Lingfield is an underrated Surrey village often forgotten about, overshadowed by larger villages and towns nearby. However, this “friendly” village has been discovered by many looking for a change from the hustle and bustle.
Located in Tandridge district, just south of the Surrey Hills, the village is conveniently placed near Gatwick Airport, and is exceptionally close to both the Sussex and Kent borders. Commuters can expect to spend around 50 minutes on the train into London Victoria, and it’s also a short drive away from junction 6 on the M25.
With everything you need on the doorstep, those living in Lingfield tend to stay for life or move there for a slower pace. Estate agent James Rowsell, branch manager at Robert Leech, located in the village said: “Some people might end up walking past without knowing much about Lingfield.
“But it differs from larger towns and villages in the area, there are loads of amenities on the doorstep with connections to East Grinstead, and London. What people don’t realise is that there is a lot here that you’d want in a quiet setting.”
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With fields and rolling countryside surrounding Lingfield, James says it’s a good place for dog walking and those with a penchant for equestrian activities. There are excellent schools nearby, and the village overall offers a friendly nature, which attracts many families.
Currently living in the ancient parish built next to the church, Sally Ashworth moved away to Newchapel, only to move back 10 years later. Looking to downsize, Sally was drawn back to the homely village.
Sally said: “It’s very quirky here, and it is so nice living next to the church. There’s no road going through, and I’ve got a great pub around the corner.
“I can go to East Grinstead easily from here and Edenbridge in Kent which is right around the corner. It’s a very nice community and the racecourse is lovely with events like fireworks night.”
This historic former centre of the village was once a hub for shopping, with a butcher, sweet shop and a general store. However, around the 1960s, many shops were converted into stunning homes, with the busy village centre now located just up the road.
Sue and David Joy also live next to the church, and open up their large garden in the summer for the village fete to spill into. The couple moved from East Grinstead after they saw the eye-catching home on the market, and haven’t looked back since.
David said: “We were looking for a change and wanted more space on the ground floor as our four children had moved out. It’s very friendly here, everybody says hello and stops for a chat.
“The train station is just a 10-minute walk away, and Lingfield seems quicker to get to London by train than East Grinstead. It’s easy to get to London from here.”
Sue added on the village's appeal: “Lingfield has been a Fairtrade village for 20 years, with shops selling as many ethical goods as they can. We have a lovely gift shop called Joyce’s with Best Wishes, and parks - one nature reserve has a butterfly garden.”
Anny, who lives next to the churchyard, says: “You’d think living next to a churchyard is morbid, but it’s so peaceful. We often have beautiful weddings in the church and when it snows it looks beautiful.
“All the houses along here get decorated for Christmas. It’s very nice to live here, I used to live in London and still visit once or twice a week at least for shopping and museums.”
Another Edenbridge frequenter, Anny loves visiting the Kent town where you can find Hever Castle, Anne Boleyn’s family home. Lewes in Sussex is another spot Anny loves to visit, also once home to another Tudor queen, Anne of Cleeves.
Given that many of the homes in this section of the village were built in the 1400s, many hold fascinating histories or have ghost stories. Anny said: “We might have a friendly ghost here. My husband and I were watching TV in bed one of the first nights we stayed here.
“We switched it off and I heard sounds, it sounded like slow steps climbing the stairs. I made my husband check what it was, and prodded him out of the room with a hanger from the wardrobe.”
Former teacher and volunteer librarian, Monica Rogers, has lived in Lingfield for 40 years. After travelling in Australia, she decided to move back to the UK and purchase a home in the village.
Monica said: “Everyone in the village knows of each other in a way, and we all look out for each other. It’s really lovely walking through the fields and nature reserve.
“Lingfield has interesting historical buildings, including the library where we host different activities. There is a beautiful garden where visitors can read their books, and children can play.
Sue Sharp, who also has connections with Australia, finds being near the airport very helpful. Now in her 80s, Sue still visits her son down under and flies every other year from Gatwick.
“I raised four children here, my eldest is 57 and my youngest is 49. Lingfield has a good community spirit and bus connections, I can get to Gatwick, East Grinstead and Redhill from here.”
Lingfield property prices tend to be below the Surrey average. According to Rightmove, properties had an overall average of £507,265 over the last year.
Most sales were detached properties, fetching £722,607. Terraced properties sold for £404,750 and semi-detached properties were snapped up for around £378,929.
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