0:00:02 > 0:00:07Some say it's the cat among the pigeons, the needle in the haystack, the spanner in the works
0:00:07 > 0:00:10or occasionally a double-edged sword.
0:00:10 > 0:00:16It does elicit tears of joy, screams of excitement and sometimes downright disappointment.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19But it remains my favourite part of the show.
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Join me on a very special Escape To The Country
0:00:22 > 0:00:28as we go through the archive and reveal all that's best about the mystery house.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45'In today's show, we look back at some of our favourite mystery properties
0:00:45 > 0:00:48'where we make royalty of our house-hunters...'
0:00:48 > 0:00:52- Extraordinary.- It's a slice of Camelot for you.- It is.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56- 'Create a marital divide.'- It's got to be absolutely right.- Hmm.
0:00:56 > 0:01:00And we're not having that argument on camera any more.
0:01:00 > 0:01:06- 'And finish up with the best mystery house around.'- Leave us here and we'll see you some time!
0:01:06 > 0:01:10- Is that it? - We don't need to see the rest.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13'Plus I'm going to tackle a few mysteries of my own.'
0:01:13 > 0:01:19That is arguably the most complicated piece of rope work I've ever done.
0:01:19 > 0:01:24Today, we are exploring the enigma that is the mystery house -
0:01:24 > 0:01:29properties like this one behind me, a beautiful family home, complete with romantic ruin.
0:01:29 > 0:01:33But when it comes to mystery houses, there are very few rules.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37The key thing is to get our buyers to think outside of the box.
0:01:37 > 0:01:43If you enjoy a good mystery, stick around as we explore some of our most thrilling properties.
0:01:43 > 0:01:49Our search for property has taken us all over the country from Penzance to Penrith
0:01:49 > 0:01:54and has turned up some very unusual living space.
0:01:54 > 0:02:00But once we've shown our buyers the houses that fit their criteria, we present the mystery house.
0:02:00 > 0:02:05From the architecturally magnificent to a restoration project,
0:02:05 > 0:02:09the mystery house is always the exciting climax to our search
0:02:09 > 0:02:13and often changes the way our buyers see their escape to the country.
0:02:13 > 0:02:20Coming up with a short list as to which are my favourite mystery houses has been a joy and a struggle
0:02:20 > 0:02:23with so many beautiful homes to choose from,
0:02:23 > 0:02:27but we're going to kick off with a story set in Gloucestershire.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30Mark and Nicola had a whopping £850,000 to spend
0:02:30 > 0:02:34to find them and their kids their ideal country home.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39With a budget like that, we had already seen some fantastic properties,
0:02:39 > 0:02:45but when we got to the mystery house and a converted folly, they really did have something to think about.
0:02:45 > 0:02:52'The mystery house sat on the former Bishopswood Estate on the edge of the Forest of Dean.
0:02:52 > 0:02:58'The property was one of just six private houses sitting in the 1,000-acre former estate.
0:02:58 > 0:03:04'It was very different from anything else they had seen, so we were keen to find out what they thought.'
0:03:06 > 0:03:08Yes, the mystery house is a castle.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13- Lord and Lady something-or-other, yes!- What about it?
0:03:13 > 0:03:19- Extraordinary.- It's a slice of Camelot for you.- It is.- And it's coming out of the forest as well.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22- Into this massive open space. - Look at that.- It's incredible.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25- What a setting!- It's lovely.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29This is the old folly to the estate built in about 1822,
0:03:29 > 0:03:34but offering the most amazing views of this part of England really.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37- I mean, it's fantastic. - Incredible.- Incredible.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40LAUGHTER Shocked and stunned.
0:03:40 > 0:03:45We're all a bit crazy here cos it's a crazy house. It's brilliant.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48Let's go inside and see how the madness continues.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51'I don't suppose they bargained for this.
0:03:51 > 0:03:57'It's a unique property in spectacular grounds, but I wonder what they'll make of it?'
0:03:59 > 0:04:03- Nice floor.- Yeah? - Look at that stonework as well.
0:04:03 > 0:04:10- That's the base of the tower. - Really?- You get a real sense of castle here. Look at that doorway.
0:04:10 > 0:04:15But come on through here. This is the main hallway of this building.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Everything runs off of there.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21- And this is...- Wow, look at that!
0:04:21 > 0:04:27- A reception room.- Yeah.- A reception room. It's really quirky, isn't it?
0:04:27 > 0:04:31- It gives you a sense of the shape of this building.- This is great.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36But it also, I think, is quite a good mixture of something that is quirky,
0:04:36 > 0:04:40but it also has a very practical management to it. It does all work.
0:04:40 > 0:04:46Whether it works for you with your two bouncy children, we'll see, but come with me through here.
0:04:46 > 0:04:51'Back off the hall are steps to a basement room, probably big enough for the children,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54'but possibly not for Mark.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56'Also off the hall is the kitchen.'
0:04:56 > 0:04:59- Now, Nicola...- This is lovely.
0:04:59 > 0:05:06When I first came round this house, this is when it started to make sense to me as a family house
0:05:06 > 0:05:13- cos it's the first sort of normal sized, shaped room you get to.- Yeah.
0:05:13 > 0:05:18- This is lovely.- Yeah? - This is real country kitchen, isn't it? No, I like this.
0:05:18 > 0:05:24'The kitchen has a utility room-cum-larder, but now it's time to climb the tower.'
0:05:24 > 0:05:30- Whoa, look at this!- A real tower staircase, this.- Mind your head.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Come on in here. Now, this is...
