Gloucestershire Escape to the Country


Gloucestershire

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I've got a question for you. Is this a gargoyle or a grotesque?

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Find out in just a moment on Escape To The Country.

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On today's show, we've got an extra special house hunt on our hands,

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as we discover if three into one will go.

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And it's a delicate task to make sure everyone gets

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everything that they want.

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Are you mega jealous?

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I am.

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But I'm going to build a similar one over the other side.

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Ah, it's the fighting talk I like, yes!

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And the mystery house has them all awestruck.

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-Ah, absolutely wonder...

-Fabulous.

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Today, we're in Gloucestershire and I'm at the heart of the county,

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cos I'm standing on the roof of Gloucester Cathedral,

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which is the territory for these chaps, which are indeed gargoyles.

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The word comes from the French, gargouille,

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which means throat, because that's what they do -

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they spout water away from the building.

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Grotesques are a different matter

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and I'll be finding out the difference when I visit the stonemason's yard

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here at the Cathedral later in the show. But first,

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let's see some other beauties carved into this county's landscape.

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Gloucestershire lies to the southwest of England

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and shares its border with a number of counties,

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including both Worcestershire and Herefordshire.

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It's home to the broad fertile valley of the River Severn,

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a 220-mile-long stretch famed for its tidal bore,

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the Severn is England's longest river,

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and its estuary is a haven for wild fowl and wading birds.

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To the south of the county, you'll find the Cotswolds,

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the gently sloping hills, where arable and sheep farming thrive.

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And a region famed for its oolitic limestone,

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featured in many of its buildings.

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To the southwest of the Cotswolds is the town of Stroud,

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a location noted for its steep streets

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and one of the birthplaces of the organic food movement.

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Five valleys converge here and the plateaus between them

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offer the most magnificent of views.

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The price of an average detached house in Gloucestershire

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is £291,000, which is 15% above the national figure.

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But really, that average figure is just imaginary,

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because on the ground, prices are very varied.

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Over in the East, where the rich and famous live in the Cotswolds,

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they're in a nice house, the edge of a village with an acre of land,

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that's going to be at least a million and a quarter,

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whereas over in the west towards Wales, same sort of property,

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well, you can knock a third off the price.

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So a great variety of prices,

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but a very high calibre of architecture throughout.

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Many of the most attractive buildings in the county

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were built in the 18th and 19th century,

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when the wool industry was at its peak.

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Since the mid-1800s, sandstone has been extracted from quarries

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in the heart of the Forest of Dean

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and prices for a three-bedroom character stone cottage

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in the Blakeley area typically start at around the £300,000 mark.

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In the south, the distinctive Cotswold stone is a popular choice,

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with honey-coloured cottages in the area around Painswick

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costing upward of £200,000 for a two-bedroom terrace,

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to around £600,000 for a four-bedroom detached property.

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Beautiful Gloucestershire bricks and mortar,

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but is any of it up to scratch for our house buyers today?

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And it's a slightly unusual show,

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because we don't have one set of house buyers, but two.

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Let's meet them.

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Retired tutors Edwin and Jane have spent their 20 years together

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in the same four-storey Victorian house in Oxford.

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But they're now looking to find a property nearer

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to Jane's family in Gloucestershire.

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We've always had, sort of at the back of our minds that at some point

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we'd move out into the country.

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I find now I'm at the stage of a life

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when I want more space around me, strangely enough.

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I want a really big garden. Much as I love my neighbours,

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I don't want to be as on top of them as one is in the city.

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However, there's one neighbour they're particularly fond of.

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Retired teacher, Caroline, who was widowed six years ago

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and lives with daughter Alice.

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She also wants to move to Gloucestershire

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to begin the next chapter of her life.

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My daughter, Alice, is 18.

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She'll be going off to university in the autumn, God willing,

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and, um...

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I don't want to be on my own in this house when she goes.

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It's also very big and I need to realise some of the equity in it.

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So, in an Escape To The Country first,

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all three buyers are proposing to head to the country together.

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Just as a sort of pipedream, we started thinking, "Well,

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"maybe we could find a house that's big enough to divide into two."

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And of course, doing it that way, we might be able to get

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a bit of a bigger property with a bit more land, which we'd equally...

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So I'd get the stately home I want so badly?

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So Jane gets close to her stately home after all,

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which would be wonderful.

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Their 16-year friendship has flourished

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through their mutual interests.

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'Jane and Edwin have been friends

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'pretty much since we moved into the street.

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'We got to know them fairly early on.'

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Edwin comes and builds fences for us sometimes and that kind of thing.

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Um, when they go on their boat, I often go out for a day with them.

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We have a lot of interests in common.

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And the bond between them even extends to their love of gardening.

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Caroline and I share two allotments.

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In fact, at a plot just, very nearby a house.

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Jane and I would like to have a sort of joint vegetable plot

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at the bottom of the garden so that we can do that together,

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because we've been enjoying working on our allotments together.

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It's been lovely.

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They both love the character of their current houses,

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and are keen to maintain a similar tradition

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in their new rural retreat.

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I have always lived, certainly in my adult life,

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in Victorian houses and I do like character features.

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Basically, we want Victorian, just a little bit later,

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-Edwardian, or Georgian.

-Georgian!

-Georgian is an absolute favourite.

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And with that all agreed,

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there remains the issue of how much they have to spend between them.

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I've got about £400,000 for this move.

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That would need to include any work that needed to be done.

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Our budget for this move, for Jane and myself, is £400,000, which means

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that collectively with Caroline we should have about £800,000 available.

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With a total of £800,000,

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our three buyers are looking to move

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to the villages around Stroud,

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close to Jane's family and also Caroline's friends.

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'I caught up with our unique trio in a beautiful Gloucestershire setting

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'to discuss exactly what they want from this very special house hunt.'

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Welcome to Gloucestershire, you three.

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-Thank you.

-I think this is a first,

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Certainly the first time I've had three contributors on the show.

