Moving to Winchester

[jcj22]

Hi All

We're looking for some advice for a potential move to Winchester or surrounding areas from Wales. We're a family of 5, three children aged 3, 8 & 10. Our eldest boy is looking to start secondary school and our youngest girl starting primary. Our most important factors are

1. Good schools
2. Good community feel - we're looking for good space in our home but we don't want to be too rural or too elderly as a demographic - we like some energy (shops, pubs, community etc.). We are sociable people that'll want to build up a friends network
3. Sports & Activities - football, rugby, dancing clubs for the children, and woodland walking for us all

It's probably everyone's wish list really! I'm not sure if it helps but we really liked Bradford-on-avon in Wiltshire, with canal pubs and boutique shops/cafe's with mini community events going on - however Wiltshire for us wasn't offering much space for the ££'s. Winchester seems to offer good streets/homes within different catchment areas.

I've seen Kings Worthy, Wonston, Chilbolton mentioned in similar posts but these posts were quite dated.

Any advice on these areas would be appreciated.

What is your budget for what size house?

Strange you find you are getting more for your money as I believe Winchester has now overtaken Oxford as the most expensive city to live (outside London of course).
I speak as someone who has just moved from the greater Oxford area and know how expensive it is!

Sorry I should have mentioned home spec.

4 or 5 bed, detached.
We’d need some garden space (sporty kids).
£1.5m max

@Dougieowner I didn’t know that! Maybe it’s just the homes available at the moment in Wiltshire just aren’t ticking the boxes.

We were looking at Oxford too, do we have any related reasons as to why you moved to the Winchester area? How do you find Winchester?

Winchester is so pretty and well connected.

I grew up in Winchester - it’s a great place to live. I wouldn’t rule out moving back that way once the DC have flown the nest (were HC now). Great schools - I went to Kings and Symonds. Happy memories of hanging out in the cathedral grounds, partying on st Catherine’s Hill (that’s probably not on your list of priorities 😂. Seriously, it’s great as a DC and close enough to London as you get older.

@AvonCallingBarksdale thank for the note, any views on Compton, Kings Worthy, Wonston or any other surrounding areas?

@jcj22 Compton and Shawford are pretty villages, don’t really know the Worthies tbh. Buuut, if you have the budget, I’d opt for Winchester proper - St Cross, up by Symonds. How can you resist somewhere that has a Hat Fair www.hatfair.co.uk/info/festival 😀

@AvonCallingBarksdale game changer!

I’d agree with the PP. Chilbolton is a pleasant but quiet village (and quite tricky to get into Winchester from). The Worthies are also OK but with busy roads. With children of that age and presuming that you’ll be staying for several years into their teens, I’d look at the outskirts of the city itself so that they can be more independent and walk/cycle into town and take trains etc. It’s also a bit more lively and much nicer not to have drive to schools and activities all the time. Not sure if you’ll find a 4-5 bed for the budget around King’s School but if so then that’s where I’d go.

Shawford is busy with traffic. I drive through there quite a lot.

I don't think South Wonston has a pub. I think the villagers voted against one at one point. Although they may have got one since. I was told that about twenty years ago.

You have a decent budget- even for Winchester, so living towards the centre will be more convenient. Especially for the children as they get older and make friends.

I don't know about the community in Winchester- it is possible it could be a bit quiet as it is a commuter city.

If you want village life then lots of young families seem to be moving out to the worthys or Easton. Very different from Winchester proper. most of those people seem to be going private.

id look at Fullflood right by the railway station you could get a big Victorian semi with a good garden for your budget. Walkable into town, Good community and access to the countryside out past the golf course. Not good if you want a garage or off street parking.

St cross and Hyde similar but smaller areas and harder to find the right kind of house.

All three of those areas have brilliant primary and secondary options.

badger farm. Further out. Big post war houses with garages and big gardens. Primary schools maybe not as good but I’m sure others would argue otherwise! not walkable into town but great countryside. Good community feel.

Weeke maybe similar to badger farm? That’s in the Henry B catchment which wouldn’t be my preference as it’s the less well regarded of the three secondaries (but still pretty good)

Sorry I didn’t mean badger farm - I meant Oliver’s Battery!

From what you've said, I'd go with Winchester itself. I agree with a previous poster that Fulflood might fit the bill best. Lots of lovely Victorian houses with decent gardens. Excellent school catchments and walking distance into the city centre and to the train station. Be warned though, buying a family home in Fulflood is not for the faint hearted! It is an insanely competitive market so you have to be prepared to act quickly on any house you see and like. Best of luck!

Thanks for your posts and insight. Good points on the teens and commute etc. We will look closer to the city centre

I know it is a little out of budget but this could be turned into something very nice

www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/122169470#/?channel=RES_BUY

A couple of lovely houses have gone on the market recently near us: www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123266552#/?channel=RES_BUY
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/123255329#/?channel=RES_BUY
They are in Kings Worthy Primary catchment, which is great, and Henry Beaufort for secondary (although everyone in the current y6 who put Kings as their first choice has been offered a place, if that's important to you). They all end up back together again for 6th form, anyway. The Worthies are definitely a bit less, err, 'Winchester' than the town centre... it's more socially mixed and less of a target area for those moving straight out of London. There's a nice community feel and good bus routes into town for when the kids get older. Feel free to DM if you need any more info about schools etc 🙂

The people that praise Kings' School went there a long time ago, when it was acceptable for vulnerable pupils (with SEND or on free school meals) to be given a second class education there. This isn't acceptable anymore and the externally published progress 8 scores show that Kings' is the worst out of the 3 schools. Westgate and Henry Beaufort are way, way better now. They have overtaken and their ethos is better.