After 1 month here, I can say that the neighbours are a bit stand offish, On one side they give us a wave and a smile and one woman actually came to introduce herself, but they only come at weekends. As for the rest on the square it is difficult to get any reaction from them apart from staring at us!! Here the beggars go door to door and are not happy when you turn them away empty handed. One guy had a piece of paper with the amounts people had given him, between 3 and 20 Euros!
The previous owner after the sale, would not come to the house immediately but came the next day shortly before Endesa were due to certify the installation. He refused to give us the code for the safe and alarm system because he might be held responsible in case of theft!!! As Endesa arrived he virtually ran away after spending less than 3 minutes with us. He didn't even take the time to say goodbye! Some keys were missing, but (via the agents) he insists he gave us all of them. I now mark any post for him "Cambio de Domicilio" and put them in the post box.
I want no further contact with him.

I don't live in Spain, but I imagine that being able to speak Spanish is a big factor in being able to move to more "Spanish" parts of Spain? Speaking only English must surely impose limits on where the expat may comfortably live?

Definitely. Also, even if still learning Spanish, always to try; also just being a joining-in sort of person. I've always sat out with the women in the evening, played with the children, been interested in the dogs and lace-making and everything. Some incomers are shy and it may look like being stand-offish.