0:00:02 > 0:00:06This charming country pub was once the headquarters of Britain's most lethal and murderous smuggler gang.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08Find out where I am in just a moment.
0:00:38 > 0:00:44Today, I'm helping a project-loving retired couple find a beautiful home in the country.
0:00:44 > 0:00:46And our first two houses go down a storm.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49It's a stunning looking house in a lovely location.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53What an astonishing house! I've never seen anything like it.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56But then our mystery house really puts them in a spin.
0:00:56 > 0:00:58- Oh, wow!- Wow!
0:00:58 > 0:01:00I'm actually speechless.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Today, I'm in the village of Hawkhurst in Kent.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11And back in the 1700s, because of expensive tax on luxury goods
0:01:11 > 0:01:17like tobacco, silk, brandy, Kent was awash with smugglers.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20None more famous than the Hawkhurst Gang,
0:01:20 > 0:01:2620 or so men who instigated a 20-year reign of terror, extortion and violence.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30At the height of their criminality, they were using 500 horses
0:01:30 > 0:01:35to transport 11.5 tonnes of contraband in one night.
0:01:35 > 0:01:40But eventually, the law caught up with them and in 1749, they were all hanged.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Peace came back to Kent, and, as you're about to find out,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46there's a lot more to this county than just smuggling.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Situated in the south-east of England, Kent is bordered
0:01:53 > 0:01:56by East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00and boasts over 350 miles of coastline.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03To the south of the county sits the white cliffs of Dover,
0:02:03 > 0:02:06which tower above the English Channel.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10These iconic chalk landmarks reach a height of more than 300 feet above sea level,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13and over the centuries have been seen
0:02:13 > 0:02:16as a symbolic protection against invasion.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20Away from the coast, there's the city of Canterbury which is steeped in history
0:02:20 > 0:02:27and has a skyline dominated by its cathedral dating back to 597 AD.
0:02:27 > 0:02:29Kent is also famous for its fruit produce,
0:02:29 > 0:02:33and it's said that the north of the county produces the best apples,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35pears, plums and cherries in the world,
0:02:35 > 0:02:40giving rise to Kent's reputation as the Garden of England.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Right now, the average price for a detached house in Kent
0:02:45 > 0:02:50is £316,000, which is £61,000 above the national average.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54Which sounds expensive, until you compare it to some of the Home County heavyweights
0:02:54 > 0:02:57like Surrey or Buckinghamshire, where for the same sort of property,
0:02:57 > 0:03:01you'd be paying £150,000 over the odds.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05So, quite a good deal here in Kent, but let's take a look at what you could buy.
0:03:05 > 0:03:10For £400,000, this three-bedroom former coach house in Graveney
0:03:10 > 0:03:11could be yours.
0:03:11 > 0:03:15There's a wonderful sense of character in the huge reception hall,
0:03:15 > 0:03:20which continues in the double-aspect sitting room with its exposed beams.
0:03:20 > 0:03:27The kitchen features a range cooker, and upstairs, there are number of pretty, country-style bedrooms.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31For around the £600,000 mark, there is this modern barn in Lenham,
0:03:31 > 0:03:36which was constructed using timbers from the original building that previously stood here.
0:03:36 > 0:03:40These feature in the vast sitting room and the kitchen.
0:03:40 > 0:03:47Outside, there's a patio and mature borders set within the two-and-a-half acres of land.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51And if your budget can stretch to £825,000,
0:03:51 > 0:03:56this Georgian five-bedroom detached house in Minster could be just right.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59Parts of the house date back to the 18th century
0:03:59 > 0:04:02and it has its own indoor swimming pool.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04There are lovely high ceilings in the bedrooms,
0:04:04 > 0:04:08and the bathroom features a rather splendid roll-top bath,
0:04:08 > 0:04:14with a window that provides views of the two-and-a-half acres of land.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17A stunning array of Kentish properties there, but let's meet
0:04:17 > 0:04:21the lucky couple who are planning to escape to this part of the country.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26Vic, a former director of education, and Terri, an ex-retail manager,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29have been together for 15 years
0:04:29 > 0:04:31and have four grown-up daughters between them.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36Making the most of their retirement, they took off round the world for two years.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38But now, they're firmly back in the UK
0:04:38 > 0:04:43and have set their hearts on making a long dreamed of move to the countryside.
0:04:43 > 0:04:48We want to move to the country because we're both very much outdoor people.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51We enjoy gardening.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54I've got an allotment, so we enjoy growing our own vegetables.
0:04:54 > 0:05:00We also would like to have some hens and perhaps a little smallholding.
0:05:00 > 0:05:02We currently live in a town just outside Southampton,
0:05:02 > 0:05:07and we're on a busy road and the flightpath to Southampton Airport.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10So, we're looking for somewhere a little bit quieter in the country.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14Family ties have been a key factor in their considerations,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17as Terri wants to be closer to her elderly parents.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20But they're at also keen to put their own personal stamp
0:05:20 > 0:05:22on any property by taking on a project.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26When we move, we're looking for something that we could leave our mark on,
0:05:26 > 0:05:29rather than something that would be all done.
0:05:29 > 0:05:34It would have to be something very unusual if it was a house that was, you know,
0:05:34 > 0:05:38a finished product, if you like. We really want to make our own mark.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Initially, Vic and Terri's retirement saw them running
0:05:41 > 0:05:43a ski chalet in France.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47That experience provided them with a whole host of skills,
0:05:47 > 0:05:51and they're keen to utilise them when they start the next chapter of their lives.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54When we were skiing, we were actually running a ski chalet,
0:05:54 > 0:05:58so we were entertaining eight guests
0:05:58 > 0:06:02and we actually liked that type of environment.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06So, a bed and breakfast or farm shop where we were selling the produce
0:06:06 > 0:06:09that we were growing would be quite nice.
0:06:09 > 0:06:14When we move, we want to carry on a very active lifestyle that we've got at the moment,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17and we don't really like to describe this as retirement, do we?
0:06:17 > 0:06:20We call this a sort of life-changing opportunity.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25As for the rest of the wish list, it seems our buyers are very flexible.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28We really like properties with character,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31so we like the inglenook fireplaces, we like beams,
0:06:31 > 0:06:37we like low ceilings, but we also like something that's ultramodern.
0:06:37 > 0:06:42We're sort of really open-minded on our next move. Ideally, we'd like three bedrooms,
0:06:42 > 0:06:48a good-size kitchen, we definitely would have at least an acre.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52Outbuildings, definitely a garage...
0:06:52 > 0:06:55to put cars in for Vic to tinker around in.
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Just one more thing to consider, and that's the finances.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04Ideally, our budget would be £650,000,
0:07:04 > 0:07:07but if there's the potential for a business opportunity,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11we could probably stretch to 800,000.
0:07:16 > 0:07:20After two gap years, Vic and Terri have been lured back
0:07:20 > 0:07:23to the Garden of England, to Kent, to put down their roots again.
0:07:23 > 0:07:27I'm slightly worried about how relaxed their wish list is, however,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29because they seem to like everything, every style of house,
0:07:29 > 0:07:34every property, and sometimes lots of hidden no-nos appear as we go on the house tours.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37But they do have a very healthy budget -
0:07:37 > 0:07:41£800,000 if we can find them the perfect country business.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43So, let's get stuck in.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46But not with a cooking apple.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54Vic and Terri want to move to Kent to be nearer her parents in Sevenoaks.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58So, we'll be looking for properties within striking distance of there.
0:07:58 > 0:08:01I'll be showing them three fantastic homes,
0:08:01 > 0:08:05but I won't be revealing the price of each until they've had a guess first.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07The final offering is of course our mystery house,
0:08:07 > 0:08:11a proposition that will push their imagination to the limit.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18We were quite struck by the fact that you seemed very relaxed
0:08:18 > 0:08:22about what sort of style you wanted. What are your absolute no-nos?
0:08:22 > 0:08:26I suppose the no-go would be something that's absolutely finished.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31- Right.- But not necessarily, because it could be a wow, and the mystery house could...
0:08:31 > 0:08:35You've given me loopholes everywhere I look. It's marvellous!
0:08:35 > 0:08:41It could be a complete wow, and we'd say, "Oh, this beats having to do it up for the next two or three years."
0:08:41 > 0:08:45But usually, the houses that we've bought, we like to make our mark on them.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48And the business side?
0:08:48 > 0:08:52- Are you sort of committed to the business side of it?- We are, yes.
0:08:52 > 0:08:57I mean, a bed and breakfast, which everyone seems to want to do,
0:08:57 > 0:09:02seems to be the best idea because it's one that you can pick up and drop down.
0:09:02 > 0:09:05A B&B was, you know, our first option,
0:09:05 > 0:09:08- but we're also interested to see what else there could be.- Yeah.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Well, we've got lots of lovely houses lined up, so you'd better like them all!
0:09:11 > 0:09:17- I'm sure we will. We're excited. - Come with me.- Lead on.- Lovely.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Vic and Terri have a budget starting at £600,000 for just a home,
0:09:23 > 0:09:28but up to £800,000 for a property with added business potential.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31However, they have a very wide brief in terms of style,
0:09:31 > 0:09:34and are happy to view old or new houses.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38They would also like three bedrooms, a large kitchen for entertaining,
0:09:38 > 0:09:40a garage for Vic to tinker in,
0:09:40 > 0:09:45and enough land to keep chickens and grow their own veg.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55We're kicking off our property search in Norton,
0:09:55 > 0:09:59which is around 50 minutes from Terri's parents in Sevenoaks.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01In this idyllic rural spot,
0:10:01 > 0:10:05our buyers will be able to have a pint at the local pub
0:10:05 > 0:10:06after a spot of cricket on the village green.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10This is apple-growing country, and it's no surprise
0:10:10 > 0:10:14that the charming Church of St Mary stands in an orchard.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16Our first property is a substantial house
0:10:16 > 0:10:18at the end of a quiet village lane.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22So, house number one, here it is.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26- Wow!- Wow!- Stunning.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28Tucked down a little cul-de-sac, very quiet.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31Parts of it, the bit that we're looking at here, actually,
0:10:31 > 0:10:33dates back from 1490.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35It's very interesting.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38It's a stunning-looking house in a lovely location.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40- So let's go and have a look.- Lovely.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43'As with many country properties,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45'I'm taking them round the back of the house,
0:10:45 > 0:10:48'straight into a room which has been beautifully finished.'
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Into the kitchen.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54Lovely, really nice.
0:10:56 > 0:10:59No room to eat, though. I'd have a table, but...
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Well, it goes straight into this, which is a sort of breakfast-dining room.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04- Oh, right. - Which you can have a look at later.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06The units are very, very nice.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Nice worktop.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10Granite worktop with a nice big range.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13- Mmm. Good quality units as well, and, er...- Yeah.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16You know, this wood, the wood finish, is particularly attractive.
0:11:16 > 0:11:20The owners have been here about six years, and they've done a lot of work,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22they've completely renovated it from top to toe.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25Yes, it's been done beautifully, hasn't it?
0:11:25 > 0:11:28Well, the layout of the house is kind of, it's... Because of its historic constraints, so...
0:11:28 > 0:11:31This is the older part.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36'Off the kitchen is a handy utility room, with the same oak finish,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39'but now let's take a look at the heart of this home.'
0:11:39 > 0:11:43Through here, we are in the kind of historic centre of the house.
0:11:43 > 0:11:45This is really old, isn't it?
0:11:45 > 0:11:47- Just about stand up.- You can! - THEY LAUGH
0:11:47 > 0:11:51- I'm all right. Just about. - Just about.- On the beam.
0:11:51 > 0:11:52This is magnificent.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55- Yeah.- All the original panelling's still in place.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57- Mmm.- Which is really nice.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00And through there, there's a very lovely downstairs bathroom with a shower.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04- It's got lots of, sort of, nooks and crannies and stuff.- Yeah.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07- It's quite a surprise to come into this, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11You know, in so many houses, all of this woodwork would have been taken out.
0:12:11 > 0:12:15- Yeah.- It's been left in here, and all the wood panelling has been left up.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18And this is the kernel of the house, you know, everything grows out of this,
0:12:18 > 0:12:22which would have been the original little cottage here, around the hearth.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24- Mmm.- Oh, I think this is absolutely wonderful.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26- It looks like it's a working fire, too.- Yeah. Absolutely.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28- Which is really nice.- Good.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30This is a log burner, and there's another one in your sitting room,
0:12:30 > 0:12:32which is through here.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34'On this floor, tucked behind the staircase,
0:12:34 > 0:12:38'is a dining room, which is currently being used as an office.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40'But I want to see what they make of the bright reception room.'
0:12:42 > 0:12:44See, this would have been a 19th century extension.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Oh, wow.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48So this is the more modern part of the house.
0:12:49 > 0:12:50What do you think?
0:12:50 > 0:12:53It's a light... It's extremely light in here, isn't it?
0:12:53 > 0:12:56It's got windows on three sides.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59And a good aspect, a good view of the gardens.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02I think our first impressions are, it's a little on the smaller size.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06- It was originally two rooms, so you should count your blessings! - THEY LAUGH
0:13:06 > 0:13:09They took out the separating wall, which had a fireplace in the middle.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11They've done it really effectively.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13I think they've done a super job on it.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15Right, I detect a little dip in your enthusiasm...
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Well, only that...
0:13:17 > 0:13:19No, I think we would be churlish if we were saying
0:13:19 > 0:13:22that we didn't think it was a lovely house,
0:13:22 > 0:13:24and always it's going to be a compromise,
0:13:24 > 0:13:28and...and maybe this is the compromise, this...the sitting area,
0:13:28 > 0:13:32because the other rooms are... I think are stunning so far.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34Upstairs you have four bedrooms, all good size.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36Let's go and explore them.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40'There's been a measured response to this room,
0:13:40 > 0:13:44'so I wonder what they're going to say about the bedrooms upstairs.
0:13:44 > 0:13:45'At the top of the landing
0:13:45 > 0:13:48'is a stunning modernised family bathroom.'
0:13:48 > 0:13:51The bathroom here, but we're going up here.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53'Then it's up another couple of steps
0:13:53 > 0:13:56'to reach the room where they would sleep.'
0:13:59 > 0:14:02So...this is the biggest bedroom.
0:14:02 > 0:14:03The master bedroom.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06None of them have en suites, though.
0:14:06 > 0:14:07No.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11It's a little bit disappointing in a house this size.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Well you do have, next door, you have some steps up to a little, er...boy's room.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17- Mmm. - Erm...not a little boys' room... - THEY LAUGH
0:14:17 > 0:14:20..but you could make it a little boys' room if you wanted to turn that into an en suite.
0:14:20 > 0:14:24- SHE LAUGHS All right, OK.- Of course, then you'd sacrifice a...- A bedroom.- A bedroom.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26- But you said you only wanted three. - Yeah.
0:14:26 > 0:14:27- This is a lovely room.- Yeah.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31- It's got super views out onto the garden as well.- Yes.
0:14:31 > 0:14:34A lot of the house does revolve around the views of the garden,
0:14:34 > 0:14:36cos the gardens are quite spectacular.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40- I look forward to seeing it. - They're stunning from here, so what are they like from outside?
0:14:40 > 0:14:42Mmm. Instant gratification, I'll show you.
0:14:42 > 0:14:43Lovely.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48'Also on this floor are two spacious double bedrooms,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50'both with exposed timber beams.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55'Outside this property is a double garage situated across the driveway.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58'And the entire house sits in an acre and a half of garden
0:14:58 > 0:15:01'that I think will especially appeal to Terri.'
0:15:01 > 0:15:05You're clearly going to be busy in the garden. Is there enough in the house for you to do?
0:15:05 > 0:15:06I don't think so.
0:15:06 > 0:15:07I think...
0:15:07 > 0:15:12It's very much done, I mean, I don't think there's anything we'd change.
0:15:12 > 0:15:13But first you need to know the price.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16Or rather, I need to know your guess for the price.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Mmm. Now, then.
0:15:18 > 0:15:19Who's going to go first?
0:15:19 > 0:15:23- Go on, then.- Looks like it's you. - Well, looks like me! - THEY LAUGH
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Er... Probably about 625.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30My inclination is to say just under 600.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33So... 599?
0:15:33 > 0:15:34599. OK.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38So this house is on the market for 695.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40- 695? Wow.- Really?
0:15:40 > 0:15:43- So it's up above your budget. - Above. Mmm.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47But the owner has made signs
0:15:47 > 0:15:49that she would be happy to sell it in your budget.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53- Yeah.- OK.- So there's always space for negotiation on these country properties.- Yeah.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57Have a look round inside, see what you think, again, there's bits we didn't show you,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00- so have a wander round, and then I'll meet you at the front when you're done.- Yeah.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04- And then we can go and look at the next one.- OK.- Right, thank you very much.- In you go.- Let's go.
0:16:05 > 0:16:10On the market for £695,000, this Grade II listed property
0:16:10 > 0:16:14gives them a spacious family home which requires no work.
0:16:14 > 0:16:18It features four reception rooms, four bedrooms,
0:16:18 > 0:16:22outside, there's a large garden with a well-established vegetable patch,
0:16:22 > 0:16:24and of course, that double garage.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28If I had a reservation, it's about the fact that it's been done too well.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31There's nothing in there for us to do, but overall, I thought the house is lovely.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34I love the allotment and the greenhouse.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37I can see myself pottering around there for hours.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Beautiful apples, there's a lot of Bramleys.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42- Mmm.- You'd better start baking right now!
0:16:42 > 0:16:43All good?
0:16:43 > 0:16:45So you're going to pull the door behind you,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47we're going on to the next house.
0:16:47 > 0:16:48- Right, love.- Right. Lead on.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00The number of farm shops in the UK
0:17:00 > 0:17:03has blossomed in the last decade to over 1,000,
0:17:03 > 0:17:07and the Kent countryside is home to around 100 of these small outlets,
0:17:07 > 0:17:10dedicated to stocking local produce.
0:17:10 > 0:17:14As Vic and Terri have toyed with the idea of running one themselves,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16earlier in the week, we arranged for them to meet Helen Baird,
0:17:16 > 0:17:23who quit life as a City lawyer, and now runs her own village store.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25Helen aims to keep food miles to a minimum
0:17:25 > 0:17:29by sourcing as much of her produce as she can from a ten-mile radius.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32She sells a wide range of products,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35including meat, veg and home-made cakes.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39Helen, I'm really interested in the range of produce that you've got.
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Well, we like to have continuity on the shelves,
0:17:41 > 0:17:43because we can't compete unless we do,
0:17:43 > 0:17:47but, um, we're just changing seasons, so we have lots of new things that are coming through.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50And there's no waste from the shop,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53as everything gets recycled in one way or another.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57Now these sausages are actually from about a mile from here.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59And we feed the pigs
0:17:59 > 0:18:03on our scraps of fruit and veg which is past its best.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06- And they come back as sausages. - Brilliant. - VIC AND TERRI LAUGH
0:18:06 > 0:18:10- Complete the cycle. - Yes, recycling at its best. - VIC CHUCKLES
0:18:10 > 0:18:13The area has a great food network,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16and to see where Helen sources her sausages,
0:18:16 > 0:18:18Vic and Terri went a mile down the road to the farm,
0:18:18 > 0:18:21to meet local pig farmer, Carrie Anning.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24These are my pigs, this is Honeysuckle and Bluebell, which are saddleback pigs.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Want to give them some food?
0:18:26 > 0:18:29- Love to!- There you go. There you go. They like a marrow.- Mmmm.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32So tell me, why are these rare breeds?
0:18:32 > 0:18:37These are rare breed pigs, basically because they grow slower.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39Um...so they don't mature as quickly,
0:18:39 > 0:18:43and a rarer breed pig generally will only go in to breed twice a year.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45Small producers like Carrie
0:18:45 > 0:18:49are vitally important in maintaining the survival of good local produce.
0:18:49 > 0:18:51And it's not just the pigs that need support.
0:18:51 > 0:18:5420 minutes away in Sutton Valence
0:18:54 > 0:18:56are the orchards of fruit grower, Roz Day,
0:18:56 > 0:19:00who's been making award-winning juice and cider here
0:19:00 > 0:19:01for the last five years.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04Here we have part of today's harvest.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Now, these are called bins,
0:19:06 > 0:19:09and we've just worked out that probably there are about
0:19:09 > 0:19:12in the region of 16,000 pears in these bins.
0:19:12 > 0:19:16- Wow!- So how many pickers would you actually have for this amount of pears?
0:19:16 > 0:19:21We've got five pickers, and they'll each pick about five bins a day.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23- Wow.- So it comes to about 25 bins a day.
0:19:23 > 0:19:25- And if you'd like to try some... - Yes!
0:19:25 > 0:19:27- Please have a glass. - Thank you!- Love to!
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Kent was once known for its wealth of orchards,
0:19:30 > 0:19:32but these have been in decline
0:19:32 > 0:19:34due to the influx of cheaper imported fruit.
0:19:34 > 0:19:38Oh, that is really nice. Can you taste the honey?
0:19:38 > 0:19:39Absolutely delicious.
0:19:39 > 0:19:44It's small farmers like Roz who are working to reverse that decline.
0:19:44 > 0:19:49She has 30 acres of orchards, yielding 150 tons of pears per year.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53But for now it's time to get back to the house hunt,
0:19:53 > 0:19:57and see if we can tickle our buyers' tastebuds for a potential home.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07For our second property, we've travelled to the village of Marden,
0:20:07 > 0:20:10which is 40 minutes east of Terri's parents in Sevenoaks.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13Around 11 miles from Marden is the town of Cranbrook,
0:20:13 > 0:20:15a peaceful location
0:20:15 > 0:20:17full of the county's renowned white weatherboarded houses
0:20:17 > 0:20:19and winding medieval streets.
0:20:21 > 0:20:25There's a charming old-world feel here, with no chain stores
0:20:25 > 0:20:28and just an eclectic mix of independent shops.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Cranbrook also features Union Mill,
0:20:31 > 0:20:33which is the tallest smock mill in England
0:20:33 > 0:20:35and looms over the high street.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Set near a road, the house I'm showing them
0:20:39 > 0:20:42is an amazing property with an exterior in true Kentish style.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46OK, house number two!
0:20:46 > 0:20:50- This is a VERY quirky house.- Wow.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52THEY CHUCKLE
0:20:52 > 0:20:54Essentially, you do have two houses.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56You have a house from the 1600s
0:20:56 > 0:20:58and then stuck on the front
0:20:58 > 0:21:00you have a Georgian property,
0:21:00 > 0:21:02and they're literally just stuck together.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04You'll see this when we walk round inside.
0:21:04 > 0:21:05And to give them
0:21:05 > 0:21:07a little bit of continuity,
0:21:07 > 0:21:11they've put on this very typical Kent weatherboarding.
0:21:11 > 0:21:14And as with many grand houses built by the rich farmer,
0:21:14 > 0:21:17it used to be on a busy cart track,
0:21:17 > 0:21:19which is now, sadly, quite a busy road.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23- Yeah.- So a little bit of traffic noise, which is an obvious downside.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Mm-hm.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Let's go inside.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33'First up, the kitchen, the most important room
0:21:33 > 0:21:35'for keen cook Terri.'
0:21:38 > 0:21:41- So, you really have to mind your head here.- Yeah. Oh, yeah!
0:21:41 > 0:21:45This is definitely a working
0:21:45 > 0:21:47- farmhouse kitchen. - It certainly is.- Superb.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50Look, they've even cut the table round the island.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54- It's brilliant! What a clever idea. - It's very tailor-made, this house.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57What's lovely, I think, are the bones of this property,
0:21:57 > 0:21:59although some of them are slightly crooked.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03You've got this amazing proper old inglenook -
0:22:03 > 0:22:06this would have been the original from the 1600s -
0:22:06 > 0:22:07the big beam across the top
0:22:07 > 0:22:10and a log burner, which throws out loads of heat.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12The old bones continue through here.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15'Next door to the kitchen is a splendid living room.'