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So it's very nice to welcome you and I suppose I wanted to just clarify

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what you're looking for, because it's two sets of desires, really.

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Caroline, tell me first, what is it

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that you're really dreaming about in terms of the property?

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Well, it's got to have a minimum of two bedrooms,

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-because there's me and my daughter.

-Alice?

-Yes, Alice.

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And space and, you know, a certain amount of privacy,

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not from Jane and Edwin, but from...

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-Others.

-Others.

-And what about you guys?

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Well, we'd want a spare bedroom,

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but then we actually want a study each,

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so that makes a minimum of three bedrooms,

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two of which can be studies.

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And we're looking for nice, big rooms,

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because although our home's lovely, the rooms aren't actually that big.

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-On the other hand, you quite like cosy little rooms.

-Yes.

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Oh, you're bringing me out in a sweat.

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So, clearly the pool of properties that we're looking at

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-is quite niche.

-Mm.

-Mm.

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They say that friends and finance never mix.

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I'm slightly anxious on your behalf

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about how you're going to divvy up the budget. What is your budget?

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A total of 800,000, roughly split half-and-half.

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But then obviously if Caroline ends up with,

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she doesn't want quite as many rooms as we do,

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then we'd start dividing...

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-With a hovel in the bottom of the garden.

-Yes, I mean...

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You get the shed and they get the stately home?

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That was our main idea, but we haven't told Caroline yet.

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But the other thing is that we'd be interested in properties which were

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a bit less than 800,000, with money to do development or... You know.

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OK, so you're quite keen on doing a project.

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This is what I wanted to hear, I wanted to hear adventurous,

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wide-seeing, far-thinking house buyers.

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Well, we've got three lovely houses and I'm very intrigued to see

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how you navigate them and decide which bit's which.

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You seem very peaceable now, but I'm sort of hoping for fights.

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-OK.

-This is the beginning...

-"It's MY room!"

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-Let's go and see them.

-OK.

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'Our buyers have £800,000 to spend

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'and are seeking a property with character and period features,

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'the potential to be split into separate dwellings,

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'at least four bedrooms between them

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'and a large garden to grow vegetables.'

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'We've come up with three properties which have real potential

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'for this intriguing move. As usual, I'll be asking them

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'to guess the price before I reveal it to them.

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'As ever, our final offering is the mystery house, which could bring

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'our neighbours even closer together than they imagined.

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'Time to hit the road.'

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Now, sharing a property - that is quite a challenge.

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I mean, you're obviously not sharing the property entirely,

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but have you thought about the kind of psychology of sharing?

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I mean, you share an allotment...

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-I think we're used to sharing, aren't we?

-I think we'll be fine.

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I mean, we'll have our own spaces,

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we're not going to share a kitchen, which wouldn't do.

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And when I have any plumbing or electrical issues going wrong,

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I can ask Edwin to pop next door and sort it out for me.

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Oh, right. THEY LAUGH

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We've made the journey five miles south of Stroud

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to the popular Cotswolds market town of Nailsworth.

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Lying in a wooded valley, it has a wide and eclectic

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range of shops in the busy high street

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and a 19th-century church built in the early English style.

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For our first property - or rather PROPERTIES -

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we've found two detached Cotswold stone cottages,

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one dating back to the 17th century,

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with an adjoining new-build annexe, currently used as a holiday let.

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-Beautiful views down the valley to Stroud.

-Yes.

-Yes, lovely.

-Wonderful.

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But this is the house I wanted to show you. Or, in fact, the houses.

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-Oh. He's found...

-Two houses.

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But the interesting thing is that they are legally distinct.

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-Oh, I see.

-They've got, they've been through the planning process

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and this is let as a holiday cottage and could be sold separately.

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-Oh, I see.

-Oh, excellent.

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'We're going to start with what could be Jane and Edwin's house,

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'the beautifully restored 17th-century property,

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'which was once a local pub.'

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Come on in.

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-Oh, lovely.

-So straight into the main living space,

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-as often happens in these cottages.

-Very pretty.

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Beautifully done, isn't it?

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So you can see the stairs come straight down.

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They probably would've been separated

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into two buildings in the 18th century building,

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but the hearth, this great big hearth would've always been there.

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I like it. Yes, it's nice and cosy and yet this is a nice, big room.

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So, Caroline, I was thinking earlier you were a bit worried

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that this would be nicer than your bit?

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I don't mind if it's nicer than my bit.

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-Obviously, because they deserve a nice house. Yes.

-This is true.

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Shall we continue the tour? Let's have a look at the kitchen.

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'I know Jane and Edwin are hoping for a sociable kitchen,

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'and this one, with its mix of modern and original features,

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'should suit them nicely.'

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The heart of the home, but is it...

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..heart enough?

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I find it a tiny bit small.

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-Small?

-Yes, but then, Jane, there's another room there.

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-That was the kitchen.

-Right.

-That's now the dining room.

-Oh, yes.

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-In fact, you can fit a table in.

-But you don't need to, because...

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-No.

-..it goes there.

-I mean, as it mostly would be just us two,

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that sort of table would be...

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Yes, OK. I feel the small windows do make it dark.

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I'd like an expanse if I'm washing up, or whatever.

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I'm going to give you two a chance to go upstairs and look there.

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Meanwhile, I'm going to whisk Caroline over to her part.

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-You two, head upstairs. Caroline, come with me.

-Right.

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'So, having seen the kitchen,

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'it seems Jane will need a bit more convincing about this property.

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'Also, downstairs in Jane and Edwin's cottage

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'is a good-sized utility room, along with a modern bathroom.

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'And adjoining the sitting room is a very light study,

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'which they could fight over, or take turns to use.

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'Meanwhile, upstairs, there are four bedrooms in all,

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'two double guest rooms,

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'which look very inviting for friends and family,

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'a single, which could be turned to use as a separate study,

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'and a further double with en suite bathroom,

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'which is the obvious choice for a master.'