0:05:33 > 0:05:36Well, the guest room really.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39- Guest room, yeah. - It's quite small, isn't it?
0:05:39 > 0:05:43But it's all right for a guest room.
0:05:43 > 0:05:48For guests, this might be OK. Mark, just lead through there. Let's look at the bathroom.
0:05:50 > 0:05:56- Very nice bathroom.- Oh, yeah, this is nice, isn't it?- Probably a bit of a surprise really.
0:05:56 > 0:06:01When you think how much is in it and how much space there is.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04- And yeah...- Great view.
0:06:04 > 0:06:08- A bathroom and a view. - Phenomenal. Not overlooked.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12Not overlooked at all. I mean, it is the principal bathroom here.
0:06:12 > 0:06:16It does mean that you don't have an en-suite.
0:06:16 > 0:06:21- But your room is next door.- OK. - So it probably doesn't matter.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Would this do, do you think?
0:06:25 > 0:06:28- This is better. This is big.- Lovely.
0:06:28 > 0:06:33- Look, there's a little balcony as well. Yeah, I didn't expect this at all.- Good.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37- Go and have a little look out there.- Have a look out here...
0:06:37 > 0:06:41Ah, the turrets! This is beautiful, isn't it? Look at this.
0:06:41 > 0:06:45There's a touch of the Harry Potters about this place.
0:06:45 > 0:06:51- The kids will probably think you're buying Hogwarts! Look at that view up there. It's lovely.- Oh, yes.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54This is amazing.
0:06:54 > 0:06:58This isn't the best bit. No, no, no. Come with me.
0:06:58 > 0:07:04'Higher up the tower are two identical sized rooms which would suit both of the children,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07'but I've saved the very best until last.'
0:07:07 > 0:07:09- Finally...- Finally...
0:07:09 > 0:07:11This is the top.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Oh, my goodness, look at this!
0:07:16 > 0:07:21- Wow, look at that view! That is phenomenal.- Check it out.- Yeah.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25'It certainly is breathtaking landscape and you get a clear view
0:07:25 > 0:07:30'of the one and a half acre garden which surrounds this tower property.'
0:07:30 > 0:07:32Is it a listed building?
0:07:32 > 0:07:38You would have thought so, but the good thing is it's not, which is a real bonus.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41You'll see why when I take you down to the garden.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46'If Mark and Nicola want extra space, they could apply for planning permission
0:07:46 > 0:07:50'to build a further reception room where the old conservatory stands.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54'In the garden, an outbuilding could be made into an office for Mark
0:07:54 > 0:07:59'and there is plenty of space in the garden for the children to play.'
0:07:59 > 0:08:05So that's it, that's the final one, the mystery house, your own castle in Gloucestershire.
0:08:05 > 0:08:11- It's amazing, isn't it? - Very different to everything I've shown you before.- Very different.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13But worth showing it to you.
0:08:13 > 0:08:19- I suspect if your children were here, they would be insisting that you...- Buy this one.- No question.
0:08:19 > 0:08:25Regardless of how much it's worth. But that is the question - how much is it worth? Mark?
0:08:26 > 0:08:28I'm a bit perplexed by this one.
0:08:28 > 0:08:33I don't know. I'd probably put it at 750 or something like that?
0:08:33 > 0:08:37- As usual, feeling his way in the dark.- Absolutely.- Nicola?
0:08:37 > 0:08:42I reckon less than that, actually. I reckon about 700.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Do you? Interesting.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48- Are you ready?- It's probably gonna be massively out. Go on, yeah.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52This is on the market for £850,000.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58- I can kind of see that because it's just unique, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02I think that's what it is. It's not because of its space, clearly.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05It's because of what it is, its age.
0:09:05 > 0:09:10And it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to buy something like that
0:09:10 > 0:09:12- if it's for you.- Yeah.
0:09:12 > 0:09:18Go and have a look around and I'll catch up with you a bit later on. Go and be kings of the castle.
0:09:18 > 0:09:24It was quite surprising when we came round the corner and saw the castle standing there.
0:09:24 > 0:09:30It looks very romantic and the whole idea of a castle was very appealing to start with.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33The outside area is lovely.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37I think Mark likes this place perhaps a little more than I do.
0:09:37 > 0:09:44The garden is quite nice. It's much lighter than I thought it would be because it's just out of the forest.
0:09:44 > 0:09:51I think someone's gonna fall in love with this property, but I don't really think it's for me.
0:09:51 > 0:09:56I think the practicalities of living in something that's as different as this
0:09:56 > 0:10:00might prove a bit difficult further on down the line.
0:10:02 > 0:10:08There's no doubt that Mark and Nicola did have a lot to think about with that property,
0:10:08 > 0:10:14but the folly was a little bit too small for them and they decided not to go for it.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17But that's the thing about showing these houses.
0:10:17 > 0:10:23You're never sure if you'll strike the right note or end up with a real clanger.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32Mystery houses come in all sorts of shapes and sizes,
0:10:32 > 0:10:36but one man who knows what it is to live in a very unusual property
0:10:36 > 0:10:40is the guy that converted this wonderful windmill.
0:10:40 > 0:10:46Let's go and meet him and find out what it takes to live in such an extraordinary building.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51- Hello, Bob.- Hello. - Nice to see you.- And you.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55What on earth inspired you to want to live in a windmill?
