0:00:01 > 0:00:03Today, I'm in a county home to this,
0:00:03 > 0:00:06one of the best-preserved Tudor manor houses in the country,
0:00:06 > 0:00:10and a place that the last five centuries seem to have passed by.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13So which undisturbed corner of the country am I in?
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Find out in just a moment.
0:00:28 > 0:00:33Today we're under starter's orders to find dream pads with paddocks
0:00:33 > 0:00:36for a couple wanting to gallop into the countryside.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39And the competition is fierce.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42- Pressure's on, Frank, isn't it? Up your game.- Oh, boy.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45We may even back a winner.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48- This is what I've always wanted. - This is it.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54Today I'm in Cornwall, and this is Cotehele House,
0:00:54 > 0:00:59home to the same family from 1485 to 1947.
0:00:59 > 0:01:04Like many of us, they didn't get round to many home improvements.
0:01:04 > 0:01:09But that's our gain, as what you see is an immaculately preserved medieval building,
0:01:09 > 0:01:11just flaunting its history.
0:01:11 > 0:01:15But what makes this place so special isn't just the ancient bricks and mortar.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18The entire estate is on the east bank of the River Tamar,
0:01:18 > 0:01:22whose valley forms a fertile border between Devon and Cornwall.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26As you travel deeper into the Cornish county,
0:01:26 > 0:01:28you'll find it's one that delights and inspires
0:01:28 > 0:01:30at every twist and every turn.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Set in the extreme southwest corner of England,
0:01:37 > 0:01:41Cornwall has a real sense of seclusion from the rest of the country,
0:01:41 > 0:01:45sharing just one county border, with Devon.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Historically, Cornwall lays claim to a strong Celtic heritage
0:01:48 > 0:01:52that developed when ancient Britons were pushed to the country's edges
0:01:52 > 0:01:55by the invading Romans.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Mining was the main occupation of the Cornish people for centuries,
0:01:58 > 0:02:03and the remains of its industrial past can be found across the landscape.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06But Cornish riches aren't limited to those underground.
0:02:06 > 0:02:12The lush, dramatic scenery is pounded by more than 300 miles of captivating coastline,
0:02:12 > 0:02:14dotted with fishing villages tucked into the cliffs
0:02:14 > 0:02:19and creating perfect locations for a once-infamous smuggling trade.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22But the smugglers who once harried the coves are long gone,
0:02:22 > 0:02:27leaving some five million tourists who come to enjoy this fascinating county every year.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32For most of the UK, the property market kicks off in springtime.
0:02:32 > 0:02:38But here in Cornwall, with the highest proportion of second homes in the UK, eight per cent,
0:02:38 > 0:02:41things are quite different. In the autumn,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43second homes flood onto the market,
0:02:43 > 0:02:48their owners having spent one last holiday here before moving the house on.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52Some are in prime locations, just like this.
0:02:52 > 0:02:54So, as the leaves begin to fall,
0:02:54 > 0:02:56now is a fantastic time to start a property search,
0:02:56 > 0:03:02especially since house prices down here are just five per cent above the national average.
0:03:02 > 0:03:08With that in mind, take a look at these fantastic properties currently on the market.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13If you can stretch your budget to £599,000,
0:03:13 > 0:03:18you can get your hands on this grand four-bedroom, 18th-century farmhouse in St Neot.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22Or in the small hamlet of Lower Treween,
0:03:22 > 0:03:27this listed four-bed cottage is on the market for £450,000.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33Lastly, £250,000 is the price of the central terrace
0:03:33 > 0:03:35of this two-bed barn conversion
0:03:35 > 0:03:37in Ludgvan.
0:03:37 > 0:03:42With Cornwall's enticing mix of stunning coast and inland scenery,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45it's little wonder why few are able to resist its charms.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49The county certainly has its hooks firmly in today's buyers.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55After 14 years of marriage, Frank and Sue are desperate to break free
0:03:55 > 0:03:57not from each other, but from
0:03:57 > 0:04:00their busy town life in Christchurch, Dorset.
0:04:00 > 0:04:05They're focused on finding some rural harmony in the Cornish countryside,
0:04:05 > 0:04:09together with their dogs and two horses, Chad and Tear.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Now is a good time for us to move.
0:04:11 > 0:04:16We're a rural couple struggling to cope in an urban environment.
0:04:16 > 0:04:21I'm finding it difficult to split my time between the horses
0:04:21 > 0:04:23and the dogs and my work.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27We go to Cornwall four times a year and people remember you.
0:04:27 > 0:04:32I've lived in Christchurch for 65 years and I can walk through the town on market day
0:04:32 > 0:04:35and I don't see anybody I know.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39So what's the missing element they're hoping to discover in Cornwall?
0:04:39 > 0:04:43Our move is driven by our requirement for two acres of land
0:04:43 > 0:04:45to keep our animals.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48The horses are a few miles away from home
0:04:48 > 0:04:51so we don't get to spend much time with them.
