Somerset Escape to the Country

Today, I'm treading the ancient cobbles of England's smallest city,

along a road which claims to be

one of the oldest complete residential streets in the world.

Why am I here? I'm on a mission to find the perfect Escape To The Country.

On today's show, I'll be helping a couple relocate their family

from urban sprawl to rural beauty.

Lovely view out of the window, bright. It's a lovely big tick!

My aspiring country-dwellers will be viewing a selection of fine country homes.

It's somewhere to be very proud of.

Yes, and I can see being very pleased.

And there's a mystery house. But will any of the properties match their expectations

of grand country living?

Today, I'm in Somerset and this is Vicar's Close

in the small but perfectly formed city of Wells.

Vicar's Close was finished back in 1363

and was made up of 42 small one-up, one-downs

to house the 42 members of the cathedral choir.

It was thought that by keeping all the young men close to the cathedral

they wouldn't be tempted by the sins of the outside world.

Today it's still home to the cathedral's choristers.

Not such a bad deal, is it?

But don't worry. If you're not a bassy baritone or dulcet tenor

Somerset could still provide a harmonious escape to the country.

Tucked away in the left-hand corner of Britain,

Somerset is bordered by Devon and Dorset in the south

and is the northern gateway to the West Country.

Tourism is an important 966-million-pound industry,

with the spectacular land formation of Cheddar Gorge,

the largest gorge in Britain,

bringing in 500,000 people a year,

all helping to top up the tourist till.

Sheep and dairy farming, however, are still integral to the economy

in this mostly rural county which produces some fine and tasty cheeses.

Herds are spread across the diverse landscape

from the dramatic scenery of Exmoor National Park

to the Somerset Levels, featuring Glastonbury Tor.

And it's on these grazing pastures

that one entrepreneurial farmer gave birth to the Glastonbury music festival,

an annual pilgrimage for the 180,000 ticket holders.

Over the past year, property prices in Somerset

have fallen more steeply than in other counties

which are closer to London.

This, combined with the county's really good schools,

which include a number of cheaper fee-paying schools,

makes it an ideal location for families wanting to escape the urban sprawl.

So if your family is thinking of relocating to Somerset,

take a look at some of these properties which are on the market right now.

If you have £1.5 million to blow,

take a look at this six-bedroom family home in East Coker.

Built of local stone and boasting beautiful timber beams,

it's also a house that knows how to pamper,

with an impressive indoor pool and a striking sauna.

Alternatively, £550,000 would buy this three-bedroom modern house

in West Bagborough.

Despite the contemporary feel, it's peppered with period features

and has 3.5 acres of gardens.

If only period charm will do,

and you're looking to spend £385,000,

this three-bed home in Hurcot is up for grabs.

Forming the wing of an old farmhouse,

much of the character has been retained and there's one resident that finds it very cosy.

We've seen what Somerset has to offer.

But what will today's buyers bring to the table? Let's meet them.

Our buyers today are solicitor Richard and wife Helen.

They live in Watford with their three children,

William, Freddy and Araminta.

Their move to Somerset is driven by the new schools they've chosen

in a bid for a good standard of education.

All three of them are going to be changing schools.

We want to help improve their education.

The oldest one, William, is going into senior school

and we want to be on hand to take part,

to see everything that they get involved in.

Having sold their family home of 15 years in Spring 2008,

they're currently living in their own buy-to-let cottage

in the thick of it all.

We are a little apprehensive, going into the country.

But I do think that the loss of the noise, traffic and pollution

will be such a positive thing in our lives, it'll be well worth doing.

In a slow market, there aren't a huge number of properties available.

But after a two-year search and having viewed almost 40 properties,

what is it that's causing so much difficulty?

We're looking for five bedrooms, four to five bedrooms,

two or three reception rooms,

a nice big kitchen/breakfast room again.

To be able to sit down together,

to have the children doing things but not on top of each other.

One little extra I would like, on a domestic front,

would be a laundry room.

By that, I mean a room that's actually upstairs

so that you don't have to keep ferrying all the clothes from five of us

down the stairs, through the main house and out to a utility room.

On top of this, they're looking for an office for Richard as he works from home.

And as Helen's mum will be coming to stay for extended periods,

they require an annexe for her.

Finally, as a competitive cyclist,

there are six bikes of Richard's to take care of.

It's very cramped in here.

There's no space for servicing. It's open to the elements.

It's damp, it's not terribly secure.

So the new house that I'm looking for

will have secure storage for the bikes.

That is quite a list. On top of that, they're looking for a paddock

where the children can kick a ball

and they can keep a few chickens or even alpacas.

The house we're looking for, I'd very much like a period property.

I love the Georgian period with large sash windows,

things are symmetrical, high ceilings,

period features such as the cornicing and fireplaces.

That would be my ideal.

Having already sold up, they're in a strong buying position.

How much money is there to play with for their move?

If we found a house that ticked all our boxes,

yours as well as mine,

then the budget would be £750,000.

Helen and Richard have been searching for their perfect home for almost two years.

Now the pressure is really on.

The children are starting school in September and they need to relocate in a few months.

What do we have to find to make this dream come true?

Well, behind me there is Wells Cathedral.

A wonderful period property, just one of the long list of criteria we need to fulfil.

They also want four to five bedrooms,

about two acres of land for alpacas and chickens.

We need an office for Richard, an annexe for Granny, a laundry room upstairs

and all of that for £750,000.

Hmm. I'm starting to realise why they haven't found their dream home just yet!

Whilst William will be attending boarding school,

the younger children will be in a day school just outside Shepton Mallet.

Richard and Helen don't want to be more than a 20-minute drive away.

We're focusing our search just to the south of Shepton Mallet.

Today, I'll be taking them on a tour of three grand country homes.

I'll be keeping quiet about the price tags until they've given the property the once-over.

The last property is the mystery house, which I can guarantee will give them plenty to think about.

Hello, Helen, Richard. Thank you for bringing me to wonderful Somerset.

A great choice of county. You're from Watford. Why have you chosen here?

Foremost education.

We're bringing the children down, we've chosen schools, so we're following them down.

But you have been looking here for quite a while.

We have indeed. About 18 months, overall.

Not found it yet. That's why we're here.

We've got wonderful properties to show you.

You are quite specific on your criteria, though!

We've got a lot to cover, but a great budget as well.

-Are you ready?

-Ready!

-We'll go look at some houses

-and at the end there's the mystery house.

-Splendid!

Let's go.

Richard and Helen's budget of £750,000

will have to stretch a long way to accommodate all their needs.

Ideally they're looking for a period property with four or five bedrooms,

an upstairs laundry room for Helen,

an office for Richard, an annexe for Helen's mum,

and a paddock for recreation and keeping chickens or llamas.

What would you say is the main obstacle why you haven't found somewhere already?

-I think because we're making this a move for life.

-Yes.

And so we are being quite particular and quite fussy

but it's because we don't want to make a mistake

and find that in five years' time,

actually we should have been six miles further north or west or whatever.

'So location is crucial, in which case we'd better get it right.

'Our first house is in Barton Saint David,

'12 miles south-west of Shepton Mallet

'and a 25-minute drive from the children's school.

'The neighbouring village of Keinton Mandeville has a few shops

'and a pub, but above all it's a rural community

'offering peaceful village life.

'The house we're viewing is Grade II listed

'and it may just have the feel they're looking for.'

-Well, lovely village.

-Yes.

-Fantastic Georgian property, just for you!

Yes, it looks good.

-Very promising.

-Very sizeable.

It's certainly sizeable and there's a lot to this property.

This section we're looking at is the main house

and this is where I see you spending most of your time.

But there's more to this property.

-This section is actually the old mill.

-Right.

The mill stream runs down there and the two were joined together at some point.

-So you've got extra living accommodation. Sound good?

-Sounds good so far!

-Let's go in and have a look. There's a lot to take in. It'll take us a while.

-OK.

Come on through.

-As you'd expect, a big generous hallway.

-Huge!

But come straight into this room.