0:10:55 > 0:11:00Impulse. I happened to be driving by. There's a local pub down the road.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04I went for a pint. I saw a "for sale" sign and made some enquiries.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08Quite a project to take on because this was completely derelict
0:11:08 > 0:11:12- when you bought it? - It hadn't been used for decades.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15What was the hardest part about bringing it back to life?
0:11:15 > 0:11:21The hardest part was, being a round building, nothing is regular.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25Nothing at all. So everything is head-scratching along the way.
0:11:25 > 0:11:31But with a good architect and good contractors and craftsmen, it all came together.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36On Escape To The Country, normally it's my job to show people round houses,
0:11:36 > 0:11:40- but today it's your job, Bob, so go on, give me the guided tour.- OK.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48Bob, it's not often we see lightning rods like that on Escape To The Country.
0:11:48 > 0:11:54That's the original lightning rod, 40 or 50 feet high. That was on there for many years.
0:11:54 > 0:11:59That'll look after you in a thunderstorm. And you want it in a building shaped like that.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Let's see what you've done.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Come through.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10- Nice sort of stable door.- Yes.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Solid oak.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14This is the kitchen.
0:12:14 > 0:12:21- I love it.- Which really, I suppose, is one of the centrepieces of the windmill
0:12:21 > 0:12:25because it presented all sorts of challenges, not so much problems,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28but you had to really think outside the square, as it were.
0:12:28 > 0:12:34People talk about thinking outside the box, but you've got to think inside the circle.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39Inside the circle! This has got a conical shape to it, as well as a round shape.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43So it's every plasterer's nightmare, really.
0:12:43 > 0:12:49But you achieve some wonderful shapes. You can see here the curvature of the stairs.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Let's explore the rest of it. It looks absolutely fantastic.
0:12:55 > 0:13:01You get an idea of the curvature here with the hand rail and the tapered walls as we go up.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04This is fabulous. Look at that.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07- So this is your principal living room.- Yes, this is it.
0:13:07 > 0:13:12Originally, the plans were to have a wall here and a door where we're stood,
0:13:12 > 0:13:17but I felt it would look a lot better if we could open the space up.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20It is a joy and up on this first floor,
0:13:20 > 0:13:25you start to get a real sense of what a building like this gives you, which are the views.
0:13:25 > 0:13:31- Everywhere you look, you've got these wonderful views of the landscape beyond.- Yes, you do.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35- It gets even better as you go up. - Come on, let's continue.
0:13:37 > 0:13:43'As we head up, we pass Bob's study which is an imaginative use of space
0:13:43 > 0:13:47'and there's just room to fit in a shower room on this floor too.'
0:13:49 > 0:13:53- OK, we're moving into the master bedroom now.- Ah! OK.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57You do get a sense that everything is getting a bit smaller.
0:13:57 > 0:14:02It is that tapering effect. It doesn't taper more from here on, but it is small.
0:14:02 > 0:14:09This room is dominated by this staircase which must lead to the crowning glory of this building.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12- Do you want to see that? - Yeah, come on.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15This is what it's all about.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20This is absolutely extraordinary.
0:14:20 > 0:14:27- You've got a full 360-degree panorama...- Yes. - ..of the entire landscape.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31- Effectively, you've created a lighthouse.- It is like a lighthouse.
0:14:31 > 0:14:35This would have been a dome with all the workings of the windmill
0:14:35 > 0:14:40and the sails would have come through to working gear that was mounted here.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44I'm not sure if I'm in a lighthouse, a windmill or the bridge of a ship!
0:14:44 > 0:14:46You can see it for miles.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51In any direction, whichever road leads to this windmill, you see it.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56- How did you create this space up here?- Where we're stood now was originally the roof.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58Of course, that was taken away.
0:14:58 > 0:15:02If you stood at the bottom, you'd look up and see the stars.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06It was like a chimney. That was the shape of it.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09So the first task was to get a roof on.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12We had a structure made, a steel skeleton,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15that was made off site in two halves.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18It was brought on site, bolted together,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21then a crane craned it into position.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25Once we got the roof on, the windows at the top that you see here,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27we put the other windows in as well,
0:15:27 > 0:15:30so the whole building became watertight.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33We could work from the floors up then.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37It's a wonderful space in here, but you don't have a lot of storage.
0:15:37 > 0:15:44- How have you managed to get around that problem?- Well, we've built a garage here that is underground.
0:15:44 > 0:15:50The plans were to hide it from the road, so you could only see the windmill and not the garage.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53You could put easily four cars in there.
0:15:53 > 0:15:59So you've got two double garages, and nicely hidden, so it doesn't interfere with the landscape.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02It's sympathetic with the surrounding area.
0:16:02 > 0:16:07How long did it take you from contractors arriving on site to moving in?
0:16:07 > 0:16:13I bought it four years ago. A year later, we got the roof structure put in place.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16But the paint dried earlier this year.
0:16:16 > 0:16:21- OK, about three years in total from start to finish.- Yes.- Well done.
0:16:21 > 0:16:27And thank you so much for letting us have a wonderful look around this extraordinary building.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29- And congratulations.- Thank you.
0:16:31 > 0:16:36What a wonderful renovation project this has been!
0:16:36 > 0:16:41But if you don't think you can take on something quite this big, don't despair.
0:16:41 > 0:16:45There are other wonderful houses on offer and here are a few more.
0:16:45 > 0:16:50For a windmill that's already completely converted and extended,
0:16:50 > 0:16:55why not be blown away by this £650,000 home in Scopwick in Lincolnshire?