0:04:52 > 0:04:57Chad is 32 years old now. He deserves a happy retirement.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01No doubt land for the horses is a top priority,
0:05:01 > 0:05:03but what about the house?
0:05:03 > 0:05:07What we need from the house is a minimum of two bedrooms,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10kitchen, bathroom, living room
0:05:10 > 0:05:13and we wouldn't mind open-plan living.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17I would like a barn conversion or a traditional cottage.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19I wouldn't mind something more modern,
0:05:19 > 0:05:23- but we are prepared to compromise. - Yes.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26We'd never buy a thatched property.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30We're not looking for anything where there would be complete renovation.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32We're prepared to do some work,
0:05:32 > 0:05:37and we would like a property that has some outbuildings with potential.
0:05:37 > 0:05:43Outbuildings would be a bonus, as they're hoping a change of scene will spark new opportunities.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47When we move, I hope to set up my dog-grooming business again
0:05:47 > 0:05:51and also provide a pet-sitting service for the locals.
0:05:51 > 0:05:53We'd like to buy another horse
0:05:53 > 0:05:59so that Frank can come out riding with me, and we'd like to walk the dogs together.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03And I would like to do a bit more research into the possibility
0:06:03 > 0:06:05of having alpacas.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09With a host of four-legged friends to cater for,
0:06:09 > 0:06:12will it be the house or the land that ranks the highest?
0:06:12 > 0:06:15To me, the land is the most important,
0:06:15 > 0:06:21and I realise we may have to make compromises due to our budget.
0:06:21 > 0:06:26They've just accepted an offer of £275,000 on their current house.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30So what is their final figure for freedom?
0:06:30 > 0:06:36If the property ticks all our boxes we would pay up to £350,000.
0:06:42 > 0:06:47So, Frank and Sue want to escape their urban coop for some free-range living,
0:06:47 > 0:06:50not just for themselves but for their horses too.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54I think it's a smart move leaving pricey Dorset for Cornwall,
0:06:54 > 0:06:56especially if they're after some land.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00And I'm happy to hear they're prepared to compromise,
0:07:00 > 0:07:05as they seem to want an awful lot for a fairly limited budget of £350,000.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07Let's see what we can find them.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13Property prices in Cornwall are significantly cheaper inland.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17So for the best chance of finding what our buyers want,
0:07:17 > 0:07:21we're going to focus our search on the quiet villages inland,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24from Launceston in the east to Truro in the west.
0:07:24 > 0:07:29I'll be showing Frank and Sue round some great homes to suit them,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31their horses and their hounds.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33But I won't reveal the price
0:07:33 > 0:07:37until they've had a chance to take everything in.
0:07:37 > 0:07:43Finally, there's the mystery property, which will take them right out of their comfort zone.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Welcome to a misty morning in Cornwall.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50So, a house with land...
0:07:50 > 0:07:55We all want that, especially if we're going to make this big escape to the country.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59But land comes at a premium when it's attached to a house.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01What's the most important thing for you?
0:08:01 > 0:08:05House, or the land for the horses?
0:08:05 > 0:08:10Suitable land for the horses, because we can always do alterations to the house.
0:08:10 > 0:08:15Oh, to be a horse! Horse lovers always put the horses first, don't they?
0:08:15 > 0:08:17Yeah, you have to be dedicated.
0:08:17 > 0:08:21You've been here many times. Have you got a favourite area?
0:08:21 > 0:08:26Near Bodmin would be fine, or the Luxulyan Valley.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28How far west can you go?
0:08:28 > 0:08:30No further west than Truro.
0:08:30 > 0:08:35- It starts to get a bit remote when you go further west than Truro.- OK.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37The first property's lined up. Let's take a look.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39- Great.- Lovely.- Follow me.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45For a top budget of £350,000,
0:08:45 > 0:08:49we're on a hunt for a two-bedroom country property.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53The jury's out on its style, as Sue likes modern and Frank prefers traditional.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56But they're both agreed on a rural setting.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Room to house Sue's dog-grooming business would be a plus.
0:09:00 > 0:09:05Land is the key factor as they need two acres for their horses.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11I won't ask who wears the trousers,
0:09:11 > 0:09:16but who's most likely to get excited in a house out of you two?
0:09:17 > 0:09:21In the house it'll probably be me. Outside the house, it'll be Sue.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Right, OK.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25He would like a nice kitchen.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28- He does a lovely roast-beef dinner. - Ooh!
0:09:30 > 0:09:32We kick off our search in east Cornwall.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35We're heading five miles northwest of Launceston
0:09:35 > 0:09:37to the village of North Petherwin.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41Surrounded by open country and fields with cattle grazing,
0:09:41 > 0:09:45North Petherwin is a small village with a thatched pub and a grand parish church,
0:09:45 > 0:09:49parts of which date back to the Norman period.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52About three miles outside the village is our first property,
0:09:52 > 0:09:57a late-Victorian cottage that lies on a quiet country lane.