-Helen, is this what you've been dreaming of?

-I'm smiling!

-Yes. Very big.

-What is it about this style of property,

this room, that's got such a big smile on your face?

It's what I've always hankered after

-and this has got incredible style.

-It has.

Incredible features, too. We've got the sash windows. Kept all that.

-The shutters are working.

-Working shutters, yes.

A working fireplace as well.

It's got that Georgian feel, the high ceilings, big windows,

-the symmetry of it all, the squareness.

-Yep.

All things to make you nod and smile!

It gives you a lift, doesn't it, when you walk in.

You feel like you're walking taller.

-Yes.

-And broader.

It's somewhere, obviously, to be very proud of.

Yes, I can see being very pleased.

I can see where you two are going!

-It feels like a grand home.

-It is a grand house.

Fitting for your family.

What we wanted was presence.

That's one of the things we've said.

This has obviously got presence by the bucket-load.

By the bucket-load, indeed.

Let's look at the other side. Being Georgian, it's equally big on the other side.

Just across here. They've got lovely parquet floors, although underneath, it could be flagstone.

That could be an adventure for you to discover.

-As I promised, an equal size room the other side.

-I love it.

So we just have to make sure Richard's happy!

-We can make it work, can't we?

-What's this? Is this original?

-No, they put this in, the bookshelf. It's a lovely touch as well.

-Yes.

Or a potential alcove through to a room behind.

The lady's thinking along my lines!

Let's check out the room behind!

Ooh, she's fast!

-So behind that bookcase, you have your kitchen.

-Yes.

-Terrific, yes.

-Terrific, that's good. Positive.

-It is very good.

If we could knock through, make that the dining room,

that'll make very nice living accommodation.

There are lovely features. The range cooker is built into what was an inglenook.

Nice place to cook whilst still part of the family. You're not cut off here.

Not to disappoint Helen, the kitchen leads onto a handy utility room.

But if she's insistent on an upstairs option,

I do have a trick up my sleeve.

Lovely, light, airy and spacious up here.

But this room I have to show you

because it's one of the biggest bathrooms I've ever shown someone around!

-Indeed!

-Look at the size of that!

-Yes.

-You could get a shower in here easily, couldn't you?

-You could. Or...

-A double shower or whatever.

-Or it could be your laundry room.

-Yes.

-Upstairs laundry room.

-Is this enough space?

-What you asked for.

-Certainly enough space.

It is. Yes, there's flexibility here.

-Yes.

-Flexibility and convenience

because it connects through to a lovely bedroom.

-It's a Jack and Jill bathroom. Entrance from two ways.

-Yes.

-Lovely. Very sizeable.

-Lovely view out of the window.

Bright. It's a lovely big tick!

You're just uber-happy about everything.

-This is what I was hoping for.

-Yes.

Let's keep looking.

'The main part of the house has four double bedrooms.

'Next door is the smallest, but has a large window.

'Next to that is a larger double with en-suite.

'The final bedroom

'is no disappointment. Light floods in and it has a surprise, too.'

This is a lovely example of another of the bedrooms.

Three of the rooms come with their own bathrooms, one of which is down here.

When I say they come with their own bathrooms,

they don't skimp on the space!

A huge bathroom!

Yes. Yes. I can see Minty, longer term,

not at the moment at seven, but it won't be long

before she'll want her own bathroom.

She'd be spoilt for choice, wouldn't she?

You've almost forgotten all your other requirements!

"Yeah, we're really happy."

What about grandmother?

Well, we know, you said already there's part two.

We should investigate.

I think you should be the one to do it. Open that door there.

Ooh, close by.

Oh, wow!

Amazing!

Oh, yes!

Yes!

Bit of a surprise, hey?

This annexe housed in the old mill

could work brilliantly for when Helen's mum comes to stay.

She won't be cramped, either. There's a good-sized lounge,

a modern fitted kitchen,

a clean and tidy bathroom

and the bonus of two bedrooms.

And that's just the upstairs.

Heading downstairs is what I think could be Richard's domain.

There's a small room that's used as an office

and next door is a room which might suit Richard even better.

