0:00:02 > 0:00:05PLAYS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM
0:00:05 > 0:00:07Yes, today I'm in the birthplace of the composer
0:00:07 > 0:00:09who penned that iconic tune.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13Which county am I in, though? Find out in just a moment.
0:00:13 > 0:00:16ORGAN RESUMES PLAYING
0:00:19 > 0:00:22You didn't think I was playing, did you?!
0:00:49 > 0:00:52Today, I'm helping a couple who want to find a country abode
0:00:52 > 0:00:54that's just bursting with character.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58And we definitely deliver the period goods in one cottage.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01I like the beams in here and the range cooker.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06But our buyers are slow to warm to the charms of the mystery house.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10More positives are coming now than they were when we initially walked into that room and thought...
0:01:10 > 0:01:13It couldn't get any worse, really, could it?!
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Today, I'm in Somerset, and this is the village of Wellow.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Many believe that Londoner Thomas Arne composed the national anthem.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24But many academics are of the view that his was a cover
0:01:24 > 0:01:26of an earlier version by John Bull.
0:01:26 > 0:01:30John was born here, in this quiet West Country village, in the 1560s.
0:01:30 > 0:01:35He became a favourite of Elizabeth I and he even became royal organist.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38A collection of his compositions from 1619
0:01:38 > 0:01:40included a tune that we all sing today -
0:01:40 > 0:01:42"God Save The Queen".
0:01:42 > 0:01:46But let me tell you, music isn't the only thing in this county that's fit for royalty.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51The sixth-largest county in England,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Somerset, shares borders with many other counties, including Devon
0:01:54 > 0:01:58and Dorset, as well as the Bristol Channel to the north.
0:01:58 > 0:02:00Lying between the Quantocks and Mendip Hills,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04Somerset's flats dominate the centre of the county.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Towering over these lowlands stands Glastonbury Tor,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09once an island in the marshes.
0:02:09 > 0:02:14Many leave this to be Avalon, the seat of the fabled King Arthur.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17The fenlands were drained in the 17th century,
0:02:17 > 0:02:22leaving the tor high and dry, but creating perfect farmland.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24To see another of Britain's great wonders in this county,
0:02:24 > 0:02:29you could make the journey to the Mendip Hills and Cheddar Gorge.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32These limestone cliffs may share their name with the famed local cheese,
0:02:32 > 0:02:37but, in the Middle Ages, it was actually known for its Saxon palace.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39Palaces may be in short supply here,
0:02:39 > 0:02:44but you may need a right royal budget for a Somerset house with historic pedigree.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48The price of an average detached property is £265,000.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52That's a princely £14,000 above national average.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56Expensive locations include popular heritage villages like Wellow,
0:02:56 > 0:03:00where you could add up to £50,000 onto the budget for a character home.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04If you look in areas like Bridgwater, then property is much more affordable.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06Whether you're a prince or a pauper,
0:03:06 > 0:03:11there are some fantastic period properties to be had right across this county.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14The most common traditional building material in the county
0:03:14 > 0:03:17is Hamstone, cut from Ham Hill in the south.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20The quarries are still going strong, so it's possible to find anything
0:03:20 > 0:03:23from a new build to a period cottage in the honey-coloured rock.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27Prices for a two-bedroom detached house
0:03:27 > 0:03:29start around the £150,000 mark.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32If you want to feel like a character in a Jane Austen novel,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35then a Georgian terraced house made from Bath stone is a must.
0:03:35 > 0:03:39The Palladian-style frontages are very impressive.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43However, most of these properties have been split into apartments
0:03:43 > 0:03:47and a two-bedroom flat costs upwards of £200,000.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50But, if you'd like a property with a homely elegance,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53the area south of Glastonbury would be a perfect choice,
0:03:53 > 0:03:58as here you'll find worker's cottages built from characterful Blue Lias stone.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03Prices for a three-bedroom home begin in the region of £275,000.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08There are lots of charming properties to be found here,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11but will any interest our buyers? Let's meet them and find out.
0:04:11 > 0:04:16John and Penny have lived in their modern, and very practical,
0:04:16 > 0:04:19five-bedroom home on the outskirts of Gloucester since 1995.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21But now their children have flown the nest,
0:04:21 > 0:04:25they can finally make the life changes they've been yearning for.
0:04:25 > 0:04:26The village we live in at the moment,
0:04:26 > 0:04:29I suppose, if you could call it a village...
0:04:29 > 0:04:32It was pretty much built in the '70s,
0:04:32 > 0:04:35so it is very bland architecture.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38You know, we want something now with a bit more character,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41a little bit more rural, to say the least.
0:04:41 > 0:04:47I suppose we're bored with living in this type of housing. We've always lived in it.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51While there's clearly not enough character in this home for them,
0:04:51 > 0:04:54there's one more thing the house is definitely lacking.
0:04:54 > 0:05:00It would be good to move somewhere where we've got more actual living space downstairs,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03rather than as we've got at the moment,
0:05:03 > 0:05:07with too many bedrooms and not enough space downstairs.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Penny works at home as a weight-loss consultant,
0:05:10 > 0:05:15whilst John's job in telecommunications takes him all over the world,
0:05:15 > 0:05:17though he, too, can do a lot of work from home.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21As a result, they want to create a good working environment within the property,
0:05:21 > 0:05:25as well as having all the benefits of being in the heart of the countryside.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28They think they've found the perfect location.