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'But now I'm heading across the driveway to the annexe,

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'which I think might need substantial alteration

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'before it meets Caroline's demands.'

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So you come through the corridor into this room.

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Oh, which is a decent size. I like this.

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Yes, they've done this very nicely, actually.

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I thought it was going to be darker than this because of not

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having windows on this side, but actually it's plenty light enough.

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-And then you've got the kitchen straight off here.

-Oh, yes.

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Poke your head in and see if it's large enough.

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It's quite small, but there's everything there you'd need.

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This would be big enough for me, not quite my taste, but that's fine.

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Well, I think with this whole, you could think about it

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in terms of a shell and moving a lot of the walls,

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sort of configuring it as you would like,

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because you've only got one bedroom as it stands.

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-Yes.

-Let's go outside again,

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-because I can show you a bit of what I was thinking.

-Right.

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'The only other room in this compact bungalow

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'is a bright, modern bathroom.

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'As we head outside, you can see there's certainly potential here,

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'but it will need a major renovation.

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'And Caroline has some excellent ideas.'

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I would, if I was going to live in this house,

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I'd want to be able to access my garden from my house.

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-Right.

-So I think actually I'd be making that double garage

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into a sitting room and changing the configuration completely.

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-Bedrooms down this end, maybe.

-Oh, I see.

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It depends how much there is in the budget, really.

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My cue to get the others over.

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-Are you all done in there?

-BOTH: We are.

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'These two properties share around three quarters of an acre of land,

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'with an expanse of lawn, and great views of the surrounding countryside

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'so there's plenty of space for them to grow all the veg they want.'

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So the garden - you noticed this rather interesting feature.

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This is a boules piste.

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-No!

-Ah! Where you play boules.

-Yeah.

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-Apparently, every Friday there are boules parties here.

-Oh, right.

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Oh, shame! So we're going to be terribly unpopular, turning it into a vegetable patch.

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Ah! Yes. Actually a much better idea, isn't it?

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So let's talk money.

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How much do you think this whole property -

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cos it's sold as a single property - is on the market for?

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I shall guess 750,000.

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OK.

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Yes, I have a feeling, in the present market,

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it might be as low as 650, actually.

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OK. 650.

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I have no idea. Say 700.

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Split the difference.

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It's on the market for 599,950.

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-Right.

-Gosh, that seems cheap, doesn't it?

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-So that would leave money for doing major extensions...

-It would.

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..and knocking down and starting again, really.

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So why don't you all head down and you can do a little tour

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round your new abode and I'll see you later?

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-Right.

-OK.

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Priced well under their combined budget

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at just under £600,000,

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this versatile pair of cottages

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has the potential to meet all of their joint needs.

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It has a wealth of attractive period features,

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a large, sociable kitchen in the first property,

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a total of five bedrooms in all -

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four in one cottage, one in the other -

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and three quarters of an acre of land outside,

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so plenty of space to grow that veg.

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Well, when we first came to this house,

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it would appear to be just what we wanted as a property

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because it had a house for us and a house for Caroline.

0:16:560:16:59

When we went in, I'm afraid I found it

0:16:590:17:01

a little bit over-restored inside.

0:17:010:17:03

Unfortunately, when we got to go round the house, I realised that,

0:17:030:17:08

actually, we wouldn't like it unless we did quite a lot of work.

0:17:080:17:12

Having said that - £600,000. We'd have roughly £100,000 to play with

0:17:120:17:17

and we'd have to think about what we could or couldn't do.

0:17:170:17:21

The house that would be my bit is too small

0:17:210:17:26

and very characterless.

0:17:260:17:29

On the other hand, of course, that means you could do lots to it,

0:17:290:17:32

but the land is definitely a plus point.

0:17:320:17:36

Strange. I thought Caroline would have issues with her side of the house

0:17:360:17:40

and that Edwin and Jane would love this but, actually,

0:17:400:17:43

they're not so keen on all the stones, of all things.

0:17:430:17:46

There they are. Your ears must have been burning.

0:17:470:17:50

I was talking about you all.

0:17:500:17:52

-Right.

-Good. Well, we're all done here.

0:17:520:17:55

-Ready for house number two?

-Right.

-Exciting.

-Let's go.

0:17:550:17:58

Lying just south of Gloucester, the historic wool town of Painswick

0:18:080:18:12

is one of the hidden gems of the area.

0:18:120:18:15

Known locally as the Queen Of The Cotswolds,

0:18:150:18:17

its charming narrow streets are home to over 340 listed buildings.

0:18:170:18:22

On the outskirts of the town lies Painswick House,

0:18:220:18:26

whose 18th-century rococo gardens

0:18:260:18:28

are a magnificent example of Georgian creativity,

0:18:280:18:32

at a time when all things frivolous and flamboyant

0:18:320:18:35

were very much in mode.

0:18:350:18:37

With Edwin, Jane and Caroline all being keen vegetable growers,

0:18:370:18:41

we arranged for them to meet garden director Paul Moyer

0:18:410:18:44

to find out more about the food crops grown

0:18:440:18:47

in Painswick's kitchen garden.

0:18:470:18:49

It's really unusual because it's a big kitchen garden.

0:18:490:18:53

It's slap bang in the middle of the garden so it's a main feature

0:18:530:18:57

and you think, "Why on earth did they put it there?"

0:18:570:19:00

But it makes a lot of sense actually because it's a south-facing slope

0:19:000:19:03

so it gets the sunshine,

0:19:030:19:05

and also there's a lot of springs through there,

0:19:050:19:08

so we have a permanent supply of water, which is very useful.

0:19:080:19:12

-And they are very pretty.

-They are.

0:19:120:19:14

I mean, it was laid out in a very geometric fashion

0:19:140:19:16

to make it interesting as well.

0:19:160:19:18

The kitchen garden's planting

0:19:200:19:21

is as accurate as the history books will allow

0:19:210:19:24

and there are modern varieties being cultivated

0:19:240:19:27

right alongside traditional ones.

