Places to live in East Devon, Dorset or Somerset?
Discussion
LordHaveMurci said:
What about small villages such as Beer or Branscombe?
Seaton has changed a lot over the years but I always think of it as a ghost town full of coffin dodgers! Must be plenty of lovely villages around Axminster, not my area though.
Beer is a lovely village, and Lyme is very nice also. I would live in Lyme if it was not 50 minutes away from my work.Seaton has changed a lot over the years but I always think of it as a ghost town full of coffin dodgers! Must be plenty of lovely villages around Axminster, not my area though.
JackRatt said:
fivepointnine said:
I live in the Street/Glastonbury area, while nice, the summertime traffic on the A39 kills it. If I were to move anywhere the only place I would look is Sherborne. Easily the nicest village that I have ever been to in the Somerset/Dorset area (we stayed there in a cottage while looking for our home). Wells is also nice, and is pretty close to Bristol.
Yeah, traffic is a concern.That said the alternatives are staying near London where it's busy all the time or moving up towards my wife's parents in North Yorkshire where you'd have a similar issue in the summer.
Quite tempted by Seaton/Colyton area. I know Seaton is not as picturesque or as Bohemian as somewhere like Lyme, but it's supposed to be on the up currently, plus it's big enough and affordable enough to have other young families not just wealthy retirees. Heading down for a look next week with a large list of areas to investigate.
Edited by JackRatt on Saturday 26th March 13:02
egor110 said:
JackRatt said:
fivepointnine said:
I live in the Street/Glastonbury area, while nice, the summertime traffic on the A39 kills it. If I were to move anywhere the only place I would look is Sherborne. Easily the nicest village that I have ever been to in the Somerset/Dorset area (we stayed there in a cottage while looking for our home). Wells is also nice, and is pretty close to Bristol.
Yeah, traffic is a concern.That said the alternatives are staying near London where it's busy all the time or moving up towards my wife's parents in North Yorkshire where you'd have a similar issue in the summer.
Quite tempted by Seaton/Colyton area. I know Seaton is not as picturesque or as Bohemian as somewhere like Lyme, but it's supposed to be on the up currently, plus it's big enough and affordable enough to have other young families not just wealthy retirees. Heading down for a look next week with a large list of areas to investigate.
Edited by JackRatt on Saturday 26th March 13:02
My grandmother used to live in Lyme - she wasn't remotely Bohemian admittedly - and I had a couple of friends who lived there as a kid, so I know it quite well. I'd be open to persuasion, but as far as I can see it's way out of our price range for the sort of house we want. Very touristy too. I think both points would apply to Beer or Branscombe as well.
Seaton just sprang to mind as I've heard there's quite a lot of investment in the town currently, plus it has quite a lot of new(ish) affordable(ish) housing, which might mean more younger people. Wouldn't be my first choice if I was looking at it in a less pragmatic light, admittedly.
You should probably have a look at Wellington, about 30 minutes on a good run from Axminster, centrally located for the private schools with Wellington school on your door step, Taunton, Queens, Kings 9 miles to the East and Blundalls about 10 miles to the West. The town is small enough to have a large village feel but does have a Waitrose, costa coffee etc. Prices are a lot cheaper then taunton and there are a lot of nice new builds for 300k if thats your thing. North of the town are the larger, older houses and are more exclusive, your 5 minutes not the M5 at junction 26, would really be worth a look
JackRatt said:
rcc2003 said:
I live in Seaton which overall isn't a bad place but it depends on your expectations.
I actually lived in Seaton briefly as a kid and I used to sail at Axmouth (my dad still does). Have heard there's quite a lot of development going on. oilydan said:
We moved to a little village about a mile or two out of Tiverton.
Just the right distance, IMHO, for school runs/Shopping but far enough out to be rural.
I think Tiverton might be a little bit too far west. We want to be close enough to my parents (near Axminster) to call upon them for babysitting. The villages around Chard and Ilminster seem like a good option, though. When I was at school Chard itself had a reputation for being a bit chavvy, but I gather it's quite posh now?Just the right distance, IMHO, for school runs/Shopping but far enough out to be rural.
Exeter is closer to Axminster than Taunton and is a whole load nicer than Taunton IMHO.
Edit for quote fail.
Edited by oilydan on Sunday 27th March 17:13
I agree, i don't really know why anyone would want to move to Taunton?
