Monmouthshire Escape to the Country

The grid of 285 jumbled letters that appear

on this 19th-century tombstone make a playful reference

to a very special kind of word puzzle invented by the ancient Greeks.

Find out where I am and how to crack the code

in just a few moments' time.

On today's show I'm helping a pair of book lovers make a return

to the country of their birth

to find a property with enough space for a library.

Along the way, one of the houses is just too tantalising.

-I'm completely gobsmacked.

-That is temptation on a stick.

Isn't it just?

And the mystery house does the impossible before they step inside.

-What marks would you give that view?

-Around ten.

-No, no, no. 14 out of ten.

-14?

Today, I am in Monmouthshire, at St Mary's Priory in Monmouth.

This headstone features a puzzle known as an acrostic.

To read the inscription you have to start at the centre,

at the letter H.

It can be read in various ways. "Here lies John Renie".

A house painter by trade, Renie died at the young age of 33.

His unusual tombstone hints at him being quite a character.

Indeed, he was a founding member of the Oddfellows Friendly Society.

In fact, Monmouthshire's history and geographic position

gives it a certain individuality.

Monmouthshire is bordered by the Welsh county of Powys to the north,

and the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the east.

It was finally recognised as part of Wales in 1974

and is the fourth smallest of the Welsh counties.

In the north of Monmouthshire

and rising to a height of 2,000 feet are the Black Mountains

which form part of the Brecon Beacons National Park.

Straddling the border with England to the east is the meandering Wye Valley,

an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The two main centres are Chepstow, with its historic castle

which dates to the 11th century, and the county town of Monmouth.

Its grand civic architecture includes Agincourt Square,

home to one of the finest Georgian shire halls in Wales.

The Monnow Bridge with this 13th-century fortified gate tower

is the last remaining one of its kind in the UK.

The average cost of a detached property in Monmouthshire

is just over £233,000.

That's £21,000 below the national figure.

However, there are some hotspots to watch out for.

The historic town of Usk is one of the county's most desirable places

to live in and could cost you double the national average.

Move further south towards the coast around Caldicott

and you will get much more for your money.

Throughout this county there's a rich mix

of architectural styles to take your fancy.

Monmouthshire's rich history and geology

is reflected in its architecture.

Old red sandstone, the rock that forms the dramatic scarps

of the Black Mountains, is the most widespread building stone

and found mainly in the north-east and central parts of the county.

The colour varies from a strong purple through to grey,

the most prized being the pinkish grey stone quarried around Tintern

which was used to build the historic abbey as well as village residences nearby.

This three-bedroom cottage in Shirenewton

is on the market for £295,000.

Many properties in the region are built using blue pennant stone.

This fine grained blue-grey sandstone

was used extensively in the 19th and 20th centuries

for churches, community buildings and farmhouses.

This four-bedroom detached property near Abergavenny

is priced at £650,000.

There are some beautiful architectural styles here in Monmouthshire

but will any of them meet our buyers' expectations?

Let's find out.

Married for 36 years, author and management consultant

David and Eleri have been living close to the Berkshire town of Bracknell

since moving from Wales over 25 years ago.

Now that Eleri has retired from her job as an English teacher,

they can make the longed-for return to the land of their birth.

I'm from North Wales, but my family is from the south.

I have a real affinity for South Wales.

I grew up in Abergavenny, which is beautiful.

When we drive back, when we go to see friends and relatives,

you pass the sign, "Welcome to Wales, Croeso i Gymru"

and you feel like you are arriving home.

You relax and it feels warm.

It's always been like we've been on a piece of bungee rope

so we've always felt that tension pulling us home.

The area they've chosen is Monmouthshire

and once they move Eleri is thinking of using

her teaching skills to get involved with the local community.

I'm not sure how useful my Welsh will be

but since it is my first language it would be quite nice

'to go back and possibly teach people to speak Welsh.'

David plans to continue his writing which he mainly does online.

I've got a couple of thousand books in the subject area of the website.

They're all over the house at the moment but I'm going to need somewhere to put them.

So they'll be needing a study

and maybe even a library in their new home in the country.

Their main demand is for a spacious property.

Our current house is a 1960s,

'very characterful, cedar ceilings'

with a beautiful sense of space and balance and flow.

'That is one of the things we liked about it

'and we would like in the next property as well.'

-Sense of space is important, isn't it?

-Yes.

It doesn't mean isolated, it just means a sense of space.

They also hope the Welsh countryside will enable them

to enjoy more time outdoors.

I think I would like to do more walking with the dogs.

'I've been fitting it in in an hour or so before work,

'often in the dark.

'To be able to go for long walks with the dogs would be really good.'

'I wouldn't mind getting some more involvement in the local community.

'I, for example, would join a local photography club.'

As cash buyers they can move quickly

and they have a healthy amount to spend.

The budget for the move is £500,000.

David and Eleri's preferred search area is in the triangle

between Chepstow, Monmouth and David's hometown of Abergavenny.

I caught up with them on a rather rainy day to find out

more about what they want from their new home in the country.

You love the home you are in at the moment.

You'd like to bring it to Wales, but that's not going to happen.

Ideally, what are you looking for here?

We want a sense of space and flow that,

so you can relax and be comfortable and not feel like you're constricted

and there's no awkwardness about the place.

-Bedrooms?

-Three, four would be good.

-Would you like a bit of land?

-A bit of land for the dogs, yes.

-And the vegetables.

-And the vegetables.

-So about half an acre or so?

-That would be lovely.

Remind us what your budget is for this move.

-Our budget is £500,000.

-And how quickly can you move?

Pretty quickly.

We are not constrained by things like jobs or mortgages

so we can get up and go.

It's more about the right place and then we will work on the time.

That is a great position to be in.

We've got three properties lined up for you

and hopefully at least one of them will hit the mark.

It is now absolutely pouring

so shall we jump back into the car and see the first one? Come on.

With £500,000 cash to spend, David and Eleri are looking for a home

with plenty of space and character.

They'd like a large kitchen preferably with a utility room,

a study and space to store their books.

A minimum of three bedrooms,

a large garden for their two retrievers

and maybe for growing some veg, and a garage for their cars.

We've found three properties that we think will dazzle our house buyers

and with each I will be asking them

to guess the price before I reveal it.

One, of course, will be our mystery house which comes

with a lot of high-spec surprises.

So let's get our house search under way.

With the location top of the agenda we're heading

to the historic village of Tintern

on the western bank of the River Wye.

Tintern is a popular destination for visitors

due to its 12th-century abbey, and the surrounding countryside

is great walking terrain, which will please our buyers,

as will the village bookshop which is a draw for rare book enthusiasts.

Nearby, the old mill has been converted into a restaurant and tea room.

To the north of Tintern lies the hamlet of Botany Bay

which is where we find our first property,

a stone built cottage dating back to the 1880s.

Luckily for us, that weather has vastly improved.

Here is your first house. Or should I say cottage.

-Very pretty.

-Isn't it beautiful?

-Yes, it is lovely.

-It looks just like a photograph.

-It does.

-It's a beautiful setting.

-It's lovely.

-Are you intrigued, ready to step inside?

-Yes, please.

Happily, they appreciate the situation and character

of our cottage, but can it deliver the space they are used to inside?

It's time to find out.

Come through. You've got a porch,

and it leads straight into the dining room.

-What a cosy room.

-It is lovely.

-What about the dimensions?

It is a cottage. It is only the first room.

Possibly a little cosy for our two large dogs.

Yes. Two very large dogs.

It is the beginning of it, so we need to see it in proportion

with everything else.

'So, I detect a bit of disappointment in this first room,

'but the second is an entirely different proposition.'

You've seen the dining room,

-but through here you've got a double sitting room.

-Oh, lovely.

-This is nice.

-With your wood.

-Brilliant.

-That's brilliant.

-Good, I love that.

Another room beyond and you see when the wall changes colour

it mirrors the porch, if you like.

-It does, doesn't it?

-That's an office.

It's currently used as an office.

Now Dave, you have got a few books, it would be fair to say.

Business and psychology, a couple of thousand.

-And then Eleri's got her English books.

-And you as well?

-Are we talking about 3,000 books?

-About that.

Well, perhaps the dining room could be a library.

Or, just a thought, that second half of this double sitting area,

you could have it as the study but also have it as a library.

-Does that work for you?

-Yes, it does.

Because that was extended, that part of the house,

there is a downstairs shower room and toilet

and there's a guest bedroom upstairs.

There is a set of stairs just the other side of the burner.

-We like it so far?

-Yes.

-Yes, we do.

'This generous reception area has bought them back on board.

'Let's see how we fare in the kitchen.'

-Not a huge kitchen but beautifully fitted out.

-It is lovely.

-It is done well.

-Really nicely done.

-Big cooker.

-You've got everything you need.

This is an absolutely beautiful setting to be able to sit here

and look out on to such lovely greenery.

What do you think, Eleri?

It is very, very pretty and clearly functional.

The size bothers me a bit because I think two dogs,

two of us, could get a bit crowded.

'So space is proving to be a bit of an issue with this pretty cottage.

'The ground floor also has a bathroom just off the sitting room area.

'Upstairs gives them three bedrooms. Along with one at the far end

'of the house there are two others accessed by the main stairs.

'The guest double is bright and dual aspect

'and they will find their room is equally as charming.'

This is the master, with the guest on the other side of the stairs.

-It is a pretty room.

-It is pretty.

-I like all the windows, the light coming from front and back.

-Yes.

Looking out on that, that is lovely.

-It does have an ensuite shower room as well.

-Oh, right. OK.

As masters go, would this work for you?

Downstairs, there was more of a sense of space, particularly in the lounge.

But here, that sense of space has gone.

It is very much a cottage up here.

'Despite the character and views upstairs,

'Eleri and David are still feeling pinched by the space inside.

'Maybe they'll be swayed when they see outside where,

'as well as a useful double garage, there's an orchard.'

This property has an impressive front garden.

Behind these huge bushes you've got probably around

-one-and-a-half, two acres.

-Gosh.

-Really?

-The location is absolutely beautiful.

-Yes, it is gorgeous.

I suppose location-wise it is quite convenient for both Monmouth and Chepstow.

It's really if cottage living is for the two of you?

It is very different from where you are now

but I'll let you have a ponder on that because we're going to push you now.

We're going to talk money.

How much do you think this house is on the market for?

450.

-OK.

-I would say 470.

-Eleri is closest.

-Really?

-£459,000.

-OK.

Only just!

Yes! Would you like to both have another look around this cottage?

Also check out the land. Very suitable for the doggies.

And I'll catch up with you when you're ready. Thank you.

So, a good start.

It is the most beautiful cottage in the most idyllic setting.

I just don't think it is quite big enough for the two of them.

On the market at £459,000,

this beautiful cottage is well within their budget.

It gives them a spacious living room with a study area.

A dining room which could be turned into a library.

Three bedrooms, all wrapped in a plot of over two acres

in the heart of the countryside.

It is a very, very pretty little cottage.

The problem is, it is idyllic in many ways

but we've got too much stuff, I think.

We've got so much stuff, I don't think we could downsize enough.

The garden is brilliant. It goes on for ever.

There's a huge garden at the back.

We're pleasantly surprised by a lot of the attributes of the house.

-Happy that you have seen enough, you two?

-Yes.

-Good first house? A good start?

-Yes, yes, very much so.

It is a lovely house, a lovely place but the question is

can we downsize enough to fit into it

because it is smaller than our current house.

OK. Let's keep on going. You can think about that. Come on, you.

In the east of Monmouthshire lies the Wye Valley,

and the river charts the natural border between England and Wales.

Within this spectacular landscapes is Tintern Abbey

with some of the finest monastic ruins in Wales.

The countryside above Tintern is home to a creative couple who,

over the past 25 years, have designed and landscaped

a four-acre site to produce one of Britain's most original gardens

here at Veddw House.

They are photographer Charles Hawes and maverick garden writer Anne Wareham,

who's not a fan of the hands-on side of gardening

but loves the end result.

A view which may well capture Eleri and David's imagination.

We arranged for them to visit in order to gain

some inspirational garden and photographic tips.

It is a beautiful place here. What was it like when you came?

It was actually two fields.

It took while before it felt like a garden was emerging around us.

We've had all these years to slowly put it together,

depending on how it's looked as it's grown.

The garden is for enjoying being in and looking at.

I don't like gardening.

It is outdoor housework.

A professional photographer since 1999,

Charles is going to pass on some of his expertise to David

in a part of the garden that has inspired him most,

the reflecting pool in the hedge garden.

The local landscape of rolling hills

is recreated in the shape of the hedges around the water.

Working with a tripod for a professional photographer

become second nature.

But you get lazy because you like to stand up like this

and actually what you need to do is start getting lower

and sort of looking, really looking at what's possible

to get that ideal image.

The next thing, obviously, is are you going to take it

as a portrait or as a landscape?

That is the other thing I love at this point in the garden.

This image can work in both ways.

Then it is really about getting down and composing the picture.

I love the way you have got flat surfaces and the curves

and the straight lines.

-It leads the eye beautifully.

-Yes, thanks.

That's what we're still working on

and we still sit here and discuss these curves and are still making slight changes.

Another couple of years to go and we will be there.

While Charles and David reflect on photography,

Anne shows Eleri some of the garden's highlights

and the thinking behind their creation.

Anne has a great interest in the history of the local landscape

and she based this formal garden,

set in a pattern of box hedges, on the local tithe map of 1842.

One of the things about gardening on a slope like this

is that we have got the view, so from here

it all had to be fairly flat which was part of the reason for doing the grasses part there.

It was important to keep this area of planting low.

If I planted trees and shrubs in this area here

we'd have cut out the whole of this view.

Is the garden complete or have you got anything else planned?

Well, keeping it going is going to be the big thing,

which is why I make it as easy as possible to maintain.

Both Eleri and David seem impressed with this photogenic garden.

David has certainly got some lovely photographs out of it.

But it's time we sharpened our focus

and got back to the search for their new rural home.

We've made the journey, close to the Welsh border

in the valley of the River Monnow, to the village of Grosmont,

which is a 20-minute drive from both Abergavenny and Monmouth.

The village has a real sense of civic pride

and is home to many historic buildings including a well-preserved

Norman church and castle ruins which date back to the same era.

There's also a tea room and a local pub which serves food and real ale.

Our second property comes in the form of a substantial stone barn

dating back around 200 years and converted in 2008.

We started off with our first property

showing a very pretty cottage, beautiful location

but a little bit small for your needs.

For our second home, well, it is something completely different.

-It is lovely.

-It is really nice.

-It really is pretty.

Beautiful setting as well.

-Is this what you had in mind when you wanted to move back to Wales?

-I did.

Look at the open space, it is wonderful.

-Shall we start the tour?

-Yes, please.

-That would be great.

'First impressions are very favourable

'for this lovely barn conversion.

'As they will see inside, space is something it offers in abundance.'

Come straight through.

The first thing you two are going to notice

is a serious lack of furniture.

We do have a blank canvas to look around.

The amount of light is wonderful. Look at the thickness of the walls, amazing.

-The thickness?

-Oh, yes.

The beams are nice because often you get dark beams

which make a room rather heavy.

Now, books. Let's be honest, you're not going to downsize that much.

You're not going to get rid of your extensive library.

-Every book is very, very hard to give away.

-It has a home.

-It has a home.

And next door could be the perfect home for your library.

The sitting room could house Eleri and David's extensive book collection.

Let's see if they agree.

Wow.

-It goes all the way up.

-It does.

-Look at that.

A vaulted ceiling.

You could either put a mezzanine floor in here...

I was just thinking that.

Or you could have some fantastic bookcases.

-It is nice, it has doors out into the garden as well.

-It's a great room, this.

'Now we have dealt with rooms for relaxing and reading,

'we'll turn our attention to the kitchen,

'which is back through the living room on the other side of the hallway.'

-A kitchen.

-Yes.

-This is wonderful.

-A spectacular kitchen?

-It is spectacular, yes.

-It is really, really nice.

OK, I am staying here. Off you go!

-You're done, are you?

-I'm done, this is it.

-You've seen enough of the house?

-Absolutely. This is it, the kitchen.

I'll have this end, you have that end.

It's wonderful, look at the space.

There is plenty of space, plenty of space.

Next door, you can probably see, you have got a very large utility room.

I am getting so many positive noises, this is really good news.

It has got flow, the whole thing works together.

Downstairs, we have not seen upstairs yet,

-but downstairs...

-Downstairs flows beautifully.

'Despite being unfurnished they're clearly able to imagine themselves

'living here already.

'That sense of flow continues upstairs where there are three bedrooms.

'Both guest rooms are a good size and share a bathroom,

'while over the other side of the landing is the largest room.'

-It is rather grand, isn't it?

-It is very grand.

-Beautiful.

-Those beams are amazing.

-Yes, it is huge.

-Beautiful.

-You have got an ensuite.

-Yes, that is nice.

-Lovely.

-It is glorious.

This is beautiful.

You both seem very taken with this property.

So let's go outside, look at the land and discuss

-how much this house is on the market for.

-OK.

'The space outside extends to two-and-a-half acres

'and there's a shed at the side of the property.

'Time to soak up their reactions to the setting.'

Listen to that.

-Wind, that is it.

-Quiet.

The odd cow and that's about it.

-I can live with cows.

-I have now got to ask you, money.

How much is it on the market for?

I reckon this is on for...

595? 600?

I'd say 560.

OK. All right.

You're both out by quite a bit.

£499,950.

-Wow.

-What?

Your ideal budget was 500, so I can give you £50 change.

-Wow.

-Really?

-Has that taken you by surprise?

-I am completely gobsmacked.

-That is temptation on a stick.

-Isn't it just?

-It's given you a lot to think about.

Have a wander around and have a look around the grounds as well

because it is so important with the dogs.

-Give me a shout when you have had enough.

-OK.

-Don't be too long.

Well, what can I say? I think it went very well indeed.

Coming in £50 under their preferred budget,

our spacious barn conversion is well within our cash buyers' grasp.

It provides a massive kitchen-diner.

A high-ceilinged room that could be perfect as a study-cum-library.

Three bedrooms, all set in two-and-a-half acres of land

for them and the dogs to enjoy.

This house is amazing. It is so beautiful.

It is stunning outside and it is beautiful in here.

It is perfect.

You walk in and everything is open,

it's light, it flows.

There's space for our stuff. We've got a lot of stuff.

This is a very surprising place.

It's got character, it's got flow.

We walk through and things fit, they work together.

It's really good. I love the way this works.

They have been ages. Ages.

-Have we seen enough?

-No.

-No?

-I am staying.

You can't stay, I've still got another house to show you both.

-It's got to be pretty good to beat this one.

-It is.

It's brilliant, this. This is so much better. This is just us.

-We have set the bar high.

-You have indeed.

-Absolutely.

-I'm going to have to now drag you away.

-OK.

So, as dusk falls over the beautiful Monmouthshire countryside,

day one of our property search ends on a real high note.

Welsh born author David and retired teacher Eleri

want to close the book on busy Bracknell, Berkshire

and start a new chapter in Monmouthshire.

Coming with them are their two dogs and 3,000 books.

So far they've seen a period cottage

that they felt might be a bit of a squeeze.

And a beautiful barn conversion with lots of positive flow.

But coming up, our mystery house challenges their current lifestyle.

It is spectacular, it is like a rock star home.

-Are you feeling like a rock star?

-I'm beginning to.

And I learn more about the ongoing restoration efforts at Chepstow Castle.

We've shown David and Eleri two properties so far.

The first one, the cottage, was a tad too small for their needs

but the second, our barn conversion, certainly hit the spot -

so much so that Eleri didn't want to leave.

Which brings us to our mystery house.

The first two had age on their side but with our third home,

it is completely different.

We've made the journey to the heart of the Wye Valley

and the pretty village of Llandogo.

We're around eight miles north of Chepstow

and a similar distance south of Monmouth.

Set on a steep hillside overlooking the River Wye

with views of the Forest of Dean, it is a stunning location.

Before heading for our mystery house we are popping into the village shop

to get a flavour of life as a resident here.

-Hello, Mr Brown, good to meet you.

-It's nice to meet you, Nicki.

David and Eleri are hoping to buy in the area.

-Will you tell us a bit more about the village?

-We've got a thriving community here.

The main asset we've got is our village school.

We've got an arts centre here, we've got a good village pub

and a lovely church.

It's really what makes the village so nice.

It works so well because people have been in the village for a long time

with their children and their grandchildren are still living in the village.

Hopefully, you never know, you might have two new locals on your hands.

-It'll be very nice.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much indeed.

'Now it's time to find out the mystery that comes

'with our final offering.

'Eleri and David are after character and space in their new home

'and we're going to deliver that but not in the way they're expecting,

'as our mystery property is a superb contemporary build completed in 2011

'and the views from its hillside location are breathtaking.'

So, once you've caught your breath, here is your mystery house.

-Wow.

-That is, that is big. It is different.

-Look at the height of that. It is just glass.

-Stunning, isn't it?

-What marks would you give that view?

-Around ten.

-Oh no, no, no. 14 out of ten.

-14!

-Look at that.

-Has it been worth the climb?

-Oh, yes.

The mystery continues with this property.

Inside there's another set of stairs to climb

to reach the living space, as the layout is upside down.

They may well have to sacrifice some of their belongings

to live in this minimalist-style home.

It's all a bit of a treat, isn't it?

Wow. Good heavens.

-This is something completely different.

-Isn't it?

-You would never think that a house like this was here.

-Yes.

I love the way across here you've got three windows

and it's like three pictures.

It's not just pictures, it's the world out there.

It is a stunning, stunning view.

Everything is brand new, absolutely everything.

It's the finishing touches. Even down to...

That's a television set.

-Really?

-Yes.

NICKI LAUGHS

That is absolutely brilliant. That's amazing.

I am kind of lost for words here.

-You wanted light and airy, spacious.

-Yes.

Follow me through.

I want to show you the kitchen.

Look at that fan. I think it is a fan, isn't it?

-It is, it is an extractor fan.

-This is where you're cooking,

-I'm sitting over here looking at that with a glass of wine.

-Yes.

You've got a wraparound balcony making the most,

because the sun sets over there in the west.

-You'd have sun all evening if you're out there with drinks.

-Lovely.

For a change, I normally say shall we had upstairs

but on this occasion I am going to say, shall we head downstairs?

-OK.

-OK.

On the ground floor of this immaculate property

are two very good-sized bedrooms,

both with two windows to make the absolute most of those views.

The bathroom they share is beautifully finished

and comes complete with a walk-in power shower.

There's also a very spacious utility room down here

but we're heading for the largest of the bedrooms.

This is the master.

It makes use of the views, all the bedrooms make use of that view.

-It's great.

-Yes.

-It's spectacular.

-It is like a rock star home.

-Are you feeling like a rock star? Come on, Dave.

-I'm beginning to.

Stop it, he might start singing.

Behind the pillar, incorporated, is a dressing area

and then you have got a fantastic ensuite.

-Shall we head outside?

-OK.

-Right.

-Would you like to lead the way, David?

'They have been dazzled by the high-spec interior

'of our ultra-modern mystery property.

'Outside there is a third of an acre of sloping land

'and the house has been designed to take in those views.'

Come out onto this spectacular balcony.

Is this the type of property you expected to find in Monmouth?

-No, not in the least.

-No, definitely not.

So, how much is this brand new house on the market for?

-550.

-I was going to say that. I have to say something different now.

You are allowed to agree if you want to.

-Are we? I am going to say 550 as well because we agree on this.

-OK.

-It's less than that.

-OK.

-£495,000.

-Really?

Wow.

-I didn't expect that.

-A lot less than you thought.

-Absolutely.

Why don't you have a wander around and I will catch up with you?

Have a serious think, is this going to be right for you?

-Well, let's go and walk and talk.

-OK, let's do that.

See you in a little bit.

Under budget at £495,000, our modern mystery house

is a complete departure from the rustic character

they might have been expecting.

However, it does give them a fabulous kitchen-diner,

three bedrooms, a private garden at the front and woodlands at the back,

and panoramic views across the Wye Valley.

It was an outstanding mystery house.

We'd never have thought to come to look at this one.

It was definitely worth coming.

This is a kind of Zen house.

You can sit here and probably not move for a long time.

It may be a bridge too far for us in terms of

our lifestyle and how we want to continue.

We would need a complete change of how we live.

-Have you enjoyed our mystery house?

-We certainly have.

-It is impressive, isn't it?

-It certainly is. It is amazing.

It is a distinct mystery. It is extraterrestrial inside.

Tell me you never would have found this house on your own.

-Absolutely not, it's a great choice. Fantastic.

-Good, excellent.

I think the two of you should have a talk and the three of us

-should sit down and have a serious discussion.

-Good plan.

Because of its geographical location as the gateway to Wales

Monmouthshire has historically been of great strategic importance.

During the reign of William the Conqueror

the Normans turned their attention to Wales and built over 50 castles

which acted as military strongholds to subdue local uprisings.

The imposing riverside castle at Chepstow was one of the first

to be built in stone following the Norman Conquest.

To find out more about this imposing fortress I met with Rick Turner,

inspector of ancient monuments with Welsh government body Cadw.

What a fantastic spot right by the River Wye. Astounding, this castle.

How old is it?

The oldest part of the castle goes right back to the Norman Conquest

so it's over 900 years old.

It is the oldest castle in Wales.

The oldest part is just behind us, the great tower on the hill.

The most prominent feature is the great doorway

with the circular arch above with this criss-cross carving.

It has been framed by a line of orange Roman tiles

reused from a site close by.

I can see there's conservation going on here,

there's scaffolding and workmen.

-It must be an ongoing project to keep on top of it.

-It never ends.

At Cadw we've got 127 sites to look after

and we are constantly trying to maintain them

and keep them in the best condition we can.

One of the castle's most powerful residents

was the fifth Earl of Norfolk, Roger Bigod,

who in the late 13th century built magnificent living quarters

including a guest chamber which has been the subject of a recent restoration programme.

Also being restored are two sets of 500-year-old doors,

a nine-month project using the skills of conservator Alan Martin.

'Even to my inexperienced eye'

I can see there's an awful lot of damage here.

-What has gone on?

-Fungal decay has set in.

It's some fungal decay and then the larvae of the death watch beetle

will tunnel away and eat the decayed timber.

It really has gone to town.

Have you found anything interesting while you've been working on the doors?

-Any stories?

-Yes, we found musket shot in some of the decayed timber.

Have you any idea when it dates back to?

Probably 1648 when the castle...

There were two sieges of Chepstow Castle in the English Civil War

and these doors were modified to allow pistols to fire through them,

and the shot Alan's recovered were people outside

shooting back into the castle, because they were on the outer face of the doors.

-They were on this face which would...

-Faced the enemy.

So the bullet would have passed through the door?

They were Cavaliers who were defending the castle

and the Parliamentarians out in the town attacking.

My goodness. It's certainly seen some action.

Work on this door will include adding new strips of timber

and treating it with a resin consolidant

to help seal any cracks and restore the wood.

Once you've finished this, there's going to be another project here in Chepstow.

Like death and taxes, conservation never finishes.

'Our architectural heritage is obviously in the hands

'of a very dedicated team here in Monmouthshire.'

I've really enjoyed my tour of Chepstow Castle

and seen some of the restoration work that's being carried out.

But it's time to find out if David and Eleri

have made a final choice on any of our houses.

David and Eleri, is a lovely to be home?

-Yes, it is.

-It is home and it always has been.

Let's start with the first property that we showed you.

A beautiful cottage, absolutely beautiful. Tell me what you thought.

The location was lovely and the garden was stunning.

It's a picture-postcard cottage.

What about the size? Although you were taken with it

as soon as we walked through the front door, there were a few issues.

You walked into the dining room which wasn't that big.

I thought it was a beautiful kitchen, beautifully appointed

but it was just too small for the both of us plus the two big dogs.

Then we showed you something completely different from the cottage,

the converted barn. Eleri, do you want to start with that one?

That was a real surprise because I loved it.

I was surprised how much I loved it.

The land, although it was overgrown, put it that way, it was wonderful.

It felt great as it went in.

The flow through from one room to the other.

With character, you know, it just worked very well as a house.

I certainly got some positive vibes from you both on our converted barn.

Let's talk about other final house, the mystery.

You couldn't get three such different properties.

The third one was just ultra-modern.

-Different world.

-Minimalist.

As you said, the views were stunning. From every window.

So you've seen our three properties in Monmouthshire and, well,

I certainly got the impression that you were very taken

with one of them, so what's your next move going to be?

-I think the barn is a possibility.

-The barn is a distinct possibility.

Do you think you might be putting an offer in?

Oh, you both took in a big, big...

The breath!

You're trying to be really cool, but look at those smiles,

it's giving it all away. Come on.

That was fantastic. Yes or no?

-It's a distinct possibility, isn't it, Dave?

-It is a distinct possibility.

-If you buy that house, please, please let us know.

-We will.

-Thank you very much.

-You're welcome. It has been a pleasure.

Well, I've had a great few days here in Monmouthshire

with David and Eleri.

And when I put them on the spot and asked them if they were going to

put in an offer on that beautiful barn conversion,

there was a sharp intake of breath and they both burst into smiles.

I think that says it all.

I really hope it works out for them

and they return home to this beautiful part of Wales

and live in the house we found them.

Until next time, bye-bye.

Sadly, house number two was sold

before David and Eleri could revisit it.

They've since made an offer on a barn conversion just outside Abergavenny.

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