Moving to Rochester - city or villages?

[TwoVeryDifferentOnes]

We are considering a move to Rochester (for the schools mainly, but like the fact that it's quick into London on the odd occasion).

If anyone here has children there, do you live walking distance in the city itself, or are there nice villages with a short drive (and not too bad in rush hour traffic)?

Thanks for your opinions!

I have a friend who moved from SE London to what she thought was Rochester but turned out to be equidistant to Chatham. Non- grammar schools were not good. Lots of deprivation, drug taking and preying men from SE London knowing they can take advantage of young girls. I am sure there are nice parts but do be careful.

It's not much of a city. How well do you know the area? Areas around Rochesters can be really dire. Depends on what your used to though

Thanks. Yes, I'm well aware of the dodgy parts, but having lived in central London and in Paris, it is not something that would be a deal breaker per-say... We would be looking at the area in between St Andrews Prep, and Kings School, which seems to be a middle-class ghetto of large Victorian houses. With a walk to school, and a walk to either the High Street or station, we wouldn't need to venture near the less salubrious parts.

I want to make sure I'm not missing a trick, however - I can see some beautiful houses advertised in villages to the south of the city, but don't know whether it's worth our while visiting, if the commute in the mornings is hideous?

Which villages are you considering?

Not even started looking properly yet...but I guess places like Cobham, Aylesford, Boxley?

Don’t know Cobham, but Aylesford and Boxley are nice. The only problem with Boxley is that it’s in one road which can get busy if there’s problems on surrounding roads.

Bearsted in Maidstone is also worth considering. Also West Malling.

I know the area very well having gone to school there and lived there my whole childhood. Please don't be deceived by those beautiful grade II listed houses around Kings school, that is the only stretch of nice houses and the only nice area within a 5mile radius. The high street features on Street Wars frequently for obvious reasons. Medway is also the knife capital of Kent if you look at statistics. None of the surrounding towns are particularly nice and you will have a massive culture shock.

Look at... Meopham, Cobham, Bearstead, Kings Hill, Paddock Wood, Shorne, Higham. Very sleepy areas which will be a big change to you, but much better areas in general.

Also - most of my friends who went to Kings and St Andrews didn't live in Rochester either.

Thanks a lot, this is really useful, particularly the lists of villages! We have also lived rurally (and prefer this style in general), but it's mainly the daily commute and the parking situation which concern me. Perhaps these are better concerns than the realities of Rochester city life, though?

If you want schools, Maidstone has good grammars and good train links to London. Consider the villagers around.