Northamptonshire Escape to the Country

Today we are landlocked in the heart of England,

yet water played an important role in this county's history.

So, where am I? Find out in just a moment.

In today's show, I'll be helping a couple start a new life in the country

and it's all smiles

as a touch of deja vu sets us off on the right track.

-I think I've been here before.

-In this house?

-Yes.

But can our mystery house steal the show?

-So?

-Wow!

That is just beautiful.

Welcome to sunny Northamptonshire.

At the height of the Industrial Revolution,

this county was three days by canal boat from London,

today it's just 50 minutes by train.

So, understandably, it is becoming increasingly popular with city folk

who crave the benefits of countryside living.

Located in the Midlands,

Northamptonshire is known as the county of spires and squires

because of the large number of churches and country houses

that stretch across its landscape.

Its pasture lands and canals are dotted with patches of ancient woodland,

which once provided deer for the royal hunt.

Beautiful market towns are situated right across the county,

which also boasts 160 conservation areas.

So, it's clear why this region is especially appealing

to house hunters seeking a slice of rural life.

Conveniently situated near the centre of England,

Northamptonshire boasts excellent road and rail links

to both London and Birmingham.

A fact that surely helped the 67% increase in house prices

over the past 10 years.

Yet, surprisingly, it's still a county that poses great value for money

as far as many home buyers are concerned.

A detached property will cost you around £225,000,

that's £30,000 under the national average.

So, let's take a look at what's currently on the market.

This delightful two-bedroom grade II listed property in Harpole

will set you back £250,000.

Laid out over three floors,

its elegant rooms are full of character with a contemporary twist.

For £400,000 there's this three-bedroom property

in the conservation village of Apethorpe.

Renovated in the 1980s,

it still retains its exposed beams and feature fireplace.

Its contemporary design provides stylish living

in the heart of the Northamptonshire countryside.

Or, if you can stretch to £765,000,

you could buy this handsome four-bedroomed Georgian house in Great Harrowden

Built from local stone, it has splendid period features

and its rooms are well positioned to make the most of its rural surroundings.

Today's buyers are looking for a slice of Northamptonshire country life.

Let's meet them and find out why this county is the perfect escape for them.

Busy professionals Paul, a product manager,

and Suzy, a business consultant,

are keen to leave behind their hectic lives

in search of a more peaceful existence in the country.

They currently live in Paul's modern home in Fleet, Hampshire,

which he has owned for 15 years, but with marriage on the cards,

Paul and Suzy are eager to start the next chapter of their lives

with the purchase of their very first home together.

We feel that having somewhere that is ours,

as opposed to mine or Suzy's, is the thing to do.

For Paul, a move to the country

means venturing into uncharted territory,

but Suzy is no stranger to rural living.

I love waking up and not hearing anything.

I love going to bed at night and hearing owls hoot

and looking at the stars, and I miss that.

So...

..a move to the country would be...

..back to that peace and quiet, I can still hear the M3 from here

and I just don't want to hear any traffic.

Suzy's work means she will still need to commute to London,

but Paul has no such demands on his time as he is due to retire soon

and he's already got plenty of plans

to make use of his new-found freedom.

I think, for me, the interests will be to pick up golf again

because I've pretty much stopped playing golf at the moment,

my classic car, which I want to spend more time maintaining and driving,

and also, if we do get animals, then walking the dog, etc,

is going to be part of that relaxed retired lifestyle.

I'll need to join a tennis club because that's part of my...

that's part of my life.

After a year researching different locations,

they've finally settled on an area with strong personal connections.

I think we want to move to Northamptonshire.

Now, there are many reasons for that,

one is that Suzy has lived there before, it's a lovely area.

She still needs to be able to commute into London for work,

plus her parents live in Birmingham.

While location is important, they also have very specific requirements for their new country lifestyle.

I use this massage couch for my Reiki healing

and it would be really lovely if I could have a house

where there is a room I could have a dedicated healing room.

We'd be looking for four bedrooms, probably...

two bathrooms, ideally, maybe one en suite, that would be perfect.

