Lincolnshire Escape to the Country


Lincolnshire

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From this windmill, I can see miles of flat fields, waterways and dykes,

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and if it was spring, there would be no shortage of tulips.

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So where am I? Have we gone Dutch?

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Join me in a moment to find out.

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In today's show, I'll be helping a couple who are in search of pastures new,

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not only for them, but for their 13 horses,

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and it looks like we've got an emotional house search on our hands.

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-Oh, I think I'm filling up, actually.

-Already?

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-Yeah, I feel all tearful.

-We've only just got started, Dawn.

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And our mystery house just makes matters worse.

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-It's even bigger than the last one.

-Oh, wow.

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No, it's not the Netherlands.

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Today I'm in Lincolnshire,

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and this is the Sibsey Trader Mill.

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Built in 1877, it's one of only three six-sail mills left in the country.

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So what is the Dutch connection?

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Well, back in the Middle Ages, this part of the county was called Holland.

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And just like its continental namesake,

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it's mostly made up of fenland, so barely above sea level.

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Over the centuries, most of this land has been drained

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to reveal some of the richest arable land in England.

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And Lincolnshire produces more fresh produce than any other county in the UK.

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Spanning 2,200 square miles,

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Lincolnshire is the second largest county in England after Yorkshire.

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It's an area chiefly defined by its agriculture,

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with food production and farming contributing around £1 billion to the local economy.

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And windmills such as the one at Sibsey are not the county's only towering landmarks.

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What with the magnificent Burghley House near Stamford,

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overlooking gardens laid out by Capability Brown.

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And with a vast rural landscape stretching from the Fens in the south

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to the undulating Wolds in the north,

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it's easy to see why aspiring escapees

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would seek out a rural bolt-hole here.

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Like most other parts of the country,

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the Lincolnshire property market has taken a nosedive in recent years,

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and the east of the county has seen the biggest percentage drop in number of house sales during the recession.

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Laws of supply and demand mean that prices have been kept at bay here.

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The average detached house costs £178,000,

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and that's £82,000 less than the national average.

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So if you're after a bargain,

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take a look at what's available on the market right now.

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Priced at just shy of £295,000,

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this three-bedroom Victorian cottage in Tattershall Thorpe

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has been sympathetically restored,

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with feature fireplaces throughout its stylish kitchen diner and living room.

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And there's plenty of space outside, as the grounds total two acres.

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This handsome four-bedroom, Grade II listed manor house in Halton Holegate

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could be yours for £395,000,

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with high ceilings and large sash windows a running theme

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in its grand reception rooms.

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Outside there's a raft of outbuildings and two acres of grounds.

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Or what about this four-bedroom barn conversion in Thirlby

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on the market for £500,000?

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Its interior has been impressively modernised,

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with doors leading out to the terrace and lovely gardens beyond.

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A bumper crop of houses to be had here in Lincolnshire.

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But what are today's property shoppers hoping to bag? Let's find out.

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Jim works in shipping insurance, and Dawn runs a local radio station.

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They've lived in their four-bedroom house on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent

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with their two children for ten years.

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But now they're saddling up to make the leap to Lincolnshire.

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The main reason we want to move is to get some land for the horses.

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I have 13 horses at the moment.

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Most of them are ill or old, so they need supervision,

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and I currently rent nine acres which is a few miles down the road,

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and to actually be able to keep an eye on my horses,

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it would just be so wonderful just to have them on site with us.

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And now that Jim has changed jobs

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and he actually works from home,

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that has given me the opportunity to actually say,

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"Well, now is the time to move."

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Because housing the horses is so important,

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they're prepared for the family home to take second place.

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In the new house, there are two main priorities.

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It needs enough land, at least ten acres, but preferably more,

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and there needs to be enough space for my office,

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either inside the house or as an outbuilding that I can convert into an office.

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Four bedrooms, obviously,

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because moving away, we'd need the spare bedroom for guests.

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Yeah, four bedrooms, two bathrooms.

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Stables would be a bonus so we didn't have to build them.

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I'd like a large family kitchen

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so that we can all congregate in there to eat our family meals.

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And the property we're living in is quite unique. It has character.

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We'd like something that, um, is completely different,

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whether it be an old farmhouse...

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My dream would be oak beams and open fireplaces, really cosy.

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Yeah, farmhouse. Character farmhouse.

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They seem to agree on the wish list,

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but differ on the location.

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I would like to be no near-neighbours

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because I've got the horses,

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they can be quite noisy sometimes,

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early starts in the morning,

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but I think you'd like something a little bit more into a village

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so that you can have a stroll to the village shop and get your paper.

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Yeah, and the kids are getting of age

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where I don't want to be a taxi for the next five years.

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And with so many factors at play,

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their property search has so far come up short.

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We've viewed about five houses over the last six months.

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-Yeah.

-And some of them have had the perfect amount of land

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and the perfect layout with stables,

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but the house has not been right.

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It's been too small or too new.

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And then some of the houses have been beautiful,

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but then the land has been too small.

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We're quite picky.

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Jim and Dawn already have their house on the market

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and are hoping to sell for £450,000.

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So with that in mind, how much do they have to spend on this move?

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We've discussed budget,

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and realistically our budget is £500,000.

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Half a million, give or take, in this corner of the country,

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is a fantastic budget,

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and if we only had to find a spacious character property,

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then we would be home and dry.

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But it's never that easy, is it? No, we also need ten acres and stabling.

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If you add to the mix two self-confessed picky house-hunters

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who can't even decide whether they want a village or a rural location,

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well, I think we've got an interesting ride ahead.

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We'll be focusing our house search

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in rural locations around Boston in the south,

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and Lincoln further north,

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both with great schools within a 30-minute drive for their children.

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We've lined up three very individual properties to show them,

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but I'm staying tight-lipped on the price until they've had a guess.

