Anyone know brenchley or matfield or leigh?

[nappywilderness]

Thinking of moving there. Looking for a pretty, community village with pub, shop, school minimum, and I liked these.
Issue is DH has to be in London 4-5x a week - would the commute be awful? Presuming paddock wood for brenchley and matfield but Leigh station for leigh.
And would they all be in catchment for tw/ton grammars if kids clever enough?
Is there much to do in way of children's activities or is it all in the towns? I see there is an nct in brenchley plus 2x nurseries.
Just want to get an idea of what it is like to live here?
Thanks

I live in Brenchley (name changed for this). DH commutes to London every day, using Paddock Wood station. The commute is fine, but season ticket and station parking are very expensive.

Grammar catchments are complicated, each school has its own rules, and own areas. Brenchley is outside the ordinary grammar areas because of Mascalls, but I know lots of people whose children have got in. You should also consider Horsmonden because some parts of it are in the catchment area for Cranbrook.
Re children's activities, there are activities locally but more choice in TW.

The Paddock Wood train line is probably better than the Leigh line. This may not be important now but commuting 5 days a week during the winter months = very important.

Where does your dh need to commute into?

It essentially comes down to budget. Pretty little villages with good commuter links plus close enough to get into a good grammar school = equals pricey.

Marden has its own station on the Paddock Wood line. Frant is very nice (Frant station is in Bells Yew Green rather than Frant). Very close to TWells.

From Leigh to London you'd commute from Hildenborough station.

Hildenborough isn't great to commute from, as not all the trains stop there. I'd probably go from Tonbridge instead. But as a 'bigger' village it's lovely and I think falls into catchment for Tonbridge schools.

Horsmonden/Brenchley is also lovely but is that bit more difficult to commute from. I think if I were looking to move back (now live away but grew up around here) I'd look towards Sevenoaks a little more

great - thanks. Maybe Leigh would be better than Brenchley or Matfield (though I do prefer the latter) - it's so hard!

Yes perhaps Marden, Frant or Wadhurst even....

I also like Chiddingstone and Penshurst but same issue with commuting.

DH needs to get to city so Lon Bridge or Cannon St great.

One question not to be overlooked is how will your dh get to and from station? I have seen many DWs driving their DHs to the station in my town at dreadful o'clock in the morning. Many live in nearby villages which are not so well served by early trains. In their pjs with the dc in the back of the car. And to top it all, they then have to pick up from station with dc in their pjs again in the evening. Not fun.

So your dh either walk, cycles or drives and parks (expensive on top of season ticket). It sounds like a small matter but by goodness in the freezing rain, its not fun.

I'm near Leigh; when looking at houses just be aware of road noise from from the A21.

Hi, hope this helps - I've lived in both Horsmonden and Fordcombe (near Leigh) and think Leigh is by far the easier commute. Hildenborough only takes 35 mins or so into London, whereas Paddock Wood takes an hour.

Hi sorry to join this page late - new to Mumsnet too! - but can anyone tell me more about not being able to get into grammars from Matfield? Thinking of moving there but plan would be to get children into Kent grammars - part of reason for move! Thanks!