time you are gone, your children will be in their 50s or so and will have had plenty of chance to create their own life and sense of belonging, which might well look very different from the one you aimed to create.

My parents moved location signfificantly when I was 6 and when I was 13. They also moved house/town more locally after that. I did not like the moves (particularly the one aged 13) and did not feel very connected to a place at all. And the town we moved to aged 13 was not one I would have wanted to feel connected to anyway, it was just not "me". That experience influenced my wish to stay in the same place while the children were young. We moved to a village when they were age 1-3 and are still there 20 years later with no intention of moving.

However, I would say that as an adult, I now have my own sense of belonging based on 20 years of living in one place, of my own choosing, where I have invested in friendships and community. It no longer worries me at all that I don't have a clear "roots" based in childhood and that I never go back to anywhere I lived as a child (my parents are both passed).

So, I would say do worry about moving your children during their childhood/teen years. But possibly don't worry too much about building childhood roots that would survive into later adulthood and beyond your own demise. And definitely don't move your kids in later childhood in order to make those roots for them!

I’m an older mum - I’d be about 95 by the time my kids hit their 50s 😅. My brother was diagnosed with terminal cancer at 44 (he’s got young children too), and I think that’s probably fuelled a lot of my fears.

As I mentioned in my earlier posts, I had the same experience as you - my parents moved us from a village (my whole world!) to a town I never connected with. It completely threw me. I've never had any friends to visit when I go home at Christmas, yet I see all the other (now grown-up) children having wonderful reunions in the local pubs - It makes me feel sad and very envious tbh.

I definitely won’t be moving my children once they’re older - that’s why I’m so keen to make the move ASAP, to minimise any disruption. I’d hoped to do it before my eldest (now 6) started school, but that window’s closed.

Thankfully, my two younger ones are still preschool age (1.5 and 3), so it still feels like an ok time - we just need to get our skates on, hence the ramped-up search!

Like you, we’re looking for a place we can settle for good - somewhere that gives our children that lasting sense of home.

I really appreciate your message; it’s given me some new angles to think about thank you x

OP posts:

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 11:49

Papyrophile · 09/10/2025 19:59

What about the South Hams on the south Devon coast? Ivybridge, Dartmouth, Modbury; Ashburton is further inland and less hippie than Totnes, between Exeter and Plymouth.

You've reminded me! We met a gorgeous family in Totnes, who said they were 'Totnessed out' after 10 yrs of living there. They were raving about 'Modbury'! I'll check it out. We did love Ashburton, very pretty, friendly folk, nice cafes etc. It is on our radar.

Thank you for your helpful post! xx

OP posts:

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 11:55

ViciousCurrentBun · 09/10/2025 22:36

Deep roots in a village to me is very much you knew which cousin of your best mate at school had shagged/stolen/ skipped school/knew where to get drugs. I’m not naming where I grew up but very much a rural idyllic coastal

I mean I am not squeamish and never minded a cow pat fight as a kid but be aware it’s very different overall. Mind you villages have lots of remote WFH types now. Disliked intensely where I grew up as house prices since Covid have gone wild and many have moved there. You need to really see if outsiders are welcomed, some villages do and some don’t. Plus sometimes country folk just sort themselves out dispute wise. When DS started to date a farmers daughter I was a bit worried. I have nothing against farmers at all but tried to explain just how approaches can be very different.

lol, noted!

I grew up in a village, I've had my fair share of cow pat experiences :)

Sage advice and food for thought - thank you x

OP posts:

Crikeyalmighty · 10/10/2025 11:55

@flutterbye88 I do get what you say totally - I like living in a small city but as you say one big bonus of large villages/very small towns is it is I think easier to get to know more people quickly , particularly for adults as you don’t have that ‘school friend’ connection - - some people like that, some don’t. I know myself as someone without school age children I would definitely find that - my H on the other hands likes anonymity . I think as I said that’s why my ideal for you would be large villages/small towns within 6 miles of ‘more stuff’ - and my criteria would be too that the bigger place was nice as well and worth going into.

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 12:00

JillMW · 10/10/2025 08:31

You mention Escrick. If is on a bus route close to York. The senior school is Fulford which seems to be a selling point, I did not send my children there.
House prices are expensive compared to nearby villages. In your price range you will get a large house but the properties mainly are sixties and seventies which will need work or already had (some dubious) renovations. There are newer houses but the nice ones (imo) well above your limit. The old properties are predominantly ex estate houses and mainly small and or terraced. If you can push to 5million the old girls boarding school is for sale😂
The village has always had “posh” vibes. Those that fit love it but it is not for everyone.

Yes, it ticked a lot of our boxes for those reasons - easy access to York, in the Fulford catchment for secondary, decent amenities for the kids, nice on the eye, and close to nature and the river.
We drove through it but couldn’t quite get a feel for the vibe - I guess you can’t really unless you spend some proper time there or meet a few locals!
Thanks for your reply :)

OP posts:

TheFoodLife · 10/10/2025 12:07

@flutterbye88 hi, about Lewes being polarised between wealthy and struggling, do you think it is more like that in Lewes than elsewhere? I get the impression that economic polarisation is quite common. I’m interested because people often suggest Lewes as a good place to live!
i have friends that left London and moved to Bradford upon Avon and really loved it, same with Stroud, which also has the polarisation you mention, though.

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 12:08

Gallivant · 10/10/2025 08:40

My main quest is for the children to have a true sense of belonging - somewhere they can put down roots, so that when they grow up and move away, they always have a place they feel connected to. If you already have that, you might find it a bit hard to understand where I’m coming from!

The obvious answer is to stay where you are. By moving your children now, you'll be uprooting them, just as your parents uprooted you, don't you see?

I do! That’s exactly why I’m trying to make it happen ASAP, before the kids get any older. I really wish we’d moved before my eldest started school - he’s in Year 2 now. My younger two are still preschool age (1 and 3), so I’m hoping it’s not too late to move without too much disruption.
We’re just not settled where we are. We’re kind of caught between two very different demographics and even though we've made friends and are very active in the community, we also quietly feel that we don't really fit in and this isn't 'home'. We’d love to be somewhere that feels more “us” a place that nourishes all our hearts and truly feels like home for the long long term.

OP posts:

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 12:11

wooo69 · 09/10/2025 20:06

Addingham West Yorkshire. It has grown in the last 30 years but is still a village, there are two nurseries, a primary school, 3 pubs and a social club. Scouting, football, cricket, a MUGA and a park. Doctors surgery and dentist. Library, a few small shops.
3 miles to Ilkley where there is a top rated secondary school which many families move to the area to be in the catchment for.
Train station in Ilkley to Leeds or Bradford (30 minutes).
Less than 30 minutes to Leeds/Bradford airport.
Currently houses under your budget on Right Move.

We really like Addingham :) We've heard it can be hit and miss whether kids get into Ilkley Grammar though, as it’s often oversubscribed and Addingham’s just that bit further out!
Great suggestion though - thank you!

OP posts:

Alexbob · 10/10/2025 12:33

Would you consider Aberdeenshire? Your money will go very far here in terms of property and there are lots of lovely villages. Have a look on a website called ASPC to find properties. It's a great quality of life here - our kid is out until all hours in the summer months when we get the evening sun. And in the winter he gets plenty of sledging.

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 13:11

StewkeyBlue · 10/10/2025 09:07

Holmfirth and Frome and Totnes usually get listed on threads like this.

Never been to any of them but you never know.

This putting down roots thing: I live in a derided part of S London (hence my dream to live in nearby Herne Hill 😂) Dc grew up here, and we have a fantastic sense of community. Dc live in different cities now but still gather here to spend time with friends they had since Reception. They went to primary and secondary within walking distance so knew many many people in the immediate community. Scouts. Extra curricular projects. Street parties.