0:09:57 > 0:10:02I like the look. It's traditional. It looks up together.
0:10:02 > 0:10:04Good. Up together sounds like something good.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07- Yeah.- Not a lot of work.
0:10:07 > 0:10:12One thing I want to point out. This shows how rural the area is.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15They sell their own eggs here.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17They just have an honesty box.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21- Good idea. We'd like to keep that up, wouldn't we?- Yeah.- Good.
0:10:21 > 0:10:26- You have to keep some chickens. - Yeah, that'd be good. - Alpacas don't lay eggs.
0:10:26 > 0:10:32- Well...- No, that's true. - Is that news to you?- That's true. - Let's look inside.- OK.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36In a wonderfully rural location,
0:10:36 > 0:10:40this cottage was built in 1881,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43with a modern extension added in the '90s.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Okey-doke, come right in.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48So, living room first off.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51A meeting of old and maybe new dimensions.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53What do you think?
0:10:53 > 0:10:54It's a good-size room.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Yes, spacious room
0:10:56 > 0:11:00- and it's got the wood burner you've always wanted.- That's right.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03It's so old, this cottage is,
0:11:03 > 0:11:07but you've got a good-size room in here.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09It's a good-size room, I like it.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11It's got this olde-worlde look about it
0:11:11 > 0:11:14but it's nice and bright.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18There's planning permission to knock down the storeroom
0:11:18 > 0:11:21and build a large, single-storey extension,
0:11:21 > 0:11:24very useful for Sue's dog-grooming business.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27But next up is the most important room for Frank.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31OK, now the kitchen, I'm hoping, will certainly be
0:11:31 > 0:11:33big enough for you. Frank?
0:11:33 > 0:11:36It's wonderful. I love the range and the island unit.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39Four ovens. What are you going to cook on there?
0:11:39 > 0:11:41More than I'm cooking now.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45- Pressure's on, Frank, isn't it? Up your game.- Oh, boy.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48One reason there's so much space in here
0:11:48 > 0:11:51is because you've got a utility, so all the white goods are out of the way,
0:11:51 > 0:11:53which is a real bonus.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57It's bigger than what we've got. This could work for me.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01As we walk through, we're coming back to the future.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04That was built in 1881, this is 1995.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06This next bit is 2007. Follow me.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11It's very nice, isn't it?
0:12:11 > 0:12:12Nice south-facing position.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15- A real addition to a house, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18- It'll be nice to have all our friends round.- Brilliant.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22It's great to see Sue and Frank picturing themselves living here.
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Let's see if they'll be at home on the first floor.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31Upstairs, the bright, modern family bathroom serves two of the bedrooms -
0:12:31 > 0:12:35a single room and a perfectly pink-decorated double room.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38This is the master bedroom.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Initially it doesn't seem as big because downstairs is bigger.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46Yeah. Plenty of room in here, though.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49- Good enough for a double bed. - Yeah, and I notice
0:12:49 > 0:12:54- it's got the en-suite bathroom. - Nice view out the window of the countryside.
0:12:54 > 0:12:55All very positive.
0:12:55 > 0:12:59- So... so far...- So good, yeah.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03I like it. I can see ourselves in here.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05I'd have no problem living here.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08So, a resounding thumbs-up for the property.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12But Sue's focus is the land, so let's see if it's up to scratch.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15The extensive back garden is mostly laid to lawn,
0:13:15 > 0:13:20with a vegetable patch, a chicken coop and an original stone piggery.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24As for the horses, will two tree-lined paddocks surrounded by fields be suitable?
0:13:24 > 0:13:27- What do we think?- Wonderful.
0:13:27 > 0:13:31- Do we?- Yeah. I love the way it slopes away from you,
0:13:31 > 0:13:36because the horses will hang around by the gate waiting for their food.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40It's best if it drains away, or they trash the ground
0:13:40 > 0:13:44and end up up to the knees in mud, so I like that about it.
0:13:44 > 0:13:49You've got, all in all, a plot size of around two-and-a-half acres.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- It goes right down... See the tree line?- Yes.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56- Right down to the bottom of those trees.- Oh.- Wow.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59We've had pretty good reactions all round the house,
0:13:59 > 0:14:01and now outside on the land.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05- Yeah.- Yes. We've definitely got a good feel for it.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08I'm getting good vibes from both of you guys.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11- Let's have a go at guessing the price.- Oh.
0:14:11 > 0:14:17How much do you think this house is on the market for, Sue?
0:14:17 > 0:14:19355,000.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- OK.- I'll go more than that.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24I think it's going to be about 380.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26Well, it's split the camp.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30When this property came on the market, it came on at 385.
0:14:30 > 0:14:35But it's now been reduced to offers around £365,000.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39- So in your haggle zone if you like. - It's certainly worth considering.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42I wouldn't mind having a second viewing.