Much more your emporium!

Yes, definitely the kind of size I had in mind, yes.

In fact, you could take that wall down cos it's again plasterboard.

-Yes.

-And open up this whole section.

-Yes.

-OK.

-Really have your kingdom!

-Yes! Very much so.

Next door is another large room which connects with the utility room and kitchen in the family house.

I reckon it would make a good play area for the children.

And I haven't forgotten Richard's other need.

Ah, somewhere for my bikes!

Absolutely. We're now into your back yard. Somewhere for your bikes,

-double garage over there.

-Yes.

-And two potting sheds here.

So you've got choices.

The possibilities with this house are endless.

There's the opportunity to reinstate a mill-wheel to generate power to sell to the National Grid.

Now, it's all been so positive, hasn't it?

But there's always a drawback. And this is your garden.

-It's about half an acre.

-Right. Which is fine for us

but I'm thinking about the children and football and it's not a garden that suits that activity.

-Talking about this manor, let's have another look at it.

-Yes!

Just remind ourselves what's at stake here.

-Yes.

-The land, but the house.

-Yes.

You're inside for an awful lot of time, aren't you?

So how much would you pay for it?

It's extremely attractive.

So I'm going to plump for quite over budget - 800.

800? I think 775.

775.

It could help, though, if I tell you

it's on the market at £750,000.

-Right.

-It certainly puts it on serious consideration.

You had such positive feelings about the interior and there's so much to consider.

Off you go. Wander round at leisure and I'll catch up with you later.

At £750,000, this handsome property is on the money.

It has the Georgian-style architecture that appeals to them,

four double bedrooms, an annexe for Helen's mother,

and the all-important study for Richard.

But will it be their "forever" home?

It has everything that we want.

It's got a separate flat for Helen's mother,

the office would be ideal for me.

Snug area for the children, outbuildings for the bikes.

No, I think it's not beyond the realms of possibilities.

I love the house. The house, the number of rooms, sizes of the rooms

and the grandeur of them were superb.

It was very impressive

at 750.

Hi! Coming in for coffee?

You've moved in already? No, no. Coming out?

I know you've got a lot to think about after that house

but we're not done yet.

-There's more to see.

-Splendid.

It's in everyone's interest to preserve and look after our countryside.

When it comes to the environment, Somerset has an impeccable record.

This is the county that recycles the most in Britain. Not only that,

it's also found a way of turning a landfill site

into an environmental haven for wildlife,

as we're about to discover.

-Hello, Francis. This is Helen and Richard.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-Hi.

She's the chief executive of the Carymoor Environmental Trust.

-So all this is your domain?

-This is the edge of an active landfill site here.

But we manage the site over there where they've capped off the landfill.

We've got 100 acres of landfill where we created a nature reserve.

'This 13-year-old project is unique

and was born out of an idea by a group of environmentalists

who were keen to put the land to a secondary use.

The site has been divided up into different zones

to create experiments to attract wildlife.

-What would you attract here?

-You're on the edge of a butterfly site.

We brought in chalk to create these banks

to attract the wild flowers that attract different butterflies.

We've actually recorded 28 of the 57 species of butterfly

that are found in Britain.

The site also has another purpose.

We are an educational centre.

With the children visiting we show them how people in other parts of the world live.

This is a replica of part of a shanty town in Cruz Bay, Sierra Leone.

It was built on site using materials that had come in to be land-filled.

It allows us to show children that what we throw away

would be a resource for somebody somewhere else.

The full size shanty town

would have about 6,000 people living in it.

They would have two toilets between them.

It's a real eye-opener for the children to see this.

Hopefully with centres like this and everybody doing their bit,

we can start to use our resources much more wisely.

It's a very important message.

'It's been a thought-provoking trip for us all.

'I'm sure Richard and Helen will bring back their children

'to appreciate the need to care for our environment.'

As the last of the sun melts into the sky,

the first day of our property tour of Somerset is at an end.

Richard and Helen from Watford are looking to relocate to Somerset

for their chosen new schools for their children.

