Bury St Edmunds/Newmarket - advice please for relocator

[PomsMum]

We need to relocate from Hampshire for my work, I will based in a place called Kentford between Bury St Edmunds and Newmarket, I know nothing about either of these places (although went to school in Cambridge) but have heard both are lovely.

We are rural folk, don't want bright lights and big cities, but I do need recommendations for schools (primary), the best villages to concentrate on, the best estate agents in the area, and what's good about either etc etc.

The mumsnet local knowhow is what I'm in search of. Can you help? Thanks

Does not one MNer live in Bury or Newmarket, arrghhh not going to want to move there then am I?

Surely someone must think it's OK?!

I stopped in Bury for lunch once, and it was yummy.

Sorry, not much help. You could try bumping in the evening after bedtime.

Bury St Edmunds is lovely - there are a few mnetters round that way - there was a recent thread about it - search for suffolk girls i think. I don't know Newmarket at all but i do like Bury very much - there are lots of pretty villages around. I live 40 minutes away between Bury and Norwich and really like it - only really know this area for school advice so not much help there as it's probably a bit further out than you'd like.

I used to live near Bury and really enjoyed it. I t has the most fabulous market every Weds and Sat - coachloads come in from surrounding villages for it.

Sorry, can't help on schools, mine were too young when we lived there.

Have you tried UpMyStreet dot com (or co dot uk, sorry can't remeber which)? It gives loads of information about different areas and might be a good starting point.

Badwell Ash, Woolpit, Walsham le Willows, Drinkstone. Ixsworth, Rattlesden and Haughley. All rather nice villages to the East of Bury.

David Burr has a few agencies, Savilles, bit difficult as don't know your budget (roughly )

Wicken is rather lovely, peaceful village like but close to Newarket, Ely and Bury St edmunds, you would probably get more for your m0oney here, quite o few of the houses come with land and all character properties. Not sure if there is a vilage school here but the ones in soham have good reputations, especially the secondary. It is however about 20-30mins drive to Kentford. Ashley is also nice which is the other side of newmarket, the children that live here tend to attend school in newmarket, can't say much about the schools, (although there are some good independent ones if thats an option) but there is a very good pre school atttached to one of the primarys ( i know its good because my sister is the Manager! . another village which is nice are Lidgate,