Relocating to Bath or surrounds – any advice warmly appreciated

[Frieda]

DH is working in Chippenham and I want to be near (ish) to Bath ? but it's so expensive! Clutching at straws, here, but does anyone have any recommendations as to where we might live that is a)not cripplingly expensive b)has a few ameneties ? shop, ok primary school (ie not too tiny), pub c) reasonably pretty surroundings.

Does anyone have any views as to what Combe Down is like? The houses here seem to be a bit cheaper ? is there a catch?

Many thanks in advance for any suggestions, however small.
If I don't respond immediately, it's just that I'm running around like a headless chicken at the moment trying to organise our move.

Frome? Def not Chippenham? Bristol? All are a LOT cheaper than Bath. No idea about Combe Down, sorry.

Thanks for your reply, www. I must admit, I hadn't really thought about Frome, which would definitely not be too far afield. What's it like? Small-ish market town?

Frieda, yes, small market town, I looked there a few years ago. It was cheap compared to Bath then but has gone up a bit. It's got Babington House! But probably not much else. And the roads out of there aren't great but hey, neither are the roads out of Bath.

Corsham is nearish Bath and very small town.
Cheaper property I think too.

Combe down I have heard from my Bathonian Partner that it is a bit roughneck now.
Sorry to any peeps from there - dont shoot the messenger.

Thanks, MM ? that's useful info. I thought Corsham looked quite promising ? nice old high-street area and quite close to Bath and Chip. Are you in that area?

Hi Frieda
I live in Swindon (no jokes please ) it is one junction away from chippenham on the m4. Whilst Swindon itself is a bit of a strange town there are some lovely areas on the outskirts really worth a look at and not as pricey as Bath. Namely Cricklade (excellent school there as well) it's an old saxon town, Ashton Keynes (again nice village in the cotswolds) and Cirencester. Am hoping to move myself to one of these later in the year. Got to be sensible now and start thinking about schools etc and really want DS to go to Cricklade one. Any specific type of house your looking for?

Hiya Frieda I live in Melskham, small town and cheap, but Corsham is nicer though although smaller.

Frome is probably changing because Bath is getting soooo expensive and lots of people are moving out that way, but I have a couple of friends who grew up there and they say it is a bit Royston Vaysey. Lovely villages around it though. For access to Chippenham, I'd stick to the north of Bath - villages along the A420 as far as Wick maybe? although you do pay a premium here for easy Bath/Bristol/motorway access.

Hi bumpy ? funnily enough, I had thought about the area around Malmesbury/Cirencester. Countryside looks pretty round there, and dh has seen a house which looks like it could be a possibility in a village between Malmesbury and Cirencester. Everyone I've spoken to says Cirencester is a lovely town, but I don't know it at all ? I'm trying to organise this from a distance with the odd rushed weekend visit thrown in.

Is Cricklade Wilts or Glos? And how old is your DS ? are you thinking of primary or secondary schools.

We're looking for something in a reasonably-sized village but not too far away from a good town where you can shop/eat/go to the cinema, etc & where ds will be able to go for outings with friends when he's a teen (thinking ahead here) As I've always been a townie, I'm not sure I'm being hopelessly idealistic about village life (for instance, I'm a bit freaked out about the thought of driving at night along narrow country roads where signs are few and far between and there are no streetlights), but I'd like to give it a go. Thanks for your input ? we'll definitely have a look at Cricklade.

Cricklade is just on the Wilts/glos border, classed as Wiltshire tho, postcode is SN6 if that helps with your search. My little un is only 6 wks so I'm looking at Primary. It is called St Sampson's and has got a really good reputation but you have to live in the catchment area. Cricklade is 15mins from Swindon & Cirencester, 40 mins from Oxford, Bath & Chippenham roughly. So a few big towns nearby, sound like I'm on the committee or something doesnt it . It has about 6 pubs, p.office, bakers, butchers etc and still does the nice old towny things like closing the street for a pig roast in the summer with bands etc.

Thanks, too, Mrs fp and beety (took me so long to do my post, I missed yours ) We are finding property prices quite a bit higher around the M4 (understandably) ? Frome, too, sounds quite interesting, although an old boyfriend of mine moved there a while ago, which has put me off a bit.

ooh, like the sound of the pig roast, bumpy!

I come from Bradford On Avon (but have since moved away). Bradford On Avon is a very pretty and quite historic town about 1/2 hour drive from Bath, 1 secondary school and a couple of primaries, basic shops, lovely country park, river and canal, nice pubs and a few takeaways. I have family that live in Trowbridge and Melksham, all still about 1/2 hour drive from Bath, Melksham probably closer to Chippenham. Trowbridge is probably the busier of the three places with a moderate sized shopping centre, Melksham again has basic shops like Bradford On Avon but does sport a couple of supermarkets.

I think Bradford On Avon would be the most expensive place to live of the 3, its quite touristy, but lovely and I would love to go back there.

Hi - I live in a village between Malmesbury and Cirencester! Cirencester is a good town - has a handful of restaurants, no cinema (it was a flea pit and they'v just knocked it down), not sure there is that much for teens to do, two good state secondary schools. House prices are quite high though - you definitely get more for your money in Cricklade and there's lots for sale there. Have been looking at houses recently but can't move out of Gloucs.

I also work quite often just outside Chippenham in Yatton Keynell - quite a pretty little village with primary school/doctors. Not that keen on Chippenham though - traffic can be a nightmare.

Coombe Down is o.k.

I live in Oldfield park and it is fantastic. Great school, close to town and local shops but is a little bit pricey.

Just caught up with this thread & wanted to say thanks to jenkel, Caroline and Distel, too. Am a bit shocked to hear no cinema in Cirencester! Will have to rethink! (just joking). All this has been most helpful & am planning a recce to check it out next week.

Thanks everyone!

F x

been to Cricklade this weekend house hunting. did you move there?