0:14:42 > 0:14:43There we go, then.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46- That's promising, isn't it? - It's a good start.- Yeah.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49- First property, big tick. - Yeah.- Yeah.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54Just over budget at £365,000,
0:14:54 > 0:14:57this residential small holding has got us off to a great start,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00comprising of a late-19th-century 3-bed cottage
0:15:00 > 0:15:03with a large kitchen/breakfast room.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07Outside, the grounds cover some 2.5 acres with two paddocks,
0:15:07 > 0:15:10which makes one apiece for the horses.
0:15:10 > 0:15:15- The dogs could have a good run. - Yeah, it's all nicely enclosed.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17They could be out here all day with us.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21I thought it was lovely. I liked the location.
0:15:21 > 0:15:22I need to do some homework,
0:15:22 > 0:15:26find out what sort of off-road riding there is around here
0:15:26 > 0:15:29and then maybe give it a second viewing.
0:15:29 > 0:15:34My favourite bit of the house was the kitchen. Could I do some baking!
0:15:34 > 0:15:38- Are these satisfied faces I see? - Pleasantly surprised.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42- Good, as I am with your reactions. Shall we go?- Yeah.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53With its breathtaking coastline and stunning scenery,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57Cornwall attracts four million tourists every year.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59But away from the delights of the surf and turf,
0:15:59 > 0:16:03this county was once home to a much tougher industry, mining,
0:16:03 > 0:16:07providing the majority of the country's tin and copper.
0:16:08 > 0:16:11During the week, Frank and Sue headed to Carclaze Mine
0:16:11 > 0:16:13near St Austell,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16once the largest open tin mine in the world.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19Mining expert Ivor Bowditch was on hand to tell them more
0:16:19 > 0:16:22about the wealth beneath the soil.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25We know over the long history of concentrated mining,
0:16:25 > 0:16:28probably somewhere in the order of 200 years,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31some thousands of tons were produced.
0:16:31 > 0:16:37The sheer value of the mined material, at today's value, half a billion pounds,
0:16:37 > 0:16:39that's a lot of money's worth of metal.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43What were the working conditions like for the miners?
0:16:43 > 0:16:46Extremely poor by today's standards.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48The mines were dangerous, very damp.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51The workers worked long hours
0:16:51 > 0:16:52with little light.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54The average life
0:16:54 > 0:16:56of a miner was pretty grim.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59You didn't get much past your mid-30s in the early days.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04By the mid-19th century, cheaper ores from abroad
0:17:04 > 0:17:07sent Cornish metal mines into massive decline.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11However, Carclaze was found to contain huge quantities of China clay,
0:17:11 > 0:17:17so from the 1860s, clay mining took over as the area's principal industry.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22By 1860, 65,000 tons of white clay were being mined each year.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26The village and port of Charlestown in St Austell Bay was purpose-built
0:17:26 > 0:17:29to serve the new thriving industry,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32exporting the product throughout the world.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36- What is China clay used for? - 50 per cent goes into paper,
0:17:36 > 0:17:3830 per cent to our oldest industry, ceramics,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42everything from fine porcelain to industrial applications,
0:17:42 > 0:17:47and the rest into products like paint, rubber, plastics, sealants, adhesives, medicines.
0:17:47 > 0:17:54Every day we probably either touch something or take something that contains China clay.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58White clay was first used in China more than 10,000 years ago
0:17:58 > 0:18:02to make fine porcelain, which was highly sought-after in Europe.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06So the Cornish discovery in the mid-1700s of a similar clay product
0:18:06 > 0:18:09by the Quaker pharmacist William Cookworthy
0:18:09 > 0:18:12was a real breakthrough for the county economy.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15Remarkably, Charlestown has largely escaped development,
0:18:15 > 0:18:17and remains a working port
0:18:17 > 0:18:21with tall ships regularly at anchor in the Grade-II-listed harbour.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24And as one of the most preserved places on the Cornish coast,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27visitors can transport themselves back in time
0:18:27 > 0:18:29a couple of hundred years.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39For our next house,
0:18:39 > 0:18:43we're travelling to Roche in the centre of the county.
0:18:43 > 0:18:46The village gets its name from Roche Rock, a granite outcrop
0:18:46 > 0:18:50featuring the ruins of a 15th-century chapel precariously perched on top.
0:18:50 > 0:18:54Roche also has a parish church with medieval tower.
0:18:54 > 0:18:59But it's the neighbouring Goss Moor National Nature Reserve that should excite our buyers,
0:18:59 > 0:19:03covering nearly 500 hectares of mostly flat moorland,
0:19:03 > 0:19:05ideal for horseriding.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10The property is part of an agricultural community,
0:19:10 > 0:19:13and is rurally situated on the outskirts of the village.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19I think from this garden, you get a better look at the house,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21and how quite attractive it is, as well.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24- Wow, it's really nice. - Yes. It looks sort of
0:19:24 > 0:19:29as if it's fairly modern, built in a traditional style.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31I hope it will please you both.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34I like the granite lintels over the windows.
