Settling in to country life
Make a happy landing in your new location
Atrue sense of community is one thing the countryside doesn’t lack. Compared to living in our bigger urban centres, rural life can offer a more tangible sense of togetherness and a clearer idea of the places, events and people that make the community thrive.
Neighbours could be next door in the heart of a village or market town or a few miles away in more isolated areas but, as I have long known, sharing in a sense of regional identity is one of the most rewarding aspects of country life – and it’s often defined by the landscape. Life surrounded by mountains or the ebb and flow of the tide in coastal communities helps bond people together in a deeply positive way.
When it comes to settling in and being ‘accepted’, there is no reason to think it’s a harder job in the country than anywhere else. In many respects, rural communities are far more open-minded and accessible than those in towns and cities. For one, people and their roles are more obvious – from butchers and bakers to doctors, builders, the clergy and your local village or parish councillors. Secondly, many of your new neighbours will also be relatively recent arrivals and will understand any anxieties you may have. Remember, it’s your choice how much involvement you have. If you want a more reclusive life on the fringes of your local community, then fine; if, in time, you want more involvement, that’s welcome, too.
No need to rush
Always be mindful of the fact that the fabric of your new community has been there a lot longer than you have – resist any temptation you may feel to ‘wade in and fix’ things. You may have lots of energy and a big vision for how to improve village life for everyone but you could find your ideas are resented if you haven’t first immersed yourself in the community and got to understand the residents’ points of view. A big building project or a new tourism business that may prove disruptive to your neighbours needs to be handled sensitively, or relations can quickly turn sour.
Moaning about smoky bonfires, muddy tractors on the road, loud church bells or the smell of muck spreading probably won’t endear you to many, while racing to get on to every committee will probably end in tears. In short, take your time to find your feet in your new neighbourhood. There is no need to rush. Getting a feel for what’s going on and how the community works will give you a genuine understanding of who’s who, what’s what and what’s where – and, crucially, where you can fit in to it all most effectively.
Local investment
Over the years, many rural communities have suffered a sharp decline in local services and amenities, often because demand for them has tailed off as young people have been lured away to cities. Country pubs have closed, as have post offices, schools and shops, and some bus services permanently cancelled. In many areas, these trends have been arrested as residents have taken ownership of their own pubs or set up community hubs and shops that provide much-needed services. Repurposed village halls and even churches have been used in some areas. The recent increase in people looking for a new life in rural Britain may well bring much-needed investment to settlements large and small.
An influx of families with children and people who can work from home in ways never imagined before may invigorate many villages and increase demand, prompting a return of crucial services such as schools, local shops and transport links. Could one of the silver linings from the awful months of the pandemic be that it helps breathe new life into some of our rural areas?
“There is no need to rush – take your time to find your feet in your new neighbourhood”