0:19:270:19:29

Currently growing here are broad beans, peas and onions,

0:19:290:19:33

as well as fruit such as rhubarb, blackcurrants and gooseberries.

0:19:330:19:37

Much of the produce is used in the Painswick House restaurant,

0:19:370:19:41

as well as supplying neighbouring businesses.

0:19:410:19:44

We get lots of apples, lots of pears.

0:19:440:19:46

The apples go to a local apple juice producer.

0:19:460:19:50

The pears go to a local jam producer as well.

0:19:500:19:52

So anything that we can't use, we try and find a local company

0:19:520:19:57

that we can actually send the stuff over to.

0:19:570:19:59

-So it's a working garden.

-Very much a working garden.

0:19:590:20:03

And, talking of working, Paul has something up his sleeve

0:20:030:20:06

that our three green-fingered buyers can lend a hand with.

0:20:060:20:10

It's a decorative willow structure which has been created

0:20:100:20:13

by volunteers to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

0:20:130:20:17

We've still got quite a bit of work to do

0:20:170:20:19

to fill in some of the gaps on it,

0:20:190:20:21

-so, hopefully, you'll be able to give us a hand doing that.

-Right.

0:20:210:20:24

If you look at the willow here that we're using,

0:20:240:20:27

-you can already see it's rooting.

-Oh, yes.

0:20:270:20:30

So what we want to do is to weave it down and then stick

0:20:300:20:33

the end in the ground, about that far, and then weave the top in.

0:20:330:20:37

But the best thing to do to start is just to roll it around your knee,

0:20:370:20:42

because it breaks the fibres down and makes it easier to weave,

0:20:420:20:46

like that.

0:20:460:20:47

The idea of using willow for weaving this commemorative piece

0:20:480:20:52

is based on sustainability because, as it grows,

0:20:520:20:55

the structure will increase in scale,

0:20:550:20:58

providing an iconic highlight within the gardens.

0:20:580:21:01

Cos the whole inspiration behind it from the lady who designed it

0:21:040:21:08

was it was to look like the crown jewels.

0:21:080:21:10

Oh, yes.

0:21:100:21:11

Or the orb that the queen has, that decorative orb.

0:21:110:21:15

Well, now it's time for us to head back to our property search

0:21:150:21:19

to see if we can find a crowning jewel

0:21:190:21:21

to suit all three of our buyers.

0:21:210:21:24

For our second property,

0:21:270:21:28

we're travelling around 20 miles northwest of Stroud,

0:21:280:21:32

to the small town of Mitcheldean.

0:21:320:21:34

This community has all the necessary amenities for our buyers,

0:21:340:21:37

such as a convenient supermarket,

0:21:370:21:39

a post office and a friendly local pub.

0:21:390:21:42

Just outside Mitcheldean, in the village of Flaxley,

0:21:420:21:46

is our second offering,

0:21:460:21:47

a former farmhouse with stunning lakeside views.

0:21:470:21:50

But, importantly for Caroline, there's also a good-sized annexe,

0:21:500:21:54

which is currently being used as a holiday let.

0:21:540:21:57

So here's your water feature. Ha-ha!

0:21:570:22:00

This is amazing!

0:22:000:22:01

But if we just spin on our tracks,

0:22:010:22:04

we can see a little bit what we're dealing with.

0:22:040:22:07

Oh, isn't this gorgeous!

0:22:070:22:08

-It's very, very pretty.

-Beautiful house.

0:22:080:22:11

I'm always thinking about you

0:22:110:22:12

because, clearly, that is a much more impressive property than that,

0:22:120:22:16

so there are two options here.

0:22:160:22:18

One - this is your house, that's their house.

0:22:180:22:22

But then I think, between you,

0:22:220:22:24

-you might also find some ways of splitting this house.

-Right.

0:22:240:22:27

So, just for a change, I thought we'd start on this side

0:22:270:22:31

and end that side, so let's have a look at the top here.

0:22:310:22:34

'While the apartment up on the first floor of the annexe

0:22:340:22:38

'might look rather unprepossessing from the outside,

0:22:380:22:40

'the interior has been beautifully finished.'

0:22:400:22:44

Come on in.

0:22:440:22:45

-Gosh, there's a lot of space. Little kitchen.

-Wonderful.

0:22:470:22:51

It's very light. It's got lots of light coming in,

0:22:510:22:54

all through these lovely dormer windows,

0:22:540:22:56

and it goes through into a very big bedroom on that side,

0:22:560:22:59

with a second bedroom on the other side,

0:22:590:23:01

so you've already got your two bedrooms

0:23:010:23:03

-and a sort of living space, but it's a bit more modest.

-Yes.

0:23:030:23:06

But then there's all that space downstairs.

0:23:080:23:10

Downstairs, you have two double garages effectively

0:23:100:23:14

-and then two wood stores.

-Yes.

-But it's work.

-Mm, yeah.

0:23:140:23:18

Well, we anticipated that we'd work, one way or another,

0:23:180:23:21

because if you buy something and split it,

0:23:210:23:23

-you going to have to do work, aren't you?

-Absolutely.

0:23:230:23:26

Or go into plan two of my cunning plan,

0:23:260:23:28

and think about separating this house.

0:23:280:23:31

Well, we'll have to see what's there, won't we?

0:23:310:23:33

-Shall we go peek?

-Yeah.

0:23:330:23:36

Caroline obviously appreciates the work that's gone into this annexe.

0:23:360:23:40

It's perhaps not got the period character she was after,

0:23:400:23:43

but the farmhouse is a different story.

0:23:430:23:46

Question is, can Caroline stand by and let her friends take it all,

0:23:460:23:50

or will she want her share of the spoils?

0:23:500:23:52

-Come in to this gracious slice of country living.

-Beautiful!

0:23:540:23:58

-This is amazing, isn't it?

-Look at that!

0:23:580:24:01

Now, are you mega-jealous?

0:24:010:24:03

I am. But I'm going to build a similar one over the other side.