0:05:28 > 0:05:34The area we are looking to move to now is south part of Somerset
0:05:34 > 0:05:36and down into Devon.
0:05:36 > 0:05:39Primarily, along the M5 corridor,
0:05:39 > 0:05:42probably no more than half an hour either side of that.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46Down to no further south than Exeter.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50And my parents also live down near Exeter, so it would be nice
0:05:50 > 0:05:55to be able to visit them more easily and more often.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59And while it may sound like a lovely, relaxing existence,
0:05:59 > 0:06:04our buyers are not averse to having the odd adrenaline-fuelled moment in the country, either.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10One of my main passions, I suppose, is motorsport and, many years ago,
0:06:10 > 0:06:12I used to race cars before we had children,
0:06:12 > 0:06:17had a bit of a break and then had a kit car and started off in hill climbing.
0:06:17 > 0:06:19One, because it doesn't take up too much time,
0:06:19 > 0:06:25maybe a few times a year, and it's relatively cheap to do.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27You can take any car and be timed up the hill.
0:06:27 > 0:06:31- It does make for a nice family day out, as well.- Take a picnic.
0:06:31 > 0:06:36The family can come along and watch me make a fool of myself going up the hill!
0:06:41 > 0:06:44Which just leaves the all-important subject of money.
0:06:44 > 0:06:48The budget for our move is £300,000.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54Penny would like the new house to be within a short distance of her parents in Exeter,
0:06:54 > 0:06:58while John needs to be within a half-hour drive of the M5,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00so he can commute easily when required.
0:07:00 > 0:07:03I caught up with them in a typically picturesque Somerset setting
0:07:03 > 0:07:05'to discover more about their move.'
0:07:05 > 0:07:08Hi, guys, welcome to Somerset.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11- And it's your birthday!- It is.- What a way to spend it.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13Hopefully, we'll find you a house. The ultimate present.
0:07:13 > 0:07:17- You've been in your current property for 16 years?- 16 years.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19Why are you moving now?
0:07:19 > 0:07:21The children have all grown up and left home,
0:07:21 > 0:07:25so we've got no reason to be staying in the area
0:07:25 > 0:07:27for jobs or anything else.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29The house we've got has got too many bedrooms
0:07:29 > 0:07:32so we're looking to reduce the number of bedrooms.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35- So you're downsizing? - Not necessarily downsizing. - Rearranging.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Hopefully, to have more space downstairs
0:07:38 > 0:07:41- and less bedrooms upstairs.- OK.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43How come you want the space downstairs?
0:07:43 > 0:07:48We could do with an extra room, either a study or another room downstairs
0:07:48 > 0:07:50- because John works from home. - I work from home a lot.
0:07:50 > 0:07:57- Yes.- And I also see customers at home with my weight-loss business.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59I might have to come and see you!
0:07:59 > 0:08:01LAUGHTER
0:08:01 > 0:08:05- What are you looking for? You're in a new-build now? - It's '70s, the house.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07Are you looking for something with more character?
0:08:07 > 0:08:12With a lot more character, after living in these types of houses all our lives, really.
0:08:12 > 0:08:19- What sort of character would you like?- Um, possibly the odd beam or two, fireplace.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Fireplace, yes!
0:08:21 > 0:08:23Anything. It could be modern or old,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26- but something a little bit different. - It's got to have a lot of character.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30Are you good at compromising? Or do you definitely know what you want?
0:08:30 > 0:08:33- I don't think we're that good at compromising.- Oh, no!
0:08:33 > 0:08:35LAUGHTER
0:08:35 > 0:08:38Let me rephrase it, who's the boss?
0:08:39 > 0:08:40Penny will decide.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42- LAUGHTER - Right, then.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45- I'll come up with the arguments. - OK.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49- How much have we got to spend, Penny?- 300,000.- 300,000. OK.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52We've three properties to show you, one of them being the mystery one.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56Hopefully, all three will put a smile on your face. There's only one way to find out.
0:08:56 > 0:08:57Shall we get going? Come on.
0:09:00 > 0:09:02For their budget of £300,000,
0:09:02 > 0:09:06John and Penny's wish list is topped by one important word - "character".
0:09:06 > 0:09:09They'd also like a large kitchen-diner,
0:09:09 > 0:09:11a utility room for the dogs,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14a room downstairs for use as a study to work from home,
0:09:14 > 0:09:17three bedrooms and a manageable garden.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21We've got three fantastic properties to show them,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24all of which we think they'll love. As usual, I'll be asking them
0:09:24 > 0:09:26to guess the price at each one before I reveal it.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30Our final option is, as ever, the mystery house,
0:09:30 > 0:09:35which might just convert them to a life they've never lived before.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42We begin our house search ten miles south of Taunton,
0:09:42 > 0:09:45in the popular village of Combe St Nicholas.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49We're just a 45-minute drive from Penny's family in Exeter
0:09:49 > 0:09:54and ten miles from the nearest junction of the M5 for John's potential commute.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58Before we get a glimpse of our first house, we're stopping for a quick look at the village.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03It's a lovely little community, about 1,300 people live here
0:10:03 > 0:10:05and it's got everything you need.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07You can see the post office behind.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11It's got a convenience store, a pub, a really active village hall.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Apparently, the hub of the community,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16and the name itself has Celtic origins.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19How lovely. How romantic. "Combe" meaning "valley".
