Blog
Village Life
Friday, July 12, 2019
The title “Best Kept Village” conjures up pictures of gaudy floral displays and parishioners proudly waving flags but there’s a lot more to it than a few hanging baskets and swathes of bunting. Over and above litter-free verges and tidy open spaces, judges assess facilities and community spirit. Chalfont St Peter and Chalfont St Giles offer this in abundance and have won Best Kept Village titles multiple times over the years. Both offer a friendly welcome to visitors with a high street comprising mainly small, independent shops and there’s a high level of customer service; Chalfont St Peter was awarded the ‘Welcome Host’ accolade by the Southern Tourist Board.
Defining a village for the Best Kept Village competition’s purposes requires it to have a place of worship, village green, playing field or recreation ground and a community centre, village, church or assembly hall. Whilst there’s often a physical “heart” to the village, as in Chalfont St Giles with its idyllic village green and duck pond, the real heart and soul of a village lies in its community spirit. From village fetes to parish magazines, there’s a true sense of identity that distinguishes villages from towns. The physical appearance may change little over the years and often have residents whose families have lived there for hundreds of years.
In the UK, the village idyll may come at a price - they can be miles from the nearest town and basic, modern amenities. The villages in the Frost network area across Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Middlesex benefit from the best of both worlds; tranquillity AND easy access to motorway and rail links and London Heathrow, with no shortage of local amenities. Take Flackwell Heath for example with its Chiltern hilltop location. The Stag pub claims one of the best views in Bucks from its garden; you can see for miles across beautiful open countryside. The village has superb primary schools and has excellent secondary schools, sports facilities and shopping centre all nearby in High Wycombe, just under 30 minutes by train to London Marylebone.
Flackwell Heath, Burnham and Wraysbury all enjoy the benefits of village life yet are within a 5 -10 minute drive of a motorway junction. In Wraysbury, with its quirky windmill, factor in the ready access to watersports on nearby reservoirs and riverside walks along the Thames and the village vibe is particularly appealing for an outdoor lifestyle with close proximity to the capital. There’s a vibrant community spirit and village events such as the Christmas carols evening are always well attended.
Burnham, whose high street is lined with buildings from the 16th and 17th centuries, is spoilt for choice when it comes to open spaces and parkland for leisure pursuits. 375 acre Burnham Beeches National Nature Reserve is one of the best examples of ancient woodland in Britain, while 500 acre award winning Black Park is the locational setting for many films, including the Harry Potter series, from nearby Pinewood Studios. The coming of Crossrail is unlikely to spoil the village’s character but will enhance its accessibility with train journey times to the City in just 48 minutes.
A wide variety of housing stock and amenities means there’s something for everyone in these lively close-knit village communities. If you’re looking for that village vibe, see frostweb.co.uk for our complete portfolio of properties or call your local Frost Partnership office.
