anyone live around Chipping Norton/Charlbury?

[MissChief]

{my other thread seems mysteriously to have disappeared!]

We're hoping now to relocate to the Cotswolds, with dh commuting to work. Having checked out a few places, we're keen on Chippy- love its character/theatre/lido (gosh, even Mr Cameron as a local ). But worried about all the traffic tearing through it though and whether it's ok kid-wise in this regard.

We're also looking at Charlbury being smaller but still near to Chippy's facilities. It looks pricier though.
Anyone know either at all? Any tips? TIA

MissC, did you see my post at 6.45pm yesterday?

Sibford Ferris/Gower is quite nice too, but only a couple of pubs, village shop, primary school, independent school...but quite a community feel and off the main Banbury Road.

hi Jan - I'm so sorry, missed it completely - only saw last one (shouldn't multitask was bfing as same time) sorry

that's very helpful! Thanks to you and your friend - very detailed and prompt. IO'll print that out and digest.

ok - updated dh and "Hooky" deinfitely joined the list of places to check out further. We also really like Charlbury now.

thanks again JanH! IKWYM about outing yourself re MN, I never have done so with RL friends either. Still, I've often had conversations with them which are strangely similar to online ones the same day so sure there are many of us in the closet out there!

DH lived in Charlbury for three years. I used to visit him at weekends, so we both got the flavour of it. It's a good place to live. It has a very strong community feeling, with lots going on, and its cultural life benefits from all the London and Oxford train commuters who live there (it's on the main line connecting Hereford and Paddington). The scenery around is very beautiful, but you probably already know that. The commuters push the house prices up, of course, but they are still much lower than in Oxford. There are some good local shops and pubs. Some friends of ours also moved to Charlbury and love living there, but schools have been an issue for them, as there is no local secondary school. Their children commute to a state secondary in Burford, but they are happy with the school.

thanks both!
ks - I remembered you'd lived there but moved again (from my now vanished other thread)..wasn't trying to stalk, but it's very helpful to see what drives others there & out again..
I'm hoping the fact that it's on the train-line will provide us sufficient access to all the facilities we need. I just need some peace and quiet (finally getting middle-aged) and I think somewhere this small will serve that purpose.

And of course it has access to a Waitrose which is most important

oh absolutely, need those organic cheese sticks for ds to hold his head up high at school
and as for "baby bottom butter"...

thanks, just what I need
but you're in Surrey, darling, how bad can it get?

btw, does anyone have info on Charlbury primary? It seems to have good KS2 results but a mixed Ofsted report - was surprised to see a ref to "inappropriate behaviour by a minority of boys", KS2 writing "below average", acting head and temporary staff! Alarm bells are now ringing! To be fair, this was back in 2001.

that's all right, didn't take it that way anyway! Hard to predict what "tone" messages convey isn't it?
Oh god, maybe I need to keep searhcing...

I'll ask MIL to keep a look out!

Hi, I've picked up this thread from a while ago because we are looking to move to Hook Norton. Does anyone know if places at the primary school come up at all? Also, are there long waiting lists for the secondary school at Chipping Norton? Many thanks!