I’d want a small town or large village, but not near a bigger town cos that’d be commuterville. I like having some kind of central place to which to wander – even if it’s just a couple of shops. I don’t like being tied to a car to go everywhere. Where I live in the suburbs it’s like that and it pisses me off. Yes I could cycle, and I do on my own, but with a non-cycling wife, two little kids and only two busy roads to get out of our suburb it’s not exactly great.

I grew up on the edge of a small town – fields to play in, but we could walk to a full range of shops in 10 minutes and the station in 15.

We moved from Lincoln to about 20 mins north of Lincoln. Small village, pub, church, shop.

Pros:
-It’s nice living in the country
-Quiet, nobody trying to burgle us
-Neighbours are nice, if bonkers
-Closer to my work
-Don’t have to use the toll bridge to get to my parent’s
-Less commuter traffic

Cons
-it’s still in Lincs, and hence flat. No good riding….or hiking….or climbing
-zero public transport
-the spiders are **** gigantic
-it takes ages to get anywhere
-zero phone signal
-can’t take an evening stroll around town (cathedral etc)
-everyone is a Tory
-further to Mrs A’s work
-it’s not as close to town as we thought
-nothing to do within walking distance
-have to drive on the A15

I don’t mind it, though the lack of entertainment drives me crazy. If it were somewhere with some hills, I’d probably be happier. Still, moving back to a big city next year.

Like many have said, I grew up in a village on the edge of a large town. 10 minute walk one way and I had countryside, 20 min walk the other I had town and a major train station.

Do you really want rural life? Most people who “move to the country” don’t they just want a nice are to live, unfortunately loads of UK towns and cities are so bad this is not found. If you just want to have a suburban life work in the same job drive a Audi etc then you probably don’t actually want a rural life.

For many a small town is better. More facilities than a suburb good for 90% of life, drive to local big town / city when needed.

Minety is the village if anyone knows it.

I know it, it’s quite nice but it’s not all that.

My criteria for such a move would be a pub and a shop that’s open at reasonable-ish hours. These things provide a hub for the village, without them it’s just a group of houses n the middle of nowhere.

Saying that, there’s loads of such villages in this part of the world (I live in Ciren) that meet those criteria, and you may well do better south of the M4 as you won’t pay the ‘Cotswold’ premium.

You could also consider the smaller towns of you want a nicer place with actual amenities; Cricklade, Purton, Highworth, Ciren even, Wootton Bassett, Malmesbury, Fairford, Marlborough…

i moved from old town, Swindon to a village two years ago and I miss it. In theory village is a much nicer place to live, reality I miss convenience of walking 5 mins to get groceries, having a choice of dozens of shops/pubs etc. Next house will have to be in a town, but wont be for a while….

You could also consider the smaller towns of you want a nicer place with actual amenities; Cricklade, Purton, Highworth, Ciren even, Wootton Bassett, Malmesbury, Fairford, Marlborough…

This. Minety isn’t bad, but there’s better around the area, as listed.
Even Old Town would be a better option than Down The Hill! (Shudders). A friend of mine lived in Old Town for a while, and it still has a bit of a separate village feel, a bit like Clifton Village in Bristol.
Royal Wootton Bassett is a nice little town, south of the M4, access to the Marlborough Downs, easy access to Swindon and the M4, difficult to see any down sides, same as Devizes, again, access to the countryside is easy via the K&A canal, loads of pubs around the town and out along the canal, like Honeystreet and Seend, you can ride into Bath and back along the canal, or out towards Hungerford, with loops out into the countryside.
Lots of alternatives to Minety.