I know far more of my neighbours than my siblings who live in ‘idyllic’ rural market towns and whose kids had ti be driven / bussed to school

Its an attitude and an outlook. I love Hebden Bridge to visit (and do, for days at a time as I have dear friends who live there, on the hill so no flooding) but couldn’t live there. The ‘community’ is claustrophobic, self conscious and censorial. God forbid if you don’t subscribe to every ‘correct’ outlook. Friend in Totnes finds the same thing and stays circumspect from many community networks.

Diversity, tolerance, a representative demography of people living normal humdrum lives and working nearby seems to keep communities strong and invested, IMO.

Haha, they do! And we’ve definitely been tempted by all of them - but decided against for various reasons.

We’re quite a quirky family and really enjoy being in more alternative environments, but I hesitated to mention that in my original post because I knew it would steer the responses toward those kinds of places. We’re keen to explore some new, less obvious areas this time :)

Re:
“The ‘community’ is claustrophobic, self-conscious and censorial. God forbid if you don’t subscribe to every ‘correct’ outlook. Friend in Totnes finds the same thing and stays circumspect from many community networks.”

I TOTALLY hear you! That’s a conclusion we’ve also come to after years of being drawn to those kinds of areas (and endless Rightmove fantasising!). Posts like this are so helpful - if only I’d written it years ago and we’d already had this chat!

Your last paragraph really resonated with me and has genuinely given me a lot to think about.
Thank you x

OP posts:

Crikeyalmighty · 10/10/2025 13:17

@StewkeyBlue my FIL lives in Frome ( moved there last year) and yes I do like Frome and it has great community but I do know what you mean , and has lots of people doing ‘a bit of something’ it’s the total reverse of my ex mining town home town in the midlands whereas you feel like you’ve got two heads if you are not pro Reform and don’t think Farage isa straight talker with common sense -

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 13:31

Bikergran · 10/10/2025 09:21

I'd suggest St Mary Mead, just round the corner from Miss Marple, or the village where Just William lived. In short, I don't believe this exists nowadays, a friendly little village with a decent school, doctor, shops and public transport. As they grow, your kids will loathe being stuck in the middle of nowhere. Get your head out of the fictional 1920s, and at the very least look for a property in a decent-sized town, so you have facilities and better options. In my area that would be Bakewell, Matlock or Buxton.

I'm not sure your post has helped me @Bikergran ? But hopefully the mockery has provided someone, somewhere with some mild entertainment!

re your comment: "I don't believe this exists nowadays, a friendly little village with a decent school, doctor, shops and public transport."

They do - I know many (not ones that fit my bill) and if you read some of the helpful responses on this thread, you'll learn of some :)

OP posts:

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 13:44

Hiptothisjive · 09/10/2025 20:47

All good. I would just say that sometimes life doesn’t work out like that. I had an amazing childhood and it’s deep roots and now live abroad. I don’t feel saddened by that at all.

Home is where the heart is and while it’s nice to have a sense of community for a lot of people there are a lot of negatives too - your neighbours on top of you, everyone knows everyone’s business, the distance for everything, no friends close by, not being able to walk to school etc etc.

You couldn’t pay me to live in a village so while I understand it’s amazing for some people, your children may or may not feel the same and may want to leave asap for jobs, culture, nightlife - whatever.

Show quote history

Aaah! I think you might have misread me - I definitely wouldn’t expect my children to stay in the (large)village. If they’re anything like me, they’ll fly the nest and enjoy plenty of travel and adventure!

When you said you have “deep roots,” that’s exactly what I want for my kids too :)
Even if they end up living in Bali or somewhere far-flung, I’d love them to feel a sense of belonging back home - somewhere with roots and people who know them.

Also, just for the record, I’m really looking for quirky large villages or small towns that are still well-connected to bigger, vibrant towns or cities :) xx

(my original post isn't clear and I'm unable to edit it)

OP posts:

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 13:56

Crikeyalmighty · 10/10/2025 11:55

@flutterbye88 I do get what you say totally - I like living in a small city but as you say one big bonus of large villages/very small towns is it is I think easier to get to know more people quickly , particularly for adults as you don’t have that ‘school friend’ connection - - some people like that, some don’t. I know myself as someone without school age children I would definitely find that - my H on the other hands likes anonymity . I think as I said that’s why my ideal for you would be large villages/small towns within 6 miles of ‘more stuff’ - and my criteria would be too that the bigger place was nice as well and worth going into.