0:24:030:24:06

Ah, that's the fighting talk I like, yes!

0:24:060:24:09

And there's room for it, so why not?

0:24:090:24:11

-Matching garden rooms.

-Yes.

-Yes!

0:24:110:24:14

This is the kitchen.

0:24:140:24:16

-An old-fashioned kitchen, good old-fashioned range cooker.

-Oh, yes.

0:24:170:24:22

-But it's not huge.

-It is a small kitchen, isn't it?

0:24:220:24:26

But you've got all that space behind.

0:24:260:24:29

-And dining table just right here.

-Yes, true.

0:24:290:24:33

Jane might not be completely won over by the kitchen,

0:24:330:24:36

but the features in this reception room

0:24:360:24:38

should be just to her characterful taste.

0:24:380:24:41

-Ooh, lovely!

-This is the sitting room.

0:24:410:24:45

Got a lovely feel to it.

0:24:450:24:47

Genuinely old.

0:24:470:24:49

-Genuine house.

-Log burner and nice big hearth.

0:24:490:24:53

-The size of the fireplace!

-Genuine features.

0:24:530:24:56

Also on the ground floor of this spacious property

0:24:570:25:00

is a large utility room, adjoining the garden room,

0:25:000:25:03

and just off the hallway is a cosy family room

0:25:030:25:07

with fantastic oak flooring and a feature fireplace.

0:25:070:25:11

And upstairs is just brimming with character, too.

0:25:110:25:14

There are exposed timbers everywhere,

0:25:140:25:16

even in the family bathroom.

0:25:160:25:18

The three bedrooms on this floor are all bright and generously-sized

0:25:180:25:22

and two of them have their own en suites,

0:25:220:25:24

so there's plenty of room for friends and family.

0:25:240:25:27

And up on the next level in the eaves,

0:25:270:25:30

along with two small attic rooms which might work well at studies,

0:25:300:25:34

there's also a huge master suite,

0:25:340:25:36

which contains a free-standing bath at one end.

0:25:360:25:39

But we'll continue our tour outside,

0:25:400:25:43

where there are views of the lake, a seated patio area,

0:25:430:25:47

extensive lawns and ample space for that all-important vegetable plot.

0:25:470:25:52

I can so see the three of you living here. It's so beautiful.

0:25:520:25:55

-It's gorgeous.

-It is absolutely beautiful.

0:25:550:25:58

Well, we haven't completed the whole task,

0:25:580:26:00

cos you remember there was plan A and plan B.

0:26:000:26:03

Plan A was you're over there, you're over there.

0:26:030:26:05

Plan B is can you separate that beautiful house

0:26:050:26:08

so that you both live in it?

0:26:080:26:10

Cos you can see there's actually two gables,

0:26:100:26:13

so it's not impossible, but you need to know how much it costs.

0:26:130:26:17

-OK.

-This is true.

-So tell me your thoughts.

0:26:170:26:19

I think it's so lovely,

0:26:190:26:21

but it's going to be right at the top end of our budget

0:26:210:26:24

and we're not going to have anything left over for splitting with,

0:26:240:26:27

and I think it's about 800,000.

0:26:270:26:29

Well, Caroline took the words out of my mouth, I'm afraid.

0:26:290:26:32

I was going to say exactly the same!

0:26:320:26:34

You can say the same, that's all right.

0:26:340:26:36

I think it's a bit further away from things. I don't think so.

0:26:360:26:39

I think it would be 710 perhaps.

0:26:390:26:41

710.

0:26:410:26:43

Well, I'm afraid your optimism was misplaced and the ladies have it.

0:26:430:26:47

-It is on at just a shade under 800,000.

-Mm.

-Right.

0:26:470:26:51

Well, if I was living in that bit, I wouldn't be paying 400 for that

0:26:510:26:54

and you getting that for 400, cos that wouldn't be fair!

0:26:540:26:57

That would be a bit unfair.

0:26:570:26:59

But these are the sort of conversations

0:26:590:27:01

I want you to have as you walk round the house.

0:27:010:27:04

-Mm-hmm.

-Indeed. And no fighting!

-OK.

-We'll try not to.

0:27:040:27:07

So, near the very top end of their budget at £795,000,

0:27:100:27:15

this farmhouse with outbuildings has huge potential for all three buyers.

0:27:150:27:20

There's a raft of original features, a very large garden room,

0:27:200:27:25

six bedrooms, beautiful, mature land and, of course,

0:27:250:27:29

a two-bedroom annexe apartment which could be further extended

0:27:290:27:33

with the correct planning permissions.

0:27:330:27:35

When we first came here I thought,

0:27:350:27:37

"Oh, yes, I could live in that little stable block, if it was all adapted,"

0:27:370:27:41

and so on and so forth and, actually,

0:27:410:27:42

I think I would just be green with envy at Jane and Edwin living in this house.

0:27:420:27:46

It's just rather a long way away from where we'd hoped to be,

0:27:460:27:50

in terms of distance to Jane's sister, Katie.

0:27:500:27:52

However, that's something we'd think about

0:27:520:27:55

cos it's certainly a very attractive property.

0:27:550:27:58

I think it's gorgeous.

0:27:580:27:59

I think it's an awful shame to make Caroline have the garage and the outbuildings

0:27:590:28:05

and I think it's possible we could divide it down the middle successfully,

0:28:050:28:11

with a bit of thought,

0:28:110:28:12

although I would be very wary of harming a historic house like this in any way.

0:28:120:28:18

-Ah! Are your heads full of ideas?

-They are indeed.

-And plans?

0:28:180:28:22

Well, we could do with some actual floor plans as well, I think.

0:28:220:28:26

Well, I might supply you with those,

0:28:260:28:28

but let's go and gather our thoughts.

0:28:280:28:30

-Right.

-Our work is done today.

0:28:300:28:32

As dusk falls over the beautiful Gloucestershire countryside,

0:28:410:28:44

it marks the end of a very unusual day's property search.

