6 Top Villages For A New Home Near Canterbury

The city of Canterbury one of the South East’s most attractive cities, combining a wealth of history with a highly regarded university, up-to-date amenities and excellent connectivity, making it a top choice for discerning house-hunters.

Lockdown has seen major changes in people’s priorities for what makes the best new home – home working means less reliance on commuting, and moving to a new property in the countryside can offer value-for-money with more space inside and out. Canterbury is close to the North Downs and a short drive from numerous coastal resorts.

If you’re looking for the best new homes for sale in Kent, then Canterbury and the surrounding area are a top place to start.

Sturry

Lying less than three miles from Canterbury city centre is the village of Sturry. It has many quaint period buildings, numerous useful shops and amenities such as a post office, surgery, dentist and library, leisure facilities and a fine independent prep school and ‘Outstanding’-rated state primary school. Via a High Speed rail connection at Ashford International, it’s 83 minuts to St Pancras International. Maidstone and Ramsgate are also easily reached.

Blean

Blean lies midway between Canterbury and the popular seaside resort of Whitstable, and adjacent to the Blean Woods National Nature Reserve. While the old village is linear, extending along the main road, the centre is now located around the junction with Tyler Hill Road, with its small parade of shops. Young families will be impressed by the village’s primary school, rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Barham

Barham nestles seven miles south-east from Canterbury in the valley of the Nailbourne river, close to the A2 Dover Road on the southern edge of the Barham Downs. Shops there include a butcher’s, doctor’s surgery and antique shop, and there’s a Victorian school rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted. On the edge of the village, set in the beautiful surrounding countryside, is the award-winning Simpsons’ Wine Estate.

Wickhambreaux

Five miles east of the centre of Canterbury is charming Wickhambreaux, which has a traditional feel with the church, rectory, manor house, much-admired historic inn and mill encircling the village green. Villagers enjoy many activities in the village, including the cricket club and an active church community, and the tiny village school remains on its original 1869 site and has been rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted.

Bekesbourne

A mile from Wickhambreaux and just off the A257 Canterbury to Sandwich road is the village of Bekesbourne. Bekesbourne railway station offers direct services to London Victoria in 1hr 40mins, making it a popular commuter village. Among the oasts and farm cottage found in the narrow lanes around the village, the village hall maintains a full programme of activities and clubs and a range of little shops can be found at Chalkpit Farm Rural Shopping in School Lane.

Chartham

On the edge of the Kent Downs AONB is pretty Chartham, four miles west of Canterbury on the A28 road. The village post office, ‘Good’-rated primary school and newsagents are in Shalmsford Street, a more modern area to the south. Commuter trains from Chartham station take 65 minutes via Ashford to London St Pancras, or 95 minutes direct to Charing Cross.

Find out more about current new homes developments in and around Canterbury.

Find retirement homes in Kent
Find new homes in Kent