Thatcham
This original market town is just 3 miles outside Newbury in west Berkshire. It’s a lovely part of the country with a rural backdrop that’s scattered with pretty villages and country pubs.
The River Kennet is one of the natural landmarks here and the Kennet & Avon Canal is one of the historic landmarks. A series of lakes are part of the landscape of the town and the Berkshire Downs area of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is on the horizon for a day off the beaten track.
Thatcham isn’t off the beaten track though, it’s a stone’s throw from the A34 as it passes Newbury. It’s the main link road between Winchester and Oxford and a useful route to have nearby. There’s a train station in town too, and that offers regular services between Reading and Newbury and on to London Paddington.
Local facilities
There’s just about all you could need here. Thatcham has a secondary school, several primary schools, a Waitrose supermarket – as well as a Tesco Express, a Sainsbury’s and a Co-op – to add to the range of local shops, there are restaurants and takeaways, parks and sports clubs. For a change of scenery and some additional facilities – including the famous race-course - Newbury is a few minutes’ drive away.
Local education
The secondary school here is the Kennet School. For younger children there’s the Thatcham Park C of E School, the Francis Baily Primary School, Whitelands Park Primary School and the Spurcroft Primary School.
Work and leisure
The A34 will take you up to Oxford and the Cotswolds and down to Winchester and the South Coast. It’s 30 miles to both these cities. The M4 speaks for itself – the long link between London and South Wales via Slough, Reading, Swindon, Bristol and Cardiff. Whether your journeys are for work or for weekends, Thatcham is well placed to get out and about.