They have a budget of £750,000

but have an exhaustive list of requirements,

not least an annexe for Helen's mum.

So far, they've viewed one house, and coming up, the mystery house

has a door with double benefits.

It's an original prison door.

-Really?

-Yes!

-They're keeping us in rather than out!

It could keep out mother-in-law, actually! She won't get through there!

It's the start of another day's property hunting with Richard and Helen.

With their long list of criteria,

it was always going to be tricky finding the right property for their budget.

But after yesterday, it's clear that even with the right house,

land is still at the forefront of their minds.

So today, I think we need to tackle that head on.

We're heading a little further east this morning,

to the village of North Cheriton, 15 miles south of Shepton Mallet.

At 45 minutes, it's the longest commute to the children's school

but the property has the potential to be worth the compromise.

Nearby Wincanton sits close to the Dorset border

and is considered the gateway to Somerset.

Back in North Cheriton, we've answered their calls for more land.

So it makes sense that this is where we start.

After yesterday,

it's very clear that although the house is important, the land is too.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Take a look around.

How does that suit?

-Much better.

-Space to kick a ball.

Space to ride bikes. Just what we want, really.

-The plot's much better.

-The plot is good.

We can fulfil your wishes there. Let's take a look at the house.

-There's a lot of it.

-Good.

We'll go and explore.

-It also comes with that annexe there!

-Detached cottage!

I think we've got a lot that will fulfil your criteria.

It hasn't got the grandeur. But it's all about compromise.

And you picked up on the plot and the land!

That's the spirit, Helen!

It's all about compromise!

-But for now, let's get inside.

-OK.

So the land scores highly, but will they really be prepared to compromise?

This is the official entrance to the house.

The owners come in another door, more like a boot room.

You have a downstairs cloakroom.

-And it does lead straight in to a lovely little snug.

-It is.

-Yes.

-Very homely.

-Yes.

-It is.

It hasn't quite got that high ceilings feel to it,

but yeah, it's attractive.

-Certainly attractive.

-Attractive is good. Let's keep exploring.

Through here a lovely little but cosy sunroom

again giving views of the garden.

-Right.

-And the land beyond.

-I find this house continues to open up.

-Aha!

Yes. That's much more the idea. Kitchen.

Decent eating area,

but more casual. You can see the children there having high tea.

Just through that door is the utility space.

You could have a downstairs laundry.

-Right.

-See what other opportunities there are. So all you need now is somewhere to relax.

-Indeed.

-You've got the snug or you can come this way.

-OK.

So through here you've got plenty more living space.

-I love these French doors.

-Yes.

They go straight out onto a little patio area in your garden.

-Right.

-Through here is enough space for a big dining table.

-OK.

-That is nice, isn't it? It doesn't have the space, does it?

It doesn't have the elbow room.

It's just the three of us here and we're looking round

and yet we're still all not quite on top of each other

but taking care of where we're going.

-But we're at that issue of compromise, aren't we?

-Indeed.

Let's have a look and reserve judgement.

Open-minded.

Open-minded. Right, we're heading this way.

'I don't think this house is grabbing their attention

'but it has lots to offer. There are five bedrooms over the next two floors.

First stop is the family bathroom on the first floor.

-Here we have a very generous family bathroom.

-That's nice.

-Yes.

-Not bad?

-Yes, much more generous.

-It's very practical.

And roomy enough, I was thinking, to be used as a laundry room.

-Because behind you here is all this cupboard space.

-Right.

If it's really important to you to have an upstairs laundry.

I think it's a lovely bathroom as it stands, to be frank.

-I don't think I would interfere.

-Good! Compromise. Do the laundry downstairs!

It's fine!

Let's have a look at the master.

And the master bedroom.

-Very bright.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Bright, roomy, built-in cupboards all the way round. Would this do for you?

-Yeah, I think so.

-I think you're right - it will do.

-It's not really blowing us away.

-Not grand enough?

It does come with an en-suite, if that helps. I don't know.

Let's have a look.

-This is nice.

-The en-suite is nice.

They're not skimping on the en-suite.

Cast-iron bath, separate shower.

