Villages near Taunton
Discussion
After the best part of a year of window shopping on Rightmove we might be close to actually moving back to the Westcountry. The idea is partly to move closer to my parents in East Devon. Mrs Chris71 is a music teacher, so having lots of good schools nearby would suit her and I work from home but travel a lot, so somewhere with half decent links to the M5, A303 and train lines would be handy. Plus, although we're looking for somewhere reasonably quiet, having somewhere a bit more lively within a relatively short drive appeals. All of which has made us wondering if one of the villages near Taunton might be a good idea...
So, where would you recommend? Or perhaps more importantly, where would you avoid?
I'm a bit reluctant to head to the north west of Taunton. I've heard the area around Cotford St Luke is nice, but that puts us further away from friends and family to the south, plus transport links to the east. South of the M5 could work providing it wasn't somewhere too remote - secluded is good, but we'd like a pub and a village shop ideally. East/north east of the town could work, but I don't want to head too far otherwise we'll be out of babysitting range of my parents!
In no particular order, places we've noticed nice houses include:
Trull
Durston (appears to be right on the A361)
East Lyng (ditto)
Milverton (totally the wrong direction, but a couple of nice houses in budget!)
Combe St Nicholas (I realise that's pushing the definition of 'near Taunton' a bit...)
South Petherton (ditto)
ETA I guess the other things I should ask are:
There seems to be a lot of development going on currently. Is there anywhere in particular I should steer clear of if I don't want 500 Bovis homes springing up on the rolling green fields I mortgaged myself to the eyeballs to look at?
I think this is more of an issue further east(?) but do I need to be wary of flooding in these areas?
So, where would you recommend? Or perhaps more importantly, where would you avoid?
I'm a bit reluctant to head to the north west of Taunton. I've heard the area around Cotford St Luke is nice, but that puts us further away from friends and family to the south, plus transport links to the east. South of the M5 could work providing it wasn't somewhere too remote - secluded is good, but we'd like a pub and a village shop ideally. East/north east of the town could work, but I don't want to head too far otherwise we'll be out of babysitting range of my parents!
In no particular order, places we've noticed nice houses include:
Trull
Durston (appears to be right on the A361)
East Lyng (ditto)
Milverton (totally the wrong direction, but a couple of nice houses in budget!)
Combe St Nicholas (I realise that's pushing the definition of 'near Taunton' a bit...)
South Petherton (ditto)
ETA I guess the other things I should ask are:
There seems to be a lot of development going on currently. Is there anywhere in particular I should steer clear of if I don't want 500 Bovis homes springing up on the rolling green fields I mortgaged myself to the eyeballs to look at?
I think this is more of an issue further east(?) but do I need to be wary of flooding in these areas?
Edited by Chris71 on Saturday 18th February 18:40
FrenchSpider said:
I live in Bristol so cannot really comment on specific towns/villages, but I would be ever so slightly cautious about considering purchasing a house in the Somerset Levels. What about a bit further down the M5, say around Wellington?
Yeah, flooding is a concern. There again, I guess if you pick somewhere on high ground (and don't mind canoeing to the shops) then an area that's de-valued due to flood concerns could be good value. Open to suggestion. I know Wellington has a very posh school, so presumably it also has quite a posh town, but isn't it supposed to have a really rough council estate too?
Chris71 said:
Yeah, flooding is a concern. There again, I guess if you pick somewhere on high ground (and don't mind canoeing to the shops) then an area that's de-valued due to flood concerns could be good value.
Open to suggestion. I know Wellington has a very posh school, so presumably it also has quite a posh town, but isn't it supposed to have a really rough council estate too?
Wellington-My home town as was. The school's not that posh, it can't be because I went there. It gets confused with Wellington College in Berkshire, which is posh. It's still a very good school though, still have some contacts 40 years on.Open to suggestion. I know Wellington has a very posh school, so presumably it also has quite a posh town, but isn't it supposed to have a really rough council estate too?
The town isn't really posh, the council bits aren't really bad at all. Quite a range of housing in the area. M5 of course is really close as you know and easier to get to than the A361 villages you mention. If you need the train then they'd be better perhaps.
standards said:
The school's not that posh, it can't be because I went there. It gets confused with Wellington College in Berkshire, which is posh.
Ah, might be guilty of that to a certain extent, but I grew up relatively nearby and my first contact with the school - the one in Somerset - was playing rugby against it, so I knew it was independent. My thinking, though, was that being a reasonably well-regarded school it might be a source of students for Mrs Chris71.
Milverton is a good village and is favoured by both Wellington school parents and the other three private schools in Taunton, as the back road into Taunton from Milverton is quick, 15 minutes or so. Trull is also favoured, but more of a stretched out village but with quick access to Taunton.
Durstan and East Lyng suffer terribly from the road, despite the speed limits its a fast noisy road, we owned a house there 20 years ago and only stayed for 7 months.
Milverton is the village with a good shop, post office and pub and will be the village to have the most village feel, lots going on there, close to Wiviliscombe/Wellington, the latter now having a Waitrose. We only live 2 miles from Milverton, its the next village to us, I know most of the houses on that village and have bought and sold in that village, North street being the favoured street, although you must buy something with parking as it can be a nightmare, annual traditional village fete, lots going on you can take it or leave it.
If you are trying to enter Taunton from South of the M5 in rush hour its a nightmare!
Durstan and East Lyng suffer terribly from the road, despite the speed limits its a fast noisy road, we owned a house there 20 years ago and only stayed for 7 months.
Milverton is the village with a good shop, post office and pub and will be the village to have the most village feel, lots going on there, close to Wiviliscombe/Wellington, the latter now having a Waitrose. We only live 2 miles from Milverton, its the next village to us, I know most of the houses on that village and have bought and sold in that village, North street being the favoured street, although you must buy something with parking as it can be a nightmare, annual traditional village fete, lots going on you can take it or leave it.
If you are trying to enter Taunton from South of the M5 in rush hour its a nightmare!
Trull, Staplehay, Pitminster, Blagdon Hill, Corfe all good as they are close enough to the town to be convenient but far enough out to be remote. All of those mentioned have easy links to Devon as you can go up over the Blackdowns and be on the A303 easily without going through Taunton. From my house (opposite Queen's College very near Trull) to Lyme Regis/Axminster is only 40 minutes.
Several decent schools around that side of town - Queen's College (private), the Castle School and a host of smaller ones. This side of town means your kids won't need a stab vest...
There is talk of a big development at Comeytrowe which may or may not happen. There is a development in progress at Killams which is kind of near but shouldn't impact stuff in those villages I've mentioned.
What type of house are you looking for? Do you want land and space or cottage and quaint? Rent or buy - what sort of budget do you have in mind? All houses in these areas are high end for Taunton in terms of money per square foot.
The agent that is most active in the area is Robert Cooney, he is the 'go to' as he is local and seems to get most of the instructions in the area.
Happy to help if you need any further specifics - I know the area really well.
Thanks gents. Budget is subject to what our mortgage adviser comes back with, but it won't be huge. Probably a touch over £300,000, for which we need two good sized bedrooms and a third bedroom or reception room that could serve as a small office. We'd prefer an older house, preferably at least semi-detached, in a reasonably rural location with a decent-sized garden. Access to a nearby nursery and/or primary school would be a major bonus and we'd prefer to have a pub and a village shop within walking distance.
I realise everywhere has its good and bad points, but it'd be good to know where to avoid as well.
ETA I should add, it doesn't have to be Taunton necessarily. That marks the northern end of the area we're looking at, but we're also considering the villages down towards Chard and Ilminster. Taunton just seems to make sense due to the proximity of schools and transport links.
minghis said:
This side of town means your kids won't need a stab vest...
Which side does? I realise everywhere has its good and bad points, but it'd be good to know where to avoid as well.
ETA I should add, it doesn't have to be Taunton necessarily. That marks the northern end of the area we're looking at, but we're also considering the villages down towards Chard and Ilminster. Taunton just seems to make sense due to the proximity of schools and transport links.
Edited by Chris71 on Monday 20th February 13:50
Great thread, I'll keep watching , I'm hoping to move west soon and Somerset keeps drawing me. I find myself spending many days there just looking , edge of the levels I am finding nice, wedmore seems nice , also love the area around Shepton mallet although not Shepton itself , seems so run down these days , I remember it as a kid as a vibrant town with 2 railways. ( yes I'm old )
We bought a house 2 years ago on the outskirts of Over Stratton, next to South Petherton.
It's a beautiful area and the village although not exactly a buzzing metropolis it does have your essentials, Boots, Coop, local shops etc. Its the epitiome of an English Village, they have countless village fetes/carnivals etc.
Their Primary school has recieved an outstanding report and is very highly rated, down the road in Stoke Sub Hamden is the Stanchester academy ideal for your OH should she wish to continue the music teacher career. Just dont go any furtehr east as youre creeping into Yeovil area.
Must admit, we were going to settle in Hampshire, but my job brought us to Somerset and we've never looked back. Our budget was the same as yours and we managed to grab an absolute bargain, right place and time.
Oh and South Petherton is on the higher levels so we didnt flood!
It's a beautiful area and the village although not exactly a buzzing metropolis it does have your essentials, Boots, Coop, local shops etc. Its the epitiome of an English Village, they have countless village fetes/carnivals etc.
Their Primary school has recieved an outstanding report and is very highly rated, down the road in Stoke Sub Hamden is the Stanchester academy ideal for your OH should she wish to continue the music teacher career. Just dont go any furtehr east as youre creeping into Yeovil area.
Must admit, we were going to settle in Hampshire, but my job brought us to Somerset and we've never looked back. Our budget was the same as yours and we managed to grab an absolute bargain, right place and time.
Oh and South Petherton is on the higher levels so we didnt flood!
Just be aware that you can't get around Somerset quickly.
The 'A' roads are single carriageway with few overtaking opportunities. Catch an Hgv and you will have to wait.
Also the M5 is broken most summer weekends at which point everyone dives onto the A38 and jams every village and town from Weston to Taunton.
There are also some towns that really are a bit "league of gentleman "
Otherwise it's a nice rural county, but 10 miles won't take 10 minutes.
The 'A' roads are single carriageway with few overtaking opportunities. Catch an Hgv and you will have to wait.
Also the M5 is broken most summer weekends at which point everyone dives onto the A38 and jams every village and town from Weston to Taunton.
There are also some towns that really are a bit "league of gentleman "
Otherwise it's a nice rural county, but 10 miles won't take 10 minutes.
bristolracer said:
Just be aware that you can't get around Somerset quickly.
I grew up on the (other) edge of the Blackdown Hills and generally didn't have too much trouble. Think my 205 GTI probably still holds the outright record for Axminster to Crewkerne. 
On a more serious note, I work from home most days, so I wouldn't be travelling that often. For my wife it's more likely to be bottlenecks getting into places like Taunton as she's a peripatetic teacher generally doing an hour or two in one school and then moving on.
Dixy said:
It is now almost certain that both the A303 and the A358 will be significantly upgraded. This will cause utter chaos for years and will either increase or decrease the value of properties depending on proximity
That's interesting to know. Can't say I'm especially looking forward to trips along the A303 when they do the Stonehenge tunnel either.Chris71 said:
That's interesting to know. Can't say I'm especially looking forward to trips along the A303 when they do the Stonehenge tunnel either.
The tunnel runs alongside the old road so hopefully it should not be to bad apart from when they link it in but I'm sure they will find a way to create maximum hardship . Gassing Station | South West | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff