Gloucestershire Escape to the Country


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Transcript


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Welcome to Escape To The County.

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This rather pretty body of water behind me, let's face it,

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could be anywhere in the UK,

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but this one formed a key component in an 18th-century valleyscape

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that is now being painstakingly rediscovered.

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It is just part of a much wider country estate

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that has, at its heart, a Gothic mansion that's been equally

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lost in time. So, where are we?

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Join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.

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Today, I'm with a pair of sisters used to living it up in London.

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But one of them is packing it in for a life in the countryside

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and taking a touch of the city buzz with her.

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-It lends itself quite nicely to a really funky playroom or...

-Yeah.

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-..party room.

-THEY LAUGH

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I wondered when we'd get to that!

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Yeah, I get the feeling you two are quite used to a good party.

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And it looks like there might be cause for celebration,

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as our search throws up a few surprises.

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And you may open your eyes now.

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-Oh, my goodness!

-Oh, wow!

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Well, today we are in Gloucestershire

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and these are the beautiful landscape surroundings

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of Woodchester Park and that, perhaps not surprisingly,

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is Woodchester Mansion.

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Now, from the outside it looks pretty sumptuous, but in truth,

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in 1873, the money ran out, the builders left

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and it remains a time capsule - a unique study

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in late 19th century architectural practice.

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Now, later on in this show, I'll be back here taking a closer look

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at the work that's being done to restore

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all that Woodchester has to offer. It is a peculiar part

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of Gloucestershire's tantalising countryside.

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Gloucestershire is situated in the south-west of England,

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where the River Severn flows into the Bristol Channel.

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The county encompasses a major part of the Cotswolds Area

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Of Outstanding Natural Beauty,

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the Severn Vale and the Royal Forest Of Dean.

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Within the forest, the magical dense woodland of Puzzle Wood is a mass

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of twisted tree roots and dramatic moss-covered rock formations.

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So striking is its imagery,

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it was said to have been one of JRR Tolkien's inspirations for

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Middle Earth in Lord Of The Rings and is also recognisable from

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its appearance in the recent Star Wars movie, The Force Awakens.

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Gloucestershire also boasts equally stunning scenery in the form

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of its historic architecture.

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The charming Cotswolds villages in the east of the county are

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made up of ancient honey-coloured limestone cottages, like those

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in the village of Bibury.

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Described by William Morris as the most beautiful village

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in England, its famous stone weavers' cottages at Arlington Row

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are some of the most photographed in the UK.

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And their iconic image even features on the inner page

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of the British passport. But there's certainly no need

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to go abroad, when you've got all this in Gloucestershire.

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From varied landscapes and heritage, to picture-perfect towns

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and villages, there really is something for everyone.

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Well, who wouldn't be seduced by this glorious Gloucestershire

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countryside but, of course,

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moving here does come with something of a premium attached.

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At £330,000, the average price of a detached property here

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is some 30 grand above the national figure.

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Now, you may not have to be

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a millionaire to move here, but it is perhaps worth remembering

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the story of local man James Wood.

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He owned the old bank in Gloucester.

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He was, reputedly,

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Britain's very first millionaire, but was also said to be so tight

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with his money, he was the inspiration for Charles Dickens'

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Ebenezer Scrooge. But what about today's buyer?

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Let's hope that she is far more prepared to part with her money.

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Today, we're house-hunting with South Londoner, Mickey,

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who lives in a four-bedroom terrace house with son, Tom,

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and their two dogs, Didier and Mouse.

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Having family living nearby, Mickey sees her younger sister Charley

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on a daily basis.

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I live in Wandsworth at the moment and I absolutely love this area.

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It's a very close-knit community, everything is on my doorstep.

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Tom's school is five minutes away from the house, as is the Common,

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as are cafes.

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Despite living in the affluent borough for nine years,

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Mickey's job as a property design consultant

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has meant they never stay put in one property for long.

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I have moved seven times in the last six years

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and done up every single property that I've lived in.

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Mickey has the most incredible vision.

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So when she walks into a property she can see what she can do with it,

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which a lot of other people don't.

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The London lifestyle suits Mickey down to the ground, but with

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seven-year-old Tom about to change schools, she feels the fast-paced

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city isn't the best place for him to grow up in.

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This move is driven solely by Tom and his changing schooling needs.

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Um, I would like him to grow up in the countryside

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without the pressures of London and being in a city.

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He'll have freedom to run around, like we did when we were younger.

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Mickey's done her research.

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Although she's unfamiliar with the countryside,

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she has friends in Gloucestershire and has found

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a school there for Tom.

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The idea of moving seems a no-brainer.

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Gloucestershire is the only place Mickey can go.

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It has the most amazing links back to London

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and, I think, a great friend network there.

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Whilst I am going to embrace it, I am slightly dreading it

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and clinging on for the last few months of my London life.

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But I will take it with both hands, but I am quite scared.

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And with a change of scenery may also come a change of career.

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I have always loved the idea of owning a boutique

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and, whilst they are two-a-penny in London,

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there aren't that many in Gloucestershire.

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So, I would really like to look at opportunities,

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to see whether maybe I could realise my dream of owning a little shop.

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Although she's a pro when it comes to buying and selling,

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there's more pressure on getting this next property purchase right

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than ever before. So, she's bringing sister Charley along for support.

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Charley has got a very wise head on her shoulders.

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We work together quite well,

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because I have the artistic flair

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and my ideas sometimes run away with me

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and Charley is probably more likely to be the...the...

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-Handbrake?

-Yeah!

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The school Mickey has found for Tom is in Minchinhampton,

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so we're looking in the villages and towns within

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a reasonable distance for the school run.

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Now although this is one lady who's used to talking property

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particulars, I need to find out what's on the wish list

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for this next move.

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Well, guys, look at this, what a place to start.

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So, formally, Charley, Mickey, welcome to Gloucestershire.

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This is a really interesting story,

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I think, because you're not a typical escapee, are you?

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No, I don't think I am.

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What's the real motivation behind this move for you?

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The real motivation is Tom and his schooling.

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Now, I'm just looking for the perfect property.

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Charley, you know your sister better than anybody,

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what's your role going to be this week?

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I think I'm here to be the voice of reason.

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Mickey has moved a lot and, therefore, she's not scared

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to take on a project and it's easy for her.

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So, I think I'll be more...

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look at the bigger picture.

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With this move, are you looking for an investment property, or a home?

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I'm looking for a home,

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that will ultimately be an investment, as well,

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but I'm looking, first and foremost, for a home.

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Let's talk about the specifics.

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What do we need to have on our wish list?

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Probably the main key component is the location.

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So, I'm very keen for a village location.

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I do not want it to be too rural.

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I would quite like a pub within walking distance.

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And then, in terms of the property, four bedrooms.

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Um, and a garden that isn't too big.

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Just remind us of your budget?

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I've got a budget of, maximum, 900,000.

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That's for all the work that I would like to do on the property, as well.

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That's my complete budget.

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Is it possible, Charley, that we could find the perfect home

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that didn't need anything doing for your sister?

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Um, I think that's incredibly unlikely!

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That's my worry. Why?

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Why is it so unlikely?

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Because if it's not Mickey's way, she doesn't like it.

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You've got a fantastic budget,

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we've got some great properties here to show you.

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-Shall we?

-Yeah, brilliant.

-Come on, let's go.

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Let's see what we can find you.

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It's nearly a million quid, you know. It's not bad, is it?

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THEY CHUCKLE

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With a healthy budget of £900,000,

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Mickey's looking for a property with a minimum of four bedrooms,

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a substantial, yet manageable, garden for Tom and the dogs

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and she's not shy of doing a little bit of work, if required.

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Used to life in the city, Mickey doesn't want anything

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too remote and she'd like to be able to walk to a pub.

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The most important factor is to be close to her son's new school.

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We've got some cracking properties to show Mickey and Charley,

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all with an abundance of character

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and an interesting mix of old and new.

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I'll be asking them to guess the price of each, before I tell them.

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And for our final offering, I have a Mystery House to rival all

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mystery houses, with a very special and unique additional extra.

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We're beginning our search in a tiny hamlet called The Vatch,

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which is in the southern Cotswolds.

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Situated on the edge of the Slad Valley,

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it's less than a mile from the picturesque village of Slad,

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famous as the home and final resting place of author, Laurie Lee.

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Today, the village is focused around the parish church and the

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Woolpack pub, which continues to receive visitors keen to see

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the place where author Lee whiled away the hours writing his books.

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As we wander back down the hill, the property I want Mickey to see

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stands in a prominent position, on a rather impressive plot.

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-Wow!

-That's property number one.

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-Is it? Wow!

-It's beautiful.

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Originally, a coach house.

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Now the outside fabric, as you can see, is all in pretty good order.

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It's the internals that are going to require a bit of Mickey magic...

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-Yeah.

-..I suspect.

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-It's a good barometer, I think, this one to start with.

-Definitely.

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As to how much of a project you're up for.

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It's big. It definitely looks really big from the outside.

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I mean, it comes with three acres of land.

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-Oh, my goodness.

-OK.

-OK. Sugar.

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Yeah, sugar. Come on, let's sweeten that pill. Let's have a look.

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Made of Cotswold stone,

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this three-storey house retains a number of charming features from

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its former life as a coach house

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and, surprisingly, it isn't listed.

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Inside, it certainly is as large as it looks from the outside.

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The ground floor is currently divided, to create a self-contained

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one-bedroomed annexe, separate from the rest of the property, with its

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own entrance, a separate kitchen/dining area

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and a bathroom, but we're starting in the main house,

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which I think could offer Mickey the development

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potential she's after, subject to the necessary permissions.

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Right, Mickey, come on in.

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What do you think?

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I think these walls need to come down.

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It's a little bit disappointing.

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From the outside, you expect to walk into something a little bit more...

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-Opulent?

-Opulent, yes.

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-And welcoming.

-Yeah.

-Instead, you walk into a wasted room.

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This wall, I suspect, should absolutely go.

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It's creating a hallway here, which is completely unnecessary, really.

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-Yes.

-What do you think, Charley?

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I'm intrigued, because this is what Mickey likes.

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-She likes going in somewhere and seeing the bigger picture.

-Yeah.

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So, I'm just intrigued to see the rest of it.

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That's a picture we need to create, don't we? Come through here.

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Here we are.

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Oh, gosh.

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Right now, I'm not sure I'm really feeling it.

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From the outside, it had so much potential, it was beautiful.

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So far, it's lots of little rooms that aren't flowing

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and really working for me.

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Despite her vision, Mickey is clearly struggling to get her

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head around the space on offer here.

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Hopefully, she might change her mind when she sees upstairs.

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On the first floor are two of the five possible bedrooms,

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both doubles, as well as a large family bathroom,

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but a huge dual aspect living area.

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Now up here on the first floor is where you get your first real

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-kind of reception room.

-Yeah, this is great.

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-This is amazing.

-Ah, you see.

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Suddenly, it reveals its magic, yeah.

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It's beautiful and I can totally see the potential.

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Yeah, I think this is... You're now getting on the par

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with how beautiful it looks from the outside.

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It gives you the potential to be able to see it,

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or people like me, who don't have a vision, how it could look.

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Now, if you like this space, and all that it offers you,

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you're going to love what's on the top floor.

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Come and look at this.

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What's really exciting about this property

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is the flexibility it offers.

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The top floor has over 270 square feet of space,

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described on the particulars as two bedrooms.

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So, the current master is there.

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This little dressing corridor

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but this, to me, is the main event.