0:16:55 > 0:17:02The rooms in the extension are large and the vaulted ceilings certainly add beauty and charm.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06Or if you loved your schooldays so much, you fancy a converted school,
0:17:06 > 0:17:09take a look at this one in Torksey in Lincolnshire.
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Renovated to a high standard,
0:17:11 > 0:17:17the family home offers colour supplement living and a terrific beamed master bedroom.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22Or finally, if you can dig deep to the tune of just over £3.1 million
0:17:22 > 0:17:28or simply want to see how the other half live, feast your eyes on this superb new-build house,
0:17:28 > 0:17:32enjoying an elevated position overlooking the River Dart in Devon.
0:17:32 > 0:17:38The architecture and heavy use of timber is breathtaking, not least in the spectacular pool room.
0:17:38 > 0:17:42Mystery houses can often provoke some fairly extreme reactions
0:17:42 > 0:17:47and none more so than when Pete and Melissa from Balham in South London
0:17:47 > 0:17:51were shown around a rather extraordinary bungalow conversion.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55They had £700,000 to spend which is all well and good,
0:17:55 > 0:18:00but heavily pregnant Melissa was just six weeks away from giving birth
0:18:00 > 0:18:05and having sold their current property, they had to move out in just ten weeks.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09So, as far as Alistair was concerned, no pressure then(!)
0:18:09 > 0:18:14This mystery house was in Chilmark, a quiet village in the Nadder Valley in Wiltshire.
0:18:14 > 0:18:18The village has a church, pub and a very good primary school.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21The nearest shops are two miles away in Tisbury.
0:18:21 > 0:18:27We were taking a risk as this was a new build, not something our buyers were keen on,
0:18:27 > 0:18:30but it offered much of what they were looking for.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34This is an extraordinary, unusual and wonderful property.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37I'm very excited to show it to you.
0:18:37 > 0:18:43- What do you think of the property from the outside?- Speechless. - It's unusual. It's very, um...
0:18:43 > 0:18:47It's not the usual shape of house you would expect.
0:18:47 > 0:18:53It's a complete labour of love. The couple who live here built it themselves.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57It's built around the vestiges of an old 1950s bungalow.
0:18:57 > 0:19:04They've decided to move to Australia, so having just completed it, they've put it on the market.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08- It looks great.- Yeah, different, unusual. Not what I was expecting.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12It's a treasure trove of surprises. Let's have a look inside.
0:19:12 > 0:19:19'This house has been converted to the highest of standards and would offer a fantastic kitchen,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22'lots of living space and three big bedrooms,
0:19:22 > 0:19:27'but I know Melissa likes character properties, so how will she feel about it?'
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Thank you... Great hallway.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36- Oh, fantastic.- Wow!
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Wow!
0:19:38 > 0:19:43- Goodness me! - Yeah, this is a kitchen!
0:19:43 > 0:19:48- That's really special. - I told you it was special. - I'm very excited now.
0:19:48 > 0:19:53- Can I just point out two things? - Yeah.- The range.- I had noticed that.
0:19:53 > 0:19:55- In blue.- And an island.- An island!
0:19:55 > 0:19:58You're really going for gold stars!
0:19:58 > 0:20:04There's so much to point out, I can't go through it all, but this is such a great space
0:20:04 > 0:20:10- because while it is a separate dining room, it's also part of the kitchen.- This is lovely.- Very nice.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14I like the long windows. That's a really clever touch.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19I can't wait to see the rest of the property. There must be surprises in every room.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22And finished to an incredibly high spec.
0:20:22 > 0:20:28- And another wonderful thing - the whole house, throughout, under-floor heating.- Oh, wow!- Is it?
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Let's have a look in the garden.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34- Wow!- Nice patio.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37- Lovely.- It's not a vast garden.
0:20:37 > 0:20:41It's not acres and acres. The whole property is surrounded by it.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45- But it's a beautiful garden. - Yeah, it's lovely.
0:20:45 > 0:20:52- It's so well stocked.- Yeah.- It's got just about everything, as well as a greenhouse. Very nice indeed.
0:20:52 > 0:20:57'At the side of the house, there's a large double garage with a loft above it
0:20:57 > 0:21:00'which could be Peter's office.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04'Let's continue with the rest of the house tour in the living room.'
0:21:04 > 0:21:10It has quite an Australian feel because the lady is Australian - big panes of glass and long windows.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12There's a lot of light coming in.
0:21:12 > 0:21:17- Yeah, imagine it with our furniture in.- Hmm. It's very tastefully done.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21They've got a great eye on the proportion of the building as well
0:21:21 > 0:21:27- and the layout of the room is very homely. It feels very homely and cosy.- Shall we move on through?
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Ah!
0:21:33 > 0:21:36Bedroom on ground floor.
0:21:36 > 0:21:41Bedroom on ground floor. This is one of the quirks of the property.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45- Yeah.- Much of it is single storey.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49So you've got two bedrooms down on the ground floor.
0:21:49 > 0:21:55I don't have a problem with that because the whole feel and quality of the house is quite something.
0:21:55 > 0:22:01I think when it feels right, it doesn't matter if the bedroom is in the basement or in the attic.
0:22:01 > 0:22:06- It works here certainly. It's a lovely room, a great size.- I know.
0:22:06 > 0:22:12- But I have this weird thing about having bedrooms on ground floors. - You're not the only woman who has.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16- I don't know why.- It's strange. - There's an easy answer to that.
0:22:16 > 0:22:21- Guests. And we don't live on the ground floor.- I know. - Problem solved really.
0:22:21 > 0:22:27- But I know it's there on the floor. - There is a compromise involved with everything.- I know there is.