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And the finale will be our mystery house,

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which will challenge their criteria, but could give them a property that towers above the rest.

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-Oh, it is a gorgeous morning, isn't it?

-It is, yes.

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You've come to Lincolnshire where there's an abundance of land,

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and it is a lot cheaper than the rest of the country.

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But still, you are asking for quite a bit.

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So how much money do we have to play with?

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Um, we've talked about this. We'd like to limit at £500,000,

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but if you found the perfect property

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and it was £525,000 or £530,000,

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I suspect I would come under some pressure.

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But if there was the right livery there

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and we could make the difference, it's a possibility.

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Obviously we'll do our best to get what you need,

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but knowing you're willing to go that bit further

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to get exactly what you need makes my job a little bit easier.

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-Wonderful.

-Shall we go and look at some houses?

-Yes, please.

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For a budget of £500,000,

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Jim and Dawn are looking for a quirky character property

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with a large, family kitchen diner.

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Besides the requisite four bedrooms,

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a must-have for Jim is an office, as he mostly works from home.

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However, it's the outside space which is paramount to this search.

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Seven to ten acres, and stabling would be a bonus.

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What about the house? How much do you care what that's like, or is it all about the land?

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We do quite like quirky, don't we?

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We do, yeah. Two up, two down, that's not going to reach the spot, I'm afraid.

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So "quirky" for you means unusual?

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Just unusual, yeah. I don't think there's anything in particular.

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I wouldn't say we particularly want a Georgian house

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or we particularly want a thatched cottage.

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We want something that is slightly out of the ordinary,

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but it doesn't really matter in which way it's out of the ordinary.

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Let's see what they make of our first house,

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as we search in the village of Sibsey,

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set in the heart of the Fens,

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and served by a local pub and parish church.

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Its rural heritage is reflected in the many farmhouses dotted about,

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and the trader mill isn't the only one in the village,

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as our first property is a Grade II listed flour mill built in 1823.

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-You wanted quirky.

-Oh, I love it.

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How's an old windmill for you?

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-Oh, that's breathtaking, isn't it?

-Yeah, I like that.

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-That's lovely.

-I'm... Oh, I think I'm filling up, actually.

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-Already?

-Yeah, I feel all tearful.

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-We've only just got started, Dawn.

-It's lovely.

-Really?

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-Mm. Yeah, sorry.

-No, don't be sorry.

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-No, it's lovely.

-What is it?

-It's a windmill.

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Is that like your wish, your dream?

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It's just absolutely beautiful. I just didn't expect that.

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It's... It's lovely.

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That's an amazing start, that's a great start.

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-What about you?

-No, it's nice, isn't it? Yeah, lovely. It's perfect.

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You might not be able to tell,

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but the house which is sitting next to the windmill,

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was only built ten years ago.

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Just ten years ago? It's been done perfectly,

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just to fit in, and obviously you can see so much care and attention

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has been taken to get it right.

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You know, just overwhelming, really.

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Wow! The character exterior of our windmill conversion

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has a resounding thumbs up.

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Let's hope they're equally charmed by the inside.

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Come through and have a look at the first reception room.

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-What do you think of this?

-Isn't it great?

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Oh, look, they've even put beams in, and look at the view, Jim.

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That's really nice.

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See your horses from here while you're having breakfast or dinner.

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What a dream.

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Size-wise, I know we're downsizing.

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For a dining room, how does this work?

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This is absolutely perfect.

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Let's see if the kitchen further down the hallway

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captures their imagination.

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Right, come on in.

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Recently done in the last couple of years. But what do you think?

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-Look, a range.

-This is nice.

-Yes.

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Where are the appliances? Are there any appliances?

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They've got this lovely layout where they're hidden,

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so you do have a fridge and dishwasher,

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but you have a utility room over there,

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which is where your other white goods are.

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This kitchen is the perfect size for the moment

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so it's good, it's all good.

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-Do you agree?

-Yep, no, I agree.

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-I'm counting. I think that's the third perfect.

-All ticks.

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They seem to be taking the notion of downsizing seriously, which is great,

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but will the quirky dimensions of the living room work for them?

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So, we're into the windmill now.

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Oh, wow.

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-Come on through.

-Look at this.

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It's a round room.

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-It's great, isn't it?

-It's got real character, hasn't it?

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So now we've seen the downstairs, pretty much,

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this would be your main living area.

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You wanted two reception rooms.

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You've got a dining room and here. Would that work for your family?

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I think so. I don't see why not.

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This is a nice size.

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-Another reception room would have been good, but size-wise, it's fine, isn't it?

-Yeah.

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Hopefully, that positive, pragmatic approach will continue upstairs,

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where there are the four bedrooms that they're after.

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Now, this is the master.

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Look at the view, Jim.

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Oh, that's incredible.

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Yes, look at that. Triple aspect again.

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It's a nice size.

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Smaller again. Not that much smaller, though.

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Not that much smaller.

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You do have an en-suite just here. Just poke your head in.

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-It's an en-suite shower room.

-Oh, that's perfect, yes.

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-Good.

-Everything we need there.

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You've got your own private bathroom, looking out onto the wonderful views.

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-Incredible.

-Waking up in the morning, peeping your head out,

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"What are they up to? Oh, OK, then."

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Keep your eye on your horses.

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-That is your dream, isn't it?

-It is. I'm living the dream now.

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-It is the dream, though. It really is.

-Definitely, yeah.

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The other three bedrooms include two singles next door to each other,

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with a family bathroom opposite.

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And at the end of the landing, we go round again.

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We are back in the windmill.

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-Oh, yes.

-Jim, look at this.

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It's your study.

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-What do you think of this, then?

-Come on up.

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That's nice.

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Obviously they've been using this as the study.

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But you have got another level up, and that's a double bedroom up there.

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So that's how they've organised it.

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Is this big enough for your study?

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It's tight.

