FOREST Row and Dormansland have been listed as two of the priciest villages in the country to live in.
New Land Registry figures have revealed rural English villages are becoming chic enclaves for the wealthy.
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HOME SWEET HOME: Maureen Young, of Hollow Lane, Dormansland, says she loves her village and that it is by far the best place she has ever lived
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BEST VILLAGE: Maureen Young, of Hollow Lane in Dormansland, who is in full agreement with claims that the village is one of the best places to live, pictured there on Friday afternoon REAH20120601J-004_C.JPG
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PROUD: Forest Row parish councillors Jenny Josephson, Alan Potter, Anna Bendall, Keith Foley and Tony Lewin are proud to be from the village
With more millionaire mansions being bought and sold than ever before, Forest Row is the 18th richest village in England, with 16 houses being sold for more than £1 million in the past four years.
In Dormansland, which includes exclusive Dormans Park, there were ten sales of homes costing more than £1 million and it ranks 50th on the rich list.
Number one is East Horsley, in Surrey, where 46 homes were sold for more than £1 million.
Residents and estate agents told the Courier Observer what makes their villages so special.
“The local education is highly esteemed. The local primary school has a good reputation and so does Emerson College,” said resident Greg Clark, 50, of Hartfield Road.
“Also, it’s located really close to Ashdown Forest and the crime is low.
“However, the super-rich are only a small minority in Forest Row – there are a lot of people who are not getting enormous salaries.”
From its origins as a small hamlet in the 13th century, Forest Row has grown, first with the establishment of a turnpike road in the 18th century and later with the opening of the railway between East Grinstead and Tunbridge Wells in 1866.
Now the East Sussex village boasts a variety of shops, schools and Ashdown Forest, and has a reputation for being quirky and diverse.
Notable residents from both past and present include Monkee Davy Jones and Engelbert Humperdinck is reported to have had a holiday cottage in the village during the 1980s.
Estate agent David Evatt, from Wood, Evatt and Gardner, said: “It doesn’t surprise me Forest Row is so high up in the list. There are some amazing areas.
“I think its because it is more like a small town – there is everything you could ever want or need. There are also great links to London and Brighton is not far away, so I think a lot of commuters like it.”
There are currently 69 houses on the market. The average price is £400,000, with seven homes on the market for more than £1 million. Five-bedroom homes in the village sell for an average of £1.2 million.
“Homes are never cheap, whether you are a first-time or tenth-time buyer. But I think the larger homes for sale in Forest Row attract a certain type of person – sometimes commuters needing to get to London or large families because of the good schools,” added Mr Ewatt.
Adam Elliot, 44, of Medway Drive, said he could understand why people were coming to the village.
“Forest Row is a great place. It’s safe, it’s about 30 miles from London, not far from the seaside and Dover and the Channel Tunnel. It’s close to Gatwick as well. So its links are especially desirable. The schools, like Michael Hall, are extremely popular. Forest Row also has a bit of a quirky vibe, that gives it something special,” he said.
Caroline Marks, landlord of The Swan in Lewes Road, said: “I think Forest Row is a desirable village to live in due to being close to London and Brighton, good schools, a safe environment and being close to the Ashdown Forest. There is a close-knit community with many events going on throughout the year incorporating many different types of people. Me and my partner have being living and managing The Swan for the last two years and have made many great friends and feel part of the community.”
“I HAVE been here 26 years and I would not want to live anywhere else. I have lived abroad in South Africa and France and this is by far the best place to live,” said Dormansland resident Maureen Young, of Hollow Lane.
“There is so much on offer in the village that there is no need to go anywhere else. I certainly would not want to move anywhere else,” added the parish councillor.
Dormansland and private estate Dormans Park are on the county boundary between Surrey and West Sussex.
Dormans Park, which started off as a group of Victorian houses that centred around a hotel, now boasts pop star Peter Andre as a resident.
“The area itself is maintained very well, and the homes often come with a large amount of land,” said Paul Dixon, who sells country houses at Robert Leech estate agents.
“Over the years, the residential area has grown, but it is also part of the community and one of the advantages of living there is living in a rural environment.
“Dormans train station is also just up the road and within 40 minutes you can be at London Victoria. That has great appeal to buyers.”
“I think the land and the privacy of the estate have a great appeal,” he added. “There are no postage-stamp sized gardens.”
Five homes are currently on the market in the Dormans Park area for sale at £1 million or over.
Lingfield Chamber of Commerce president Helen Pink said: “This whole area has a lot to offer, including Lingfield Park Racecourse and a good private school – Lingfield Notre Dame. The fact that crime rates are so low as well is amazing.”
Dormans Park resident Frank James, 53, thinks the area is perfect.
“You feel like you are in the countryside, but then a short train ride and drive away you can either be in London, East Grinstead, Crawley or Tunbridge Wells,” he said.
“I think it is the perfect place to live.”