Bishop's Stortford
New homes in Bishop's Stortford
It’s not hard to see why the Hertfordshire market town of Bishop’s Stortford was named one of the best places to live in the UK. The attractive and lively location is awash with shops, pubs and eateries, offering everything you need in one place. There are several fantastic green spaces and family-friendly attractions nearby – and speaking of families, the selection of local schools is impressive. Excellent transport links mean you could be in the centre of London in less than an hour, or jetting off to a warmer climate in even less time. Finally, but perhaps most importantly, there’s a welcoming and active local community, with a calendar of events and activities throughout the year. This lovely town has so much to offer new home buyers – take a look for yourself!
New Homes in Bishop's Stortford
Living in Bishop's Stortford
Shopping trip
The town’s attractive high street is filled with 16th and 17th century buildings which sit alongside the newer Jackson Square Shopping Centre. Fresh from a £5.5 million facelift, Jackson Square is full of high street names and coffee shops. Entertainment is covered too, as there’s a cinema, health club, bowling alley and the Rhodes Arts Complex - a large live music and contemporary arts venue and museum. The twice-weekly market and monthly farmers’ market offer opportunities to enjoy local produce, and for your weekly essentials there’s no shortage of supermarkets.
Love the local area
Households of all types will find plenty to do in the surrounding area. There are several great parks and playgrounds, including Sworder’s Field, where you can play sports, enjoy a walk or take children to the popular splash-pool. Every year the park comes to life with the arrival of the summer carnival, which starts with a parade through the town and ends with a fun fair, stalls and food vendors. Forthcoming plans will see Sworder’s Field joined to neighbouring Castle Gardens to create a spectacular new park. For something a bit quieter, National Trust site Hatfield Forest provides a tranquil haven a short distance outside the town, and golf enthusiasts can while away sunny afternoons at the local golf club.
Education for all
As well as the range of activities and attractions, children will benefit from the great selection of schools in and around Bishop’s Stortford. Local primary schools include St Michael’s CofE, St Joseph’s Catholic, Summercroft and Hillmead, all of which are rated either ‘Good’ or ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted. There are five secondary schools close-by too: St Mary’s Catholic School, Birchwood High School, Hockerill Anglo-European College, Bishops Stortford High School and The Herts & Essex High School.
Excellent transport links
Along with the great way of life and family-friendly provisions, much of Bishop’s Stortford’s popularity is down to the highly desirable location. The town is set just off the M11, which leads north to Cambridge (30 miles) and south to London (approximately 35 miles). Nearby centres including Stevenage, Chelmsford and St Albans are also within an hours’ drive. Bishop’s Stortford train station links the town to London Liverpool Street on the West Anglia mainline, operated by East Anglia trains. There are also regular trains to Cambridge, Stratford, Harlow and King’s Lynn. For travel further afield, Bishop’s Stortford can boast to be the closest town to Stansted – the airport is just 5 miles away.