It's a dying large town whereas Bridgwater seems to be on the up with more job opportunity, however in saying that some of the villages on the quantocks are nice , especially if you enjoy horse riding/mountain biking.
It's a dying large town whereas Bridgwater seems to be on the up with more job opportunity, however in saying that some of the villages on the quantocks are nice , especially if you enjoy horse riding/mountain biking.
egor110 said:
I agree, i don't really know why anyone would want to move to Taunton?
It's a dying large town whereas Bridgwater seems to be on the up with more job opportunity, however in saying that some of the villages on the quantocks are nice , especially if you enjoy horse riding/mountain biking.
Yes, nice in them there hills, but still further away from Axminster where the OP wants to be near.It's a dying large town whereas Bridgwater seems to be on the up with more job opportunity, however in saying that some of the villages on the quantocks are nice , especially if you enjoy horse riding/mountain biking.
I would also avoid the Somerset Levels. Was shocked to pass through on the train in February; it seemed like the train was actually a boat, water everywhere!
Tiverton town might well have a reputation of Chavitism, but the surrounding villages are filled with relocated city-folk. Wellington has a Waitrose - you don't get much less Chav than that! Or do you?
oilydan said:
egor110 said:
I agree, i don't really know why anyone would want to move to Taunton?
It's a dying large town whereas Bridgwater seems to be on the up with more job opportunity, however in saying that some of the villages on the quantocks are nice , especially if you enjoy horse riding/mountain biking.
Yes, nice in them there hills, but still further away from Axminster where the OP wants to be near.It's a dying large town whereas Bridgwater seems to be on the up with more job opportunity, however in saying that some of the villages on the quantocks are nice , especially if you enjoy horse riding/mountain biking.
I would also avoid the Somerset Levels. Was shocked to pass through on the train in February; it seemed like the train was actually a boat, water everywhere!
Tiverton town might well have a reputation of Chavitism, but the surrounding villages are filled with relocated city-folk. Wellington has a Waitrose - you don't get much less Chav than that! Or do you?
I used to be a postie in Taunton and one of the chaps daughter lived there, her neighbour was supposedly on the game and moved down from Manchester and she thought it was rougher in rockwell green!
This was 15 years ago and could of been total balls
t.
oilydan said:
Taunton is further from Axminsterthan Tivvy, maybe not practical due to no decent road heading to the South East from Tiverton to Axminster/Honiton direction.
Exeter is closer to Axminster than Taunton and is a whole load nicer than Taunton IMHO.
Nope, both further away than Taunton according to Google - by about 15 miles in the case of Tiverton. That's from my parents' postcode, admittedly, which is not in Axminster itself.Exeter is closer to Axminster than Taunton and is a whole load nicer than Taunton IMHO.
I only suggested Taunton as it struck me as somewhere large enough and affluent enough to provide a steady stream of private students for my wife. No specific reason to make a beeline for it.
JackRatt said:
Nope, both further away than Taunton according to Google - by about 15 miles in the case of Tiverton. That's from my parents' postcode, admittedly, which is not in Axminster itself.
I only suggested Taunton as it struck me as somewhere large enough and affluent enough to provide a steady stream of private students for my wife. No specific reason to make a beeline for it.
Public schools in Taunton, Tiverton and Exeter with catchments up to 20 miles or so around. I know families at Blundells who live in Newton Abbott!!I only suggested Taunton as it struck me as somewhere large enough and affluent enough to provide a steady stream of private students for my wife. No specific reason to make a beeline for it.
Maybe Honiton or Illminster would be a good bet?
JackRatt said:
Ilminster is pretty high on the list.
Don't really know what Honiton like now. Didn't think it was the most salubrious neighbourhood, but as with Chard I'm the best part of 20 years out of date. Might be lovely now.
Honiton is Ok, grown a lot since I left 20+ years ago but still not much there to support the population growth. Surrounded by lovely countryside & 10mins from lovely coastline but so is most of East Devon!Don't really know what Honiton like now. Didn't think it was the most salubrious neighbourhood, but as with Chard I'm the best part of 20 years out of date. Might be lovely now.