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The real selling point....

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-This is amazing.

-Wow!

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-..of this building.

-Wow, this is great.

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-I love it, amazing beams.

-Would you go for a family room up here?

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Would you keep this as is or go for more bedroom space?

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Master suite up here?

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Well, it could be a master suite, but I think, also,

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it lends itself quite nicely to a really funky playroom

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or party room.

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I wondered when we'd get to that.

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I get the feeling you two are quite used to a good party.

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No, it's good.

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This is definitely a real wow point of the house.

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OK, let's go and have a look at the garden space and see what

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-that offers you. And we might talk about the price.

-Yes.

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There is certainly some work to be done with this place, but for

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someone with Mickey's development experience, it offers endless

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possibilities and I think it could make a fantastic home.

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Outside, it's surrounded by a well-maintained cottage garden,

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as well as three acres of sloping paddocks.

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In terms of the garden set-up, you've got an immediate garden here,

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but let's not forget, you've also got three acres that come with this.

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So how much do you think it's on the market for?

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I think it'll probably be on the market for in excess of 800,000.

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Mm-hm. Yeah, Charley?

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-775.

-Oh!

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-Well, um, this is on at £830,000.

-Gosh.

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I mean, I think, whilst it is a beautiful, beautiful property,

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I think it probably is one step too far.

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-Interesting.

-Price-wise.

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Go and have a quick run around,

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make sense of it and I will come and find you a little bit later on.

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-OK.

-Off you go.

-Thank you.

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This fabulous converted coach house offers Mickey

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a project she could really sink her teeth into.

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There's plenty of room for visiting guests to stay,

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lots of entertaining space and that separate annexe.

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What's more, there's a large garden for Tom and the dogs and it's

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within walking distance to the pub in Slad and is just

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a 15-minute drive to Tom's school.

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I would absolutely love to take on something like this.

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Tom would absolutely love the playroom upstairs.

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I mean, he could have the whole run of the top floor.

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I think probably that's where it'd end.

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He's lazy, so the sloping garden, he would find that pretty tedious.

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There's only two of us, with two little dogs.

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We would really rattle around in a big property like this.

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But a mini version, that would be perfect.

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It's nice to see this property nestled in this little valley.

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Maybe this was a view that Laurie Lee favoured, who knows?

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-All done, girls?

-Yes, thank you.

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Come on, then, the pub's just up the road. Lunch time.

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At the turn of the 20th century, Gloucestershire became an important

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centre for The Arts And Crafts Movement, led by William Morris.

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Faced with the effects of industrialisation and the

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introduction of mass production, many British designers championed

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the movement, that was in favour of simpler, traditional ways of making.

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Bespoke shoemaker Caroline Groves comes from a long line of craftsmen.

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Her great grandfather was a cabinet-maker and right-hand

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man to designer CR Ashbee,

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a key figure in The Arts And Crafts Movement,

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who led a team of 150 craftsmen to Chipping Campden in 1902.

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With Mickey's ambition to one day open her own fashion boutique,

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we sent her and Charley to meet up with Caroline at her workshop.

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-Hi, Mickey. Nice to meet you. Hi, Charley.

-Hi.

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Handicraft and design, obviously, runs in your family.

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Was it a natural progression for you to go into the industry?

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Yeah, that was my childhood. I thought everybody made things.

0:17:320:17:36

I didn't realise it was a natural progression until I was

0:17:360:17:40

at home with my first child in my early twenties.

0:17:400:17:43

I found that I reverted to wanting to make things with my hands.

0:17:430:17:47

The rest is history. Almost 30 years of working with leather.

0:17:470:17:52

Caroline trained and worked with a local shoemaker for 15 years,

0:17:520:17:56

before setting up her own business.

0:17:560:17:59

As well as producing bespoke Artisan shoes,

0:17:590:18:02

she also makes leather accessories like bags, purses and belts.

0:18:020:18:06

You have some beautiful pieces and what's this in your hand?

0:18:060:18:10

This is called a last.

0:18:100:18:12

This is where we start.

0:18:120:18:14

It's a shape which includes the client's measurements and it

0:18:140:18:18

includes style details, such as heel height and toe shape.

0:18:180:18:23

On average, how long does a pair of bespoke shoes take to make?

0:18:230:18:27

If I'm doing standard work, I may make as many as two pairs of shoes

0:18:270:18:31

in a week. Something like this, that's highly decorative,

0:18:310:18:35

if I was producing a pair of those in two weeks,

0:18:350:18:39

I'd be a happy person.

0:18:390:18:40

Would you mind us having a look in your workshop?

0:18:400:18:43

No, please come along.

0:18:430:18:44

All Caroline's items are entirely handmade, using just basic tools

0:18:440:18:49

and traditional methods, hence a price tag upwards of £2,750.

0:18:490:18:55

Today, the sisters are going to be having a go at

0:18:550:18:58

a process called skiving,

0:18:580:18:59

used to reduce and refine the edges of leather, before it's folded.

0:18:590:19:04

Generally, a first skive is quite a steep cut,

0:19:040:19:09

taking the edge off the leather.

0:19:090:19:14

Always cleaning away.

0:19:140:19:17

Then, a shallower cut,

0:19:170:19:20

so that you get a nice,

0:19:200:19:23

pared edge.

0:19:230:19:25

So, prior to folding that edge, I'm just going to notch it.

0:19:250:19:29

How has this process changed over time?

0:19:310:19:34

Are you still doing this in the same way as craftsmen used to?

0:19:340:19:38

There's nothing I'm doing here that a shoemaker 150 years ago

0:19:380:19:42

wouldn't recognise.

0:19:420:19:44

After adding a rubber solution to the edges, to make them tacky,

0:19:440:19:48

Caroline gently manipulates the leather, to form the shape.

0:19:480:19:52

Again, with the hammer

0:19:530:19:56

and encourage that over.

0:19:560:19:57

There's an edge

0:20:000:20:03

that could be, you know, similar.

0:20:030:20:07

You know, it's got similar curves that you would have on the top line

0:20:070:20:11

of a shoe.

0:20:110:20:13

Now, traditional shoemaking has been largely superseded by industrial

0:20:130:20:17

mass production, due to the sheer volume that can be produced,

0:20:170:20:21

not forgetting the speed, but when it comes to quality and attention

0:20:210:20:24

to detail, I think the craftsmen of The Arts And Crafts Movement

0:20:240:20:28

were right - you can't beat time-honoured, handcrafting skills.

0:20:280:20:32

Well done. Gosh!

0:20:330:20:35

THEY CHUCKLE

0:20:350:20:36

I could train you.

0:20:360:20:37

Well, if you're ever looking for an assistant,

0:20:390:20:42

I'll be moving up to the Cotswolds in the next few months.

0:20:420:20:45

So, er, please do give me a call.

0:20:450:20:48

Yeah, for sure, Mickey, I think you'd be excellent.

0:20:480:20:50

But if the potential job doesn't work out,

0:20:500:20:52

Mickey could always stock some of Caroline's bespoke pieces

0:20:520:20:55

in her planned boutique, instead.

0:20:550:20:57

It's the second day of our search with Londoner Mickey,

0:21:040:21:07

who with the help of sister Charley, is looking for a

0:21:070:21:10

country pad for her and her son Tom, on a generous budget of £900,000.

0:21:100:21:14

Having lived in seven properties in the last six years, she has

0:21:160:21:19

decided it's time to put down roots in the Gloucestershire countryside.

0:21:190:21:23

Still to come, our mystery house makes an impact.

0:21:230:21:26

It's not at all what I expected the mystery house to be.

0:21:260:21:29

No, it's a million, zillion times better.

0:21:290:21:32

And I find out why this 19th-century Gothic mansion remains

0:21:320:21:36

unfinished to this day.

0:21:360:21:38

-Just going into the dining room now.

-Wow.

0:21:380:21:41

That's amazing, isn't it?

0:21:410:21:42

As we begin day two, I do have one major concern,

0:21:440:21:48

and it's not about the budget, as is often the case.

0:21:480:21:51

My worry is that Mickey's obsession with wanting to redesign her

0:21:510:21:55

new home, is rather overshadowing the real challenge that she faces.

0:21:550:21:59

And that is leaving all that is familiar behind in London

0:21:590:22:03

and trying to set up a new life here in the countryside.

0:22:030:22:06

I'm just not fully convinced that she is prepared for what that

0:22:060:22:09

is going to involve. So, what can we do about it?

0:22:090:22:12

Well, today we have, of course, two more properties to come,

0:22:120:22:14

a stunning mystery house, which amazingly,

0:22:140:22:18

has managed to combine almost every period in British

0:22:180:22:21

architectural history, with a nice little twist, to boot.

0:22:210:22:25

But first, a property which, at first glance, may look more at home

0:22:250:22:29

in the Tuscan countryside, but in truth, of course, it's not

0:22:290:22:32

in Italy, it's on a hillside in Gloucestershire, just over there.

0:22:320:22:36

We are heading for the village of Horsley, again situated in

0:22:390:22:42

the heart of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

0:22:420:22:45

The village itself is small, but the nearby town of Nailsworth

0:22:470:22:50

is just over a mile away.

0:22:500:22:52

Nestled in a wooded valley and surrounded by unspoilt

0:22:520:22:55

countryside, it's popular with visiting hikers and mountain bikers

0:22:550:22:59

who come to explore the variety of footpaths and cycle trails.

0:22:590:23:03

In recent years, Nailsworth has also gained a reputation

0:23:030:23:07

for award-winning restaurants and eateries.

0:23:070:23:10

Our property is in an elevated position above the Horsley Valley,

0:23:100:23:13

down a quiet country lane.

0:23:130:23:16

Right. Here we are, then.

0:23:160:23:18

-Wow.

-What do you make of that?

-It looks good.

0:23:200:23:24

Definitely a bit of suntrap here.

0:23:240:23:27

The whole thing has been geared up to capture not just the sun,

0:23:270:23:30

but also the views beyond.

0:23:300:23:32

At this point, we're not seeing much of the house,

0:23:320:23:35

cos I'm guessing it all faces towards the views.

0:23:350:23:37

-Absolutely.

-But from a view perspective, spectacular.

0:23:370:23:41

Good, come on, let's see what you think.

0:23:410:23:43

With its Cotswold stone exterior, from the outside,

0:23:450:23:48

this single-storey house appears typical of the local architecture.

0:23:480:23:52

But if Mickey and Charley are envisaging

0:23:520:23:55

a traditional interior, they'd be wrong.

0:23:550:23:57

Built in 2000, the current owners designed from

0:23:570:24:00

a mix of foreign influences, after living abroad.

0:24:000:24:03

I don't think this is what you might have been expecting.

0:24:040:24:08

-No, it definitely isn't.

-Wow.

0:24:080:24:12

-No, it's really cool.

-Isn't it?

-It's quite sort of nautical.

0:24:120:24:16

I think you're right to pick up on the boat idea,

0:24:160:24:18

there are lots of model ships everywhere, which is kind of helpful

0:24:180:24:21

but also it leans heavily on the owners' love of the Mediterranean.

0:24:210:24:26

Yeah, it's like the plasterwork... you find in Spanish villas.

0:24:270:24:31

Oh, yeah. It all opens up and flows through here, creating this lovely,

0:24:310:24:36

sort of...forum, if you like...

0:24:360:24:40

To come back to the Italian idea of celebrating the view.

0:24:400:24:44

Wow, it's amazing.

0:24:450:24:46

Charley looks a bit lost for words.

