Do you know Chartham?

[annac1234]

Hi! We live in London at the moment but seriously considering moving out. We've had our house valued and, well, we could move out of London and have no mortgage and a bit set aside and that is like living the dream to us!

We're coming in a couple of weeks time to have a look at a few properties and a school and to try to get a feel for the place, but it's obviously a huge decision. We don't know anyone in the area. We're specifically looking at Chartham and nearby because we're interested in the Steiner school for the kids.

The properties we're looking at are 1) in Old Wives Lees, 2) Shalmsford Street in Chartham (near the post office) and 3) on the St Augustines development in Chartham.

If any of you know the area and have any comments, I'd be ever so grateful to hear them. It seems like Old Wives Lees is really pretty isolated, may be too 'countrified' for us. In Chartham is there places (like a playground or whatever) where mums can meet up? What do you do with your toddlers, is there playgroups etc? Would you say it's a good place to bring up kids? Is it a friendly place? My biggest fear is being really isolated... :/

Thanks!

I lived there quite a few years ago (20ish) in one of the old doctors cottages on the edge of what is now the St Augustine's development. My overriding memory is the smell that drifted up from a local abbatoir nestled in the beautiful valley that the cottages overlooked!

I can't really say what it's like these days as obviously it's changed beyond all recognition but I would check whether there still is an abbatoir in operation locally because it really was a revolting, all pervasive smell.

Sorry - that's probably not what you want to hear :-) it is a beautiful area though, the views from The Downs were absolutely spectacular. And obviously it's very close to Canterbury which is great for shopping and even some culture.

Oh god how awful! It MUST be fixed, they couldn't charge what they do for properties if there was the smell of animal by-product wafting up.

I've not lived in Chartham but do go there quite a bit! I've not noticed a horrible smell - hopefully something has been done about that!

The village hall is lovely by the green - here is their website with info about different groups.

The Artichoke is a really nice pub in Chartham - Sunday lunch is very popular!

There is a good cycle route (or long walk) into Canterbury.

Local garden centre on the A28 has a small soft play centre (and a section that sells fish which my toddler can spend a long time wandering around!).

Hope you have a nice visit when you come down to look at the houses!

I used to live in Shalmsford Street, not far from the post office. LOVED it! I have never noticed any horrible smells. The biggest problem I had was the traffic going into Canterbury in the mornings, I had an hour round trip getting DD to her child minder on the other side of Canterbury and getting to work. It is very conveniently located, the Morrisons is so close, and Ashford is easily accessible. Shalmsford Street is very busy, it worried us initially when we moved in, but at the end of the day the traffic honestly never bothered us.