Sawston

[tracya]

Hi. I am looking to move up from London. My husband works in Cambridge and having felt like a single parent during the working week for too long, I have decided to make the move so DH can get to see the kids in the evening (and I can get a bit more help!). I have pretty much decided on Sawston, it seems like a nice village and has good links. Where is best to buy a house, north/south of the village? Does anyone have any experience of Sawston life, the primary schools, nursery etc they would be willing to share.

Well, not of immediate help, but we have friends who chose the local secondary for their daughters even though they live in catchment for a different (and 'better', on paper) school, because they loved the feel of the place.

I've been there enough to know the village has a pool, sports centre, big playing fields and a bakery. Sounds OK to me! Parts of it look a bit run down, but that might mean you get more for your money. If driving, the roads into Cambridge jam up from pretty much any direction, but commute by bike would be feasible depending where your DH works.

Thanks. I chose Sawston as it would be easy for me to commute to Addenbrooks (when I get a job there) and for DH to commute to near there for work and sometimes into Histon. Also schools look good without any of the competition you would have regarding catchment and oversubscribing with the city schools. Affordability also - bigger house for less money :)

Sawston has a pool? Wow (was brought up there - come to think of it, there was a tiny pool at the primary school).

Mary Tudor spent a night at Sawston Hall, and Marlon Brando made a film there.

My parents moved away just before Silicon Fen took off - our house changed hands again 18 months after we moved for four times what my parents sold it for

Pool is in the Sports Centre at SVC, Goingspare. Very basic, but does the job (and a lot cheaper than city centre pool!).

Yes, dead easy commute to Addenbrooke's, OP. Sounds like a good starting point to me!

I have a friend who cycles to Addenbrookes from Sawston - there's a nice cycle path through fields from Shelford to the back of Addenbrookes.

DS2 learnt to swim at Sawston Pool - it is at SVC.
Sawston is the least expensive village in the area, so there's plenty of affordable housing. Excellent greengrocer and Chinese Restaurant.
Local station is Whittlesford, which is outside walking distance and not great to get at by bike because of busy roads, but has enormous and expensive car park.

I failed to learn to swim in the tiny pool at the primary school, then nearly drowned in Hinxton mill pond as a teenager, so that sounds like progress, PerAspergers and Lilymaid.

Hi Tracy,

I live in sawston and moved here around 5 years ago.
I have found it to be a nice village, there are good local shops for all basics, the doctors are fab as are the opticians and dentist.
Both my boys aged 5 & 9 go to the bellbird school and my 5 year old also attended jigsaw playgroup which is attached to the school and i have found them all to be good.
If you would like any other info let me know and i will help if i can
Helen

I live in Sawston too - have done for over 4 years now. Very friendly. Great community. Super churches (esp ChristChurch South Cambs). SVC also currently has a very good local reputation.
ps to Lilymaid - if of interest, there is a cycleway to Whittlesford Station which is lovely. You go down Catleys Walk, off the High Street and follow the tarmac path past fields, over the road and railway line, through meadow, over a bridge over a small river and into Whittlesford just near the primary school there. You then use the less busy roads to get to the station. Much better than the A505 road route.