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It's tight for my study. It would make a great kids' den, though.

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A sort of TV room for the kids.

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If there was a bedroom upstairs there for guests,

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and this is then the kids' den.

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So compromising on their bedroom sizes might not be such an issue

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if they've got their own den, playroom.

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It's something for you to think about.

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What's important now is that we get back outside,

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have a look at that land, and get back to the horses.

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Yes, yes, get back to them.

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Outside, beyond the immediate garden,

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the yard provides perfect accommodation for Dawn's horses

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in the five stables with an adjoining hay stall.

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What's more, there's an outbuilding currently used as a workshop,

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which Jim could convert into an office.

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So let's survey the land which could be theirs and think about the price.

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Right, eight and a half acres in total, all laid out for paddocks.

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Look at this. It's beautiful, isn't it?

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Pretty much everything you can see fenced is yours.

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-You've even got an all-weather outdoor arena.

-That's marvellous.

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That would be well used.

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So, this is it. We've come to the end of the house tour,

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and you know what happens next.

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Yeah, you're taking a big, deep breath.

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We need to work out how much this property would cost you.

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I'm guessing it's close to the top end of the budget.

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OK, well, give me a number, Jim.

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£495,000.

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I would go more than that at £515,000, I would say.

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-£515,000.

-£515,000, yes.

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-I'll put you out of your misery.

-Go on.

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This property is on the market for £539,950.

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So it's over your top end of your budget.

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Yes, it is.

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What's interesting, it's been on for about three months.

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It's already come down about £30,000.

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But they do want to sell, so I know they're open to offers.

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That's interesting.

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Mm, plenty to think about.

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Why don't you wander off, start scoping out what you'd do if you lived here,

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and tick that over in your minds?

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-OK, Denise, thank you.

-I'll see you later on.

-Cheers.

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Priced at just shy of £540,000,

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our listed windmill conversion is open to offers.

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Along with historic character,

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it answers many of the demands on their wish list,

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including two reception rooms, a spacious kitchen diner,

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four bedrooms with a circular study upstairs,

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and eight and a half acres of land with equestrian facilities,

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along with an outbuilding for Jim's office.

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The house itself is fantastic.

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I know we want to downsize.

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It's obviously smaller than what we've previously had.

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I think we could probably live with that.

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It is a little bit over budget,

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um, but no money to be spent on stabling or paddocks or fencing.

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That's all there for us.

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So all in all, it has just really blown me away, this property.

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It's absolutely beautiful. I love it.

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I wonder if they still think it's a dream home.

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-Hello.

-Hello.

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Time to go, I'm afraid.

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Have you seen enough?

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-No, not really.

-It's lovely

-Yes.

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Split decision. We're not finished yet so come on, let's keep going.

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The Lincolnshire Fens constitute some of the flattest

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and most productively-farmed land in Europe,

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which has historically fed into the local market towns.

0:17:260:17:30

In the heart of the South Holland district,

0:17:300:17:32

Spalding made good use of the River Welland

0:17:320:17:35

as a conduit for trading corn, seed and wool,

0:17:350:17:37

the wealth of which flowed into its historic buildings.

0:17:370:17:41

Much of its centre is now a conservation area,

0:17:410:17:44

and also home to a vibrant market.

0:17:440:17:46

Earlier in the week, Dawn and Jim met local expert Sharon Dabell

0:17:460:17:50

to find out more about its significance.

0:17:500:17:53

-Lincolnshire's the food bowl of England.

-Really?

0:17:530:17:56

So we do get a lot of local stalls,

0:17:560:17:58

and some coming over from the East Midlands.

0:17:580:18:00

Very, very popular, and it's thriving, which is good news for the town.

0:18:000:18:05

The centre of commerce, the whole district, South Holland, which Spalding is the capital of,

0:18:050:18:10

20 per cent of the country's food

0:18:100:18:12

touches South Holland in some way or other.

0:18:120:18:15

South Holland has literally kept its head above water

0:18:150:18:18

thanks to man's efforts to drain this land,

0:18:180:18:21

which lies only a few metres above sea level.

0:18:210:18:24

1660 saw the reclamation of some 17,000 acres,

0:18:240:18:28

and with the onset of the industrial age,

0:18:280:18:31

new engineering solutions to drain the land were introduced,

0:18:310:18:34

like the Pinchbeck Pumping Engine, now a local museum piece.

0:18:340:18:38

This amazing machine was built in 1833

0:18:380:18:42

following the invention of steam power in 1820, round about that date.

0:18:420:18:46

Without machines like this, quite simply, this area wouldn't exist.

0:18:460:18:51

Machines like this began to be replaced in the 1900s

0:18:510:18:54

as technology advanced,

0:18:540:18:56

so it was replaced by diesel and electric power.

0:18:560:18:59

The amazing thing is that

0:18:590:19:00

the new machines can process 4,800 gallons of water per second.

0:19:000:19:06

-Per second?

-Per second.

0:19:060:19:08

-That's incredible.

-That's absolutely incredible.

0:19:080:19:11

And when you see the land out there,

0:19:110:19:13

there are 52,000 acres of fenland that are drained in that way.

0:19:130:19:19

This fertile terrain gives rise to a thriving food-producing industry.

0:19:190:19:23

One man who benefits from this is local farmer David Bowman,

0:19:230:19:27

who, over the past 40 years,

0:19:270:19:29

has become the biggest single grower of pumpkins in Europe,

0:19:290:19:32

harvesting a staggering three million a year.

0:19:320:19:35

-What's the name of this particular pumpkin?

-This one's Harvest Moon.

0:19:350:19:39

-And that's the most common pumpkin?

-The most common in this country.

0:19:390:19:43

So how do you pick them?

0:19:430:19:45

Well, mainly with the harvester, which is working down there.

0:19:450:19:48

They go through on the harvester, through the washer.

0:19:480:19:52

And they go in dirty and come out clean.

0:19:520:19:55

It's the only one in the world, that is.

0:19:550:19:57

And you designed it yourself?

0:19:570:19:59

Yeah. Now it's attracting people from all across North America.

0:19:590:20:03

It's impressive that this relatively small corner of the country

0:20:030:20:07

grows around a third of England's outdoor vegetables.

0:20:070:20:10

Our house search continues in the quiet village of Linwood,

0:20:180:20:21

14 miles from Lincoln, with its Victorian church,

0:20:210:20:24

and the chance to pick up local produce from neighbours.

0:20:240:20:27

For more amenities, they can pop into the town of Market Rasen,

0:20:270:20:30

less than three miles away.

0:20:300:20:32

With Dawn's horses in mind,

0:20:320:20:34

our second property gives them a rural location

0:20:340:20:36

set on a small, no-through lane.

0:20:360:20:39

This is quaint.

0:20:390:20:40

"Quaint". Another quirky property for you.

0:20:400:20:44

-Oh, it is, isn't it? Yes.

-I like that.

0:20:440:20:46

This is good. So, getting an expression of like from you, Jim.

0:20:460:20:50

-I like that.

-It looks really interesting so I'm excited to find out more about it.

0:20:500:20:55

It's very interesting. It's the old schoolhouse.

0:20:550:20:57

And the old schoolmaster's house, so two houses in one, almost.

0:20:570:21:01

But it's also got a quirky layout inside

0:21:010:21:03

so you'll need your imagination to see how you could re-jig it to fit your lifestyle.

0:21:030:21:08

-How do you feel about that?

-We're up for a challenge, aren't we?

0:21:080:21:12

-You're so enthusiastic. I love it. Let's have a look.

-Excellent.

0:21:120:21:16

This schoolhouse was built in the 1860s from traditional red brick,

0:21:170:21:21

and inside, the schoolroom really makes a statement.

0:21:210:21:25

Come on through.

0:21:260:21:28

Come on up and have a good look.

0:21:280:21:30

-Wow.

-Look at that.

0:21:300:21:32

-I know, it's a lot to take in, isn't it?

-Look at these high ceilings.

0:21:330:21:37

Come over here cos I want you to be able to look at this and this.

0:21:370:21:41

-Oh, wow.

-Oh, wow.

-Yes.

0:21:410:21:43

-It's a mezzanine, isn't it?

-It is.

0:21:430:21:46

So here, the journey begins. I did say, quirky layout.

0:21:460:21:50

-So this is my office.

-Aha. I thought you might say that.

0:21:500:21:53

What you do have here, obviously, is this amazing room

0:21:530:21:56

with the hugely vaulted ceilings.

0:21:560:21:59

And the current owners kind of at times used it as a holiday let,

0:21:590:22:03

as a space for her, that's why you've got a kitchen.

0:22:030:22:05

Through that door is a little single bedroom and shower room, bathroom.

0:22:050:22:10

So it is a self-contained little bit.

0:22:100:22:12

Sounds amazing.

0:22:120:22:13

This is right.

0:22:130:22:15

Even though Dawn absolutely loved the last one.

0:22:150:22:18

I think it's got bags and bags of character

0:22:180:22:21

and it's given me a really warm feeling.

0:22:210:22:24

We'll keep the momentum going and explore the other wing,

0:22:240:22:28

where a small study leads through to a breakfast area.

0:22:280:22:31

Let's see what they make of the kitchen.

0:22:310:22:33

-OK, we are in the old schoolmaster's part of the house.

-Right.

0:22:330:22:38

And this is the kitchen.

0:22:380:22:40

Right.

0:22:400:22:41

This is nice.

0:22:410:22:43

Perhaps just a little bit small.

0:22:430:22:45

Cupboard space again might be an issue.

0:22:450:22:47

But downsizing, we are again,

0:22:470:22:50

so I need to address that.

0:22:500:22:52

Come through here, cos there's more to this part of the house.

0:22:520:22:55

Oh, this is all right.

0:22:550:22:58

So you have got this just off the kitchen.

0:22:580:23:00

-Patio doors out there.

-It would make a nice little dining room.

0:23:000:23:04

It would. It's just calling out dining room.

0:23:040:23:07

Kitchen's there, dining room here. Eating, looking out.

0:23:070:23:12

And the dining room flows through

0:23:120:23:14

to another sitting room with wood burner.

0:23:140:23:16

The downstairs layout is quirky, but gives them lots of scope to make their mark.

0:23:160:23:21

Hopefully they'll see that same potential

0:23:210:23:24

in the remaining double bedrooms,

0:23:240:23:26

two of the four this property provides.

0:23:260:23:29

Right, come in here.

0:23:290:23:30

This good-sized double is one of two double rooms up here.

0:23:300:23:36

-That's a good size. Plenty of storage.

-It is a good size, yes.

0:23:360:23:39

Deep wardrobes. Double hanging.

0:23:390:23:41

You've got extra storage behind there. Shoes, handbags, whatever.

0:23:410:23:45

And out there you've got another room, which is used as a sewing room.

0:23:450:23:49

It would be a lovely dressing room. And the family bathroom.

0:23:490:23:52

So if you add it all up, there are just two bedrooms up here.

0:23:520:23:56

-Right, OK. Yes.

-What do you think about that?

0:23:560:24:00

Children's bedroom next door. Perhaps we could have one of these.

0:24:000:24:04

And we have a spare room.

0:24:040:24:06

The challenge is, it is two, um, properties,

0:24:060:24:10

as you said, for the price of one.

0:24:100:24:12

And it's actually how we're going to make them work together.

0:24:120:24:15

That will be the challenge.

0:24:150:24:17

I reckon it's worth serious consideration,

0:24:170:24:20

given what outside delivers.

0:24:200:24:22

Beyond the paved terrace, there's a storeroom, four stables, and a tack room.