0:22:27 > 0:22:32This house does have it over and above everything we've seen in the last seven months.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36'Pete is working hard on Melissa to like this house.
0:22:36 > 0:22:40'Next to the bedroom is the family bathroom and another bedroom,
0:22:40 > 0:22:45'but it's the second reception room that I'm keen for them to see.'
0:22:45 > 0:22:47Oh, another office.
0:22:47 > 0:22:53Exactly. This is another possibility for your office. It's really the separate wing of the house.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56You would have total peace here.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59- Nice and quiet.- It's so peaceful and tranquil.- It is.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03- You get the nice evening light here. - It's a good size room.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08- It could also be a bedroom, depending on what you decide to do. - Or a playroom.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11- Lovely.- It's got a good feel, hasn't it?
0:23:11 > 0:23:15'Across the hall, there is a utility area and a cloakroom,
0:23:15 > 0:23:20'but now I want to show them the master suite which even has its own staircase.'
0:23:20 > 0:23:23It's lovely. Oh, wow!
0:23:23 > 0:23:26That's really clever.
0:23:26 > 0:23:31- What a huge room!- Wow!- It's an extraordinary piece of architecture.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35Again it's inspired by a room in... a gallery in Australia.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40- Central pinioned...vaulted roof. - That is so unusual.
0:23:40 > 0:23:46It's a very unusual bedroom in the sense that you've got sort of 360 almost views.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48- Yeah.- Quadruple aspect.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51But this very unusual en-suite.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55- Very different. - I really like that bathroom.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58I've never seen anything like that.
0:23:59 > 0:24:04Wow, a proper bath! Great. I really like this.
0:24:04 > 0:24:10I really like this. I don't have a problem with the fact that there's the bed.
0:24:10 > 0:24:16You're not enclosed in a room with a door that shuts. That doesn't bother me. Does it you?
0:24:17 > 0:24:19Hmm. Maybe.
0:24:19 > 0:24:25- Might take some...- Yeah.- Might take some getting used to, but I don't, you know... It's only me.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29- It's not as if there's anyone else. - I know, I know.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33- It's lovely the way it's done.- You don't sound convinced.- I don't know.
0:24:33 > 0:24:40- I'd have to think about that one. - You need to let it sink in a bit. - Yeah.- OK. I think it's fabulous.
0:24:40 > 0:24:46There's more to come. Once you've had your morning cup of coffee prepared for you by your husband,
0:24:46 > 0:24:48come out in your bath robe...
0:24:49 > 0:24:54- ..and you step out on your own private...- Lovely.
0:24:54 > 0:24:59- You can't complain about this. - No, that's lovely. - You can't complain at all.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02What a very clever use of the space!
0:25:02 > 0:25:07- Isn't it great? - You've always wanted decking. Now you've got it.- That's lovely.
0:25:07 > 0:25:12- Any thoughts about whether you can afford it?- It's a difficult call.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17But because of the quality of the finish of the property, I'm coming in at 695.
0:25:17 > 0:25:22- Melissa?- I'm very unsure, but it's only got three bedrooms,
0:25:22 > 0:25:26so I'm gonna go a bit lower at 650.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30You say three bedrooms. One of those studies could be used as a bedroom.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33In the spec, that's how they're labelled.
0:25:33 > 0:25:38And it is finished to an extremely high spec and it is an extraordinarily popular village.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42So this is on the market, just between the two of you,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45- it's on at 685.- OK.
0:25:45 > 0:25:51Very reasonable, considering the quality and the standard of the whole build
0:25:51 > 0:25:53and the uniqueness of it.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58It really appeals to me, just knowing that no-one else owns something like this.
0:25:58 > 0:26:04- Have a look around. There's lots of design details to explore. I'll meet you out the front.- Thank you.
0:26:04 > 0:26:10I was really pleased, really surprised to see this property. It's so unique.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14I love the kitchen, dining room area.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17That's absolutely spectacular, just what I was wanting.
0:26:17 > 0:26:22- This is beautiful. - This is a beautiful room. - And a beautiful kitchen.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26- I just sense that your enthusiasm has dropped a bit.- Yeah.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29It has a bit.
0:26:29 > 0:26:35And also us being over there with a new-born baby in a completely separate part of the house.
0:26:35 > 0:26:41- It isn't entirely practical. - With the baby being down here, you mean, and us...
0:26:41 > 0:26:46It's only gonna be a new-born baby for how long? Not for 18 years.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50I wouldn't let that affect your judgment on the house.
0:26:50 > 0:26:55My slight reservation is having a couple of bedrooms on the ground floor.
0:26:55 > 0:27:03Pete's very into it and I'm going to be... I'm gonna have to be persuaded a little bit, I think.
0:27:03 > 0:27:09- There's always something that's not quite right.- But I don't want to talk myself into buying something.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12- Hmm.- It's got to be absolutely right.
0:27:12 > 0:27:16And we're not having that argument on camera any more.
0:27:17 > 0:27:23For a moment, I thought Alistair was going to have to get his boxing gloves out to referee that one.
0:27:23 > 0:27:29Peter had fallen in love with it quite early on, but it took a long time for Melissa to warm up,
0:27:29 > 0:27:34especially to get her head round the idea of those downstairs bedrooms,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38but with property hunting, you're never quite sure which way it'll go.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42They went back for a second visit, put in an offer, had it accepted
0:27:42 > 0:27:46and moved in just in time for the birth of their baby daughter.
0:27:46 > 0:27:51That's the joy of the mystery house. You never know what you're gonna get.
0:27:51 > 0:27:57On paper, it was just a converted bungalow, but in reality, it turned out to be the house of their dreams.
0:28:03 > 0:28:09For all of us who work on Escape To The Country, picking the mystery house is always great fun.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12We are always looking for something unusual.
0:28:12 > 0:28:17Over the years, we've had all sorts of shapes and sizes, styles and ages,
0:28:17 > 0:28:20but we've never quite had anything like this.
0:28:20 > 0:28:25In the immortal words of Monty Python, now for something completely different.
0:28:28 > 0:28:33When it comes to unusual dwellings, you can't beat a traditional Mongolian yurt.
0:28:33 > 0:28:39These sturdy nomadic structures date back to the time of Genghis Khan in the 12th century.
0:28:39 > 0:28:46Since then, they've protected people from the Arctic winds of Siberia to the burning heat of the Gobi Desert.
0:28:46 > 0:28:53People are even living in yurts in the UK and if you're interested in trying before you buy,
0:28:53 > 0:28:59why not come down to Monmouthshire where Amanda and Peter run a campsite with a twist?
0:28:59 > 0:29:02- Well, hello, hello.- Hello.- Hello!
0:29:02 > 0:29:07- Hey, Peter, nice to see you.- Hi, Jules.- Hello, Amanda.- Hi, Jules.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10I'm interrupting some very industrious work in progress.
0:29:10 > 0:29:16Well, we're just getting the next yurt up ready for guests to come and stay in.
0:29:16 > 0:29:21Just tell me about your set-up here because it's very unusual.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23You've got a yurt campsite.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27Where did you get the idea to bring in Mongolian yurts into Britain?
0:29:27 > 0:29:30Well, it all started a few years ago.
0:29:30 > 0:29:34We had this farm. We had spare land which wasn't being used.
0:29:34 > 0:29:40It wasn't suitable for farming use and we were looking for something to do with it.
0:29:40 > 0:29:46It was a remark by somebody at a party who said, "On our smallholding we have a yurt campsite."
0:29:46 > 0:29:51- This was towards the end of the party?- It was after a glass or two!
0:29:51 > 0:29:54- Like all the best ideas.- Absolutely.
0:29:54 > 0:30:00- But there is a distinction here because your yurts come from Mongolia, don't they?- They do.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03We had to wait quite a long time for planning.
0:30:03 > 0:30:09We started researching yurts, came across these Mongolian ones and thought, "Why not?"
0:30:09 > 0:30:12- Have you ever been to Mongolia? - I have, yes.- Now.
0:30:12 > 0:30:19Once we had found the Mongolian yurt source, I then went out there to discuss with the makers
0:30:19 > 0:30:23and I've been a couple of times since. It's a great country to go to.
0:30:23 > 0:30:30On my way up, I noticed the finished article down there which looks a bit warmer.
0:30:30 > 0:30:35- Yes.- Than what we've got here. This will be lovely when the curtains are up, I'm sure,
0:30:35 > 0:30:41- but give me a little house tour of that yurt.- That one is a lot warmer inside.- Come on then.- OK.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46Look at this!
0:30:48 > 0:30:52It just looks so...at home, bizarrely.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55- I suppose it does really. - Even though we're in Wales.
0:30:55 > 0:31:00It is a Mongolian home. This is how they live full-time in Mongolia.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02- You've seen it first-hand.- Yes.
0:31:02 > 0:31:07All natural materials. The walls are all tied together with rawhide.
0:31:07 > 0:31:11And all the ropes that you see are all horse hair.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14- So it's an organic building. - Very organic.
0:31:14 > 0:31:20- The key thing about these is there is very little environmental impact in terms of where you put it.- Yes.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24I love it. Let's go inside and have a look.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33It really is fantastic, isn't it?
0:31:33 > 0:31:37- Yeah, it's beautiful.- Come on, let's sit down, let's enjoy...
0:31:37 > 0:31:44- Enjoy the ambience.- Yeah, go for the whole experience. Have yourself a foot rest.- Look at that. I love it.
0:31:44 > 0:31:49There is something really lovely because the fact that it's in the round
0:31:49 > 0:31:52means it's a very communal space.
0:31:52 > 0:31:58- It is. It's lovely.- You've seen these things kind of in the wild, as it were, in Mongolia.- Yeah.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01- A whole family in here? - A whole family would be in here.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05When the children grow up and go off and get married,
0:32:05 > 0:32:11they are given by their parents, traditionally, a slightly smaller version to go and...
0:32:11 > 0:32:15- Start their family.- Start their family. Then they gradually...
0:32:15 > 0:32:20I assume there's an element of inheritance of the next size up.
0:32:20 > 0:32:26'But you don't get a cosy yurt by sitting on your backside, so it's time to get back to work.
0:32:26 > 0:32:32'I've been assured that these structures can be put together in around three and a half hours,
0:32:32 > 0:32:34'so let's put it to the test.'
0:32:34 > 0:32:36- That's it.- Ah!
0:32:37 > 0:32:40- No, no.- Oh. Ah!
0:32:40 > 0:32:43- Yeah, OK.- No.- No.- This one here.
0:32:44 > 0:32:48- Is it working? - It's perfect. Look at it.
0:32:48 > 0:32:52Lovely pattern runs all the way down.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55'You don't need to have a campsite to own one of these.
0:32:55 > 0:33:01'They've become popular as yoga huts, unique classrooms and they crop up at festivals,
0:33:01 > 0:33:07'so if you fancy an alternative lifestyle, why not pick up a family-sized yurt for under £5,000?
