| Re: Best places to live - by county - in the South West Posted by grahame at 18:16, 19th September 2025 |     |
I am intrigued by the definition of South West etc, including Oxfordshire and Berkshire doesn't leave much for South East.
My choice of English counties - the site quoted was England only, and I chose counties that have services provided by GWR. Should probably have added Worcestershire. Buckinghamshire is an interesting case as it wraps around from west-of-London to north-of-London.
| Re: Best places to live - by county - in the South West Posted by CyclingSid at 17:21, 19th September 2025 | |
I am intrigued by the definition of South West etc, including Oxfordshire and Berkshire doesn't leave much for South East.
Government Office for the South East used to include Oxfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Hampshire (+ IoW) and the other south eastern counties. Then muddied by South Central of Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Hampshire (+ IoW). Think South Central has gone out of fashion, except by the Met Office, although I get the impression that Oxfordshire sometimes drifts into the Midlands. Do not ask about Milton Keynes, who I think prefer to be in a world of their own.
| Re: Best places to live - by county - in the South West Posted by Chris from Nailsea at 17:15, 19th September 2025 | |
... Visited Malmesbury (Wilts #2) recently and we did like that; pity there's no station.
I agree, Malmesbury is a great town - my sister used to live there. Property prices there are, however, rather pricey.
There used to be a railway station - that closed to passengers in 1951 and to goods traffic in 1962, with the tracks later removed. The site where the station once stood is now an industrial estate and car park. Typical of several Cotswold towns - see also Cirencester and Tetbury, for example.
| Re: Best places to live - by county - in the South West Posted by matth1j at 14:44, 19th September 2025 | |
Hang on - that's not right, Melksham's not even in the Wiltshire top 10
Personally I wouldn't want to live in Bradford-on-Avon, although that's probably because I'm seeing it from a visitor's perspective - parking is difficult and it's a pain to drive through. Visited Malmesbury (Wilts #2) recently and we did like that; pity there's no station.
I liked Chippenham (Wilts #7) when I lived near the town centre for a couple of years not that long ago. Having a pedestrianized high street makes it so much nicer to wander around than Melksham, and only having to take one train to work was also a big plus. But the (very) large number of houses being built around it would put me off moving back there.
| Re: Best places to live - by county - in the South West Posted by bobm at 12:49, 19th September 2025 | |
That is the Forest of Dean for you.
| Best places to live - by county - in the South West Posted by grahame at 12:45, 19th September 2025 | |
From a Muddy Stilletos survey - the best places to live:
Penzance, Cornwall
Bradford-on-Avon, Wiltshire
Bampton, Devon
Sherborne, Dorset
Frome, Somerset
Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Cowes, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
Internal Server Error, Gloucestershire
Pangborne, Berkshire