0:19:34 > 0:19:39Well, the majority of the house is some 300-odd years old.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42But it's been vastly modernized and extended
0:19:42 > 0:19:45to what you see today.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49So you get your old cottage, and you get your modern interiors.
0:19:49 > 0:19:50Let's go inside, come on.
0:20:01 > 0:20:02Right, first things first.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06This house is obviously unfurnished, it's empty,
0:20:06 > 0:20:11- so I'll need you to use your imaginations when we walk around here.- OK.
0:20:11 > 0:20:16Our first room we come to is a little ante-room or snug.
0:20:16 > 0:20:18You've got an open fireplace there,
0:20:18 > 0:20:22which leads into a much bigger room just through here.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28- Oh, I like this.- Is this the lounge?
0:20:28 > 0:20:32- If you want it to be, yeah. - Then that could be the dining room.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35- OK, that works, doesn't it? - Either way, yeah.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- I think we could cope quite well in here.- Yeah, yeah.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41It seems to have a homely feel.
0:20:41 > 0:20:47That's good, because it's difficult to put that into someone's mind in an empty property.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49But you're feeling a vibe here.
0:20:49 > 0:20:54Yeah. It's a tidy-looking place, yet it's olde-worlde as well.
0:20:54 > 0:20:58Great stuff. Let's see what you make of the kitchen, through here.
0:20:59 > 0:21:06You've got a utility room through there and a ground-floor bathroom next door. Now Frank,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09this is your domain. What do you think?
0:21:09 > 0:21:14I like it. It's a lovely kitchen. Not as big as the last one we saw,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17but it's workable.
0:21:17 > 0:21:21I could even get Sue interested in doing the washing-up,
0:21:21 > 0:21:28because she's always wanted to see the horses out the kitchen window, and what better view could she get?
0:21:28 > 0:21:31- You could feed them a carrot over the sink.- Certainly could.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34You get a very different style to this house.
0:21:34 > 0:21:38- It feels connected with the outside a bit more, doesn't it?- Yes.
0:21:38 > 0:21:44Is there anything in this house on the downstairs that you'd like to see that you haven't yet seen?
0:21:46 > 0:21:51Somewhere you can kick off your boots and hang your coat.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55- You want that in the country.- Yeah. - You've got a boot room there.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58Stable door, another part of the extension.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01It's got heating, so you get your muddy boots off there,
0:22:01 > 0:22:03into the rest of the house.
0:22:03 > 0:22:08That wraps up the ground floor and I think we're hitting all the right notes.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12In the corner of the lounge, the stairs lead up to the sleeping quarters,
0:22:12 > 0:22:16where there are two light double rooms, one with built-in wardrobes
0:22:16 > 0:22:19and down the landing is the third bedroom.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25So the master bedroom, like the first property, is en-suite.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28- That's rather nice, isn't it?- Mm.
0:22:28 > 0:22:29Nice bright room.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33I'm just visualizing our pine furniture here.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Pine would certainly go with this home.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40What does that smirk mean?
0:22:40 > 0:22:43I... I just like the place, that it's all up together.
0:22:43 > 0:22:47We could spend time outside. We could be straight in.
0:22:47 > 0:22:51That's one happy customer mentally packing his bags to move in.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56Which just leaves Sue, and I've got the perfect place for pet pampering,
0:22:56 > 0:22:58back outside in the garden.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Just want to have a quick peek in here.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07It's laid out as an office at the moment.
0:23:08 > 0:23:13- Dogs?- Yeah, this would make a superb dog-grooming workshop.
0:23:13 > 0:23:18Which means you don't have to encroach on your own living space.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22With the pooches sorted, it's just the horses left,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25and they'll be well catered for here,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28as this place comes with its own stable yard.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30There are three timber stables and a feed store,
0:23:30 > 0:23:35alongside three hedged and fenced paddocks, as well as two field shelters.
0:23:35 > 0:23:41Now I'm hoping for both of you, this is your equestrian dream.
0:23:41 > 0:23:44- I mean, look around.- Yeah.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47- This is what I've always wanted. - This is it.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49It's fantastic.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52- Just under two acres this time. - Mm-hm.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55But maybe slightly better configured.
0:23:55 > 0:23:56Yes, I...
0:23:56 > 0:23:59- That's our compromise.- Yeah.
0:23:59 > 0:24:03I think we could manage it if we made use of the stables.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05After seeing the first property,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07how much would you like to pay for this one?
0:24:07 > 0:24:10360,000.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13- Frank?- Bit lower than that, 340.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17It's on the market for 350.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20So you're there or thereabouts. What do you think?
