Tell me about Grantham!

[Ootneg]

We’re looking at relocating to the Grantham area for my husband’s work. I’m trying to find out about the area as we don’t know it very well. I like the idea of Grantham as it’s got good rail links and it’s handy for the A1 and getting to Nottingham for shops etc. Secondary school options seem good too. But I have read so many negative things, I’m wondering if we should look further afield (Newark, Bourne, Lincoln). Or is Grantham just a lovely town that’s got a bad reputation?!
Also, are any of the villages round there particularly nice?
I’d appreciate any insights!
(Our original plan had been a move to Ripon, so this new plan has taken me by surprise.)

[rachelblanchard]

@Suzieretro

I moved here from Welwyn and would highly recommend the villages on the outskirts near the Vale of Belvoir , Bottesford , Denton, Harlaxton etc. These areas are more expensive than the town itself , but if you stretch to it you get lots of green space and lovely neighbours.
I moved from a three bed terrace to a large detached and honestly dont look back.
The shopping area which people refer as the town itself is ok , there's a few decent cafes and restaurants, shops are average but better shops are opening all time (see comment on designer outlet) with a high end restaurant hitting the high street soon.l.
Its an up and coming area - theres a designer outlet opening on its A1 junction and road links , train links are great as well.
Lots of londoners moving up to take advantage of the house prices ,and swapping living out of a box with small gardens next to noisy neighbours.
Schools are first class.
House prices are going up though my property has risen 40% in 2 years. So get in quick.

What village do you live in may I ask?? looking myself at areas around grantham and bingham - particularly interested in a good secondary school zone . Thanks

[Suzieretro]

I moved here from Welwyn and would highly recommend the villages on the outskirts near the Vale of Belvoir , Bottesford , Denton, Harlaxton etc. These areas are more expensive than the town itself , but if you stretch to it you get lots of green space and lovely neighbours.
I moved from a three bed terrace to a large detached and honestly dont look back.
The shopping area which people refer as the town itself is ok , there's a few decent cafes and restaurants, shops are average but better shops are opening all time (see comment on designer outlet) with a high end restaurant hitting the high street soon.l.
Its an up and coming area - theres a designer outlet opening on its A1 junction and road links , train links are great as well.
Lots of londoners moving up to take advantage of the house prices ,and swapping living out of a box with small gardens next to noisy neighbours.
Schools are first class.
House prices are going up though my property has risen 40% in 2 years. So get in quick.

[Ootneg]

@Moon22 No we didn’t in the end. Currently buying a house in Oxfordshire instead as my husbands job brought us here. I do try not to look at what we could have bought In lincolnshire!

[Moon22]

Just wondering did you end up moving to Grantham??

[FAQs]

www.middlebecknewark.com/

[FAQs]

*good

[FAQs]

There is a new ish area being built called Middlebrook I think if that’s usual. It’s food for the motorway.

[ClockSpanner]

Thanks for the comments. All useful to me even though its not my thread. We looked at houses in Allington, Long Bennington, Foston and Barrowby so far but nothing we've really loved yet. However all the villages did seem lovely. Think I agree we don't want central Grantham itself. Looking as far south as Stamford but seems we can't get as much for our money as we go towards Oakham and Stamford which suggests to me they may be nicer but unfortunately may be out of budget for the size we need. Did you find anything you like OP?

[Divebar]

Great thread OP as we are also considering this area. Hopefully this comment may give it a bump for anyone else with any information. Does any one know what Great Gonerby and Gonerby Hill Foot are like?

I’m not sure what you want to know but I used to live in Great Gonerby ( technically
a village). Gonerby Hill foot is just an area of Grantham. I’m neutral about it. There are some older properties which look nice. It has a shop, a post office and a pub. It’s not as nice as Barrowby which has a fantastic butchers ( check out the sausages and pork pie ) and cafe. Similar distance from Grantham as Gonerby.

[Divebar]

I’m from Grantham and still have family there.... there’s no way I’d live there. It’s a shame really because it has some nice buildings just nothing else really. It does have two really good single sex grammar schools and a new cinema. One ok coffee shop / breakfast spot, a nice vintage place. I’ve not found a nice bar in town but there are numerous nice pubs in villages nearby ( although obviously that means driving) Not much is it? If you’re horsey then you’ll find your tribe around there. I actually prefer Newark which has a castle and some ok places along the river but I don’t know the schools. If I had a choice of that area though I would head to Uppingham or Oakham.