0:22:16 > 0:22:21- Much more headroom here, but equally old.- Wow.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23Quite a few beams here!
0:22:23 > 0:22:25- Yeah.- This is lovely.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28So, this is obviously still the Tudor part, 1600s.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31Very unusual that it's got such ceiling height,
0:22:31 > 0:22:32especially when you compare it
0:22:32 > 0:22:34with the kitchen,
0:22:34 > 0:22:37where the ceiling height is probably half this in places.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39It's a stunning room, this one.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42- It's definitely got the character that we like.- Yeah.
0:22:42 > 0:22:44Yeah, I can see our furniture in here.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48Again, what's curious about it is that this is a very big...
0:22:48 > 0:22:5317th-century cottage, farmhouse,
0:22:53 > 0:22:56but at the front...
0:22:57 > 0:22:59..this is very different.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Oh, wow! Oh!
0:23:03 > 0:23:06This is very grand.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08So, we didn't notice you carrying us off to another house,
0:23:08 > 0:23:09to house number three.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13- It's so abrupt, the change of style. - It is.- What an astonishing house.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15I've never seen anything like it.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19So, you'll know that this room is pretty much exactly mirrored
0:23:19 > 0:23:22on the other side, with a lovely big staircase,
0:23:22 > 0:23:23which takes us upstairs.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28'On the first floor are two large double bedrooms
0:23:28 > 0:23:29'and a modernised family bathroom.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34'But I'm taking them to the master bedroom,
0:23:34 > 0:23:36which is in the old part of the property.'
0:23:36 > 0:23:38Back in the 16th century!
0:23:40 > 0:23:45- So...- Back in time! - Completely back in time.- Yeah.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47More beams.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51- And a little en suite through there. - So an en suite as well?- Mm-hm.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54That's a plus, then, because I didn't think it would here.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Yeah, they wangled one into what was a cupboard, I imagine.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00No, this is a nice room. Lots of storage.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03A little sort of dressing-up...
0:24:03 > 0:24:04platform there.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06"Unique" isn't the word for this place!
0:24:06 > 0:24:08I've never seen anything like it.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12- Mm.- That strange sensation of going from one period...
0:24:13 > 0:24:16..you know, jumping 200 years, 300 years.
0:24:16 > 0:24:17Shall we do it again?
0:24:19 > 0:24:21Is this Doctor Who, or is it...?
0:24:22 > 0:24:24'No need for a TARDIS here.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27'A few steps up a half-landing takes us to another large bedroom,
0:24:27 > 0:24:31'this time in the Georgian part of the house.'
0:24:32 > 0:24:34- Out the other end!- Back again.
0:24:34 > 0:24:35A few more centuries.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40- Oh!- They're lovely, these arches.- I love the arches.- Big alcoves.- Yeah.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Lovely-size bedroom.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45There's lots of space without being, you know, without being too big.
0:24:45 > 0:24:46There are four bedrooms.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50Three are, as you say, really good. One is smaller and more...
0:24:50 > 0:24:52wobbly. Got a very slopey floor.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56But it's a very unusual property.
0:24:56 > 0:24:57Definitely got a lot of potential.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59Well, if you think that,
0:24:59 > 0:25:01wait till you see the potential in the garden!
0:25:03 > 0:25:08'Outside, there's a large expanse of well-tended lawn
0:25:08 > 0:25:10'and the garage they asked for.
0:25:10 > 0:25:11'But I'm keen to show them
0:25:11 > 0:25:13'a building in the garden which could provide
0:25:13 > 0:25:15'the business opportunity they wanted.'
0:25:20 > 0:25:21So...
0:25:23 > 0:25:25- Wow!- Very sweet.- It's VERY sweet.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29It's a sort of self-contained...
0:25:29 > 0:25:33Well, whatever you want it to be. An annexe for your parents.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36- Mum and Dad, yeah.- A granny annexe.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38Or, erm... Or a holiday let.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42Mm-hm. You've got one big bedroom upstairs with a double bed
0:25:42 > 0:25:44and a little toilet upstairs, and there's a bathroom down here.
0:25:46 > 0:25:48Well, let's go outside and talk about money, then.
0:25:48 > 0:25:50- Oh, dear...- Yes...
0:25:52 > 0:25:54'Well, hopefully they won't need to be despondent,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57'but there is only one way to find out.'
0:25:57 > 0:26:01- So, you get the full view of this hybrid beast.- Amazing.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Absolutely amazing house.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06What do you think it all costs?
0:26:06 > 0:26:08I think it's round about...
0:26:08 > 0:26:10850,000.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15And I think...erm...
0:26:15 > 0:26:17775?
0:26:17 > 0:26:19Split the difference.
0:26:19 > 0:26:21It's on for 800,000.
0:26:21 > 0:26:22Wow!
0:26:22 > 0:26:26- So, that's the price...- Yes.- Yeah. - ..they're asking.
0:26:28 > 0:26:30I think that's actually very fair.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Have a look around,
0:26:33 > 0:26:35- and I'll see you at the front. - Thank you!
0:26:39 > 0:26:40'For £800,000,
0:26:40 > 0:26:43'this fascinating property more than delivers on their wish list.
0:26:43 > 0:26:47'There is a large farmhouse-style kitchen AND dining room,
0:26:47 > 0:26:50'which should provide enough room for entertaining.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53'It has four bedrooms plus a detached cottage in the garden
0:26:53 > 0:26:56'which could make a ready-made business for them.'
0:26:56 > 0:26:59It's the most amazing house I think I've ever seen!
0:26:59 > 0:27:03Enormous potential and not a lot of money needing spent on it
0:27:03 > 0:27:06to bring it up to the sort of thing that we'd be interested in.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09And I could really see us putting our mark on it
0:27:09 > 0:27:10and being very comfortable.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14Guys? A-ha, there you are.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16- We're here.- Thank you. - Can I drag you out?
