Duxford... What's it like?

So, hi all... I have a question for those who can help...

Have put in a offer for a house in Duxford, it's lovely but I have few reservations, and the reservations I do have bother me a little, not deal breakers, but still!

So, A... It's a village...one I don't know, and altho pretty with some awesome pubs, well I think I like the location and freedom and amenities of living just off Cherry Hinton Rd currently a touch too much and it's making me nervous. can anyone offer some reassurance to this?
B... We're not recluses, we like a good time, BBQ on Sunday and the like, I wonder if we'll be accepted,I know it has a church and we're not even remotely religious! I don't want to frowned upon!
C... No takeaway service so far as I can find! Anyone knows different I'd love to hear it :)

However despite these things we could have a beautiful home with lots of space for our buck... So basically I'm after feedback on Duxford living... Can anyone shed light....

Thanks much
S

Duxford isn`t Sawston so a plus ;-]

I've never lived in Duxford so my comments shouldn't be taken too strongly, but I've got a fairly good idea of what all Cambridgeshire villages are like after a lot of cycling round and visits with work.

Duxford is a sort of in between village. It's not nearly as bad as the "one pub, no shops and one bus a day everyone stays at home until they drive to work" ones. But it's not one of those self contained ones with a takeaway, co op, hairdresser and more. It's got a largish one stop shop, a few pubs (one of which is firmly locals only, go inside and you'll be mocked until you leave) and it's certainly one of the prettier villages in Cambridgeshire.

I'm sure there are friendly people you can have BBQs with, all villages have small "scenes" based around the pub, the church, or their clubs and societies (except maybe the hamlets. Or Haslingfield). Village life is different to living in a city: it is much easier to meet your neighbours, people are more open and friendly but this means that they are also more suspicious of anyone different from them.

The last bus back from Cambridge to Duxford is at 9 (although you can walk a few miles to Whittlesford station) and there's no supermarket or decent food shop so you'll be pretty much dependent on a car for the rest of your life. If you are worried about local services you might be better off choosing one of the larger villages: Linton, Melbourn, Milton, Gt Shelford, ect - even Sawston. It is just about possible to actually live entirely within a larger village in a way that isn't possible in a place like Duxford.

a few pubs (one of which is firmly locals only, go inside and you'll be mocked until you leave)

Uh, the little foreigner here didn't know this kind of locals-only custom. This explains a lot of looks and not-so-friendly utterances I've got in a pub in Cottenham.

Histon is a good village for ammenities and it's dead near town.

We looked a histon but we want to be south not north of Cambridge.... Thanks for the replies so far :). One thing I do know is that people who live in Duxford tend to move within it when they do move... So that's a plus for me....

"people are more open and friendly but this means that they are also more suspicious of anyone different from them."

Uhm, does the definition of "open and friendly" include "suspicious of anyone different from them", or is there some contradiction in this sentence?

I moved to Duxford five years ago (from the horrid place fifteen miles away across the border that begins with H - I'll let you guess). Have to say it's not the friendliest place you'll ever go to. They are very very suspicious of newcomers or anyone that's different to them (they're very conservative - small c and big C). The pubs are okay, and we now can go in them without the staring that ensued for the first three years. Village itself is very pretty, until you head towards Rectory Road, in which case be amazed by the poor buggers who have to live in tin sheds. Airshow days are a nightmare because you will have beardy plane geeks parking outside your house, deckchair and tea flask in hand. Apart from that it's okay. Easy links to the M11, and Whittlesford station's a twenty minute walk. Forget about the buses.

All villages in South Cambridgeshire are like that though. The only villagers which aren't so much are the ones that are pretty much part of Cambridge - Trumpington, Cherry Hinton, Histon, Milton, Girton. Whenever I visit a village in South Cambs with work I always get challenged with a mildly sarcastic "Can I help you?" in the street, even when I wear a smart shirt. At least people in Fenland leave you alone because they are too wrapped up in their own business.

It really depends what you want from where you live. Some people settle into village life at once, some people have to save a life of a local child to be accepted, especially if you look a bit odd. This is why when I buy my country retirement cottage and grow my own food I plan to build an enormous wall and be the local Boo Radley, perhaps conducting suspicious scientific experiments in the basement.

Your shirt's not that smart though Rob, that's your problem. You'll probably get on better in ye olde Duxford with a Gieves and Hawkes military number. Preferably in conjunction with an RAF 'tash.

But seriously, for the OP, it won't be the worst place you've ever lived, and it probably won't be the best. Don't expect the lovely quaint village people-are-all-lovely-and-we-all-look-after-each-other crap, because it just isn't that sort of village. Mention the recent Parish Council elections or the Scouts versus the Allotment Society war for the full lowdown.

Oh yes, and avoid the Wheatsheaf. Try the Barleycorn when you first move in because they stare less. Then move up to the Plough. But forget the Wheatsheaf because even we don't dare go in there....

Scouts versus the Allotment Society war
I hope there wasn`t any uphill gardeneing inflicted on the scouts ;-]

ive lived in duxford for 5 years since moving from sawston.
duxford is a much quieter village than others near by (e.g. sawston) but everything you need is a short walk or drive away;
- transport (bus is fairly regular, train a couple of miles away and m11 next door - although you cant really hear it);

- shops (spar shop in village for a few bits every now and then, sawston shops only down the road);

- takeaways (quite a few only a short drive away, also chinese in linton that deliver to duxford for £2.50, also ickleton cafe that do burgers, fish and chips etc that deliver for free, the plough also do a takeaway but i havent tried it so dont know if its any good)

- pubs ( are ok but nothing special - barleycorn and the plough are the better ones but tend to concentrate on serving food, the wheatsheaf is ok weeknights but your better off avoiding on friday and saturday night.)

- IWM (living in duxford you get free entry to the imperial war musuem- always handy for when formula one test up there and if you like planes)

I wonder if we'll be accepted,I know it has a church and we're not even remotely religious!

The new vicar of Duxford is a friend and ex-neighbour of ours, she's an absolutely lovely person and I can't imagine her being sniffy about non-believers.

Hey people :)

I'm trying to find someone who lives in duxford his last name is walker and I know he lives with his mum dad and little brother and he went to sawston college college please help me fun him

Isn't this Duxford?

excellent