a locals perspective
hello countryside
'Setting up sticks in South Northants'
Bryony S. Aynho
Quaint villages, rolling hills and wide-open countryside, where kids can run around and be free in nature.
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That was the motivation for our search for a house in the country – back in the days of 2019, when I was pregnant with our first child and before Covid was part of the national lexicon.
Having spent most of our childhoods in Scotland and Cumbria respectively, my husband and I were both keen to return to the country after several years spent in London and abroad.
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With our parents now in the North West and Surrey, Northamptonshire seemed the ideal choice.
It’s conveniently located right in the middle of England, with easy access to the M40 and just up the road from Oxford, where my husband lived as a student.
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Judging from the reactions of friends and family, not many people seemed to know much about the place.
But this historic county of “spires and squires” has a huge amount to offer.
Some of England’s finest stately homes and gardens are to be found in Northants, including Aynhoe Park, which is around the corner from where we now call home.
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Lovers of historic houses, dog walks and country pubs, we found it the perfect place to set up sticks with our now expanding family.
And we were incredibly grateful to find a wonderful, vibrant village community, with lots of other young families – including The Cherwell Agent’s Chris and his lovely wife and daughter.
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We couldn’t recommend this part of the world more highly!