0:24:460:24:48

No, I love the fact that it all revolves around the fantastic view.

0:24:480:24:52

The space is good, you know. I like the way the space works.

0:24:520:24:56

I mean, I would probably need a slightly bigger kitchen, but I

0:24:560:24:58

could definitely work with it, it's good. Thumbs-up, so far.

0:24:580:25:01

Thumbs-up, so far.

0:25:010:25:02

Now, it's got four bedrooms. The current master is down some steps

0:25:020:25:06

over there, but I'm going to take you in here, because I think this

0:25:060:25:11

is the perfect master suite. And you'll see why.

0:25:110:25:14

Three of the property's four bedrooms lie off the central

0:25:150:25:19

living areas, they are all doubles and each has its own en-suite.

0:25:190:25:22

Right, come in.

0:25:220:25:25

-Now, do you see?

-Oh, my goodness.

0:25:250:25:27

Sort of sitting area, and through here...

0:25:270:25:29

..is revealed, the main bedroom area.

0:25:310:25:33

-Oh, wow.

-Is this the sort of thing that you think you could

0:25:330:25:37

put your stamp on?

0:25:370:25:38

I think I could definitely put my stamp on this.

0:25:380:25:40

I mean, it's not as much work as I thought I would want to take on,

0:25:400:25:45

but I could definitely make it my own.

0:25:450:25:49

If you are to take on something, you know, you haven't got

0:25:490:25:51

a lot of time to get the sale completed, do any work you want to

0:25:510:25:55

do and have it all up and running for the start of the school term.

0:25:550:25:58

So, I'm thinking this is just a way of getting this move underway

0:25:580:26:01

with the minimum of aggravation.

0:26:010:26:03

Yes, I think it's important that, when Mickey brings Tom down here,

0:26:030:26:07

there is a home for them to move into and that

0:26:070:26:10

he is happy and feels secure before he goes to a new school.

0:26:100:26:14

Yeah.

0:26:140:26:15

But she has to do something...

0:26:150:26:17

LAUGHTER

0:26:170:26:18

..and this could be the perfect option.

0:26:180:26:20

You can come and do mine, if you like!

0:26:200:26:22

If you're short of things to redesign.

0:26:220:26:24

The Mediterranean influences are all over this property,

0:26:240:26:27

in the bathrooms and even the stairs to the fourth bedroom,

0:26:270:26:31

in the loft, which is currently used as a study.

0:26:310:26:34

Outside, there is a useful workshop space and a garage.

0:26:340:26:37

The landscaped gardens to the rear have been designed for ease

0:26:370:26:40

of maintenance, with a decked sun terrace, accessed through

0:26:400:26:43

French doors from the living areas.

0:26:430:26:46

Whoa, look at this. Bright. Bright sunshine. Bouncing off the floor.

0:26:460:26:51

There we are.

0:26:510:26:53

What you've got is this terraced garden here,

0:26:530:26:55

and it runs down to that little, erm...

0:26:550:26:57

box hedge at the bottom with a vegetable patch, as well, thrown in

0:26:570:27:01

-for good measure. But a very social space, I think.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

0:27:010:27:05

So, Charley, how much do you think it is on the market for?

0:27:050:27:08

It's an incredibly unique property. I think I'm going to go with...

0:27:080:27:13

£870,000

0:27:130:27:17

And I think probably £850,000.

0:27:170:27:20

Not bad, actually.

0:27:200:27:23

-You are spot on.

-Oh!

0:27:230:27:25

LAUGHTER

0:27:250:27:26

Yeah, £850,000.

0:27:260:27:29

For a slice of Mediterranean life

0:27:290:27:31

in the heart of the English countryside.

0:27:310:27:34

Right then, off you go. Go and explore it.

0:27:340:27:36

Take your time with this one.

0:27:360:27:37

-I'll spoil you with it.

-Thank you.

-Brilliant. While I...

0:27:370:27:42

enjoy the sunshine and the view. Look at that.

0:27:420:27:45

This fantastic Mediterranean-style modern home has the four bedrooms

0:27:470:27:51

Mickey needs and is already a great example of open-plan living.

0:27:510:27:55

Meaning she wouldn't need to go knocking down any walls.

0:27:550:27:58

It's got a low-maintenance garden,

0:27:580:28:01

it's half a mile from the local pub in Horsley and, best of all,

0:28:010:28:04

it would just be a ten-minute journey for the school run.

0:28:040:28:07

I think, for me, this particular house...

0:28:070:28:10

The garden is just not going to work for Tom and the dogs.

0:28:100:28:14

It's just on too much of a slope.

0:28:140:28:16

Mickey needs to decide between her dream of doing

0:28:160:28:20

a big project and finding a home and security for Tom.

0:28:200:28:24

I don't think, in the short timeframe she has between now

0:28:240:28:27

and the time Tom needs to go to school, she can satisfy both dreams.

0:28:270:28:32

-Happy here?

-Yes.

-Excellent. Let's go and tempt you with

0:28:320:28:35

our final offering.

0:28:350:28:37

The Cotswolds' wool trade was, to a great extent, responsible for

0:28:440:28:47

the prosperity of the region.

0:28:470:28:50

But its character is most definitely a result of the abundance

0:28:500:28:52

of stone,

0:28:520:28:54

used to build hundreds of its villages.

0:28:540:28:57

I'm visiting Woodchester Mansion, a 19th-century Gothic masterpiece,

0:28:570:29:01

that was abandoned, mid-construction, in 1873.

0:29:010:29:06

Over the years, it's been saved from dereliction, but it will never

0:29:060:29:09

be completed.

0:29:090:29:10

Ray Canham from the Woodchester Mansion Trust,

0:29:100:29:13

is showing me around.

0:29:130:29:16

-Just going into the dining room now.

-Wow.

0:29:160:29:18

That is amazing, isn't it?

0:29:180:29:20

And this is what the mansion is about.