0:10:19 > 0:10:22- It's a lovely valley to be in, isn't it?- It looks lovely, yes.
0:10:22 > 0:10:27- Shall we go and have a look at the house?- BOTH: Yes.- Come on.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29'Our first property will certainly deliver'
0:10:29 > 0:10:31all the character they're craving.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35It's a stone-built cottage that dates back some 300 years.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38So this is it.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42- It looks lovely. - Does, doesn't it?- It does, yes.
0:10:42 > 0:10:43Lovely from the outside.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Do you like the whole kind of country cottage feel?
0:10:46 > 0:10:49Yes, definitely, it's the sort of thing we're looking for.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51- Why don't we have a look? - Let's go and have a look.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54'It's a hit from the outside and, hopefully,'
0:10:54 > 0:10:58they'll take to the interior of this beautiful property just as easily.
0:11:00 > 0:11:02Come on in.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06There's beams!
0:11:06 > 0:11:08- LAUGHTER - It does have beams.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11You're in the 300-year-old part of the property.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13This is your living space.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16- A multi-fuel burner behind you.- Yes. Yes.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19I like the older beams across the doorways.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22I'm not too sure about the beams across the ceiling.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24You could change that pretty easily.
0:11:24 > 0:11:26There are other rooms that might sway you.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29Unfortunately, the cat doesn't come with the property,
0:11:29 > 0:11:31but let's have a look at the kitchen.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33'On one side of the sitting room is a dining room'
0:11:33 > 0:11:36with more of those lovely ceiling beams.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38I'll show them the kitchen next,
0:11:38 > 0:11:41which, hopefully, will have them feeling like the cat that's got the cream.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50- Again, very clean lines.- Yes.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Ceiling's a little low.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55But, yeah.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58- It is quite low.- You've got underfloor heating here.- Oh, right.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01- A lovely stone floor.- It is, yeah. - It's done beautifully.
0:12:01 > 0:12:06You've got oak surfaces, a Belfast sink. Size wise?
0:12:06 > 0:12:10Um, it is quite small. You couldn't really fit a table in the middle of it.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14I think with the dining room where it is, it's... It's OK.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19Also, through that door, you've got a good-sized utility room. Same units, same floor.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23And a separate door, which is leading out to the garden,
0:12:23 > 0:12:27so, if you bring in the dogs after a walk, you don't have to use the front door.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29Especially with that cream carpet.
0:12:29 > 0:12:34You've a downstairs loo, also, with the washing machine, dryer.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Does it mean you wanted more space
0:12:36 > 0:12:40than we are showing you at the moment downstairs?
0:12:40 > 0:12:41I would.
0:12:41 > 0:12:46I think so, yeah. You know, just on the initial look.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49- You also want character. - I know.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51And the two sometimes don't go hand in hand.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54Very often don't go hand in hand. That's the problem.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58'So it's character versus space in this property, it seems.'
0:12:58 > 0:13:01Now I'm going to show them what this cottage has to offer upstairs,
0:13:01 > 0:13:06where there are two good-sized double rooms for guests, both immaculately finished.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09And a very stylish family bathroom, which comes with corner shower.
0:13:09 > 0:13:14'But it's time to see where John and Penny could be sleeping.'
0:13:14 > 0:13:17And, currently, this is the master bedroom.
0:13:17 > 0:13:22- It's quite small, actually, isn't it? - It is on the smallish side.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25- We are used to a very big bedroom with a dressing area.- Yeah.
0:13:25 > 0:13:29So it would be quite a shock coming to something...
0:13:29 > 0:13:32- A shock or a change. - It would be a big change.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34You weren't that bothered about upstairs, were you?
0:13:34 > 0:13:38You wanted the downstairs space. I'm trying to convince you here.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42Yes I am. Am I doing a very good job of it? No, I'm not!
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Shall I give up now? Yes, I think I will!
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Let's go outside, even if it's raining.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50You lead the way, go on.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52'Ever get the feeling you've lost the plot?'
0:13:52 > 0:13:55Luckily, we're heading outside to view the garden, which is terraced
0:13:55 > 0:13:59and walled with a paved courtyard, so it's certainly very manageable.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03But the hidden bonus is a home office with power and telephone point,
0:14:03 > 0:14:05which sits at the bottom of the garden.
0:14:11 > 0:14:16So it's not the largest of gardens, but manageable, I think they say.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20- Yes.- What do you reckon it's on the market for?
0:14:20 > 0:14:23- Hm. 290,000?- OK. How about you?
0:14:23 > 0:14:26I was thinking somewhere close to that at 285.
0:14:26 > 0:14:32- Currently, it's on the market for £299,950.- Right.- Yeah.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35So it's top end of the budget. You'd have 50 quid to spend!
0:14:35 > 0:14:40More or less what I'd have expected, I think, for the property.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44You have a look around. See if you can make the downstairs work for you
0:14:44 > 0:14:46and I'll wait for you outside in the rain.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49I'm all heart! See you in a bit.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55At £50 short of their top budget of £300,000,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58this charming property offers all the character they're after,
0:14:58 > 0:15:00along with...