[FAQs]

If you’re after the Grammar school system those in Newark and surrounding tend to go to the Girls and Boys Grammar schools in Sleaford.

[MT71]

I’d recommend looking at Bingham. Only 20 mins from Grantham. Has lots going for it and great primary and secondary schools. We moved to Grantham to reduce the Grammar school commute for after school activities 4 years ago. In hindsight the secondary school in Bingham is equally as good and the online teaching has been very good during lockdown. Voted the best place in England to bring up children a few years ago.
Grantham is ok but I’m looking forward to moving!

[Ootneg]

Thanks for all the advice. Top budget is £400k. Stamford looks lovely, but pricey. Can’t wait to go and look round the area.
Going to go and look up Colsterworth, Wyndham Park and Bottesford on Rightmove...

[FridayHappyDay]

@notheragain4

We looked at Colsterworth and really liked it, we went a couple of times and couldn't get over how friendly everyone was, we only live about 25 minutes away but it's like another world lol.

I guess it depends if you want a town or a village, we decided we wanted a town in the end as children are nearly teenagers, but to be fair to Colsterworth it has a good bus service so had the right house come up there I think we'd have moved there.

Name changed for this as I live in Colsterworth

It is very friendly. There is some lovely walking nearby and the village itself is a good mix of not very busy but not too tiny - and we have a lovely new co-op and a couple of great fish and chip vans!!

TBF, though, many of the villages here abouts are similar. I'd avoid Grantham itself but the villages are lovely. Stamford is a good town but is expensive and can be a little bit snooty (am allowed to say that because I grew up there).

[Magicbabywaves]

I grew up in Bourne (parents and sibling still there) and I can’t say I ve ever thought Grantham was very nice. Stamford is lovely though.

[ClockSpanner]

Thanks @EdithWeston I did not know that but it is always good to know. We have lived in Nottingham, near Boston and Leicestershire so always learning new pronunciations for places as we are from the South. Vale of Belvoir got us good when we moved to Notts!

[EdithWeston]

I'd say they were both fine

(and, apologies if you know this already, it's pronounced Gunnerby, and Little Gonerby Infants School isn't in either of them)

[ClockSpanner]

Great thread OP as we are also considering this area. Hopefully this comment may give it a bump for anyone else with any information. Does any one know what Great Gonerby and Gonerby Hill Foot are like?

[Bobbybobbins]

Grantham is ok. Highlight is the secondary education. Wyndham Park is nice! Newark is prettier but the schools are much worse.
Bottesford is nice and on the train line to Nottingham and Grantham.

One issue with a lot of the villages is really poor transport links. We all learned to drive as soon as we turned 17!

[BigusBumus]

The villages between Grantham and Stamford are all lovely and it's some great pubs. What would be tour house budget?

[Bluesheep8]

Ok Lincoln's a city. Albeit a very small one in comparison with a lot of others.

[EdithWeston]

If you go for Vale of Belvoir, check which town's secondary schools the village DC go to. Some can send to Grantham and its grammars, but others don't - the area is split between 2 or 3 different counties (depending on exactly which bits you include)

[augustusglupe]

Another for the Vale of Belvoir! Very desirable..without being pretentious, gorgeous countryside, handy for Nottingham and Grantham, with train times to London just over an hour.
Rutland is beautiful too but doesn’t have everything on its doorstep and can be a bit ‘gin n jag’ in certain areas. Nice to visit and all that though.

[EdithWeston]

It was a large and prosperous mediaeval city - growing from an important strategic settlement on Ermine Street (a main Roman Road), William I had a castle built there (at the top of Steep Hill, opposite the cathedral, and incidentally a good day out though I expect the hands on and dress up stuff might be paused)

The cathedral was one of the tallest buildings in the world when it was completed. And important enough to be the holder of one of the four copies of the Magna Carta (which it still has).

Definitely a proper city! Even though it has never been as wealthy as it was during the centuries of the wool trade.

As a side note, St Wulfram's in Grantham also has an immense spire (3rd highest of any church, 6th higest of any church/cathedral) and a chained library which has a small but extraordinary collection of books. Not exactly a reason to buy there - but worth dropping in (if open) if you have time to kill whilst in the town

[Lincolnshireyummy]

That’s good to know.