0:24:20 > 0:24:23Pretty good. We might need a second viewing.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25That's two second viewings.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28- Excellent.- I could really feel at home here.- Yeah.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30Have a think about
0:24:30 > 0:24:35not only the land, but what you could do with these stables and how you could make it work.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Catch you later on.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42Bang on budget at £350,000,
0:24:42 > 0:24:47our second offering is right on the money when it comes to Sue and Frank's wish list.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50The delightful 3-bedroom house offers modern living
0:24:50 > 0:24:54packaged up in a traditional building.
0:24:54 > 0:24:57The grounds extend to just under two acres,
0:24:57 > 0:25:00and include three paddocks and a stable yard.
0:25:00 > 0:25:05I thought it was lovely. It looked like a nice, bright, cheerful little house.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09I can imagine all our bits and pieces all around. It really felt like home.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12I can see myself living in this house.
0:25:12 > 0:25:17All we would have to do is bring our furniture and personal possessions,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19and I know exactly where they would go.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22I think the land here is perfectly adequate.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Not as much of it as the first place.
0:25:24 > 0:25:30But it's got some lovely stables and it's got two shelters.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32So...
0:25:32 > 0:25:36- You're the one who's going to have to deal with it. I do the cooking.- Yeah.
0:25:36 > 0:25:40- Here they are. All done in there? - Yes, thank you.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42So, successful day?
0:25:42 > 0:25:46Yes. It's got better as the day's gone on, and it started well.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49It feels like it's gone pretty well. I'm quite chuffed.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53Let's get out of here and find somewhere for a chat.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05With the moon rising over the Cornish landscape,
0:26:05 > 0:26:08the first day of our house quest ends on a real high.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15On a budget of £350,000,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18we're on a hunt for a remote Cornish home
0:26:18 > 0:26:22to unite Dorset-based Frank and Sue with their two horses.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26So far, they've seen two great equestrian properties.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Pretty good. We might need a second viewing.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32That's two second viewings.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Still to come, we'll be sweetening them up with the mystery house.
0:26:36 > 0:26:42I can just tap on the window and get him to bring my hot chocolate up.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46You may have noticed yesterday
0:26:46 > 0:26:51that although Frank and Sue said it was the land that was important, not the houses,
0:26:51 > 0:26:57once inside, I got some fantastic reactions, especially in the second property.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01They used their imagination, even though the house was completely empty.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04So today, let's hope they're equally open-minded,
0:27:04 > 0:27:08because they'll need to be, for the mystery house.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13Do we have to keep our eyes closed?
0:27:13 > 0:27:16- I know my way around here well. - Do you?
0:27:16 > 0:27:21- Tell me when you're out of your comfort zone. - We've got a way to go to Truro.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25We've got plenty of petrol in the tank, so wait and see.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27I hope Frank and Sue are sitting comfortably,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30as we're travelling into southern Cornwall,
0:27:30 > 0:27:33where our final destination is Carn Entral,
0:27:33 > 0:27:36quite a bit further west than they had anticipated.
0:27:36 > 0:27:41Our mystery house presents a slice of rural Cornwall at its best,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43with green, rolling hills in one direction
0:27:43 > 0:27:47and incredible, far-reaching views out to the north coast
0:27:47 > 0:27:49and St Ives in the other.
0:27:49 > 0:27:53Carn Entral is home to some of the best bridal ways in the county,
0:27:53 > 0:27:57and for the ultimate Cornish trek, Gwithian Beach is nearby,
0:27:57 > 0:28:00with miles of golden sand to ride on.
0:28:00 > 0:28:05So far we've found enough land for the horses, but not Frank's alpacas,
0:28:05 > 0:28:09so we're hoping that heading out west will offer the solution.
0:28:09 > 0:28:14And the house itself is an old Victorian miner's cottage.
0:28:14 > 0:28:15What are your thoughts?
0:28:15 > 0:28:18- I like the look of that. - It looks good from outside.
0:28:18 > 0:28:20Is it all up together, Frank?
0:28:20 > 0:28:22It looks good from here.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25- Can't wait to see the inside. - Let's do just that.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30This typical Cornish cottage is chock-full of character,
0:28:30 > 0:28:32and dates back to the late 1800s.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35We're starting the tour in the kitchen.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43Quite a different kind of kitchen than we've seen so far.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48Yeah, I like it, actually. It's quite quirky, isn't it?
0:28:48 > 0:28:52We are standing in what used to be the outside of the house.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55So there is the old outside wall, you can see the old window.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59- It's stone. High ceilings, aren't they?- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02- It is different. All very workable. - Yeah.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06But we're not using superlatives
0:29:06 > 0:29:09for this kitchen at the moment.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12What do you think, Sue? What's going through your mind?
0:29:12 > 0:29:14I quite like it, actually. It's erm...
0:29:15 > 0:29:19It's got plenty of storage space. and everything, and erm...
0:29:19 > 0:29:21It's quite a pretty little kitchen.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25All right. This is a muted start, I think.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27Let's see what you think of the living room.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Hopefully things will get better there. Follow me.
0:29:34 > 0:29:39The living room, by the looks of it, used to be maybe two rooms.
