Places to live in Cotwolds nr to M40?

[MissChief]

..our relocation saga continutes! As well as still looking within the home counties, we're also seriously considering moving further west with dh commuting in (to Staines, Surrey) and we're now looking at the following spec.:

1. small quiet Cotswold stone market town
2. nr to Oxford-side of A40/M40
3. good state schools
4. 3 -4 bed period property for max £550k
5. good facilities - parks/culture/nice shops/cafes/nice town to walk around/sports
6. ideally good train links to London

I'm looking into Witney & Burford and they seem to fit the spec. Anyone know these or have any other recs? TIA!

chipping norton? or chipping camden

I know of them - gorgeous but expensive, is that right?

I'm sure you could find something in your budget, it's shortage of period property that might be difficult rather than cost..there are quite a lot of new stone built properties. Period property in town might be too near street/neighbours depends what you are looking for

thx for reassurance Zippi! I've checked out Chipping Norton state schools online, do ypu know much about them as seems a bit mixed, well not brilliant GCSE grades at the local sec. anyway.

you might be more impressed with Chipping Campden secondary school , there are also grammar schools in stratford but very competitive to get in to intake is from a very wide area. Chipping Norton has a nice feel to it, I have a friend who lives there..it's quite a well rounded place with a bit of an arty feel but not as "Cotswoldy" cliche as some parts!

CC looks great school-wise, but I think too far for dh from M40 so probably not a goer. Will follow up so far on Chipping Norton & Witney, I think!

misschief, I love burford, lovely high street but dunno about schools!!!

thx for the link, ks. Dh has to get to Staines, Surrey so not all the\way in. You found it too hard then?
I'd also heard that Burford had a good rep. but its results are surprisingly poor which put me off rather.

Have you thought about Cirencester? I used to live there and it's lovely. It might be a bit far from the A40 for you though, but it's got good roads down to the M4. There's no train station, but there is at Swindon.

I like the look of this school \link{http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/manreports/2864.htm#P78_1354\ here}

I think you do need to love the rural life if you move to the Cotswolds..transport links aren't the best..Charlbury and Kingham go into Paddinton, Banbury to Marylebone ..but I don't rate Banbury very highly tbh but it is convenient..ds is a t school in this area but we live in Warwickshire

aah, it's a steiner, interesting! we plan to go for state unless no decent choice tho'

..and thx SM- love Cireencester too, but again too far.

how old are your children and are you moving from London?

that's pure nosiness by the way

no, were in London but now nr Staines (as convenient currently for dh's work). we want to "escape" though to somewhere more peaceful.
1 kid is 5 other still a baby..

In that case i would be less concerned about secondary schools because it's a long way ahead..and it depends on how much you and dh need entertaining!

we (well ok I) are fussy buggers - like to be nr to good restaurants/cafes/arts stuff. Where we are now entertains me sufficiently, esp as nrish to London! That's why I'm hoping this area would be good as it's nrish to oxford/cheltenham etc - all those festivals/foodie opports..

would avoid anywhere where you would be joining M40 at Oxford - the A40 is a nightmare from 6am onwards plus you've already got the M25 to contend with into staines. I also hear of more accidents delays on A40 rather than M40 on my morning commute.

You're better off thinking of joining M40 at J11 (Banbury/Daventry) - I do Staines from here in 1hr45 in rush hour and 1hr10 at other times.

Villages around here are - Shipston on Stour, Bloxham (has a reasonable secondary and a private school), Gaydon, Wroxton (nice village primary)- on other side theres a few nice villages onroad into Brackley. It would mean Banbury as your shopping town - but it has everything you need. These villages are all in easy reach of cotswolds but avoid the A40.

To be honest places like Bourton; Burford; Chipping Norton; Moreton on the Marsh are always very very busy with weekenders; day trippers - you really musn't mind about having to always queue to park car etc to live here.

Wouldn't South Oxon/Berks/M4 be handier for Staines? Lots of nice little towns along the Thames.

how about Forest of Dean (mitcheldean is lovely) and do the M4 commute? and close to Gloucester and Cheltenham.

or further up M40 - Stratford upon Avon or Warwick - both nice for culture, restaurants etc but also less than an hour into Birmingham.

do think i'd prefer an M4/M3 commute to Staines as you'd only hit M25 for max 2 junctions

what about Alton excellent schools, near M3, easy reach of the coast

thanks . Just pasted all yr comments in an update e-mail to dh, see what the man in the car thinks about it all.. I'd heard tho' that the M4 was worse in the mornings than the M40, esp around Reading/Slough..We'd also hoped that the A40 west of oxford would be quicker to staines - quite it would take as much as 1 hr 45.

zippi - love Alton, we seriously considered it a few yrs ago but decided against due to lack of period property..
lexie - I love the Forest too, beautiful but definitely too far for dh..
and Jan - we're also checking nrer counties - Henley area and maybe w. berks too. Worried the M4 too much of a nigthmare in the ams though, that's waht I'd heard anyway.