0:27:16 > 0:27:20- Just about. Dragging and kicking! - That's a good sign.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24So, two houses down. Time to have a little reflection.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40'As the sun sets over the Kent countryside,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43'day one of our property search draws to a close.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Former director of education Vic
0:27:54 > 0:27:58and his wife Terri, an ex-retail manager, are hoping to use
0:27:58 > 0:28:00their experience running chalets
0:28:00 > 0:28:03to find a home with business potential in the countryside.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06So far, out of the two properties they've seen,
0:28:06 > 0:28:09it's the quirky nature of house number two
0:28:09 > 0:28:11that's been their favourite.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13This is lovely. I think this is really us.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16'But I might be about to change all that
0:28:16 > 0:28:18'when I show them our mystery property.'
0:28:18 > 0:28:21How astonishing is that?!
0:28:21 > 0:28:25'And I get to walk in some very famous political footsteps.'
0:28:25 > 0:28:28He always insisted there was a Dundee cake on the table,
0:28:28 > 0:28:29otherwise he wouldn't sit down.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Day two of our property search, and I have to say,
0:28:37 > 0:28:38I was quite worried yesterday
0:28:38 > 0:28:40about the road outside the second property.
0:28:40 > 0:28:45But Vic and Terri are incredibly positive about everything.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47We thought that maybe they were just being nice
0:28:47 > 0:28:50and actually they had this hidden agenda of no-nos,
0:28:50 > 0:28:52but they see the best in every house we've shown them.
0:28:52 > 0:28:53So I think...
0:28:55 > 0:28:58..they're going to love the mystery house.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03So, we're off to see the mystery house.
0:29:03 > 0:29:04What do you think it will be?
0:29:06 > 0:29:09Well, we've gone from perhaps just a barn
0:29:09 > 0:29:14to I think it possibly could be a shop, a business
0:29:14 > 0:29:18already set up with living accommodation.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20Potentially falling down!
0:29:22 > 0:29:23How would you feel about that,
0:29:23 > 0:29:27if we were to give you something that required lots and lots of work?
0:29:27 > 0:29:30- Oh, I think we'd be excited about that.- Oh, yes, yeah.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42Well, I'm not showing them a ruin,
0:29:42 > 0:29:45but they will have to use their imaginations
0:29:45 > 0:29:46for our mystery property.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49It's situated in Chislet on the North Kent coast,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52around an hour away from Sevenoaks.
0:29:52 > 0:29:56The nearest hub for amenities is the seaside resort of Reculver
0:29:56 > 0:29:59that became popular in the 1930s,
0:29:59 > 0:30:02and the most famous landmarks here are the towers -
0:30:02 > 0:30:05known as the Twin Sisters - which are all that remains
0:30:05 > 0:30:08of a church demolished in the 19th century.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10The property I'm showing them is a real eye-opener
0:30:10 > 0:30:15and I'm hoping they'll understand just why I wanted them to see it.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18So.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22- Ha-ha!- Oh, wow!
0:30:22 > 0:30:25Oh, God. This is stunning.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27Absolutely.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31How astonishing is that?
0:30:31 > 0:30:34As you can see, it's a building site so we've got all our gear.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37It's still being built - it's not actually on the market yet.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41- And this is a completely new steel-frame construction.- OK.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43It's a work of art.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46It's more than a work-in-progress, it's just fantastic.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48Are you good at walking round building sites
0:30:48 > 0:30:49and imagining what goes where?
0:30:49 > 0:30:54- Oh, yes.- Oh, yes.- Oh, yes! - THEY LAUGH
0:30:54 > 0:30:56Right, well, I'm going to have to ask you to put these hats on.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59Well, that's an improvement for me. THEY LAUGH
0:30:59 > 0:31:01Let's go.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03'I'm glad this property has gone down so well,'
0:31:03 > 0:31:06as I think this extraordinary building offers Terri and Vic
0:31:06 > 0:31:12an amazing residential home AND a tremendous business opportunity.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16I'm taking you straight into the master bedroom...
0:31:16 > 0:31:18- Wow.- ..because you have four bedrooms.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20It's obviously on one level, this bit.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23- You have four bedrooms, this is the master.- The view!
0:31:23 > 0:31:24Because of this amazing view.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27- Stunning view out over the sea.- Yeah.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29You've got the Reculver Towers,
0:31:29 > 0:31:31which are the ruins you can see on the horizon.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33But what's lovely about it, I think,
0:31:33 > 0:31:35is all the finish is so beautifully done.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38It's lovely green oak throughout.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41- And no expense spared. - No expense spared.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43Let's look at the main room.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48It's back along the corridor, which is the spine of the house
0:31:48 > 0:31:51and holds three double bedrooms, but we'll take a look
0:31:51 > 0:31:55at the impressive double-height reception room.
0:31:56 > 0:32:00- This is a fabulous room.- Gosh.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03- Huge.- Oh.- I can't believe it.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07- Pretty spectacular, isn't it? - Fabulous room.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11- Have you ever had anyone cry? Cos I'm actually moved.- Aw...
0:32:11 > 0:32:14I think it's lovely. It's absolutely...
0:32:14 > 0:32:15What is it you...?
0:32:15 > 0:32:20The whole feel of the house, the area...
0:32:20 > 0:32:23I think it's just really, really nice.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26It's a stunning house with some fabulous touches.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28We haven't been to the...
0:32:28 > 0:32:30to the windmill yet.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32Let's look at the kitchen.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35Vic and Terri have said they wouldn't mind quirky,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38and what could be more unusual than an octagonal kitchen
0:32:38 > 0:32:39set in a windmill?
0:32:39 > 0:32:44Now, this...is the windmill.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47- Wow.- So exciting!- Oh-ho!
0:32:47 > 0:32:50And as the plans stand, what you're going to have
0:32:50 > 0:32:54is you're going to have a transparent, glass-covered walkway
0:32:54 > 0:32:57that goes from the sitting room
0:32:57 > 0:32:59up into what's planned to be the kitchen.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02Oh, I... I'm actually speechless.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05- How are you with heights? - Oh, good.- Oh, good.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07That's what I wanted to hear.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12Another option for our buyers could be for Terri's mother
0:33:12 > 0:33:14to come and live with them - especially if they gave her a room
0:33:14 > 0:33:19in the main part of the house while keeping the rest for themselves.