A downstairs toilet would be good, a good-size kitchen...log fires,

the whole character bit, garage for Marlene, that's the car...

Everything has a name, I never knew it had a name!

And a nice...a good-sized garden, but land isn't crucial for us.

So I would never want to move to a very modern house,

it goes against everything that I like,

so, yes, that would be a big no-no for me.

And I think a bungalow is something else you REALLY don't want!

-SHE LAUGHS I want stairs!

-Yeah.

OK, I think I can just about manage stairs, a log fire and character,

that all sounds pretty achievable, but it's not all they're after.

Food does form quite a large part of our lives.

We love eating in nice restaurants

and we love cooking and we love entertaining.

Unfortunately, this kitchen is a little too small

and we find ourselves tripping over each other.

Cooking up a taste sensation is one thing,

but their budget will also have to be spot on

if they're going to have the perfect ingredients for a new home.

Our current budget for the next property will be £400,000.

As Paul and Suzy want to be around an hour's journey

from London and Birmingham,

we're focusing their house search in the outlying villages in Northamptonshire

that still give them good transport links.

We've got some lovely properties to show our buyers,

but before I tell them how much they cost,

I'll be asking them to guess the price.

Then, of course, we have our mystery house,

which is designed to challenge their preconceptions

and is my chance to show them something a little off-piste.

-Paul and Suzy, welcome to Northamptonshire.

-Thank you.

Do you think you are quite united in what you're looking for?

-I think so, I think so, yes.

-I think so.

We're both quite clear about what we want.

Any room for compromise if need be?

I think that's probably more a question that Suzy needs to answer!

I'll be aiming that at you then, if I need to further down the line!

We've three fantastic properties to show you,

-so shall we get started?

-Lovely.

-Look forward to that.

Paul and Suzy have £400,000 to spend on their new home in Northamptonshire.

They want a property with plenty of country features,

a good-sized entertaining area,

possible space for Suzy to practise Reiki healing

and room for the third person in their relationship,

Marlene, Paul's treasured classic car.

Location is paramount, as Suzy needs an easy commute to London

and also to be close to her mum and dad in Birmingham.

Our first property is situated around seven miles from Northampton

in the scenic village of Flore.

Steeped in history, the church here dates back to the 13th century.

Whilst there are plenty of country walks that attract both locals and tourists alike.

Despite having two front doors,

this attractive property is not two cottages, but one,

and that's not the only thing that makes this house unique.

Come on through.

-We're in the village of Flore and this is your first property.

-Oh wow!

-Wow!

-Thatch, fantastic!

THEY LAUGH

Now, there is some history with this property.

It was built around the 1600s as a barn,

but it was converted in 1687

as the first Quaker meeting house in the area by Thomas Adams.

There's a bit more history that goes with that

because he was the grandfather of John Quincy Adams,

who was the second president of the United States,

so a little bit of heritage here.

It is grade II listed,

but hopefully today it could possibly be your house.

-Shall we start and have a look?

-Oh, yes.

-Absolutely, look forward to it.

So, I want to bring you straight through into the sitting room.

Now, off the hallway you do have a family bathroom straight ahead of you,

but I wanted to show you this room first.

-Sweet. Log fire, tick the box.

-Yeah?

-That's great, yeah, lovely.

-There's PLENTY of exposed beams here!

-Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.

-Now, one of your passions were things not being straight.

-Yeah, absolutely.

Being a little bit quirky and a little bit different.

-Yeah.

-And I think this house has it in spades.

-I think you're right.

-OK, well, let's keep going.

-Super.

-Now, I know the kitchen is very important.

-Yes.

-So, I'm probably not showing you the largest kitchen in the world.

-No.

-However, I do think it has potential.

-Right. Love the floor.

-Floor is lovely.

-Floor's nice.

-Yeah, it's great.

-And the...

-And the old sink, yeah.

-Yeah, we've got the butler sink in there.

Now, the house is unusual and it flows,

so let's head up this staircase and we'll see what I mean.