0:28:440:28:48

In an Escape To The Country first, we're helping three buyers move

0:28:570:29:01

to the wilds of Gloucestershire from the city of Oxford.

0:29:010:29:04

Retirees Jane and Edwin, and their neighbour, Caroline,

0:29:040:29:07

who's also retired, want to make a new life in this lovely county.

0:29:070:29:11

So far, there's been a mixed reaction to two stone homes

0:29:110:29:15

and they've fallen for a beautiful lakeside property,

0:29:150:29:18

but weren't quite so keen on the annexe.

0:29:180:29:21

But, coming up, the scale of the mystery house leaves them stunned.

0:29:210:29:25

-Oh, good heavens!

-Oh, good heavens, it's enormous!

0:29:250:29:28

My goodness! It's so big, isn't it?

0:29:280:29:30

And I visit Gloucester Cathedral to take a look at a brand-new gargoyle.

0:29:300:29:34

Day two and we're back in west Gloucestershire,

0:29:370:29:40

or "almost Wales", as Jane and Edwin keep on calling it.

0:29:400:29:44

But I am confident that the mystery house is going to make

0:29:440:29:47

particularly Caroline happy, because, up until now,

0:29:470:29:50

poor Caroline has always been shown "Here's the cow shed, that's yours,

0:29:500:29:55

"and this lovely house is Jane and Edwin's."

0:29:550:29:58

But not so with the rather magnificent mystery house.

0:29:580:30:01

For our mystery property, we've travelled to Newnham on Severn,

0:30:050:30:10

a village around 15 miles northwest of Stroud.

0:30:100:30:13

Close to the Forest of Dean,

0:30:130:30:15

the core of this beautiful village is a designated conservation area.

0:30:150:30:19

It also has a variety of interesting shops

0:30:190:30:22

and the necessary amenities, such as a post office.

0:30:220:30:26

Just outside Newnham is the tidal inlet known as Bullo Pill

0:30:260:30:30

and this is where we find our mystery house.

0:30:300:30:33

Grade II-listed and built in the Flemish style in around 1840,

0:30:330:30:37

this historic pile has real potential to allow them all

0:30:370:30:40

to live under the same roof as they can divide between them.

0:30:400:30:44

This is a great mystery house if I say so myself.

0:30:460:30:49

-Oh, my goodness!

-Extraordinary.

-What an extraordinary house!

0:30:510:30:54

-An extraordinary house.

-Turrets.

-Amazing architecture!

0:30:540:30:58

Amazing architecture. It was built as the harbourmaster's house.

0:30:580:31:02

Absolutely wonderful!

0:31:020:31:04

Now, it's near the road.

0:31:040:31:05

It is on an A road and, actually, once you're in the house,

0:31:050:31:08

you don't notice it at all.

0:31:080:31:09

Let's look inside.

0:31:090:31:11

So far, we've seen two properties with separate annexes,

0:31:110:31:15

but, due to its symmetrical layout,

0:31:150:31:17

and the fact that it has two staircases,

0:31:170:31:19

we think this stunning house has great potential for dividing in two.

0:31:190:31:23

Come on in.

0:31:240:31:26

Straight into the lovely kitchen.

0:31:260:31:29

It is lovely.

0:31:290:31:30

It looks so imperious, all of it, doesn't it?

0:31:300:31:34

It does, and splendid windows anyway.

0:31:340:31:36

Now, again, we need your imagination as we go round the house because,

0:31:360:31:40

literally, this floor is four big rooms and you have two staircases.

0:31:400:31:43

You have the big staircase that comes from the front door

0:31:430:31:46

which of course no-one uses, and then the servants',

0:31:460:31:49

which is the back staircase that goes up in the opposite direction.

0:31:490:31:54

So you could very easily use the back door as one door

0:31:540:31:57

and the front door as another door, and split it.

0:31:570:32:00

You can decide whether you split it this way or that way.

0:32:000:32:03

On this side of the house, which we could call Jane and Edwin's,

0:32:030:32:07

there's a spacious reception room with fantastic original features.

0:32:070:32:11

-Oh, lovely windows.

-Again, lovely windows.

0:32:140:32:16

These are the more feature windows on this side.

0:32:160:32:19

But this would make a lovely cosy sitting room.

0:32:190:32:21

That's presumably a working fireplace.

0:32:210:32:23

-Yes. Flues are all open.

-Excellent.

0:32:230:32:25

And again, all these floors are actually new.

0:32:250:32:28

They're oak floors but it's been beautifully done, I think.

0:32:280:32:31

It has indeed. It's all totally in character.

0:32:310:32:34

On the other side of the house, where Caroline could live,

0:32:340:32:37

are two equally large and attractive reception rooms.

0:32:370:32:40

These have, like the rest of the house, rather grand windows

0:32:400:32:44

and beautiful feature fireplaces.

0:32:440:32:46

There's also a downstairs shower room on this side, too.

0:32:460:32:50

To help our buyers get their head around splitting the property,

0:32:500:32:53

I'm going to show them the layout of the staircases.

0:32:530:32:56

These are in the centre of the house and divide both sets of rooms.

0:32:560:32:59

So this is the big flight of stairs goes up to...

0:32:590:33:02

and then there's a sort of matching symmetrical flight of stairs

0:33:020:33:05

on the other side which is the servants' stairs.

0:33:050:33:08

So you could stop the house there and have this side as one

0:33:080:33:14

-and the other side as another.

-Yes, that's right.

0:33:140:33:17

-Shall we look upstairs?

-Yes.

0:33:170:33:19

Upstairs, off a lovely big landing on Jane and Edwin's side,

0:33:210:33:24

there are two fantastic double bedrooms

0:33:240:33:27

with feature windows giving them loads of light and character.

0:33:270:33:31

While on Caroline's side, there's a wonderfully spacious

0:33:310:33:34

family-size bathroom with a fireplace and free-standing bath.

0:33:340:33:38

Adjacent to that is this huge bedroom

0:33:380:33:41

with a quirky corner washroom,

0:33:410:33:43

which is where we're stopping off next.

0:33:430:33:45

-Oh, good heavens, it's enormous!

-My goodness! It's so big, isn't it?

0:33:450:33:49

Look at that!

0:33:490:33:51

There's so much light.

0:33:510:33:52

Does that window actually belong to the other half,

0:33:520:33:55

if you were dividing that way?

0:33:550:33:57

-Well, this is where you start to kind of...

-Have to think.

0:33:570:34:00

-I was just thinking what you're thinking.

-Arm wrestling!

0:34:000:34:03

-Who gets this bedroom?

-Divide this room.

0:34:030:34:05

I'm going to send you upstairs to look at that attic space

0:34:050:34:08

and see what you might do there, division-wise,

0:34:080:34:11

and then when you've had a look there, come downstairs,

0:34:110:34:14

meet me in the garden and we can talk about land and price.

0:34:140:34:16

-OK.

-Right.

0:34:160:34:18

On the next floor,

0:34:200:34:21

there's a huge amount of charm in the attic bedrooms on both sides,

0:34:210:34:25

with space for double or twin beds among the supporting timbers.

0:34:250:34:29

And there's also a half-timbered bathroom, and a kitchenette area

0:34:290:34:32

off the larger third bedroom, which is at the front of the house.

0:34:320:34:36

But now it's time for Jane, Edwin and Caroline to come and join me

0:34:360:34:40

and take a look at the grounds.

0:34:400:34:42

-So it's quite a big property.

-It is.

0:34:440:34:46

It's about an acre, a lot of house, a lot of outhouse.

0:34:460:34:49

How much do think it costs?

0:34:490:34:51

It's going to be right on the limit, 800,000.

0:34:510:34:54

I think it's going to be nearer 900,000.

0:34:540:34:58

I'm going for 750,000, why not?

0:34:580:35:01

750.

0:35:010:35:02

Well, you might be surprised to know that this house is on the market for,

0:35:020:35:06

not 900, not 800, not 750,

0:35:060:35:10

but 645.

0:35:100:35:12

-You are joking?

-Goodness me!

0:35:120:35:14

-Change to spend on it.

-That is a good price, actually, yes.

0:35:140:35:17

-That shot a little excitement into the three of you.

-It did.

0:35:170:35:20

I would like you to explore the land

0:35:200:35:21

cos there is quite a lot of interesting land,

0:35:210:35:23

particularly down in the ravine, and I will see you at the front.

0:35:230:35:26

-Righty-ho!

-Right.

0:35:260:35:28

This very imposing harbourmaster's house

0:35:290:35:33

is well under their budget at £645,000,

0:35:330:35:36

and offers both parties

0:35:360:35:38

the chance to live in it once divided up.

0:35:380:35:40

It has beautiful original features,

0:35:400:35:43

lovely light living space,

0:35:430:35:44

six bedrooms, and around an acre of grounds.

0:35:440:35:48

The mystery house was certainly a wonderful surprise to suddenly see,

0:35:480:35:54

this pretty, extraordinary and unusual large house with so many windows.

0:35:540:35:59

And, of course, the price is absolutely wonderful.

0:35:590:36:02

It's far less than I would have dreamt a house of this size might come at.

0:36:020:36:07

This is a lovely house and huge, and so much for your money.

0:36:070:36:12

The garden is nice,

0:36:120:36:13

although I think it might be a bit difficult to divide that.

0:36:130:36:17

It is at the very edge of the area we wanted to live in,

0:36:170:36:22

and it is probably a good half hour from where we really felt we wanted to be,

0:36:220:36:28

but it's a beautiful area, lovely Severn estuary and a fabulous house.

0:36:280:36:33

It's a lot of house and a great price,

0:36:330:36:37

but I wonder if any of it will outweigh the fact that it's by a main road.

0:36:370:36:41

-On that... Hello.

-Hello.

0:36:410:36:43

-How are you doing?

-Well.

-All done?

-Yes.

0:36:430:36:47

-OK, so now is the time when we regroup and gather our thoughts.

-OK.

0:36:470:36:52

Gloucester Cathedral has proudly occupied the north of the city

0:37:030:37:08

since its foundations were laid 940 years ago.

0:37:080:37:12

However, it's now nearing the end

0:37:120:37:14

of a five-year gargoyle restoration project on its south wall,

0:37:140:37:18

the first significant repair work to be carried out

0:37:180:37:22

since the building was completed in the 1320s.

0:37:220:37:26

Ten of the 13 new gargoyles have been finished and are already in place,

0:37:260:37:30

but I've come to meet the cathedral's master mason, Pascal Mychalysin,

0:37:300:37:35

to find out about the remarkable history of this project.

0:37:350:37:38

Well, what happened that the original gargoyles of the south aisle were all damaged,

0:37:380:37:43

either worn out and also damaged during the Civil War,

0:37:430:37:48

-so a long time ago...

-Ah, the Roundheads!

0:37:480:37:50

..so they were probably victims of the shooting practice of the army.

0:37:500:37:55

They used to shoot at them?

0:37:550:37:57

Yeah, we think so,

0:37:570:37:58

because there's a lot of musket balls' impact on the facade.

0:37:580:38:02

And all the sculptures and gargoyles which have survived are headless,

0:38:020:38:08

so we think that they shoot at the head.

0:38:080:38:10

In my head, a gargoyle is the kind of scary face,

0:38:100:38:13

but there's a different... That's a grotesque.

0:38:130:38:16

They have a function, the grotesque haven't got a function.

0:38:160:38:19

That's a grotesque, that little man there.

0:38:190:38:21

That's what I would have thought is a gargoyle, but that's a grotesque?

0:38:210:38:25

That's a grotesque. It is just to have fun.

0:38:250:38:27

Gargoyles have a function.

0:38:270:38:29

Mediaeval masons wanted to get rid of the water out of their building

0:38:290:38:34

and instead of doing a boring long stone, they decided to have fun.

