_Spotlight on: Living in Beaconsfield

William Furniss, head of Knight Frank’s Beaconsfield office, gives us the low down on what makes the town he grew up in such a great place to live.

William Furniss June 14, 2017

What makes it so special?

Beaconsfield is a very well-regarded and ideally placed town for the commuter, just 25 miles to the west of London, offering a wonderful combination of metropolitan living with surrounding rural countryside.

Made up of two very distinct areas, with the Old Town with its predominantly Georgian facades and wide thoroughfare offering a wide selection of restaurants and public houses, just a short distance from the New Town with bustling High Street, with an eclectic range of shopping and mainline railway station, giving swift access to London Marylebone and the West End.

I grew up in the New Town just a short walk from the railway station and heart of the town, but my social life was in the Old Town with its many restaurants and pubs.

The Residents

For many years Beaconsfield has seen a steady influx of young families heading out of London looking for a more relaxed life outside of the city, yet still within a speedy and reliable commute. Of particular interest is the number of couples and families I have seen returning to the area, often people I knew growing up, looking to create a similar lifestyle for their children. However, it isn’t just young families buying in the town, there is good demand from more mature downsizers moving from the larger houses within the town or surrounding countryside, with particular interest at the moment in the numerous wonderful apartments that are being built.

Eating and drinking

There is a wide choice of eateries within Beaconsfield Old and New Towns, and with all of the restaurants being busy throughout the week they help create the vibrant atmosphere within the town. From the modern Brasserie Blanc, the renowned Crazy Bear, through to The Royal Standard of England, one of the country’s oldest Public Houses, there is something for everyone with all tastes and budgets being catered for.

Shopping

Beaconsfield High Street offers a varied range of shopping, with various designer boutiques, the larger high street chains such as Fat Face and White Stuff, and a selection of supermarkets and food halls including both Waitrose and Marks and Spencer.

Schooling

Beaconsfield, and indeed Buckinghamshire as a county, has long been celebrated for its standard of education, offering a selective Grammar School system. The area houses some of the best regarded schools in the country including Beaconsfield High School, Doctor Challoner’s in Amersham, and The Royal Grammar School in High Wycombe. Within the town itself are the very well-thought off Davenies Boys Preparatory School and High March for girls, along with 3 state primary and middle schools.

Sport

Once again there is a wide choice where sport is concerned, with Beaconsfield having its own rugby, football, tennis clubs and two cricket clubs - I played for Knotty Green. In addition, there is a popular squash club and numerous gyms. Beaconsfield golf club is a very attractive and challenging course, and the surrounding countryside offers the opportunity for wonderful cycling, walking and riding.

Properties

The housing in the area is diverse in style from pretty Georgian cottages, larger town houses in the Old Town, with larger Edwardian homes in the principal streets in Beaconsfield New Town. There is a good selection of traditional family properties in the Butlers Court, Seeleys and Sandelswood End areas, with some very impressive homes, both new and old, within the ‘Golden Triangle’ between Burkes Road and Gregories Road and heading out along the Penn Road and Ledborough Lane.

Transport

With junction 2 of the M40 just 2 miles from the centre of Beaconsfield New Town, Beaconsfield is very well connected to the motorway network giving access either to London, the M25, or heading north towards Oxford and Birmingham beyond. The mainline station on the Chiltern line in the centre of the town allows quick and easy access to London Marylebone in approximately 22 minutes, and Heathrow airport is just 14 miles away.

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