To be worried about village life already?

[AdoptedBumpkin]

Hi all. This is my first post, so be gentle.

We moved as a family from Greater London to a medium sized village in a national park a few weeks ago. While I enjoy some aspects of rural life, I am beginning to worry about some of the villagers. They seem to gossip a lot about each other and it seems probable that that they must gossip about us, if only because not much else is going on.

Yesterday I was walking through the village with my daughter and passed a local old-ish couple. I heard the lady say something about 'the gilet' and I was wearing my purple North face gilet. It may have been positive and/or throwaway, but it spooked me that something so mundane would be commented on. I am used to a life where you really have to try hard to stand out.

Strangely although this is a pretty rural area, farming isn't the be all and end all here, which is something of a relief.

@AdoptedBumpkin

We have loads of farms where I live and I am forever getting stuck behind large muck spreaders or tractors down narrow country lanes.

We have loads of farms where I live and I am forever getting stuck behind large muck spreaders or tractors down narrow country lanes.

Sounds rubbish. Luckily the roads aren't too bad here and wide enough to get down.

@JoannaObrien Love these local legends.

Funniest thing we ever encountered was the twat in the village boozer who took against DP because he was 'weird' and 'another Townie'.

DP was born in the village, grew up there and some of his family still live there. Said twat was born miles away the wrong side of the river and had only been living there 6 years.

The landlord set the twat straight pretty sharpish.

That is downright bizarre @MitziK.

When I moved to my village, the two nearest neighbours (farms) both brought wine and a welcome card. 😀

I am the local witch too 😂.

The only vehicle snobbery I've encountered started and finished with newcomers. Having gone to the trouble of buying picturesque cottages they objected to the old, unsightly but reliable car belonging to a neighbour.

I'm highly amused by the idea we're all worried that townies might look down on us. And the concern ops alternative style might be too much. We've never seen anything as outlandish as a leather jacket before here in the sticks, we all wear deerstalker and moleskin, with poor villagers in homespun.

Seriously, the attitude we would all give a shit, let alone be shocked by alternative style is what would people off, not the style itself.

I think the post about not realising about the clay soil and footpaths being difficult in the wet says it all about the difference between city and rural dwellers. I find it bizarre that anyone wouldn't notice the soil type and drainage on the briefest visit, and odder still that any adult wouldn't realise wet weather makes footpaths wet.

Villages and village people I find are very odd. You'd never find me living in a village, I'm not odd enough

Hi @TrainspottingWelsh. I'm not suggesting that most village people would object to clothing etc, just that there are a few here who judge others for petty things.

The type of people that judge petty shit exist everywhere.

My house previously belonged to a great aunt and I grew up in a similar area, so I was never a real newcomer. However as a young single mother not long after I'd moved back here I was judged at a baby group. Unsurprisingly, not by the real locals. The core village church crew were only interested in keeping me supplied with copious amounts of food, making sure I didn't need help and offers of support. It was relative newcomers that were knobs, with the bitchiest one of the newest. And a few twats that nobody likes or pays attention to. Nothing to do with city or country, just being twats.

I agree. It just seems like some in these parts gossip about pettier things than town twits. I don't only mean the gilet comment.

😂😂 @fleamadonna city suburb dweller working in the villages of North Yorks here schoffel giletes very much a thing here too!!

just chat to people and you will find your way in

What happens if no one chats back?

A couple I know who used to live near me have retired to a local village and they love living there. She told me we are all going carol singing around our village in a couple of weeks. I said I am glad you won't be singing outside my door because I would throw a bucket of water over you! I was just joking but the thought of people who can't sing standing outside my door singing carols feels me with dread! lol

I moved to a village last year and went carol singing with the church group. But we only went to the -naice Houses with the naice people.

Villages often have a surfeit of older retirees so a 'young' person is welcomed with open arms.
And bringing DCs which will swell the numbers in the village school and postpone its closure is another celebrated thing where I live.
But if you are in the home counties I can imagine the make of your gilet might count.

Moved to a village with around 1000 people in August, so far I love it. Moved from London and the peace and fresh air have me hooked! People so far are a bit mixed, one set of lovely neighbours, one set I think not talking to us as we objected to their planning permission but then you can't have everyone like you!

Wouldn't go back if you paid me

Were the naice people you serenaded with the church group also the church goers by any chance Humphrey.

one set I think not talking to us as we objected to their planning permission but then you can't have everyone like you!

Ooh, that would be very frowned on here. You can't move in for 5 minutes and object to pp!

@Trewser I know but the planning notice was up on a lamp post outside the day we moved in with 2 days left on the window to object on our move day. They put it in after our searches and before we were due to move in. A 2 story car port with accommodation above facing our house!

The neighbours had an unsightly car? Words fail me, really. A twat is a twat, town or country. When they move, they don't leave the twattery behind, unfortunately.

Bumpkin - you keep saying that these people gossip and are petty, but haven't given a single solid example. The gilet comment was likely to be entirely innocent. Is it possible that you are coming to this with preconceptions, expecting negativity?

The fact that you think a leather jacket would stand out show that you have plenty of misconceptions and prejudices of your own.

Be open minded. Don't assume everyone is a backwards, petty gossip with nothing to do all day. You'll soon find out who is nice and who isn't, people are people everywhere.

I live in a village and am about to do the school run in my leather biker jacket.
I sometimes wonder what planet people are on. Of course you can wear a bloody leather jacket in a village.

It just seems like some in these parts gossip about pettier things than town twits. I don't only mean the gilet comment

What do you mean then? What petty gossip have you heard?
To be honest it sounds like you’ve moved there with this notion that you’re busy, interesting and alternative and they’re all bored, petty, nosy gossips. If they’ve picked up on that attitude then to be honest I’d expect to get a hostile vibe in return.
Plus didn’t you say you’re from suburbia anyway?