0:38:340:38:39

Each gargoyle takes around six months to make.

0:38:390:38:42

Once Pascal has designed it,

0:38:420:38:44

the first stage is a model known as the maquette,

0:38:440:38:47

a wooden frame wrapped in metallic mesh and then covered with clay.

0:38:470:38:51

Senior mason Oliver Critchley

0:38:510:38:53

was on hand to show me the next part of the process.

0:38:530:38:57

So, Ollie, this is the next stage.

0:38:570:38:58

-You've made the... What's it called, the maquette?

-Maquette, yes.

0:38:580:39:02

How long do you take, from scratch?

0:39:020:39:04

We aim to get them done in two weeks.

0:39:040:39:06

From this, then we'll carve the stone.

0:39:060:39:09

Once finished, the dimensions of the maquette are measured

0:39:090:39:11

and recorded by a pointing machine,

0:39:110:39:14

a device which dates back to Renaissance Italy.

0:39:140:39:17

Using those exact dimensions, the gargoyle is then carved

0:39:170:39:21

from French Jurassic limestone, as a scale copy of the maquette.

0:39:210:39:25

Tricky work!

0:39:250:39:26

Luckily, I'm going to try my hand at something much simpler.

0:39:260:39:30

Can I have a go, just so that I can say I've had a hand in creating this gargoyle?

0:39:300:39:34

Of course.

0:39:340:39:36

-What shall I...?

-If you work around just smoothing off the knuckles.

0:39:360:39:40

-The minimum damage.

-I tend to use my own hand as a model.

0:39:400:39:43

HE GROWLS

0:39:430:39:44

He's angry, Pascal. Why is he so angry?

0:39:440:39:47

-He is the anger destroying the world, riding the bull of destruction.

-Bad!

0:39:470:39:52

He is, yeah. Hopefully, he will not be successful.

0:39:520:39:56

-Because he's surrounded by so many lovely things.

-Yeah, yep.

0:39:560:40:00

-Very nice to meet you.

-You, too, Alistair.

0:40:010:40:04

When it's completed, this gargoyle will be hoisted 35 feet in the air

0:40:040:40:08

to take up its function on the cathedral,

0:40:080:40:11

discharging water from the roof,

0:40:110:40:12

thereby protecting the stonework from erosion.

0:40:120:40:16

It will hopefully keep its head for at least the next 700 years.

0:40:160:40:20

And with that stonemasonry skill in my fingertips,

0:40:250:40:28

time to find out how our trio of property buyers are doing.

0:40:280:40:32

Now, you three, you have given us a challenge.

0:40:370:40:41

Let's go through the houses one by one.

0:40:410:40:43

The first house clearly was a slight imbalance of sizes.

0:40:430:40:48

On paper, it looked quite a good offering.

0:40:480:40:51

-Yeah, it did.

-I absolutely agree.

0:40:510:40:53

I don't think I have sufficient imagination to see what I could do

0:40:530:40:57

with that part, to make it into something that I would really want.

0:40:570:41:02

Now, the second house,

0:41:020:41:04

there was a very beautiful house that you two liked a lot.

0:41:040:41:08

That house obviously could actually be split into two.

0:41:080:41:11

-And I loved that house.

-Yes, I think we all loved that house.

0:41:110:41:15

I would have had reservations, actually, altering that house

0:41:150:41:19

too much because it's obviously so historic,

0:41:190:41:21

even though it wasn't listed.

0:41:210:41:23

I feel you couldn't really have divided it into two without spoiling it.

0:41:230:41:27

The main thing that bothered you was the distance, really.

0:41:270:41:30

Was the distance, from our preferred area, yes.

0:41:300:41:33

So the mystery house was also in west Gloucestershire.

0:41:330:41:37

Stunning house!

0:41:370:41:38

Absolutely stunning house, intriguing

0:41:380:41:41

and, unfortunately, outside, the road noise, by itself,

0:41:410:41:45

would have eliminated the house as a choice, but...

0:41:450:41:49

I think, although I said I wasn't as comfortable with

0:41:490:41:53

the style of the rooms and everything as you were,

0:41:530:41:56

I mean, I thought they were lovely and I'm sure I could have

0:41:560:42:00

brought myself to manage in a gorgeous Victorian house, but no.

0:42:000:42:05

I mean, the road was just a no-no.

0:42:050:42:08

So, overall, we didn't get you your dream home,

0:42:080:42:10

but do you think you are being unrealistic in what you're looking for?

0:42:100:42:15

It probably has revealed that what we need to target is somewhere

0:42:150:42:18

with an existing house which would suit Jane and myself,

0:42:180:42:23

but an area of outbuildings which could be replaced by a house to suit Caroline.

0:42:230:42:28

Yes, planning permission or something like that.

0:42:280:42:31

Well, I hope you find it, and I'd be very interested to see how

0:42:310:42:35

you three rub along in your... interesting property hunt.

0:42:350:42:38

-We'll invite you for tea on the terrace of a stately home.

-We will!

0:42:380:42:42

And we will certainly let you know.

0:42:420:42:44

-Do. Keep us in touch. Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

0:42:440:42:47

What can I say?

0:42:510:42:53

It was always going to be a challenge but I have to say,

0:42:530:42:55

having spent the week with that lovely trio,

0:42:550:42:58

I do wonder whether they'll ever find a property

0:42:580:43:01

that matches their desires,

0:43:010:43:02

because, basically, Jane and Edwin want a stately home,

0:43:020:43:06

and Caroline wants a cosy cottage.

0:43:060:43:08

Nonetheless, I think we did do ourselves proud

0:43:080:43:11

and we showed you lovely properties here in a very beautiful part of Britain,

0:43:110:43:15

so do join us again next time for more Escape To The Country.

0:43:150:43:19

If you'd like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales,

0:43:190:43:22

Northern Ireland or England, and you need our help, please apply online.

0:43:220:43:26

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0:43:520:43:55

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