0:33:07 > 0:33:14'You know, I don't think that's a bad effort. All that's left is for the canvas to go on.'
0:33:14 > 0:33:18We've done the hard bit. Thank you very much for showing us around
0:33:18 > 0:33:23and for giving us a real taste of Mongolian life in South Wales.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25- Thanks ever so much.- OK.- Thank you.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29We are about to view my favourite mystery house of all time,
0:33:29 > 0:33:35but first, here's a round-up of some of the other fantastic examples we've had on the show.
0:33:35 > 0:33:39A good mystery house should always catch our buyers off guard
0:33:39 > 0:33:43as Pat and Richard found out with this luxurious barn conversion.
0:33:43 > 0:33:48- It's not all of it, is it? - Yes, all of it.- All of it? - All of it could be yours.
0:33:48 > 0:33:53- Is this a disappointment as the master?- Is this the master?- No!
0:33:53 > 0:33:55Just teasing. Come through here.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00Alistair, you little tinker!
0:34:00 > 0:34:05Sometimes it's not the house that holds a surprise, but rather what comes with it.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08- My God, what's that? - Our own personal lake!
0:34:08 > 0:34:11Not one. Not two.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15- Three.- Three?- Lakes? - Of course. Fishing lakes!
0:34:15 > 0:34:19- It's a farmyard conversion. - Oh, I'm excited!
0:34:19 > 0:34:23Now, oast houses make great mysteries
0:34:23 > 0:34:28and Rebecca and Paul weren't disappointed inside either.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31For Mary and Alan, the thought of having a mystery house
0:34:31 > 0:34:36within this beautiful beech wood was a mouth-watering prospect.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38- You're licking your lips.- I am.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40But they'd have to build it first.
0:34:40 > 0:34:45- Does that excite you?- Not half. It certainly gets the juices flowing.
0:34:45 > 0:34:50And a glamorous school conversion certainly got the right reaction from Lucy and Jeremy.
0:34:50 > 0:34:53It's just...
0:34:53 > 0:34:59- It's just amazing. It's certainly got the...- The "wow" factor?- Yeah. - The "woof" factor?- The woof...
0:35:02 > 0:35:08For my final and favourite mystery house, we are taking a trip down to Dorset
0:35:08 > 0:35:11in the company of a lovely couple, John and Jill.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15They had £600,000 to spend to find their ideal retirement home,
0:35:15 > 0:35:21but also a house that would allow keen trombonist John to make as much noise as he wanted.
0:35:21 > 0:35:27All in all, it was the perfect mystery house, a fantastic location and a very unique property.
0:35:27 > 0:35:32Our final mystery house was set in the village of Poundbury
0:35:32 > 0:35:35on the western outskirts of Dorchester.
0:35:35 > 0:35:41Poundbury is the brainchild of Prince Charles. It's an experimental village created 15 years ago
0:35:41 > 0:35:46and located in the Duchy of Cornwall that's owned by the Prince of Wales.
0:35:46 > 0:35:50As a strong believer in ecological planning, designing and building,
0:35:50 > 0:35:55Prince Charles commissioned architect Leon Krier to design his ideal village
0:35:55 > 0:36:00that mixes traditional architecture with modern town planning and thus Poundbury was born.
0:36:02 > 0:36:07So here we are. This is what all the fuss is about. That building there.
0:36:07 > 0:36:13It's taken us a bit to get into this, I have to say. We're completely taken aback.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17- What do you think, John?- I think it's absolutely fascinating.
0:36:17 > 0:36:22I love it. I love the look of the house from the outside. I like it very much.
0:36:22 > 0:36:28I love all the different textures. You've got natural stone frontage here, rendered masonry there.
0:36:28 > 0:36:33The whole place has an atmosphere to it that is very, very pleasant.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35Would it make it more unusual
0:36:35 > 0:36:41if I told you that Prince Charles took special interest in the design of this particular building?
0:36:41 > 0:36:45- How about that? By royal approval. - By royal approval!
0:36:45 > 0:36:49- Where's the crest?- Let's go inside and see if we can find one.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52'The outside has certainly piqued their interest.
0:36:52 > 0:36:58'The front door leads into an entrance hall that takes you through to the dining room.'
0:36:58 > 0:37:04- This is what your guests will see when they walk in first of all. - I like it very much.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08There is the faintest chance I could be speechless here.
0:37:08 > 0:37:13You can't be speechless. I want to hear your thoughts. Come in here to the kitchen.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20- The original round kitchen!- Come in.
0:37:20 > 0:37:26- What do you think?- You couldn't have done better than this. This is so unusual, really mind-blowing.
0:37:26 > 0:37:33Well, let's go and see some more because if you think this is crazy, wait till we go upstairs.
0:37:33 > 0:37:40'Also on the ground floor is one of three bedrooms, a study and a downstairs shower.'
0:37:40 > 0:37:46Now, of course, in a round house, no surprise, you're going to get a spiral staircase.
0:37:46 > 0:37:51This one is made of oak and it leads us very nicely into that.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55- Oh!- In you go.- Oh, oh, oh!
0:37:55 > 0:38:00- Would this work for you? Round rooms aren't for everybody. - Certainly for me.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04If you want to be different, let's be different and this is different.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07Leave us here and we'll see you some time.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11- Is that it? Is the deal done? - Yes. We don't need to see the rest.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13I can't wait to show you the rest!
0:38:13 > 0:38:17Your master bedroom, you like somewhere big, I get the feeling?