I’m in complete agreement with you 💛 Thank you - your posts have been so helpful! You’ve suggested some fab areas and really helped me with my mindset.

Like your son, I loved London in my late 20s/30s — it was/is SO much fun! But for me, all the excitement and endless choices became a bit exhausting and overwhelming. London had its time and place (for me!), and now I find so much more comfort in smaller(not small) communities and - believe it or not - fewer choices!

xx

OP posts:

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 14:19

TheFoodLife · 10/10/2025 12:07

@flutterbye88 hi, about Lewes being polarised between wealthy and struggling, do you think it is more like that in Lewes than elsewhere? I get the impression that economic polarisation is quite common. I’m interested because people often suggest Lewes as a good place to live!
i have friends that left London and moved to Bradford upon Avon and really loved it, same with Stroud, which also has the polarisation you mention, though.

Lewes is such a LOVELY place to live - don’t let my personal quibbles put you off! I still feel so grateful we can afford to live in such a beautiful town.

Maybe it’s just not as balanced at the lower end of the scale. When I visit friends in Leeds, they have lovely family homes on nice streets for around £350k. There’s street play, BBQs with neighbours, lots of laughter! Many of my northern friends are in public sector jobs (teachers, university admin, etc.), and the vibe feels so different to the posher areas I’ve lived in - not rough, not posh, just right in the middle. Personally, I love that energy! (Though I’m not into suburban life.)

I can’t really find that in Lewes. You can pick up ex-council family homes for around £450k, but that’s just not our style.

I guess it all depends on your budget, mindset, and how you want to spend your life.

In Lewes, it feels like either:

You need a large budget to live in a family home in the posher areas, often alongside conservative, older folk.
Or you have a moderate budget (£450k) and are happy with an ex-council property or a tiny house in the historic centre.

At the moment, we’re in a small house in a posher area, and finding that happy medium in Lewes is tricky.

OP posts:

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 14:31

Crikeyalmighty · 10/10/2025 10:14

If I can just say OP, I like the area you live too - if it’s just that you want a bigger house and a bit more space had you also looked at other places in east or West Sussex, there’s a beautiful village on way into Brighton we went through - I’ve forgot what it was called!! Also places like Hassocks , Ditchling I would have thought ticked a lot of your boxes too

They’re all absolutely GORGEOUS areas! I think it’s just that Sussex/SE England doesn’t quite resonate with me. I’m naturally more drawn to the landscapes of the West and North… and maybe the friendliness of the people too?! (Most likely because I’m a chatty Yorkshire girl at heart!) I didn’t mention this in my post as I didn’t want to steer responses or offend any of the lovely people of the SE. I’m still completely open to hearing about anyone’s dreamy places to live, wherever they might be!

OP posts:

Crikeyalmighty · 10/10/2025 14:59

If you want a nice big pretty house in a liberal area- lots of musos and creatives- then Box is for you !! Even Batheaston or Bathford also worth a look and closer in to Bath ( about 3 miles out ) although Box is a bit prettier!! Batheaston has a mad farmer who has a big shed you can go and pick stuff up in with an honesty box - lol!! It also has an amazing cafe, 2 pubs, chippy, general stores, pharmacy and Box is 2 miles for the nice gastro pubs - but Bath very easy too from those villages - good bus route and 10 mins drive into Bath -

Crikeyalmighty · 10/10/2025 15:18

Wanted to show you this one @flutterbye88 - lovely big family home in very pretty village next to Corsham ( literally on the edge) - Dominic west lives there , as does Nick Mason from Pink Floyd. Corsham itself is lovely, it’s nicely mixed , posh areas, stuff in the middle, some biggish new estates too - lots of facilities but small town feel - a totally fabulous gastro pub plus several other nice ones , a couple of excellent restaurants, coop, bookshop, great butchers, couple of cafes, pharmacy, deli , nice little venue that has stuff on, very community minded, peacocks wandering about ( bit odd I know) 8 mikes into Bath, 3 into Chippenham , good bus route.

