Arty towns in South/South east?

[downtothesea]

We're still looking for a seaside special for under £200k but definitely struggling! Ideally, we need to be within 90mins drive of London but will look at anywhere with an arty/literary community.
Tired of driving into seaside resorts to see Union Jacks on flagpoles in front gardens and need to have something more 'sophisticated'.
So far I've identified all the obvious areas (I think):
Hastings, Margate, Whitstable, St Ives!, Brighton...
Being very blunt - can anyone think of any other places (doesn't have to be by the sea) where the educated quota is significantly higher than the chav/unemployed quota?

Wivenhoe is really nice, think someone else mentioned it, direct train to london in just over an hour. Also nice down that way is West Mersea.

I wonder if there's anywhere on the isle of wight that's a bit artsy. It's cheapish and has surprisingly good connections to London.

I dont think there are any posh seaside towns. It just doesnt go with the territory. You can get a lovely house in a nice part of Hastings or St Leonards for 200k. I sold a massive property with gorgeous views over Beachy Head a few years ago for 225k. It was a bargain!

If you want to go a bit more upmarket you'll have to move inland. Where I currently live in Heathfield we are only half hours drive from the coast, & its a nice fairly affluent locality with nice people & excellent state schools. Prices are kept down because the town doesnt have its own station, yet its only 10 minutes drive from a station which has trains to London in just over an hour.

I am currently selling my 3 bedroom house at the moment for around 200k. If you wish to know anymore about the area, or even my (v nice) house, feel free to message me. :)

I remember Kirsty and Phil doing a Location Location Location that took in Ramsgate and Margate, and they said it was seriously on the up. I'd live there, and you may have a decent investment buy too.

Of come on... you are seriously joking? Ramsgate & Margate are NOT posh by anyones standards! I come from Hastings & that's posh in comparison....

I have to agree with you there SP

Wivenhoe, Essex. Overgrown village on the river Colne, thriving intellectual community (Essex University nearby) and many resident artists. Cheap for where it is, Liverpool St 55mins approx.

Rye is lovely, but £200k won't get you far.
You won't get much in Hastings Old Town (the arty bit) for that either.

I second Wivenhoe. And it's only 55 mins to Liverpool Street, and has several decent pubs.

Oops, sorry, I thought I hadn't saved my previous post - sorry for the repetition

What about Mistley/Manningtree in Essex? It's lovely there, and you also have the Colchester Grammar Schools if that's important to you.