0:38:17 > 0:38:19- Yeah?- Yes.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22- Ah, here!- Oh.
0:38:24 > 0:38:30Well, I have to say, you wouldn't have expected anything less, would you now?
0:38:30 > 0:38:34- The whole thing is just... - John?- Yeah.- ..amazing.- Gasp.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36- Yeah.- Gasp in admiration.- Very nice.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39As a master bedroom, it's fabulous.
0:38:39 > 0:38:44Go through there. You've got an en-suite and a dressing area.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49Just like the rest of the house, surprising and wonderful.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52- Brilliant.- So far.- So far?
0:38:52 > 0:38:56Your face... He's so excited, isn't he?
0:38:56 > 0:39:03- I'm excited!- He's found a little bit of Knightsbridge in the middle of Dorset.- Well, exactly.
0:39:03 > 0:39:10That's true. It's just like a smart London apartment in the beautiful Dorset countryside.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12- It's made him happy. - I thought it might.
0:39:12 > 0:39:19'There's a third bedroom on this floor which has an en-suite bathroom and would be ideal for guests.'
0:39:19 > 0:39:23- You'd have guests who'd never want to go home.- There you go.
0:39:23 > 0:39:28- Would you have them here for that long?- Yeah. We could charge them.
0:39:28 > 0:39:33Quite a lot, I suspect. You may have to charge them even more if you want to buy it!
0:39:33 > 0:39:36- That's pretty much it.- Is that it?
0:39:36 > 0:39:38No, it's not it!
0:39:38 > 0:39:43'Of course, I've left the best till last and it's up one more flight of stairs.'
0:39:43 > 0:39:47I knew there had to be something up here.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51Now, this is mine! LAUGHTER
0:39:51 > 0:39:54Before we have any discussion!
0:39:54 > 0:39:57What would you use this space for, do you think?
0:39:57 > 0:40:03- This, to my mind, is a sort of day room where all the daytime activities take place.- Yeah.
0:40:03 > 0:40:08So we can eat lunch up here if we want to, we can certainly do our hobbies.
0:40:08 > 0:40:11We might even play the trombone up here sometimes.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15- The famous trombone made an appearance at long last!- It had to.
0:40:15 > 0:40:21There's room for both of us. It would be nice to be together. When John's writing, I'm painting.
0:40:21 > 0:40:26We're both listening to music and reading. That's what this lends itself for.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30- That is the inside of this property so far.- It's amazing, isn't it?
0:40:30 > 0:40:32- Happy?- I love all of it.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35'I just knew they'd fall for this amazing space,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38'so will the garden seal the deal?'
0:40:38 > 0:40:43- It is very secluded and very nice, yeah.- This is just right for us.
0:40:43 > 0:40:49- This is just the right size for us. This aspect lives up to the rest of the house.- Yes, it does.
0:40:49 > 0:40:56- It's just very, very nice. - I suppose we ought to talk about the difficult bit.- Yeah.
0:40:56 > 0:41:02- How much is it gonna cost you? It is an extraordinary place.- It is an extraordinary place.- Go on then.
0:41:02 > 0:41:06I volunteered to go first. I think this is gonna be over our budget.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10I'm gonna go for something like...645.
0:41:10 > 0:41:14My feeling for this type of house, I would even go higher.
0:41:14 > 0:41:19You might have taken us a lot over our budget and I would say 675.
0:41:19 > 0:41:23- 675?- Yeah.- Well, I'm afraid it's good news and bad news.
0:41:23 > 0:41:29- The bad news is it is over your budget.- Yeah.- The good news is it's not 675.- Right.
0:41:29 > 0:41:33It's currently on the market for £650,000.
0:41:33 > 0:41:37I'm not surprised at that. It's a fabulous house.
0:41:37 > 0:41:43There's a lot of house for that money. I could see myself very happily living here.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47- In poverty, of course! - LAUGHTER
0:41:47 > 0:41:54I get the feeling that to really know if this is gonna work for you, you need to get your trombone out.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56- Do the trombone test.- OK.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02OK, Jill, it's time for the trombone test.
0:42:02 > 0:42:07That's fine. I'm just gonna go and have a look around downstairs.
0:42:07 > 0:42:12When you come into The Round House, you're immediately excited because it is a unique house.
0:42:12 > 0:42:16That room at the top is absolutely unique, beautiful views,
0:42:16 > 0:42:21but also a very nice room to share, do your daytime hobbies and enjoy.
0:42:21 > 0:42:26Underneath all this excitement is a house that would work very well for both of us.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29PLAYS LOUD, DEEP NOTES
0:42:43 > 0:42:48When houses produce reactions like that, my day is complete.
0:42:48 > 0:42:54Houses, if they're right, do speak to you and that one had an awful lot to say to Jill and to John.
0:42:54 > 0:43:00But sadly, their tale brings us to the end of this very special edition of Escape To The Country.
0:43:00 > 0:43:06As I said at the outset, picking the best of the best was always going to be a bit of a challenge,
0:43:06 > 0:43:10but when it comes to property and, in particular, mystery houses,
0:43:10 > 0:43:16approach them with the eyes wide open because you never know what you're gonna get. See you next time.
0:43:16 > 0:43:20If you'd like to escape to the country and would like our help,
0:43:20 > 0:43:22then contact us through our website:
0:43:44 > 0:43:49Subtitles by Subtext for Red Bee Media Ltd 2009
0:43:49 > 0:43:52Email subtitling@bbc.co.uk