Shropshire Escape to the Country

For today's Escape To The Country,

we've come to a county that, for many, epitomises the beauty

of the English landscape. But back in the 18th century,

this picturesque little town behind me

was once at the smoky centre of the industrial revolution.

Where are we? Join me in just a few moments and I'll tell you.

On today's show, I'll be helping a couple who want to get back

to their roots in the British countryside.

And early on, they fall head over heels at one of our properties.

That was really a surprise. I didn't expect to see that in here.

But then the mystery house really gives them something to think about.

There's something different in each room.

Something quirky, something unique to each room.

Today, we're in Shropshire.

This, of course, is its world famous Ironbridge.

When this 400 tonne structure was completed back in 1781,

it kick-started a revolution that not only changed British history

but world history as well.

No surprise, therefore, that this entire area has now been designated

a World Heritage Site.

There's also a much softer side to the region's industrial past.

Later on in the show, I'll be taking a closer look

at Britain's last remaining factory that produces these, teddies.

Ah! Don't you just love them?

The county of Shropshire shares its border

with Wales to the west, Cheshire to the north

and Herefordshire to the south.

Despite its industrial past, the region's low population density

and high proportion of countryside properties makes it

one of the UK's most secluded counties to escape to.

However, peace has not always reigned here.

The large number of castles and forts in this county,

an impressive 32 in total,

include many imposing medieval ruins, like that of Ludlow Castle.

Each one stands testament to the area's war-torn history.

But it's not just history that this county has in abundance.

There's fantastic scenery, too,

in the shape of the stunning hilltops of the Stiperstones

and the heathland of the Long Mynd.

Just two of the county's beautiful and mysterious landscapes worth exploring.

If you do fancy owning a little slice of Shropshire's real estate,

it's worth considering that at just shy of £238,000,

the average detached property here

is a cool 15 grand under the national average.

On the surface, it does represent pretty good value for money,

but beware, across the county, prices can vary hugely.

There are some real hot spots. Take the lovely Ludlow, for example.

There, you could add a further 30% to that figure.

In pretty little villages, like Much Wenlock and Clun,

you could add a more modest 10%.

For all that, there are some fantastic properties on the market.

One of the most prominent Shropshire homes

is the traditional timber-framed house.

The streets of Ludlow and Much Wenlock

are lined with fine examples of these jettied oak buildings.

A typical four-bedroom family home in this style

could set you back around £450,000.

If Georgian architecture is more to your taste,

head to the villages in and around Shrewsbury.

Here, textbook examples of elegant houses can command price tags

in excess of £700,000.

If you're looking for something a little less grandiose

and more secluded, the Victorian yellowstone cottages

near the village of Stokesay are a good choice.

Prices start from around £250,000 for a four-bedroom property.

As you can see, with such a fantastic array of properties

on offer in this county, there's plenty to capture the imagination.

Will it be enough for today's buyers?

Let's go and meet them and find out what they're after.

Ex-engineer Dave and former GP practice manager Rosie

have been happily married for 36 years and are a perfect combination.

I think we complement each other.

I think it's two halves, the yin and the yang.

They've spent most of their lives

living together in Wokingham, Berkshire,

but feel the lifestyle they once had is slowly disappearing.

When we first moved here 29 years ago, it was still open.

Open fields that we could walk on, take the dogs on,

take the children out and play on.

A lot of those fields now have been concreted over and built on.

With the urban sprawl ever increasing,

and a desire to slow down their pace of life,

our buyers have decided it's time to reconnect with their past.

The move to Shropshire, for me, is about returning home.

I was born and brought up there,

had an absolutely idyllic childhood and left home

when I went to teacher training college when I was 18.

Most of Rosie's family originate from Shropshire

and she's particularly keen to use one of her passions

to establish herself back in the community.

One of my main interests is genealogy.

It started when I was 50 and I needed to find out who I was,

where I came from and why I'm me.

It's really exciting for me to be able to go back to Shropshire

and to discover, really, that things haven't changed that much.

Dave, however, is looking forward to another kind of research.

When we move to Shropshire,

I know well that there will be a few micro-breweries

that I may be able to sample and compare,

just purely for the sake of research, of course.

They may be making the move to be closer to one part of the family,

but it does mean they'll have to leave their grown-up children

and grandchildren behind.

I hope our children are telling us the truth

when they say that they're really excited about us moving away.

They have said that we've always been there for them to support them

but they feel it's time they started doing things for us.

The family are right behind them.

Just one final thing to nail down and that's the money.

The budget for our relocation to the country is £270,000 tops.

Dave and Rosie want us to concentrate our search

in the centre of the county,

as they don't want to be too far from Shrewsbury or Oswestry.

I caught up with them on a snowy Shropshire day

to find out a little more about their move to the countryside.

Hello, Rosie. Hello, Dave.

-Nice to see you.

-Nice to meet you, too.

As I understand it, you've retired, you've sold the house,

the money's in the bank. You're just keen

to get on with this next phase of your lives, this project?

We've got to a point where we'd like to get our teeth into something new.

Just describe to us then, Rosie, the ideal property.

The ideal property would be three-bedroom,

two of which to be doubles, so that when the family come up

with their offspring, there's plenty of room.

The focus, for me, is definitely on the gardens.

Space to grow my vegetables and to keep my chickens.

I'd also like to add in a workshop and a garage.

Please, sir, can I have a bit?

LAUGHTER

The only thing that I would say is that I've got this thing

about I don't want a downstairs bathroom.

Sometimes, there are downstairs bathrooms

in otherwise perfect houses.

The snow has just about stopped, so coats, hats, gloves, ready to go?

-Definitely. Looking forward to it.

-Let's go.

Dave and Rosie have £270,000 to buy their new property,

and they have a clear idea of what they will require.

They'd like a minimum of two bedrooms,

an older building with a lot of history and character,

at least a quarter of an acre of garden, a workshop

and it needs to be no more than a 40 minute drive from Shrewsbury.

We've got three fantastic properties to show them and at each one,

I'll be asking them to guess the price before I reveal it.

As ever, the last property is the mystery house,

which could leave our buyers with that sinking feeling.

Our first house is in Much Wenlock in central Shropshire,

about 13 miles south of Shrewsbury.

Much Wenlock is a beautiful medieval town.

It was originally known as Wenlock, with the Much added

to distinguish it from the nearby Little Wenlock,

as it signifies that it's the larger of the two.

This town is also the birthplace of Dr William Penny Brookes,

the inspiration for the modern Olympic movement.

We're hoping to set the bar high with our first property,

which is a charming barn conversion.

In you both come.

Now then, as you can see,

we've got a redeveloped early Victorian farm courtyard for you.

A mixture of barns that have all been converted,

as you can tell, very recently.

-Nice and old, bit of character to it.

-I like the brickwork.

Like the windows.

-Is this the sort of thing you've considered before?

-Never.

-No, this is right outside.

-Really? Why?

We never really thought about a barn conversion positively.

-I'm really interested to see what's inside.

-So am I.

-Really interested.

-Let's have a look, follow me.

Well, thankfully, Dave and Rosie are keeping an open mind on this one,

so let's see if I can tempt them with the characterful interior.

Come on in.

-Oh.

-That is...

-Wow.

-Come over, Dave.

-..A surprise.

-Yeah.

-That is really a surprise. I didn't expect to see that in here.

I'm not quite sure what I did expect but, no, this is really good.

-It's what I would call an honest conversion.

-Absolutely.

It's modern, it's comfortable but it is an old building.

There's loads of wood, wood floors, wood beams.

So, actually, given that you wouldn't have thought about this

if you'd seen it on the internet, shall we say,

already it's been worth having a look?

-Definitely.

-Mind you, there are, I'm sure, a few more rooms here?

-One or two, yeah.

-OK.

-Come this way.

It has to be said that the kitchen is the smaller room in here.

Something of a sort of a galley, I would say.

Beautifully finished, everything's integrated and built-in.

I'm not too concerned about eating in the kitchen,

-but it does lack storage space.

-Yes, you're right.

Storage is a slight issue, but this is made up for

by the dining room, which is next door.

Oh, there's a dining room?

So if you're OK with this, you're going to love the dining room.

Have a look at this. There we are, Rosie.

-OK.

-It's a bit of a surprise, isn't it?

-It is a surprise.

-I wasn't expecting another reception room.

-Ah, right, OK.

-Wheels are turning.

-Yes!

If the budget allowed for it,

this would make a fantastic kitchen-diner.

That would be my thought.

It's actually quite a good space as well,

because it's a usable square space.

There's no nooks and crannies taken out of it.

You could put in a kitchen here in a weekend.

We would have seen this on the internet...

-And we would have discounted it.

-Dismissed it immediately.

-That's why you're here.

-That's what we were hoping for, wasn't it?

They're really falling for the great potential of this barn conversion.

On the floor plan, the current dining room

our buyers have much admired is actually marked as a bedroom,

although I think the possibilities for a kitchen-diner

are an excellent fit.

Just down the corridor, there's a shower room and two bedrooms,

one of which would be their master.

This would be your room.

OK, it's a nice sized room.

Oh, yes! As a bedroom, master bedroom, that's fine.

Bed would fit in here nicely.

This room is mirrored by the one next door,

but there are just the two bedrooms.

That is the obvious compromise with this one.

All right, let's finish it off with the garden,

because I know that's important.

We do want space for some vegetables, perhaps.

-And the chickens.

-And maybe some chickens. Follow me.

Their enthusiasm does seem a little dampened

but I'm sure once we step outside, they'll be very impressed

with the outdoor space and the single garage

which could give Dave his workshop.

My goodness, me! Feel that icy wind!

-It won't always be snowing.

-You'd have to hope so.

Let's get up here by the decking,

and take a proper look at what you get from the outside.

So, you see the L-shape of it.

Obviously, those are the doors of the dining room.

Living room over there.

The garden, size-wise, well, you tell me?

-A pleasant surprise.

-Yeah.

Although it's not flat, it's got the features that we would want in it.

It's got enough room for the beds.

Got some lovely beds here,

-some nice little apple trees growing there.

-Yeah.

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

You've got £270,000 to spend.

Rose, you go first, because you know the area so well.

What do you think house number one is worth?

-I'd say, probably 265.

-265, yeah? Dave?

I think it's probably over-budget, at about 275.

275.

You're going to really hate this.

-Because your wife's right!

-SHE LAUGHS

-265?

-£265,000.

-That is a real surprise.

Everything about this property's been a surprise.

-The space, the finish, the garden, the price.

-Yeah.

-Let the surprises continue, go and explore.

-OK.

-OK.

And I'll catch up with you later. Off you go. Brilliant.

And I am going to find a cup of tea. It's freezing out here.

This Victorian barn conversion is under budget at £265,000.

And it's been a real eye-opener for our buyers,

who've always ruled out a barn conversion.

It has a spacious lounge,

three bedrooms, one of which is currently used as a dining room,

a workshop for Dave,

and a good-sized back garden.

Right, the bathroom.

-Well, yeah, no bath.

-No.

-I like the idea of a wet room.

-Yes.

Just walking straight in, that's good.

-We could even shower the dogs in there.

-We could!

The outside location is just beautiful,

with the church up on the hill, and the trees.

And the peace and the quiet, just what I wanted.

It's got everything that we need,

with the exception of the third bedroom.

Which is a shame, because I think, with everything else,

Rosie and I discussing it, we could actually live here quite happily.

-After you, Rosie.

-Thank you.

-Dave.

-Thank you.

-Good.

I think that was rather interesting.

-It seems to have overcome your preconceptions about barn conversions?

-Definitely.

-Absolutely. And I can't wait to see the next one.

-Follow me.

Sitting at the northern edge of the Severn Valley

in the heart of Shropshire is the town of Bridgnorth.

Its port was once one of the busiest in Europe.

Today, the River Severn provides a more serene backdrop to the town,

in an area popular with anglers and ramblers.

The river has not only been a vital transport link over the years,

but has helped many a Shropshireman and woman earn a living.

One such enterprising group were the millers,

who used hydropower for their waterwheels,

in order to grind up wheat, to make flour.

Bridgnorth is, in fact, home to the largest working waterwheel

still powering a corn mill in England.

With Dave and Rosie's keen interest in local heritage,

earlier in the week, we sent them to Daniel's Mill

to meet Alan George, who's been running it for the last 60 years.

Daniel's Mill has been in our family for about 300 years.

There's been a mill on the site since Domesday.

And it's always kept working.

Mills were worked by men called millers.

They didn't own the mill, they simply came and milled.

It was the states that built the mills. And they rented it.

Eventually, as more corn came in, and the mill got more prosperous,

then the millers came and lived in the mill.

It was a dusty job, believe you me, and dusty millers are well-known!

The process of milling here has remained unchanged for many centuries.

A pair of millstones is used to grind the wheat into flour.

The bottom, or bed stone, remains static

whilst the top, or runner stone, turns, using water power.

When the waterwheel is connected, wheat is then released in a trickle

into the centre, or eye, of the top millstone.

Hundreds of years ago, grain would be fed into the stone by hand.

Often, this was the job of the miller's daughter.

That stone turning at 100 revolutions a minute,

will turn 100 weight of wheat to flour in about 20 minutes.

Cor, that's quick.

I notice you've got flour already in there, coarse flour.

If you're making bread, then it needs to be very, very fine,

so when you mix it into a dough, it will knit together.

If it's coarse, like that,

fruitcake, scone, or other things, it's fine for that.

But for bread, it must be very, very fine,

so the stones have to be very, very close.

The present mill operated until 1957,

grinding all kinds of grain for animal feed.

But after a short spell of restoration and renovation,

it now produces flour for baking.

There it is.

The sack is now full.

Close the stone off, so that none comes down.

And remove your sack.

-Right, so, off to the baker's with this.

-Off to the baker.

-I want to see a nice loaf of bread!

-See you later.

Now that Rosie has finally caught up with Dave,

it's time to continue our house search,

as we head to the small village of Marton.

This picturesque location is surrounded by

the glorious, unspoiled countryside of Shropshire.

At its heart, there's a selection of local amenities, including

a pub, which should keep Dave happy,

and if it's rural life our buyers crave,

then this area will suit them perfectly.

Shropshire is known for its changeable weather.

And today is no exception, as we're now in the middle of a snowstorm!

Let's hope Dave and Rosie have brought their thermals,

as we pitch up at house number two, a detached cottage.

-Now, then, Rosie.

-Yep?

Tell me what should be visible, but for the blizzard?

SHE LAUGHS That's the Long Mountain.

You know this area pretty well, don't you?

I know it very, very well, indeed. And it's beautiful.

-So, we are in the right spot?

-Oh, you couldn't get much better.

That's a stunning house.

It's really interesting. Can you see?

It's in two halves, essentially.

-That's the original bit.

-OK.

-The four windows, and the door.

But it's since had this addition put on, this little L-shape,

which really does make a huge difference

to the amount of space that you've got in here, and the floor plan.

And that's all brand-new.

-They've done it very well, haven't they?

-Really well.

-They matched it really well.

-That's brilliant.

It all matches really, really well.

The thing to point out is that, inside, it's completely empty.

It's all just been redecorated and done.

So it's almost a brand-new building, on the inside, at least.

-Well, how about we go inside?!

-Shall we?

Let's not mess around. Follow me!

'Well said, Dave.

'We've already had rave reviews about the location.

'So let's hope they rave some more on the inside.'

Oh! It is so cold out!

-Come in, Dave, shut the door, quick.

-It's lovely to be in the warm.

-So, this is what it gives you.

-Ooh, isn't that... Ahhh!

-Rosie?

-SHE LAUGHS

-Wow.

-Yeah, do you like?

-That is a definite wow.

-Oh, not just the kitchen, but the views.

Even with the snow, it's still a brilliant view.

I think it kind of makes it, actually. It's cosy, isn't it?

Come on, follow me. Let's have a look at this reception room.

So, this is...the living room.

-I suppose the kind of cosier end of the equation.

-Yep.

-Ooh, look, an open fire!

-Open fire, yep.

-Logs or coal in there, whatever you want.

-Lovely.

Oh. This is so good.

And they've got the original...

The original pitch pine.

-You can see the holes where the lathes would have been from when it was originally plastered.

-Oh, yes.

This is quite nice. In here, I guess it would have been the scullery.

-Now, a little study - phone points, TV points...

-Excellent.

-I think this is working, isn't it?

-It is, definitely.

-This is really nice.

As long as it's got everything, like three bedrooms?

I did promise you three bedrooms, yes, come and have a look.

They're up here. Follow me.

This floor also has a handy utility room and cloakroom.

But we'll continue the tour upstairs.

-Now, in here, the upstairs family bathroom.

-Lovely.

-All new.

-Bath and shower, lovely.

But this is the master. Come on in, let Dave in.

-Oh!

-This is so nice.

Look at that view.

Just imagine waking up in the morning. Oh! And there's that view.

That is brilliant.

And through there, shower room en suite, very generous size.

-And built-in wardrobes either side.

-Beautiful.

-Really, really nice.

This has been really nicely done.

Somebody's thought about this really well.

-You weren't bothered about en suites.

-I wasn't.

-Now look. You've got one.

-I know. But it's nice!

Just "nice"! Brilliant.

Dave and Rosie are grinning like Shropshire cats,

and they clearly adore this house.

Up here, there are another two bedrooms

with trademark exposed beams.

But let's hope our buyers don't get cold feet

as we had outside to see the garden.

Right.

DAVE LAUGHS

How about it?

ROSIE SIGHS

Well, the blizzard has not abated.

-Long Mountain is still out there somewhere.

-It is still out there.

There is no garage and there is no workshop.

Given that, the rest of the property is so impressive,

-and fits you like a glove, I would suggest.

-Absolutely.

Really brilliantly.

So, Rosie, you went first last time.

Dave, you've got £270,000 to spend. How much is house number two worth?

I'll go first 269,950.

269,950. Rosie?

I think it's over our budget. And I'll go 272.

272. Well, it is still over-budget, I'm afraid, but only just.

This could be yours for £279,950.

OK. That's certainly got lots of food for thought.

-Hasn't it just?

-It has.

At this point, traditionally, I'd invite you

to go back into the property, on your own, and have a look around.

But for reasons which I think are blatantly obvious,

-I'm going to come with you!

-Good idea.

Open that door, for goodness sake! I'm absolutely freezing!

Priced at just under £280,000,

property number two has real appeal,

even if it is slightly over their maximum budget.

It offers a host of character features -

a fantastic open-plan kitchen-diner,

three bedrooms, one which has an en suite,

and stunning views throughout the entire house.

-So, this is a really good-sized double room, isn't it?

-It is.

-It would be fine as a guest room.

-And...

-You'd have to watch your head on here, though.

-Yes.

Have you seen the shape of the door here?

-It has to be that shape to fit with this beam!

-I know.

It's beautiful, it's quirky, it's makes this house special.

It's really nice, isn't it?

The kitchen was just absolutely stunning.

The view, and the possibilities.

I think I'd probably spend all my time in there,

because... I haven't got the words for it. I really haven't.

One of the downsides of having a fabulous view like this is that,

during the winter time, we may get cut off.

But that may be a price worth paying.

Right, shut the door behind us, Dave.

OK.

Despite it all, I think this house has been a real winner, hasn't it?

-Definitely, definitely.

-Brilliant. An absolute stunner.

-But please, can we go and get warm now?

-We can. Go on, let's go.

-Hang on, what about a snowball fight, guys?

-No!

-No, no!

-Come on!

As the day comes to a close over Shropshire,

our buyers have the chance to reflect on all that they've seen so far.

Dave and Rosie from Wokingham, Berkshire,

are heading for the Shropshire hills to enjoy their future together.

So far, they've been keen on our barn conversion

and wowed by the views from our upland cottage.

Still to come, it's the mystery house.

But will it sink or swim into our buyers' hearts?

-We really need to think hard and long about this now.

-I don't.

And I get all cute and cuddly with some of Shropshire's finest.

Isn't it amazing? A pair of eyes,

but already there's some personality.

Well, so far, on this particular trip,

we've had a little bit of everything.

And that's just to describe the weather, never mind the properties.

The good news is that they, too, have given our buyers plenty to think about.

By their own admission, Dave and Rosie have stepped

somewhat outside their preferred comfort zone,

but they've risen to the challenge.

And by the end of play yesterday, I thought they were on the point of

putting in an offer on property number two.

But, as ever on Escape To The Country, of course,

it's never over until it's over.

That means there's one more house to come. It is mystery house time.

Will that, too, give them plenty of food for thought, I wonder?

I kind of think it will.

For our mystery property,

we're travelling 19 miles south west of Shrewsbury,

over the border, into Wales, to the medieval village of Church Stoke.

This is right at the edge of Dave and Rosie's search area.

But it provides a fantastic proposition.

Church Stoke itself is a beautiful location

that has retained much of its original character.

But before we do the house,

we're stopping off to see what they think of the area.

Now, then, for our final property,

you are probably wondering why it's the mystery house.

Since you've taken us out of the location,

and across the border into Wales, maybe that's it?

You got it. Exactly. We're in Wales.

That's why the mystery house is the mystery house.

How do we feel about border hopping, Rosie?

I don't have any problem with that at all.

In fact, Church Stoke is an area we've been attracted to anyway.

Ah, OK. And Dave, how do you feel?

I don't have a problem either.

There's a nice little antiques barn not too far away from here.

And there's a Sunday market.

And I'm fairly sure there's a few pubs around here as well.

-Let's hope the mystery house is a surprise for you. Follow me.

-OK.

For today's mystery property,

I'm taking Dave and Rosie to a lovely detached cottage,

which is set on the banks of a river.

So, there we are.

That is our mystery house.

-All of it?

-All of it.

-And the bit behind it. And the garden.

-OK.

Mystery house, I think you've done it again, haven't you?

It's a nice one this, actually. It used to be

-four little one-up, one-down cottages.

-Ah, OK.

Then over the years, it's been knocked together

to produce the whole that you see now.

Absolutely.

-I think it offers you a lot of house.

-Yeah.

-But in the summer, you could have a dip in the brook.

-Yeah.

-Great.

-Come on, let's have a look inside.

-OK.

-Love to.

This picture postcard cottage

may have been heaven sent for our buyers.

And the fact that it's right on the edge of their search area

doesn't seem to have put them off.

-Oh, it's nice and warm in here.

-It is, yes.

Come on in, Dave, grab the door.

-What a welcome. Look at that!

-Yes, very snug.

-Fantastic wood burner.

-Yes. Wood burner, bread oven in the corner.

-Yeah.

-And lots of exposed beams.

-Yes.

-Nice wood.

That just clears our heads, so that's good.

-Yes. You might have to duck elsewhere.

-OK.

You'll see what I mean on the way through. Come have a look at this.

Right, come in to this end of your second reception room.

We've got you the snug, of course.

Then this is your main family room.

-So much character in this house.

-Yeah.

-Excellent.

We were a little worried outside, as we were coming in,

about the noise of the traffic.

-But you can't hear it in here.

-No.

These are all double glazed, which is brilliant.

We've also got you this lovely, I suppose, garden room/dining room.

Well, you tell me, what would you do with it?

-Oh, that's really surprising.

-Isn't it?

This could be a summer sitting room, that's the winter sitting room.

-We've got the doors out to the patio.

-Beautiful!

-Come and look at the kitchen, Rosie.

-Lovely.

-Follow me through here.

-OK.

Now, I'm thinking you will probably quite like this, Rosie.

-Oh, yes.

-Yeah?

-Lots of storage space.

-Yep.

-Yep.

This is a super kitchen, isn't it?

-And there's a range.

-There is a range.

You have alighted upon the feature that really sets this kitchen apart.

It's the first range we've been able to give you, actually.

There's something different in each room, something quirky.

-Something unique to each room.

-Good.

-I'm liking this.

-I'm liking this, too.

I sort of sense there's even more to it?

-I think it's about time we had a look, um, at a bathroom.

-Ooh!

-Your favourite moment! Come on.

-Right, OK.

Off the kitchen is a huge utility room.

And it's clear this property is really working for them.

But we know that Dave doesn't really like downstairs bathrooms.

So, what's he going to make of this one?

-There we are, Dave.

-Oooh!

-Come on in.

-Ooh! It's not just a bathroom, is it?

-It's a wet room.

-Nice, isn't it?

-Wow!

You see, suddenly, the downstairs bathroom isn't a problem, is it?

-And it's really well done as well.

-This is beautiful.

So, it's top marks for the bathroom.

Time to head up one of the two staircases to the bedrooms,

which include this single and two double guest rooms.

There's also a good-sized family bathroom.

But we're stopping off at the main room that could be theirs.

Staircase number two. We end up here, in what is, effectively,

a kind of master suite.

-Because you are completely separate to the other two bedrooms at the other end.

-Right.

-And they have their own staircase.

-Yes.

This is really, really nice, isn't it?

We've seen this kind of thing before on our travels, the vaulted roof.

-You'd like that.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

But behind us, we've got this arched doorway

and that leads into a really generous dressing room

-with loads of built-in storage.

-Right.

But if the bathroom issue needs to be resolved,

-that's where it would go.

-It would be in there.

Let's go outside and finish off with the garden. You will love this.

And it's as we move outside

that we get a real sense of the fabulous setting of this house.

Look at this, look. A bit of blue sky, the sun's coming out.

You couldn't write the weather this week.

Ad the snow, thankfully, is beginning to melt.

-You can see the garden at long last.

-Lovely.

-All in all, it's about 0.4 of an acre.

-Is it?

It's really surprising, actually.

Our final guess of the week, Rosie.

Do you think your £270,000 is going to get you our mystery house?

I think this is going to be well over budget.

-I think this is going to be around about 300,000.

-300,000, yes?

-Let's say 295,000.

-295?

Your optimism is well founded, sir!

-Because it does begin with a two, not a three.

-OK.

And it runs like this.

249,950.

What?

-HE LAUGHS

-Your face is a picture!

-Really?

-Yes, absolutely. You could have this comfortably under budget,

and it gives you money left over, if you wanted to,

to put the en suite in upstairs.

-We really need to think hard and long about this now.

-I don't.

I don't.

Don't rush it, don't rush it. Take your time. Off you go.

You know the drill. Go and have another look around.

-HE LAUGHS

-I love it.

Once again, the mystery house has delivered.

And what's more, the sun has come out,

and spring, thankfully, has returned.

It's like the end of Narnia, really!

It seems that Dave and Rosie are in a state of shock

at the price of this home, on the market for just under £250,000,

and leaves them enough money to add an en suite.

It offers them a large sitting room with exposed beams,

a dining room with French doors leading out to the back garden,

four bedrooms,

and a beautiful riverside setting.

I never thought we'd ever be able to afford something like this.

You know I've always said it would be nice to have a stream running through the garden.

-We've got a river!

-We've got a river instead.

When the price was revealed, I was absolutely stunned.

I just couldn't think what to say.

I was almost moved to tears.

I can really imagine the grandchildren coming here

and thoroughly enjoying this place.

It's brilliant.

Well, I think it's all turned out rather nicely.

A-ha. Here we are. Come on, then, out you come.

That's it, folks. House tours are over.

That's the end of the mystery house.

-Do we have to leave?

-You do.

-You know why? I want a coffee.

-OK.

-OK.

-Come on.

Shropshire has a fantastic legacy of industry and manufacturing,

dating back to the 18th century.

But whilst the county's heavy industry has since fallen away,

there's a much softer trade that's still thriving.

Merrythought was established in 1930.

Now, over 80 years later,

not only is it the UK's only remaining teddy bear manufacturer,

it's also run by the same family who founded it.

Earlier in the week, I went along to their factory in Telford,

to meet sisters Sarah and Hannah Holmes, two of the owners.

So, how many generations, to be clear,

do you represent of the family business?

We're actually the fourth generation now.

Our great-grandfather founded the company, back in 1930.

We are surrounded by some wonderful examples here of very old bears.

Which is the oldest one in your collection?

It's actually the Magnet Bear, which is from 1931.

He was designed when the company was first founded.

He was actually in our very first catalogue.

Why's he called the Magnet Bear?

Legend has it, it's because he's got a magnetic personality

THEY LAUGH

Can I try that out? I'd say that's fairly magnetic.

You can just get a sense of how much he's been loved

and sort of worn over the years,

presumably by your ancestors in the family?

Yeah, he has, he's been passed down with the company.

-You still make them by hand.

-Absolutely.

Who's going to show me around the factory?

-I'll give you the grand tour.

-Off you go, Sarah.

Right, Hannah. We'll catch up with you later.

The company produces around 20,000 teddies a year.

And the bears' unique fur is mohair,

made from the world of Angora goats.

So, Sarah, this is what it's all about, isn't it?

Your classic teddy bear.

Absolutely, this is the original Merrythought teddy bear.

What we like to think is the quintessential English teddy.

Have you always made them from that kind of material?

Traditionally, teddy bears were always made from mohair,

so we've carried that tradition through,

and everything we make is pretty much made from mohair.

A small bear takes a skilled seamstress one hour to make by hand.

And it's time to help bring one more to life.

So, I take my eye. There we are.

Is this a technique which hasn't really changed much?

It hasn't changed much in the last few decades.

But traditionally, teddy bears would have had glass eyes,

which were hand-sewn in.

But they did have a habit of falling out.

-This shouldn't fall out?

-These are plastic safety eyes.

-Hurrah! There we are.

-Perfect.

-What do you do with it? On there?

-Just put that on there, like that.

Go on, Pauline, turn him inside out.

Fantastic.

-HE LAUGHS

-How about that?

-There's your teddy bear head.

-Isn't it amazing?

A pair of eyes, but already there's some personality.

Once the rest of the teddy has been sewn together and stuffed,

the final stage is to add a touch of character.

-This is Penny.

-Hello, Penny, nice to see you.

-Are you about put a nose on?

-I am.

What goes through your mind when you're finally giving them life?

Whether he looks happy. He's got to be happy.

-So, if you're having a good day, do the bears have a good day?

-Yes!

THEY LAUGH

So, is he...

I say "he", it's a bit presumptuous. Or "she". Only you know.

-It's definitely a "he".

-If you say so, Penny. Great.

You've nearly finished. There we are. Brilliant. Look at that.

Isn't it amazing?

A little bit of thread and cotton,

but suddenly, our bear has a personality.

-And here's Hannah. Hello, Hannah.

-How's that the bear making going?

Well, very well, as you can see.

-Who's this?

-This is Ted, he's our company mascot.

He's fabulous. You can see where the idea's come from, can't you?

-Absolutely.

-Big Ted and Little Ted!

It really is a family business, through and through.

-It is, very much so.

-Absolutely.

-Guys, thanks you very much indeed.

Best of luck with the bear making. Long may it continue.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you, Penny.

-Thank you.

Well, it's now decision time.

And the amount of thinking that's gone on in Dave and Rosie's minds,

I suspect, has to be seen to really be believed.

Let's go and find out how they're getting on.

Ah, here you are. Enjoying some much better weather.

-And a nice cup of coffee.

-I promised you some coffee.

-Thank you.

There you go.

So, have we managed to find you a lovely new home,

-in a county in which you were born, Rosie?

-Mm-hm.

Let's remind ourselves how it all started.

We had a converted farmyard with a barn conversion,

-which you said you wouldn't have looked at ordinarily.

-No.

Absolutely.

To be honest, we looked at, and dismissed, barn conversions totally.

So, the first house already blew away our preconceptions

out of the water.

And, to be honest, it was brilliantly presented.

The dining room was fabulous, opening out onto the garden.

I could imagine coming down, on a sunny morning,

-and opening those doors.

-Absolutely.

-The light flooding in.

Sitting down to have breakfast.

-It was such a shame that there were only two bedrooms.

-Yes.

I appreciate that that was a problem.

But it did give us a sense of what you were after.

But then we took you into some pretty serious weather,

for property number two, into a blizzard,

and a property that really did take us up a gear, I think, Rosie?

It did. It did.

The view, I knew, but you could see, even in the blizzard,

that the view was stunning from that kitchen-dining room.

-The living room was lovely and cosy.

-Yep.

And the family bathroom was really well done as well.

-And right next door, it was effectively another en suite.

-It was.

But then we took you to our final property.

Once upon a time, four one-up, one-downs.

Now, a really interesting, quite rambling building.

What were your thoughts as you started to explore it, Rosie?

I just couldn't believe that you were showing us something

that would be in our price range, because there was so much there.

So much character.

Going from room to room, it just got better and better and better.

And each room had a different quirk.

Actually, it's managed to deliver something that I thought you never could,

and that is something that would give us all that we wanted,

plus a bit of the magic of a stream running through the garden.

That's brilliant.

So, what happens next? Which house are you going to go for?

-I think it's got to be the mystery house.

-Yeah.

I would definitely like to go back and have another look at that,

and talk to the owner.

-Because owners can give you... They can fill out the story a lot more.

-Yeah.

Um...and I think that would be a very serious contender.

-So, let us know how you get on.

-We will.

Have another look at the mystery house.

-Otherwise, you've always got number two, with the view.

-Definitely.

-Thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you.

-Best of luck.

-Thank you.

It has to be said, not everyone who comes on Escape To the Country,

trying to get away from it all,

knows as much about their chosen county

as did Dave and, in particular, Rosie.

But their story just goes to prove that,

no matter how well you think you know a place,

you should always be prepared for surprises.

And with any luck, they're heading for a happy one.

I'll see you next time.

Well, Dave and Rosie did return to see the mystery house,

but, sadly, decided it wasn't quite right for them after all.

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