Wiltshire, Dorset & Hampshire Cricket Clubs

The thwack of leather against willow followed by a polite round of clapping must surely be an integral part of village life on a summer’s day. A game of mysterious rules, strange traditions and bizarre terminology for many, cricket is an essential part of living in the country even if they don’t play or even understand what it’s all about.

Cricket is a very sociable sport and still largely played in a gentlemanly and friendly spirit between the two teams and has the ability to unite different generations and backgrounds. The traditions and rituals are an essential part of the game including the preparation of the wicket, changing room banter, toss, the fielding team clapping in each new batsman, gargantuan teas, dozing in a deck chair at cow corner and post-match beer. It is also the subject of many a conversation in the village pub over the winter months.

Integrating into the local rural community

Most clubs are very welcoming of new members irrespective of age or ability. If you are looking for properties to sell or rent in Wiltshire, Dorset, Somerset or Hampshire and are interested in cricket, get in touch with us and we may be able point you in the right direction.

For anyone interested in reading more about the joys of village cricket or wanting to grasp the concepts of the game and its language, Si White, a friend of Mark’s and fellow team mate at Damerham Cricket Club, has written an excellent, information and funny book called The Effing C Word. Mark even gets a couple of mentions in it!

Local village cricket clubs

Writing these notes on a bitterly cold late February day, it may seem strange to suggest that spring is on its way but aside from nature’s barometer of snowdrops, daffodils and even primroses and crocuses which are out already, there is also a hint of green shoots in the housing market.

Over the last couple of years there has been an acute shortage of property for sale and particularly so since last summer despite continuing strong demand. At last there are signs that this situation is starting to be rectified and we are being invited out to an improving number of prospective sellers’ homes to provide market appraisals which has resulted in our being instructed to put more houses up for sale. We anticipate that this will become a self-perpetuating exercise as more buyers will be encouraged to search in earnest and in turn put their own properties on the market.

Despite it still be relatively early in the year, we are also seeing increased buyer activity with a rising level of internet visits and direct registrations. This has led to plenty of viewing requests and sales, particularly for realistically priced character homes situated in the best locations.There are therefore grounds for optimism for the property market in 2016 and with Wiltshire County Council finally beginning to tackle the unacceptably long delays in processing Local Authority Searches compared to its speedier neighbouring counties, progressing sales in Wiltshire should hopefully no longer be as slow as they have been.

What might temper this early promise? This can be summed up in one rather unattractive word; ‘Brexit’. Whatever one’s views are on whether the UK should stay in or leave the European Union, it is after all a topic that stirs divisive opinions, the volatility that is already being experienced in the currency and share markets may also spread to the property sector. If one is thinking of moving, there may be an argument for getting on with it sooner rather than later.

Should polls ahead of the referendum suggest a close result, the housing market could be affected by a case of the jitters. Putting aside issues such as sovereignty and border control, a result in favour of a withdrawal may in the short term have an adverse impact on confidence in the UK economy whilst a ‘stay-in’ outcome is more likely to see the property market settle down quickly or even push ahead.

Even if you are bored of the European question already, we in the property World are likely to have an interesting time of it in the months ahead!

What makes the dream village? The answer is of course subjective and will generate varying responses from different people. For some, a large bustling community with lots going on and a long list of amenities is vital whilst for others a small sleepy hamlet with just the most basic of facilities would be the preferred option as long as it is surrounded by beautiful countryside.

For most, the aesthetic look of a place is important and we are blessed in this area for having a number of picture perfect villages full of chocolate box cottages and houses, possibly with a stream or river meandering through it such as at Rockbourne or one of the Woodfords. Perhaps a duck pond like the ones in Ashmore or Sherrington completes the picture. A healthy mix of differing ages and backgrounds of the residents is good as it helps to maintain the social vitality of a community rather than one that is too uniform and staid.

Most people like the idea of a village being somewhere fairly rural but just how rural will depend on many things and for some, the ideal location would be one just two or three miles away from the nearest town or conversely, the more completely away from it all the better. Convenient road links might be all important for example the villages of the Wylye Valley have good access for both the A303 and A36 whilst close proximity to a railway station such as the one at Tisbury could be the deciding factor.

The key features of a village are many but one of the necessities we hear most often is a good pub. Many communities have lost their local in recent years which is sad as they are often a focal point for village life and it is interesting that the residents of Swallowcliffe got together to re-open their pub recently after it had be closed for many years. A village with a well-run inn serving good food will be seen as having a distinct advantage or as in the case of Hindon, better still, two pubs!

Next on the list of must haves would be a shop/post office. Like pubs, these have come under economic pressure and several villages have seen theirs shut over the last decade. What has been encouraging is the number of community run shops that have sprung up across our region including those in East Knoyle to Broad Chalke, Martin and Dinton to name just a few. A good nearby farm shop such as the one at Boyton can also be helpful.

A well regarded school, whether at primary or secondary level, is certainly a draw for some families who will focus on where to buy their next home based purely on the catchment area of a favoured school.

Other things that buyers might consider are proximity to medical facilities, footpaths, horse riding, an active church and availability of sports or leisure clubs such as cricket, tennis, gardening or bridge.

Ticking many of these boxes, Rural View are about to start marketing a super barn conversion on the edge of Semley, a village with a shop/café run by local volunteers, a popular primary school, award winning pub, church, a busy community social programme, tennis club and it is within easy reach of both Tisbury station and the A350 with Shaftesbury just four miles away. Get in touch with Mark or Charlie for more information.