That's more fitting.

There's elbow room.

Space, elbow room, land, space for mum, office...

I can see why it's taken so long!

But I'm determined to get you to focus and work out where the compromise is

by the end of this journey.

Next to the master bedroom, two further double bedrooms

and on the next floor, two more bedrooms that are connected.

One is used as a study, but I have a better idea for Richard's needs outside.

The fabulous cottage we caught a glimpse of earlier would be ideal for Helen's mum.

There's a lounge, kitchen, cloakroom and two upstairs bedrooms.

Next door is a garage, which I'm thinking Richard could convert into an office.

The bikes haven't been forgotten, either.

There's another outhouse ready to go.

All in all, this property sits in about an acre of land.

You've got the half-acre paddock,

this lovely sloped garden here

and this could be yours.

-So, the land, the house, space for the in-laws.

-Yes.

-Potential for an office.

-Potential.

What's the price?

Um...

I would say 675.

Um, I would say...

not a lot more. 685.

685. So a lot lower.

Actually, it's on the market at 749,950.

-OK.

-So right at the top end of your budget.

-Yes.

-You've guessed a lot lower. What do you feel?

Maybe we haven't given due credence to the paddock actually thrown in.

-Yes.

-As such. But...

-It's a central village location.

Have another wander round the house and see would you make that compromise on the house

-for the land. It's a great village. Or does it need to be the other way round?

-OK.

Now they're thinking, yes, the land is important,

but it comes at a price, particularly in such a popular county as Somerset.

The £749,950 price tag came as a bit of a shock for Richard and Helen.

But it's a fantastic family home that caters to their needs.

A large family-style kitchen,

four double bedrooms with master en-suite,

a two-bedroom cottage for Helen's mum,

a garage that could be converted into an office for Richard,

and it sits on a one-acre plot

including a paddock providing plenty of space for all they have in mind.

I do like this open-plan bit, this open area we've talked about,

-being visible to each other and yet having space.

-Yes.

-I can see that working.

-What about the land? Do we need it?

We're starting to think, aren't we? Um...

I don't know.

It's starting to put a big question mark over it.

It's a lovely house, but Helen did feel the ceilings were a bit low,

that some of the rooms were a bit dark,

with the cottage-type windows.

It has raised a very big question mark

over how important the land element is for us.

And I have to say that at the moment we're both veering towards

losing the land actually within the plot

and concentrating more on the house.

-Hello!

-Hi!

-It's a lovely garden. Absolutely gorgeous.

I know you've enjoyed looking around this home but it's not over yet.

-One more property to see.

-Ah, the mystery house.

Yes!

Sometimes on this show

you get the opportunity to walk around some truly exceptional properties.

The mystery house today is fun, quirky, unusual,

and it's certainly no exception.

I can reveal that the mystery house is in Bowlish,

a hamlet just outside Shepton Mallet

and only a ten-minute drive to the children's school.

The small market town made its money during the Middle Ages when it had a significant woollen industry.

In the 19th century brewing was important

with this brewery being the first in England to brew lager.

Having the amenities of a town on their doorstep

would surely be a bonus for Richard, Helen and family.

Back in Bowlish, our mystery house is a fine Grade II listed home.

But will it have that all-important feeling they're desperate for?

Now, this is all about your dream.

-Yes.

-A long-held dream!

How your family are going to live and how you want to move to the country.

For the mystery house, I wanted to show you a property where another family in your position came

-a long, long time ago and set up their very own dream.

-Gosh.

-And this is where they did it.

-OK.

-Certainly very impressive.

-Isn't it just?

-Has it got the presence you're looking for?

-Yes, it's got presence.

This area, Bowlish, was where the Huguenots settled,

the silk artisans, the French artisans. You can see the French influence.

-You can, yes.

-In this property.

-Definitely.

-Yes.

-For now,

-it's raining!

-Let's go!

-We have a house to look at. Let's go inside.

-Come on in. It's very warm and rustic.

-That's better!

-Comfy kitchen.

-Lovely, isn't it?

-It's quirky.

