Wychwood Real Estate Toronto

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The Wychwood, or Wychwood Forest, is an area now covering a small part of rural Oxfordshire. In past centuries the forest covered a much larger area, since cleared in favour of agriculture, villages and towns. However, the forest's area has fluctuated. Parts cleared for agriculture during Britain's centuries under Roman rule later reverted to forest.

It is believedthat "Wych-" is derived from the Old English word Hwicce. The Hwicce were the Anglo-Saxon people living in the area from some time in the 6th century until the assimilation of the Old English peoples into the wider Middle English society.

Early medieval clearings were made to convert forest land to pasture for wool production. Irregular field boundaries in parts of the forest's former area are evidence of mediaeval assarting. Later clearances elsewhere in the former forest area have left more regular field boundaries,as for example in Leafield parish where the area south of the hamlet of Langley was cleared in 1857-58.

Some of the land that had been cleared for agricultural use was purchased by the Woodland Trust, and re-planted with native English deciduous trees creating Shillbrook Wood, a 9-acre (3.6 ha) site near Bampton, and Eynsham Wood, a 13.37-acre (5.41 ha) site near Eynsham.

Recent years have seen a particularly strong resurgence in Wychwood culture. A number of forest fairs take place around the Wychwood area, promoting pre-Industrial Revolution crafts and employments. The Oxford University Historical Re-Enactment Society, also known as the Wychwood Warriors, is a reenactment group that recreates aspects of Saxon life in Wychwood during the Dark Ages.

The Wychwood has also given its name to a set of three villages in Oxfordshire, Milton-under-Wychwood, Shipton-under-Wychwood and Ascott-under-Wychwood. The villages together are known by locals as "The Wychwoods". Schools in Wychwood neighbourhood include Mcmurrich Junior Public School, Winona Drive Senior Public School, Oakwood Collegiate Institute and St. Bruno Catholic School.

Demographics

Top 10 Ethnic Origins

 Ethnic origin refers to the ethnic or cultural group(s) to which the respondent's
ancestors self-identified. Ethnic Origins are from the Total Responses category and
may not add up to the same amount in the Regions category. Source: Statistics
Canada, 2006 Census

Real Estate in Wychwood Neighbourhood

Marmaduke Matthews, the visionary painter behind Wychwood Park’s transformation into an artist’s colony in the late 1800s, would be fond of the neighbourhood’s recent changes. The conversion of a streetcar repair barn into Artscape community centre last year has introduced art classes, a dog park, beach volleyball court and weekend farmers’ market. This tranquil community makes for a competitive market, and the fairytale Arts and Crafts luxury homes in the private Wychwood Park zone rarely come up for sale; when they do, expect to fork out at least $1.2 million for a fixer-upper and up to $4 million for a new designer build. Outside the Park, Portuguese and Italian couples have long inhabited neat 1910–1930s homes, making for a high percentage of grey-haired citizens. But with the completion of the St. Clair transit line in March 2010 and abundant shops, young professionals snap up homes from grandparents eager to join their kids in the ’burbs.

HOUSING STOCK: Large three- to five-bedrooms built in the 1910s, ’20s and ’30s dominate. The prettiest streets are in Hillcrest Park and around Wychwood Park. Farther west, post-war homes take over with a few townhouses and new condos around Christie and Dupont.

BARGAIN ZONES: Compared to nearby Roncesvalles, Hillcrest Village’s detached homes are still affordable at $500,000, with lane parking and garage. Outside Hillcrest, streets like Oakwood, Alberta, Benson, Winona and Greensides are prime for picking up an un-renovated house starting at $500,000.

THE VERDICT: More than 80 businesses along St. Clair closed because of the transit line extension, but as work wraps up, new restaurants, shops and cafés are emerging. The stunning Artscape Barns cement the neighbourhood’s renaissance and promising resale value. Growing families are driving up prices for the rare four- and five-bedroom houses, while bulldozers make their way to smaller abodes.

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NEIGHBOURHOOD HOT SPOTS

Ecoexistence Eco-freak or green virgin, no matter: the staff at this lifestyle shop helps with decisions on organic cotton sheets and cleaning products. Face cream and body butter from Toronto’s Sigrid Naturals are highly coveted. 21 Vaughan Rd., 416-652-0808.


The Stockyards The Stockyards This narrow restaurant (more of a diner, mostly takeout) serves up mighty fine barbecue. Take a pulled pork sandwich and potato salad to the picnic tables at Artscape Wychwood Barns. 699 St. Clair W., 416-658-9666.

Schools - Wychwood neighbourhood

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