Kent Escape to the Country

These oysters have been tickling the nation's taste buds since Roman times,

placing this seaside town firmly on the map, but where am I? Find out in just a moment.

'In today's show, I'll be helping a couple beat a retreat from Greater London

'and enjoy the peace of country life.

'One of our houses sends their spirits soaring.'

I'm quite blown away by this.

'But does it come with the right price tag?'

-You're looking at me longingly.

-Yes. If it's any more, we're in trouble.

Today, I'm in Kent in the fishing town of Whitstable.

Now, oysters have been caught here for almost 2,000 years

and in the industry's heyday during the 19th century,

more than 80 million oysters were dispatched from here to the fish markets of London every year.

Today, the tradition is remembered with an annual oyster festival

and I'll be joining in the fun later in the programme.

First, let's take a look at what else this beautiful county has to offer.

Rubbing shoulders with the capital, the south-eastern county of Kent also borders Surrey and East Sussex

with which it shares a coastline,

defined by stretches of chalky cliffs, offering vistas over the English Channel.

Inland, Kent's crop fields, orchards and hop plantations give rise to the county's nickname

of the Garden of England.

The legacy from its hop-growing heritage is evident in its architecture

with many former oast houses converted into dwellings,

with their conical roofs a defining feature of Kent's rural landscape.

If you're contemplating escaping to the Kent countryside,

it's worth remembering that this county is very popular

with city workers wanting a rural bolthole within easy commuting distance of the capital.

In fact, with the introduction of the new super-fast rail link,

it can take as little as 40 minutes to reach London.

And those city salaries, well, they're keeping house prices buoyant.

An average detached property here will cost you £61,000 more

than the national average.

So let's take a look at what's currently available.

For offers over £400,000,

this three-bedroom, Grade 2 listed, thatched cottage near Wingham

has been tastefully modernised

and boasts a large inglenook fireplace which harks back to its 17th century origins.

Outside, the grounds extend to nearly a quarter of an acre.

Or how about this four-bedroom, 1940s house in Little Chart

for £599,000 with its charming thatched roof?

Inside provides four reception rooms in which the original brick fireplaces are a running theme.

You will need a big budget for this four-bedroom former granary in Hawkhurst,

priced at £850,000.

Its living spaces are open-plan with beams and trusses adding a rustic feel.

Outside, the three-quarters of an acre of grounds include a swimming pool.

Some cracking Kent properties there with three more to come,

but first, we need some buyers, so let's meet them.

Samantha and Miles currently live in their five-bedroom property in the London borough of Bromley.

Samantha commutes to her job as a primary school headteacher 12 miles away

and Miles takes the train into the city where he works for a bank.

But recent events have forced them to take stock and seek out a more relaxed existence.

We have a very busy lifestyle. We both work long hours in very busy jobs.

And it would be really nice to actually leave work and come home to a quieter place.

But what's really pushed us to think about it sooner rather than later wa my diagnosis of cancer 20 months ago

which I have fully recovered from,

but it does make you think a bit mor about perhaps getting there sooner rather than putting things off.

They both have a clear vision of what they want from their new lifestyle.

I quite like the idea of being part of a smaller community,

as opposed to living in this area.

You don't really get to know people because it's quite transient, people moving in and out.

So I'd like to be part of a smaller community.

Yeah, that would be lovely. We'd also like a bit more land, a bit more space.

Not too much, but enough to actually consider getting back into gardening.

I know they all say it, but growing your own, it would be so nice to have a greenhouse.

While house-hunting in earnest over the past six weeks, they've drawn up a wish list for their next property.

I think we're looking for a four-bedroom, detached house,

hopefully with quite a large kitchen.

I really do want those period features -

the open fireplace.

And I quite like beams, as long as the ceilings aren't too low. Beams are lovely.

Around an acre of land, I think.

And with that view, that outlook ove the countryside would be perfect.

As well as not being overlooked,

location is also a top priority

as Sam needs good motorway access to work and Miles needs a train station.

That's the shopping list for the house taken care of. The money has been finalised too.

Our budget for the new property is £700,000.

Ideally, it could be a little bit less than that because of the costs of moving

and we don't want to increase our mortgage.

The past 18 months have been challenging for Miles and Sam,

but it seems Sam's battle with cancer has made them both focus their minds

on what they really want from life.

But what do they both want from a house?

So far, they've viewed 11 properties and haven't found their dream home.

Hopefully, we're going to change all that.

'Mindful that we need fast train links into London for Miles

'and easy access to the motorways for Sam,

'we'll be focusing our house search in rural pockets around the Ashford area.

'We've cherry-picked three beautiful country homes for them to see,

'but they have to guess the price of each before I reveal it to them.

'The last of these is our mystery house which throws an unexpected way of living into the mix.'

-So, Miles and Sam, welcome to Kent, the Garden of England.

-Yeah.

So you've had enough of city life and you're ready to be a bit more rural? Would that be true, Miles?

Where we are is quite suburban and it's getting more and more built up all the time,

so moving down here is completely different.

-Before we start looking, remind me of your budget.

-700,000, but it would have to have the wow factor

-and possibly a few period features.

-All right.

-Ready to get going?

-Absolutely.

-Come on then. Let's go.

With their £700,000 budget, Sam and Miles are looking for a detached property

which gives them loads of character features.

High on the wish list is a large kitchen/diner,

four bedrooms, one of which can accommodate a study

and an acre of garden with countryside views.

Crucially, the location needs to have good transport links,

so they can travel to their respective jobs.

There's also other work they are passionate about continuing once they move.

You've both set up a charity in the Bromley area. Tell me more about that.

Yes, it's the South East London Breast Cancer Trust

which we started up following my diagnosis of breast cancer in October 2009.

And we have raised since then around £160,000

and bought a specific piece of equipment for the hospital which has improved treatment for patients.

Wow! Is this something you'll be involved with, even if you move down to Kent?

I think we will. I'm Chairman of the Trust and Sam does a lot of the organisation,

so I think we'll keep going for some time, yeah.

-So we've got to find you a property that's got enough space, so you can run the charity from that?

-Yes.

The top floor of our house at the moment is charity HQ,

so we do need a place to stick everything when we move on.

We'll bear that in mind along with good transport links

as we get our property search under way close to the village of Charing.

The train station here gives Miles good access to London via Ashford.

It lay on the Pilgrims' Way between London and Canterbury

and these days, many of its traditional timbered buildings

house a great variety of independent shops and amenities.

On the outskirts of the village lies this barn conversion.

Its origins date back to the 19th century.

What do you think about your first property?

First impressions, it's really good. Really good, beautiful.

-Yeah.

-Miles, what do you think?

Yeah, I like it. It has a nice outlook across the fields.

Yes, this dates back to about 1860. It's not listed.

It's Flemish bonding style, the main part of the barn.

-Yeah.

-And you've had two extensions with the English bonding style

which is the bricks and the mortar either side.

You've got a double garage that goes right back with plenty of storage.

Yeah, that's really important for us

And having this large driveway in, off-street parking, plenty of room to park a few cars, very good.

-And a Kent peg tile roof.

-Yes, I like that.

-Typical for this area which is always lovely.

-Very pretty.

-Time to step inside?

-OK.

-Yeah.

'They've reacted very positively to the exterior

'and they'll also find the interior has some striking features.'

Do come on through.

This is lovely.

It's an impressive reception room, isn't it?

It's the light on both sides coming through. That's quite unusual isn't it, to have it like that.

You don't usually see this much light and so many windows in a barn.

I love the wooden floors in here.

It makes it quite rustic.

-It's just the sense of space you get from that.

-Yeah.

-And it doesn't detract from the main body of the house.

-No.

And the actual living space with the fireplace brings that cosiness in, s you have got the best of both worlds

-It's been thought through quite well

-You've got a downstairs cloakroom.

And just to the left through that door is a study.

-It's got an en-suite, so it could be a bedroom.

-You could do the two, couldn't you?

-Yeah.

'The huge dimensions and style of this property seem to be winning them over,

'but will the kitchen with the spacious utility room next door measure up?'

So up just a couple of stairs leads us into our kitchen.

Smaller than what I would have wanted

-and probably I would give it a little bit of an update, but lots of potential here.

-Good.

'I like Sam's use of the P-word and I think upstairs has plenty to offer too.

'Off the galleried landing are three bedrooms,

'two of which are doubles, and a modern family bathroom,

'but we'll take a look at the master.'

Yeah, I love the beams in here as well, carrying it through. It's lovely.

-What do you think of the size of the bedroom?

-It's a little on the small size.

-Yeah.

In terms of storage, within the bedroom, I think we'd struggle a bit with the size.

You've got one wardrobe behind me.

-Yeah.

-This bedroom also has an en-suite.

-Right.

-That's a big plus.

It's recently been updated, so that wouldn't need anything doing to it.

Yeah, the en-suite's a real biggie for us.

'The stepladder leads up to the loft which is used as extra storage space for clothes.

'With the house covered, it's time to survey the grounds outside which are mainly laid to lawn

'and offer Sam plenty of scope for growing her vegetables and have those countryside views she wanted.'

Do you think there's enough garden here for you? Is it manageable?

Yeah, definitely. We don't need much more than this.

-I can hear the road.

-That's the A20.

-Yeah.

-That is the A20.

Just a very little minus there,

but the outlook is lovely.

How much is this beautiful barn on the market for?

I would think about £600,000.

-OK.

-I'm going to be a bit more generous.

I think 625 would be a reasonable price.

Right.

You're both out by quite a large amount.

-Oh, God!

-The current asking price, and it's just gone on the market, it's been on for two weeks now...

£695,000,

-so right near the top of your budget.

-Yeah.

Go and have another look around because there is so much you could do with this barn.

-It's a beautiful building. I'll catch up with you later.

-OK.

-Off you go.

Although the price of £695,000 came as a surprise,

our barn conversion is still under their budget

and delivers many of the criteria on their wish list.

It provides them with that wonderful reception area with the character features they were after,

a kitchen/diner which, in Sam's words, had "potential",

four possible bedrooms

and a large garden with uninterrupted views.

What's more, it's well located

for them both to travel by road and rail to work.

When I first came to the house, I thought, "Wow, what a good start,

"absolutely fantastic, really good kerb appeal,"

and coming into this first room with the light and the double-aspect barn windows was the wow factor.

I fell in love with this room.

The bedrooms, OK, but not sure I could go up and down a ladder to retrieve my clothes every morning

I think this is a lovely-looking property, beautiful from the outside,

and I'm quite excited about what you could do with this kitchen.

If you opened it up into the utility room, it would be a fabulous space.

I'd probably also want to do something with the outside patio area

which, when that all comes together, feels like it will cost a fair amount of money.

-Happy?

-Yeah, a very good start, Nicki.

-Good.

-Thank you.

-All seen enough?

-Yes, thank you.

-That's just the first one.

-I know.

-Still got more to come.

Kent's reputation as the Garden of England flourishes thanks to its mild climate,

due to its proximity to the sea.

The rich heritage of many of its coastal towns also endures, a fine example being Faversham.

Its centre is designated a conservation area

and includes around 500 listed buildings.

They chart the town's prosperity as a commercial port

from the late medieval times to the Georgian era.

Faversham is also appropriately home to the National Fruit Collection based at Brogdale Farm.

As Sam and Miles are interested in growing their own,

earlier in the week, we arranged for them to meet one of the orchard experts, Michael Austin.

-Mike, is this an important area for fruit-growing generally?

-Yeah.

Kent has always been one of the country's main fruit-growing areas.

We're close to the sea, so we don't get the very hard frosts in spring that other parts of the country do.

The first collection was started way back in 1800

when, even in those days, they were worried that a lot of varieties were disappearing

and they wanted to preserve them and stop them from dying out.

All the varieties in the original collections are here, plus others that have come along since then,

but we can go way back to a Roman apple

which was supposedly around in about 450 AD.

That would be our oldest apple, called Decio.

So how many varieties do you have altogether?

-Of apples, about 2,300.

-SAMANTHA LAUGHS

There are roughly about 6,000 apple varieties worldwide, so we've got a fair chunk.

-I'd say a few more than what's in the supermarket then.

-Just a few(!)

-It's unbelievable.

The Collection is now owned by DEFRA,

the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,

and is part of an international initiative to conserve these plants' genetic diversity for the future.

The orchards stretch to over 160 acres where 3,500 varieties of fruit thrive,

including 550 pear varieties,

320 different crops of cherries,

and among its vast apple collection are 650 types from this country.

This one is James Grieve

which is considered what's called a dual-purpose apple,

so at this time of the season, it will be an early cooker,

then if you leave it longer on the tree, it mellows to become quite a nice eater.

-That will be quite sharp now.

-Very sharp.

-Yes, yes.

-And all the trees you've got here, people can take and grow themselves?

We can propagate every variety in the Collection for people to plant in their gardens.

-Right.

-That's amazing.

-So out of 2,300, there's quite a bit to...

You need a very big garden.

If you wanted to try them all!

Given that Kent has lost more than 85% of its orchards over the last 50 years,

it's good news that more apples are grown here than anywhere else in Britain

and there's a wider agenda to protect the rich diversity of our natural food resources.

'Our house search continues in the village of Mersham.

'Ashford train station is just over four miles away, giving Miles a realistic commute to London.

'There are two pubs to choose from in the village, along with a handy local shop.

'And its church still retains some of its Norman origins.

'Sitting at the end of a sweeping driveway, our second property has an architectural heritage of its own.

'It's Grade 2 listed and it's in the quiet location they asked for.'

Welcome to your second property.

-Oh, this is lovely, Nicki. I really like this.

-Do you?

Good kerb appeal?

-Yeah. It's just beautiful.

-Miles, what do you think?

-It's a beautiful-looking house.

-I wasn't expecting that entrance either. That's really nice.

-I don't know what to say.

-It's very quiet here as well.

-It is.

-It's perfect, the house you would draw as a child.

-It is, yes.

-Yeah.

Step inside.

'As we enter round the side of the property, there is a fantastic timber-built garage

'which could serve as a great charity HQ for them.

'And inside the main house is where the history really comes alive.'

So, please join me inside.

-Oh, I do like this.

-The flooring is gorgeous.

-I know. Absolutely wonderful.

Flagstone flooring.

What a beautiful entrance!

-It's so old, it's beautiful.

-It is. Over 300 years. Original beams.

-It's lovely.

-The history of it, that's it for me.

And wait till you see the kitchen.

Yeah, really impressive again.

The kitchen is brand-new. It was only done about four months ago.

-It's got Spanish tiles on the floor.

-It's beautiful.

I'm quite blown away by this.

-And you look out over the garden.

-The view out there is wonderful.

-The way the beams are exposed is what makes it, I think.

-It's really been thought through properly.

-And you love period properties.

-Hmm.

-Miles, how are we doing?

I think, just cos it's so nicely done, it works for me.

'And next door carries on that rustic theme.'

I think a rather intimate dining room.

Yeah. On the small side compared to what we're used to,

but it is just off the kitchen, so not too far away in terms of entertaining.

-You've got access outside as well, so in the summer...

-That's a plus.

-Let's continue.

-Yeah.

-'Adjacent to here is one of this property's two living rooms.

'This cosy snug's open fireplace provides a lovely focal point,

'but the other reception room gives the a more spacious option.'

This is somewhat larger than the other one, the snug.

-Yeah, this works better as a living space.

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

-But the features in here are beautiful. That radiator's stunning.

-It is beautiful.

-So ornate.

-And again you've got the wood burner.

-Two quite big settees here.

-So there's plenty of space.

-Can you imagine yourselves living here?

-Oh, I could.

-Look at both of you, smiling away. That's very good.

-Do you fancy heading upstairs?

-I can't wait.

-To the bedrooms.

'The style and layout of this beautiful home seems to be hitting the right note.

'Let's see if we can build on that upstairs.' So we've got four bedrooms in total.

-And this one is the master.

-Lovely.

-Big enough size.

Yeah, absolutely. I don't know what to say.

Which is quite a first for me. I's just beautiful.

You've got storage there that leads through to the other bedroom.

You've got plenty of height as well.

-I'm saying it again. I'm blown away.

-Delighted, delighted.

-And if Miles feels the same, it's the icing on the cake. Pressure's on you, Miles.

-I think it is!

Good. Right.

'The other three bedrooms include a large, light double with that beautiful sash window

'and two smaller rooms, one of which they could turn into their study.

'And the family bathroom features an elegant roll-top bath.

'With a resounding thumbs up from both of them, it's time to reveal all the spoils outside.'

So here's all the land.

It's roughly between two and three acres in total.

So we've got our friend, the chicken. The pigs behind him.

We've got a menage at the back and a triple stable block here.

-We've got dog kennels there. I know you want to go walking, so you'd better get a dog!

-That's it!

We're surrounded by walks. That country way of life.

A double garage. And then the land goes all the way round there. With a huge mulberry tree behind us.

-Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

-It's a lovely setting, isn't it?

-I'd like to have a walk round it.

-I would love you to explore, but I won't let you until you tell me

-how much you think this is on the market for.

-This has got to be above our ceiling.

-I'll say £700,000.

I'm going higher.

£725,000.

-You're both looking at me longingly!

-We are!

If it's any more, we're in trouble!

OK.

Current price for this house. Between...

-£700,000 and £750,000.

-Right. So we're more or less on the money.

-Yeah.

Do have a wander. Go up and look at the stable block and work your way around the property

-and I'll meet you out the front. Off you go.

-Thank you.

Although it edges over their budget with a guide price of £700,000-£750,000,

we just had to show them this stunning period home,

which provides them with a high-spec country kitchen,

two reception rooms with original fireplaces, four bedrooms

and well over two acres of grounds with those all-important views.

I think it's a beautiful house in a lovely setting.

I think as you come into the house, it just looks beautiful.

Some of the rooms are quite small, but if they were any bigger the house would be a lot more money.

It's certainly a contender.

Character-wise, top of the list.

Very well done. My one reservation might be

location in terms of distance down the M20.

And the cost of travel for Miles might be a little bit of an issue.

Also we'd have to consider opening up this room with the dining room,

so that we'd have a bit more living space.

But 10 out of 10 in any other respect. Absolutely beautiful house.

That's it. Finished for the day.

Yes, I know. What a beautiful house.

-Is it good to end on a high?

-I think we have.

-Oh, gosh, yeah. What a wonderful day. Thanks, Nicki.

You can relax now. Come on.

As evening falls over the Kent coastline, the first day of our house search draws to a close.

Armed with their £700,000 budget, Sam and Miles are poised

to break free from the city limits of the London borough of Bromley

and seek out a more peaceful life in rural Kent.

Although nailing the perfect location is proving a challenge,

the period charm of our second property certainly wowed them,

but, coming up, the character of our mystery house is on an unimaginable scale.

Oh, my goodness me!

-How many times have I said stunning?

-Say it again!

-Stunning!

'And I can't get enough of Kent's seafood delicacy.'

-Am I allowed another one?

-Yes. Have as many as you like.

So Miles and Sam are eager to change their London home for a country retreat, but it does have to be

within easy commuting distance to the city. The first property we showed them, the barn,

certainly had the kerb appeal they were after,

but the close proximity to a major road did seem to put them off.

Our second property, we took them further afield into east Kent

and that house seemed to have it all. The only negative would be the extended travel time to work.

So now it's time for our mystery house, but will this accommodation on such a grand scale

be to their liking?

Our mystery property sits on the outskirts of Langley village.

It has good mainline rail links to London from Headcorn or Maidstone

and easy access to the motorway for Sam. Complete with a couple of pubs and a medieval church,

historic architecture is a defining feature of this area.

Our mystery proposition is certainly no exception,

although it challenges our couple to entertain the idea of having quite a few neighbours,

something they specifically didn't want.

Only a few more steps because we are in the heart of Kent

and I've brought you to your mystery house. Look up.

SAM LAUGHS

Do we get all of this?

Oh, my goodness me!

That's amazing. It's beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.

-I presume it's a part of the house.

-It IS a part of the house.

The house dates back to the Elizabethan period, around 1599.

-Wow.

-It's Grade 2 listed. And it's divided up into seven different properties

-within the manor house. So, Miles, what do you think?

-Which bit?

-Which bit is yours? OK.

-You'll be pleased to know it's the largest bit. I think we should step inside.

-I think we should.

'Our mystery offering may be a slice of the whole mansion house,

'but inside they get grand reception rooms on a huge scale

'with plenty of historic features.'

So...

You come through the main entrance and this is your section of the house.

-That window is stunning!

-Isn't it? It's a lovely view out of there.

-Wow. We've gone back in time.

-We certainly have. And you wanted a real fire.

-Yes.

You've got the original wood panelling all around. Just look at the work.

I must admit communal living isn't my thing at all,

-but this building, this room just on its own, is amazing.

-Yeah.

'The drawing room next door is of a similar size.'

-I feel like a guide in a stately home!

-It does feel like we're on a tour, definitely.

Wow.

There's quite a bit to take in when you're walking round quickly.

-Yeah. You've got the windows - all of these in here are leaded.

-I love the deep wooden windowsills.

It's just such an amazing property. I like it cos it's so unusual.

'After the historic splendour of the reception rooms,

'we'll take a leap forward in time.'

So, bit of a contrast when we come through to the kitchen, which is very modern

-and very different.

-I can see the amount of money that's been spent,

but I'm not quite sure about the decor.

I think the work surfaces or the floor on their own are OK, but the two together is quite a lot.

-It's very busy for quite a small kitchen.

-It's not large. Could you work in a kitchen this size?

-Yeah.

I think it's doable because there's a lot of space everywhere else. It's not too bad.

And you can go straight out into the garden.

'There's a basement, too, which gives loads of storage space and even includes a wine cellar.

'But we'll head upstairs where there are four bedrooms spread over two floors.

'Off the first floor landing is an enormous double. It has a really lavish Tudor-esque feel

'and there's a bright, modern family bathroom opposite. The other three bedrooms certainly won't disappoint

'on size or character. The two guest doubles are large and light,

'both with those high vaulted ceilings and exposed beams

'which are a showstopping feature of the master.'

So if you fancied being one of Henry VIII's wives,

you'd probably live in something similar to this.

-How many times have I said stunning?

-Say it again.

Stunning!

-Just...beautiful.

-You've got your window seat you wanted.

-It's so beautiful.

-It also has a very modern en-suite.

-Oh, right.

'There's no doubt that our mystery house gives them lots of living space and more period features

'than they could have possibly imagined. Outside, there are 11 acres of grounds to roam around in.

'Although they wouldn't have to maintain it, they would share it with the other residents.

'So let's see if our mystery house has changed their preconceptions.'

-I don't think you'd have considered this.

-No.

-You've challenged us.

-Let's see if we've challenged you on price.

-Oh, no!

-Our final house. What's the price?

-I'll say 725.

-OK.

I'm going to say... £739,000.

You're both wrong.

-Surprise!

-You're both over.

I'm really surprised at that!

-£695,000.

-Oh, on the nose, really.

-Yeah.

-My goodness me.

-Is it a slice of history you want to invest in?

-Don't tell me yet. Go on. Have some fun.

-OK.

See you later.

Well, the mystery house has worked its magic, but how can it not when it's this impressive?

Under-budget at £695,000, Sam and Miles can afford to buy the principal part

of our unique and opulent mystery manor house.

It provides them with two reception rooms with extraordinary character features,

four bedrooms, including a master suite, and it's all wrapped up

in over 11 acres of communal grounds and set in an idyllic location.

I'm blown away by this house.

It absolutely oozes period charm, everywhere you look.

I never thought in a million years we'd look at a property like this.

I just have one tiny reservation. I feel even wrong saying it.

Am I ready to actually be in more of a communal environment than I had originally anticipated?

I think this is an amazing house. You get an awful lot of space for the money.

If the kitchen was bigger, that would be perfect.

If that was the only compromise, that's not too much of an issue.

I think this is a real contender.

It really is the most spectacular mystery property.

-Right, you two. Have you seen enough?

-We have, I think.

-We have.

-All three are very different.

-Very different, indeed.

-Hope we haven't confused you too much.

Utterly confused! You've thrown us a real curveball with this property.

Well, let's go somewhere quiet. You can gather your thoughts and tell us what you think.

'I grew up on the north Kent coast so as a local girl

'I was keen to return to the area and visit Whitstable to sample the local traditions

'and the seafood delicacy, mainly the oysters, which underpin the town's heritage.

'I've actually come out of oyster season, which starts on 1st September,

'but Whitstable's oyster festival is held every year around 25th July,

'which historically fell within the holiday period for oyster dredgers.

'I'm meeting the festival organiser Brian Baker to discover more about its past and relevance today.'

There's been a real resurgence in the love of oysters.

We can see a lot of children today are building these little shells like domes.

-What's going on there?

-Well, if we go back to the early days here,

the children at this time of year would be celebrating with their parents who worked in the industry

and the 25th July was the Feast of St James, patron saint of shellfish.

The children would build these grotto shells in the alleyways

and a passer-by would not be allowed to come by unless they paid a penny for the grotto.

We think of oysters as millionaire food. They're quite expensive.

-But 100 years ago, they weren't like that.

-They were the food of the poor

and millions and millions of oysters came off these beds and straight up to Billingsgate.

They fed the poor of London. They were a staple diet.

'In the 19th century, when oyster stocks were thriving and cheap,

'they were used to bulk out dishes such as pies, soups and stews.

'Yet by the 1920s, the industry was almost wiped out by a combination of disease and overfishing.

'However, the oyster beds were revived in the early 1980s.

'I'm meeting one of the pioneers, Barry Green, whose family run a successful seafood restaurant.'

Barry, you run the Whitstable Oyster Company. Can I just say thank you?

You've provided a very fine spread.

-I love oysters. So I can eat oysters all the year round?

-Yes.

These are the cultivated ones, native ones, which are farmed in the deeper water.

-There has to be an R in the month.

-Is that true?

-Yeah.

They spawn and breed during the summer months.

-So it's better to leave them.

-Should I cook them or have them raw?

-You can cook them or have them raw.

-What do you prefer?

-I prefer both!

This is wine vinegar with shallots.

-I would eat it with nothing.

-Right.

-But if you dip them in that like that...

-Yes?

-..for somebody who's never eaten one, it's probably more palatable.

-Better than the shell to your mouth?

Yes.

Mmm.

Oh, I have to say, with the shallots...

-It makes a difference.

-It does.

I've had oysters before. I do like oysters, but I really like that.

-Am I allowed another one?

-Yes.

'As night falls down on the seashore, the children's grottos are lit after a blessing of the sea,

'which has been performed for 200 years and still seems fitting for a town

'so in love with its oysters.'

Well, you can't beat Whitstable on a sunny day.

And our house hunt here in the garden of England is over,

but has the search proved fruitful? Time to find out.

So our search of Kent is now over.

Did we find you your dream home?

The first property we saw, just outside the village of Charing, you tell me what you thought.

From the outside, as soon as we walked up to the barn, it looked beautiful.

You could tell it had character.

Plenty of windows, lots of light.

And if you'd extended the kitchen into the utility room and done something with the patio area...

That would have been great. And the surrounding area, the outlook was good,

but to the right was the M20 and to the left the A20. That put me off.

-House number two.

-Yeah. That one just absolutely blew me away

the chocolate box cottage look.

Much smaller downstairs than I would have hoped for.

I feel where this property was was just that bit too far.

It was past Ashford, Junction 10, which would add a considerable amount of time,

probably another 20-25 minutes on top of the time I was looking at.

-Oh, if I could move that house a little bit closer!

-There would have been a Sold sign outside!

-It would be more money.

-Yeah, exactly.

-Very true.

And, of course, our third and final house, the mystery.

A little on the small side for the two of you(?)

It was huge inside! Absolutely stunning.

I think the mystery house has really blown everything out of the water for us.

We talked about how it was positioned. You had your own back door and a large portion

of that back garden - garden's not the right word! - but it would almost be yours.

But is that more of an executive lifestyle rather than a country living lifestyle?

-Yeah.

-I don't know.

-What comes next?

-I think we need to do a bit more homework.

-I don't think the mystery house is out of the equation.

-Really?

-No.

-I'm not arguing with that!

-No. Perhaps the mystery property is the one for you.

-I think we've got some more talking to do.

-More talking, more thinking.

-Thank you both so much.

-We're really enjoyed it.

-It's been delightful.

-And hopefully you're one step closer to finding that dream home.

-Thank you very much, Nicki.

For Sam and Miles, this move represents not just finding a home in the country,

but a quality of life they both long for after what's been a very difficult 18 months.

If ever there was a couple you'd want to find the perfect property for, it's these two.

Although we didn't quite achieve it, hopefully we've got them just that little bit closer.

Until next time.

Sam and Miles loved the mystery house, but after much deliberation

they decided that communal living wasn't for them.

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