0:24:220:24:27

What's more, the lawned gardens give Jim ample space

0:24:270:24:30

to put down a ready-made office structure.

0:24:300:24:33

And there are two enormous paddocks for Dawn's horses,

0:24:330:24:36

giving them a generous ten acres in total.

0:24:360:24:39

But at what cost?

0:24:390:24:40

-Lots for you to play with.

-Yes.

0:24:400:24:43

But it does all come at a price. So we've reached that point.

0:24:430:24:46

How much do you think you'd have to pay for this?

0:24:460:24:49

I would say £495,000.

0:24:490:24:53

I was thinking slightly lower at £475,000.

0:24:530:24:57

£475,000?

0:24:570:24:58

-£475,000. Do you think it's that low? With ten acres?

-Don't know.

0:24:580:25:03

Dawn's much closer. £499,500.

0:25:030:25:07

-OK.

-OK? What do you think about that price?

0:25:070:25:10

You are getting a great, quirky property and ten acres,

0:25:100:25:13

so I personally think that's what I would expect to pay for this type of property.

0:25:130:25:18

-The most important thing is your office space.

-Yeah, that's going to be an issue.

0:25:180:25:23

I think you're swaying towards, the horses can freeze

0:25:230:25:26

while you use the stables for the office. I don't think so.

0:25:260:25:29

While you work that out, why don't you have a wander round the paddocks?

0:25:290:25:33

-I'll see you later on.

-Thank you.

0:25:330:25:36

Ooh, well. I didn't expect that, actually.

0:25:360:25:39

They really like the property,

0:25:390:25:41

but as we said, it's quirky and will require some imagination.

0:25:410:25:44

It's also going to require some compromise.

0:25:440:25:47

Can they decide whether it's the horses or the office? Who knows?

0:25:470:25:51

Nudging in under their £500,000 budget,

0:25:530:25:56

this schoolhouse delivers on many fronts.

0:25:560:25:58

Besides that stunning living room with timbered ceiling,

0:25:580:26:02

there are four bedrooms,

0:26:020:26:03

and crucially, the property comes with ten acres,

0:26:030:26:06

stabling, and the potential for an outside office for Jim.

0:26:060:26:10

Beautiful in its own way.

0:26:100:26:13

Um, very quaint, very quirky.

0:26:130:26:16

The house is lovely.

0:26:160:26:19

There's no space inside for the office,

0:26:190:26:23

which means the office outside,

0:26:230:26:25

but that's not a problem, I don't mind that at all.

0:26:250:26:28

You've shown us two amazing properties.

0:26:280:26:31

-There you are.

-Hey.

0:26:320:26:34

-You've fallen in love with this one as well, haven't you?

-We have.

0:26:340:26:37

-Ooh.

-It's certainly put the cat among the pigeons, Denise.

0:26:370:26:41

-Lots for you to think about. Come on.

-It is.

0:26:410:26:43

GEESE HONKING

0:26:510:26:53

As the sun sets over the Lincolnshire Fens,

0:26:560:26:59

it marks the end of the first day of our property search.

0:26:590:27:02

Armed with their budget of £500,000,

0:27:070:27:10

Jim and Dawn, along with their two children,

0:27:100:27:13

are champing at the bit to find a character home in Lincolnshire,

0:27:130:27:16

that has enough land for Dawn's 13 horses.

0:27:170:27:19

So far, she's backing the windmill,

0:27:190:27:21

whereas he's fallen for the schoolhouse.

0:27:210:27:24

But coming up, our mystery property throws everything up in the air.

0:27:240:27:28

Oh, you've done it again. Oh no!

0:27:280:27:30

But how will they deal with the bump back down to earth?

0:27:300:27:34

I've not sunk so much. You've lifted me back up again.

0:27:340:27:37

It's a lovely morning here in Lincolnshire

0:27:380:27:41

for the final day of our property search.

0:27:410:27:43

And I have to say, yesterday could not have gone any better.

0:27:430:27:47

Dawn was bowled over by the windmill,

0:27:470:27:49

and Jim succumbed to the quirky charms of the old schoolhouse.

0:27:490:27:53

And with both, I think we really did strike the balance

0:27:530:27:56

between land and property.

0:27:560:27:58

But today we're hoping to tip the scales

0:27:580:28:00

in favour of the house over the horses.

0:28:000:28:03

Our mystery house takes us close to the village of Scopwick,

0:28:060:28:10

12 miles from Lincoln.

0:28:100:28:11

With a population of just 1,000, it's a peaceful location,

0:28:110:28:15

with the chance to meet the locals at the village pub,

0:28:150:28:18

and the beck provides a hub for the resident wildlife.

0:28:180:28:21

Just outside the village, against the backdrop of the Fens,

0:28:210:28:25

our mystery house comes in the form of this rural skyscraper.

0:28:250:28:28

A Grade II listed windmill,

0:28:280:28:30

which, as they'll discover, might prove a squeeze at ground level.

0:28:300:28:35

-Here we go.

-It's huge.

0:28:350:28:37

-It is huge.

-Good view.

0:28:370:28:39

-In the countryside.

-Oh, no!

-Oh!

0:28:390:28:42

I was going to say, what is it?

0:28:420:28:43

Oh, you've done it again. Oh, no!

0:28:430:28:46

It's even bigger than the last one!

0:28:470:28:50

Jim!

0:28:510:28:52

I don't believe it.

0:28:520:28:54

That is just...

0:28:550:28:57

Amazing, isn't it?

0:28:570:28:59

With this mystery house, you get six floors.

0:28:590:29:02

Two floors of accommodation there, and another four in the tower.

0:29:020:29:06

It dates back to 1862.

0:29:060:29:07

It was just the windmill when the current owners moved in, and they've done all of this work.

0:29:070:29:13

-Excellent, let's go and have a look.

-Let's have a look.

-Can't wait.

0:29:130:29:17

Wow. First impressions to our mystery house have their hearts soaring.

0:29:170:29:21

And although we'll be throwing the mystery ingredient into the mix later,

0:29:210:29:25

let's see if inside raises the roof.

0:29:250:29:28

-Jaw-dropping. Ta-da!

-Yes, isn't it?

0:29:280:29:30

-Oh.

-Wow.

0:29:300:29:32

Wow.

0:29:320:29:33

This is incredible.

0:29:330:29:35

-It really is.

-A spiral staircase.

0:29:350:29:37

The spiral staircase will take you right the way up the six floors of the tower.

0:29:370:29:42

Obviously, there's still a bit of work to do here, to finish it off.

0:29:420:29:46

But all the structural stuff is done with this property.

0:29:460:29:50

Right. We could really put our own print on this.

0:29:500:29:53

The special thing about this property, Jim, for you, is that,

0:29:530:29:56

the way I see it, that tower, particularly the three floors towards the top, could be yours.

0:29:560:30:02

-Don't know if I'd get any work done.

-It would make a stunning office.

0:30:020:30:05

Now for a stunning kitchen. Come this way.

0:30:050:30:08

-Wow.

-Big enough for you, Jim?

0:30:110:30:13

-Oh-ho, it's the square kitchen!

-Got the big fridge.

-It is a big kitchen.

0:30:130:30:17

-You've been so good with the other properties.

-A table in the middle!

0:30:170:30:21

It just gets better and better, doesn't it?

0:30:210:30:24

-Oh.

-This is just awesome, isn't it?

-It is.

0:30:240:30:27

Behind this kitchen you've got a big utility space.

0:30:270:30:30

-And through there, a huge dining room as well. Big table.

-Perfect.

0:30:300:30:35

Imagine yourselves in here?

0:30:350:30:37

Oh yes. I can just imagine all of us sitting there and chilling out.

0:30:370:30:42

-You're here, aren't you?

-Yeah.

-I can feel it.

0:30:420:30:45

Washing up there, looking at that view.

0:30:450:30:47

What about you, Jim?

0:30:470:30:49

Great, isn't it? It's fantastic.

0:30:490:30:51

-Are you speechless?

-Are you choking up a little?

0:30:510:30:54

No, no, I'm fine. But it's lovely.

0:30:540:30:58

Really lovely.

0:30:580:30:59

They seem totally smitten so far,

0:30:590:31:02

and they won't have any worries about having to downsize in the living room.

0:31:020:31:06

-Oh, Jim.

-Living room.

0:31:060:31:08

And for you, Dawn...

0:31:080:31:10

The inglenook fireplace.

0:31:100:31:13

-Jim, look at the fireplace.

-Yeah, this is...

0:31:130:31:15

They're reclaimed bricks here, not new.

0:31:150:31:18

These are reclaimed bricks, and you've got the beam across the inglenook.

0:31:180:31:22

I can just imagine this place in the winter.

0:31:220:31:25

-And it's the perfect size, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's lovely, isn't it?

-It's gorgeous.

0:31:250:31:30

The downstairs living areas offer fantastically spacious rooms,

0:31:300:31:34

with family living in mind,

0:31:340:31:35

and it's all finished to an excellent standard.

0:31:350:31:38

Upstairs, beside the galleried landing, is a ready-made wing for the children,

0:31:380:31:43

with a well-furnished family bathroom and two of the four bedrooms, both good-sized doubles.

0:31:430:31:49

On the other side is another generous double room with en-suite shower,

0:31:490:31:53

but I can't wait to show them the master.

0:31:530:31:57

Now, here you've got a huge en-suite bathroom.

0:31:580:32:01

His and hers sinks, big spa bath, and a walk-in shower.

0:32:010:32:05

-And then this would be yours.

-Wow, what a size!

0:32:050:32:08

-What a size!

-That's nice, isn't it?

0:32:080:32:10

Yes, and look at the ceilings, Jim.

0:32:100:32:13

It's just beautiful.

0:32:130:32:15

And when you're lying down,

0:32:150:32:17

your eye line will be just the right level

0:32:170:32:19

for looking out onto those fields.

0:32:190:32:21

To see the fields and what's going on out there.

0:32:210:32:24

-Oh, it's beautiful, isn't it?

-I could move into this tomorrow.

0:32:240:32:27

This is just... For me, I could live here.

0:32:270:32:31

It looks like our mystery house has them reeling,

0:32:330:32:35

and this staircase unravels four more levels,

0:32:350:32:38

so Jim could have his own office garret,

0:32:380:32:41

offering up a bird's eye view of the surrounding countryside.

0:32:410:32:45

They love the unique character of our mystery windmill,

0:32:450:32:48

and it could be their perfect family home.

0:32:480:32:51

But will the mystery rub outside be a deal breaker for Dawn?

0:32:510:32:54

It is the mystery house.

0:32:540:32:56

I think you've got to agree, the property itself is stunning.

0:32:560:33:00

-It's incredible.

-But there has to be some compromise.

0:33:000:33:03

So this property comes with two acres.

0:33:030:33:05

-OK.

-Right.

0:33:050:33:07

What you can see in front of you.

0:33:070:33:08

However, what you can also see is, there is a lot of land around.

0:33:080:33:12

And in particular, at the back over there, and round the side here,

0:33:120:33:18

a couple of areas of land owned by people who might be amenable to rent.

0:33:180:33:22

In fact, the land over here, four and a half acres in total,

0:33:220:33:26

the owner is amenable to selling.

0:33:260:33:28

She's looked at selling it in the past.

0:33:280:33:30

-So it's an option.

-That makes it more interesting.

0:33:300:33:33

Yes, it certainly does.

0:33:330:33:34

I've not sunk so much now. You've lifted me back up again.

0:33:340:33:38

-That is good news. Yes, Denise.

-That makes a difference.

0:33:380:33:42

That all brings us to the point of

0:33:420:33:44

how much you'd have to spend to get this fabulous house.

0:33:440:33:47

Mm-hm.

0:33:470:33:48

£550,000.

0:33:480:33:51

I am actually going to go for just bang on budget at £500,000.

0:33:510:33:57

Oh. That's a bit of a reversal. So you're at the lower end this time, £500,000, you're at £550,000.

0:33:570:34:02

-I've been too low all day.

-I'm going to stop you there and we'll call it even.

0:34:020:34:07

Because this is on the market at £525,000, that's right.

0:34:070:34:11

Oh, wow, £525,000.

0:34:110:34:13

So it's within your extended budget.

0:34:130:34:16

It's come down quite a bit already. It's been on the market for a while.

0:34:160:34:20

The seller is open to offers,

0:34:200:34:22

and I think, so long as you're in the 500 range somewhere...

0:34:220:34:26

Mm, that's interesting.

0:34:260:34:28

There's a chance.

0:34:280:34:29

It's been a great surprise as a mystery house, it really has.

0:34:290:34:33

Well, it's a beautiful property, regardless of where we end up,

0:34:330:34:37

and I think you should spend a bit more time

0:34:370:34:39

running up and down that spiral staircase.

0:34:390:34:42

Jim can do that. I think I'll just admire from afar.

0:34:420:34:45

You look at the fields where the horses will be, you check out your office.

0:34:450:34:49

-We'll catch up later when you've digested it all.

-Thank you, Denise.

0:34:490:34:52

Priced at £525,000 but open to offers,

0:34:520:34:57

our landmark mystery windmill conversion

0:34:570:34:59

gives them a beautiful family home,

0:34:590:35:01

including two large reception rooms,

0:35:010:35:04

an enormous kitchen diner, which Dawn loved,

0:35:040:35:07

four bedrooms with two en-suite,

0:35:070:35:10

and four levels to develop in the tower for Jim's office

0:35:100:35:13

with amazing views.

0:35:130:35:14

But, are the two acres of land for Dawn's horses a stumbling block?

0:35:140:35:19

First impressions of the mystery house was just, "Wow".

0:35:190:35:24

What to do with the windmill side of it is just a fantastic project,

0:35:240:35:29

and that's where, I think, Jim and I would be able to make it ours.

0:35:290:35:34

It's been an education.

0:35:340:35:37

Um, we've got to make a decision

0:35:370:35:39

whether we want all the land we want

0:35:390:35:41

and not quite the house we want.

0:35:410:35:43

Or whether we want the house we want

0:35:430:35:45

and not necessarily get all the land we want.

0:35:450:35:48

And that's a decision we're going to have to

0:35:480:35:51

sit and decide and choose on.

0:35:510:35:54

Right, let's see if we can get them out of the tower,

0:35:540:35:57

and if they're still talking to each other, and to me.

0:35:570:36:01

Hello? Hi, are we still friends?

0:36:010:36:03

Mm, just about.

0:36:030:36:05

Yeah, the mystery house always throws the cat amongst the pigeons

0:36:050:36:09

and gives you plenty to think about.

0:36:090:36:11

-Let's find somewhere for you to sit and mull it over.

-Do I have to leave?

-You do.

0:36:110:36:16

Lincolnshire is home to the richest amount of Grade 1 soil in England,

0:36:240:36:28

and as a result, is one of the most intensively-farmed regions in the UK.

0:36:280:36:33

But with renewed interest in environmentally-friendly farming,

0:36:330:36:36

for some, the drive for high productivity doesn't sit well.

0:36:360:36:40

One man championing the organic cause in Lincolnshire is Andrew Dennis,

0:36:400:36:44

who, in 1996, decided to convert his 1,700-acre farm to organic status.

0:36:440:36:50

His sustainable farming methods

0:36:500:36:52

last year won him the title Farmer Of The Year.

0:36:520:36:55

I went to meet him in his 50-acre market garden.

0:36:550:36:58

-Hello, Andrew, I'm Denise.

-Hello, nice to meet you, hi.

0:36:580:37:02

-Is this where I'd normally find you in the morning?

-Potentially, yes.

0:37:020:37:07

-With the courgettes.

-Yes, this is where we grow speciality crops

0:37:070:37:10

for the farmers' markets and the box scheme.

0:37:100:37:12

I can see the smile on your face. You love being here, don't you?

0:37:120:37:16

I do, yeah. I love it.

0:37:160:37:17

It's good energy. I can feel it. But I imagine it is a lot of hard work.

0:37:170:37:22

There is a perception that it costs more to buy organic

0:37:220:37:25

because it's labour intensive.

0:37:250:37:26

What are the biggest challenges

0:37:260:37:28

of moving from conventional or industrial farming to organic farming?

0:37:280:37:32

I think marketing has been quite an interesting, um, challenge,

0:37:320:37:36

um, because when we were farming conventionally, most of our produce went to the supermarkets.

0:37:360:37:43

Now it's only 40 per cent,

0:37:430:37:45

and in order to sort of get a balance there,

0:37:450:37:48

we've needed to develop other markets.

0:37:480:37:50

For Andrew, the box scheme is about

0:37:500:37:53

providing organic produce to local people,

0:37:530:37:56

and despite a recessionary dip last year,

0:37:560:37:58

such delivery schemes brought home

0:37:580:38:00

nearly £155 million in sales nationwide.

0:38:000:38:04

Economics aside, there's also a personal motivation for him

0:38:040:38:08

that runs deep.

0:38:080:38:09

This is part, not only of the heritage of Lincolnshire, but your heritage.

0:38:090:38:14

Your great grandfather was out here growing potatoes.

0:38:140:38:17

He was, yes. I mean, he was a migrant, actually.

0:38:170:38:20

A migrant farm worker, who walked to this area

0:38:200:38:24

from another part of Lincolnshire as a penniless farm labourer,

0:38:240:38:28

and, you know, he developed a very successful business

0:38:280:38:32

based around the potato,

0:38:320:38:34

of which he became a sort of Victorian pioneer, in a sense.

0:38:340:38:38

He developed a system known as "chitting", where seed potatoes are grown in a cool, light place

0:38:380:38:44

so that sturdy shoots grow, before being planted in the ground.

0:38:440:38:48

Andrew is a pioneering farmer in his own right,

0:38:480:38:51

as, unusually for Lincolnshire,

0:38:510:38:53

he is a mixed organic farmer,

0:38:530:38:54

raising rare and native breeds of turkeys, Lincoln Red cattle,

0:38:540:38:58

and the curly coated pig.

0:38:580:39:00

Why have you decided to bring animals into the farm?

0:39:010:39:05

And particularly, rare breeds?

0:39:050:39:07

Well, in terms of why rare breeds,

0:39:070:39:09

because they are part of our heritage,

0:39:090:39:12

and I think it's important that we preserve the gene pool,

0:39:120:39:16

and they should be valued, I think, really.

0:39:160:39:19

With the area of farmed land organically managed

0:39:190:39:22

increasing by nine per cent last year,

0:39:220:39:24

it's an approach that's gaining momentum,

0:39:240:39:27

and as organic farmers like Andrew show,

0:39:270:39:29

a seasoning of entrepreneurial spirit can breed a viable business.

0:39:290:39:33

GRUNTING

0:39:360:39:38

Well, I think we've still got everything to play for here.

0:39:380:39:41

Three properties, and they like every one of them.

0:39:410:39:44

So let's find out what they've decided.

0:39:440:39:47

So let's just take a moment to go back through every property.

0:39:520:39:57

We started with that first windmill,

0:39:570:39:59

which set us off on that journey.

0:39:590:40:02

It just completely took my breath away, to be perfectly honest.

0:40:020:40:07

I was very emotional because it was just very overwhelming.

0:40:070:40:11

I just didn't expect that you'd be able to find us a property like that

0:40:110:40:15

really within our budget.

0:40:150:40:16

I just loved the lounge.

0:40:160:40:19

The rest of the house just didn't quite do it for me.

0:40:190:40:22

I loved it. The stables, for me, were the icing on the cake.

0:40:220:40:27

And the eight and a half acres were just immaculate.

0:40:270:40:30

Now, from your emotion with the first property, you got all emotional with the schoolhouse.

0:40:300:40:35

The schoolhouse was fantastic.

0:40:350:40:37

Right from the drive up, I was blown away by the actual school part,

0:40:370:40:41

with the mezzanine floor,

0:40:410:40:43

and yeah, I could see a lot of potential in the whole house.

0:40:430:40:47

I was having difficulty, Denise,

0:40:470:40:49

in trying to sort out how we were going to make the two houses liveable as one.

0:40:490:40:53

The acreage was good. It was a really quaint, charming property.

0:40:530:40:59

-No, I liked that one.

-And then we took you to the mystery house.

0:40:590:41:03

-Didn't think we could, but we found a second windmill for you.

-You certainly did.

0:41:030:41:08

That house is just amazing. There's just nothing you can...

0:41:080:41:11

The family accommodation in the mystery house is everything we need.

0:41:110:41:17

Everything about it was right.

0:41:170:41:21

That spiral staircase. How they got it in there, I will never know.

0:41:210:41:25

A fantastic place to have an office.

0:41:250:41:27

I'm not sure how to get my desk up the stairs. Perhaps I'll build one up there.

0:41:270:41:31

Now, the compromise with that gorgeous house was the land.

0:41:310:41:35

How are you feeling about that now?

0:41:350:41:37

We'd made the decision to move here

0:41:370:41:39

to find land to accommodate the horses,

0:41:390:41:42

and not having the land and therefore not getting the security,

0:41:420:41:47

which was the whole reason we were moving,

0:41:470:41:50

is a problem.

0:41:500:41:52

But, I mean, if the other land around it is for sale,

0:41:520:41:55

and we can find a way of doing it,

0:41:550:41:58

then it gives us some security, anyway.

0:41:580:42:01

So we'll have to consider it.

0:42:010:42:03

Was the mystery house the one that brought you both together?

0:42:030:42:06

-Are you on the same page with it?

-We are.

0:42:060:42:09

I think, yeah. All things being equal,

0:42:090:42:11

if we could get everything within a budget we could afford,

0:42:110:42:14

we would go for the mystery house.

0:42:140:42:16

It's the property that has really blown BOTH of us away,

0:42:160:42:21

and that's what's important.

0:42:210:42:23

That we BOTH feel exactly the same about a property.

0:42:230:42:26

It's our home at the end of the day.

0:42:260:42:29

I am so pleased. I know you said at first, it was for the horses,

0:42:290:42:33

but I think it's become clear, it's just as much for the two of you as it is for everyone else.

0:42:330:42:39

-I hope it happens soon.

-Thank you very much. It's been a pleasure.

0:42:390:42:43

It's been good fun. Thank you.

0:42:430:42:45

Dawn and Jim started this journey

0:42:490:42:51

looking for acres of land for their horses,

0:42:510:42:53

and a quirky little property for themselves.

0:42:530:42:56

But in the end, our mystery house was the only property they both agreed on

0:42:560:43:00

and that had the least land.

0:43:000:43:02

It just goes to show, sometimes you have to challenge your own criteria

0:43:020:43:06

when you're in search of your dream home.

0:43:060:43:09

I'll see you next time on Escape To The Country.

0:43:090:43:12

If you'd like to escape to the country

0:43:120:43:14

in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England and need our help,

0:43:140:43:18

please apply online at:

0:43:180:43:20

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0:43:410:43:44

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0:43:440:43:47

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