Northamptonshire Escape to the Country


Northamptonshire

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On an overcast summer's day 366 years ago, on this very spot,

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the destiny of the British Army,

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the future of one man, one vote democracy,

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and the fate of the British nation hung in the balance.

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Where am I? Find out in just a moment.

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Today I'm helping a retired couple search for a new home for themselves,

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AND their car.

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And our properties are certainly to their liking.

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-It looks absolutely delightful.

-It looks lovely.

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Then the unusual charms of our mystery house

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get them to think the unthinkable.

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-Perhaps we'll get a smaller car.

-Oh!

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Today we're in Northamptonshire

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and we're very close to the village of Naseby

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and it was on these fields on the 14th June, 1645,

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that the Battle of Naseby took place.

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Charles I's Royalist troops over there,

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and Cromwell's Roundhead Army behind.

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Now, the outcome of that battle, the Roundheads won,

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led to the end of the absolute monarchy.

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It also eventually led to parliamentary democracy in Britain,

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AND it was the first outing of Cromwell's New Model Army

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which eventually led to the modern British military.

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So, Northamptonshire very important historically

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but for a whole bunch of other reasons too.

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Known as the rose of the shires,

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Northamptonshire is boarded by eight counties,

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including Warwickshire, Leicestershire, and Buckinghamshire.

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Rich pasture-land led to a buoyant wool trade in the 13th century,

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but by the 1500s the production of leather had emerged as a key business.

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By the 17th century shoemaking was the county's main industry.

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Beautiful unspoiled villages like Middleton Cheney dot the countryside

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and there are plenty of attractions

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like the Victorian feat of engineering, Harringworth Viaduct,

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which was built in 1876.

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It's the longest brick-built viaduct in the country,

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with 82 arches that stretch into the neighbouring county of Rutland.

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Let's talk property prices.

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The average detached house in Northamptonshire costs £223,000,

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£33,000 less than the national average.

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But when you consider that in their county's priciest neighbour, Buckinghamshire,

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a detached house cost is 87% higher than the national average,

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then suddenly those extra 10 or 20 miles on the M1

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seem like a good deal to get to Northamptonshire.

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So let's take a look at what the county has to offer in terms of property.

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For just under £300,000 this three bedroom Grade II listed cottage

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in Little Billing offers ample space.

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There's a light reception room which features exposed beams,

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and a dining room with an inglenook fireplace.

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It also has a large conservatory which leads out onto a lawned garden.

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Bought for £599,000 there's this five bedroom cottage in Badby,

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which comes with half an acre of garden.

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The property has been with a bright, modern kitchen-diner,

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which leads through to a stunning oak-framed garden room.

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At the top of the scale you could buy

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this four bed Grade II listed house in Laxton for £725,000.

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It has an impressive vaulted ceiling in the kitchen-diner,

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and you'll never be cold in front of the huge living room fire.

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Outside the house is surrounded by nearly an acre of land.

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Some corkers here in the county.

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Let's meet the couple who are planning to make their escape here.

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Retired civil servants, Mike and Frances,

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have lived in their four-bedroom house on the outskirts of London

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for over three decades.

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But now they feel it's time for a gearchange,

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and they're ready to head to the country to find a home

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that can provide peace and tranquillity for them, and their rather large car.

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We've both been in London for 36, 37 years.

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And although Dr Johnson once said,

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"If you're tired of London you're tired of living"

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I think outer London has lost its charms, as far as we're concerned.

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It's so crowded here. The traffic is very busy. There are lots of people.

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It would be nice to have a gentler pace of life.

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Another thing I would like to say goodbye to

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are frequent police sirens and helicopters and aircraft.

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With a shared love of motor racing

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Mike and Frances are keen to move to a county

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that provides the perfect backdrop for their favourite pastime.

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Motorsport is a fairly big part of our lives.

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We go and watch motor races about once every fortnight or three weeks in the season.

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Our reason for moving to Northamptonshire

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is, of course, Silverstone's in Northamptonshire,

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so we'd like to be closer to the circuit than we are currently.

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We're members of the Silverstone Racing Club, and go there quite a lot.

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And it takes two-and-a-quarter hours from here,

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so that anywhere that takes, say, an hour's drive would be such a treat.

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After so many years spent living in the same house, our buyers know their neighbours well,

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and they're hoping to find a similar sense of community in Northamptonshire.

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They also have a clear idea of what they want from their next home.

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I don't think we'd want to be particularly isolated,

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a village or the edge of a village, I think, would suit us,

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would suit is very well.

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What we'd like would be three bedrooms, minimum,

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two reception rooms,

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slightly larger kitchen than we have now,

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and I'd like a conservatory, cos I like the one we have,

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and I've never had a utility room, so a utility room would be nice.

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We don't mind whether it's detached, or semi-detached.

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And a large garage or at least space to erect a large garage if one isn't available.

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I think our main concerns about moving

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is the amount of stuff we've got.

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We're both magpies.

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I've got about 7,000 books,

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hundreds and hundreds of CDs.

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So, they'll need plenty of storage space.

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Only one more thing to factor in, and that's the finances.

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Our budget for the move will be £325,000.

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But if there was something particularly wonderful or ideal

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we might perhaps stretch to £350,000.

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I get the impression that Mike and Frances's property requirements are not too taxing,

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as long as they're close to their beloved Silverstone motor circuit.

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However, we are also housing a 17-foot long car.

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Whoever heard of such a thing?

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Mike and Frances have asked us to focus our search

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on the area around Silverstone village,

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which is just over 10 miles south of Towcester.

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We've got three great properties for them to explore,

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but as usual before I reveal the price

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I'll ask them to guess how much each property is on the market for.

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Our last property is as ever our mystery house,

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and I'm hoping our couple will fall for its unusual charms.

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-Morning, morning, morning.

-Hello.

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-Welcome to Northamptonshire.

-Thank you.

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I know that one of the main factors of your move

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is finding a home for your very large car.

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-It's about 17 feet long.

-That's long!

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-Well...

-There are longer.

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I'm sure. Do you know this area in terms of villages and properties?

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Not all that well.

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We've got one or two well-beaten paths to Silverstone,

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but apart from that no, not really.

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It'll be an adventure looking at new properties.

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-Absolutely, all we've done so far is look on the internet.

-Very good.

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Well I suggest that we get in our hot rod,

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-sort of hot rod, and find and properties.

-Great.

-Come with me.

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Mike and Frances have a budget of £325,000,

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although they could stretch to £350,000 for the right property.

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They're looking for a three-bedroom house with two reception rooms,

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one of which they'll use as a lounge and the other as a dining room.

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They'd also like a good-sized kitchen and a conservatory.

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And a utility room would be an added bonus.

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But the absolute essential

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is space for their classic car.

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We begin our search in the pretty village of Charwelton

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which is to the west of Towcester,

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it's only 20 miles from the village of Silverstone

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and our buyers' beloved racetrack.

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Surrounded by farmland, Charwelton offers the peaceful country life Mike and Frances are after.

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There's plenty of amenities including a village hall, a church, and a pub.

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The property I'm showing them is a semi-detached stone cottage,

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dating back to 1736.

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Here we have house number one.

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That's fun, isn't it? Cute.

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It's very pretty.

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It looks as if it had a lot of work done on it, as well.

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Yes, it's been extensively remodelled.

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Well, it's 275 years old, and it's a charming, compact property.

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What do you think from the outside?

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-It looks absolutely delightful.

-It does look lovely. Yes.

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I suppose the pressing issue

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-is going to be housing the beautiful monster.

-Yes!

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So shall we look at that first?

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-OK.

-Good idea.

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'Well I think that's a thumbs up so far.

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'Just as long as there's a potential home for their car.'

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Unsurprisingly, this house doesn't have a garage for a 17-foot car.

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It being a rather petite country cottage.

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However, we have enquired about planning and regulations,

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and it seems that it's not infeasible that at some point

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-you could construct something here.

-Oh, right.

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That's eight-foot wide.

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Will she get through there?

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-Oh yes.

-Yes.

-I think so.

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A tight turn from that road. But she'd get it.

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-So can we leave the car behind and look at the house?

-OK.

-Good idea.

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'In the courtyard there is also a small outbuilding that could work as a utility area,

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'but I'm taking them to a room that I think will particularly appeal to them.'

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So we enter in the back.

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Thank you.

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Straight into the conservatory,

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kitchen area.

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-It's nice and bright.

-It is.

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-Lovely views of the garden.

-I like it. It's a good size.

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Bearing in mind it's a relatively small cottage.

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-Workers' cottage.

-It's a good size. Yes.

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Let's go through and look at the living room.

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'Well, they wanted a conservatory and a large kitchen,

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'so we're on the right track.

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'Let's hope the sitting room meets their requirements too.'

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What do you think of this?

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-A surprisingly nice sized room.

-Yeah.

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Even the ceiling height.

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From the outside you do think it's going to be a bit pokey.

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But actually the extension, I think, has been really well done.

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And these rooms have probably been opened up,

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they may well have been divided at some point.

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'Next to the sitting room is a bedroom which is currently being used as a snug.

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'If they turn this into a reading room

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'some of their many possessions could be accommodated here.

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'Upstairs there's a guest bedroom with exposed timber beams,

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'and an attractive, contemporary bathroom.

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'But we'll check out where they might sleep.'

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This would be your room.

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Surprisingly light and airy, isn't it?

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Yes, and the high ceilings are definitely a good point.

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As I mentioned, you only have two bedrooms upstairs,

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is that going to be a deal-breaker?

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No, it'll cut down the number of visitors we have!

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-OK, so that's your lot in terms of inside space.

-Right.

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-Shall we have a peak in the garden?

-Yes, let's.

-After you.

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'Mike and Frances haven't expressed the need for a particular size of garden,

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'but I'm hoping the mature shrubs and bushes will be to their liking.'

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Now, we have to cross this little rabbit-proof fence

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-so give me your hand.

-Thank you.

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Not huge, but charming.

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Yes, I think I could cope with something this size. yes.

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

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I really have no idea.

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Haven't moved for 30 years.

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But I'll just guess our budget, £325,000.

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OK. What about you, Mike?

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I'd say, probably, £335,000.

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Well, it is actually right on your budget.

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It's on for £325,000.

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So, yes, it's all there.

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It's whether you love it enough to want to proceed.

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Have a look inside, go and look in the rooms we didn't see,

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and I shall meet you back in the garden and we can proceed from there.

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-OK.

-In you go.

-Thank you.

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Matching their minimum budget of £325,000,

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this beautifully-presented cottage has three bedrooms,

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one of which is currently being used as a snug,

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a good-sized kitchen which leads on to a conservatory,

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and a large reception room with period features.

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There's also a pretty, mature garden

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tucked at the back of the property.

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When I first saw the house it looked very small,

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very chocolate boxy, but very, very small.

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However, once you get inside,

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the extension that's been built just makes it so light and airy.

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When I first saw the property I was very taken by it,

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I thought how pretty it looked.

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And indeed how well cared for, well-kept.

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I thought it was likely to be quite small,

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and was agreeably surprised when we went in to find it's really quite spacious.

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Very quirky, lots of nooks and crannies which I like very much.

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So, house number one done and dusted.

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-Yes.

-I liked that.

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And if you can bear travelling in my very less than classic car,

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we'll go onto the next one.

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Northamptonshire has a fine architectural heritage,

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and as Mike and Frances are interested in local history,

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earlier in the week we arranged for them to visit

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one of the county's gems, the magnificent Elizabethan manor,

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Canons Ashby.

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It's been the home of the Dryden family for the last 450 years,

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and Laura Malpas from the National Trust is showing them around.

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The earliest part of the house that you can see

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is the central tower here,

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built probably around 1550 to 1555,

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by John Dryden who came down from Cumbria.

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This is, we believe,

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a kind of Cumbrian architectural design called a peel tower.

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When he realised there were no marauding Scots people

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he then went on to build an H-shaped Tudor house.

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Although the core of the house dates back to around 1550,

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there are subsequent additions from the more recent Georgian and Victorian eras.

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170 volunteers keep the house and gardens ticking over,

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and 10 of the rooms are open to the public.

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Welcome to Sir Henry's book room.

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Sir Henry was our Victorian owner of Canons Ashby.

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He made wonderful drawings and recordings

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of the gardens at Canons Ashby, all the architectural features.

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He drew everything.

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And you can just imagine him sitting here

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and gazing at his beautiful garden.

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Do you remember imperial measures, a chain?

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-Yes.

-Oh yes.

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This is a Victorian chain,

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which Sir Henry used to measure the dimensions of the garden.

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You can see his glasses and we've got his drawing implements,

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and these indeed are some of the drawings that he made.

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-You can see he was very talented...

-A real draughtsman, absolutely.

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Now, Sir Henry was quite a character.

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He was very practical, very pragmatic,

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and he didn't really stand on ceremony.

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And he believed if he had a house guest coming to stay,

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that they really should earn their dinner.

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So he used to keep a handy selection of gardening tools here,

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so that if somebody was coming for dinner and they looked like

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they should then their supper, he'd send them out

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to do a spot of gardening, a bit of weeding.

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Shall we go on?

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Different parts of the house

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chart the Dryden family fortunes back through the centuries.

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The drawing room in particular provides a stunning example of traditional craftsmanship

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seen in the domed plasterwork ceiling

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which was installed in 1632 by Sir John Dryden,

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who, it seems, was an incredibly busy man.

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John was 53

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and childless and wifeless,

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so the family found him a 22-year-old who was,

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even better, was an heiress,

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and in nine years she gave him nine children.

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-Making up for lost time!

-He certainly did.

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He put up this celebratory ceiling, probably using her money,

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and all of the symbols on it are do with fertility.

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So we've got thistles, bursting open pomegranates,

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bunches of grapes.

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Nine children!

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In nine years! Good heavens!

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I think she died quite soon after that.

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Canons Ashby is also renowned for its pristine lawns,

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with croquet a regular pastime for visitors like Mike and Frances.

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Let's hope we won't have to jump through too many hoops

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as we continue our house search.

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Our second property is in the village of Wood Burcote

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which is just a mile down the road from Towcester,

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Northamptonshire's oldest town.

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In the 18th-century this vibrant market town became a popular

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stop off point for stagecoaches travelling from London to Holyhead.

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And the pretty 12th century church of St Lawrence still survives today.

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The property I'm showing them is a detached stone cottage

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with motor racing connections that I think they'll like.

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Now, we are only three miles from Silverstone now.

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-Brilliant.

-Smell the burning rubber!

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Exactly. Smell Formula 1 in the air.

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And this is the property I want to show you.

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It's intriguing, isn't it?

0:19:070:19:09

Another, looks old, and the stone built is fun.

0:19:090:19:13

-Slightly less old, 200 years old this one.

-Gosh. Modern!

0:19:130:19:16

It used to belong to Lord Hesketh.

0:19:160:19:18

-Oh, right!

-Who I'm sure you know as well.

0:19:180:19:21

Indeed, yes, he gave James Hunt his Formula 1 drive.

0:19:210:19:24

There you go, I knew you'd know that.

0:19:240:19:26

I've never heard of him, but anyway.

0:19:260:19:29

Used to belong to his estate

0:19:290:19:31

and again, probably a farm workers' cottage

0:19:310:19:33

or a hay barn of some kind. It's been extensively remodelled.

0:19:330:19:36

It's actually quite modern inside.

0:19:360:19:38

It looks a bit bigger than the last one.

0:19:380:19:41

It actually has all the rooms you asked for.

0:19:410:19:44

-Shall we have a look inside?

-Yes.

-Yes.

0:19:440:19:46

'This house has all the right credentials on the outside,

0:19:480:19:52

'let's hope they find the interior as appealing.'

0:19:520:19:54

Straight into the kitchen.

0:19:540:19:56

Right.

0:19:580:19:59

Quite a different layout, here.

0:19:590:20:01

Yes. I think this is very attractive and spacious,

0:20:010:20:05

a lot more space than we used to, so that would be nice.

0:20:050:20:08

I think that's gas.

0:20:080:20:09

It is, double gas.

0:20:090:20:11

Great, wonderful.

0:20:110:20:13

So it scores well on that.

0:20:130:20:14

You could cook up a storm there.

0:20:140:20:17

Nice floor, like the floor as well.

0:20:170:20:20

So you've got a utility room in the little hallway there.

0:20:200:20:23

You seem a bit more positive about this one.

0:20:230:20:25

Is that because it used to belong to Lord Hesketh?

0:20:250:20:29

Well, that's got to help, hasn't it?

0:20:290:20:31

I think it's probably sold it!

0:20:310:20:32

What about this room?

0:20:320:20:34

This is the living space.

0:20:360:20:38

Here we've got a bit more living space than in the last one.

0:20:380:20:41

-Because we've got the dining room here as well.

-Yes.

0:20:410:20:43

It's a lovely room. It's a beautiful floor.

0:20:430:20:47

I'm just a bit concerned that it is living and dining together.

0:20:470:20:51

I prefer separate spaces.

0:20:510:20:53

-For dining?

-Hmm.

-Right, OK.

0:20:530:20:56

What about you, Mike?

0:20:560:20:57

Again, it's a nice big room, nice and airy,

0:20:570:21:01

and again the ceilings aren't too low.

0:21:010:21:03

I get the impression that you're not very used to open plan.

0:21:030:21:07

No. No.

0:21:070:21:08

So that would be different.

0:21:080:21:10

Would take a bit of getting used to.

0:21:100:21:12

Well, there it an option for more downstairs space around the corner.

0:21:120:21:17

This is a bit of a conundrum room.

0:21:210:21:24

Because I'm not sure what you would use it for.

0:21:240:21:26

Could be a book room, perhaps?

0:21:260:21:29

It could.

0:21:290:21:30

-Gosh, yes, that would be good, wouldn't it?

-Yes.

0:21:300:21:32

Again, quite a nice sized room.

0:21:320:21:34

It has an attached bathroom, shower room,

0:21:340:21:37

so it lends itself to being an extra bedroom

0:21:370:21:39

but I don't you need an extra bedroom

0:21:390:21:41

because you've actually got three upstairs.

0:21:410:21:44

After you've done some heavy duty reading you can freshen up in the ensuite.

0:21:440:21:47

A scrub down!

0:21:470:21:49

If you've read anything a bit heated!

0:21:490:21:51

Yes.

0:21:510:21:52

Talking of that, let's go upstairs.

0:21:550:21:57

'We're heading back through the living room

0:21:570:22:00

'to explore the layout on the first floor,

0:22:000:22:02

'where I think there should be plenty of room for all the possessions.

0:22:020:22:05

'Off the landing there's a good size double bedroom,

0:22:050:22:08

'and a small single room currently used as a dressing room.

0:22:080:22:12

'There's also a pleasant family bathroom

0:22:120:22:15

'with a rolltop top, and a shower.

0:22:150:22:17

'But I'm taking them to what could be their room.'

0:22:170:22:20

I wanted to show you the master bedroom,

0:22:200:22:23

which is an interesting shape.

0:22:230:22:28

-Yes.

-Interesting window.

0:22:280:22:30

The dual aspect makes it very light.

0:22:300:22:33

Absolutely. It's quite fun, isn't it?

0:22:330:22:36

And not a bad size.

0:22:360:22:39

And the back of the house so very quiet.

0:22:390:22:41

-Yes.

-Shall we have a look outside and for space for the lady?

-Oh, gosh.

0:22:410:22:46

'As their car or the old lady as they fondly refer to it is such a key part of their move,

0:22:460:22:52

'it's time to see what living quarters might be available for her.'

0:22:520:22:56

Garden, again, not massive,

0:22:570:22:59

but you didn't want a massive garden so that's fine.

0:22:590:23:02

Space around the corner for a little shed.

0:23:020:23:04

They did put in planning permission to extend the house,

0:23:040:23:07

so I don't think there would be any problem with putting a garage on the side.

0:23:070:23:11

There's obviously that extra expense you'd have to factor in.

0:23:110:23:14

And we'd have to look at the space as well.

0:23:140:23:17

What do you think it on the market for?

0:23:180:23:21

You go first this time.

0:23:210:23:22

330.

0:23:220:23:24

I'd say 335.

0:23:240:23:26

This one is actually a bit more expensive.

0:23:260:23:29

This is on at the top of your budget at 350.

0:23:290:23:33

It's not been terribly long,

0:23:330:23:34

but I guess it's because of its location

0:23:340:23:36

and also because of the extra bedroom.

0:23:360:23:39

But do have a look around inside,

0:23:390:23:41

think about whether the layout works, the size works.

0:23:410:23:44

-And then we can compare notes afterwards.

-OK.

0:23:440:23:47

Costing £350,000 this barn conversion

0:23:520:23:55

is at the top end of their budget.

0:23:550:23:58

But then it does have four bedrooms,

0:23:580:24:00

one of which could make a great reading room for our buyers.

0:24:000:24:03

There's also a good-sized kitchen,

0:24:030:24:05

and a large open-plan sitting and dining room.

0:24:050:24:08

Outside there is a manageable garden

0:24:080:24:10

and space to build a garage for their car,

0:24:100:24:13

better known as the old lady.

0:24:130:24:14

Another interesting house,

0:24:140:24:16

and probably more of the sort of house were looking for.

0:24:160:24:20

It's more open plan than the first house,

0:24:200:24:22

the only compromise is that you'd be dining in the sitting room

0:24:220:24:27

or sitting in the dining room, but that's not a huge compromise at all.

0:24:270:24:31

So all in all, I think, yes, it's a nice house.

0:24:310:24:34

I think this house meets our needs more closely

0:24:340:24:38

than the previous house we look back.

0:24:380:24:40

It's got a lovely feel, a lovely ambience,

0:24:400:24:44

and it's interesting, it's got character,

0:24:440:24:47

there's space for the old lady.

0:24:470:24:49

However, we would want to build a garage or carport

0:24:490:24:53

which might be a bit difficult

0:24:530:24:55

because this is at the absolute top of our budget.

0:24:550:25:00

But overall it's a very pleasant,

0:25:000:25:03

very attractive property.

0:25:030:25:06

Right, let's go and retire for the day.

0:25:060:25:08

As the sun sets in Northamptonshire

0:25:190:25:22

the first day of our property search draws to a close.

0:25:220:25:25

Car-racing enthusiasts Mike and Frances

0:25:320:25:35

are keen to swap urban life for a peaceful country home.

0:25:350:25:39

We've shown them two properties so far.

0:25:390:25:41

One which was tantalisingly close to their favourite racetrack.

0:25:410:25:45

Smell the burning rubber.

0:25:450:25:47

Exactly. Smell Formula 1.

0:25:470:25:49

'However, I'm still hoping our couple will be tempted

0:25:490:25:53

'by the eccentric charms of our mystery property.'

0:25:530:25:56

It's a bit higgledy-piggledy.

0:25:560:25:58

That doesn't worry us.

0:25:580:25:59

Day two, and I have to say I was quite pleased

0:26:050:26:07

with the result of our first day of property shopping.

0:26:070:26:10

Mike particularly was impressed, I think, with the properties.

0:26:100:26:13

Although Frances has a slightly more steely, insightful gaze

0:26:130:26:16

when it comes to things like structural problems, storage, where to put things.

0:26:160:26:20

So the mystery house, although is not a classic mystery

0:26:200:26:23

in that it's not a ruined castle or a windmill,

0:26:230:26:25

it will definitely give them space.

0:26:250:26:27

I'm conscious that you must have amassed

0:26:320:26:36

-quite a lot of stuff in 30 years.

-True.

0:26:360:26:39

Are you getting anxious about having a house

0:26:390:26:42

that's going to fit it all in?

0:26:420:26:44

Well, yes, I think so.

0:26:460:26:47

We're trying to declutter a bit,

0:26:470:26:49

but there's so much stuff that we really don't want to get rid of.

0:26:490:26:54

So one thing you're not going to declutter is the Bentley.

0:26:540:26:58

-Erm...

-He might get a more modern one, possibly.

0:26:580:27:01

But that would be even bigger.

0:27:010:27:03

'For our mystery house I'm taking them to the rural hamlet of Gayton,

0:27:110:27:15

'which is just to the north of Towcester.

0:27:150:27:17

'Set in idyllic countryside, Gayton is a peaceful village

0:27:170:27:21

'full of historical buildings with some charming thatched cottages.

0:27:210:27:25

'The village is well served with a pub and local shops.

0:27:250:27:29

'The house I'm showing them is a semi-detached cottage,

0:27:290:27:34

'which has a hidden entrance, access through the car parking space.'

0:27:340:27:37

The mystery house.

0:27:370:27:39

Now, I have to say,

0:27:390:27:41

I'm afraid this is where Her Majesty's going to have to go.

0:27:410:27:44

-Right.

-OK.

0:27:440:27:46

It is 18 foot long.

0:27:460:27:47

Well that's more space than she's got now.

0:27:470:27:51

A few more inches.

0:27:510:27:53

We're not sure how YOU'D get in the house.

0:27:530:27:56

You just have to have a rope ladder

0:27:560:27:59

to climb over the car to get into the door,

0:27:590:28:02

which we shall do much easier now.

0:28:020:28:04

'It's a relief they're sounding OK

0:28:040:28:06

'about manoeuvring past their car to get in.

0:28:060:28:09

'I hope they'll remain as open-minded

0:28:090:28:12

'about the unique layout of the house.'

0:28:120:28:14

OK, so a better view of the actual house here

0:28:180:28:21

from your little magic garden.

0:28:210:28:23

It's another picture book place.

0:28:230:28:26

Absolutely.

0:28:260:28:27

-It's a little bit higgledy-piggledy.

-That doesn't worry us.

-No.

0:28:270:28:31

-Not a problem?

-No, it'll be fun.

-And from the outside?

0:28:310:28:33

Yes. It looks delightful.

0:28:330:28:35

It looks really pretty.

0:28:350:28:38

Let's look inside.

0:28:380:28:40

'All very positive so far,

0:28:400:28:42

'and there are certainly more delights to come.'

0:28:420:28:45

Straight into the kitchen

0:28:470:28:49

and this is probably the biggest one I've shown you.

0:28:490:28:51

It is, yes.

0:28:510:28:53

-Good size, isn't it?

-Yes, and lovely floor.

0:28:530:28:56

And lovely cross beams which are quite unusual.

0:28:560:28:59

It's fun, isn't it?

0:28:590:29:01

It's a big kitchen, space for a big table.

0:29:010:29:04

-Yes.

-What do you think, Mike?

0:29:040:29:06

Yes, I like it. It's nice, good size.

0:29:060:29:09

What about the dining table in the kitchen?

0:29:090:29:12

I don't actually like dining in the kitchen, I have to confess.

0:29:120:29:16

Well as I mentioned, this house has many rooms.

0:29:160:29:19

I'm sure you can put a dining table somewhere else. Let's have a look.

0:29:190:29:22

'In contrast to the modern kitchen this house also has some wonderful period features,

0:29:220:29:27

'as they'll discover when they see the next room.'

0:29:270:29:31

This is the other main room.

0:29:310:29:32

Right, it's a lovely room.

0:29:320:29:34

-Absolutely delightful. The fireplace.

-Gosh.

0:29:340:29:38

Dual aspect. It's very pretty.

0:29:380:29:41

It is.

0:29:410:29:43

-Actually, it's a very functional room, lived in and liveable.

-Yes.

0:29:430:29:46

What do you think of the vibe of the house, Mike?

0:29:460:29:49

It's great, isn't it?

0:29:490:29:51

It is, it's a charming place.

0:29:510:29:53

Absolutely delightful.

0:29:530:29:54

-There's a nice terrace outside where you can eat in the summer,

-Yes.

0:29:540:29:58

But let's have a look upstairs.

0:29:580:30:00

'The house seems to be winning them over, even without a dining room.'

0:30:010:30:05

This room, probably not big enough for a dining table,

0:30:050:30:08

-but a lovely snug.

-It is, it's delightful.

0:30:080:30:11

Quirky.

0:30:110:30:13

'It's on up to the first floor

0:30:130:30:14

'where there's a good-sized master bedroom.'

0:30:140:30:17

Here's your bedroom.

0:30:190:30:21

Certainly big enough, isn't it?

0:30:230:30:25

Yeah.

0:30:250:30:26

It is. And unusual. Beams.

0:30:260:30:28

Storage, light.

0:30:280:30:30

Sort of window, floor level.

0:30:300:30:35

Yes, I like that.

0:30:350:30:36

And how are you getting under the door?

0:30:360:30:39

Do you have to remember to duck?

0:30:390:30:42

-Not by much.

-And it has a very nice ensuite.

0:30:420:30:45

Ensuite as well, my word!

0:30:450:30:47

Which is very charming. Spacious.

0:30:470:30:49

Let's peek upstairs as well so you get the idea of how many rooms there are.

0:30:490:30:54

'Opposite the main bedroom is a guest room with exposed ceiling beams,

0:30:540:30:58

'and a contemporary shower room.

0:30:580:31:01

'This house also has a landing space that cleverly doubles as an office.

0:31:010:31:07

'But we're continuing up more stairs where there are yet more bedrooms.

0:31:070:31:11

So now we really are up in the eaves.

0:31:150:31:18

With this room up in the attic.

0:31:180:31:20

And on the other side

0:31:200:31:22

you've got exactly the same. It's sort of like symmetrical.

0:31:220:31:25

-That's amazing, isn't it?

-And two staircases.

0:31:250:31:28

I love all these staircases, such good exercise.

0:31:280:31:32

-It's quite a quirky...

-It certainly is, yes.

0:31:320:31:35

And it's much, much bigger than you'd think from the outside.

0:31:350:31:39

Is it the sort of quirk that appeals to you, though?

0:31:390:31:42

-Very much so.

-Oh yes.

0:31:420:31:44

It's just whether

0:31:440:31:45

you're going to be able to get the big old Bentley in.

0:31:450:31:48

Well, perhaps we'll get smaller car.

0:31:480:31:50

Oh!

0:31:500:31:51

Did I hear that you were thinking of maybe shopping in the big car?

0:31:510:31:55

Well...

0:31:550:31:56

Mind you, I would believe that when I see it, I have to say.

0:31:560:31:59

But it would be stupid that the car would become a deal-breaker.

0:31:590:32:02

A house has got to come before a car.

0:32:020:32:05

Music to my ears.

0:32:050:32:06

I kind of wish you'd told us that before we started searching for the houses, but still...

0:32:060:32:10

I'm actually fairly gobsmacked hearing him say that

0:32:100:32:13

and I'm not entirely sure that I completely believe it.

0:32:130:32:16

-We'll see.

-You can work on him.

0:32:160:32:18

Let's go back to the ground floor and talk about price.

0:32:190:32:22

Oh dear.

0:32:220:32:23

'So, the car may be sporting its own for sale sign soon,

0:32:240:32:28

'as they seem to have really embraced

0:32:280:32:30

'the unusual layout of this property.

0:32:300:32:32

'But how much do they think it's worth?'

0:32:320:32:34

It's a bit like coming out of a labyrinth

0:32:340:32:37

and suddenly you're back in the fresh air.

0:32:370:32:40

Yes, it's like a Chinese box, isn't it?

0:32:400:32:42

It's brilliant.

0:32:420:32:43

Certainly much bigger than you think from the outside.

0:32:430:32:47

The missing piece of the puzzle is the price.

0:32:470:32:50

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

0:32:500:32:52

It's got to be over our budget.

0:32:520:32:54

I'll just pick a figure out of the air and say £360,000.

0:32:540:32:57

I was going say that. 365.

0:32:570:32:59

Ah, so a little bit more.

0:32:590:33:01

Well, it's actually £50 less than your budget.

0:33:010:33:06

Good grief!

0:33:060:33:07

It's on the market just under £350,000.

0:33:070:33:11

Oh!

0:33:110:33:12

-Why don't you both go and explore and see what is doable.

-Right.

-OK.

0:33:120:33:16

'For just shy of their maximum £50,000 budget,

0:33:210:33:25

'this quirky former pub has plenty to offer.

0:33:250:33:28

'It has four bedrooms, a large eat-in kitchen,

0:33:280:33:31

'the main sitting room features exposed beams,

0:33:310:33:34

'with an inglenook fireplace.

0:33:340:33:36

'There's also a small parking bay

0:33:360:33:38

'at the front of the house

0:33:380:33:39

'where their beloved car could reside

0:33:390:33:42

'if they don't sell it.'

0:33:420:33:43

I think it's a brilliant house. It's fantastic.

0:33:430:33:47

Not a straight line or a right angle anywhere,

0:33:470:33:51

rooms opening one into and one out of the another like a Chinese box.

0:33:510:33:55

It's just fascinating.

0:33:550:33:57

When we came to the house I thought, gosh,

0:33:570:34:00

cute but small.

0:34:000:34:02

In actual fact it's cute but large.

0:34:020:34:04

I think at one time it was a public house,

0:34:040:34:07

and the rooms are just fun.

0:34:070:34:10

I didn't think there's a street beam

0:34:100:34:12

or a straight wall in the house at all.

0:34:120:34:14

It goes up two floors,

0:34:140:34:15

most rooms are a good size, it's absolutely fascinating.

0:34:150:34:18

I think we've with both fallen in love with the place.

0:34:180:34:21

The slight downside is the parking space outside,

0:34:210:34:25

I don't think it'll be big enough for the big car,

0:34:250:34:28

so perhaps it's time to get a smaller car instead.

0:34:280:34:31

Ah!

0:34:330:34:34

-See, that was a long discussion.

-It certainly was.

0:34:340:34:37

Long discussion is good discussion.

0:34:370:34:39

But I'm going to have to drag you away from this mystery house

0:34:390:34:42

to make some decisions.

0:34:420:34:43

In 1642 Civil War broke out in England

0:34:550:34:58

when King Charles declared war on his subjects

0:34:580:35:02

after they questioned his divine right to rule.

0:35:020:35:05

I've come to where one of the key conflicts,

0:35:050:35:08

the Battle of Naseby, was fought

0:35:080:35:10

between the Royalists of King Charles,

0:35:100:35:13

and the Parliamentarian soldiers of Oliver Cromwell.

0:35:130:35:16

The site is a treasure trove of objects

0:35:160:35:18

which allow military historians like Martin Marix Evans

0:35:180:35:22

to understand more about how the battle unfolded.

0:35:220:35:25

I'm assuming some of the evidence about what happened that day

0:35:250:35:28

comes from people finding things, farmers digging things up?

0:35:280:35:32

Yes. I've got with me a 12-ball musket ball.

0:35:320:35:34

Oh, it's heavy.

0:35:340:35:36

It's one 12th of a pound of lead.

0:35:360:35:40

-Is that why it's called 12 ball?

-Yes.

0:35:400:35:42

That weighs just the same amount.

0:35:420:35:44

It's cut off a slug of lead before it was melted down to make a musket ball,

0:35:440:35:48

but if you look at the surface carefully you'll see there are dots on it.

0:35:480:35:52

-It's a dice.

-It is.

0:35:520:35:53

You can imagine them on the night before the battle,

0:35:530:35:56

playing dice,

0:35:560:35:58

in order to take their mind off what might happen to them the following day.

0:35:580:36:02

One of the most touching things perhaps is this.

0:36:020:36:05

This is a little piece of silver,

0:36:050:36:07

and looking at it here,

0:36:070:36:09

the lettering

0:36:090:36:12

is Y

0:36:120:36:14

C E.

0:36:140:36:16

And we believe this is the tail end

0:36:160:36:18

of Joyce.

0:36:180:36:20

Oh, so it's someone...

0:36:200:36:22

The girl's name. That's so sweet.

0:36:220:36:24

And whoever had that in his pocket

0:36:240:36:28

turned the edges up

0:36:280:36:30

so he wouldn't mistake it for a coin and he would keep it.

0:36:300:36:34

But also we don't know what happened to Joyce.

0:36:340:36:37

Did he ever get back to see her?

0:36:370:36:40

It's wonderful how these things come alive.

0:36:400:36:42

This was fought by real people, this battle.

0:36:420:36:45

It wasn't just a thing in the history books.

0:36:450:36:47

During the Battle of Naseby the Parliamentarian Army of Cromwell

0:36:470:36:52

inflicted a fatal blow on the Royalists of King Charles,

0:36:520:36:55

which eventually led to their defeat.

0:36:550:36:58

The Battle of Naseby is being celebrated

0:37:010:37:03

at the annual Festival of History nearby.

0:37:030:37:06

I've come to meet two Civil War re-enactors

0:37:060:37:10

to see if I can tell the difference between a Royalist and a Parliamentarian.

0:37:100:37:14

Afternoon, gentlemen. Looking very splendid indeed.

0:37:140:37:18

Are you, surely, a Royalist?

0:37:180:37:21

No, I'm actually a Parliamentarian.

0:37:210:37:22

It's a popular myth both sides looked very different.

0:37:220:37:25

Civil war, society split down the middle,

0:37:250:37:27

officers were generally gentlemen,

0:37:270:37:29

gentlemen were fashionable and wore fashionable clothes.

0:37:290:37:32

How do they know which one to kill?

0:37:320:37:34

By the colour of the scarf, or a sash as you might call it nowadays.

0:37:340:37:37

The Royalists generally wore red.

0:37:370:37:39

Parliamentary soldiers wore the colour of their generals personal colour.

0:37:390:37:43

Do you sympathise philosophically or ideologically with one side or the other?

0:37:430:37:48

The Parliamentary cause would be the one I'd support.

0:37:480:37:51

What about you, Stephen?

0:37:510:37:52

I would have chosen the Parliamentarians side,

0:37:520:37:55

because that was the origins of our modern Parliamentary democracy.

0:37:550:37:59

-And they won.

-Of course we did!

0:37:590:38:02

So who's missing?

0:38:030:38:05

The pikemen, which is going to be you.

0:38:050:38:07

The pikemen were a defensive line which protected the musketeers

0:38:070:38:12

by presenting a fearful set of spikes

0:38:120:38:14

against which the cavalry would hesitate to attack.

0:38:140:38:18

This is going to stop me

0:38:180:38:20

from being hacked to death by a Royalist.

0:38:200:38:22

It won't be musket proof

0:38:220:38:24

but it will protect you from pikes and swords.

0:38:240:38:26

So, it wasn't really much use for this army.

0:38:260:38:28

Not towards the end of the war. Both sides realised

0:38:280:38:31

the musket was the dominant weapon on the battlefield.

0:38:310:38:34

'Well, it's time for me

0:38:340:38:37

'to leave the battlefield behind and get back to the day job.'

0:38:370:38:41

I think you'll have to agree that for the 325 to 350 price mark

0:38:430:38:46

Northamptonshire has come up trumps.

0:38:460:38:50

Those were three very handsome cottages,

0:38:500:38:52

quite big enough for two people on their own,

0:38:520:38:54

but maybe not big enough for 30 years of Croydon and the old lady.

0:38:540:38:58

Let's find out which one they like the best.

0:38:580:39:01

Isn't Northamptonshire lovely?

0:39:050:39:07

-Glorious.

-Beautiful county.

0:39:070:39:08

I have to thank you for tasking us to find you a house here.

0:39:080:39:11

It's been such a lovely week exploring the county,

0:39:110:39:14

looking at all these properties.

0:39:140:39:16

-It's been wonderful.

-It has.

0:39:160:39:17

Apart from looking round the lovely countryside,

0:39:170:39:20

we also showed you three houses

0:39:200:39:22

so I'd like to get your views on those.

0:39:220:39:24

Go through them one by one, let's go back to the first property.

0:39:240:39:27

Your thoughts about that now?

0:39:270:39:28

Very picturesque.

0:39:280:39:30

Yes, it was cute.

0:39:300:39:31

-In beautiful condition.

-Good decorative order.

0:39:310:39:35

It was delightful.

0:39:350:39:36

But I think a bit small all-round.

0:39:360:39:38

Silly with just two of us.

0:39:380:39:40

Yes, for two normal people who aren't magpies it would be ideal.

0:39:400:39:43

I think for us it was just a tad on the small side.

0:39:430:39:46

The second house, however, did have more space for your bits and bobs.

0:39:460:39:50

It was considerably bigger and it did have space

0:39:500:39:53

not only for the old lady,

0:39:530:39:55

-but also for my little runabout and some visitors' cars as well.

-Yeah.

0:39:550:39:59

And a fascinating history, Lord Hesketh being the owner

0:39:590:40:02

and the connection with Formula 1 there was very interesting.

0:40:020:40:05

But it was right at very top of our budget,

0:40:050:40:10

and we would still have had to construct

0:40:100:40:13

some sort of carport or garage for the old lady.

0:40:130:40:17

Yes, and I think

0:40:170:40:19

-there was a question about the sitting and dining area as well.

-Yes.

0:40:190:40:24

We do like a separate dining room and that wasn't an option, really.

0:40:240:40:28

The dining room and the old lady

0:40:280:40:30

both came into play in the mystery house,

0:40:300:40:32

although here, interestingly, they didn't seem quite so important.

0:40:320:40:35

The mystery house was boggling. It was wonderful.

0:40:350:40:39

I kept likening it to a Chinese box,

0:40:390:40:42

there were more and more rooms opening one out of the other.

0:40:420:40:45

It was such an exciting, intriguing place.

0:40:450:40:50

From the outside it just didn't look big at all.

0:40:500:40:53

Yes, the TARDIS effect.

0:40:530:40:54

It was absolutely delightful,

0:40:540:40:56

not a straight line or square corner or straight beam.

0:40:560:41:01

Rooms leading to other rooms. It was absolutely delightful.

0:41:010:41:04

It's interesting though,

0:41:040:41:06

because, it actually didn't meet your brief really at all.

0:41:060:41:10

There wasn't a huge garage,

0:41:100:41:11

the old lady would either have to be hung drawn and quartered,

0:41:110:41:15

or parked on the road.

0:41:150:41:16

And there wasn't a separate dining room.

0:41:160:41:18

And yet you still loved it.

0:41:180:41:20

Absolutely. But those are the problems.

0:41:200:41:22

And really, what do we need with that number of bedrooms?

0:41:220:41:26

But it's just so fascinating.

0:41:260:41:29

It really grabs us.

0:41:290:41:30

We can always downsize the car, can't we?

0:41:300:41:33

I reserve judgement on this.

0:41:330:41:35

Frances, give me the inside scoop, do you think that will ever happen?

0:41:350:41:38

I just don't know. I was amazed when he came out with that.

0:41:380:41:41

So I shall await the future with interest.

0:41:410:41:44

It's clearly what keeps your marriage so exciting.

0:41:440:41:47

Always surprising one another. Well very good.

0:41:470:41:49

Would you proceed on any of them?

0:41:490:41:51

What is the next step?

0:41:510:41:53

We might contact the estate agent for the mystery house.

0:41:530:41:57

I think the third house is definitely a contender.

0:41:570:42:01

Well I'm very glad that we managed to come up trumps,

0:42:010:42:04

despite a slightly challenging brief.

0:42:040:42:07

-A bit bizarre, I know.

-Bigger garage than house, please.

0:42:070:42:10

Yes.

0:42:100:42:12

And I fully expect to see you

0:42:120:42:14

peddling your pushbikes over the hills of Northamptonshire very soon.

0:42:140:42:18

Perhaps not that far!

0:42:180:42:20

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:42:200:42:22

It's really lovely to have a couple whose house hunting is galvanised

0:42:240:42:28

not only by the love of the beautiful English countryside,

0:42:280:42:31

but a fantastic, single point, single location hobby

0:42:310:42:35

like Silverstone motor racing.

0:42:350:42:37

However, it would be very ironic

0:42:370:42:39

if Frances and Mike then sold their beautiful car in order to do that.

0:42:390:42:44

Ironic, but perhaps fitting.

0:42:440:42:46

Because this is a lovely place to escape to.

0:42:460:42:48

If you've enjoyed the show this time round,

0:42:480:42:50

but sure you tune in next time for more Escape To The Country.

0:42:500:42:54

Mike and Frances decided they could not part with the old lady,

0:42:540:42:58

not even for the mystery property which they loved.

0:42:580:43:01

So the house hunt in Northamptonshire continues.

0:43:010:43:04

If you'd like to escape to the country

0:43:040:43:06

in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England,

0:43:060:43:09

and need our help, please apply online at:

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0:43:240:43:28

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