Best villages around Gloucester

[hellogg87]

We are moving it Gloucester from the US in the summer. We are not at all familiar with the area and won't be able to visit before we move. So I'm doing as much research ahead of time as I can. My husband will be working in Gloucester and my children will attend King's, and we don't want to commute more than 15-20 minutes. We are also not interested in living in Gloucester city centre -and would also like to avoid suburban developments. We like what we've found east of Cheltenham, but we're nervous about the traffic. What are the best villages in the vicinity? Good schools don't matter, just looking for a place with some charm. Any insight is appreciated.

Painswick is lovely but very expensive, Sheepscombe is nearby, cheaper and smaller.
Cranham is very small but near to Gloucester.
Haresfield.
Slad and Coaley are lovely too.

My first choice would be Painswick.

Thank you! I've had my eye on Painswick because it looks so beautiful. Haven't seen many houses in our range there yet, but I'll keep my eyes open.

Stonehouse, Dursley, Cambridge are lovely, v small, but slightly further out than you want. The traffic is likely to be worse between Cheltenham and Gloucester than Dursley and Gloucester, but either way you need to double normal commute times. The only way to get to GL1 in less than 20 minutes during rush hour is to live somewhere in the suburbs Quedgeley.

Also I'm sure Painswick is tourist town and not a village. Do you want to be rural in the true sense or live in a chocolate box town? Because they are 2 very different things.

Does this mean you're sorted with a school?

If you’re both working in Gloucester it would be counter productive to live too far out for all your sakes. Painswick is still a bit of a drive , especially in the rush hour. Stroud would be an option . The best thing would be to rent first and have a really good look around. It’s a very varied area and there is a lot to consider. Traffic from the Cheltenham direction is a nightmare at rush hour.
Kings has a good bus service but if you are both working in Gloucester you would benefit from living in one of the outlying areas which would make travelling a lot easier. The town itself is generally a dump in my view.

The traffic problems around Gloucester are known to be difficult. Very expensive measures have been taken that have made bugger all difference in reality. It's my adopted county though and it's an interesting place to live.

If you don't suburban development then I'd go to the west of Gloucester... if you did Painswick your commute to kings would be way over 20 mins in the morning as it's the other side of the city.
You also get a lot more house for your £ the further you are away from cheltenham/cotswolds.
I'd investigate villages like higham, maisemore, Hartpury, ashleworth, rudford.
They're also easy to commute if you ever decided on the grammar schools (unsure of age of your DC).
Eg of what you can get in the area... www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-68855653.html

Highnam is a good option as close to the town centre but very nice are.

I agree with Courch above

I also think you'd really struggle to get to King's or Gloucester itself within 15-20 from an outlying village.

Corse
Staunton
Hartpury

All on the right side of Gloucester for Kings.

I'd avoid Maisemore though as it's a rat run.

Bit further out - Pendock, Redmarley. Ashleworth, Highleadon.

I find this side of Gloucester is cheaper as not Cotswolds.

I also rather like Down Hatherley.

Painswick is just a postcard place.

Wow, this is really helpful, thank you everyone. I had not looked much toward the west of Gloucester, but considering traffic conditions, perhaps that would be best.

I agree with Courch, too.

Other villages that are nice are Frampton on Severn., Saul, Framilode, Arlingham and Epney,

Tbh you will probably have a hard job to get into Gloucester in 20 minutes in the rush hour.

Frampton, Epney, Saul, Eastington, Longney all nice, the outer (non estate) area of Hardwicke also and Harescombe. Most commutable within 20/25 minutes.
Highnam, Maisemore, Tibberton and Taunton also good (I grew up in Highnam), but the commute to Gloucester is a NIGHTMARE in the morning. What is normally a 10 minute journey would take over 30 minutes some days - one of the reasons I didn't move back there, although it's a lovely village with a really nice community. Quite a few Kings family's (and teachers) there too.
None of those are as pretty as Painswick though as they are not in the Cotswolds.
Budget will play a big part in choice as pp have said. Any Cotswold village will have a big premium on price.
Is it actually central Gloucester that you will be working? I'm wracking my brains trying to think of a company that would pull you from the US to Gloucester city centre - more so the outlying areas where the corporates are which would make a difference to location and commute.

All the places suggested so far, plus Newent - very pretty town and reasonable amenities. Can be a traffic bottleneck on the turn-off to it though; as other posters have said, rush hour traffic around Gloucester can be a pain. Too far out for you probably, but lots of the villages around the Stroud area are gorgeous and not too twee (at least not the last time I checked).

To be honest whilst the West is better there's no way you will get to the school you want your children to go to within 20 minutes unless you live within a 3/4 mile radius.

I used to commute from bristol to falfield and the traffic would be queuing to get onto the m4/m5 at 06:15. It was an 18 mile journey, all motorway apart from the first mile, should have taken 19 minutes and took 45 minutes for a 7am start.

You have to queue on the dual carriageway to get into Gloucester most days outside of rush hour let alone in heavy traffic.

@StealthPolarBear

Well we have applied for King's, but one of the reasons I'm not totally sure we want to send our children there is the commuting issue that's being discussed on this thread. 😕 I have been unable time find any houses that I like in Gloucester. So perhaps a state school near us would be a better fit.

I see. I hope you get sorted

The state schools in Gloucester are awful. Trust me.

@certainlymerry You are not the first to tell me this, which is why we're considering independent school.

I think you'd struggle to find a nice place village-wise with the very limited time commute that you've mentioned tbh.

King's is a private school, is it primary or secondary that you are looking for?

Painswick is a village, not a tourist place but I can't see you making it to King's or the city centre in 20 minutes. Is there a particular reason for the 20 minute limit, because that is quite short and would really limit your options!

There are a couple of secondary school near to the centre of Gloucester that are currently struggling, the ones further out are not though.

Have you thought about the Grammar schools? That might be an option?

Highnam is a very good option. It's close enough but doesn't feel like Gloucester. i would look there if I were you. King's is very good.

@SassitudeandSparkle We are looking at primary schools. My oldest is quite young and is only just beginning Reception in September. The reason for the 20 min limit is because I work from home and still have a toddler at home. So basically I'll be doing that commute twice each day, unless I can somehow line it up so my husband can take my daughter to school in the morning.