Wadhurst

WADHURST is a narrow, busy and attractive village set in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the High Weald. It is big enough to have around 30 shops, including a couple of banks, butchers, doctors, dentists, solicitors and so on. Lying on the borders of Sussex and Kent, it offers the choice of two different county education systems. Some people choose Wadhurst’s own Uplands Community College, which combines the role of comprehensive school with adult education and sports centre. Others shuttle their children into Kent to take advantage of the old-fashioned grammar schools in Tunbridge Wells. Lots of teenagers ride horses and ponies and there is a local livery stable.

A two-bedroom village house, old or new, will cost around £190,000, a luxury two-bedroom flat in one of the small modern developments around £350,000. Three-bedroom terraced houses built in vernacular style fetch £225,000 or more. A decent period house with four bedrooms and a garden will cost around £320,000; something more lavish with five bedrooms, tennis court and swimming pool will be between £750,000 and £1.25m.