Wilstock village

[Lifeispassingby]

DH and I are in process of downsizing and potentially relocating to a cheaper area in order to reduce our mortgage or go mortgage free in order to enjoy life for a while! We are currently looking at Somerset, Taunton or Bridgwater area. We have been looking at some properties at Wilstock Village and wondering if anyone has an idea of the area etc. We like the prices and the style of houses, plus there seem to be walks locally too which is a bonus for DDog! TIA x

We live nearby in Bridgwater. The houses in Wilstock seem lovely and their are lots of walks nearby. Some on foot from there and some a short drive away. The Quantocks is very close by for lovely dog walks too. The only negative would be that the houses are all quite close together. I don’t think it would bother me too much but some people are put off by that. You get a lot for your money there so that’s a positive :) and you’re pretty close to the motorway so it makes it very easy to get to lots of other places for days out and holidays too. I love living round here! There’s a lot of money being spent locally (it’s been delayed a bit because of Covid) so it’s an ‘on the up area’ I think. And the house prices are very attractive. We have a lovely big house in Bridgwater that was very reasonably priced so we have a small mortgage and lots of disposable income. I love it here :)

Thank you for your reply. We currently live in SE in East Kent so they do seem value for money in comparison! We don’t object to being close together as we are used to that but it sounds like it might be worth a visit!

You’re welcome. If you have any other questions feel free to ask :) there are lots of little villages around here too that are still very reasonably priced compared to other parts of the country. Might be worth looking at those too. Cossington, Wembon, Woolavington, Westonzoyland and Chilton Trinity are some of the local villages. Minehead is nice too if you want somewhere more seasidey. And some of the villages on the outskirts of minehead are lovely too :)

Have name changed to reply so not linked to other posts (and my job).

I live in Taunton. You could not pay me to live in Bridgwater. The whole place is dreary. They've expanded and built hideous hotels yet haven't improved the infrastructure so traffic is near constant everywhere. My sister lives in Wilstock village and has police attending something nearby at least once a week. She can't leave anything outside or it gets stolen (kids scooter and bike).

That said, I don't think Taunton is fantastic either. The cheaper houses in places like Priorswood, Holway etc, not great areas. There are nicer areas - Trull for example.
I live in a village just outside of Taunton. It has lovely dog walks but it's a PITA having to drive everywhere and the bus service is rubbish (I like peace and quiet though so I'm happy here, but we have a shop and a pub and that's it).

Somerset is lovely - up until a year ago we lived in a rural village about eight miles from Taunton. Bridgwater has always a lot of prejudice against it - but actually people are very kind. You're near some lovely areas - too, not to mention the fact that you're so near the M5 for ease of travel. I would say keep an open mind, look at other areas in Somerset once lockdown eases - South Somerset is lovely, also the villages areas around Langport have a lot going for them. When we were selling our house we had a couple with young children round looking at ours who lived at Wilstock, so I can only assume they preferred to be more rural. It depends how open-minded you are - there are always pluses and minuses in every area.

@DaphneduM I completely agree :) everyone had different priorities when they’re looking for somewhere to live. Bridgwater and the surrounding area gives you really good value for money which was what was important to us when we bought our home. I’ve lived here since 2006 (originally from the North) and I have a definite soft spot for Bridgwater. Like you say, the people are lovely and there’s so much to do in the local area and within short drives on the m5. I’ve made lots of friends here and my the school my son goes to is lovely :)

I am near Bridgwater too and, although not the most picturesque of towns, it is no better and no worse than many others. There are actually some lovely historic buildings, within the town, if you look for them, an interesting history and connection to the Duke of Monmouth's rebellion in 1685 and the battle of Sedgemoor, links to the Gunpowder Plot, hence the unique 'Squibbing' event (have a look on Youtube) at the end of the town carnival each November.

There is even a museum dedicated to the history of brick and tile making, an important local industry in times past, although it is located in the middle of an industrial estate and one needs to search hard for it! What more could one wish for?

The countryside and geography locally is stunning and diverse, from the wetlands of the Somerset Levels, the Quantock and Blackdown Hills to the fossil rich coast at Quantoxhead, Watchet and St Audries. And Exmoor is nearby, along with Porlock and some other beautiful places further along toward North Devon.

It has a good deal to commend it, in my view

@sallyjuliet Glad you're happy in the area - so much is about attitude and wanting to make it work, isn't it? We've so many happy memories of Somerset, it's such a lovely county. We moved to an absolutely beautiful area that people are also sniffy about!!!!! - (which has very reasonably priced housing ) - we exchanged our Somerset period 3 bed semi for a lovely modern large four bed detached with garage and walled garden and had a good bit of the Somerset house proceeds left over. Again, the people are kind and lovely and we have good transport links. Yes, it definitely pays to think for yourself, and do your own research, rather than being swayed by other people's prejudices!!!