0:33:19 > 0:33:21Time to show them what could be their bedroom
0:33:21 > 0:33:24at the top of the windmill, which will be finished off
0:33:24 > 0:33:28with sails and dark timber weatherboarding.
0:33:28 > 0:33:29Until the house is completed,
0:33:29 > 0:33:33we have to access the top room from the outside,
0:33:33 > 0:33:35and there are four storeys to climb.
0:33:35 > 0:33:36Give your hand.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39- Thank you.- Nearly there.
0:33:39 > 0:33:40Ooh!
0:33:40 > 0:33:41Come on in.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43Mind this big gap.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45Ooh! Quite deep.
0:33:46 > 0:33:47So...
0:33:47 > 0:33:49A room with a view.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52Yeah. This will be a big glass panel.
0:33:52 > 0:33:54These'll be windows.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57- I can see the bed here. - This has got to be a bedroom.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59It's got to have something up here, something special.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03So the developer has it that this is actually a sitting room
0:34:03 > 0:34:07and underneath is a small room which will be a library and then,
0:34:07 > 0:34:10underneath again, a bedroom or a study.
0:34:10 > 0:34:14Let's talk price. What do you think it's actually on the market for?
0:34:14 > 0:34:17Erm, 900,000.
0:34:17 > 0:34:20Out of our price bracket.
0:34:20 > 0:34:25And I think it's right at the top as well, so I'm going to say 850.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27Just because I want it, so...
0:34:27 > 0:34:29SHE LAUGHS
0:34:29 > 0:34:32It's on the market for £795,000.
0:34:32 > 0:34:34Ooh, wow!
0:34:34 > 0:34:35THEY LAUGH
0:34:35 > 0:34:38How are we doing here?
0:34:38 > 0:34:40I'm really bowled over.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43I didn't think you would come this close to something
0:34:43 > 0:34:47that we really are very excited about.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49I think it's fantastic.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51Well, we're going to have to make our way down.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53And we can take it from there.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02Priced at £795,000,
0:35:02 > 0:35:04the main building in this unique home
0:35:04 > 0:35:07has a wonderful double-height reception room
0:35:07 > 0:35:09and a total of four double bedrooms.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12Attached by a glass walkway is the windmill,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15where the kitchen and breakfast room will be.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17And above that, a study and further sitting-room,
0:35:17 > 0:35:20all with stunning views.
0:35:20 > 0:35:25I can't believe that they've found something that's an original piece!
0:35:25 > 0:35:28It's absolutely, really...
0:35:28 > 0:35:33Totally unique, yes. Absolutely stunning.
0:35:35 > 0:35:39Hat hair! Hat hair. You got hat hair? You don't have hat hair.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41No, I think I'd like to leave my hat on!
0:35:41 > 0:35:43Well, time to leave the worksite, I'm afraid.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45You excited?
0:35:45 > 0:35:47BOTH: Very excited. Yep.
0:35:47 > 0:35:49Pleased with the mystery house?
0:35:49 > 0:35:51- Very, very pleased.- Gold star?
0:35:51 > 0:35:53Double gold star.
0:35:53 > 0:35:54Excellent. Come with me.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10Kent, as a county, is well-known for its superb architecture,
0:36:10 > 0:36:16and has an astonishing 17,229 listed buildings entries
0:36:16 > 0:36:20However, perhaps one of the most characterful and colourful
0:36:20 > 0:36:24is this unique, originally Elizabethan manor house,
0:36:24 > 0:36:25which was home
0:36:25 > 0:36:29to one of the country's greatest statesmen, Winston Churchill.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31Churchill made Chartwell House,
0:36:31 > 0:36:36here in Westerham, his home from 1924 to his death in 1965.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40It was his private retreat from the world of politics.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44I've come here to meet the house and collections manager, Alice Martin,
0:36:44 > 0:36:49to find out more about this great man and his love of this property.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53Alice, so this is Churchill's family home.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55Yes, this is where he raised his family,
0:36:55 > 0:36:57and they moved here in the '20s.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01Why did he pick this one? It's not the most, sort of, imposing.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03He fell in love with it because of its amazing views
0:37:03 > 0:37:05over the Weald of Kent.
0:37:05 > 0:37:08He bought this house in 1922
0:37:08 > 0:37:11and did not tell his wife until after he'd bought it.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15Clementine never really liked the house, not like Winston did.
0:37:15 > 0:37:17She knew it was a bit too much for them
0:37:17 > 0:37:19and it would get them into financial trouble.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22- And did it?- It did. They had to put it on the market a few times.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26It was eventually saved for Winston by a group of friends and admirers
0:37:26 > 0:37:28who actually purchased it, with the proviso
0:37:28 > 0:37:30he could live here for the rest of his life.
0:37:30 > 0:37:32The central section of the house
0:37:32 > 0:37:36is a hunting lodge that dates back to the 1500s,
0:37:36 > 0:37:39with the wings on the end added in the Victorian era.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43Alice, this is a beautiful room. It's very 1930s.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46Churchill bought the house, and had it hugely renovated.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48So, this is a '20s extension.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50Oh, it's beautiful, because you can see the whole view.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53He bought the house for the view. That's what he fell in love with,
0:37:53 > 0:37:56and they would've spent a lot of time in here. Having tea.
0:37:56 > 0:37:59He always insisted there was a Dundee cake on the table
0:37:59 > 0:38:01otherwise he wouldn't sit down.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03Winston and Clementine loved entertaining
0:38:03 > 0:38:07and the dining room is very much the heart of the house.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11The rooms Churchill added all have large windows
0:38:11 > 0:38:14to take advantage of the views across the Weald of Kent.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16And who, famous, would've sat around this table?
0:38:16 > 0:38:18Let's get a roll-call of names.
