South Northamptonshire is a gem of a location, being part of one of the secret shires. Centrally located, steeped in history, and filled to the brim with stunning countryside, it has a lot to offer the people fortunate enough to have discovered its charms.
As the Telegraph wrote back in 2016, “South Northamptonshire is another new favourite among the baby boomers (for downsizing). It includes towns such as Silverstone and Brackley, is well connected by the M1 and is on the doorstep of Milton Keynes. Prices in South Northamptonshire are far cheaper than neighbouring Buckinghamshire.”* And Daventry was another South Northamptonshire town listed in the top five places too.
A lot, for house hunters have the pick of what they want; plentiful countryside to pursue a wide range of outdoor activities; buzzing market towns offering warming experiences such as farmers’ markets and boutique style shopping; entertainment and eating out that isn’t tainted by the ‘London effect’; and more picturesque villages than you can count. In fact, two in particular, Byfield and Yardley Hastings, featured in The Sunday Times’ 101 Best Places to Live List in 2014, and South Northants leapt up to third place in Halifax’s 2014 Quality of Life Survey.
Commuters are very well catered for. Euston can be your mainline destination, with fast trains running from Northampton and Milton Keynes, and a more comprehensive service through Long Buckby. However the west side of the area offers commuters the opportunity to head into Marylebone from Banbury. And all these journeys are less than an hour. In the opposite direction, Coventry, Birmingham, and Rugby are equally easy to reach.
South Northants also provides for drivers extremely well too, with the M1 cutting conveniently across its east side. Plus, to the west, you have the option of reaching the M40 easily, so the main arteries heading north and south or pretty much on your doorstep.
Travel abroad is convenient as well, with Birmingham International, Luton, and East Midlands airports less than an hour’s drive away.
Thus all in all, those who crave peace and quiet, but still want the option of kicking their heels up in the big cities for a night out can definitely enjoy the best of both worlds.
We’ve already mentioned this, but it really is worth emphasising… bearing in mind the superb quality of life and convenient travel links, you really do get a lot for your money. Thus for growing families, and people considering relocating out of the capital, it’s worth putting high on your list.
Northamptonshire as a county thrives on small businesses, and South Northants in particular has a buzzing business community. The county town of Northampton is now one of the UK’s top performers for new business creation, and there is a proactive approach to encouraging businesses to network. If you’re thinking to start something up, or relocate your business, the South Northants business community will offer valuable support. So much so, in fact, that the county was named the third best place for business start ups in the UK by informi in November 2018.
Northampton is the largest town in Northamptonshire, but with a population of only just over 200,000 one quickly realises that South Northants is not a densely populated area. In fact, it’s more like a breath of fresh air, with the well-managed countryside cosseting each small town. Very picturesque villages satellite this county town, and we’d recommend you look out for little gems such as Althorp, Flore, Upper Stowe, Blisworth and Stoke Bruerne.
Towcester is steeped in history, and professes to be the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in the country. With the A5 running right through it, which is actually the old Roman route of Watling Street, you can understand how that claim may well just be true. It has its own racecourse, lovely boutiques along the high street, and a popular garden centre called The Bell Plantation; a favourite of many for a cuppa and a catch up. Plus it too has a collection of gorgeous villages worth a visit, including Farthinghoe, Wappenham, Maidford, Blakesley, and Whittlebury.
If you head to Brackley, which sits nestled a little closer to the Cotswolds, you’ll discover another delightful market town. Brackley has strong connections with Magdalene College in Oxford, which continue to this day. It’s known for its antiques, and a visit to the town will enable you to enjoy a browse followed by a coffee in one of the quaint independent cafes dotted along the high street. We’d also recommend looking at some of the local villages, including Silverstone, Biddlesden, Syresham, Greatworth, and Helmdon.
Then if you make your way to Daventry, you’ll discover yet another historical market town, the heart of which is set in a conservation area. On the edge of the town sits the award winning Daventry Country Park. And the town hosts a street market twice a week; a sight to behold surrounded by 18th century buildings. Again there are many satellite villages worth a look, including Badby, Byfield, Staverton, Guilsborough, and Preston Capes.
As a property finder, we help not only with your house hunt but we also oversee the purchase process all the way to completion. And in taking on this role, we thus remove all the obstacles from your path, organising surveyors, conveyancers, and tradespeople etc. as necessary.
Our clients may be moving some distance, or be local; they may be too busy or not know where to begin; they may be unable to find a suitable house or have too much choice – see our case studies to see how we’ve helped people in your situation.
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