0:15:09 > 0:15:13It was very good to find the office out in the garden.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18That would be very useful, either for John to work in or for me to see customers.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21The house, it has the period charm we're after.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25The main part is 300 years. That's old, that's good,
0:15:25 > 0:15:28getting away from what we've lived in the past.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30This is around about right and it feels good.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36- Seen enough?- Yes, I think so. - Come on, let's get in the car.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53The West Somerset coastline offers some of the most breathtaking landscapes in Britain,
0:15:53 > 0:15:57as Exmoor gives way to the scattering of historic villages that hug its cliffs.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01Lying on the West coastal path, the village of Porlock may be a haven
0:16:01 > 0:16:05for the leisure boats and fishing vessels today,
0:16:05 > 0:16:09but historically, it was a seaport, used to transport local timber to South Wales.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Any visit to Porlock by road is certainly memorable,
0:16:12 > 0:16:14thanks to the incredibly steep hill.
0:16:14 > 0:16:16With a gradient of one in four,
0:16:16 > 0:16:19early motor cars found it completely impassable.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22In the late 1920s, however, during reliability tests,
0:16:22 > 0:16:25a car finally made a record number of ascents up the hill
0:16:25 > 0:16:29and was consequently named the Singer Porlock.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34This part of Porlock's motoring heritage has been preserved at the Doverhay Garage.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37With a collection of 24 vintage vehicles,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40it will rev the engines of car enthusiasts John and Penny.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42We set them to meet owner Stephen Johns,
0:16:42 > 0:16:48who offered them a chance to get up close to Porlock's unique motoring heritage.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50How did you start this collection?
0:16:50 > 0:16:55Well, it's a long tale, but for 45 years I was a pyjama manufacturer,
0:16:55 > 0:17:00till I got more sense and decided to sell my business up in Yorkshire.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04And, well, we escaped to the country and came down here.
0:17:04 > 0:17:06But I'd always been interested in collecting.
0:17:06 > 0:17:10I had a very large scale collection at one stage.
0:17:10 > 0:17:16Always cars, gradually got more and more and here it is.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20The first car I bought was a lovely little butcher's van
0:17:20 > 0:17:22And it's a super little thing. I was going to repaint it.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26It came from Theydon Bois and has the butcher's name on.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28It was so beautifully painted I thought, "No,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30"I'm going to leave it as it is."
0:17:30 > 0:17:36Stephen has around 3,500 visitors viewing his collection every year
0:17:36 > 0:17:38and he's helped with the day-to-day running of the garage
0:17:38 > 0:17:44with five volunteers, who share his motoring enthusiasm, just like John.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46I hear you've got a passion for hill climbing,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48- a member of the Bugatti Owners' Club?- Yes.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52I do enjoy hill climbing. I noticed you got a Type 40 behind us.
0:17:52 > 0:17:56Rather a nice Bugatti here. I think you'd like to take that up the hill.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58I've got a little vehicle up at the top,
0:17:58 > 0:18:01which has got a bit of hill-climbing history,
0:18:01 > 0:18:03- so shall we go and have a look at it?- OK.
0:18:03 > 0:18:08Stephen's record-setting model of the Singer Porlock sports car
0:18:08 > 0:18:11is one of around half a dozen left in the world.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15In 1928,
0:18:15 > 0:18:19two mad guys decided they'd try and take this model up Porlock Hill,
0:18:19 > 0:18:23which is a quarter of a mile down the road,
0:18:23 > 0:18:27100 times in the day, which they did successfully.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30But I actually bought it about six years ago.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32They're quite a rare car
0:18:32 > 0:18:36and I'm so delighted to have brought it back home to Porlock,
0:18:36 > 0:18:39where it belongs.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42The car that Stephen actually takes out on the road most regularly
0:18:42 > 0:18:47is an eight-horsepower Wolseley, a British car dating back to 1904.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50As there is only room for one passenger,
0:18:50 > 0:18:52John's the lucky one taking a spin.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55There's just one thing, John, before we go,
0:18:55 > 0:18:57you've got to look the part, there's the hat.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00- Thanks very much.- Pleasure.
0:19:00 > 0:19:01OK.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20It was through this countryside that the poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge
0:19:20 > 0:19:23used to walk from his home at Nether Stowey
0:19:23 > 0:19:27and there's now a 36-mile footpath called the Coleridge Way.
0:19:37 > 0:19:41With this classic road trip fulfilling one dream for John,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43it's time to shift up a gear as we head back
0:19:43 > 0:19:47to our search for the perfect property for him and Penny.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54For our second house, we've journeyed across the border into Devon
0:19:54 > 0:19:56and the beautiful village of Clyst Hydon,
0:19:56 > 0:20:00which is situated in countryside a couple of miles from the M5,
0:20:00 > 0:20:04and a mere 35 minutes' drive from Penny's parents in Exeter.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07This friendly community has all sorts of events taking place
0:20:07 > 0:20:11at the village hall, from keep fit to flower arranging.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13It also has its own swimming pool and cricket club.
0:20:13 > 0:20:19If you fancy some pub grub, you can head to the 16th-century thatched inn.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21You certainly wouldn't know it to look at it,
0:20:21 > 0:20:26but just like our previous house, property two is around 300 years old.