0:29:200:29:22

-And that is the original timber centring?

-Yes.

0:29:220:29:24

I'd like to think they left it there

0:29:240:29:26

so we could show it to you today.

0:29:260:29:27

But what is the story, Ray? How did it come to pass that this

0:29:270:29:30

building was begun and then left so spectacularly unfinished?

0:29:300:29:34

William Leigh, the mansion builder, inherited, when

0:29:340:29:38

he was very young, about £170,000 from his father.

0:29:380:29:42

And he converted to Catholicism in the 1840s.

0:29:420:29:46

And wanted to move somewhere where he could establish

0:29:460:29:49

a Catholic community.

0:29:490:29:50

On the site was a Georgian mansion. Leigh took advice

0:29:500:29:54

from Augustus Pugin,

0:29:540:29:56

and Pugin said, "Pull it down, and start again."

0:29:560:29:59

As perhaps, an architect might!

0:29:590:30:00

He's looking for a bit of business, isn't he?

0:30:000:30:03

He was looking for a bit of business.

0:30:030:30:04

But why go to all the trouble of creating a Gothic mansion?

0:30:040:30:07

It's not really a cosy family home, is it?

0:30:070:30:09

I don't think it was ever going to be a family home, but that is just

0:30:090:30:12

a personal view. This could have been to entertain the great

0:30:120:30:15

and the good of the Catholic Church.

0:30:150:30:17

Looking at the sheer scale of this place, it seems as though Leigh's

0:30:170:30:20

ambitions for the building could never have been realised.

0:30:200:30:23

As his capital diminished, progress became slow.

0:30:230:30:27

When he died in 1873, over 20 years after work began,

0:30:270:30:31

the building was never completed.

0:30:310:30:34

But his misfortune is our fortune. We're now able to not only marvel at

0:30:340:30:38

this building, but study it in a way that we would never have imagined.

0:30:380:30:42

Stonemason Johnny Anderson has been at Woodchester

0:30:420:30:45

for eight years, using its masonry history for training others.

0:30:450:30:49

Hello, Johnny, nice to meet you.

0:30:490:30:51

-Pleased to meet you.

-A bit of conservation in action.

0:30:510:30:53

Well, that's why we're here.

0:30:530:30:55

Now, what a training ground for any stonemason.

0:30:550:30:58

I mean, surely every technique you would ever need to master

0:30:580:31:02

is identifiable?

0:31:020:31:03

Yeah, and you don't need a textbook, you just point to it.

0:31:030:31:06

I was lucky enough to have a traditional apprenticeship,

0:31:060:31:09

but today, the young people in a sterile workshop environment,

0:31:090:31:13

when they come here, they join the dots together and see their

0:31:130:31:19

workshop work and the site work and they marry the two together

0:31:190:31:24

and it's all explained here.

0:31:240:31:26

What are you about to replicate with this block?

0:31:260:31:30

So, I'm taking this block down, I'm squaring the top off and this

0:31:300:31:34

is one of the first things you learn to do as an apprentice.

0:31:340:31:37

So, if I give you a short demonstration,

0:31:370:31:39

would you like to have a go?

0:31:390:31:41

-Yeah, go on.

-OK.

0:31:410:31:43

What you want to do is get a rhythm.

0:31:430:31:45

And the idea is to get a draught going...

0:31:450:31:48

-A draught?

-A draught.

0:31:480:31:50

And the draught is the name for the straight line that

0:31:500:31:53

the mason works in across the top of his blog.

0:31:530:31:56

There are over 30 different types of limestone used in the building

0:31:560:32:00

and, looking around, you can see

0:32:000:32:02

countless examples of techniques, finishes and tool marks on show.

0:32:020:32:06

If you try and keep the straight line going,

0:32:060:32:10

you're working towards the end of the block.

0:32:100:32:13

Kept in its current state,

0:32:130:32:15

the mansion offers us a fantastic window on 19th-century

0:32:150:32:19

architectural practice and provides a remarkable research tool,

0:32:190:32:23

to inspire and teach new generations of students and tradesmen.

0:32:230:32:27

Outside, the 500-acre grounds of Woodchester Park

0:32:270:32:30

have a story of their own to tell.

0:32:300:32:33

Although now overgrown with trees,

0:32:330:32:35

area ranger Max Dancer and his team from the National Trust

0:32:350:32:38

have discovered the remains of a 19th-century terraced garden

0:32:380:32:42

that has fallen into disrepair.

0:32:420:32:45

This is what I really want to show you, Jules.

0:32:450:32:48

Welcome to Woodchester's own Italian gardens.

0:32:480:32:53

So, this was made for the...

0:32:530:32:55

Georgian mansion that would've sat where the current

0:32:550:32:57

Victorian mansion sits now.

0:32:570:33:00

That's incredible.

0:33:000:33:01

I'm fascinated by this archaeology that you've

0:33:010:33:03

-uncovered here.

-This is fantastic, isn't it,

0:33:030:33:06

this is the remains of an old water fountain.

0:33:060:33:08

Imagine water trickling down here, so beautiful, romantic, therapeutic.

0:33:080:33:12

I would love this area to be grassed, for the cascade

0:33:120:33:16

above us to be on show and for the public to be able to see it.

0:33:160:33:20

And really put themselves back into 18th-century Britain.

0:33:200:33:25

The ambition they're bringing to this project is admirable.

0:33:250:33:28

I just hope that, unlike the builders of the main house,

0:33:280:33:31

Max and his team are able to finish what they've started,

0:33:310:33:34

opening up some of this fascinating history for the public.

0:33:340:33:37

We're on the road heading to a hamlet called The Mythe,

0:33:420:33:45

on the northern edge of the Cotswolds,

0:33:450:33:47

close to the Worcestershire border.

0:33:470:33:50

The nearby medieval market town of Tewkesbury,

0:33:500:33:53

lies at the confluence of the rivers Severn and Avon.

0:33:530:33:56

Steeped in history and medieval character,

0:33:560:33:58

visitors can take a stroll through a town rich in black-and-white

0:33:580:34:02

timber-framed buildings, or visit the 900-year-old Tewkesbury Abbey

0:34:020:34:06

with its striking Norman tower.

0:34:060:34:09

Crossing over the River Avon, our mystery house is just a mile

0:34:090:34:12

from the town and is set back from the road.

0:34:120:34:15

Keep walking. Oh, feel that lovely sunshine.

0:34:150:34:18

And stop there. And you may open your eyes now.

0:34:180:34:21

Oh, my goodness!

0:34:210:34:23

-Oh, wow.

-You've definitely saved the best till last.

0:34:230:34:26

-Yes, didn't we just?!

-Wow, it's amazing.

0:34:260:34:28

You could be Lady of the Manor. How about that?

0:34:280:34:31

I can't quite believe it.

0:34:310:34:33

Well, there is more truth in that than you might think,

0:34:330:34:35

because this one actually does come with a title.

0:34:350:34:39

If you owned this, you become Lord of Mythe and Mythe Hook,

0:34:390:34:42

Lord of the Manor of Mythe and Mythe Hook.

0:34:420:34:45

Oh, right, do I need a sex change?

0:34:450:34:46

LAUGHTER

0:34:460:34:48

No, but you can give it to Tom as a moving present.

0:34:480:34:53

How about that? None of his mates are lords, at seven years old,

0:34:530:34:57

I'm sure. Yeah.

0:34:570:34:58

OK, right then, let's do it country-style.

0:34:580:35:01

Let's use the back door, shall we?

0:35:010:35:03

Not surprisingly, this rare property is Grade II* listed.

0:35:050:35:10

Less than 6% of all listed buildings have this grading.

0:35:100:35:14

The first owner on record was William the Conqueror's wife,

0:35:140:35:17

Matilda, the land given to her as a gift from her husband.

0:35:170:35:21

It was later sold to King John,

0:35:210:35:23

who used it as a hunting lodge in the 13th century.

0:35:230:35:26

Over the years, it has been added to and embellished and was

0:35:260:35:29

sympathetically restored and extended in the 1980s,

0:35:290:35:32

to create a beautiful family home.

0:35:320:35:36

So...

0:35:360:35:37

my Lady.

0:35:370:35:39

LAUGHTER

0:35:390:35:41

Oh, my goodness.

0:35:410:35:43

It's not at all what I expected the mystery house to be.

0:35:430:35:46

No, it's one million, zillion times better.

0:35:460:35:49

Come on, have a look through here.

0:35:490:35:50

I mean, this is obviously the diner end of the kitchen/diner

0:35:500:35:54

and, bearing in mind that this is the new extension,

0:35:540:35:57

once again, just beautifully done and thought through,

0:35:570:36:00

with these oak beams and doors out to the garden...

0:36:000:36:03

Yes.

0:36:030:36:04

Come through here. This is the living room.

0:36:040:36:07

The magical mix of medieval and 16th-Century architecture

0:36:070:36:12

in this house, really works with the modern finishes.

0:36:120:36:14

The main reception room is south- facing, making it wonderfully light.

0:36:140:36:19

-This is amazing.

-Yes, it's really good.

0:36:190:36:22

So, I don't think you'd have to do too much, to this, to make it yours.

0:36:220:36:25

-No.

-Who'd have thought it possible that we might have found something

0:36:250:36:29

that you didn't to rethink.

0:36:290:36:30

-I'm sure she'll find something!

-Yeah! Well, I'm sure.

0:36:300:36:34

Come on, let's go upstairs.

0:36:340:36:35

I think Mickey is genuinely taken with this house,

0:36:370:36:40

as I hoped she would be.

0:36:400:36:42

The five bedrooms are split across the two top floors.

0:36:420:36:45

There are three bedrooms on the first floor,

0:36:450:36:48

one with an en-suite shower room, and a luxurious family bathroom.

0:36:480:36:53

But as we head up the Norman tower, there are a further two bedrooms,

0:36:530:36:57

the largest used as a living room, the perfect playroom for Tom.

0:36:570:37:01

And then there's the master bedroom.

0:37:010:37:03

-Oh... Wow.

-Yeah.

0:37:060:37:09

It's like we step back in time.

0:37:090:37:11

Well, this is you, the maiden at the top of the tower.

0:37:110:37:14

This is one of the oldest parts of the building,

0:37:140:37:16

the Norman tower, of course, looking out...

0:37:160:37:18

-Oh, I see, yeah.

-..into the garden.

0:37:180:37:20

-I love that window.

-I do, too.

0:37:200:37:22

Would you come and stay, Charley?

0:37:230:37:26

I think I'd probably never move out.

0:37:260:37:28

I'm thinking about relocating, myself.

0:37:280:37:31

It's really fun and you know, we are a little bit further away

0:37:310:37:34

from the school you're thinking about sending Tom to,

0:37:340:37:38

about 45 minutes, but the building you get as a result...

0:37:380:37:41

..Charley, come on, help me...

0:37:420:37:45

I totally agree. The building is beautiful.

0:37:450:37:49

What do we think it's worth, then?

0:37:490:37:51

Think about it on our way to the bottom. Come on.

0:37:510:37:53

Outside, the property is surrounded by beautiful level-lawn gardens

0:37:550:37:59

to the front and side, with a number of seating areas.

0:37:590:38:03

There's also a purpose-built arts studio, which I imagine

0:38:030:38:06

Mickey would make use of as a garden room, or entertaining space

0:38:060:38:09

in the summer.

0:38:090:38:10

So, make us an offer, then, on our final offering - our gorgeous,

0:38:100:38:15

wonderful mystery house.

0:38:150:38:17

Well, I never in a million years thought I'd be able to afford

0:38:170:38:19

anything like this, and I'm going to be optimistic in my price...

0:38:190:38:22

Yeah.

0:38:220:38:24

And put it right on the top of my top budget,

0:38:240:38:27

which was £900,000.

0:38:270:38:29

£900,000. Yeah, Charley.

0:38:290:38:31

-I'm going to go with the £950,000.

-£950,000.

0:38:310:38:35

I mean, any of those figures, frankly,

0:38:350:38:38

I think would be completely justified on this one,

0:38:380:38:41

but here's the trick...

0:38:410:38:42

And this is why I think the 45-minute commute is worth making

0:38:420:38:47

because this could be yours...

0:38:470:38:49

..for £850,000.

0:38:510:38:54

No!

0:38:540:38:56

LAUGHTER

0:38:560:38:58

-Oh, my goodness!

-Wow!

0:38:580:39:00

Lady Mickey!

0:39:000:39:01

LAUGHTER

0:39:010:39:03

Right, then, I'm going to give you as much time as I can here

0:39:030:39:06

and I will come and find you a little bit later on.

0:39:060:39:08

Go on, off you go. Go on, Charley.

0:39:080:39:10

Take your time.

0:39:100:39:12

This beautifully-presented house offers Mickey a real slice

0:39:120:39:16

of local history, and a title, for an amazing £50,000 below budget.

0:39:160:39:21

The generously proportioned rooms offer a great living space,

0:39:210:39:25

with five bedrooms and the perfect flat garden for Tom and the dogs.

0:39:250:39:30

It's only minutes to Tewkesbury, but the compromise is the 45-minute

0:39:300:39:33

journey to Tom's school in Minchinhampton.

0:39:330:39:37

-Nice arts studio.

-Amazing.

0:39:390:39:41

Such a versatile space, you could actually do anything with it.

0:39:410:39:44

But how cool is the house?

0:39:440:39:45

I mean, amazing, isn't it? Look at it.

0:39:450:39:47

I mean, I absolutely love the house,

0:39:470:39:49

the one reservation that I have is I've gone down

0:39:490:39:53

the route of putting Tom into a school

0:39:530:39:56

and so, I think we've just got to try and work out whether...

0:39:560:40:01

You know, in reality, it's doable.

0:40:010:40:05

Well, my ladies, I'm afraid your carriage awaits, we've got to go.

0:40:050:40:09

You've got a lot to think about. Come on.

0:40:090:40:11

Well, our journey this week has certainly thrown up plenty

0:40:150:40:18

of challenges for Charley and, importantly, for Mickey.

0:40:180:40:20

But also, I think,

0:40:200:40:22

one or two conclusions that they weren't really expecting.

0:40:220:40:25

We've given them lots to think about,

0:40:250:40:27

but have we managed to find them a house for the future?

0:40:270:40:30

Well, let's go and ask them.

0:40:300:40:32

Well, guys... This is the end of the line, I'm afraid.

0:40:390:40:43

The process is nearly over.

0:40:430:40:44

We've given you, I think, some really interesting properties

0:40:440:40:48

this week to consider, but I suspect, Charley,

0:40:480:40:51

it's going to come as no surprise to anybody, watching this,

0:40:510:40:54

that there is one clear favourite.

0:40:540:40:56

Am I right?

0:40:560:40:58

You're right, Jules, the mystery house was incredible.

0:40:580:41:02

It's put a real cat amongst the pigeons, because now everything

0:41:020:41:07

is up in the air. I've got to look a little bit more into the area...

0:41:070:41:11

You know, even potentially look at different schools,

0:41:110:41:13

because I'm not sure 45 minutes is workable for me, but...

0:41:130:41:17

I absolutely love that house,

0:41:170:41:19

I never imagined that we'd see anything like that

0:41:190:41:23

and that's a house that I feel we can really grow in and enjoy.

0:41:230:41:29

So, what happens next?

0:41:290:41:31

Well, I think I've got to do some driving around,

0:41:310:41:33

I've got to consult the map.

0:41:330:41:36

And yeah, got to... Move forward, I think.

0:41:360:41:40

It's been a lot of fun, guys...

0:41:400:41:42

We've made light, in some respects,

0:41:420:41:44

of this enormous decision that you are having to make, but I do think

0:41:440:41:47

you're coming to the right area. It's been a great pleasure.

0:41:470:41:50

-Best of luck.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:41:500:41:52

Well, we finished up this week in the lovely surroundings

0:41:590:42:03

at Elmore Court.

0:42:030:42:04

It's said that the grounds and the gardens here so inspired

0:42:040:42:07

a young Hubert Parry

0:42:070:42:09

that he composed the tune to the hymn, Jerusalem.

0:42:090:42:12

Now, of course, the words we now all know and love were written

0:42:120:42:15

by the poet, William Blake.

0:42:150:42:17

"And did those feet in ancient times walk upon England's pastures green?"

0:42:170:42:22

Well, in truth, of course, we will probably never know

0:42:220:42:25

the answer to that one, but I do hope that, in due course,

0:42:250:42:28

Mickey's will. Or should it be Lady Mickey? Watch this space...

0:42:280:42:32

I'll see you next time.

0:42:320:42:33

After researching her options,

0:42:360:42:38

Mickey eventually decided our mystery house was just too far from

0:42:380:42:41

the school. But I am pleased to report, she's just bought another

0:42:410:42:45

property close to the school, which, of course, needs work.

0:42:450:42:48

I have no doubt, once she's turned it into her dream home,

0:42:480:42:51

she and Tom will be very happy in Gloucestershire.

0:42:510:42:55

If you'd like to escape to the country in Wales, Scotland,

0:42:550:42:58

Northern Ireland or England and would like our help,

0:42:580:43:01

apply online, at...

0:43:010:43:06

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