Anyone know Oxfordshire? Where to buy

[TallMushroom]

Looks as if my husbands job is going to take us to Oxfordshire - the job will be based at a number of locations around the county so doesn’t really give us an obvious area to look.

We are hoping for village feel with station to London, good primary school, ideally period property but open minded, 4+ bedrooms. Budget up to 600k. Is it doable?

Would be greatful for any suggestions of areas at the moment as Rightmove is just overwhelming!

I had three babies at the JR, I live about 18 miles west of Oxford. First baby arrived under 4 hours. Second and third I was advised to call an ambulance if I went into labour in rush hour and it was going quickly.

If you're a midwife just keep in mind that the Horton hospital in Banbury currently has no antenatal or postnatal wards. They have a midwife led unit. A midwife friend recently applied for a job there and was told she would have to be on the JR rota as well. Not sure if the same applies for the Chipping Norton midwives. My first thought in seeing your original post was Kingham.

Charlbury is lovely, but expensive, but if you look just outside at villages such as Chadlington (really good community, with great shop, cafe and primary school), the prices are more reasonable, and you're still only ten minutes drive from Charlbury Station and a few minutes from Chipping Norton hospital for the maternity unit there. This looks lovely: www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-70609168.html

I have family in Charlbury. They love it. Nice and village-ey but with enough going on and enough services.

Train to London is a bitch though, not a commute you want to do 5 days a week.

Chipping Norton

• bus to train but a proper town rather than a village , Charlbury, Kingham, Woodstock (train at Hanborugh), villages like Bladon, Chaddlington, Moreton in Marsh cheaper and lots of new houses but in Gloucestershire and further away from London. Banbury and Bicester less appealing for living but good train routes

And faster in to London, places like Kiddlington not a bad shout - doubt the budget would stretch to many off the nicer parts of Oxford, but worth checking - look at where the Oxford - London coaches run - that’s not a bad option.

But honestly, have lived in the area (Charlbury, CN, Kingham) and then moved to London - I would not fancy commuting from any of them to do a full on shift as a midwife in central London - the line isn’t that reliable, bus replacements take forever! - you are talking realistically about a 1hour 30 to 2 hour commute unless you are v near the station and work near Paddington or Marylebone. And I found childcare very challenging when commuting, not really doable for us without a nanny which when you added the horrific cost of commuting it added up to the same as living in London so we moved - I would think if you can that moving jobs would be better.

Have you thought about Henley? If you are south of the river (technically Berkshire) you can get to the M40 in 10 mins and it's 15 mins to Maidenhead station which will be on cross rail. You will get a 4 bed in village location with good schools for £700k. I know because I'm selling one and there's enough competition.

Thame, Haddenham and surrounding villages are lovely.