Taplow sits across the River Thames from the town of Maidenhead, within the London commuter belt and close to Heathrow Airport.
Sandwiched between the arty village of Cookham and the foodie destination of Bray, with the busy commuter towns of Maidenhead and Slough either side, Taplow may have ducked under the radar of many a house-hunter.
However, an upcoming connection to Crossrail and fresh development along the riverside could mean this is about to change.
With so much going for it, it's little wonder that average property values in Taplow sit at over half a million at £508,000. And once the new Elizabeth Line is operational, prices could go up further (check the latest figures here).
Other key Crossrail commuter spots can be found at West Drayton, Maidenhead, Slough and Acton. Read our guides to find out more.
Living in Taplow: what to expect
Well-heeled Taplow has plenty going for it. Traditional English village pastimes such as boating and cricket; a central high street with local amenities, and its own train station with quick journey times into London.
In terms of property you’ll find everything from picturesque cottages to riverfront Georgian homes and even the odd gated mansion or two.
But if you’re in the market for a new-build home, rest assured time hasn’t stood still in Taplow; there’s plenty of development underway in the area too.
Where to start your property search
This includes a range of apartments in Institute Road, a stone’s throw from Taplow station. A mix of new apartments, villas and townhouses can also be found on Jubilee Meadows, in amongst a handful of restored historic homes.
Residents in these new-builds have a choice of view – the Jubilee River on one side or the Thames on the other. The development also takes advantage of its riverside location with picnic areas, moorings, a country park and riverside walks with viewing platforms.
If you’ve a taste for the more unusual, Nashdom Abbey – built for Russian Prince Dolgoraiki and designed by Edward Lutyens – has recently been converted into fine apartments. Owners share the facilities, including an outdoor swimming pool, tennis court and gym.
For large, established family homes with river frontages and mature gardens, look to the River Road area. Look out for striking Edwardian terraces complete with their own moorings and unimpeded river views.
For quaint cottages and period homes, check out Ye Meads and Berry Hill. Roads such as Ellington Gardens also have some fine Edwardian detached properties, which are accompanied by extensive mature gardens.
You’ll find solid inter-war semis in the Lent area on the east side of Taplow. Hurstfield Drive also has some attractive 1920-30s detached properties, which come with airy bay windows and large driveways.
Venture a little further east of Taplow and you’ll enter Burnham village, which has a high street complete with chocolate shop, village store, pet shop, family butchers and newsagents.
Getting around Taplow
By rail: Taplow has its own railway station. Currently, services into London Paddington currently take between 35 and 50 minutes, although the fastest rail service between Paddington and Maidenhead is 18 minutes. Taplow to Reading services take 22 minutes.
With the introduction of the Elizabeth Line, by 2019, services to Bond Street will take 38 minutes, to Liverpool Street 45 minutes and Canary Wharf 52 minutes.
By car: The M25, M40, A40 and the M4 are all within a 10-mile radius of Taplow, making it a very accessible and central starting point. Reading is around 20 miles away via the M4.
By air: Heathrow International Airport is around 15 miles and 30 minutes away. Heathrow is served by 81 airlines that fly to 194 destinations in 82 countries.
Gatwick is also fairly convenient to reach and is about 60 minutes away by car. From here travellers can fly to Amsterdam, Jersey, Barcelona and Moscow on airlines including easyJet and Ryanair.
Things to do in Taplow
Cultural: For a fix of 20th-century art, visit the Stanley Spencer Gallery in nearby Cookham. Spencer lived in the village and local landmarks feature in many of his works. The gallery holds a collection of Spencer’s drawings and paintings and hosts regular exhibitions of works on loan.
As a National Trust property, Cliveden House and estate opens for guided tours and visits. Built by the Duke of Buckingham in the 1660s, the house and gardens were developed by a succession of eminent owners, including William Waldorf Astor and his wife Nancy. Today the house is run as a luxury country house hotel.
The John Lewis Heritage Centre in Cookham tells the story of the organisation and its founder, John Spedan Lewis. The centre houses the Cummersdale Design Collection – an exhibition of 19th- and 20th-century textiles. There are 25,000 designs reflecting the change in fashions and trends through the decades. The centre is open to the public on Saturdays from 10am-4pm.
Family days out: Odds Farm Park in Wooburn Common is a 10-minute car ride (or 25-minute cycle ride) from the village. The farm has lots of animal-related activities to watch or take part in, including egg-collecting, bottle-feeding kid goats and milking. There are also indoor and outdoor play areas and a café-tearoom on site.
Legoland Windsor, the theme park dedicated to the family-favourite toy, is within eight miles of Taplow.
Bekonscot model village is the largest of its kind in the world. The ‘village’ has grown to encompass six little towns, 200 buildings, 3,000 inhabitants and lots of tiny true-to-life details.
Sports: If you’re into waterskiing or wakeboarding, Taplow Lake has ideal facilities and is a 15-minute walk from Taplow Station. Kayaking and canoeing are also provided - there’s a club offering taster sessions, excursions and training courses on the lake.
Maidenhead Rowing Club is sited on the Taplow side of the river. The club offers learn-to-row courses aimed at both adults and juniors. It also offers rowers a chance to row competitively or just for recreation.
Dorney Lake, Eton College’s purpose-built rowing venue, is just over 10 miles from Taplow. It's open to other clubs and schools on a pre-booked basis and hosts major regattas, triathlons and half-marathons – a great day out for spectators as well as those participating.
Taplow Cricket Club is an all-ages-welcome club playing matches in the Chilterns League. The club is more than 160 years old and is based on Cliveden Road. Maidenhead and Bray Cricket Club, with a picturesque church as a backdrop, is an alternative for those living on the south side of the village.
Shopping: On the edge of the village is the Bishop Centre retail park, which has a TK Maxx, Nike shop and well-known restaurants and cafes.
For more shops, residents head to Maidenhead. Most needs are covered at Nicholsons Shopping Centre but delicatessens, such as Pierozek, furniture stores Sands and Oakleys, and one-offs such as the Scooter Cafe (which sells scooters, not coffee) also thrive in the town.
High Wycombe also has a huge selection of large stores and retailers including House of Fraser, M&S, Gap, River Island and a large John Lewis store.
Food and drink: If you’re a fine dining fan, you’ll have heard of or experienced the next-door village of Bray. It’s a hotspot of excellence and diners book the best tables months, or in some case years, in advance.
The Waterside Inn, run by chef-patron Alain Roux, has retained its three Michelin-starred status (the highest accolade of its kind) for more than 30 years. It serves elaborate French food that varies from season to season. Alain is a renowned pastry chef so make sure you leave room for dessert.
Local lad Heston Blumenthal has three establishments in the village. The Crown is run as a gastropub and inn, and The Hinds Head is a restaurant with one Michelin Star. The legendary Fat Duck, his flagship dining house, also has three Michelin Stars and offers one of the most memorable eating experiences in the world.
Other well regarded eateries can be found close to, and in, Taplow. If you enjoy a genteel afternoon tea, Taplow House Hotel is the place to go. For something more substantial, try The Royal Oak at Littlefield Green. It's owned by Nick Parkinson and his famous TV dad Sir Michael and serves seasonal British produce.
Hidden Taplow
Renowned broadcaster, the late Sir Terry Wogan, lived in Taplow for 40 years. He appears alongside fellow villagers on a mural inside the village hall.
4 reasons to live in Taplow
Crossrail services start in 2019
Attractive riverside setting
A mixture of new, old, large (very large) and small village properties
Unbeatable fine dining
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