-Right.

-OK.

'And the historic quirks of this house continue upstairs in the bedrooms.'

This cottage has three bedrooms, and mind your head, Paul,

I don't want you to knock yourself out quite yet -

we haven't even got to the price! Next door is a large single room.

Right.

Which could perhaps be the perfect healing room for the Reiki

and this is the master bedroom.

-Oh, sweet.

-Lots of character to it.

-Yeah.

-Lots of character.

It's very sweet. I love all these doors everywhere, it's just great!

It kind of gives you the impression, as you walk in, that it's quite small,

but actually, when you, kind of, take it all in, it's not that small.

-This is a generous size.

-Yeah, yeah.

-It doesn't have any corridors or hallways.

-OK.

In that respect, but what you do have through this door

is a Jack and Jill shower room.

Let's go through and we can talk about it on the other side,

-it'll make more sense.

-OK.

'The master leads through to a cute little Jack and Jill shower room

'that also serves the bedroom on the other side.'

Oh, sweet!

Oh, yes!

-It's very different, isn't it?

-I like it.

I love this open stairwell down.

And that's the other set of stairs that leads back downstairs.

I've always wanted a house with two staircases! How sad is that?

'Suzy is clearly overjoyed by this property's unique character,

'which is the continuing theme back downstairs.'

-And last, but not least, the dining room.

-Oh, lovely.

It has one added little treasure that I want to point out.

-That, covered at the top, is the Bible box.

-Ah.

Although the house is listed, that has a listing in its own right.

-Oh, my goodness!

-And if you look down on the window seat,

-that is the original Bible.

-Wow.

-It's 300 years old.

-And that comes with the house and has to be looked after?

-It comes with the house.

-Yes, and every owner over the centuries has left it.

-Passed it on.

-Fantastic.

-Shall we head outside?

-Yes, certainly.

'Let's see if the compact, south-facing garden

'will be enough for their needs.'

So, you've probably noticed by now,

that that secluded garden is the total garden,

there's nothing, actually, at the back,

but you're not overlooked by any of your neighbours

-and this driveway here does belong to the house as well.

-Right.

-OK.

This little outbuilding, with the right planning permission,

I think that's worth considering making that into a garage.

-You've certainly got plenty of space here.

-OK.

Right, time now to guess the price.

How much do you think this thatched cottage is currently on the market for?

I think, given that there is no rear land to the property

and really all you get is this here,

I'm going to take a stab at around 385,000.

OK, so, Paul's 385. Suzy?

That's interesting, I'm going to go for 410.

Right.

The owners had an offer put in yesterday, which they've refused,

-because they do want the asking price...

-Right.

..which would leave you both £40,000, it's £360,000.

You're joking!

-Do you fancy going back in and having another look around?

-Yes.

-Yes, I think so.

-Off you go, take your time.

-Thanks very much.

This grade II listed thatched cottage

is on the market for £360,000

and includes three bedrooms,

one of which Suzy could claim as her healing room.

The sitting and dining room are full of the character features

they are looking for.

With a little renovation of the outbuildings

there is also potential to house Paul's beloved classic car,

but really it's the provenance that makes this property so special,

with a separately listed Bible box complete with Bible

being, for me, the icing on the cake.

I like this room, I think it's nice, it's cosy

and I like the height in the ceiling, but without it feeling too lofty

and too, you know, too cold.

The layout of the house doesn't bother me too much, to be honest.

I love the idea that there's two staircases,

quite like the idea of scurrying up one and coming down another.

For the first property, this is in the right direction

and certainly the price was quite a nice surprise.

-Happy? Have you seen enough?

-Yes, lovely, thank you.

-Yes, thank you very much indeed, yes.

-Well, that was a great start.

-Good start.

-And it's only our first property!

-Thank you.

Earlier in the week we sent Paul and Suzy off

to discover more about their chosen county, Northamptonshire.

Towcester is the county's oldest town.

Dedicated to the Roman saint, St Lawrence,

the local church is full of history

with perhaps the most impressive artefact being this table tomb.

Built in 1448, there's only around 150 others in existence.

Just down the road from Towcester,

but with connections much further afield, is Sulgrave Manor.

This 16th century building was home to George Washington's English ancestors

and boasts the largest collection of his memorabilia in the UK.

For the past seven years, the manor has also been home to the Herb Society's National Garden.

As Paul and Suzy are self-confessed foodies,

we arranged for them to meet one of the societies directors, Cheryl Waller,

to find out more about the huge variety of herbs that are grown here.

-Hi.

-Oh, hello!

-Hi, there.

-Welcome to the Herb Society garden at Sulgrave Manor.

-Thank you.

You're not seeing the garden at its best because, obviously,

it's early on in the season and things are just starting to grow.

When in full bloom, the plants here are a gardener's delight,

as these wonderful summer photos show.

Parts of the garden are dedicated to specimens

which have travelled between England and America over the last 500 years.

Because Sulgrave Manor and George Washington, the connection,

it's based, this centre bed here,

on the herbs that actually went over to the Americas on the Mayflower.

And over here we have the medicinal herbs and then the domestic herbs

that the manor would've used around that time

and then the far bed at the end there,

those are the herbs that came back from the Americas,

there's a lot of unusual herbs in there.

Increased trade by sea in the 18th century

meant that herbal varieties from America were being introduced to English soil,

such as wild indigo and mountain mint,

along with medicinal plants like evening primrose and echinacea.

With around 160 different herbs from all over the world growing in this garden,

Paul and Suzy are keen to sample some of the more unusual varieties,

which are having a renaissance.

-Lovage.

-Oh, right.

-Do you know lovage?

-Heard of it.

Wonderful, wonderful celery flavour.

So, I'll give you a little bit to try,

but remember it is a strong herb.

-Mmm, mm!

-Oh, wow!

-Oh, yes!

-It is strong.

-That's powerful.

But, into casseroles, with potatoes, any dish with potato.

And there's another old English herb which is making a comeback.

-OK, this plant, any ideas what it is?

-None whatsoever.

-No.

Never seen that one before.

It's a wonderful plant, it's fallen out of favour completely,

it's called Good King Henry.

-Right.

-Good King Henry, a bit like spinach. Do you want to try a bit?

-Absolutely.

-Absolutely.

-Because it's perfect now,

it's just the time to have Good King Henry, these lovely leaves.

-Try one.

-Thank you.

Don't forget, when you're cooking with it it's going to take on a different flavour,

-it's going to be not so harsh.

-What would you normally serve this with?

Well, in the old days, they'd make a big platter of leaves

and they would dress the whole thing with rose water.

That's a long time ago.

Nowadays you could just chop it, just as you would spinach,

just serve it with fish or any of your favourite dishes.

-Yeah, put in fish pie.

-Omelettes, yeah.

With their appetites whetted, what better way to end the visit

than with some mint tea and lemon balm cake?

A great taste of what's in store for them

once they make their move to the area.

Fingers crossed the rest of our house search comes up trumps.

So you've seen one property.

Has it consolidated in your minds what you're actually after?

Somewhere to just have a little bit more room when we do get the pets.

If there were room to keep a few chickens,

that wouldn't be a bad idea.

Oh! We're adding to the list, now!

There was me thinking I was safe!

'We're heading to the lively village of Byfield

'with a whole host of local activities

'taking place in and around the cricket and recreation grounds.

'There's also a popular sports club for avid tennis player Suzy.

'Our second property comes in the form of this detached stone cottage

'which, as they'll discover, gives them more scope outside.'

So here is your second property.

Very different from the first cottage that we saw.

Built around the 1800s. An attractive looking property?

-It is, it is.

-First impressions, I know, are important for you both.

-Lovely backdrop with the church, there.

-The church, there.

And location wise, we really are on the edge of a village.

He's spotted... He's spotted them over there!

Let me take you inside first. Come on.

'The rooms on the ground floor are laid out in a horseshoe arrangement

'and in the middle is the heart of the home.'

So the entrance leads straight into the kitchen.

Yes. This is very weird.

-Why?

-I think I've been here before.

-In this house?

-Absolutely. Because I remember that.

-This huge trunk?

-Absolutely.

And I remember thinking, "How extraordinary, having a tree trunk in your kitchen."

So why would you have been in this house before?

I used to coach tennis in the village

and the chap that I was liaising with about that lived here.

That's a first. I don't think I've ever done that with anyone.

-Have you seen the rest of the house?

-No, I haven't.

I remember thinking, "I'd love to see the rest of the house."

I'll start with you.

What do you think about this kitchen,

because you haven't seen it before, have you?

No. This is very nice as a kitchen. It is.

And the fact that you've got a really nice, big table in here.

You can make this kitchen your own. There's enough space, isn't there?

We probably wouldn't want a table this big so, you know, that would free up...

I don't know. Well, two things. The table acts as workspace,

and also it's just a nice feel to have six people sat in the kitchen.

Please bicker.

I'm liking this because it means you're taking it seriously.

We're going to continue through here. This is a very good sign.

So we've got a split-level sitting room, here.

-I like that. Yeah.

-Nice.

And I love the exposed stone, stonework.

Yeah, it's great. It doesn't feel cold, it actually feels quite cosy.

Through that door you've got a downstairs bedroom.

Which, that's how it is used at the moment

but it could be used as a study, whatever you choose.

Well, I think we both need an area to use as an office, really.

'The other side of the kitchen leads through to a utility area,

'off which is the family bathroom.

'This extended downstairs wing also houses the dining room

'and the second of four possible bedrooms.

'The other two bedrooms are upstairs,

'which is where we're heading.'

Through here is the master bedroom.

Across the landing you've got another large double.

-OK.

-What do you think on this for size?

Yes, it's...

Well, it is quite compact in one way,

but there's quite a reasonable amount of room here, isn't there?

Yes. Quite a lot of storage just around the corner.

-Yes, that's what I was thinking.

-Yes, that is what would...

-And it has its own en suite.

-That's nice. That's good.

You don't have to go back downstairs in the middle of the night.

And of course, you've got your beams here, as well.

-Yeah.

-A very quirky beam, there.

Absolutely. You'd have to hang something on there.

'There are only two bedrooms and one en suite upstairs.

'But outside there is still more to discover.

'At the bottom of the garden is a hidden treasure.'

This is what I wanted to show you.

Now, this is another extension,

separate from the house.

It could make the perfect Reiki room/healing room.

You've got this area here,

you've got another area next door the size of a large bedroom,

and at the end you've got a shower room.

So if you did want to have people come to see you,

and didn't want them trudging through the house...

This is completely self-contained.

You could run this as part of your business.

That's a surprise.

'So that's Suzy's Reiki healing area catered for.

'Hopefully what I show them next will be received equally well.'

So you've seen the property.

Now, it doesn't have the largest garden.

However, you've got the playing fields and cricket green, there,

and surrounded by countryside.

The house has plenty of possibilities.

We've found a Reiki healing room for you.

Haven't managed to quite crack the garage for Paul.

I was wondering when we might come to that. OK.

However, every cloud has a silver lining.

You muttered about chickens.

This was added to the wish list at a later date. We do have chickens.

We could get rid of the chickens,

and with planning permission, you could actually have a garage.

Something to weigh up.

So, how much do you think this house is currently on the market for?

-I went first last time.

-OK.

Are you feeling the pressure, as you know this area?

I am, I am, because I feel I ought to know. I'm going to go lower.

I'm going to say 390.

-OK.

-OK. Erm...

-Give me a figure.

-410.

410.

Current asking price is...

£425,000.

Right.

So it is at the top, top of your budget, a little bit over.

However, they are very keen to sell

and would look at offers in the region of.

-Do you want to have another look around?

-Lovely.

-Go on, then.

-Thank you.

-Catch up with you later.

'At £425,000, this property is slightly over budget.

'The large kitchen provides the country style

'with the cooking and dining space our food lovers want.

'Plus, there's lots of quirky character to be found in the four bedrooms.

'There's potential for Suzy's Reiki healing room

'in the outbuildings

'and if Paul can bear to sacrifice the chicken coup,

'there's the opportunity to build a new garage

'for his classic car.'

That whole thing could go back to the end.

It would mean losing that room in there,

but it would open this right up.

And if you wanted to make a study area,

you could have it with a nice desk or something at the end.

You could do that, but don't forget you've actually got

the extra area off the dining room, or you've got the outbuilding.

The more you explore the property,

the more you realise that there are so many different options

and ways you can use it.

I've only just possibly scratched the surface

of what is possible here.

The healing anteroom, whatever, was a complete surprise.

As I say, I don't know what I thought it was,

but I wasn't expecting furnished, carpeted space.

So that has thrown in a really interesting angle on it

and it frees up some of the rooms here,

so there are all kinds of possibilities for this property

so it's actually very interesting.

What a great day we've had today.

Very favourable reactions to both the properties

and I've really enjoyed myself.

Come on, you two. You've been in there a long time.

-I see that as a good sign.

-Absolutely.

There was lots to talk about and lots of options to consider.

-A lot to think about.

-Good. You can relax now.

It's the end of the day and you can think about what you've seen.

Thank you.

'As the day draws to a close over Northamptonshire,

'our first two properties have certainly given our couple

'plenty to mull over.

'Paul and Suzy from Fleet in Hampshire

'have £400,000 to buy their first home together in Northamptonshire.

'With our two properties so far, we've stuck to Suzy's brief

'and gone all out for a very distinctive character charm.

'Will our mystery house overcome their style preconceptions?'

I could move into this room just as it is.

Today is a new day and it's time for me to show them the mystery house.

Now, they've loved the period properties they've seen so far

so I think it's time to challenge them.

'We know a good thing when we see it

'so we've returned to the village of Byfield,

'with its village hall and local pub,

'clear signs of its thriving community spirit.

'Our mystery property formerly had a congregation of its own,

'but since being converted in 2002

'has been completely modernised with not a crooked beam in sight.'

Here is your mystery property.

-What do you both think?

-It's lovely. Yeah, yeah, I like it.

It's certainly different to anything we'd imagined.

Have you ever considered living in a chapel?

-Not really.

-We wouldn't rule it out.

No, No. We wouldn't rule it out at all.

This one was built in the 1800s.

I think the last service was held in 1999.

Two years later it was converted into a house. Let's step inside.

'On each side of the entrance hall there are two rooms.

'Either one could make a perfect Reiki healing space for Suzy.

'But I'm heading straight for the star attraction.'

So here we are in the heart of the chapel. That is the original pulpit.

OK.

So they've kept it, which I think is an amazing feature.

I like the way they've done that mirror within that. That's clever.

-And you like the stained glass?

-It's lovely. I hadn't seen that.

It's lovely, yes. Really adds some character.

Fantastic. Doesn't it?

Now, the ceiling is 13ft.

It was 26 and this is where they've put the mezzanine in.

-So, first impressions as you step inside?

-Yeah! Like it. Different.

Different, yes. It's light and airy and yet it still has character.

-Yeah.

-OK. Good. Let's continue through.

-So.

-Wow!

That is just beautiful!

-Is this going to be big enough?

-Goodness! That is just a picture.

I think we could just about sneak in, yes.

-That is a kitchen!

-And you love your entertaining.

-That's just beautiful.

Plenty of room. And it's such a social part of the house.

I love this. I'm living here.

And it's nicely segregated so you still have the kitchen area defined

and you have the dining area defined

and yet the two are actually communal.

Oh, I think that's fantastic.

Is there anything you two would change in this part of the house?

-Probably not!

-I don't think it needs anything changed.

I could move into this room, just as it is.

Good, on that note, we'll head upstairs.

'The first floor was added five years ago

'and provides them with four bright bedrooms.

'Two are large enough to be doubles, with lovely large windows.

'And there's a comfortable single.

'The family bathroom with roll-top bath and stained glass window

'echo the period character of the downstairs.

'But it is time to explore where they would sleep.'

This would be your bedroom.

So you've got some huge fitted wardrobes there.

You've still got the exposed beams.

But that, for me, is the feature.

-Yes. That's nice.

-That's lovely.

Do you want to poke your head, because there is an en suite?

See what you think in there.

-Oh, that's nice!

-Oh, yeah.

-Yeah. That's lovely.

-Yeah. Very functional, very nice.

Nice big shower.

So you've got four bedrooms in total,

three good-sized doubles and a single.

Two bathrooms upstairs, including your en suite.

Plenty of space.

And I might even get a little bit of that.

The end one, perhaps.

That's mine, is it? OK.

Let's head back downstairs into the garden

and you can start mulling over what it's currently on the market for.

Come out into the sunshine.

Can't always say that, can we?

So what do you think of the outside space?

I like it, actually.

It's a little bit on the small side but I suspected it would be.

Again, I still don't see a garage.

No, there is no garage with this property.

However, a minute away is the local pub

and next door to the pub is a garage for rent.

So the house, or I should say actually, the chapel,

has just gone on the market only this week.

So what do you think the current asking price is?

I'd say about 415,

given the facilities that you've got here

and the quality of the inside work.

-Suzy?

-I'm going to go a bit higher.

-I'm going to go 425.

-OK.

But I've been totally out the last couple, so...

Current asking price, and it has, it's fresh on the market,

-£380,000.

-No! You're joking!

So you have plenty of pennies

for that £60 a month rental for your car.

-Gosh.

-Wow!

-The garage.

-OK. That is a surprise.

-That is a surprise.

I think that's something we're going to have to give some really serious thought to.

-Yeah.

-OK. Do you fancy having another wander around?

-Yeah. I think so.

-Go and have a look round the chapel.

I'll catch up with you in a little while. Thank you.

Well, a real pleasant surprise on the price.

And this chapel, it is unusual but I think it covers all their bases

and with the garage rental being a minute away, have we got close?

I think so.

'The chapel isn't only fitting for newlyweds,

'I think it's a great price at £380,000.

'For this, you get an incredible living room

with original pulpit and stained-glass windows,

'four good-sized bedrooms

'and of course that fabulous kitchen and dining area.

'There's also space for Suzy's Reiki healing room

'and just a minute away there are garages to rent

'for Paul's much-loved classic car.'

This part of the house, I absolutely love.

I think it's got all of the character still in it

and yet it's got a lovely contemporary feel.

I thought this was a really interesting property

and it kind of stopped us in our tracks

and made us think laterally about whether or not a slightly different style of property would suit us.

I'm really surprised by my reaction

because I, and I suppose that is what the mystery house is all about,

which is great.

I'm actually starting to rethink.

Although I love quirky, I love slopey, I love natural features,

there could be a compromise in the middle

where we have the space but we also have the character

and something like this could well be it.

That's it. You've now seen all three properties. Happy?

Yes, very much so.

You've managed to find us three very different properties

and even managed to find us a garage within striking distance.

That's got you thinking, hasn't it?

Let's go and have a drink, sit down and discuss what we've seen.

Perfect.

'Northamptonshire's good transport links mean it's a great option

'for escapees who wish to commute.

'200 years ago, it was the Grand Union Canal

'that provided links to the rest of the country.

'I'm here to meet canal boatman Mike Partridge,

'who has been working on the water for over 30 years.

'Even with the noise of the engine,

'he's got one of the nicest jobs I can think of.'

Mike, I don't think we could have picked a better day

for messing about on the water.

-I couldn't agree more.

-Beautiful, beautiful.

So if someone wanted to come out onto the canals, how easy is it?

Basically, you need a little bit of common sense.

We do show all our customers how to handle a boat.

We explain about passing on the right,

staying in the middle of the canal where it's deepest,

give them pointers on how to turn the boat around

and off they go and they normally enjoy themselves.

We're going at a nice speed. How fast are we going, exactly?

We're going past moored boats and the rule of the road

is we do between one and-a-half or two miles an hour maximum.

With scenes like we've got here, do we wish to rush? I don't think so.

'Today the canals are a place for recreation, but it wasn't always the case.

'Also on board is historian David Henderson,

'to explain why these waterways were so important

'to Britain's industrial past.'

David, tell me a bit about the history of the Grand Union Canal.

It was all built to do with the Industrial Revolution,

that all the manufacturing industries

wanted to transport their goods to London quickly.

-And it was all done by hand?

-Yes.

There was, there were no bulldozers in those times.

There was approximately 3,000 men working and digging away.

Once they had built the canals,

a big narrow boat being pulled by a horse

could carry a large amount of goods, fairly quickly, to a destination.

So it was good value for money in those days.

-And a horse would have pulled the canal boat along the towpath?

-Along the towpath, yes.

'For the men who travelled in them,

'canal boats were both places of work and home.

'To make them more attractive, they adorned them with bright, colourful designs.

'Artists who decorate the boats are known as roses and castles painters.

'Back on dry land, I'm meeting Terence Edgar,

'who has been keeping this tradition alive at a local museum.

'I've booked a lesson and I can't wait to have a go.'

What we're going to do is finish off the petals on the roses.

Right, OK. I'm going to put on an apron.

I'm not going to be as good as you and paint might go everywhere.

You should always start with your big petal first.

'Originally this precision painting would have been done on deck,

exposed to all the elements.

'Luckily for me, I'm on much safer ground.'

-Which one am I going to do now?

-You're going to do the yellow one.

That's the one you're going to be doing.

Press down on the brush.

Press right down to make it fat. There we go.

That is such fun and I'm delighted that traditions like this

are still alive and we can all enjoy doing it.

'Not bad for a first attempt, even if I do say so myself.

'Let's see how well I've done with our properties.'

Paul and Suzy, we've had an interesting few days, haven't we?

We certainly have.

I think we've seen three really interesting properties and,

you know, I think they've all got things going for them.

Shall we start with the first one? What did you think of that thatched cottage?

It seemed to have quite an impact on you both?

It took my breath away. Archetypal chocolate box cottage.

-Beautiful.

-Yeah, it was very good.

Inside, the rooms were a little bit small

and there was a problem with the garage

but the house itself was absolutely delightful.

The second property we saw was another cottage, a period cottage.

-That was an interesting one for you too, wasn't it?

-No, it was.

That was quite a surprise, actually,

in terms of walking into the property and realising I'd been there before.

-Of course, I should have started with that.

-That blew me away.

But yes, not realising that it had all those options in terms of space.

That brought a different dimension to the property.

And our third property was the mystery house,

or should I say the mystery chapel?

It has kind of brought us back a little bit

to maybe, you know,

just think harder about

what we really, really need out of the property.

It's really made me question.

Yes, I did want quirky, yes, I did want slopey

and original features and all of that,

but the space in that house,

and the way it could be played with and reconfigured.

The kitchen was awesome.

Just loved it.

So, pinning you down a bit, Mr Voice of Reason,

will the mystery chapel get a second viewing?

I think there's a very good chance that it might.

Suzy, I'm going to be very cheeky.

Make sure you get a second viewing, won't you?

Yes, I think we should. I think we most definitely should.

Listen, both of you, thank you so much.

-It's been absolutely great. It really has.

-Superb.

For Paul and Suzy,

the firm favourite came out as the mystery house.

And I truly hope that with a second viewing,

this converted chapel

will be the perfect place to start their married life.

Until next time, bye-bye.

'After discussing the chapel on their return home,

'Paul and Suzy decided it wasn't right for them after all.

'So the search for their new marital home in Northamptonshire continues.

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

'Northern Ireland or England

'and would like our help, you can apply online.'

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