Looking for a village/hamlet near Cambridge

[Dina1234]

We are looking for a village to move to near Cambridge (within 30 mins drive). We want to buy a four+ b/room house in a village near Cambridge. Schools, shops etc. are not important to us although a local cafe/ nice pub would be a bonus. Our main concern is that the village is reasonably affordable, safe and has little or no social housing. We don't really care which direction it is away from Cambridge or how big/small it is. Any suggestions on which villages to look at/stay away from?

I'm in north Cambridgeshire. Halfway between Cambridge & Peterborough. I personally couldn't live in the really flat bit. There are a few villages I wouldn't live in my way but mostly because I don't like them as much. Most villages are a bit mixed in terms of housing
Where we live is very safe. Most people friendly & helpful. Happy to pm you if helpful.
Your sear radius is big! Are you commuting into Cambridge because that make a difference.

What's your budget?

Most Cambridgeshire villages have a good amount of social housing - originally put up to house agricultural workers. What's wrong with social housing/inhabitants thereof?

Are the 'safe' and 'no social housing' preferences linked in some way?

I think what the op means is council housing!

Depends where they are coming from. When we left London, my dh was caught in the middle of armed police raid on the social housing at the end of our road.
I don't think I have ever felt unsafe here. (but then I didn't really in London either)

Is the 30 mins in rush hour? What counts as reasonable?

We would like something around £400k but can go up to £600 if it is worth it (I know that you can't get much for that but we'd like to know about more expensive villages too so that we know where to go on weekends). Do let me know about your thoughts on the area too, would really appreciate it.

I have lived in Great Chesterford and Arkesden, both of which are nice villages. Great Chesterford has better links, train line you can walk to and easy access to the M11.

Nowhere around Cambridge is affordable but everywhere is safe!
Realistically most places have some social housing even posh places. I can't think of anywhere that has none at all. Granchester?

We would like something around £400k but can go up to £600 if it is worth it (I know that you can't get much for that but we'd like to know about more expensive villages too so that we know where to go on weekends). Do let me know about your thoughts on the area too, would really appreciate it.

Are you working in Cambridge?

I think Haverhill would tick all your boxes.

Prices fluctuate a fair bit depending on how close to Cambridge you are.

Hemingford Grey

ClarissaTheTennageWitch don't be so classist..... ewwww. I grew up in an area with a small amount of social housing and sure there were drive by shootings and drug deals associated witht he people who lived in those properties but it was safe for the rest of us. When I said safe I meant not on a really busy road, well lit, nice vigilant neighbours who report suspicious behaviour...The social housing business was more for aesthetic reasons.

Also, being foreign I don't quite understand the social housing v council housing distinction...can anyone explain?

By reasonable I meant not overly inflated for stupid reasons like being within a hundred metres of a waitrose.

We'll be commuting in to london by train (to the station by car), peterborough by car (very rarely) and cambridge by car once our son starts prep school.

Oh, and yes, 30 mins in rush hour.

Thanks for all the feedback so far

Burwell? I have relatives there, it's a lovely village (although maybe on the largish side of village)

Melbourn, Foxton, Fowlmere are all closer. I have friends there, nice enough. Shepreth too. All closer than the two places I lived although you could get there in 30 mins easily in the rush hour from Gt Chesterford.

Great Chesterford was a fab place to live, especially the 10 minute walk to the station for trains to London.

Where do you need to get to in cambridge? That will change the30 min criteria. If you are science park/ East rd/ Huntingdon rd/ then look to the villages to the north. Girton/ histon/ impington are expensive. You should look to the villages nearer Ely such as wilburton haddenham stretham waterbeach where you get a lot more for your money

I'm the A14 end with good links. The A14 is unpredictable though!
Lots of nice villages! If you could be a bit more specific on commute then we could help you better.

If you want to commute to Cambridge in 30 minutes beware of the A14 and A428.

Histon, Cottenham, Dry Drayton, Madingley, Grantchester, Girton all nice villages but expensive and close to Cambridge.

There are nice villages Newmarket side of Cambridge, not sure what the commute would be like though.

Around St. Ives the villages of Hemingford Abbots and Hemingford Grey are options, and they are close to the A14.

Ickleton and Hinxton are both south of Cambridge and have nearby rail links. Very cute. Not cheap though. Duxford is bigger and probably a bit more affordable but has a much more mixed housing stock. Feels quite safe though IMO

There are big council house estates in Huntingdon and St. Neots, although there are some nice villages around these two places.

Commute to Cambridge from Huntingdon is via the A14 and it is very busy, there is a mainline station with a good service to London.

Commute to Cambridge from St. Neots is via the A428 and it is also very busy and single carriageway for a good stretch, again a mainline station with excellent train service to London. St. Neots and Huntingson also give easy access to the A1 to drive to Peterborough, or indeed London.