Why Chagford, Devon, is one of the best places to live in 2021
On the northern fringe of Dartmoor, this is a bustling town that has all the basics covered
Best Places to Live in the Southwest: Chagford gives you access to some of Dartmoor’s most spectacular scenery
Dartmoor’s biggest draw is its landscape, a bewitching patchwork of craggy tors, steep valleys, pretty villages and ancient thatched cottages. The light is extraordinary and the views stretch far and wide. However, there’s also something cosy about it. You’re never far from a pub with a crackling log fire, and the locals take pride in their villages — and nowhere more so than in Chagford, on the national park’s northern fringe.
It’s a remarkable town; beautiful, arty and very community minded. Last autumn 28 volunteers raised thousands of pounds towards the upkeep of the outdoor pool by collectively swimming more than 200 miles. The pool is fed by the crystal-clear waters of the River Teign and warmed by solar power. Indeed, Chagford has been ahead of the game for renewable energy since the 1890s, when it became one of the first places in the UK to have electric street lighting, powered by surplus hydro-electricity from textile mills. Environmental matters are still to the fore.
Chagford has been home to a market since the 13th century
Last year campaigners secured official plastic-free status for the town, and there’s a feasibility study under way to create a cycle route to Moretonhampstead. Other green-tinged success stories include the recycling charity Proper Job, which also spawned a community farm (Chagfarm) and a market garden and veg-box scheme (Chagfood). A lot of the good stuff here starts with a Chag.
The music festival Chagstock returns in July after a Covid-related fallow year, with Seasick Steve and Scouting for Girls due to headline. With any luck, sister festivals Chagfilm (movies) and Chagword (books) will be up and running again soon. There are artists and art galleries everywhere, taking inspiration from the landscape and a longstanding tradition of creativity: Walter Sickert painted in Chagford; and Evelyn Waugh wrote Brideshead Revisited here.
Chagford has all the basics too — great pubs, allotments, a primary school and an impressive collection of local shops, including a greengrocer, a newsagent, a chemist, a superior wine shop, a convenience store and Blacks Delicatessen, whose homemade ready meals (venison and red wine casserole, £6.50) and sweet treats (halva and tahini brownies, £2) have been keeping the town fed during the pandemic.
All the businesses have stepped up to the plate, though, not just remaining open, but also organising collections and deliveries for the moor’s remoter outposts. There are also sports clubs — cricket, tennis and football — all eager to get playing again after lockdown, and renew the fierce rivalry with neighbouring Moretonhampstead that goes back to the Civil War, when the two were on opposing sides, but hopefully without adding to the bullet holes left in the Three Crowns pub after a skirmish between Roundheads and Cavaliers.
You’ll love living here if
You like your countryside wild and your towns cultured.
Best address
It’s all about the view, and most of the best homes don’t have road names. In the centre of town, Mill Street has some attractive detached homes and New Street some lovely cottages.
HOUSE PRICES
Starter home £249,950
Mid-market £365,000
Top end £1,000,000
Average rental price £735 pcm
Source: TwentyCi
Connections
You will definitely need a car. It’s a half-hour drive to Exeter, for trains to Bristol (from 59 minutes) and London Paddington (from 2 hours 10 minutes). There are buses, but they’re irregular and slow to Exeter (63 minutes) and Okehampton (from 40 minutes).
Broadband
A new housing development around Ellis Drive is being built with full fibre connectivity and the rest of the town generally has superfast speeds available. For those with slow speeds over the phone lines, Airband, a fixed wireless provider, may be able to supply a 40 Mbps service.
Schools
The town’s Chagford Church of England Primary School was rated good by Ofsted in 2016. For secondary school options it’s a bus ride to Okehampton College, deemed outstanding by Ofsted at its last inspection in 2014, or to one of Exeter’s private schools.
Air quality
Excellent outdoors. One word of warning: Chagford is built on granite, which pumps out radioactive radon gas. It’s harmless in the open air, but can be a health hazard if it builds up in an unventilated space.
Don’t miss
A walk up Meldon Hill to enjoy one of Dartmoor’s best views, stretching from Castle Drogo and the Teign Gorge to Haytor Rocks, with Chagford laid out prettily below.
What’s the catch?
Not only will you need a car, you’ll need a car you don’t care about. The narrow lanes can be tricky to navigate and the stone walls that line them make dents and scrapes a fact of life.
▶ Covid restrictions were in force when this article was published