0:29:39 > 0:29:40What's your thoughts?
0:29:40 > 0:29:43- It's lovely. - It's lovely, this.- Yeah.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47- Spacious.- I like the stone walls and the beams.- Yeah.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51- All done very tastefully. - Feels solid this house, doesn't it?
0:29:51 > 0:29:53- Look at these walls! - Stand for 1,000 years.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56- Really impressive, isn't it? - Yeah, oh, gosh.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58It's lovely, very homely-looking.
0:30:00 > 0:30:06Next to the sitting room is a cosy conservatory overlooking the back garden and water feature.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08The ground floor also has a second reception room,
0:30:08 > 0:30:14referred to as the third bedroom, as well as a handsome navy-tiled family bathroom.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17That's the ground floor, so it's back to the kitchen
0:30:17 > 0:30:20to take the stairs up to the other two bedrooms.
0:30:20 > 0:30:26So up on the first floor, they've cleverly used the eaves for the dog's bedroom.
0:30:26 > 0:30:28Oh, that's clever.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31Two bedrooms on this level. This is the master.
0:30:31 > 0:30:34- Nice, isn't it? - Yeah, it's really nice, actually.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36Nice cosy little room.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39- I like the exposed stone.- Yeah.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43It feels quirky. For a bog-standard miner's cottage, what they've done,
0:30:43 > 0:30:48I like the storage space, almost like a minstrel gallery,
0:30:48 > 0:30:52and the window into the kitchen. Shout your orders through, Sue.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55Yeah, I can just tap on the window
0:30:55 > 0:30:59and get him to bring my hot chocolate up.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01There you go.
0:31:01 > 0:31:05Across the hallway is another characterful double bedroom.
0:31:05 > 0:31:10That's the house tour complete. Time to size up what's outside.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14You've got a selection of outbuildings.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16I don't know how you like to arrange these.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19You've got a decent-size stable, a lean-to
0:31:19 > 0:31:22and you've got that shed, so you tell me
0:31:22 > 0:31:23what you'd use those for.
0:31:23 > 0:31:26I'd use that as the dog-grooming workshop.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28- Would it be big enough? - Yeah, it would.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31It doesn't have to be that big.
0:31:32 > 0:31:37That takes care of business. Let's finish up with the land.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41Now you've got a whole arrangement of paddocks here
0:31:42 > 0:31:45looking down over this valley, if you like.
0:31:45 > 0:31:50We've got a paddock across the driveway, a paddock here which is yours.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55Next door as well, but also going up, and it flattens out up there.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59Now the owner has something like four horses,
0:31:59 > 0:32:01- so easy enough for two.- Yeah.
0:32:01 > 0:32:06Or maybe alpacas. They could cope with this terrain.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10They're used to a bit of mountain climbing.
0:32:10 > 0:32:11Yes, quite.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13What's your thoughts?
0:32:13 > 0:32:16Erm... It's a nice lot of land. Erm...
0:32:16 > 0:32:18But it's quite steep.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22I'm worried my 32-year-old might go for a roll
0:32:22 > 0:32:25and go rolling right down the hill.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29These horses here are getting on a bit as well.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33It's flatter up there, but that's something to bear in mind, of course.
0:32:33 > 0:32:38But you do have just under four acres of land here.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41Yeah. That's a useful amount of ground.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45You can certainly rest some of it and use other bits of it.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47- You'd rotate these paddocks.- Yeah.
0:32:47 > 0:32:52So, with that in mind, the just under four acres of land,
0:32:52 > 0:32:54and the character property,
0:32:54 > 0:32:58how much do you think this mystery house might be on the market for?
0:32:58 > 0:33:01355,000.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05- OK. Frank?- I'll go a bit lower at 345.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07HE SUCKS HIS TEETH
0:33:07 > 0:33:09Right. Well...
0:33:09 > 0:33:13You maybe haven't taken into account the price of land.
0:33:13 > 0:33:18This place is on the market for offers around £385,000.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23Go and walk the land, look at the quality of the keep here
0:33:23 > 0:33:29and the terrain, and when you get back in the house, look at the rooms you've not seen.
0:33:29 > 0:33:30Catch you in a bit.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Not the reactions we had in the first two properties.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39But it's a different option with more land.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41I'm glad they saw it.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44At £385,000,
0:33:44 > 0:33:47the mystery property is a stone-built Victorian miner's cottage
0:33:47 > 0:33:53with three potential bedrooms and space for Sue's business.
0:33:53 > 0:34:00Plus there's space for the horses and Frank's alpaca enterprise with grounds that cover four acres.
0:34:00 > 0:34:04But will the land here be too much of an uphill struggle?
0:34:05 > 0:34:10It's all right for alpacas, but we've got to think about the horses.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14We need somewhere where they're gonna see their days out.
0:34:14 > 0:34:15Yeah.
