Living in Ringwood

Ringwood offers the best of all worlds. This old market town is positioned on the edge of the New Forest, yet is just ten minutes drive to the coast and also has easy access to the A31, with London, Southampton and Winchester in one direction and Bournemouth in the other.

It is an increasingly popular destination for home hunters. Best known as the home of Ringwood Brewery (inspiration for the current boom in microbreweries), it is undergoing a re-identification. The old cattle market has been transformed into a stylish shopping quarter with names such as Aga, Hobbs, Joules, Waitrose and Waterstones, and a programme of events that includes live music and farmers’ markets. The adjacent high street has retained its character, with a traditional weekly market and a selection of independents, a new artisan bakery, and a variety of decent eateries such as Framptons and Noisy Lobster.

Families are attracted by the sense of community and highly regarded secondary school (its sixth form provision rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted). There is a wide range of property from thatched cottages, through Victorian and Edwardian villas to tree-lined closes of homes built between the wars and every decade from mid-century onwards.

To the north are the quieter, untouched reaches of the Forest and larger country houses. To the west Ringwood is bounded by the River Avon and Avon Castle, a private estate of big, individual, contemporary properties in large plots, many with views across the water meadows. Avon Castle appeals to those looking for privacy and seclusion, and also attracts people moving from London in search of country life combined with contemporary living. Looking for an Estate Agent in Ringwood? Spencers are here to help.