Market town recommendations please

[Fourlittlepiggies]

We have been agonising forever about moving, and the main problem is finding a location that works. We are currently in a S London/ Kent suburb with good schools and lots of things going on for children. We would (hopefully) move for more space inside and out and to be closer to one set of parents as they get older.

Any suggestions based on this criteria? Thank you!

• commutable to London 1 day a week
• family in the Midlands and Bristol so ideally close to one of these
• 4 dc under 6 so schools and activities are important
• Not a village. We walk a lot at the moment and I don’t want to be forever taxing dc around
• Market town ideally with a sense of community. Getting involved in the area/ making friends is important

Budget….tricky question. For the perfect house probably up to a million. Ideal would be 850k though, and less if it needs work.

@Beebumble2 something big (!) and not on a new build estate (the gardens are too small). We looked on something on Burnmill Rd a few years ago and weren’t able brave enough to go for it but should have done.

Didcot is not nice but it’s an excellent station. Reliable trains into Paddington take 35 minutes and there are several an hour. So market towns like Wantage are worth a look because you’re very close to the M4.

MH is often mentioned in these posts, it must be nice. I assume houses go quickly, often private sales, are you registered with the local estate agents?

Oh what a shame Burnmill Road is really nice. Something might come up soon.

Market Harborough is nice !
My son used to live there literally 5 mins walk from the train station so into London st pancras in just 1 hour !!
You don't get much for your money there thou house wise !! But it's a compromise because it really is a quaint town !!

Came on to recommend Harbs- but plenty seem to have beaten me to it.

Lechampton Cheltenham would be top of my list

I lived in market Harborough for six months.
I can’t say I recommend. Pretty major drug problem there. Along with the usual homeless antisocial, etc.

Marlborough?
no train station so a drive to great bedwin which not long once a week
beautiful countryside

Ringwood or Lymington in the New Forest. Your budget could get you Brockenhurst but there’s less going on for kids.

Ringwood has Outstanding Primary and Secondary schools, not sure about Lymington but they’re well regarded. Lymington has a bigger market and busier high street. Both are good for outdoor activities, particularly sailing and horse related. Both have friendly communities with things to get involved in. I live in one of these and walk everywhere in the town to get whatever we need.

Commute to London from Ringwood would be 30 min drive to Parkway station and then 65 min train to London- doable one day a week. Lymington has a station that connects you to Brockenhurst which has fast trains to Waterloo.

You will need each adult to drive though. The towns are lovely but the surrounding areas are RURAL with poor connections. Bournemouth is not far from either for the beach (though personally I’d head to Highcliffe/Christchurch) and Southampton has bigger shops (John Lewis, Ikea) and a decent theatre.

I commute once a week into London from Moreton in Marsh (MIM), it's 90 mins into Paddington, but then you have loads of underground options including the Lizzie Line, depending on where you need to get to.

I live 20 mins west of there, but it's never been a problem drive; also means I can get into Cheltenham easily from where I live, and have the beauty of the Cotswolds around me.

If you want to train to Bristol / Brum, then either Worcestershire Parkway or Ashchurch (less frequent but free parking) will do that. So for a market town I'd avoid Evesham, but Pershore is lovely (and on the Cotswold line like MIM).

Lewes?

Check out Honiton and Sherborne on the SWR line from Exeter to Waterloo. No good for daily commutes but fine for once a week with overnight stay.

Frome or Warminster. Both have good transport links, although further out from the Midlands than some other suggestions.

Rugby. It's very easy to get to London and centrally placed between Birmingham and Bristol. For those suggesting, Rutland towns, Stamford or Market Harborough, not only are they expensive to get to London, you have to change trains at Peterborough and, while not so far from Birmingham, are a very long way from Bristol. Shrewsbury and Lichfield are fine for Birmingham, expensive for London and a long way away from Bristol.

Lots in Worcestershire would do the trick OP.

We have family in the Midlands and we chose St Neots in Cambridgeshire 10 yrs ago. It is a great market town. Biggest town in Cambs, on the Great Ouse so very picturesque. Loads of investment happening, all the sport, drama, music etc you could want. Plus close to Cambridge and also fast trains are under an hour to London. My eldest is at the local secondary, Longsands, and is doing incredibly well. Younger one is at a state primary. We also have good independent options at Kimbolton School, etc.

I walk by this house regularly and love it:

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/173484206#/?channel=RES_BUY

And this one is in a nice area too:
www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/160871690?utm_campaign=property-details&utm_content=buying&utm_medium=sharing&utm_source=copytoclipboard#/&channel=RES_BUY

Milton Keynes or nearby Newport Pagnell? - maybe not your obvious choice, but worth considering. Has a great shopping centre, theatre , cinema, parks etc

It depends what your budget is as sone areas you might not afford?

Keynsham close to Bristol would work for the commute.

Driving to and from Parkway can be a nightmare on the A31 particularly in the summer so needs to be taken into consideration.

Chippenham? Direct train to Paddington in just over an hour, 25 mins to Temple Meads, good road links to the Midlands. Not the most exciting place in the world, but good schools, lots going on for families, and lovely countryside and villages all around. More affordable than Cirencester, Marlborough etc

@Fourlittlepiggies which area of London do you need to commute into? That might help focus your search as well.

Liverpool Street. With the lizzy line, SW England is easier and the Midlands works too. Thank you!

@stickybear good shout. We looked at houses in Chippenham years ago. I am wondering if these SW towns are too far from midlands family though.

A few bits of misinformation I'd like to pedantically correct!
Market Harborough is not in Rutland, it's in Leicestershire but near the borders of Rutland and Northamptonshire.
There are direct trains from MH to London, you do not have to change!
MH has some character but is not exactly quaint and yes, like any town of a similar size there will be some drugs/crime/ASB. There are some not inspiring estates alongside the nicer bits.
Some good shops and places to eat but no proper cinema.

I’m in Frome, it might tick your boxes.