Wiltshire Escape to the Country

This stone may be Welsh, but I'm not in Wales. I'm standing inside the inner circle

of one of the most important historic monuments in the UK, if not the world.

So, join me for what promises to be a very ancient Escape To The Country.

In today's show, I'll be helping a couple keen to spend their retirement in the country.

And they're certainly taken with the early properties we show them.

-So, there's a sense of agreement, dare I say it?

-Yeah.

-Worrying, isn't it?

-THEY LAUGH

Then, our mystery house really brings out their playful side.

-Can I jump a little bit and get excited?

-Of course you can. Jump away.

Well, if you'd followed the clues, you'll have realised that

today we're in Wiltshire and this, of course, is Stonehenge -

for my money, the most important ancient monument in the world.

No surprise, therefore, that it's amongst the UK's premier world heritage sites.

Now, for decades - for generations, really -

speculation has raged as to who built it and why.

Later on in the programme, I'll be back here

to try and find out a little more about the history

of this gorgeous and very mysterious ancient monument.

Forming the gateway to the south-west of England,

the county of Wiltshire is steeped in history,

and the legacies of Britain's oldest civilisations

can still be seen today.

The Avebury stone circle dating back 5,000 years

neighbours the mysterious and magnificent Silbury Hill,

quarried from local chalk and soil.

Wiltshire's rich geological bedrock provides

the building blocks for much of its architectural heritage,

such as Salisbury's 13th century cathedral,

built from Chilmark and Purbeck stone,

and the sumptuous Elizabethan stately home of Longleat.

Offering both charming market towns and rural splendour,

this county is certainly a compelling choice for many escapees.

Now, despite Wiltshire's close proximity to surrounding cities

like Bristol, Bath, Southampton and even London,

it is perhaps surprisingly the least densely populated county

in south-west England.

But that, of course, comes at a price.

Your average family home will set you back £292,000,

38,000 above the national average.

But don't be put off. There's plenty on offer.

On the market for £350,000,

this thatched cottage in Manningford Bruce is full of character features.

There is a range in the kitchen, a large inglenook fireplace

in the sitting room, and outside offers up a good-sized garden.

Or, for £595,000, you could buy

this four-bedroom thatched cottage in Collingbourne Kingston.

Dating back to the 1540s, it retains its historic feel

with the open fireplace in the sitting room,

while the light, bright kitchen is a sympathetic addition.

Or, for bigger budgets, £850,000 will land you

this stunning four-bedroom barn conversion in Stanton Fitzwarren.

The kitchen with high-spec fittings and main sitting room are vast,

and the use of timber beams throughout

complement its Grade II listed status.

So, there you go. Plenty of reasons, as if they were really needed,

to want to live in this part of the world.

And that's just as well because for today's buyers,

well, they haven't got to move that far.

Phil and Kim have lived in their large five-bedroom family home

in Fareham, Hampshire, for nearly 14 years.

Kim currently works full-time as an NHS manager

and Phil has retired from his job with the Ministry of Defence,

although he keeps himself ticking over

running his own consultancy firm from home.

Despite these commitments, they're both desperate for a change

and are keen to start the next chapter of their lives.

We'd like to move to the country at the moment because we've just come to a new era in life.

We lived in the country back in the '80s when Phil's job moved to there.

And we absolutely loved it. We loved being part of the community.

And at this time we've got more time in our lives

to actually establish ourselves within the community.

We both love the countryside. We don't spend enough time there.

Whenever we fly away abroad, the first thing we notice when we come back in

is what a gorgeous country this is and we just want to see more of it.

And they've got a whole list of pursuits

they want to plough their energies into.

I just want have a go at everything. I want to join the WI, I want to do fencing, I want to do archery.

Anything that's going, I want to have a try.

Just get lots of new hobbies, meet new people.

Certainly, in my case, I'm very keen to get out in the countryside.

I cycle, which I enjoy doing. I want to cycle round the countryside and to see more of it.

I want to improve my language skills, learn German more effectively.

And also I'd like to perhaps even start doing some music as well

to actually start playing something as well.

And I'm also thinking about writing a book.

And again the country environment provides a perfect setting for that.

With Kim still needing to travel to Southampton for work

and Phil wanting to be close to his beloved boat which is moored at Gosport,

they've decided the perfect location is somewhere south east of Salisbury.

What's more, they have a clear vision of what their next home needs to provide.

In terms of the property itself, we're looking for something that is a real home.

We'd want to see it with a good-sized kitchen

with a good office that I can work from.

A minimum, I would say, of three bedrooms, one en-suite which would be our main bedroom.

We'd like a dining room, very important. We do lot of entertaining so it's key we have that.

And then perhaps a couple of reception rooms.

But there are some areas of potential conflict.

One area where we would possibly disagree

is that Kim's idea of a nice home, which I would tend to agree with,

could end up as being lots of hard work for me.

I'm really keen on low-maintenance, keeping it easy.

Work with it easy. I do not like the idea of spending all my life up ladders repairing things.

Now, Phil and Kim want to be mortgage-free

and, with that in mind, they've pinpointed exactly how much they can spend.

Our budget for the new property is £500,000.

So, Phil and Kim now feel it's time to fly their own now empty nest

and find a house that they can live in their way.

And boy do they intend to fill every minute of the future.

They've got a real zest for life.

There are languages to learn, instruments to play, books to write,

even a boat to sail.

I don't know about you, but they've exhausted me already.

Mindful of Kim's drive to work in Southampton,

our house hunt will be based in the south-east of the county,

although we may cast our net further to make the most of their budget.

I'll be showing them three gorgeous yet very different properties,

but I won't reveal the price of each until they have a guess first.

The last property is, of course, our mystery house

and I think it'll really challenge their vision

of what they're looking for in their new home.

Well, hello, Kim. Hi, Phil. Nice to see you.

This is all quite interesting

because it could be your 10th move, I gather.

-It could be. We've moved around quite a lot.

-Yes.

-So, why now?

-Why again?

-Well, it's a kind of long story.

I think the thing is that we've come to a stage in our life now

where I've just retired from my full-time job,

we want to do something different, we always hankered to get out

into the country and this just seems to be the natural time to do it.

Let's have a think about how much we've got to spend.

-Half-a-million?

-Yes.

-Sounds like an awful lot of money.

-It does.

But we found looking around that it's not a lot of money.

One thing we've learned over many, many years

is whatever your budget is, it's just actually too little

for what you really want - we know that.

-Guaranteed. Can we relieve you of £500,000, I wonder?

-I hope so.

I'm really looking forward to finding out.

-It's burning a hole, isn't it!? Right, come on, follow me.

-Thanks.

So, with their £500,000 budget,

Phil and Kim would like a detached property

that gives her character features while being low-maintenance for him.

A couple of reception rooms with a separate dining room

for entertaining would be ideal, as would a large kitchen/diner.

Along with three bedrooms, Phil needs a home office.

Thankfully they only want a manageable garden

and the also want to be close to a village community.

We're getting our house hunt underway

by heading to the village of Chilmark.

And we're putting community and good access to Kim's work

top of the agenda.

Among its array of lovely limestone buildings

are a local pub and a parish church,

which dates back to the 13th century,

although its tower was rebuilt in the 1770s.

Set in a secluded spot, our first property serves up

a great low-maintenance option for our buyers to consider.

-There we are. There's house number one.

-Fantastic.

-Lovely.

What lovely grounds.

Nothing too big because you didn't want a huge garden.

But this is really low maintenance. You've basically got to mow the lawn.

That's fine by us. We may even get some rabbits or something to do that for us.

You have to imagine this 12 years ago

as a pretty uninteresting late-'60s built bungalow.

And in the last 12 years or so, the owners have transformed it

and extended it into a very, very slick three-bedroom property.

-Excellent.

-And single-storey. We hadn't thought about that.

Their open-minded approach to living on one level

means we're off to a good start.

And, as they'll discover, the interior has some tasteful and quirky features.

-Come on in.

-Thank you.

-Right, follow me in through here.

-Now then, utility room is in there.

-Excellent.

-OK.

Useful little study in there, but this, Kim,

is what I want you to really feast your eyes on.

-Oh, I love that.

-Goodness me.

-Wow.

-Yeah?

-That is lovely.

-Gosh, that's stunning, isn't it?

-You wanted a big one.

-Yeah.

-There you go.

-That is lovely. I love how it's just been made modern

but it's still got that traditional feel to it.

That woodburner is just terrific. I think it really makes it.

-Very, very unique, hand-made for the property.

-It's amazing.

-So, there's a sense of agreement, dare I say it?

-Yeah.

-Worrying, isn't it?

-THEY LAUGH

As this is single-storey, the three bedrooms

all flow off the central hallway,

so let's see what they make of the main bedroom.

-Here it is. There we are. The master bedroom.

-A room with a view.

-Isn't it just?

-Fantastic view again.

-Nice way to wake up.

Lovely and bright as well and airy.

The other thing is it is en-suite. Through that door is a fabulous bathroom and again, very quirky.

-Very different.

-I like quirk.

My sense is also they've actually used good materials.

It's always good when you've found somebody who's modernised a place

and lived in it as they want to get it right, and I think that comes through.

-I love it.

-It's good.

-Lighting's nice as well.

-Impressive.

The other two bedrooms are both large enough to be doubles

and conveniently placed either side of the bright, modern family bathroom.

And there's an added surprise.

-Now, just when you probably thought there was no more to see...

-Oh, that is lovely.

-It goes on.

-That is really nice. Again, it's got that spacious feel.

-Yeah.

If you wanted a separate dining thing, you've got it. But I think this is lovely.

-It really opens out.

-Good view again into the garden.

But it's got a cosy feel.

Although it's quite a spacious room, because of all the aspects, the light aspects as well.

As well as having that homely feel, this property, although all on one level,

has a light and spacious interior.

It has plenty of character features for Kim,

and outside even has a study solution for Phil.

Right then, well, here we are back in the garden where we started.

What you see is what you get, as you can tell - with one addition.

Behind the property, there's a very nice small garden

with a couple of raised vegetable beds in it.

And coming over to the business of studies, there is

what was designed as a garage - they've never used it as a garage, they've got it set up as a study.

-You don't have to use the small one in the property itself, there's that one.

-OK.

-So, let's have a think about the money, then.

-Yes.

-Go on, Kim. You can guess first.

-I've got a figure in mind of 525.

-525.

-I'd be tempted to say slightly higher. Maybe nearer 540 or something like that.

-540.

If it was 540, would it still be of interest?

-I think anything is of interest.

-Ah! OK.

But it just means that you have to look in your piggy-bank and see how many pennies you've got left.

Well, you won't have any pennies left at all on this one because it's £525,000.

-You were absolutely right.

-Goodness gracious me!

-But I suspect, you know, open to offers.

-OK.

-It is a beautiful property.

-Right, well, off you go.

-Go and check it out and I'll find you later.

-Thank you.

-Brilliant.

You can't fault their enthusiasm - I absolutely love it.

And, as a first property, this is absolutely ideal.

It's very practical, it's very easy, it's very beautiful, frankly.

Although this property nudges over their budget at £525,000,

if they like it, a sensible offer could seal the deal.

Along with a large convivial kitchen/diner,

it offers them a great separate sitting room.

The three bedrooms include a master en-suite,

and outside the manageable garden

houses a super study option for Phil.

My first impressions of this house

when I got here was that it had a really nice garden, good-size.

I can imagine having visitors here,

having barbecues and people come to visit.

But, as we've been going round, it's just been so spacious and so light,

which is the main thing that I've wanted out of a house. I've been really pleased. I really like it.

Actually, this is looking very interesting. Immediately caught by very light, very airy,

and, of course, you just walk in a little way and on the right hand side is that stunning kitchen.

However you look at it, that really is the main feature of the house - and quite rightly so.

The house has plenty of room, it's good for us as a couple

and I think it would be good for the grandchildren and all the family.

Well, I think that all went rather well, actually. Ah, how are you?

-Really good. It's absolutely wonderful.

-Excellent.

I think you've done very well with choosing something that's got all the key parts there.

-Really good.

-Good. And it's only the first one.

-I know!

-Let's go see some more.

For thousands of Wiltshire's 13 million visitors every year,

one of the highlights has to be a visit to Longleat.

Its beautiful Elizabethan house sits within a 9,000 acre estate,

which encompasses three nature conservation areas.

It's also home to the first safari park outside of Africa

and supports animal conservation projects

including the Hawk Conservancy Trust, a charity raising awareness

of the threats that face both our native and non-native birds of prey.

As Phil and Kim have said they're keen to try lots of new pursuits once they move,

earlier in the week we arranged for them to meet the trust's falconer, Jimmy Robinson.

Do you have a favourite?

-Or shouldn't we ask questions like that?

-Yeah, we do.

Technically we shouldn't, but because you work with them every single day,

you get very, very close to the species.

Like the little barn owl who just passed us here.

-She's so sweet.

-She's gorgeous, isn't she?

I've known her since she was a tiny little ball of fluff.

She will shout and call to you quite often. But many of them will do.

-This eagle owl will do quite often.

-He looks all fluffed up.

He looks as if he should be on somebody's bed.

I think he's just woken up. He is quite cute and cuddly.

I love the kite, that's my favourite.

The kites, yeah. These are African yellow-billed black kites.

They're a little bit smaller than our native red kite.

Jimmy's giving Phil and Kim the chance to get to grips with

the basics of falconry, which, during the Middle Ages, was known as the sport of kings.

Indeed, Longleat's own archives show that

it was practised here as far back as 1589.

They're going to meet a non-native bird in need of some good publicity.

He's a little African hooded vulture and is called Mighty-Might. He's only a year old.

-HE WHISTLES

-Here we go.

-It's a long flight.

-What's the wingspan?

His wingspan will be about five feet from tip to tip.

So, he is quite a large bird when he's on the wing.

-We're about to become friends.

-He's edging in a bit closer.

-OK, fine.

-We kind of grow up with vultures

in loads of different cartoons being shown as horrible, ugly, dirty creatures.

But they're not. They're incredibly clean.

They have to keep themselves in tip-top condition.

They've got amazing digestive systems.

They can even take anthrax on board their systems

and still survive. Which is just phenomenal.

And so sadly because vultures are declining,

various different animals are suffering problems with diseases and pests and parasites.

Where normally vultures would stop diseases from spreading.

'An owl's ears are the...'

Our buyers now have a chance to see this diverse cast of raptors in action,

which includes Britain's largest breeding falcon, the peregrine.

With a diving speed of over 190 mph,

it's one of the fastest animals on the planet.

But, for now, it's time to turn an eagle eye back towards our house hunting.

Our property search continues over the border into Dorset,

close to the village of Sixpenny Handley.

It's just under an hour's drive to Kim's work in Southampton

and there's a good selection of local amenities on their doorstep.

Nearby in the hamlet of Woodcutts, set in an area of outstanding natural beauty, is our second house.

The main part of it dates back to 1901

and it also has a large side extension added in 2001.

OK, in the rain, house number two.

We've moved away from the whole single-storey arrangement

and we've got you, well, three floors here, actually.

-Three?

-It goes right up into the roof space.

And it overlooks this area behind us. This mixed woodland here.

-It's beautiful.

-It's an ancient bit of woodland, this.

-It's called Scrubbity Burrows.

-You're joking.

I'm not, I'm absolutely serious. You might think it's drawn from

some kind of fantasy novel, but no. It's called Scrubbity Burrows.

I'm told by the owners they do in the morning come out here and find deer.

-So, I think we should get out the rain.

-I think we should.

-Come on.

-Very good.

The extension gives them a purpose-built garage

and a large self-contained parking area.

But let's see what their first reactions are

to the front facing reception rooms in the original part of the house.

-This is the dining room.

-Oh, decent-size.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-It's a beautiful view out there.

-Yes, what was it called again?

-BOTH: Scrubbity Burrows.

-Scrubbity Burrows.

-Got to live here so you can say, "I live opposite Scrubbity Burrows."

-You ought to rename the house.

-Absolutely right.

-Call it that. I think it's a very conventional layout, this.

This room is reflected over the corridor on the other side

as another living room/snug/study, whatever you want it to be.

So, it's very easy to get a sense of the ground plan.

The dining room leads through to the back of the property

to the kitchen which we'll come to later.

We'll take a look at another of the property's reception rooms,

this time in the newer section of the house.

-That is surprising, isn't it?

-Yeah. This is the new bit.

This is the 2001 bit, which now goes on to a games room.

It's got a little bar in there, you can probably just see a pool table shining through the door,

and a garage beyond and the parking and so forth.

'But now let's take a look at that kitchen and see what they think.'

Right, in you come.

-Right.

-Bit more cottagey.

-Bit smaller.

-Yes.

It's not what I would call a huge kitchen/diner,

although obviously it's got a little table in it at the moment.

That door goes through to a downstairs loo and utility room,

and another door out, obviously, to the garden.

You've got the range which again sort of ticks a cottage box, if you like, I suppose.

-But, yeah, if you think cosy cooking is for you.

-I could definitely work with this.

Time to head to the first floor and see if the three bedrooms up here

offer the space they're after.

Well, let's start upstairs in here.

This is currently set up as the master bedroom.

It's not the biggest bedroom in itself,

-but it does have an en-suite next door.

-Oh, right.

But it's got these lovely high ceilings similar to

what we've got downstairs, typical of the period of build, really.

-I love actually having the fireplace as well.

-Yes, it's sweet, isn't it?

A nice survivor, again, from the period. That's the real thing. Nice cast-iron fireplace.

And having the recesses for the wardrobes as well

is just a bonus in a cottage of this age.

Follow me through here. This is quite interesting. It all sort of runs as a bit of a route.

-Now, can you see this staircase here?

-A-ha.

To get to the staircase, you either go through this bedroom or that bedroom.

This bedroom here is exactly the same, as you can probably see. And up there,

they've pushed into the roof space. Remember on the outside

we said they'd given you three floors effectively? That I think

-would be ideal for visiting grandchildren or indeed study space.

-OK.

Under here on the first floor, the third bedroom is a compact but bright double

which is served by the main family bathroom next door.

Overall, this house offers them a mix of Victorian character

and proportions, with the bonus of a modern adaptable living space

to accommodate visiting friends and family.

And outside gives them the low-maintenance garden they've asked for.

-Madam.

-Thank you.

-You can have that. Right, up those steps.

-OK.

Now, garden-wise, what you can see is what you get.

It's this rather terraced arrangement,

dropping down to the patio outside the doors there.

-But again I think this is probably the right sort of size from what you were describing.

-Yes, it is.

It's a generous plot. Because there's lots of land around it.

And you get a nice sense of the geography of the buildings actually

where the link works and the games room and the garage again.

-Let's have a think about the price, then.

-Depends on the price.

-You went first last time, Kim. So, go on, Phil.

-Golly.

-Bearing in mind I'm not very good at this, 550 I would suspect.

-550, OK.

-485.

-Oh!

-Quite a difference.

-Now, that's contentious, isn't it?

-Yeah.

550, 485...

-How about 495?

-Oh, really?

-Yeah.

-Wow. That's great.

I think it's a really good price for that size property

and I think it's got huge potential.

-Yeah, well, go and make some choices. Off you go.

-Thank you.

Great stuff. Well, very interesting. Very different property

from our first one, but, as they say,

a lot of scope and lots of potential -

even if it is raining!

Under budget at £495,000, this late Victorian property

gives them four potential reception rooms along with a country kitchen.

Upstairs, the three bedrooms include a master en-suite

and there's a dedicated office for Phil on the top floor.

Outside, the garden needs little upkeep

and it's all wrapped up in a beautiful woodland setting.

When I first walked up to the house, I really liked it

because it's the sort of house that I've been looking at.

It's that turn-of-the-century, huge potential. But generally

when you get in, the feel of the house is very peaceful, very quiet.

I believe we could see ourselves living in this house. I'm not quite exactly sure how we would work out

the bits and pieces, and certainly we would want to be doing a fair bit of work on it

to get it just the way we would like it to be.

Right, out you come. This weather! It just goes on, doesn't it?

-Oh, yes.

-Are you happy with number two?

-Yes.

It's got huge potential and it's just thinking about the usage of the space

because there's lots of land and lots of space in the rooms there.

I think this one's really got your minds going, hasn't it?

-It has, actually.

-Right, come on, let's get out of this rain.

-OK.

So, as evening falls over the Wiltshire skyline,

the first day of our house hunt comes to an end.

With the new phase of their lives about to begin,

Phil and Kim are poised to sell their family home

in Fareham, Hampshire, and leap over the border to rural Wiltshire.

For their £500,000, we need to find a property that balances

Kim's desire for quirky

while offering Phil something low maintenance.

So far, there have been plenty of positive noises

about the two properties we've already shown them.

But, coming up, will our mystery house be a conversion too far?

I mean, Phil seems slightly lost for words, Kim.

I think I am as well. It is a real true mystery house.

There's no way we could have imagined this.

And I step back through the mists of time in the company of

these 5,000 year old Wiltshire giants.

Well, it's the final day of our house hunt

here with Phil and with Kim.

Yesterday went really well. So far, so good.

But, of course, time is of the essence - they really want to get this move underway.

It's raining, but as for the sundial,

it's not going to be much use today, is it, really?

What do you think our mystery house holds for you?

-I like quirky.

-Clearly.

-And you seem to both agree on quirky.

-Yes.

There's degrees of quirkiness, but...

Well, I think we're going to up the ante on the mystery house.

-Excellent.

-Because this really is something different.

-OK.

-We look forward to seeing it.

-Now I'm getting worried, I think. Yes...

Our mystery property takes us to the village of Zeals,

towards Wiltshire's borders with Dorset and Somerset

and stretches Kim's drive-time to work to over an hour.

Along with welcome amenities, the village is peppered with

some impressive mid-19th century architecture,

such as the parish church built in the Gothic revival style

and these lovely old alms houses.

Our mystery house was built in the 1850s

and comes in the form of this converted chapel.

Well, here we are. The mystery house in this shocking weather.

-Goodness me.

-Or a part of it.

-A part?

-We've got you an old chapel.

-Oh, fantastic!

-Wow!

-But they've done it rather nicely.

And there are some real giveaways as to the fact that it obviously is a chapel.

-So, quirky is the name of the game.

-OK.

-I love the area as well.

-I'm really excited about this one.

-Yeah? I'm not going to make us linger any longer than we need to.

-Let's get out the rain. Come on.

-OK, fine. Thanks.

Yes, let's quickly head inside and explore its awe-inspiring interior.

-Oh, that's better, isn't it?

-Absolutely.

-Get out the rain.

Um, yeah, a chapel for you. What do you reckon?

-That is amazing.

-It's incredible.

-Absolutely amazing.

-It's huge.

Have you ever thought about this sort of thing?

We'd never really considered it, had we?

No, and I have often wondered what they do with them inside.

This little hallway is a lovely way to greet your guests. You've got a woodburner there.

We've got a little - it's currently a single bedroom through there.

-Could be a study, Phil, really.

-OK.

And the rest of it just sort of opens up.

-Stunning.

-Come on. Let's have an explore.

This, to me, is really where the whole kind of chapel thing comes to life.

-It is extraordinary.

-It's an incredible space.

-Yeah.

-Absolutely amazing.

-I mean, what do you make of it?

-It is amazing.

Absolutely. Yes, as you say, you can see the main features which make it

the building it is, but again, fascinating the way it's been put together.

The really clever bit, I think, is this central fireplace arrangement

which clearly it wouldn't have had as a chapel.

But it divides the space up

and allows us to create another floor beyond.

You've obviously got all the architecture that portrays its history.

Indeed so. Amazing.

It's a bit mind-blowing, really, I have to say.

-I mean, Phil seems slightly lost for words, Kim.

-I think I am as well. It is a real true mystery house.

There's no way we could have imagined this.

-This is really pressing all the circuits.

-It is true quirky.

I mean, there's a little door off there which I think was probably the vestry.

-That could be another office for you.

-Fine.

-If you like.

I mean, the use of space is terrific.

You can see this mezzanine level which is attached to the back of the huge chimney breast.

That's currently set up as the master bedroom. It doesn't have to be. There's other options.

-This could be something for the grandchildren.

-They'd be abseiling -

-have a climbing wall.

-Don't tempt them!

Before their imaginations run away with them,

we'll head to the other side of the chapel

and explore the more practical home comforts of the kitchen.

-OK, Kim.

-Oh!

-What do you think of this one, then?

That's a really nice surprise.

I did think perhaps this was something I would have to

compromise on, but it's light, it's airy and it's a decent size.

-It's a good size.

-But it's still got that feel about - cottage.

Do you know what I like about it? Exactly, it's cottage.

In some ways, it's a bit of a relief

from the overwhelming chapel of next door.

-Can I jump a little bit and get excited?

-Of course you can!

Jump away. I'm glad you're excited.

Of course, you've got this lovely oil-fired range as well,

which again brings us back to the whole cottage feel.

-It's very, very good.

-Albeit within a chapel.

-It's really good.

-I love it. I really do love it.

-Good.

Well, the door behind us goes through to the garage, so you've got internal access to that.

It also doubles up as a bit of a utility area as well.

-But so far so good, then?

-BOTH: Absolutely.

-The mystery house is living up to all its expectations.

-It's done very well.

I know we've got the main room upstairs, but I can't imagine what else there is.

Come and have a look. Follow me this way.

Up here, there are three bedrooms,

two of which are spacious self-contained doubles.

Although there are no en-suites,

off the landing there's a family bathroom with an eloquent roll-top bath,

and guests can always make use of the high-spec shower room

back downstairs off the hallway.

But let's explore the potential of the magnificent mezzanine.

I suppose, in some respects, this is kind of the main event

because you've got this extraordinary view down there.

-An amazing master bedroom as it is currently set up.

-It is.

All that room for books as well.

You're always wondering what to do with your books.

You could play with this house.

You could, for the next 20 years, keep moving things around.

-Nice thought.

-And say, "Actually, that works well."

Clearly, Kim can't get enough of the quirky appeal,

and surprisingly it's fired Phil up,

even though he's got his eye on the practical aspects.

Outside, the compact gardens wrap themselves around the property

and are framed by some lovely yew hedges.

But while they seem to love it, can they afford it?

So let's have a think about the money, then.

Final price guess of the trip.

-Kim.

-Oh, me first, that's awful. 565 - but I haven't got a clue.

-I'm really stabbing in the dark on this one.

-OK, Phil?

It's got to be over the 500. 520.

520. Well, how much do you want it?

I really like this house.

Well...

It could be yours for just under £450,000.

THEY LAUGH

-Goodness me.

-Yeah. 449,500 gets you the mystery house.

-Fantastic!

That's amazing. That is very, very good.

-Has that sort of tipped the balance a bit?

-Absolutely.

-Sort of right down on the Yes side, really.

-Well, there we go.

Mystery house has done it again.

It's really been excellent. You've done exceedingly well.

We could not have imagined anything like this. Or our reaction to it.

-Well, I'm glad you like it.

-Fantastic.

Go and have another look around, see what you're going to do with

the 50,000 we've saved you and I'll catch you later.

Significantly under budget at just shy of £450,000,

our imaginatively converted mystery chapel

takes the idea of a home with character to a new level.

It has an enormous main living area and vaulted timber ceiling,

a gorgeous country kitchen, three bedrooms

and outside provides a manageable landscaped garden,

plus it's all set in a village location.

First impressions of the mystery house, really very positive.

Not what I was expecting - of course that's what a mystery house is.

But I have to say from the very beginning

it did feel really, really positive.

I think initially this is a property that's going to need

a fair bit of work to get started. That's not a problem.

I think if we do that properly then it can be the kind of low-maintenance house I want.

I really liked the idea of it.

But when I came in, it just blew my mind.

I was sort of in shock for a little while.

But I love this house, I really do.

And I can see us getting old together here.

Everybody loves a chapel for a mystery house.

-And so do you, don't you?

-Incredible.

-Amazing. Absolutely amazing.

-Good.

Well, you know, I have to say, throughout all of our house tours,

you've been so positive about everything we've shown you,

I'm not quite sure where we are for our conclusion.

I think the best thing is to go somewhere where you can have a good old think.

And we'll see what you're going to do.

-A hot drink would be good.

-Right, come on. Lead on, that way.

Cup of tea.

Britain is home to countless historic stone monuments,

but one that is always truly fascinating is Stonehenge -

a site shrouded in mystery and whose presence and purpose

still confounds prehistorians.

Early one morning, I was given the rare opportunity

to walk among these ancient stones

and to find out more about the theories that surround them

with Dave Batchelor from English Heritage.

-Dave, good morning. How are you?

-Good morning.

There's a wonderful feeling in the centre of this monument, isn't there? A real kind of tingle,

-an ancient presence, if you will.

-Yes.

I still get that after 20-odd years coming inside here.

Many people describe it as some sort of great celestial calendar

rooted in the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunrise.

Here we are on this gorgeous morning with the sun popping up behind the stones there now.

-It's a very moving experience being in the middle here.

-It is, yes.

I mean, it's special. And it's designed to be special because of

the different uses in heights and the true use of architecture.

One of the things that makes Stonehenge unique

is that you've got these lintels. You've got a third dimension,

and the fact that they raise in height as you get towards the central space.

Well, you talk about the architecture. Let's have a look at one of these gorgeous stones here.

-Yeah...

-It changes in size as you approach it, doesn't it?

So many questions, it's just amazing.

But I love the fact that it's still a mystery.

We do know the stones' geological story.

4,000 years ago, the 80 Preseli Bluestones forming the inner circle

were transported from South West Wales, although it was never completed.

However, those in the outer circle came from much closer to home.

These are the Sarsens. These came from the Marlborough Downs 25 miles to the north of here.

Probably semi-finished,

ie these have all been worked to give us this final shape. And then big holes dug and put up.

You make it sound very simple.

What's interesting is that if you look at the top of some of those that are missing their cap stones,

you can see these little nodes, these little knobs which would have located the stones on top.

That's quite a sophisticated bit of engineering in some ways.

Particularly in stone, yes. You've got mortise and tenon

or ball and socket type of joints sitting between the uprights

-and then the lintels that sit across them.

-Yeah.

Some of the early elements of Stonehenge point to the fact that

this was an important site over the course of

many centuries, notably the henge or ditch that surrounds the stones.

There are a number of features outside here that relate to it

and are part of this late Neolithic Bronze Age ceremonial landscape.

So, it's a huge period of time.

It's 1,400/1,500 years it was in use for.

And in the wider landscape, we can just see one appearing through the mist over there, this lovely barrow.

There are literally dozens of them in this area, aren't there?

Hundreds of them. We reckon there's well in excess of 400.

These are burial mounds dating from the Bronze Age?

-Bronze Age period, yes.

-So, what, 1,500 BC?

-Contemporary with the stones here.

Dave is among those historians

who thinks the site must have had more than one purpose

and that it wasn't just a massive sundial or place of worship.

You know, I've studied this place for years. Hundreds, thousands of people have.

None of us really are any the wiser as to what it was used for,

who built it or indeed why.

But, in a sense, I don't think it matters.

Whoever did left behind a really palpable sense of magic.

This place makes you tingle.

We've now reached that point in the show where we can ask Phil and Kim the burning question.

Have we indeed manage to find them their new dream home in the country?

Sometimes it's perfectly possible to tell

which of our three properties our buyers are going to go for,

but on this occasion I think it's a bit too close to call.

So, let's go and ask them

and hopefully it might just stop raining.

So. These last few days, then, have been quite interesting, I suspect.

-Oh, yes.

-Bit of a roller-coaster. HE LAUGHS

You're not the first people to say that!

Don't reveal all just yet. Let's have a think about where we started.

A lovely single-storey converted late '60s bungalow,

not that you'd know, really.

What are your lasting thoughts on that one?

Really nice property, very spacious,

really well laid out,

-plenty of room for what we need.

-Yeah.

I liked the fact that there were a number of options you could play with it.

Certainly it would meet all our needs, it's just a question of deciding how.

Well, our second property was an altogether different proposition.

I liked the shape of the second one.

I liked the fact it was a cottage with an extension

and the land was lovely.

There was plenty of land to play with.

The rooms, to me, were just slightly too small to be able to

entertain in and do what we wanted to do.

Like Kim, I was a bit concerned that

maybe some of the rooms were perhaps a little bit on the small side.

But, that's what you get when you get a cottage.

That's part of the package that goes with that kind of house.

I have to confess that when we set out toward the mystery house,

I wasn't really sure what you'd make of it.

I actually thought property number one was sold - hook, line and sinker.

And I think you probably did as well.

I mean, to be honest, the mystery house

was going to have to pull something pretty magical out of the bag to be able to do that.

Because, yes, we were very impressed with house number one.

So, Kim, did the mystery house pull something magical about the bag?

It made me jump for joy. I absolutely loved it.

But we were just in trepidation of what it would be.

You'd never really explored a chapel before, you said.

No, we've seen chapels that have been converted houses,

but we've never seen inside them.

The roominess is really attractive.

It means that we as a couple can have a good house

but then, of course, make it a really good home.

But when we have visitors - whether it's grandchildren, extended family or whatever -

there's so much you can do.

It's going to be a really fascinating place

to entertain family, friends, formally and informally and so on.

It's just really quite outstanding.

I think you've probably answered my final question

which is which of the three is your favourite?

-Just to be clear, which one is at?

-11 out of 10 for the chapel.

-We definitely love that, both of us.

-Yeah, I think so. It's really excellent.

It took us completely by surprise.

-So, what happens next?

-Well, there's two things.

First of all, we have to make sure that we sell our current property. That's clearly a major next step.

But we want to actually, I think, start approaching the estate agent of the mystery house

and start that ball rolling, too.

Well, guys, it's been an absolute pleasure.

I'm really delighted that we've managed to find your property

-which I hope will be your forever home.

-We hope so.

-Here's to you. Cheers.

-Thank you and to the team for all that you've done.

-Our pleasure.

-Thank you.

Now, if you're after top tips and advice when it comes to successful house hunting,

there are plenty, of course, to choose from.

But, for me, there is one ingredient that stands out above all else

and that is attitude.

Imagine if I'd given you the keys to any one of the properties

that we showed Kim and Phil.

Chances are you'd make it work.

You'd search out their pros and you'd resolve their cons.

And that, of course, is exactly what they have managed to do.

And, lo and behold, despite all the suggestions earlier,

they have found agreement on our mystery house.

A real home for their future.

Phil and Kim have gone back to see the mystery house twice

and are still keen to put in an offer once they've sold their own property.

If you would like to escape to the country in Wales, Scotland,

Northern Ireland or England and would like our help,

then please apply online at...

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