Worcestershire Escape to the Country

This village was once on the world map for its scythe-making,

that is, until it lost its edge to mechanisation.

Where am I? Find out as we escape to the country.

On today's show, I'm hitting the road with a pair of keen cyclists,

to help them make a big move. And it's safe to say

our couple aren't completely in tandem about what they want

from a property.

You should have seen his face when you said, "Oh, I really like it!"

He was like...

Yes, I was amazed!

But then the mystery house rides to the rescue once again.

-We're singing from the same hymn sheet! This is good.

-Unusual.

Really? What hymn are you singing? Glory, Glory, Hallelujah is what I'm singing!

Today I'm in Worcestershire and this is the village of Belbroughton,

which from the 1500s produced scythes and cutting tools

for around four centuries.

Well, the iron forges and the knife-sharpening mills

produced tools that were shipped all over the world.

In fact, they were used to clear the Everglades in the USA.

Mechanisation came along and the industry dwindled.

Back in 1968, Belbroughton here saw its final mill close forever.

Well, the industry may be gone but as far as the countryside's concerned,

Worcestershire is still a cut above the rest.

The county of Worcestershire is bordered by Herefordshire

to the west, Gloucestershire to the south,

and Warwickshire to the east.

While the north of the county is home to conurbations such as Kidderminster and Bromsgrove,

head south and you'll discover its rural heart

around the towns of Malvern and Evesham

which are famed for their mineral water and asparagus production.

But it is Worcester, holding court in the middle,

that ties the two halves of the county together -

the birthplace of Sir Edward Elgar and home of Royal Worcester porcelain.

It's also the city that Churchill's government planned

to decamp to in the event of a Nazi invasion.

It would appear that we're not the first to think that Worcestershire

is the perfect place to escape to the country.

The cost of an average detached property here in Worcestershire

is around £260,000. That's roughly £6,000 above national average.

For this price, you could be looking

at locations like the pretty market town of Malvern or Pershore,

lovely, they are.

If you want something a little bit more spectacular,

then head south in the county towards the Cotswolds.

But here, let me warn you that detached properties

are highly sought-after and bargains hard to come by.

But Worcestershire is most definitely a county

with charm and character.

Head to the north of the county to villages like Bewdley,

and you'll find fantastic timbered properties,

some dating back to the 17th century.

A house of this style with four bedrooms

typically costs from around £300,000-£425,000.

If that's too much space for you then the honey stone cottages

of the Cotswolds may be a better option.

Here, from around £275,000 to £375,000,

you'll get just two bedrooms but with buckets of charm.

If land is your top priority, then the fields of Worcester

offer an array of traditional farmhouses.

Expect to pay upwards of £800,000 for one of these,

especially if you want plenty of acres to play with.

So, what are we looking for? Let's meet the buyers.

Peter and Susan have lived in their four-bedroomed house

in the busy town of Ulverston in Cumbria for the past 33 years,

having originally made the move from the Isle Of Man.

But now Peter has retired from his banking job,

and Sue has given up her career as a health worker,

they're planning on a new challenge in the shape of a countryside business,

in the county of Worcestershire.

Something that I've wanted to do for quite a while and thought about

is running a self-catering business,

so that we would like to have a house either with an annexe

or some cottages in the garden or some outbuildings we could convert

and do self-catering holidays.

Well, they're certainly not after the quiet life.

And along with a new commercial venture,

family unity is also a key consideration.

Part of the reason we want to move to the Worcester area

is I'll be nearer my sister.

She has a son, Ashley, who's got Down's syndrome,

and it would be really nice to give her a break

so that she can have a bit more freedom to go off on holiday

without having to find carers and that Ashley would be happy to come to us and we'd be happy to have him.

So, a welcoming home for all the family

and space for paying guests is high on the agenda.

But that's not quite the end of the property wish list.

We don't really want a huge garden,

maybe half an acre, something where we could have a vegetable patch

and grow a few flowers.

And I would like to have a garage there.

I've got half a dozen bikes

and we've got a nice car outside

which we want to have covered up for a change.

Keeping the car pristine is one thing,

however, it's Peter and Susan's joint passion for pedal power

that really gets their hearts racing.

I got into cycling when I lived in the Isle Of Man.

Some years later, I was lucky enough to be chosen for the Commonwealth Games

or the Empire Games as it was known in those days.

And I went to Australia in December 1962.

I got into cycling because of Peter.

He encouraged me to do it and it's really enjoyable,

it's something we can do together.

And you can see so much more from a bicycle than you can from a car!

And they both think diving feet-first into community life

will be a vital step in their success.

We had some good advice, didn't we, when we moved from the Isle Of Man,

that..."join everything!"

It's important to get stuck in with whatever's on offer, really.

Don't want to just be "those people from up North who never speak to anybody"!

I don't think there's much chance of that.

So let's talk money.

Our budget for this move is £600,000.

Peter and Susan are particularly keen on living

within a 20-mile radius of Susan's sister in the village of Welland,

which lies 16 miles west of Evesham and 11 miles south of Worcester.

I caught up with them on Worcestershire soil to discover more about their rural move.

Well, both, welcome to Worcestershire, the Malvern Hills.

-Quite nice, isn't it?

-It's lovely.

-Beautiful, isn't it?

-Why this area in particular?

-Well, we're both retired now

and we've sort of had where we've lived imposed on us in the past

so this is somewhere where we would choose to live.

And also, I've got family down here.

Er, I want to start a business up as well

so we want to have a self-catering annexe

-or self-catering something in the garden.

-Right.

So that's the new career, as it were.

This is for you, so we've got to find something you really want.

Yes, yes. So we're hoping for a house with at least three bedrooms,

the annexe is very important, or the self-catering.

-Nice big kitchen...

-How did I know you were going to say that?!

-It's the heart of the home, isn't it?

-Is he the cook?

-Sort of. He does a good soup!

-I start and then she takes over and kicks me out!

-He does a good soup!

-So then I go, "Don't do it like that..."

-What about budget?

-Er...

-Up to 600,000, if...

-If it's the right place.

-If it's the right place.

As usual, we've got three properties to show you,

one of them being the mystery property which will fill you with delight

or incite you to hate a certain Welshman not a million miles away!

-Let's hope it's not that. Shall we get going?

-Yes.

-Yes. Great.

-It's easier walking down.

-Yes!

For their budget of £600,000,

Peter and Susan are looking for a detached property

with three to four bedrooms, a big kitchen for keen cook Susan,

a garage for a car and bikes,

a manageable garden for Peter's veg growing

and an annexe or outbuildings with rental potential.

We found three fabulous properties

we think they'll find hard to resist.

But I won't be revealing the price of each until they've had a guess first.

The last of these is, of course, the mystery house,

which they may want to go above and beyond to live in.

But first, we're heading to house number one.

We're travelling 12 miles east of Worcester,

near to the village of Inkberrow.

It's one of Worcestershire's largest villages and is home

to two traditional British pubs,

a well-stocked local shop, and a church that dates back

to the 13th century.

Just south of Inkberrow is the beautiful village of Abbots Morton,

one of the county's oldest settlements

which is chock full of half-timbered 17th and 18th-century buildings.

-So, this is the village of Abbots Morton.

-Very nice.

It's so quiet. Where we were before, we could always hear the road.

-Yes.

-This is just perfect.

-Yes, lots of traffic.

BIRDS TWEET

Nothing, just birdsong! Gorgeous, isn't it?

-That's what we want.

-Excellent.

You're saying the right things. Let's hope you are when we see the property. Shall we have a look?

-Yes, please.

-Let's go.

'It seems this peaceful location is just what Peter and Susan are looking for.

'Time to see property number one -

'a Grade II listed 17th-century cottage,

'which was once the blacksmith's house.'

The plot's about a third of an acre.

Oh, that's just right...

A double garage, they've also got a vegetable plot as well.

-Double garage with it?

-Yes.

-Well, that's you happy!

-So initial impressions, you like it?

-Very much.

-Yes, we do.

-I do. Can't speak for you but I do.

-I do.

-You like it?

-Yes, I do.

-Let's get in, have a look. Come on.

-OK, super.

'We're off to a flying start with this one.

'Peter's happy with his double garage

'but let's see if they both like the space inside.'

Come on through. Let me show you one of the living spaces first of all.

-OK.

-I think this room's lovely.

-This is lovely, yeah.

-Isn't it gorgeous?

-I love all the wood.

It's high enough up to not bang your head.

That was my major worry, to be honest with you.

Let's see if you're saying that when you walk under this beam.

-Does he fit?

-He does!

-You can walk with confidence!

-And I've stopped growing, so...

Stopped growing.

As you see, you've got this really impressive inglenook fireplace.

-Yeah.

-That's just amazing.

With a bread oven. Is that a bread oven?

-It was originally a bread oven but now what you see there is just the facade.

-Yeah.

Behind the oven, you've got another little living space,

which the current owners use as a TV room.

-Right.

-Good size.

-But let me take you through to the kitchen, shall I?

-OK.

-Oh, I'm getting excited!

-Good, I like it when you're excited!

So, come on through to your kitchen.

-Oh, right.

-"Oh, right".

What does that "Oh, right" mean?

I think I know what it means!

-Bit small.

-Is it?

-Very nice, nice units and everything.

-Very bright.

-And very bright.

But I'm used to a big kitchen with a range cooker.

You could, I suppose, take that dining table out

if you've got that one through there.

-Yes, cos you've got that there.

-The other hope to cling on to

is that there was planning permission to extend this kitchen

right to the boundary.

-Oh, right.

-Which would, in effect...

-So you could open it up.

..double or triple the size of your kitchen.

'While the kitchen's not ideal for Susan,

'there's definitely potential to expand here.

'But now we're heading to see what the upstairs has to offer.

'Up here, there's a very good-sized double room,

'one option for the master, plus an adjoining bright family bathroom,

'with wooden floor.

'The next bedroom on this level is a very characterful affair,

'which currently houses twin beds.

'Up a further flight of stairs is the third bedroom,

'which provides Peter and Susan with another option

'for a master bedroom.'

That would make a good family room, with the twin beds there

-and yeah...

-And you've got some fitted cupboards here.

There's not enough room for all my stuff.

-Now we're getting into it!

-Yeah.

I could get mine into that little box over there!

ALED LAUGHS

You've got two other rooms to explore as well,

I'll let you do that in your own time.

-Let's go and have a look at the annexe, shall we?

-Yes.

-You lead the way. Watch your head.

'So far, so good. This house has the potential to give them

'everything they're after. Now for the annexe,

'which was originally the old forge.

'This is the vital last part of the puzzle.'

-What do you think?

-Very nice.

-It's very nice as a holiday let.

Just about the right size, this.

This is the living space, you've got a good-sized bedroom through there.

-En suite.

-Oh, yeah.

-Then upstairs, you've got two other bedrooms as well.

-Ah, brilliant.

-But it's very much, I would say, a family let.

-I would be happy...

-Yeah.

-..for a holiday let,

from what I've seen so far.

'Outside, as well as housing that double garage,

'the land is mostly laid to lawn,

'and looks out onto the surrounding countryside.'

-Looks pretty impressive from here, doesn't it?

-It does.

All of this comes at a price, so who's going to go first?

And I can find out who the real boss is.

-I would say £575,000.

-575. 575, OK.

Hmm, I'm going for 550...

with my hopeful hat on!

OK...

Well, it's right in the middle.

It's currently on the market for £560,000.

-Right.

-Right.

-So it gives you a bit of money to play around with.

-Yes.

-For the kitchen extension!

-Yeah.

-You've gone a bit quiet!

-Yeah.

-Your body literally went

from here...to... Yeah, it did!

I don't know, it's just... It is a beautiful house

but it's just not quite what I had in mind.

Well, it seems to me... I'm a bit confused

cos I went round and thought you were really positive

about all of it, apart from one room in particular.

-So maybe go back in and...

-Go in and have a look, yeah.

-Yeah.

-All right.

-And I'll meet you by the front door.

-Thanks.

Good luck on convincing her!

Well within their budget at £560,000,

this gorgeous historic property has everything they asked for,

on paper at least.

It has a light living space, a good-sized kitchen

with potential to extend,

three bedrooms, an annexe set up as a holiday let,

a double garage for bike and car storage,

and a manageable garden.

I thought the house was absolutely beautiful.

The annexe was absolutely perfect for our purposes, holiday letting.

It suits me, perfectly. The kitchen, possibly a bit too small for Susan,

although we could extend that, that could be extended.

I really liked the house. When we first arrived and looked at it,

I thought, "This looks really nice."

The bedrooms are a little bit smaller than I would have liked.

It's a shame cos I really do like the house, it feels nice.

But not quite big enough, I don't think.

Hey hey.

-Happy?

-Yeah.

-Good start?

-Yes, very good start.

It looks like he's convinced her.

-Your tandem awaits!

-Right...

-Don't look so excited, let's jump in the car, come on.

Lying between the Malvern Hills and the Cotswolds,

the Vale of Evesham is often referred to as the fruit basket of England.

In the heart of the vale, on the banks of the river Avon,

is the historic town of Evesham, a trading hub for local growers

since being granted its market charter in 1603.

In the 1800s, the area was noted for its pears and apples,

but by 1910, plums were the main crop.

In the spring, the vale's flowering apple and plum trees

come into their own, and the orchards can be explored,

thanks to a designated Blossom Trail,

a 45-mile route that takes in the towns of Evesham and Pershore,

as well as the Cotswold village of Broadway.

We sent keen cyclists Peter and Susan to meet

horticultural crops consultant John Edgeley to take a tour on two wheels

and discover more about the vale's plum-growing heritage.

So is it a particularly good area for growing plums?

It's a very sheltered area, sheltered by the Cotswolds

and the Malvern Hills.

We've got deep, fertile clay soils as well,

very moisture-retentive.

And, of course, we're close to conurbations

like Birmingham and the West Midlands as well to buy the fruit.

Worcestershire's orchards, including those along the trail,

have declined by over 75% in the last 50 years.

This is mainly due to redevelopment of land for housing

and the increase in imported fruit from abroad.

However, schemes such as the Vale Landscape Heritage Trust,

manned by local volunteers, have been set up

to rescue the old orchards.

This is Hipton Hill and we've got about 70 acres

of plum trees here.

We bought this about four years ago.

It was in a complete state of disrepair.

Er, so using volunteers like you see behind us,

we come in one day a week and we've gradually tidied it up

and then we bring sheep in as well, to keep the grass down.

Because we are funded through the Higher Level schemes,

we are basically a conservation trust,

so we're after looking after the wildlife,

-as well as everything else.

-Ah, to attract wildlife too.

The deadwood in orchards is very handy for a threatened endangered species called the noble chafer.

-Is that a bird?

-It's a beetle.

-Oh, a beetle!

A very small green beetle. Very difficult to see.

But when you look inside deadwood, you can find the little pellets

where they've been feeding.

The Pershore plums grown here come in three varieties -

Evesham Red, Purple Pershore and Yellow Egg.

The Yellow Egg plum has one major advantage

in that it's self-fertile, so doesn't need another nearby plum

to create fruit.

After the picking season in August, the fruit is sold locally

at farm shops, markets, and the annual plum festival in Pershore.

Mainly used in cooking, they're especially suitable for pie fillings,

and for making jam.

Right, I'm eating this!

Mmm.

-That's lovely.

-A lovely plum flavour in there, isn't there?

-Beautiful.

I've never had a yellow plum jam before.

Well, we've certainly given Peter and Susan a taste

of this beautiful countryside.

And here's hoping we can find them a "plum" property

as our house-hunt continues.

We've travelled three miles south of Evesham

to the village of Sedgeberrow.

It's set in beautiful countryside with access to the Wychavon Way,

a 40-mile walking trail between Droitwich Spa and Pershore.

The community's amenities include a 14th-century church,

a local store and a pub, which offers quiz nights, live music

and real ale.

Our second house is the village's former mill,

a property set over three floors with plenty of room inside.

-That looks big!

-It is, isn't it?

-It's vast.

-An old mill, is it?

-It's an old mill. Shall we go and have a look?

-Let's.

Let's get out of this horrible rain.

'This property is overflowing with potential.

'And there's a lot of flexible space in here.'

So, come on in.

-Substantial boot room!

-Yeah.

The first thing that struck me was that old mill wheel.

Oh...

14-foot diameter, that is. Largest mill wheel in the county.

-Really?

-No...

-It's true!

You show off to your sister. What do you think?

I'm liking the space, yeah.

Nice floor, nice stone floor.

-Yeah.

-It's a very country house.

Come on, let's go upstairs.

'With Peter and Susan already impressed,

'let's see what they think of the living space, which,

'in this house, you'll find mainly on the first floor.'

I was going to say, how are you with stairs, cos there are quite a few of them.

Ah... I'm all right at the moment.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-It's the same kitchen as we've got at home!

-Is it?

The same kitchen you've got at home!

Er, you're going to say it's too small for you.

It is small but it's kind of a nice lay... There's something about it

which I quite like.

-What is that, do you think?

-I don't know.

I think cos there's this seating area here.

It's lovely, isn't it? Are you one of these cooks,

-when you're in the kitchen, you like to be part of the conversation as well?

-Definitely.

-Absolutely.

I don't like to be in the kitchen and everybody else is somewhere else.

It seems very small to me, to be honest!

Well, this is one thing about the property.

There are probably about two or three rooms where you could put a kitchen...

Start again with a brand-new one.

..which would be incredible. There's so much space in this house.

But it's quite interesting.

You should have seen his face when you said, "Oh, I really like it."

He was like...

Yes, I was amazed!

'So, opinion is split over the kitchen.

'But let's see what they think of the rest of the house,

'starting with the dining room.

'It's safe to say this home is just brimming with character

'and features left over from the past.'

-I really like this room.

-I like.

I think this would work better as a kitchen-diner.

-Yes, it would.

-Maybe have that as a little office, sitting area.

Absolutely. What did I tell you?

-Potential!

-Potential.

You could knock this down, this down.

Make it one big, huge living space if that's what you wanted.

-It is quite a big room anyway.

-Massive, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Totally blank canvas.

-I'm liking the size of the rooms.

This would be a lovely living room.

Come on, let's go.

'Back through the dining area, and up a flight of stairs,

'we get to the family bathroom,

'which adjoins the very spacious room where Peter and Susan could be sleeping.'

-This is a nice size, isn't it?

-Tiny, isn't it?

-A good size, this, isn't it?

-It's fabulous.

-Lovely.

The current owners have three sons, so there are two bedrooms upstairs,

two double bedrooms upstairs that are serviced by one staircase.

But there's also another bedroom, serviced by the staircase behind that wall,

-which the current owners have put in.

-Yeah.

So you could either keep it as three bedrooms

or you could take down the staircase,

make more storage space, whatever you want.

-There's plenty of room to put your own stamp on it, isn't there?

-Yes.

It's much bigger than our present bedroom, that.

'And if they thought the bedroom was huge,

'wait till they see the room I've saved until last.

'It's back down on the ground floor and surrounds the old mill wheel.

'But I don't think they'll have ever seen anything like this.'

Whoah!

-Wow-wow-wee-wah!

-Oh, yes...

Lovely, isn't it, this?

-It's massive, isn't it?

-It is.

-At the moment,

they've got it as a sort of den for the boys.

Oh, right, yes.

It's astonishing.

-I wasn't expecting this at all.

-So you like this space?

This would make a fabulous kitchen, it's marvellous.

-Good.

-It's good.

-We like that!

Yes.

'Well, that room certainly made an impact on them

'and they haven't seen the annexe yet.

'This adjoins the double garage that was high on Peter's wish list.

'It's converted from the old stableboy's cottage.'

-Ooh.

-Very nice, isn't it?

Yeah. Good-sized kitchen...area.

-It's cosy, isn't it?

-It is, isn't it?

-Got the downstairs bathroom there.

-Yes.

-Yes.

Got the TV...whatever you want to call it, living area there.

-And a good-sized bedroom upstairs as well...

-Great.

..which I'll let you have a look at after.

But this is... You could bring someone in here straight away.

Absolutely, yeah, you could just... Up and running really, isn't it?

'With the annexe going down well, there are just the grounds to see.

'These include a triangular-shaped garden with the original millpond,

'and a small lawn with decking and seating areas.

'Across the lane, there's also a 60-foot long paddock.'

As you'd expect with this property,

your outside space isn't one level.

No, it's not very big either.

-Not big enough?

-No.

Actually, this isn't the entire outside space.

If you noticed, as we walked down that little pathway

towards the front door, there was a little paddock area.

-Yes, in front. Across the lane.

-That's it.

-You were taking it all in, weren't you?

-Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

And I was thinking to myself, "I don't like gardens across a road."

-There we go, right. Well, I'm just letting you know it's there.

-That there is land, yes.

What do you reckon it's on the market for?

Well, I'm hoping it'll be on for about 475,

considering how much I would like to spend on it

to get it as I want it.

Well, I would say 400,000.

You're way off the mark.

It's actually the top end of your budget.

At the moment, £595,000.

Gosh.

-There are a couple of rooms you haven't seen.

-Oh, right.

I don't think they'll sway you but why don't you make your way back into the house

and through the annexe, I'll come and find you.

Thank you.

At £595,000, this is still £5,000 under their maximum budget

and offers them a massive amount of space and potential.

It has a huge and flexible living area,

a character kitchen with plenty of scope for a larger one,

four bedrooms in all, a double garage for the bikes,

and a ready-to-rent annexe.

With this second house, my first impressions were, "It's very big."

Very big. Lovely sized rooms.

Bit of a strange layout.

Having the kitchen, a very small kitchen area upstairs,

where you could perhaps have made one of the bigger rooms

into a really stunning kitchen, which would be my idea.

I really do think it's very attractive.

Nice larger rooms.

An annexe, which is what we want.

We would want to probably remove the present kitchen

and put it in one of the bigger rooms.

For it to work for us, we would have to make substantial changes.

I'm topping up my tan but I could have been in that public house, having a drink.

-You could, couldn't you?

-It's been tough.

-You've been very good.

-You've seen enough?

-Yes.

-Yes.

Two very different properties, don't even comment about either of them

-just yet.

-OK.

-Let's regroup and we'll do it again tomorrow.

-OK.

-Yes.

-Come on then, I'll drive back.

Good.

As dusk falls over the stunning Worcestershire countryside,

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

Retirees Peter and Susan are heading from Ulverston in Cumbria

to the Worcestershire countryside for a big life change.

They want to be closer to family but also in a good spot

for setting up a holiday-let business too.

So far, it's been a story of two kitchens.

One they felt was a bit small in a blacksmith's cottage,

and a potentially massive one in a converted mill.

Coming up, the mystery house is bordering on perfect for them.

-Is this kitchen big enough?

-It is, Aled!

-Thank God! Yes!

-Well done.

-Well done.

And I experience life as a troglodyte, in one of Britain's most ancient dwellings.

Here we go, it's day two of our search to find Peter and Susan

their dream house here in the lovely county of Worcestershire.

Now, positives were definitely taken from the two properties yesterday

but one thing is evident. When it comes to one room,

Susan won't budge. Yes, kitchen is king.

So bring on the mystery house!

Why's it a mystery? It's not even in Worcestershire. Uh-oh.

It's part of a terrace. Double uh-oh.

But it's got a lovely kitchen. Hopefully it'll cook up a storm.

Do you think that the whole annexe idea, er,

is getting in the way of you finding your dream property?

-It could be.

-Yeah, maybe we should sort of scrap the annexe idea

and buy a nice house and a separate property to rent out!

-Really?

-Maybe.

To reach our mystery property, we've made the journey

across the Worcestershire border into Herefordshire,

21 miles from Worcester

and a short drive from the market town of Ledbury.

But we're also a mere five miles from Susan's sister, in Welland.

Ledbury is home to a large number of timber-framed buildings,

the most outstanding being the Market House, which dates back to 1617.

As far as amenities go, there's plenty to do here,

including eating out in a brasserie, live music at the pub,

or a taste of local history at the folk museum.

The mystery house itself is set in a quiet, rural location,

within a complex of barn conversions surrounding a courtyard

and dates back to 1866.

So why do you reckon it's the mystery property?

Er...it doesn't have an annexe.

That's not why it was the mystery property but it could well be!

It's actually the mystery property because it's in Herefordshire.

-Oh yes, course, we've come across the border!

-We have.

But as you can see, the property is also not detached.

-No, that doesn't worry us.

-No, no.

-Yes! Shall we go in?

-Yes.

-Come on.

'So we're off to a good start.

'They're not put off by the semi-detached element.

'I've got a feeling they'll be impressed by the space inside.'

-Come on in, gang.

-Oh, wow.

DOOR CLOSES

-Nice.

-What do you think?

-I'm liking it.

-Are you?

-Yes.

Oak floors throughout. At the moment, that's a bedroom

but they used to have a dining room there as well

so that could be whatever room you want.

-Again, great space.

-Lovely entrance hall.

-Liking it.

-Good.

-Fab.

I'm not going to bother with any other room until we get one room over and done with, OK?

-OK.

-Can you guess what that room is?

-The kitchen!

The kitchen, come on.

'And it's that crucial make-or-break time for this property

'but I think this kitchen will be up to the challenge.'

Come on in to your room.

Ah! Wow-wow-wee-wah!

What does that mean? Is that a good thing?

-You've also got a utility room through there.

-Yes.

-This is just heaven.

-All your washing appliances and stuff.

Dare I ask this question, I wonder?

Is this kitchen big enough?

-It is, Aled.

-Thank God, yes!

-Well done.

-Well done.

-You have excelled.

I like the colour of the units, I like the granite worktops.

It's got the range cooker, got a lovely sink.

What's happened to Sue? Has anyone seen Sue?

It's just got character, all the brickwork...

-You've come round now.

-It's also got those clean lines you're after.

-Yes.

-Yes, it's contemporary.

-Let me bring you through here.

-OK.

-Very nice.

-Just get down the estate agent, put an offer in.

Oh, yay!

I think it's just me. I don't know if it's just you?

Oh, it is, yeah.

-Be very happy here.

-We're singing from the same hymn sheet!

-That's unusual.

-Really? What hymn are you singing?

Glory, Glory, Hallelujah is what I'm singing!

Let's go upstairs, shall we?

'Well, we're really on song now.

'They both seem to be enthused about this house.

'But the upstairs is equally characterful and spacious.

'There are three good-sized bedrooms - one double,

'ideal for guests, and another, currently being used as a nursery.

'But I'm showing Peter and Susan the master bedroom,

'which comes complete with en suite.'

You've come up trumps this time!

Lovely view from the master as well. It's not the largest room

-in the world but...

-No, but...

-An en suite!

-Are you happy with this?

-Yes.

-Very much so, it's lovely.

-I really love it,

all this blend of old and new, the beams and the brickwork.

'With the upstairs keeping up the positive momentum,

'I'm taking them outside and I'm really excited to be showing them the annexe.

'It's an absolute stunner, which is currently rented out

'around 80% of the year.'

Oh... Whoah.

Very nice.

SHE SIGHS HAPPILY

I don't need to see any more.

-Really?

-I'm having it!

-Are you?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

Beautiful kitchen, so cosy with that fire.

You've got a good-sized master bedroom

and a lovely family bathroom with it as well.

Super.

-I'm glad you like it.

-It's so modern and nice inside!

'Well, the annexe appears to have sealed the deal

'but there's one last demand that this house has to meet.

'We're heading outside to see what we can offer Peter

'as an outbuilding for his road bikes and car.

'I think this might just do the job.'

-You could get about 40 bikes in there.

-40 bikes.

There's also your oil tank and ample space

for lawnmowers, whatever you wanted to put there, really.

-It's really good.

-What do you think? Do you like it?

-Absolutely love it.

-Very much so.

-I'm moving in.

Would it change anything if I told you it also comes with 4.2 acres?

-We wouldn't want the land, no.

-Land's expensive.

-You've seen everything.

-Yes.

-Yes.

What do you reckon it's on the market for?

With four acres of land and a beautiful annexe?

-I think it's way out of our price range!

-OK.

-Er, what do you think?

-I'd say it's the worst decision I've had to make.

I wouldn't have a clue

but I'd guess at a figure of £700,000.

-I'll say an optimistic 650.

-Right.

Bang on.

-Really?

-Yes. For the 4.2 acres, the house, and the annexe,

£650,000.

-Oh!

-But you've just said something quite interesting to me.

Don't want the land. So, let's take the land out of the equation.

-The owner is willing to do a deal.

-Is he?

-Yes, he is.

-I love him.

-He's willing to give you this whole thing

-for £585,000.

-No!

-It's very good, isn't it?

-Let's go!

-Really?

-Yes.

Really. I love it.

Excellent, yes.

How exciting!

How lovely!

How lovely! Listen, don't go to the estate agent just yet,

go and have another look around. I'll meet you out front

and then we'll go and find a pub or somewhere like that,

nice garden and we'll have a chat about the houses. How's that?

-Yeah.

-Excellent.

-I'll see you by the front door.

-Thank you very much.

Well, I love it when a plan comes together!

She's skipping down the drive! Absolutely love it.

I knew Sue liked it from the first moment she walked into it.

Now it seems that Peter's on board as well.

It's brilliant news they didn't want the land.

As my friends behind me would say, "Maaaarvellous!"

So for a special owner's deal, without the extra land,

this fabulous barn conversion could be Peter and Susan's

for £15,000 under their budget at £585,000.

For that, they'd get that spacious country kitchen

that was top of Susan's list, three bedrooms,

a beautiful ready-to-let annexe,

a manageable lawn

and a garage big enough to store both bikes and car.

The mystery house, I'm very pleased with it indeed.

It's got everything that we want, to be honest.

The annexe and the kitchen Susan's after,

I've got my workshop for my bikes.

There's a shelter for the car,

so I can't fault it really!

My initial impression when I first saw the house was like...

this, I think, is going to be the one!

When I first walked into the kitchen, I thought, "At last!"

Decent-sized kitchen, and that's, I suppose, what I've been looking for all along,

if I'm honest, the really nice kitchen.

-Hello.

-Hello.

That lovely smile's still there, good.

You don't have to tell me if you like this property, I can tell.

Before we go to the estate agent, I think we should find somewhere

where we can chat about all three properties. Let's go.

On the Worcestershire border stands the sandstone ridge

of Kinver Edge, a site that's seen human habitation since the Iron Age.

A popular tourist destination in Edwardian times,

it's been suggested that this was the inspiration

for Tolkien's Middle Earth.

And as he was a Midlander, it could well be true.

What I've come to see lies within the sandstone itself.

Kinver Edge is home to the last troglodyte dwellings

occupied in Britain.

A set of complete cave houses, excavated into the soft stone.

When their last residents moved out around 60 years ago,

they fell into disrepair. Since the 1990s, the National Trust

have taken charge of their upkeep.

Custodian Mike Parker was on hand, to tell me more about the renovation

of these fascinating properties.

So the way it's set up now, this is from the 1900s?

1903 was when the Fletcher family lived here,

Joseph and Sarah Fletcher and their children,

-in these two rooms.

-How many children?

-Four children.

So six people altogether, living in the two rooms.

-This would have been their day room and they would have slept through there?

-That's right.

It's likely the Fletcher family slept here in two double beds,

which would have helped them keep warm once the fire died down at night.

I quite like my creature comforts,

I don't mean just a blanket to keep warm.

You know, I can't see a loo anywhere.

There wasn't one of those, I'm afraid.

There's an en suite if you like, under the bed there!

The potty!

All the families on the lower level shared an outside privy,

just along the pathway outside the door.

I think at that point in time, early 1903,

these were probably quite comfortable places to live.

There was never any electricity here so all the lighting was from

candles and oil-lamps.

'As the industrial revolution started booming,

'so did the population of these rock houses,

'seeing 80 people from 12 different families calling this cliff-face home.

'But stepping forward in time, Mike's taking me to a second house,

'that's currently being restored in the style of the 1930s.'

And all this furniture, has it just been delivered?

Yes, these are some contributions we've just had to furnish the bedroom

just through there.

I'll give you a hand. There's quite a few pieces to go in, aren't there?

Yes, there's one or two.

Do we know anything about the people that lived here?

Yes, a family called the Reeves lived in here in the 1930s.

1932 to 1939. They had their family as well in these two rooms.

Kitchen or parlour and bedroom here.

But still no running water. Can't see a toilet anywhere either.

No, no toilet, no running water.

But they did have a gas supply, gas supply was piped up here in the 1920s.

Came in from just behind the doorway there.

-So what did they do for water?

-There were two wells on the site.

One on the lower tier and one on the upper tier

where the custodian's house is.

What do you hope people take away from visiting these caves?

The history of the working-class people of the period.

It's quite nice to see the grand castles and stately homes,

but it's also nice to see how the other 99% of the population lived.

Have you got anything else you want me to bring in?

I'll give you a hand and then I've got to get on my way.

-Absolutely, make some use of you!

-Thanks, that's the wrong answer!

In the 1960s, the local authorities deemed that it was no longer safe

or sanitary for people to live here,

so the final residents were moved into council housing.

Originally there were 11 of these ancient dwellings

but many are now too dilapidated to renovate.

However, it's hoped there may be funding to restore

several further homes in the future.

Well, I really loved those caves.

But I can't imagine for one minute that Sue would make do with that tiny kitchen!

No way. But I wonder if she and Peter have been taken

with any of the properties that we've shown them.

It's time to find out.

Here we are, back in Worcestershire,

our brief love affair with Herefordshire over for now.

Maybe not for the future, don't let me know yet.

Let's talk about all the properties that we've seen.

We'll start with the first one. It was rather nice, wasn't it?

Very nice indeed. Lovely cottage. A quiet area.

Suited us down to the ground in a way, didn't it?

Too good to be true, it was lovely.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Beautiful annexe, which would have been useful for letting.

Good double garage. Nice, manageable garden.

-Lovely living room, wasn't it?

-It was a beautiful living room.

-That marvellous fireplace.

-We knew you wanted a nice kitchen,

but it was the first time we found out you wanted a really big kitchen.

Yeah. I walked in and thought, "Oh no, it's a smallish kitchen."

We could have extended out but the thought of having to do that,

er... It was doable but it didn't feel quite right.

Let's talk about the second property.

-It was massive.

-It was huge.

-Yes.

-I think we'd have lost each other in there, wouldn't we?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Peter was thinking heating bills!

Again, a disappointing kitchen.

It was a great family home though, wasn't it?

There was masses of potential as well.

Let's talk about the property where Sue went from...

to...

You loved the mystery property, didn't you?

Yeah. I got so despondent and thought, "We're never going to find anywhere!"

Then you showed us the mystery property

and I'm like, yay!

I was thinking, there's going to be a drawback here,

-it's just too good to be true!

-But there wasn't a drawback.

-There wasn't a drawback.

-Improving all the time,

especially when you showed us the annexe

and absolutely beautiful inside.

It's interesting cos we had a conversation in the car

where you said that maybe wanting the annexe was going to be the biggest problem

and that maybe you shouldn't have gone for an annexe.

That's right but we were beginning to despair that we were going

to find a property with an annexe, but, er...

It was either the annexe was right or the property was right

and were we ever going to find both right.

And you think you have?

-Absolutely.

-It sounds to me like you've made a decision.

-I think we have.

-Yes, we have.

-Are you going to go and see the agent?

-I think we will!

That will be our next mission, yes.

It's been a delight meeting you. Good luck with it all,

I'm really pleased that we seem to have come full circle

-and you've found your dream home.

-Thank you so much,

-it's been brilliant.

-I hope you'll be happy there.

-Thanks very much.

I must admit, I had my worries on occasions during this house-search.

Who'd have thought it? It wasn't the annexe, it was the kitchen that was the deal-maker or breaker.

Thankfully, the mystery property delivered on this

and a whole lot more.

They've already moved into the property in their minds

and I really do wish them well with the nitty-gritty of their purchase.

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

Peter and Susan did make an offer on the mystery house,

which was rejected. They plan to go back to see it again

and compare with other similar properties in the area

and might yet decide to up their bid.

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