East Devon and Lyme Regis is an area where house prices can ultimately make living there possible or impossible. £300k will buy you a house in Beer or Lyme but expect no parking, a small house which will need maintaining with old style central heating etc. In a Seaton it will get you a bigger family house, more modern with the sea but without the picture postcard Devon life image, Axminster the same without the sea and more run down in my opinion. In Honiton you get good transport links and are close to Exeter which is a great place which has changed into a modern city with a buzz about it. You also have lots of small villages dotted about which are lovely but they are just that, a village which means a 6 mile round trip for a pint of milk and the school run twice a day. I have lived here on and off for 20 years and still being near a big city. One thing for sure is that you need a car around here!!!
rcc2003 said:
East Devon and Lyme Regis is an area where house prices can ultimately make living there possible or impossible. £300k will buy you a house in Beer or Lyme but expect no parking, a small house which will need maintaining with old style central heating etc. In a Seaton it will get you a bigger family house, more modern with the sea but without the picture postcard Devon life image, Axminster the same without the sea and more run down in my opinion. In Honiton you get good transport links and are close to Exeter which is a great place which has changed into a modern city with a buzz about it. You also have lots of small villages dotted about which are lovely but they are just that, a village which means a 6 mile round trip for a pint of milk and the school run twice a day. I have lived here on and off for 20 years and still being near a big city. One thing for sure is that you need a car around here!!!
Is Exeter really a buzzy modern city?I watch lots of gigs and Exeter is not a must do location for bands/promoters , whereas Bristol is.
egor110 said:
Is Exeter really a buzzy modern city?
I watch lots of gigs and Exeter is not a must do location for bands/promoters , whereas Bristol is.
It's not Bristol but it's catching up in recent years. Personally I preferred it 10yrs ago, I'll end up moving out once the kids leave school in 4 yrs or so. I watch lots of gigs and Exeter is not a must do location for bands/promoters , whereas Bristol is.
egor110 said:
Is Exeter really a buzzy modern city?
I watch lots of gigs and Exeter is not a must do location for bands/promoters , whereas Bristol is.
That is mainly because there aren't any big indoor venues.I watch lots of gigs and Exeter is not a must do location for bands/promoters , whereas Bristol is.
A lot of smaller places, I guess up to 500 or so, but Plymouth has the Pavillions, so you tend to find the bigger acts go there and/or Bristol. There's also a pretty small catchment population once you get past Brizzle, about 750k in Devon, 500k in Cornwall and similar in Somerset, but over a million in Bristol/Avon plus a short drive from Cardiff/Swindon/Glos on the motorways.
rcc2003 said:
You also have lots of small villages dotted about which are lovely but they are just that, a village which means a 6 mile round trip for a pint of milk and the school run twice a day. I have lived here on and off for 20 years and still being near a big city. One thing for sure is that you need a car around here!!!
I remember it well. I grew up in a village between Axminster and Honiton and went to school 20 miles away in Crewkerne. I got to know the track listing of my mum's Best of The Beach Boys cassette very, very well indeed. 
Heading down for the weekend, so I guess we'll see what we can find. The hitlist is something like:
Crewkerne, Axminster, Ilminster, Taunton, Beaminster, Tatworth, South Petherton, Bridport, Seaton and Colyton. Had Thorncombe and Hawkchurch down too, but I think they might be a bit *too* quiet. Anywhere with a shop, a pub and preferably a primary school is possibility.
JackRatt said:
I remember it well. I grew up in a village between Axminster and Honiton and went to school 20 miles away in Crewkerne. I got to know the track listing of my mum's Best of The Beach Boys cassette very, very well indeed.
Heading down for the weekend, so I guess we'll see what we can find. The hitlist is something like:
Crewkerne, Axminster, Ilminster, Taunton, Beaminster, Tatworth, South Petherton, Bridport, Seaton and Colyton. Had Thorncombe and Hawkchurch down too, but I think they might be a bit *too* quiet. Anywhere with a shop, a pub and preferably a primary school is possibility.
Hawkchurch has a shop, a pub and a primary school - even if it only has about 25 pupils.Heading down for the weekend, so I guess we'll see what we can find. The hitlist is something like:
Crewkerne, Axminster, Ilminster, Taunton, Beaminster, Tatworth, South Petherton, Bridport, Seaton and Colyton. Had Thorncombe and Hawkchurch down too, but I think they might be a bit *too* quiet. Anywhere with a shop, a pub and preferably a primary school is possibility.
If your parents are good with your children it maybe a worth staying fairly near to them, most schools and nurseries seem to wont to phone you at the drop of a hat to pick a slightly ill child up, then the policy seems to be 48 hours until they can return to school . Having someone close you can drop them with makes a big difference.
Gassing Station | South West | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff