Berkshire


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-why">WHY?</h2>



<p>Fringing close to the Berks/Hants border, under-the-radar Mortimer has a reputation for real community camaraderie, with residents often converging for spring cleans, gardening clubs, and the annual Mortimer 10k race. For a village of its size, what leafy Mortimer can offer its 3,800 residents is pretty generous. The village green is its heart, home to the local cricket club and an adventure playground, there&#8217;s also great independent pubs, brunch spots, shops, and five-star fun right on the doorstep. It may not get the fanfare&nbsp;of our&nbsp;riverside villages, but it certainly deserves to.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-eat">EAT</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/Mortimer-Supper-Club-3.png" alt="mortimer supper club" class="wp-image-55566" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/Mortimer-Supper-Club-3.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/Mortimer-Supper-Club-3-800x533.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/Mortimer-Supper-Club-3-400x266.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/Mortimer-Supper-Club-3-768x511.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/Mortimer-Supper-Club-3-788x525.png 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>There&#8217;s plenty of pubby pitstops to eat your way around. The Red Lion serves your classic no frills pub grub with Italian, Thai and Greek inspired dishes also on offer. Across the village green there&#8217;s <a href="https://www.horseandgroompub.co.uk/">The Horse and Groom</a> &#8211; a traditional family fare that has something for everyone and a popular local hangout. Stop off for brunch at groovy <a href="https://www.mortimerbistro.co.uk/">Mortimer Bistro</a>. It&#8217;s a great little indie with a moreish brunch menu to match (Eggs Benny? Yes please). <a href="https://waringsbakery.co.uk/">Warings Bakery</a> is just up the road in Burghfield for your sweet treat fix, and there&#8217;s also highly rated Thai and Indian restaurants to sit in or takeaway. We definitely can&#8217;t forget to mention <a href="https://www.mortimersupperclub.com/">Mortimer Supper Club</a>. Run by Louise Sherliker, she puts on monthly foodie events complete with incredible seasonal, home-cooked nosh in her lovely home. Check her website regularly though &#8211; events sell like hotcakes. </p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-shop">SHOP</h2>



<p>There&#8217;s a Co-op for your weekly shop, plus all the essentials you could dream of. Muddy Award-winning <a href="https://www.beautiful-escape.com/">Beautiful Escape Retreat</a> is an outstanding beauty salon in a barn conversion, there&#8217;s also a nail salon, pet groomers, kennels, Post Office, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/adamevehair/?hl=en">Adam &amp; Eve Hair Salon</a>, oh, and the <a href="http://www.mortimerchocolate.co.uk/">Mortimer Chocolate Company</a>. You can&#8217;t get your coco more local than that! For pressies, head to Baobab Gift Shop &#8211; your quintessential village shop (and coffee haunt). Local landmark, <a href="https://www.dadsshop.co.uk/">Dads Shop</a> is a mecca for DIYers. But for a more shop till you drop type affair, Reading is just 20 mins down the road and has all your high street big guns like Zara, Boots, John Lewis, Hollister, Hugo Boss, Reiss and Oliver Bonas.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nearby-attractions">NEARBY ATTRACTIONS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="666" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-29-at-11.38.38-1.png" alt="de vere wokefield estate mortimer" class="wp-image-55568" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-29-at-11.38.38-1.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-29-at-11.38.38-1-800x533.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-29-at-11.38.38-1-400x266.png 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-29-at-11.38.38-1-768x511.png 768w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2023/09/Screenshot-2023-09-29-at-11.38.38-1-788x525.png 788w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Mortimer’s proximity to luxury loafing&nbsp;is pretty darn impressive. Of course you&#8217;ve got all the advantages of country life with nearby walks to gorgeous spots like Starvale Woods, Wokefield Common, and Pickling Yard Plantation. But <a href="https://www.devere.co.uk/wokefield-estate/">De Vere Wokefield Estate</a> just had £20m refurb (complete with 18-hole golf course), and <a href="https://www.heckfieldplace.com/">Heckfield Place</a> is a mere six miles away – posh nosh, sexy spa, and celebrity spotting heaven. For fun with the family, the <a href="https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/silchester-roman-city-walls-and-amphitheatre/?utm_source=Google%20Business&amp;utm_campaign=Local%20Listings&amp;utm_medium=Google%20Business%20Profiles&amp;utm_content=silchester%20roman%20city">Silchester Roman Ruins</a> are on the doorstep, plus <a href="https://wellingtoncountrypark.co.uk/">Wellington Country Park</a> is not far, as is <a href="https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/hampshire/the-vyne">The Vyne National Trust</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-culture">CULTURE</h2>



<p>Modish <a href="https://www.soulbarns.com/">Soul Barns</a> – a family run Wellness Centre on a farm – is Mortimer&#8217;s answer to a wellbeing sanctuary, providing an array of wellness and fitness classes in the converted barn. Down the road, you can get your theatre fix at the <a href="https://silchesterplayers.org/">Silchester Players Theatre Company</a> for realer than real local entertainment. There&#8217;s also the <a href="http://www.allstardance.co.uk/">All Stars Theatre and Dance Academy</a>, providing specialised tuition and camps. Music and arts events often take place in the village every year too. Find your nearest cinema in Reading, alongside <a href="https://whatsonreading.com/hexagon/whats-on">The Hexagon Theatre</a> where you can catch touring productions and big name acts.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-average-house-price">AVERAGE HOUSE PRICE</h2>



<p>Slightly further from London than other Berkshire locales and it shows. Properties in Mortimer had an overall average price of £530,836 over the last year. Most sales were semi-detached properties, averaging £475,85 and detached homes sold for an average of £793,367 and terraces around £376,869. Thanks to Reading&#8217;s new Elizabeth Line, prices have risen 12% in the past year though. House-seeking hotties, this is one to watch.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-hot-property">HOT PROPERTY</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/mortimer-1.jpg" alt="mortimer house for sale" class="wp-image-69404" style="aspect-ratio:1.4992503748125936;width:640px;height:auto" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/mortimer-1.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/mortimer-1-800x534.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/mortimer-1-400x267.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/berkshire/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2024/07/mortimer-1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">This immaculate <a href="https://www.knightfrank.com/properties/residential/for-sale/soke-road-silchester-reading-hampshire-rg7/bsk012309303" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">4-bed family home</a> is a rural dream and comes with 2 acres. Seal the deal for £1.15m.</figcaption></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-nurseries">NURSERIES</h2>



<p>Lots of lovely little nurseries. <a href="https://mortimerpreschool.org.uk/">Mortimer Pre-school</a> has an outstanding rating, providing a happy and safe environment for 2-5 year olds. Set in 60 acres of countryside is <a href="https://www.jubileedaynursery.co.uk/nursery-near-mortimer">Jubilee Day Nursery</a> who are experts in forest school learning. You can also find nearby <a href="https://www.therainbownursery.org/">The Rainbow Nursery</a> and <a href="https://www.completechildcare.co.uk/">Cedars Day Nursery and Pre-school</a> &#8211; both very good options.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-schools">SCHOOLS</h2>



<p>Local and well-renowned schools include <a href="https://mortimerschools.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mortimer St John’s CofE infants</a> and Mortimer St Mary’s junior schools. <a href="https://www.willinkschool.org.uk/">Willink School</a> in nearby Burghfield Common is a good catchment option for secondary. For quality independents, <a href="https://www.sherfieldschool.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sherfield School</a> is just down the road, as is <a href="https://www.padworth.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Padworth College</a>. Co-ed boarding school <a href="https://www.bradfieldcollege.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bradfield College</a> is another great independent near Reading for 13+ and <a href="https://www.crosfields.com/">Crosfields</a> is a leading private option.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-best-kept-secret">BEST KEPT SECRET</h2>



<p>It’s one of the oldest villages in the UK. So old in fact, it’s mentioned in the Domesday Book, once owned by Roger de Mortimer (1st Earl of March), a man who almost got his mitts on the English throne only for the family to lose their land (not their heads) to one of Henry VIII’s wives. Blimey <em>Horrible Histories</em> would have field day.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-commute">COMMUTE</h2>



<p>The transport links are a mahoosive plus here. Mortimer train station will whizz you directly to Reading in 15 mins and you can be in London Paddington in less than an hour &#8211; costing a £454 monthly fare. From Reading, take the lavish new Elizabeth line (two trains an hour or four at peak times) and bomb straight into Tottenham Court Road with no changes. Behind the wheel, the A33, M3 and M4 are in easy reach too. Easy.</p>



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