I thought this was really nice and well under budget

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/166014569

Check out this 4 bedroom detached house for sale on Rightmove

4 bedroom detached house for sale in Elley Green, Neston, Corsham, SN13 for £650,000. Marketed by David Ingram Residential, Corsham

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/166014569

Original poster

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 16:09

Alexbob · 10/10/2025 12:33

Would you consider Aberdeenshire? Your money will go very far here in terms of property and there are lots of lovely villages. Have a look on a website called ASPC to find properties. It's a great quality of life here - our kid is out until all hours in the summer months when we get the evening sun. And in the winter he gets plenty of sledging.

I miss the snow so much! It rarely snows down south and my husband really misses it (he's from Montreal) I think that would be a big enough pull to get us up to Scotland!

Would there be any small town/large village you'd recommend? Obviously one which wouldn't mind some English/Canadian incomers! TIA xx

OP posts:

wooo69 · 10/10/2025 16:17

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 12:11

We really like Addingham :) We've heard it can be hit and miss whether kids get into Ilkley Grammar though, as it’s often oversubscribed and Addingham’s just that bit further out!
Great suggestion though - thank you!

Show quote history

I was born in Ilkley and lived there all my life until moving 3 miles 18 years ago (66 in 2 weeks).
They are currently doing a lot of building work at IGS to increase capacity.
My 14 year old Grandson is currently there and there a children from much further than Addingham in his year.

This isn’t my house but is where I live and it’s lovely here next to the river and we have a communal meadow

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/161487995#/?channel=RES_BUY

Alexbob · 10/10/2025 16:31

flutterbye88 · 10/10/2025 16:09

I miss the snow so much! It rarely snows down south and my husband really misses it (he's from Montreal) I think that would be a big enough pull to get us up to Scotland!

Would there be any small town/large village you'd recommend? Obviously one which wouldn't mind some English/Canadian incomers! TIA xx

Show quote history

It's generally very friendly - my husband is English and it's never been an issue. His parents moved here to be closer and have been made very welcome by the community. There are people from all over the world because of the oil industry. If you want to be near the mountains have a look at places along Deeside like Aboyne, Ballatar, or Banchory. For the sandy beaches there are places like Newburgh and Cruden Bay. For rockier coastal villages there are some beautiful places along the Moray coast like Pennan, Cullen and Gardenstown. Or you could go further south for Stonehaven if you want something a bit bigger. Inverurie is a lovely market town with train links to Aberdeen. Villages near there include Kemnay, Kintore, and Oldmachar. There are also the distillery towns along the Spey - Dufftown, Craigellachie, Aberlour, Grantown, and so on. Further along the Moray Coast, Nairn, Fochabers and Findhorn are all lovely. Findhorn has a very alternative vibe.

ElsaPeretti · 10/10/2025 20:08

Great Wakering is lovely. By the seaside, picturesque rural village area, but close enough to Southend for plenty to do.

Hallamlass · 10/10/2025 21:08

ElizaMulvil · 09/10/2025 20:53

Try Dore, South Yorkshire. 20 mins bus 10 mins train to centre of Sheffield ( Crucible, vibrant night life, very friendly etc.) also trains to Manchester Airport, Liverpool , Hull etc. Edge of Peak District and Ecclesall Woods, lovely walks, excellent climbing! You name it there's a club (or 2 or 3 ). Choirs, gardening, art, drama , active churches, annual show, annual fete, several sports clubs e.g. tennis, football, badminton, rugby etc etc.
excellent primary and secondary school. Very active Dore Village Society campaigning on local issues, quarterly local magazine, Women's Groups, Nursery, several excellent restaurants and cafes. Sheffield voted place most students want to stay in after graduating.

Yes, they didn't necessarily want to stay in Dore!
I think she wants a village, not a suburb of a city?