0:34:15 > 0:34:18I wasn't particularly keen on the view,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21but the house itself is lovely, it's full of character.
0:34:21 > 0:34:26If I could pick this house up and plonk it somewhere else, it would be perfect.
0:34:26 > 0:34:28The location, I feel, is too far west.
0:34:28 > 0:34:32The property is beautifully presented.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34The living room is exceptional.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36The kitchen is very quirky,
0:34:36 > 0:34:40and it would have been nice to have had an en-suite upstairs.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43So, have we seen enough?
0:34:43 > 0:34:46- Yes, I think we have.- Good.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49Now you need to have a chat amongst yourselves.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52- Then we can have a recap.- Fine. - This way.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02We've given Frank and Sue time to weigh up their options.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05Now it's time to find out if we've struck gold.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11Let's concentrate on these houses.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13The first property we went to see.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15What do you remember about it?
0:35:15 > 0:35:17I noticed it had a lovely sunny aspect.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20Fantastic kitchen.
0:35:20 > 0:35:21Lovely view.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23- There was also a project element to it.- Yeah.
0:35:23 > 0:35:29- You had the ability to build on to the gable end for your dog business.- Yes.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31How did you find the layout to the land there?
0:35:31 > 0:35:35The paddocks were nice. The only thing against it was
0:35:35 > 0:35:39- that you couldn't see the horses from the house.- OK. Fair enough.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41So the second property, completely empty,
0:35:41 > 0:35:46you had to use your imaginations. What's your thoughts now there?
0:35:46 > 0:35:50I like going into an empty property because straightaway I could
0:35:50 > 0:35:54see where to put our furniture. It looked like home to me.
0:35:54 > 0:35:55A very tidy house,
0:35:55 > 0:35:58well maintained.
0:35:58 > 0:36:02Lots of extra things that we hadn't even asked for,
0:36:02 > 0:36:05like the stable block and the shelters,
0:36:05 > 0:36:09and the wonderful office workshop for the dog grooming.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11Yep. And also,
0:36:11 > 0:36:16you just mentioned the first house, you couldn't see your horses on the land.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20The second house, you could wash up while having a conversation with them.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24It was Sue's dream of moving to the country
0:36:24 > 0:36:31to be at the kitchen window and see the horses with their heads over the paddock fence.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34And well,
0:36:34 > 0:36:37- that did it.- Pretty close to the dream, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40So because we'd got so close to the dream,
0:36:40 > 0:36:45the mystery house was to find something completely different.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49And we thought that something different would be an area
0:36:49 > 0:36:51way outside your target area.
0:36:51 > 0:36:55- You didn't want to be further west than...- Truro.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59What do you think about it now we've come back to base?
0:36:59 > 0:37:01I really liked the house.
0:37:01 > 0:37:04The lounge was absolutely gorgeous.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06It had been so tastefully decorated.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08A really beautiful place.
0:37:08 > 0:37:11But I wasn't so keen on the view.
0:37:11 > 0:37:16The paddocks I didn't think were ideal for our two old horses.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20They were very steep. The property was wonderfully presented,
0:37:20 > 0:37:24but there was something that didn't do it for me.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26So out of all three houses that we've seen,
0:37:26 > 0:37:28have you agreed on a favourite?
0:37:28 > 0:37:31- Yes.- Yes. Straightaway, yes.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34- The one at Roche, the second one. - Number two.- Yeah.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37- No big surprise there. - We've compromised, because
0:37:37 > 0:37:40it hasn't got as much land as we originally wanted.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42But I think Sue
0:37:42 > 0:37:45thinks she can manage that well for her horses.
0:37:45 > 0:37:50Yeah. With the stables, if I make use of the stables,
0:37:50 > 0:37:53I'll be able to manage.
0:37:53 > 0:37:57Between you you've got a great balance of head versus heart.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01I'm sure you'll find some middle ground. The best of luck.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04- Please let us know how you've got on.- We will.
0:38:04 > 0:38:06- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13After trying to escape to Cornwall for so long,
0:38:13 > 0:38:17Frank and Sue may well have finally found what they were looking for.
0:38:17 > 0:38:21The second property does give them exactly what they asked for -
0:38:21 > 0:38:24a great house with a wonderful kitchen for Frank,
0:38:24 > 0:38:27and all that land for the horses.
0:38:27 > 0:38:32So fingers crossed the second viewing goes according to plan. See you next time.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35It was property two that worked its magic on our buyers.
0:38:35 > 0:38:40They had a second viewing and put in an offer of £330,000,
0:38:40 > 0:38:44and I'm thrilled to say it's been accepted.
0:38:44 > 0:38:47So we wish them and their horses all the best
0:38:47 > 0:38:50for their new life in the Cornish countryside.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52If you'd like to escape to the country
0:38:52 > 0:38:55in Wales, Scotland, N Ireland or England and need our help,
0:38:55 > 0:38:57please apply online at -
0:39:19 > 0:39:22Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd