Many of the clients moving into my patch put ‘village property’ at the top of their wish list. Anybody who has watched relocation programmes on the TV where young professional couples want a better quality of life for their young children or who has gorged themselves on a diet of Country Living magazines over the last few years will feel this is the only kind of property to own. And who can blame them? Sadly not all villages are the bustling communities they are painted as and village living is not for everyone. We looked at a fabulous property in a Wiltshire village when we moved West from London in the mid 1990s but a second viewing carried out on a midweek afternoon convinced us that there was no real heart to that community. Eventually we settled on Holt, about eight miles East of Bath.
Holt is not a picture postcard English village. Strung out along an increasingly busy B road it is a curious mix of modest terraced cottages and the occasional newer build with a couple of more modern estates off the main street. Recently a light industrial estate estate has been partly redeveloped into executive homes. Of course there are some handsome detached village homes, a village green, playing fields, pond and the like. But what Holt lacks in attractiveness it more than compensates for in heart. It is, as the cartoon taken from this month’s Holt magazine advertising the forthcoming production of Shakespeare’s ‘Merry Wives’ an active village.
This production which is to take place in the openair at The Courts gardens in the heart of the village (courtesy of The National Trust) next week is one of the reasons why my blogging has been somewhat slow of late. The village drama society which has been going strong longer than I have been alive is just one of the reasons why residents of Holt have plenty to keep them occupied. In the last month we have been entertained by some very well regarded bands at the village music festival, enjoyed a fabulous Art Exhibition at St Katharine’s Church and feasted our way around the village on a Safari supper. There’s always something going on with any number of clubs, societies and special events organised by the school, the church or the village hall.
Of course, Holt is not the only village in West Wiltshire or Somerset to be a great place to live. But it will always hold a special place in my heart. And importantly for anyone making the move to a village it has all the elements that make village living so good for families- good school, active and friendly church, vibrant village hall, well stocked shop, great amenities which cost very little and safe space for children to explore.
Tickets for ‘The Merry Wives of Windsor’ (or Holt?) are available from the village shop, The Courts or by post. Email me at cally@countrygate.co.uk for details. Bring a picnic and relax beforehand in a National Trust garden with a glass of wine, courtesy of the village’s resident (and published) wine expert, who is incidentally directing the play. What could be better on a Summer’s evening?
