Take five | Homes in the UK's best commuter villages
For those who need London in their working week, but would rather come home to a village lane than a city street, there are places where the two ways of life sit surprisingly well together. From the Hampshire countryside to the villages of West Sussex and Essex, we’ve selected five properties currently for sale that have countryside on their doorstep and a train journey that keeps the capital within easy reach:
Crondal
Surrey
Crondall Lodge brings together the space of a large period home with the everyday comforts of village life. Local amenities are close by, while open countryside and country walks are on the doorstep. Nearby Farnham, Fleet, and Winchfield offer mainline services to London Waterloo, and the A31, A3 and M3 provide convenient road connections into the capital.
West Chillington
West Sussex
Woodshill House sits just outside the village of West Chiltington, surrounded by countryside around it and the South Downs close by. Billingshurst station is just over four miles away, with train to London Victoria in around 65 minutes. Pulborough and Horsham also provide other options for the journey in. The setting feels distinctly rural, without making the London working week entirely impractical.
Sandon
Essex
Mill Hill Farm has a peaceful setting on the edge of Sandon, with Chelmsford nearby for shops, restaurants and other amenities. Beaulieu railway station offers regular services to London Liverpool Street in around 35 minutes, while the nearby A12 also provides easy access towards the M25 and beyond.
Chowles
West Sussex
Chowles Barn is set in the countryside outside Horsham, where almost seven acres surrounded a carefully restored family home. Faygate, Horsham and Three Bridges are all possible stations to get back into the capital; trains from Three Bridges to London Victoria take around 36 minutes, and the M23 is also about six miles away.
Mattingley
Hampshire
Kale House offers a more secluded take on commuter life, with beautiful grounds and far-reaching views across the Hampshire countryside. Yet London remains accessible, with nearby mainline stations offer services to London Waterloo in under an hour, while the road network provides easy access to the capital and beyond. Heathrow Terminal 5 is also around 40 minutes away, a useful detail for anyone whose work takes them further afield as well.