What makes South Woodham Ferrers so special?
South Woodham Ferrers is located in the borough of Chelmsford and is home to a population of around sixteen thousand people. It is situated thirty-five miles from London and is serviced by a reliable and frequent transport network.
As house prices in London increase, more people are looking to the Home Counties to purchase their homes. Essex is one of the favourite destinations, due to its excellent choice of commuter towns and seaside destinations.
Read on to find out why so many people are deciding to make this pretty pocket of Essex their home.
Schools
There are a choice of five primary schools in South Woodham Ferrers, with several of them rating as ‘Good’ in their Ofsted reports.
The main secondary school is the William de Ferrers School, a mixed gender school that opened in 1982 and is rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted standards. William de Ferrers also boasts an excellent sixth form, where around three hundred pupils study towards their A Levels or BTEC qualifications.
Eating and Drinking
Like any great town, South Woodham Ferrers is not short of great eating and drinking establishments. Whether it’s Chinese food, Indian or good old fish and chips, you wont be disappointed by what this town has to offer.
The Whalebone Inn and Scrimshaw’s restaurant offers good value, large portions and quality food. Tuck into juicy steak, chilli king prawns or fruity stuffed bell peppers. This restaurant has a loyal fan base and The Whalebone Inn also offers a safe play area for children. Close to the town is the CAMRA pub, The Prince of Wales, in neighbouring Stow Maries.
Transport
South Woodham Ferrers is an excellent commuter town. Not only are there regular bus links serving the area, but a reliable train service, operated by Abellio Greater Anglia, which offers text updates to its customers and the option of printing tickets at home.
It takes less than an hour to travel from South Woodham Ferrers to London Liverpool Street. A quick change at Wickford, after a ten-minute train journey, will see you arrive at London Liverpool Street after around thirty-seven minutes.
If you’re a car driver, you’ll be pleased to know you have good links to major towns in the region, such as Colchester and Chelmsford. The A130 links you to the A127 as well, so you can head for some seaside fun in Southend in around thirty minutes as well.
Housing
Property in South Woodham Ferrers is in high demand, and for good reason too. The excellent transport links have made this town a popular destination for city workers looking for a slower pace of life outside of the city and also those looking to maximise on their property, without having to compromise on local amenities, like delicious restaurants and great schools. There’s even a well-estabilished Asda, so you can also stock up on supermarket bargains.
Compared to London, where the price of a two bedroom flat in Shoreditch can set you back an eye-watering £700,000, South Woodham Ferrers properties are a steal. You can pick up a smart purpose-built two-bedroomed flat close to the railway station for around £155,000. The town has a few independent estate agents, such as Balgores Property, that will often have properties that are not on Rightmove and Zoopla, so it pays to visit the town when property hunting.
Attractions
No article about South Woodham Ferrers is complete without the mention of Marsh Farm. Marsh Farm has been the destination of many a child’s school trip, day out or birthday treat since the 1980s. Amongst others creatures, this working farm boasts pigs, rabbits, goats and birds of prey. There is always a packed schedule of events, which due to popular demand really need booking in advance. Every summer it hosts “Kids Fest“. These events aren’t just animal-related, but include magic shows, superhero weeks and potato picking parties. There really is something for everyone.
Other attractions in the area include Tropical Wings Zoo, where you can immerse yourself in a beautiful butterfly experience in the tropical house. Tropical Wings isn’t just about feathered friends and winged mini-beasts either, the zoo also boasts a Bug Central zone and a Rainforest Corner. This is the ideal attraction for a rainy day. Both Marsh Farm and Tropical Wings feature in our Top Things To Do In Essex list.
A Quirky Fact
A 1980s estate in South Woodham Ferrers garnered some surprising attention around 2001, when The Lord of The Rings became a cinematic blockbuster hit. The iconic books inspired some of the street names in the estate and ‘Gandalfs Ride’, ‘Hobbiton Hill’ and ‘Great Smials’ soon became meccas for diehard Lord of the Rings fans.
South Woodham Ferrers is ideally located in Essex, taking advantage of the extensive road network in the region that links you to the main towns in the area. If you’re a city worker, looking to get out of the city and into the countryside for some downtime, you really can’t go wrong with South Woodham Ferrers. The affordable housing, good quality schools and great dining venues have been a major pull for those looking to get the most for their money in a well-serviced town, that has great links to the capital and surrounding areas.
