Best Places To Live In Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire 2019
If you’re looking to move to the South East, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire each have a number of excellent towns and villages that you should consider. Some of these have been highlighted in the Sunday Times’ ‘Best Places To Live In’ Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire 2019. Working as property finders in these areas of the South East, we know exactly what each town or village has to offer, and can use that to our advantage when looking for the perfect property for our clients. If you want to learn more about any of the Best Places To Live In Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire 2019, do please get in touch.
Buckinghamshire
Hambleden Valley
Nestled in the gorgeous Hambleden Valley in the Chilterns, Hambleden is a picture-postcard English village. Its distinctive brick and flint cottages with their characteristic dormer windows, are highly sought-after. Hambleden has everything you’d expect from a traditional English village, including a traditional pub, village shop and post office. St Mary’s Church dates back to the 12th century and is renowned for its eight working bells.
Unsurprisingly, this picturesque village is in much demand as a filming location. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, 101 Dalmatians, Sleepy Hollow, Nanny McPhee Returns and the long-running TV show Midsomer Murders, have all filmed scenes in the area. With strict planning regulations in place, the look of the village is unlikely to change any time soon.
One of the cultural highlights of the year is the Garsington Opera festival held in the grounds of Wormsley Park. If you prefer your entertainment to be more sports focused, Henley-on-Thames is only a few miles away.
Hambleden is within commuting distance of London, making it the ideal residence for anyone looking to escape to the country each evening or on weekends.
Brill
With a name like that, a village would have to make an impression and fortunately it does! Utterly picturesque, this village even has a 400 year old windmill to complement its pretty stone cottages and common. This windmill is thought be one of the earliest examples in Europe, certainly in the UK. The blades no longer turn but a steel framework ensures that the windmill remains well preserved and open for visitors.
Brill is just a 90 minutes car journey from London but you might as well be in another world. There’s a close-knit community and all the amenities you’d expect in an English village, including a cricket club, village store and pubs.
Oxfordshire
Jericho
Known for its strong community spirit, this historic suburb of Oxford was originally home to many student digs. These days the area has more of an intellectual, bohemian air to it thanks to gentrification. For those that live there, Jericho offers a respite from the ever-present tourists in the city centre itself. You might recognise the name from Philip Pullman’s best-selling Northern Lights novels which are partially set in the area, and Jericho has also been used as a filming location in Inspector Morse and its spin-off, Lewis.
Concerted community action has ensured that the high street continues to thrive, including a local cinema and comedy club. The surrounding countryside is ideal for those looking to escape from the city centre, and there is a handy canal towpath for dog-walkers and runners to make good use of.
Jericho’s proximity to Oxford station means that commutes into London and Birmingham are certainly viable.
Charlbury
Charlbury has all of the charm of the Cotswolds without the crowds. Located in the Evenlode Valley, there are regular train services to Oxford, London, Hereford and Worcester. If you’re looking to kick back and relax after work, Charlbury’s local pubs have an excellent gastronomic reputation and trendy bars can be found close by including Soho Farmhouse. For more athletic individuals, the community centre offers a wide variety of activities, including several sports clubs, as well as a library. With the good summer weather comes a host of food, drink and music festivals, including one in which the bands play on an island in the River Evenlode and the multi award winning 4 day Wilderness Festival in August.
Previously Listed Locations On The ‘Best Places To Live In The South East’
Buckinghamshire
Wendover
Technically a market town but considered by many to be a village, Wendover is nestled in the foothills of the Chilterns. An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, the Chilterns are renowned for being quintessentially English, with the Prime Minister’s country residence Chequers only a few miles from Wendover. Travel up into the hills above Wendover itself and you’ll be gifted with a clear view of this historic property. In fact, there are a number of excellent walks within the vicinity of the village, including the Chiltern Way.
Wendover lives up to its market town credentials by hosting a local produce market on every third Saturday of the month.
The village is highly popular with commuters to both London and Oxford. Located only 35 miles from north west London, the village has a direct train connection to London Maryleborne. Families are also drawn to Wendover because of its superb primary schools, of which more than one is rated ‘Outstanding’. For secondary education, the nearby Aylesbury Grammar School is a sought-after choice. There are a good number of detached family homes and semi-detached properties, as well as the expected traditional cottages.
Olney
Community spirit and a lively atmosphere is what sets Olney apart. Residents have a wide choice of pubs and restaurants, and there is strong local music scene, including a jazz club right on the high street. Thursday markets are another strong feature of the town.
Each year the famous Olney Pancake Race takes place in the village, continuing a tradition that first began way back in 1445. On Pancake Day, women run a race of 400 yards whilst carrying a pancake in a pan. There is also a competition for children. To add an extra layer of fun to proceedings, the town competes the town of Liberal, Kansas each year.
The high street itself is lined with historic townhouses, and the shops themselves are frequently independents. The wide range of galleries, antique emporiums, boutiques and furniture sellers been that shoppers travel to Olney from across the region. This includes Milton Keynes and Northampton, both of which Olney residents frequently commute to.
Oxfordshire
Wallingford
Wallingford was the historic home of the long-loved Agatha Christie for over 40 years and it’s not hard to comprehend her affection for this market town, dotted with pretty brick and flint cottages as well as the ruins of a medieval castle. The town is surrounded by gorgeous meadows on the banks of the famous River Thames. Wallingford secondary school is ranked ‘Good’ by Ofsted and the town itself hosts many family-orientated events throughout the year, such as the summer folk-music festival Bunkfest, for which admission is free. Families also enjoy access to the Riverside Outdoor-heated pool in the summer season.
Wallingford is a place where there’s always something going on, the active community hosts a range of exciting events; the rowing regatta, a pancake race and the St George’s Day parade, whilst there are four regular markets offering delicious local produce and artisan products.
Chadlington
Although a small village, Chadlington has plenty of fantastic amenities, including three shops, active cricket and football teams, and a CofE primary school rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted.
The village also contains a traditional freehouse pub, which features gorgeous exposed beams and oak-boarded flooring, perfect for snuggling up in front of the roaring fire in the winter months, sipping one of their guest ales. The local post office turned deli, Café de la post, is a bistro full of character, selling a great selection of local produce and hosting wine-tasting evenings, whilst Slatter’s butchery is worth a visit to purchase prime sausages and cured bacon for a Sunday brunch.
Appealing to the more adventurous locals of the Chadlington community, the village plays host to the Great Brook Run, a unique challenge during which daring competitors run through a brook before sliding themselves through a narrow tunnel. However, the village also holds summer music and beer festivals for those residents who prefer more relaxing activities.
Buying Agent Partnership have plenty of experience finding properties in the best places to live in the South East, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Contact us on 0330 223 6339 to discuss how we can help you.
