Sunningdale is on the Berkshire/Surrey borders, with a special cachet from being in the Royal Borough of Windsor, and its near neighbours are Windsor, Ascot and Virginia Water, with Heathrow Airport and the A30 conveniently close too. Depending on how you look at it, it’s either a small town or large village, with a population of just under 6,000. It’s older than you might think, with Anglo Saxon and Roman links. Sunningdale is in an undoubtedly upmarket and affluent part of the world, reflected in high property prices and sought after private schools.
This all-round desirability is one of the reasons we chose Sunningdale for Osborne House. Living there, what are the main attractions going to be? Apart from one of the deeply luxurious apartments of Osborne House, of course.
Great commuting
Travel connections are undoubtedly a big draw. Sunningdale station is on the Reading to Waterloo line, and you can reach London in well under an hour. If your place of work is Bracknell, Camberley, Staines upon Thames or Woking, these are an easy commute by car via the A30. If the traffic allows, you can reach Heathrow Airport in about 20 minutes, too.
Sunningdale for education
Sunningdale’s schools make it a popular choice for families, with the Ofsted rated ‘outstanding’ Charters School being extremely desirable for seniors, and Holy Trinity C of E Primary School rated as ‘good’, the choice for younger children. The area is also home to world-famous Eton College, and the Royal Holloway University in Egham.
In and around Sunningdale village
The high street, while quite small, has an air of exclusivity, with quaint buildings and well-kept streets. The local shops include an independent deli, antique and gift shops, fashion boutiques, even a couture milliner, as well as the more every day in the form of a post office and Waitrose. While you’re out shopping, you might even spot one of Sunningdale’s famous residents, who include Sir Cliff Richard, Gary Lineker, Anna Friel and Brian Blessed.
You can expand your shopping horizons in Ascot, which has many boutiques and independent stores; or in the Windsor Royal Shopping Centre and The Oracle in Reading. The latter two have a really good range of well-known brands all under one roof.
Outdoor life around Sunningdale
In contrast to these indoor attractions, close to Sunningdale there are some glorious outdoor spaces to stretch your legs. Windsor Great Park offers 4,800 acres of magnificent landscape, which includes the famous Long Walk leading to Windsor Castle, the Savill Garden and Virginia Water with its tranquil lake and waterfall. Broomhall Recreation Ground, while not quite so splendid, is nevertheless an attractive local park and has a tennis club, a football pitch and a playground.
From casual eats to Michelin star dining
If you’re keen on dining out, you’ll have an excellent choice of restaurants, both casual and more formal. The village has several restaurants and cafés, including Eliane and Fego, both excellent for lunch or coffee with friends. Just outside of Sunningdale, there are two Michelin star establishments, Coworth Park and Matt Worswick at The Latymer.
The sporting life
Golfers will find some of the country’s most prestigious golf courses in the Sunningdale neighbourhood including Royal Ascot, Wentworth, Mill Ride, The Berkshire, Sunningdale Heath and Sunningdale Golf Club. All are renowned as much for their social facilities as for their perfect greens.
And there’s Ascot, of course, the very name synonymous with racing, extravagant outfits and unfailing Royal attendance. It’s about three miles from Sunningdale. The local countryside is the perfect place for horse riding and hacking and you’ll find many riding schools and equestrian centres offering it. Equestrian events include Royal Windsor Horse Show and polo tournaments at the Guards Club.
Sunningdale has all-round charm and a best-of-all-world mix of upmarket village life, outdoor life, sports and connections. We’ll think you’ll find it one of Berkshire’s best places to live.
Osborne House hosts six elegant and spacious, three-bedroom apartments in a gated development set amongst mature, secluded communal gardens. The luxurious apartments vary from 1,545 sq ft – 2,165 sq ft and all have terraces or balconies. Kebbell is a multi-award winning housebuilder and has recently been awarded a 5-star HBF (Home Builders Federation) rating which recognises excellent customer service standards.
You can find out more about Osborne House and our other developments through our new homes page.