Surrey Escape to the Country

Today I'm only a stone's throw from London,

in a county renowned for its world-class country homes and gardens.

And I'm lucky enough to be standing in one of the jewels in the crown.

What is it and where am I? Find out in just a moment.

In today's show I'll be trying to help a couple with big ambitions.

It's... It's... I feel slightly confined still.

I feel like a giant.

But our mystery house could be head and shoulders above the rest.

-Is this more...

-Yeah.

-..what you need?

-Definitely.

-Yes!

It is bigger.

We finally scored on bigger.

Welcome to Surrey,

and the Royal Horticultural Society's flagship garden at Wisley.

With such an abundance of woodland, wildlife

and world-class attractions like this one,

in many ways Surrey really does typify

the very essence of the traditional English landscape.

And it's no wonder.

It's an ever-popular destination with city dwellers

looking to start a new life in the country.

Covering an area of 642 square miles,

Surrey stretches from Hampshire in the west,

all the way to the border with Greater London in the north east.

The county's countryside is naturally beautiful.

And, due to a lack of intensive farming, extremely rich in wildlife.

Divided in two by the chalk ridge of the North Downs,

there's not only 140 square miles of woodland

but also hundreds of acres of heathland, too.

Enough to keep the most avid rambler on their toes.

Surrey has long been a favourite with the elite

and enjoys a reputation for being a sought-after retreat

amongst wealthy Londoners.

It's no wonder that such a desirable location

is also the most expensive county in which to buy a property

in the whole of the UK.

Despite the sky-high prices, there are still some bargains to be had.

The average house price in Surrey is £290,000.

That's £100,000 more than neighbouring Kent to the east

and £80,000 more than Hampshire to the west.

That means it's in these border regions

where the best bargains are to be had.

But there are a vast array of properties on offer.

You've got everything from picturesque, timber-framed homes,

to grand late-18th-century mansions,

a handful of Georgian and Victorian properties

and a vast array of more modern homes.

So there really is something to capture the imagination

of just about any buyer.

So let's take a look at what's out there.

For £335,000, you could be living in this Grade 2 listed,

three-bedroom cottage in Redhill.

It's been sympathetically modernised and renovated throughout,

with beautiful exposed beams

and a magnificent inglenook fireplace in the sitting room.

Or there's this attractive three-bedroom Victorian property

in Walton on the Hill.

Part of a converted mansion, it dates back to the 1880s.

All the rooms have been tastefully renovated to a high standard.

And the large rear garden includes a private woodland.

The whole package will set you back £575,000.

Or, for a budget-busting £800,000,

this former coach house and grounds in Salfords could be yours.

It offers generous accommodation

combined with the character of a period building.

A good mix of old and new.

Today's buyers are ready to escape the commotion of the city,

so let's meet them and find out why they think Surrey

might be their ideal rural retreat.

Meet Brian, a film producer, and Melissa,

who runs her own interior-design business.

They've lived in their South London home for the last 10 years.

But they've had enough of life in the big smoke

and are ready to give it up for the lure of the countryside.

Their daughter, Amelie, will soon be old enough to go to school,

so they're keen to find the right educational establishment

which is also close to Melissa's family.

We're looking to move to Surrey

because it's that much closer to my mum in Somerset,

so it'll be easy for me to travel to visit her,

and also the schools are very good there for our daughter, Amelie.

And just the whole country life, we want the great outdoors,

we do want walking, we want the fresh air,

we want to be able to walk out of our house

and see the fields, not lots and lots of cars.

So Surrey hits the spot,

but London will still feature in their lives

as Brian needs to commute to work.

I think we're looking for somewhere that's got local amenities.

It needs to be close to a train station for myself, ideally,

and for Melissa as and when she needs to go to town.

And I like the idea of village life and being near a community.

With such a big move on the cards, not everything is clear-cut.

I'm definitely the dreamer of the family,

where I want to always have that little bit more.

But then Brian grounds me and put realism in the picture.

With one realist in the mix,

we should be able to keep their feet on the ground in terms of the wish list.

I would never consider buying a house with a thatched roof...

..or a house with very small windows.

An old property with lots of character

but with a contemporary twist to it.

-Big family space.

-Big family space, lots of room, possibly a loft.

And a garage. So I can store my junk.

I run my own business, so having a study is really important to me.

Whether it's space in the house or a summer house outside,

either would do.

This is my shed.

I love spending time in it as much as I can when I can,

and I must have this in the new property.

My perfect property would be something similar to what we have

but on a bit of a larger scale,

a detached house ideally with some woodlands, if that's available.

Generally just bigger everything.

They also want at least three bedrooms.

The buzzword for these guys has got to be space.

But whether it is achievable all depends on their finances.

The budget for the next property would be £400,000.

If we were to go to that amount, then that would basically mean

that we would like to move in without having to do any work.

With Brian and Melissa's extensive criteria

wrapped up in England's most expensive county,

I think we might well have our work cut out.

We're starting our house search in our buyers' preferred county.

But because it's so pricey in Surrey

we'll also be border hopping into neighbouring Kent and West Sussex.

All three counties have enough countryside

to please the most demanding escapees,

with gorgeous, gentle hills and sweeping woodland.

Our buyers are in for a treat

with the houses we've got lined up for them.

But as usual, I won't tell them what they're on the market for

until they've guessed the price themselves.

Then, of course, there's our mystery house,

which is my chance to show them something

that could turn their world upside-down.

-Hello, good morning.

-Pleased to meet you.

-Lovely to meet you.

-You, too.

Thank you for getting me across to Surrey.

I've got to say, it's beautiful here.

I've been sitting here relaxing, taking in the birdsong, looking at the wonderful view,

wondering why on earth you'd want to come from London to here!

-It is beautiful here, isn't it?

-And it's not that far, is it?

No, it's close enough to still have your contact with the city life.

£400,000 is a very healthy budget.

However, in Surrey that's a bit of a challenge,

so if you're going to make compromises,

and I hope you're willing to, where would you make those?

Well, we do need the three bedrooms. I do need an area to work as a study.

Brian can always build a shed,

Brian can make the compromises as far as I'm concerned.

-OK.

-And distance-wise, how about location?

-What, from the shed to the house?

-Yes.

A mile.

Location-wise, I think...

I can put up with an average of an hour.

It does open up the choice,

it means we've got a wider scope of areas to look at.

-Have an open mind and have a look around.

-Absolutely.

-Are you willing to do that with me?

-Definitely.

-Great.

-Let's go and look at some houses, then.

-Excellent.

Brian and Melissa have £400,000 to finance their rural dream.

They want a detached property with at least three bedrooms.

A large kitchen and a good-size garden for their daughter, Amelie.

Location-wise, they need good local schools

and a train station close by

for Brian's daily commute to the capital.

And all in the most expensive county in the UK.

What's the saying?

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

To kick off, we're in Surrey, Brian and Melissa's chosen county.

The villages in this area are close to the M25

so have great transport links,

but they've also got some of the most beautiful countryside in England.

The popular village of Bletchingley has good amenities

and is under an hour from London. So a practical option for Brian.

It also has a respected school for young Amelie.

Our first property is a characterful detached family cottage

built in the 1920s.

On the way to the front door the winding path leads visitors

through the well-established front garden.

So here we are, the first house. Take it all in, what do you think?

I really like this front garden area, it's really pretty.

-You get a nice feel for the house.

-I do. I get a nice feel first off.

I do like the first impression of the garden.

I can see Amelie running around.

And it's close enough to the rural aspect,

the walks that we want anyway.

Lots of good country walks around here

but probably you've heard enough

-about all the things you can do outside.

-Yes.

-Shall we have a look inside?

-Yes, please.

-Come on.

'The attractive exterior has got us off to a good start.

'I hope the inside will follow suit.'

This house, you come straight through into the living room.

-This is nice, I like the big, open fire.

-It's a working fireplace.

It was put in by a local craftsman

when this building was first erected back in 1926.

It takes up a big part of the room,

where it's one end of the room... dedicated to the fireplace.

It's nice, I love it. But I'm just thinking of everything else.

It's a cosy room.

Can you picture this being your living room with your furniture?

I think it would work, I think it would work.

-Hmmm. Right, let's have a look at the next room.

-OK.

'Straight through the doorway is a homely dining room.'

What do you think of this space?

It's nice and light.

Cosy.

Yeah, I think cosy is the word, by which you mean small.

It's a little small, because we're used to having all open-plan,

-but you can get the feel for it.

-Yeah, yeah, you can.

This room does back onto the kitchen there,

so a thought that I had is that you could take this wall away

and open it up, so you've got some open-plan space.

That is definitely a possibility.

Well, let's have a look at the kitchen so you can see

what we're talking about.

So, now you're in the kitchen.

You can probably see why I suggested you might want to open it up.

I can see what you mean, it is quite small.

But I wonder. If you did knock this wall down,

you'd lose a lot of storage space and where everything would move to.

I can see you've got an area here that is workable.

I'm not sure it's enough room for us.

You could utilise the space, but because it's under the stairs,

it's not really that practical, to be honest.

It's not big enough, the whole thing.

'Also on this floor, next to the dining room, is a WC.

'We've had disappointing responses

'from Brian and Melissa so far,

'so let's hope we can change the mood upstairs.'

Gorgeous windows up here letting in lots of light. It's brighter.

-Not the hugest of rooms.

-Is this the master bedroom?

They are using it as their master at the moment.

I think our bed would take up the whole floor.

We do have an extra-large bed.

-It's huge.

-Would you give up the bed?

-No.

I wish I'd known that criteria before we started the search.

Forget the local schools,

we've got to find a house with a bedroom big enough for the bed.

'I'm a little concerned.

'Let's see if the next room fares any better.'

This is the other double bedroom.

I think it is around the same size,

perhaps a little more storage space, a little more space this way.

It is nice and light, again. I like the windows. But...

-it feels a bit enclosed for me.

-Yeah.

It's just too small.

-I think we're too large for the house.

-Mm.

Yeah. I feel like a giant.

'Next door is the family bathroom.

'Across the hall is a third room, which could hold a single bed

'but is currently set up as an office,

'perfect for Melissa to work from home in.

'I'm hoping I can lift their spirits with a little surprise

'I have for them in the back garden.'

This is the garden space at the back.

-You've got a little courtyard.

-Very nice.

Before we talk about this, behind you, I've got a man cave for you.

Fantastic. Excellent.

Is that about the right size?

-The perfect size.

-Yeah?

-For my little shed.

So something that is actually the right size in this property.

We've got a good tick box on the shed.

-What about this being your garden space?

-This is lovely.

I think this is a lovely outside space

and it would completely satisfy our needs.

So the question is, of course,

how much do you think you'd have to pay for this property?

Bearing in mind I know we are in Surrey, I think this has to be

on the budget if not slightly above, so I'm going to say...

400,000.

I'm going to say 370.

OK. This one goes to you, Melissa,

and you're still wrong.

-It's on the market at £410,000.

-OK.

-So, a little bit above.

-Yep.

-That doesn't surprise me.

-No, not at all.

I think that's what it is worth, really.

Well, the current asking price

is just over budget at £410,000.

And despite Brian and Melissa's reaction,

it provides a good-sized

family home for their money

in highly sought-after Surrey.

The living room boasts

an impressive original fireplace

and upstairs there are three bedrooms.

The back courtyard benefits

from a sunny southwest aspect

and also houses a man space for Brian.

Location-wise,

London is within an hour's commute

and there are good

local schools nearby, too.

I like the kitchen. I like the design of the kitchen,

but I don't feel it's big enough for our needs.

Far too small.

I mean, our kitchen is our centre of activity in the house.

-It is.

-To be honest, it's where everything happens.

-It's the hub of activity.

-Yeah.

And you wouldn't have that in here, sadly.

I think the first house is really pretty. The garden is ideal.

I really think the garden is beautiful.

I think that initially I was expecting to get more for our money.

I'd still like more space.

The first impressions were nice. It has a nice feel to it.

But it's like a reverse effect of the TARDIS -

you walk in and it gets smaller. Every room needs a lot of work, too,

just to match our sort of taste, really.

That's it. Sold from the outside, love the garden, but...

Not quite enough space inside.

That's fine. We've got two more properties to see.

I've not given up hope yet. Off you go.

The North Downs in Surrey is designated

as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

For centuries, deforestation has taken place on the Downs.

However, nowadays, thanks to the area's steep slopes

and the curtailing of large-scale deforestation projects,

much of the North Downs' woodlands still remains in all its glory.

Indeed, Surrey is the most heavily wooded county in England,

over 22% of it is woodland.

Being a woodwork enthusiast,

Brian will be pleased to know there's still one

very traditional woodworking skill that has stood the test of time.

Earlier in the week, we sent Brian and Melissa to meet Richard Hobbs, a bent wood craftsman

who has been in the trade for over 20 years.

He is going to show them how this ancient skill should be done.

Using 15-year-old hazel willows, Richard constructs a chair frame.

Which he then skilfully mounts with younger willow shoots.

We'd end up with one that looks more like this,

which is what we are going to finish off.

-Are you up for that? Bit of drilling and nailing?

-Yep.

Richard teaches bent wood furniture making

all across the southern counties.

Come around the side.

Bent wood is a term used to describe furniture made by

bending wood and letting it harden into curved shapes and patterns.

Lovely jubbly.

As it is an ancient craft,

Richard believes in keeping machinery to a minimum.

Using the length of his little finger for guidance,

he drills a hole just at the right spot.

Do you want to tap that in there?

-Right there?

-Yep.

Just that there like that. You can do your one.

Now all that is left is quality control.

-That's my job.

-You have the privilege.

Thank you very much.

Oh, now, that's comfortable. All I need is a cup of tea.

Brian and Melissa have helped produce an eco-friendly chair,

but for now it's time to leave the woodwork behind and try to find

a property that WOODWORK for them.

How are you feeling having seen your first property?

I feel excited to see what else is in store because there were

parts of that property that I really loved, like the garden.

-But, obviously, the space was an issue.

-Yeah.

It's a shame, really, because the first impression was really nice.

And, yeah, it was detached.

Sometimes you get pretty small detached,

and I think that that was a perfect example of it.

As prices are high in Surrey,

to make their money go farther,

we are hopping over the border into Kent,

where things are a little more affordable.

Our second property is in the village of Groombridge.

Just under an hour from London, it has a good selection

of shops and is lined with period properties.

But it's not long before you feel you are

in the heart of the countryside.

Well, after this morning,

we wanted to show you something that is a bit more rural.

-I think we've done that.

-Yeah.

-You saw the open fields over there.

-Beautiful.

-I like it.

Now, obviously, this time we haven't brought you to a detached house,

because it is attached. How do you feel about that?

-That is not a problem at all.

-I'm absolutely fine with that.

I've got to say, it's not just a semi-detached,

it is attached to another property at the back.

It used to be the old hot barn.

It dates back to about 1850, converted in 1987.

So, you know, you've got a couple of neighbours close by, but in that way,

open fields and that's a public footpath running through there.

That's beautiful.

You got the lay of the land, what about the property?

-It looks nice from the outside.

-I like the look of it.

-Definitely.

-Yeah.

You two have a track record of liking the outside of properties,

and I know that what really counts is how much space you get inside.

-So let's have a look.

-OK.

'Brian and Melissa seem to be open-minded about this property,

'which is good news.

'Let's see as our first room puts a smile on their face.'

Knowing how important the kitchen is, what do you think of this one?

It's nice and light.

-Views when you're washing up out into that open field.

-Beautiful.

That is lovely.

This way, although it is still relatively narrow,

at least you do open up into the dining space, so you can get

that feeling of your guests sitting there while you are cooking.

-Definitely.

-You're not shut off.

-So, space-wise, this is better.

-Space-wise, yes.

-Yes.

It's...slight... I feel slightly confined still.

Potentially, you could, I suppose, take this wall away

and open it right up, have a different kind of space altogether,

but to start with?

-I like it.

-(They like it.)

-We like it.

'I wasn't expecting that.

'I just hope they like the next room, too.'

-Second, very important room, your study.

-Ah, my office.

-That's nice. That's really nice. As an office, I like this.

-Great.

-So, more ticks.

-Definitely.

-Let's check out the living room.

-Silence.

-This is quite smaller than I was expecting.

I don't know, I'm not too sure.

I think something had to give in that respect.

I don't think it's that small.

I think it feels a little bit smaller,

but it is your living space were you kind of flop in front of the TV.

-This is a very different cosy.

-Exactly.

-There is plenty to work with here.

-Most definitely.

This is pretty much the downstairs,

let's go and have a look at the upstairs space.

-I hope you will be pleasantly surprised.

-OK.

'Next door is a WC.

'And upstairs on the first floor there are two bedrooms -

'a compact single and a more spacious double.

'There's also a modern family bathroom.

'But now I am hoping to reach new heights with her buyers.'

So, as well as having two bedrooms and a family bathroom

on your middle floor, up at the top, you've got this.

-This is nice.

-I like it.

-I like the shape of the roof.

I like being in the roof. I've always wanted a room at the top.

And storage-space-wise, you've got a couple of little cupboards here,

but behind here, wardrobe space, and out here, a cupboard.

-Yep.

-Enough?

-Yeah.

-I think so.

-To me.

To you.

-Yes.

-We might have to find that man cave for you

and all your clothes get moved out there, I'm feeling.

-The downsizing includes your wardrobe space, I'm afraid.

-Yes.

But what you do get out here is your own bathroom,

a shower room through there. It's a bit of an en-suite.

I like the idea of that. I do like the idea that.

Well, I like the fact that you both seem to like this house

and outside we have even found a man cave for you.

-That's a nice size.

-I like this.

-Look at the amount of space up in there.

-I know.

-That's great.

-But I think this could be just mine only.

And no-one else's.

When it comes to space,

who wouldn't be impressed by the length of the front garden?

As well as the views of the surrounding fields

at the back of the property.

-This is beautiful.

-It's lovely.

It's gorgeous - silence, the fields, and right next to your house.

You've seen everything this house has to offer. Of course,

the all-important question is, how much do you think you'd have to pay?

-I would say 395,000.

-OK.

I'd think maybe a little bit less, because we have come out to Kent.

I think probably 375.

-This is on the market at £395,000.

-OK.

Yes, we've come a little bit farther out,

but you get more for your money.

-Yeah.

-It has only been on the market for two weeks.

-And it's a gorgeous house.

-It is a beautiful house.

-It's lovely.

-And the surrounding fields, you now.

-Yeah, this is stunning.

This really is. This is what we wanted.

And that's the thought I want you to stick with.

"This is what we wanted."

So, go away, spend some time thinking about it.

-It's been a long day. I'll see you later.

-See you later.

There you go, she said it all. "This is what we wanted."

Yet, I distinctly got a little bit of a hesitation there from Brian.

395, within budget, all the space they want,

but I'm not sure they're happy yet.

What else can we give them to tick all the boxes?

Spread over three floors,

this barn conversion is just within budget at £395,000.

The kitchen and dining room offers

open-plan style living

and the cosy sitting room has a feature fireplace.

Plus, there are three bedrooms.

This property isn't detached,

but the semi-rural location

provides spectacular country views,

and wonderful walks right on the doorstep.

Plus, there are good schools for Emily

and London is within an easy commute.

Overall, I really like the place, love the surrounding area.

The property is nice, it's a lovely garden.

I couldn't really ask for much more, just a little more space.

I think now that we have seen two properties,

we've realised that what we need is a lot more than what

we thought we needed, so we probably are more fussy and particular.

We thought we would be very easy-going

and easy to please, but I think this proves that it's a lot more difficult

finding the house that you actually really want.

As the evening draws to a close,

it marks the end of the first day of our property search.

With £400,000 to spend, Brian, a film producer, and Melissa,

who runs her own interior-design business,

have their hearts set on a detached home with lots of space.

But while house hunting in their preferred county of Surrey,

we seem to have hit some brick walls,

as they space they crave has been lacking on their budget.

I feel like a giant.

But the mystery house could well be the answer.

Maybe, with just one small alteration.

-I wouldn't change a thing in here.

-Wouldn't you?

-No.

Why? What would you? I'd get you out of here.

After yesterday, I'd say that Brian and Melissa have been

a little bit spoiled with the amount of space they have

in their London home.

Yesterday was really a reality check as to how far their budget

will go in Surrey.

So, for our mystery house, we're going to give them

something a little bit different.

They will have to be more flexible with their wish list,

but it does deliver more space.

And to do that, we've had to hop over the border again,

but this time into West Sussex.

Like Surrey,

West Sussex offers plenty of countryside,

but house prices here are considerably lower.

Our mystery property is in the village of Ashurst Wood.

Packed with pretty period properties,

it also provides a generous helping of neighbourhood amenities.

The train station is a ten-minute drive away, from where

you can reach London in an hour.

Plus, the local school is a convenient 150 yards

from the property.

Our mystery house has a very well-to-do neighbour, Ashurst Abbey.

Formerly a school, this impressive building

now houses luxury apartments.

Set back a little is the abbey's old stable block, which has also

been converted into five properties,

making Brian and Melissa's wish for a detached home a non-starter,

but it offers more in other ways.

Your mystery house, here it is.

You get your very own clock tower.

The clock tower is beautiful, I really like that.

-I like it.

-Lovely? You like? Good.

It's a mystery not because all of this belongs to you,

but because this bit would belong to you.

So you'd be attached at either end.

It looks nice. I like the immediate feel of it.

I like the kind of courtyard. Obviously, it's shared.

But I like the look of that.

'They like the shared courtyard, which is good.

'But it's the inside of this house that I think will be the real

'showstopper, providing them with the space they're after.'

-Oh, wow.

-On, wow.

-Uh-huh.

-I like this.

-Encouraging sounds coming from Melissa.

-What do you think?

You're getting settled already.

Promptly taking off the cape from Brian.

Yep. Oh, this is lovely, I really like it.

-What are these...original features I presume?

-Yes, they are.

-So, this is where the coaches used to come in.

-Oh!

So, you've got original features, tonnes of space, high ceilings.

-Just what we wanted.

-And it even delivers your fireplace.

It's boarded up now,

but you can open it and have a working fire.

-So it's a working chimney behind?

-There you go.

-Oh, brilliant.

-I love the size.

-I love the size and I love the height.

It echoes, my voice.

Oh, no!

Does it echo your living arrangements back in London?

-Is this more what you need?

-Definitely.

-Yes!

-It is bigger.

-We finally scored on bigger.

-Yeah.

-Easily.

-All right, we're on a roll, let's keep moving.

-Excellent.

'Fingers crossed this reaction continues, because we're moving on

'to the room that's been the major sticking point so far.'

-Wow, now, this is the kitchen I wanted.

-Yes!

-This is mine.

Fine!

I had a feeling this is more what you were looking for.

Without a doubt. It's got all the workspace,

it's also got the little bar area so people can sit there.

It's got room for a big fridge.

And lots of storage space.

This is great. And the light coming in from those windows is lovely.

I really like the way it's done. I wouldn't change a thing in here.

-Wouldn't you?

-No. Why? What would you?

I'd get you out of here.

I, personally, would do one thing.

-I'd probably put a window in there.

-I knew you would say that.

You'd want a bigger window. How do you feel about having this

as a sort of dining area here?

I think it's good. For breakfast area, I think it's fantastic.

-Or a tea area.

-Friends and family, no.

-Not good enough.

-Altogether at once.

-You'd need a bit more space for that.

-Yeah, a bit more space.

Good, because there is a dining room next door. Come on.

-Is this enough space for you two?

-That's a lovely size.

That's a really nice size.

-Space for the wine in there.

-Yes.

-Or, again, you can open that up.

-OK.

-If you wanted to put a fire in here, you could.

-Which would be lovely.

-Very nice.

-I like it.

Oh, I can see you really, actually thinking about this one.

-Mm.

-I'm thinking further down the line.

Let's have a look upstairs.

'The open staircase creates even more light

'and offers a wonderful view of the living room, with that high ceiling.

'Let's hope what I show them next is roomy enough for them, too.'

-Now, this is the master bedroom.

-That's a nice size.

I think you should be able to fit your big bed in here.

They've got a big bed, so that's good to see.

And I love that you've got the two sides of windows, which is great.

I'm judging how much you like it by how quiet you've gone, Brian.

-There you go.

-I'm never quiet.

Yeah, you're right there, Denise, definitely.

Up here there's also another double room that's made up

as a children's bedroom.

And there's a family bathroom. But this house keeps on giving.

Up another flight of stairs, there's even more on offer.

Now, this is really pretty. I really like this. I think it's lovely.

It's lovely and light. I love this wooden arch.

I like the features, this little original cupboard. It's pretty.

Lovely light, lovely in light.

Not only do you get all this space, though, you also get an en-suite.

-Oh, wow, that's a really nice size.

-It is.

If this is the guest suite, then it's ideal for them

to have their own bathroom.

This has got a really nice feel because it's light but cosy,

but not cosy as in tiny, it's just right.

-So, you two have lots to think about now.

-Yeah.

-I just hope it's affordable.

-That's the question.

-Yeah.

Definitely. Lots of things to do if it is.

You're getting me quite excited, I've got to say,

cos I can feel how much you like this property.

So, come on, let's go downstairs.

-You can have a bit of a wander around and I'll wait for you outside.

-OK.

The communal courtyard is pretty,

but will the ample proportions inside

compensate for the lack of space and a rural aspect outside?

-It's a beautiful outside space.

-Yeah.

Just whether we can live with the close proximity of having

what would be our garden is the access point for the neighbours.

-Well, that's what we're prepared to sacrifice.

-Exactly.

What do you feel about not having a shed as such?

Because you have always had that to get away from me.

-I can live with that, I suppose.

-Do you think?

-Yeah.

Overall, the size just grabs me and, you know, squeezes me.

Hello. Come and take a seat.

-Time to have a little bit of a wander round.

-Thank you.

Yes, we have. We've had a good look around.

And now you want to know how much you'd have to pay, right?

We do. That is the question

that we really, actually want to know now.

-OK, so who wants to go first with a guess, then?

-Ladies?

I think it's a little over budget.

But not too much, because of the outside space. So I would say 410.

I'm going to go a little bit higher and say 430.

Well, the bad news is that this property

was on the market at £475,000.

-But that was in July, last year.

-OK.

-Since then, recently,

they've dropped it down to offers of 400,000 and over.

-OK.

-Which brings it back into your realm.

-That's interesting to know.

-Mm.

-That's very interesting to know.

-Mm, indeed.

-Mm.

I think we'll have to think about this one.

-Yeah.

-So, let's just go away,

you two have some time on your own and then we'll have a chat about it,

-this whole journey. See where we get to.

-OK.

All right, let's go.

This character clock house property

comes in at the very top

of Brian and Melissa's budget,

at exactly £400,000.

But for that, they get a splendid,

spacious interior with high ceilings

and superb period features,

set over three floors.

The Continental-style courtyard is communal,

with two neighbours on either side.

On the upside, it's located

on the grounds of the impressive Ashurst Abbey.

Will the interior space and setting be enough?

I really love the house. I think it's beautiful.

I think the space is exactly what we want. My niggle is the outside space,

cos the courtyard is all you've got. And it's communal.

Brian doesn't have his man shed. He said that doesn't matter.

Does he really mean that?

I've got to say, because he does like to get away from me.

I'm absolutely amazed. It was really nice.

The house is a lot more than we expected,

definitely a wow factor there.

Without a doubt.

Brian and Melissa's favourite county is Surrey,

stealing their hearts with its wonderful wildlife and countryside.

English Heritage has a staggering 42 Gardens of National Importance

located across the county.

Today, I am visiting one of the most renowned,

the Royal Horticultural Society's Gardens in Wisley,

which is a centre of expertise for botany, entomology and soil science.

I'm meeting up with the curator and head gardener, Colin Crosbie,

to find out more.

Hello, Colin.

I think I'm meeting someone with the best job in the world.

It's got to be. A curator at Wisley.

As I always say, I get paid to indulge a hobby.

Wisley is a fantastic garden. 240 acres of inspirational horticulture.

It offers something everyone who comes through,

whether it be a beginner or a king gardener.

Tell me about this magnificent building behind us.

Science is very important to the RHS,

and here we have a purpose-built laboratory, and behind it

there's a whole lot of scientific experiments that are taking place.

Has that always been part of Wisley's history

or did it happen over the years?

Scientific research and educational work has always been part of the RHS

and especially here at Wisley.

The gardens were given to the RHS in 1903,

but research into horticulture and biodiversity

didn't start until after 1913.

Today, the gardens aren't just enjoyed by visitors.

They are like a living laboratory,

and are studied by scientists who work here.

The cathedral-like glass greenhouse covers an area equal in size

to ten tennis courts and has three climatic zones,

re-creating different habitats.

People flock here to soak up the splendour of the plants

and receive top gardening tips from the expert staff on hand.

Guy Barter is the head of scientific research

and an expert on biodiversity.

Hello, Guy.

I was told I was coming to a science lab,

but this is very different to any laboratory I've ever been in.

-What are you doing here?

-We're doing this experiment

over several years to see which plants we can recommend to gardeners

if they want more wildlife and biodiversity in their gardens.

Guy and his team are trying to discover which plants

attract the most diverse range of wildlife possible.

The gathering of data is absolutely an enormous task.

We're counting the amount of leaf area.

We're counting the number of insects.

How unique is this experiment across the world?

As far as we can tell, no-one has done anything quite like this before

on this scale or for this length of time, and certainly not for gardens.

I look forward to finding out the results,

it may be a couple of years.

-Anyway, nice to meet you, Guy. I'll let you get back to it.

-Thank you.

Now it's time to me to find out the results of our own research

and see if any of our properties caught Brian and Melissa's eye.

Well, we found a spot for you guys to sit down

and enjoy this gorgeous countryside.

It has been a bit of a journey. Let's just reminisce.

Take ourselves back.

We started right in the heart of Surrey,

and I always thought this would be a bit of a challenge for us.

-Your budget is great, but in Surrey it's tricky.

-Yeah.

So, what where your first thoughts when we took you to that property?

I loved the garden - small, manageable, but perfectly formed.

Yeah, that first impressions were brilliant. I really did like it.

The house looked big and it was a detached, as well.

That said, once we got inside, everything seemed to shrink.

So, we tried to get you a bit more space.

And to do that, we moved out across the border into Kent.

What did you think of that property? Beautiful views over those fields.

I loved those views. I really did love that.

-And it was a very, very pretty house.

-First impressions, again.

Outside, fantastic. But once again, inside,

it just seemed a little bit small, with limited storage area.

It was very limited storage area, I felt, in that house, which,

even though it was lovely, I just couldn't see our belongings in there.

So, the mystery house, into West Sussex, completely off script,

it was attached, nothing that you were looking for.

However, it did have the space.

The space was amazing. Is amazing.

It's not often I don't have much to say.

But it's when I don't say anything, it means I'm just thinking

and thinking. Mm, mm...

Really liked it. Much more than what we expected.

Everything was perfect.

And some really unusual, traditional features...

-Yeah.

-..that were quite quirky, but loved it.

If we could take, you know, the garden from the first house,

the field and the garage in the second house

and put it all into the third, it would be perfect.

-But we can't.

-It's always the housewives' dream.

-But the mystery house was definitely the wow one for me.

-Without a doubt.

It was the first time I got a wow out of you, so I was really pleased.

So, I think it's clear that was your favourite.

-Yes.

-It's safe to say.

-Without a doubt.

-How much of a favourite?

How are you feeling about it? What will you do next?

Well, we're going to discuss it when we get home.

I think we need to do some talking about it

because we're both very keen on it.

We've got to think what we can do with the outside area.

If we can enclose it more, for safety for Emily

and for our dog as well, I think that we may have...

-may have got it right.

-Definitely.

I'm hopeful this is the one and that you're able to make

those little tweaks to get Emily out to the school of choice

and you can all start your new life in the country.

-Thank you so much.

-It's been brilliant. I really enjoyed it.

I'm really pleased for Brian and Melissa.

I have to admit I was a little bit worried at the beginning

that they were going to be too inflexible with their wish list.

But with the mystery house

they seemed to be finally convinced to make that move.

I'll see you next time on Escape To The Country.

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