0:38:18 > 0:38:21Obviously, a lot of the generals during the Second World War.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23- Einstein visited.- That's a big name!
0:38:23 > 0:38:27Sadly didn't sign the visitors' book, which is a great shame.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31Charlie Chaplin came here. He did sign the book. Yes.
0:38:31 > 0:38:33The great and the good!
0:38:33 > 0:38:36Churchill was a prolific writer, who relied on his books
0:38:36 > 0:38:39and journalism to provide an income all his life.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42He wrote in this study.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45He did most of his work standing up at the desk.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48He liked to pace backwards and forwards
0:38:48 > 0:38:51and he dictated to either a machine or a secretary.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54Really? And is it full of, are there gifts?
0:38:54 > 0:38:56It seems like a very modest family home.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59It doesn't seem like a big, stately home.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02It is, but everywhere you look, there's something.
0:39:02 > 0:39:05We're standing on a carpet which was a gift to Churchill
0:39:05 > 0:39:08from the Shah of Persia, for his 69th birthday.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11It actually used to have tassels round the outside,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14but as I said, he liked to pace up and down,
0:39:14 > 0:39:16and he actually used to trip over them,
0:39:16 > 0:39:18so he cut them off with scissors.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20- He cut of the Shah's tassels? - He did, yes. Indeed.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23Churchill was also an enthusiastic painter,
0:39:23 > 0:39:26and Chartwell holds over 170 of his works.
0:39:26 > 0:39:30He retreated into this world later in life,
0:39:30 > 0:39:32after he was forced to resign from the Cabinet.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37There's a huge number of pictures. Are they part of the National Trust?
0:39:37 > 0:39:39Some things belong to the National Trust.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42Others belong to private lenders to us.
0:39:42 > 0:39:47The copyright of the images belongs to Churchill Heritage,
0:39:47 > 0:39:49which is administered by the family.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52So, he was a great painter, and this was therapy for him, wasn't it?
0:39:52 > 0:39:55It was. He came to it quite late in life.
0:39:55 > 0:39:56When he was about 40,
0:39:56 > 0:39:59he had a disastrous event happened to him,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02the Dardanelles campaign, which he was partly blamed for.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05And then, it really knocked him back,
0:40:05 > 0:40:07and he thought it might actually end his career,
0:40:07 > 0:40:12and it was suggested that it might be therapeutic to do painting.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16He needed painting as a solace to keep his mind active.
0:40:16 > 0:40:19Chartwell offers a fascinating glimpse into the private life
0:40:19 > 0:40:21of one of Britain's greatest statesmen.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24And as Vic and Terri are keen history buffs,
0:40:24 > 0:40:26this could be just one of the many historic houses
0:40:26 > 0:40:29they'd like to visit when they make their move to Kent.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31But for now, it's time to find out
0:40:31 > 0:40:34whether any of our properties have hit the mark.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41Well, the first house in many ways was picture-perfect
0:40:41 > 0:40:45and nearly perfectly ready to move in.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48My only reservation for that one was possibly the land.
0:40:48 > 0:40:51I would like perhaps a little bit larger.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54But that was the only thing I could fault it on.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57- It was very nice, wasn't it? - It was a fantastic house.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01It had all of those really interesting features.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04The main reception area with the wood panelling.
0:41:04 > 0:41:05It was a stunning house.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10And as Terry said, we could have moved in tomorrow.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13But the issue for us was, it really was a bit too perfect.
0:41:13 > 0:41:16There was really nothing for us to do. It would've been difficult,
0:41:16 > 0:41:17other than change the colour -
0:41:17 > 0:41:20that's probably the only thing we could've done.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23The second house, there were lots of things you could do to this.
0:41:23 > 0:41:25What about you living there? Was it an option?
0:41:25 > 0:41:29The options are all there. As far as a bed and breakfast is concerned,
0:41:29 > 0:41:33we couldn't see where we could fit the en suites into those rooms.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36So lots of concerns,
0:41:36 > 0:41:40until we got to the mystery house, where suddenly the sun came out.
0:41:40 > 0:41:41THEY LAUGH
0:41:41 > 0:41:45Certainly did. And a tear!
0:41:45 > 0:41:47Yeah, I think we were both blown away.
0:41:47 > 0:41:51So, it's quite an unusual property. How do you think you would use it?
0:41:51 > 0:41:55It is very unique, and the mill, itself,
0:41:55 > 0:42:02I think would be a very nice self-contained unit for holiday lets.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05- So, lots of options. - Lots of options.- What happens next?
0:42:05 > 0:42:07We've already started talking to the builder,
0:42:07 > 0:42:09because we've got lots of ideas.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11Wow!
0:42:11 > 0:42:13You've practically moved in?
0:42:13 > 0:42:15Almost, yes. We could be in for Christmas.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18I'm assuming that the mystery house was your favourite.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20Absolutely. Yeah.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22The mystery house just blew us away.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24It took us into an area that we didn't think for one moment
0:42:24 > 0:42:28that we would have been interested in. I mean, geographically.
0:42:28 > 0:42:29Best of luck.
0:42:29 > 0:42:30Thank you so much!
0:42:35 > 0:42:37What a lovely couple Vic and Terri were.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40I was a bit worried that they wanted so many different things
0:42:40 > 0:42:42in the beginning of the show,
0:42:42 > 0:42:44except "not being too far away from Sevenoaks",
0:42:44 > 0:42:47and all of our properties WERE far away from Sevenoaks.
0:42:47 > 0:42:51But it did open their eyes to bits of Kent they hadn't looked at,
0:42:51 > 0:42:54and that turned out to be a very good thing.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57So, if you've fallen in love with rural Britain,
0:42:57 > 0:43:01make sure you come back next time, for Escape to the Country.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03Vic and Terri remained keen on the mystery house,
0:43:03 > 0:43:06but are waiting with bated breath for it to be finished
0:43:06 > 0:43:09before they decide whether to make an offer.
0:43:09 > 0:43:12If you would like to escape to the country in Wales, Scotland,
0:43:12 > 0:43:17Northern Ireland or England and need our help, please apply online at...
0:43:41 > 0:43:43Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd