Shipston-on-Stour in Warwickshire is the birthplace of the modern toilet and is now the hippest place in the Cotswolds as estate agents report a property boom
Residents of Shipston-on-Stour, a town in Warwickshire known as the birthplace of the modern toilet, are basking in the glory of having the most desirable postcode in the Cotswolds.
The town, nestled within the coveted CV36 postcode, is just ten miles north of the upscale Chipping Norton, home to celebs like Jeremy Clarkson and David and Victoria Beckham.
Estate agents have noted a property boom in CV36, with prices soaring 40 per cent higher than neighbouring areas. The average family home costs around £350,000, still cheaper than similar properties in nearby Cirencester and Moreton-on-Marsh where four-bedroom houses typically go for £500,000.
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Despite the price hike, demand for properties in Shipston-on-Stour is skyrocketing as people see it as a more affordable way to live in the Cotswolds. Amy Nicholson, an estate agent at Sheldon Bosley Knight, said that the shift to remote working has given buyers more flexibility in choosing where to live. She said: “We’re only a few minutes from the main Cotswold towns but our houses are cheaper.”
With some of the nearby villages have seen prices shoot up in recent years, so people are looking for more affordable options within the CV36 area. “Covid and the stamp duty brought a lot people here. Shipston-on-Stour isn’t as busy or as touristy as Moreton-in-Marsh, but we are getting more popular,” Amy continued.
She concluded by saying that the town is less bustling than other Cotswold towns and offers a pleasant pace of life. “People are now properly remotely working and can live wherever they want. They can live here and have a nice lifestyle here.”
Astute locals who have resided in the town for many years are also eager to profit, with some houses selling “in two minutes”. Anne Wagstaff, 73, has witnessed the value of her home skyrocket by more than £120,000 since she purchased it nine years ago. The grandmother-of-eight stated: “We’re just putting it up on the market. I want to move a little north of Stratford so I’m near my children
“In my road we’ve had two new people but we only have eight houses. We had one family move in from London. Most people come and stay and love the place. I was quite surprised with the valuation of my house when they gave it us.
“We’ve got a three-bed detached and it’s up for offers over £400,000. We bought it for £280,000 nine years ago and I never imagined it would go up so far in that time. The estate agents said the market was picking up.”
Anne, who volunteers at a local charity shop, believes the town is appealing to families while offering good transport links to London. She added: “You can get the train nearby straight to London and the town itself has everything you need. It’s got little bits of everything here. Cafes, butchers, I think it’s attractive for young families from all over. We love a ride down to the Cotswolds, it’s beautiful around here. You can’t beat that.”
Homeowner Andrew Godding, 45, who settled into his £300,000 detached home eight years ago, has no intention of moving out any time soon. He remarked: “Shipston is little known other than being the home of Thomas Crapper and the first flushing toilet so probably gets overlooked as a place to live and raise a family.
“I do always think we’re living a Cotswold lifestyle without paying silly Cotswold prices.”
Nestled between the M5 and M40 motorways, residents like Andrew find commuting to London or Oxford a breeze, whether they opt for hybrid or full-time office work. The closest train station, located six miles away in Moreton-in-Marsh, offers a swift two-hour journey to London for commuters.
The small market town is ideal for people who wish to visit either the North Cotswolds or Stratford-upon-Avon (eight miles away). The town’s name originally derives from the ancient times when it was known as ‘Sheep-wash-Town’. As its name suggests, the town was an important sheep market town and even after the demand for local wool lessened, the town continued to flourish.
With multiple pockets of history, it has become a favoured spot for tourists as it has a great choice of accommodation, pubs and shops too.
The famous Sheldon Tapestries are in the neighbouring farming hamlet of Barcheston. Many attractions are in near proximity to the town including Warwick Castle — a 25-minute drive away — and the gardens of Hidcote Manor and Kiftsgate.
Local business owner Andrew Bastock, who has been at the helm of A Touch of Dust antiques shop for nearly three decades, also chimed in on the town’s appeal. He said: “People find the town charming, we’re still a 1930s town at heart. We talk to each other and it has that feel.
“The lovely thing about the town is all the independent shops. We’re not inundated with Costas and Starbucks.”
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Shipston-on-Stour’s most famous son was arguably Thomas Crapper who was credited with transforming modern toilets. Crapper did not invent the flushing toilet, but he did make them, and was the first to exhibit his loos in a showroom in 1870.
In 1861, Crapper was commissioned by Prince Edward, who became Edward VII, to build lavatories in Royal palaces. Crapper also patented the floating ballcock and the U-bend. Until recently, a museum showcasing over 1,200 of Crapper’s loos, washbasins and baths were on display in the town. Residents now hope their new found “fame” will lift their area’s name out of the gutter.
