Moving to East Kent
Kent is a county that offers you scenic countryside, wonderful coastlines as well as easy trips to London and an equally easy quick jaunt to France.
Canterbury and surrounding towns are full of history with numerous castles and cathedrals. Kent combines historical charm with buzzy towns and cities alongside some wonderful seaside towns and picturesque villages, making it a perfect location to live and work.
The Village of Ash
Ash is one of these examples, situated close to the spectacular coastline; it is 8 miles east of the beautiful Cathedral city of Canterbury, 2 miles from the medieval town of Sandwich and 7 miles from the coastal town of Deal. The seaside resorts of Folkestone, Margate and Broadstairs are a 20-30 minute drive away and all accessible by train.
The commute has plenty of options to St Pancras, including the high speed train which takes 1 hour and 20 minutes. Canterbury East to London Bridge takes 1 hour and 25 minutes and Canterbury West to St Pancras takes 55 minutes. Or, if you’d prefer to drive, central London can be accessed via the M2, M20, M26 and M25 in about an hour and a half. Not forgetting the channel tunnel and ferries to France.
Property
There are many hidden gems surrounding Ash, with idyllic market towns, picturesque villages and hidden hamlets close by. Kent’s pretty towns and villages often appear in articles as the best places to live. Where else can you have breakfast in London, lunch in France and be home for dinner?
Many properties have extensive gardens and grounds. They range from large country homes to quaint Tudor cottages. Local estate Agents include Miles & Bar, Savills, Taylor Gurney, Finn’s, Colebrook Sturrock and Regal Estates.
Click on the link to see houses currently for sale in the area: Houses for sale
Shopping
Moving to Kent doesn’t mean leaving civilisation behind. Canterbury has a great selection of popular chain stores including House of Fenwicks. There are lots of independent designer shops, including antique and book shops. Local vineyards and farmers markets are plenty to explore and enjoy. The charming town of Faversham is the home of Britain’s oldest brewery Shepherd Neame. The Ashford Designer Outlet Centre and John Lewis are 45 minutes from Ash and 20 minutes from Canterbury. The Bluewater Designer Outlet is also reachable via the M2 in about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Eating
Recent figures from Locate in Kent, show 2,500 food and drink businesses call Kent home. Its natural resources have led to Kent being named the Garden of England, allowing for a growing number of businesses that are farming, growing, producing, selling or serving award-winner local food and drink. Our county hosts a number of award winning medieval and 16th century pubs and restaurants. Locals and visitors are spoilt for choice when eating out. Favourites include The Compass Inn in Crundale near Canterbury, Michelin Star The Fordwich Arms, The Good Shed in Canterbury, The Dog in Wingham and The Pig in Bridge. We also mustn’t forget the freshest fish and oyster restaurants dotted along our beautiful coastline. Rocksalt, Wheelers Oyster Bar and Chapman’s Seafood are all renowned and award winning. Whitstable has many excellent seafood restaurants and an oyster season which sees tourists flood into the area, particularly from London, during their annual Oyster Festival from September to October.
The Great Outdoors
For people who enjoy the outdoor life Kent is hard to beat. Coastal walks, cycling tracks and a variety of water sports make it the perfect place for outdoor adventures with the family.
Near to Ash is Canterbury Polo Farm Sport Club incorporating Hockey, Tennis, Cricket and Croquet. The Tennis Club has lawn, all-weather and indoor courts and facilitates beginners to international champions. Betteshanger Park is the place to go for cycling, offering a number of beautiful bike tracks and trails that are free to access.
If water sports are more your thing then you won’t be disappointed with the offerings in East Kent either. From Kayaking, Canoeing, Stand Up Paddleboarding and Sailing to Rowing, Raft Building, Windsurfing and Pedlos there’s a huge variety of potential activities. More local to Ash, there is a good selection of horse riding schools. Howletts Wild Animal Park offers exciting opportunities for your little ones to see conservation in action throughout the year. And English Heritage Dover Castle also offer up a good mix of educational and outdoor adventure events throughout the year.
Theatre and music
The Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury has everything from Glyndebourne’ opera productions and Matthew Bourne’s ballet to one-nighters with well-known comedians and fun shows suitable for our children. With ~1000 seats it’s big enough to get some truly awesome shows on their way to the West End.
There are also plenty of film screenings to keep you entertained in East Kent. From art house movies at The Curzon to family friendly viewings at Cineworld and The Vue. A particular family favourite is the drive in cinema in Canterbury and Betteshanger Park, offering immersive experiences with performance artists dancing around the cars whilst screenings take place.
The St Faith’s Prep community
Here at St Faith’s Prep, we are starting to see many parents who are relocating from London to East Kent, for the many family opportunities, good weather and great education on offer and for a fraction of London prices.
There is always a good variety of family friendly activities taking place and for working parents the commute to London is now possible with the high speed train.
Kent is the largest grammar school area in the UK, with 35 selective schools to choose from. Our focus and approach to the Kent Test means we have built a reputation for outstanding results in this area as well as in the entrance exams for the excellent independent senior schools local to us.
Importantly, our strong St Faith’s community also offers a supportive and welcoming network. If you have any questions about moving to this beautiful county, or would like advice on places to live, please let us know, and we’ll do our best to help.