-Quirky, yeah.

-Definitely.

-Good?

-Very good.

-Positive vibes.

-Is it fitting in with your dream?

-Yes, I think so.

-So far. There's a bit more for you to show us.

-Yes, very much more.

Let's explore further. There's a lot to see.

One of the great things is the wonderful period features here.

-Into this room. Look at the Georgian windows, working shutters.

-Yes.

-Fantastic.

-Lots of character.

I love the big furniture they can fit in here. This room can take it.

-Yes.

-Very sturdy furniture.

-That's reassuring.

-What about the layout, how it flows from the kitchen

but it is a separate space.

-Yeah, the flow is good.

-You've still got a table in there.

Yes, which is fine for suppers and breakfasts if there's only a few of you around.

So although it's not open plan,

you've got eating on both sides.

It's a working family home, isn't it?

You can feel a family living here.

The children are about the same age as yours. They've grown up here.

Come down a bit further cos I want to show you another impressive feature.

The back of that door that we could see from the outside. Look at that!

-It's huge!

-Expecting invaders!

It's funny you should say that

-cos that is an original prison door.

-Really?

-Yes.

-Keeping us in rather than out!

I'm thinking of keeping out mother-in-law!

She'll never get through there!

Richard, I feel you're going to be in trouble with someone!

But you're right, it'll keep a lot out!

It keeps the warmth in as well. Come on through.

Through here more living space.

I know some of the things you wanted. Flowing through,

-space for the family to spread out yet be connected.

-Yes.

-What about this?

-This is working. Working very well.

-Very nice.

You've got space, without being on top of each other, for everybody to do their own thing.

Yes. It's very, very nice.

This house certainly has the grandeur they're seeking.

And it has five bedrooms over the next two floors.

The first floor has a family bathroom which isn't massive

but the double bedroom next door has its own en-suite,

which I'm sure Araminta would love.

And here's the master.

-Oh, yes.

-Gosh.

-Is this more befitting of the lady of the manor?

-Huge, isn't it?

-I think so, yes. I could live in this.

-Very good.

-Although there isn't an en-suite, you're next door to the family bathroom.

-Right.

-Very good.

'Upstairs again is a whole floor that could be dedicated to the children.

'They have the luxury of their own shower room

'then there are three good-sized rooms they can fight over.

'But panic not, I haven't forgotten Richard's study or Helen's mum,

'which is next on our tour.'

Of course, there had to be more to this property.

Through here's the kitchen, but I want you to head that way.

OK.

-It's a discovery.

-Whoa!

-Yes, yes.

-It's fantastic!

-Grandma's potting shed!

-Yes!

-Grandma's emporium, I think!

-Emporium is a better description!

She has her own bathroom out there, all this accommodation, kitchen,

-living room and a sun room.

-Sun room.

-And a patio.

-There's a garden out there.

-Excellent.

This is a real palace for Grandma.

Upstairs is a beautiful bedroom for her too.

The other two bedrooms up here could be set aside for Richard's needs.

-It's certainly plenty big enough.

-Good.

-Yeah.

Very light, spacious.

Have a knock at that wall. I think that could be taken down fairly easily,

opening up this space, provided you get the consent as it is Grade II listed.

You could open up this space. What a place to work!

It would be terrific. Very inspirational.

Fantastic. That's Grandma and Richard well sorted.

All that remains now is the outdoor space.

Round here, just for you, Helen...

..a chicken coop already!

-It isn't bad!

-It's a nice sizeable garden

considering we are on the edge of a town.

With all that in mind, it's time to have another look at our property.

Aha!

It's very grand, isn't it?

-It's quite large.

-It's large, it's grand, it's got presence!

Can you afford it, that's the question. How much do you think it is?

I think it's going to be rather pricey.

I would go for 775.

I think it's more than that.

I think it will be 799,950.

Da-da-da! She is spot on! The prize to the lady!

-You're joking!

-I'm not joking!

-799,950.

-Really?

I don't believe that!

-You get a lot of house for your money.

-Yes.

-Two houses for your money.

-Delivers everything you're looking for.

It has been on the market for a while and the price has dropped from 850.

-Right.

-Just dropped a little.

Right. Maybe a little bit more?

-You're a hard person!

-I am. I drive a hard bargain.

You do, but it's making you think that's the way to go.

Which is great. Go and have a wander around.

See how you'd fit your furniture in there if this was yours.

Work out how you'd find the extra money!

-I'll see you later.

-Thank you.

Result! They love the mystery house. It's a fantastic house.

The point is, it's a family home, created from a dream.

And this could fit their very own dream.

There's no doubt this mystery house, just shy of £800,000

has all the presence and grandeur they hanker for.

There's a family-style kitchen/diner,

five bedrooms, and an annexe for Helen's mum

which includes a large study area for Richard.

I can see this room being used for a lot more than just the dining room.

You've got the kitchen at one end

and the sitting room at the other end with the snug.

You'll have people passing through all the time.

I can see using the laptop, reading the newspaper,

at the dining room table which we couldn't do before.

It's got everything that we asked for, except for the land.

Um, it's grand, it's got the high ceilings,

but there isn't the land.

I think maybe that we'd stressed the land as an aspiration.

I think you were testing us to see how key a requirement that was.

It's different. It has got an awful lot of character.

It is making us think very, very hard.

Definitely major food for thought.

DOOR CREAKS AND GROANS

-That's a solid door, isn't it!

-A door-and-a-half!

So homely looking from out here.

We've seen all the properties now.

The weather's cleared up. I hope your minds have cleared up!

-Time to make some decisions.

-Indeed.

-OK.

We've managed to fulfil the vast majority of Richard and Helen's requirements for their budget.

But will their search for perfection exist for £750,000?

Making their escape to the country has been a long journey for Helen and Richard.

It's time to see if they've made a decision.

Helen and Richard, it's been a two-year search for your dream home.

In the last two days we've seen quite a lot of property.

-We started with the Georgian house.

-Oh, well, yes,

I'm sitting tall, I was happy.

I was very much at home in that house. I loved it.

It was a large, very imposing building. It had presence.

It was a house you could be justifiably proud of.

How did you feel about the outside space with that property?

The outside, unfortunately, was where it did fall apart for us.

It didn't really have open lawns

or open paddocks that the children could go out and play and cycle.

By the end of the first day, it became very apparent

-that the outside space and land was more of an issue for you.

-Yes.

So, what did you think about the house with the land?

The house itself was a little disappointing.

We felt a bit claustrophobic.

It's probably a bit mean to say, but we're spending a lot of money.

To make that what we're looking for, we'd have to do a lot to it.

Well, there are a lot of separate elements to your requirements.

Finding a property that would give you all that was going to be difficult.

But let's talk about the mystery house.

It was a good surprise, definitely.

I think what started to happen

is that the land has become...

something that we can think about over time.

It's become apparent to me, I think,

that the accommodation, where we're going to be, as a family with extended family is important.

-That's what we want to continue, this happy home.

-Yes.

Grandma would be very well accommodated!

We'll never get rid of her!

LAUGHTER

Well, lots of opportunities, lots of properties.

Lots of options, which is what you want. But have you made any decisions?

The favourite house out of the properties you showed us was the mystery house.

So the decision is that we're gonna go and have a look at that again.

Good. I'm glad we helped you along the journey a little.

That's what we love to do.

We're pleased we've helped you along your way.

It's been two years in the making!

Time is of the essence. With any luck, it won't be long before you make your move to Somerset.

-Hope so.

-Thank you so much for everything that everyone has done.

It's been brilliant. It's helped us to focus at a time when we need to.

-We really appreciate it. Thank you.

-Pleasure. Thank you.

Somerset is a wonderful county

of mystery, myths and legends.

Hopefully we've helped Helen and Richard to find their happy ending.

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

The latest from Richard and Helen is that they did return to the mystery house

but they've had an offer accepted on a Victorian property near the small town of Frome.

If you would like to escape to the country

and need our help, please contact us through our website:

Subtitles by Moira Diamond Red Bee Media - 2009