0:20:26 > 0:20:27But, as our buyers will see,
0:20:27 > 0:20:31'the old part blends in well with the modern extension.'
0:20:31 > 0:20:34Come on in. What do you think?
0:20:34 > 0:20:39- Yes, I like it, just looking at it straight away.- Do you?- I do, yes.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43Yes, it's not as pretty looking as the older stone cottage of the first house.
0:20:43 > 0:20:49- That's true.- I grant you that, but on first impressions, it's good.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53- Semi-detached, so...- Not a problem. - Not a problem.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57Cool, I like it when you say that. Shall we get in? Come on.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00'Not a bad reaction from the outside, I think.'
0:21:00 > 0:21:03But if John and Penny were hoping for a bit more character,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06this property has lovely touches.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09- Come on in.- Wow. - It's a very modern kitchen, isn't it?
0:21:09 > 0:21:15- It's a very modern kitchen. - I like this with all the modern look.
0:21:15 > 0:21:20I like the beams in here and the range cooker over there
0:21:20 > 0:21:23- with the beam across. - It's one you can socialise in.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26You know, you just move from here into the other part,
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- or just stay here. - A social kitchen.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33The kitchen also has a small adjoining utility room,
0:21:33 > 0:21:35which Penny will appreciate.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38And the dining room is the perfect place to entertain.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42You could say the same for our next reception room.
0:21:42 > 0:21:44So this is the, er...
0:21:44 > 0:21:49- This is the old bit of the house and this is the living room.- Wow.- Yes.
0:21:49 > 0:21:52- That's very good.- Yeah? - I like the beams in here.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54This is the most positive you have been so far,
0:21:54 > 0:21:55you know that, don't you?
0:21:55 > 0:21:58- You come into this room with gusto. Do you like it?- I do, I like this.
0:21:58 > 0:22:04It feels... I didn't know whether it is... Well, it's wider, isn't it?
0:22:04 > 0:22:07- It feels a bit bigger.- What about the functionality of the layout?
0:22:07 > 0:22:10I presume you wouldn't be able to run your business
0:22:10 > 0:22:13in the dining room, because it's open plan?
0:22:13 > 0:22:17Yes, I wouldn't be able to shut the dogs away in a separate room.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21Um, I suppose that could be changed by adding some doors.
0:22:21 > 0:22:26If you didn't want to do that, if you like the open-plan aspect of it,
0:22:26 > 0:22:31there is a garage, which is plastered with power points, the lot.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34You know, basically put a window and door in there
0:22:34 > 0:22:39- and you've got your own business away from the house.- Yes.- Yeah.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42'We've given them one option for a work-from-home study.'
0:22:42 > 0:22:46There's also another one upstairs, where there are two spare bedrooms.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49Both have a lot of light and high ceilings
0:22:49 > 0:22:51and those characteristic exposed timbers.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54So either could definitely have future office potential.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57There's also a very stylish, slate-tiled bathroom.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01We're going to take a look at where Penny and John could be resting their weary heads.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Currently, this is the master bedroom.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09This is smaller than I was expecting, after seeing the other two rooms.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13But, er, it's fine, it's light and it's got the, er...
0:23:13 > 0:23:15I suppose because we've got this vaulted ceiling,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18there isn't a lot of storage space.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21In two of the rooms you've got a bit of storage.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24I don't now how much stuff you'd need to store up there, anyway.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27We had a loft conversion done, anyway, so there's no attic.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30OK, well, that's the house.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33- And so far so good, I think. You quite like it?- I do.
0:23:33 > 0:23:37- I like it very much.- You like it very much? Oh, that's good.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39'I'm going to take Penny's reaction'
0:23:39 > 0:23:43and run with it as the garden offers plenty of wow factor, too.
0:23:43 > 0:23:47It's mostly laid out as decking, with seating overlooking a pond.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50There's also a large, brick barbecue.
0:23:50 > 0:23:55So this is very much a party place I would say, wouldn't you?
0:23:55 > 0:23:58- Yes, it is the decking, yeah. - What do you make of it?
0:23:58 > 0:24:00Come out of the house and...
0:24:00 > 0:24:03I'm not sure that I'd keep it all as a decked area.
0:24:03 > 0:24:06I like the decking. I like a bit of decking now and again.
0:24:06 > 0:24:10- I'm not too sure with quite so much. - Well, you've seen it all.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14You seem to be a lot more positive than you were about the first one.
0:24:14 > 0:24:19Yes, even though it's old, it's got the slightly more modern look to it
0:24:19 > 0:24:22and I much prefer the beams in this house.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25What do you reckon it's on the market for?
0:24:25 > 0:24:31- I think it's way over budget. I'll go with 325.- £325,000.
0:24:31 > 0:24:37- OK.- And I'd say even higher than that. 350.- £350,000.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42- It is currently on the market the £299,950.- That surprises me!
0:24:42 > 0:24:46- I'm surprised.- In a good way, obviously.- Very much so.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Has that changed something, and made you like it even more?
0:24:48 > 0:24:51There are definitely things we could do with it.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53- You'd put up with the decking? - PENNY LAUGHS
0:24:53 > 0:24:55She would now! Go and have a look at the property.
0:24:55 > 0:24:57Go and look at the garage, as well.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59And I'll come and find you.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01Or you come and find me, whichever's easier.
0:25:04 > 0:25:07At £50 shy of their top budget of £300,000,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11this gorgeous property offers everything they ask for and more.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15It has loads of character, with those great beams throughout.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18A large kitchen-diner with a range cooker.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20A small utility room, three bedrooms.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24A garage, which could be converted into an office or consulting room
0:25:24 > 0:25:27and a very manageable garden.
0:25:27 > 0:25:31This house is bordering on the edge of does it have enough character, doesn't it?
0:25:31 > 0:25:33Yeah, I think when you come inside, yes it does.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36It is that modern feel to it with plenty of character.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39The outside, perhaps not as much,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43but you can see that, yes, it is old,
0:25:43 > 0:25:47it's been extended, but it's something I could live with.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50I was very surprised that it was just under budget
0:25:50 > 0:25:54rather than over budget, especially in this area.
0:25:54 > 0:26:00Um, so it's definitely made it worth thinking about.
0:26:04 > 0:26:05LAUGHTER
0:26:05 > 0:26:08Hours I've been out here doing that(!)
0:26:08 > 0:26:13- That was 1,300,000... Who am I kidding? Seen enough?- Yep.- Yes.
0:26:13 > 0:26:15OK it's been a lot to take in, hasn't it?
0:26:15 > 0:26:18So I think we should just call it a day, go back and regroup
0:26:18 > 0:26:20- and we'll start again tomorrow. - Great.- OK.
0:26:27 > 0:26:32So as dusk falls over the stunning Somerset countryside,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35it marks the end of our first day of house hunting.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43After years living in a modern property in Gloucester,
0:26:43 > 0:26:47John and Penny are now hoping to trade up to a characterful home
0:26:47 > 0:26:49in the heart of the Somerset countryside,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52which offers them the potential to work from home
0:26:52 > 0:26:54and allows them to be closer to Penny's family.
0:26:54 > 0:26:59So far, they've had mixed reactions to a pretty stone cottage
0:26:59 > 0:27:02and been charmed by the period features in our second home.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06But, coming up, the mystery house really takes them by surprise.
0:27:06 > 0:27:09- It's different. Wasn't expecting this at all.- Good.
0:27:09 > 0:27:11'And I roll out the Somerset barrel to see what'
0:27:11 > 0:27:14they make here from the humble apple.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18And so begins a new day.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21We're in Somerset, helping John and Penny find their dream period property
0:27:21 > 0:27:24bursting with character and space,
0:27:24 > 0:27:26which, as we found out yesterday, is quite a tall order.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29The first house we showed them had bags of charm,
0:27:29 > 0:27:31but the size wasn't to Penny's liking.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Both of them seemed a lot more enamoured by the second, more modern house.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39So bring on the mystery property. It's modern living in the extreme.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43But will the open-plan aspect have them both joyfully parting with the pennies?
0:27:43 > 0:27:46Or will John and Penny be parting with us?
0:27:50 > 0:27:54- So we're off to the mystery property. Excited, nervous?- Yes.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57- Looking forward to it.- Really? What would you love it to be, Penny?
0:27:57 > 0:28:00To have the utility room of the first house,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03the sort of rooms of the second house we saw yesterday.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07- The terraced garden of the first house with the interior layout of the second house.- Right.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09- But... - THEY LAUGH
0:28:09 > 0:28:10You're not asking a lot, then(?)
0:28:13 > 0:28:16We've travelled around 12 miles north of Taunton
0:28:16 > 0:28:19to the village of Wembdon, which is just a couple of miles
0:28:19 > 0:28:23from the nearest junction of the M5 and a 55-minute drive to Exeter.
0:28:23 > 0:28:28Among the amenities are a local store with post office,
0:28:28 > 0:28:32an impressive church where you can also get coffee and a slice of cake,
0:28:32 > 0:28:33and there's also a pub with a B&B.
0:28:33 > 0:28:37The mystery house was once a dairy to the adjacent old farmhouse,
0:28:37 > 0:28:40which is also part of this development.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44As it's all on one level, this property combines plenty of downstairs space,
0:28:44 > 0:28:48which was high on their list, with the character features they've been longing for.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51- First impressions?- It's different.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54- I wasn't expecting this at all! - Good.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58It's quite interesting, yes, being a sort of farm complex.
0:28:58 > 0:29:03- Yes.- It's more rural.- It is. - It's more rural. Not overlooked at all.
0:29:03 > 0:29:06- Should we get in there? - Yes, come on.
0:29:06 > 0:29:10'It looks like John and Penny might need a bit more convincing.'
0:29:10 > 0:29:14Hopefully, the fusion of modern and character inside will do the trick.
0:29:16 > 0:29:20Let me bring you in to your living room.
0:29:21 > 0:29:25Ah. It's very modern, isn't it?
0:29:25 > 0:29:28That's a very open kitchen and living room.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30It is...all of those things.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33It is, all of those things, all at once.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36I can imagine this room being utterly fantastic in the summer,
0:29:36 > 0:29:38when you've got all these French windows open
0:29:38 > 0:29:40allowing the outside to come in.
0:29:40 > 0:29:41- Yes.- And straight out, as well.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45Can you see yourself living here, or is it just too open plan?
0:29:45 > 0:29:50I couldn't really see myself here just in the one room.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53It's a bit too open plan for me.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56'I'm hoping that Penny might give this huge room another chance
0:29:56 > 0:29:59'from another perspective. Let's try the kitchen end.'
0:29:59 > 0:30:02- Good oak surface.- Yeah, that's nice.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05- Double butler sink, as well. - Yes.- Yes.
0:30:05 > 0:30:10If you look at the room this way, take all the furniture out,
0:30:10 > 0:30:12maybe put a wood burner down there, focal point for the room,
0:30:12 > 0:30:15- it would make a great kitchen-dining room.- It would.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19When you look at it from this way, you can see that. Kitchen-diner would be great.
0:30:19 > 0:30:20'That's a better reaction.'
0:30:20 > 0:30:25Before I show them the rest of the space, I'm taking them to see the room they could be sleeping in.
0:30:32 > 0:30:37- So this is the master bedroom. - Oh! It's a nice size. - Very good size.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41- It's the largest we've shown you, I think.- It is.- This is very good.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43And one thing we haven't been able to show you
0:30:43 > 0:30:45in any of the other properties is an en suite.
0:30:45 > 0:30:51- Oh, right.- Right, has this got one? - No. Yes, it has. Teased ya!
0:30:51 > 0:30:55Yes, it has, go poke your head round.
0:30:55 > 0:31:00- Really nice shower.- Oh, yeah! - Very good.- Let's look at the other bedrooms
0:31:00 > 0:31:04and see what you decide to do with them. Come on.
0:31:05 > 0:31:09The other three bedrooms all share this modern bathroom
0:31:09 > 0:31:12and, just like the master, they all have those full-length windows
0:31:12 > 0:31:16and stylish stripped-oak floors, so offer a very adaptable space.
0:31:21 > 0:31:26- So this bedroom is slightly larger than the other two.- Right.
0:31:26 > 0:31:31I'm thinking whether one of the bedrooms could be used as a lounge, or a snug.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33- This could work as an office, as well.- Yes.
0:31:33 > 0:31:37It has access outside, so clients could come straight in.
0:31:37 > 0:31:41Yes, an office for you or for me.
0:31:41 > 0:31:43Are there more positives to this property than negatives?
0:31:43 > 0:31:47More positive are coming now than when we initially walked into that room and thought...
0:31:47 > 0:31:50- It couldn't get any worse, really, could it? - LAUGHTER
0:31:50 > 0:31:53This enormous space, you know, when we looked at it!
0:31:53 > 0:31:56You seem to be coming round to it a lot more.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59Definitely more now, after seeing the other rooms and possibilities
0:31:59 > 0:32:04- of using one as an office space, or for my clients. - It's ready made.- It is.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08'So the flexibility of the rooms here could just have saved the day.
0:32:08 > 0:32:13'It's time to head outside, and the grounds offer just what they asked for,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16'a pretty, no-fuss garden, which is big enough for the dogs.'
0:32:16 > 0:32:21This is a very pleasant courtyard. Let's talk about it, shall we?
0:32:21 > 0:32:25- What do you reckon it's on the market for? - I haven't really got any idea.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29But I'll have a guess at 310,000.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33- OK.- And I'm going to go on budget at 300,000, or very close to it.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38It's currently on the market for £299,500.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Almost the same again.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44- Yeah. All three have been pretty close. Yeah.- On budget.
0:32:44 > 0:32:49- What do you reckon?- I think, for that money, it's very good value. - Go back in.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53Really use your imagination to try and imagine both of you living in that space.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57- As usual, I'll wait for you at the front door.- Right.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04On the market at just £500 under their top budget,
0:33:04 > 0:33:09this traditional-meets-modern barn conversion offers them everything they asked for.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11It has...
0:33:13 > 0:33:18Four bedrooms, which allows them the option of using one a study and one as a consulting room
0:33:18 > 0:33:21and a manageable garden that's big enough for the dogs.
0:33:23 > 0:33:28When we walked it initially into this house, it was, wow,
0:33:28 > 0:33:30you know, what a big space.
0:33:30 > 0:33:34I think we'd have to use one of the bedrooms as a lounge
0:33:34 > 0:33:42rather than having everything into one big kitchen-lounge-dining area
0:33:42 > 0:33:44to make it work a bit better for us.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48One of the thing our criteria said is we don't mind going for a modern home,
0:33:48 > 0:33:53but it had to have a lot of character to compensate for that.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Does this one have enough? I'm not so sure.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58Listen, we've seen three very different operatives,
0:33:58 > 0:34:00almost identical in price.
0:34:00 > 0:34:05- Lots to talk about, so I think we should go somewhere nice to chew the cud.- OK.
0:34:15 > 0:34:21For centuries, man has farmed Somerset's fertile plains.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24It was these fields that yielded King Arthur's ancient kingdom of Avalon.
0:34:24 > 0:34:29The name Avalon derives from the old Welsh for "apples", so it should come as no surprise
0:34:29 > 0:34:34that even Somerset's coat of arms displays the popular fruits.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37Sadly, the traditional orchard has been on the decline for half a century,
0:34:37 > 0:34:42with 60% of them lost from Britain's landscape since the 1950s.
0:34:42 > 0:34:46There are now just three ancient cider orchards in the whole country.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48The owner of one of these is Somerset local Julian Temperley,
0:34:48 > 0:34:53who, 23 years ago, created the world's only apple-brandy farm.
0:34:53 > 0:34:58Earlier in the week, he agreed to tell me more about this unique process.
0:34:58 > 0:35:02Julian, thanks for showing me around this amazing orchard.
0:35:02 > 0:35:06Well, no, it's fine, it's a joy to share it, actually,
0:35:06 > 0:35:08even though it's a foul day.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11It's not that good. How long have these trees been here?
0:35:11 > 0:35:14These were planted about 30 years ago, by myself.
0:35:14 > 0:35:19But Kingsbury Episcopi is one of the what's called vintage areas of growing apples,
0:35:19 > 0:35:22where the terroir is right.
0:35:22 > 0:35:27The soil, the climate, come together to produce excellent quality fruit.
0:35:27 > 0:35:31It seems to me, with the blossom on the trees, I've come at the wrong time, haven't I?
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Yes, I'm afraid this is a truly wonderful time
0:35:33 > 0:35:35when all the blossom comes out.
0:35:35 > 0:35:40But it'd be about six months before that is turned into apples.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42But not all is lost.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45This is the time for what we distil, cider brandy,
0:35:45 > 0:35:47so we could go and have a taste that.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50Hoping you'd say that! Come on, lead the way.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54'A common tipple in British households in the 17th century,'
0:35:54 > 0:35:57the art of making cider brandy died out long ago.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00However, inspired by a demonstration he saw at a local cider museum,
0:36:00 > 0:36:04Julian set his mind to reviving the drink
0:36:04 > 0:36:07'and commercially produce it.'
0:36:07 > 0:36:10- What an amazing piece of machinery. - This is a still.
0:36:10 > 0:36:15In the autumn, we press the apples, we ferment the apples,
0:36:15 > 0:36:19and, after four months, when they're fully fermented, they come into here
0:36:19 > 0:36:25and this turns the 7% cider into a 70% spirit.
0:36:25 > 0:36:29So out of the still comes an eau de vie -
0:36:29 > 0:36:33- water of life to you.- Right. - Have a taste of this.- OK, cheers.
0:36:37 > 0:36:41- Wow. It's amazing.- It's lovely, isn't it?- Yeah, really good.
0:36:41 > 0:36:45It's the essence of apple, although brandy needs to be fatter and richer
0:36:45 > 0:36:49and that all happens over time, but this is the raw material.
0:36:49 > 0:36:54'The next stage for the eau de vie is to be put into barrels to age
0:36:54 > 0:36:58and mature it into cider brandy, a process that can take up to 20 years.
0:36:58 > 0:37:00Master blender Tim Edwards told me more.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03Julian said I'd find you here. Good to meet you.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06- He also told me to bring a couple of glasses.- Excellent.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10I've never seen so many barrels. They have different numbers. Tell me what you've got here.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14These ones are from Spain. They come from sherry in Spain.
0:37:14 > 0:37:17Whatever's been in the barrel before, I presume,
0:37:17 > 0:37:19- impacts on what you put in them afterwards.- Yes.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Sherry wood, they are fresh out of the bodegas,
0:37:22 > 0:37:25so the wood is infused with sherry.
0:37:25 > 0:37:29This is quite an old... This is an old sherry butt.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33The spirit inside is from the year 2000, so it's 12 years old.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36What would you expect that to taste like now?
0:37:36 > 0:37:38It's going to be rich and full-bodied
0:37:38 > 0:37:42and deep and almost Christmas puddingy.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44You can almost smell that in the atmosphere here.
0:37:44 > 0:37:48- Yes, that's what we call the angels' share.- The angels' share?
0:37:48 > 0:37:50The angels' share.
0:37:50 > 0:37:55What's happening here is we're losing alcohol at quite a ferocious rate,
0:37:55 > 0:37:59so the whole atmosphere is full of alcoholic fumes
0:37:59 > 0:38:03- which go, of course, to the angels. - Lucky things!- Yeah. Quite.
0:38:04 > 0:38:09And lucky me, because I'm going to get to taste the 12-year-old vintage brandy right now.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20- So it's rich and it's.- Wah!
0:38:20 > 0:38:24- Much richer than the... - Than the eau de vie.- And how.
0:38:24 > 0:38:29'This farm is now one of a select few, just like the vineyards of Champagne,'
0:38:29 > 0:38:32to have a product granted protected geographic status,
0:38:32 > 0:38:35which means this county is the only place in the world
0:38:35 > 0:38:37that can produce cider brandy.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39So its heritage on Somerset soil is assured.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43That place is brandy heaven, isn't it?
0:38:43 > 0:38:46I bet the angels above that farm are constantly light-headed!
0:38:46 > 0:38:49Time now to find out whether John and Penny are giddy
0:38:49 > 0:38:51about any of the properties we've shown them.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58- It's been a good few days. hasn't it?- Yes.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00Let's talk about all three properties.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03Unbelievably, they were close in valuation, weren't they,
0:39:03 > 0:39:06- but totally different in character and feel.- Yes.
0:39:06 > 0:39:10- Let's start with the first one. - From the outside, the look of it...
0:39:10 > 0:39:13- It did look very pretty. - I was that country cottage look, wasn't it?
0:39:13 > 0:39:17- The rose bush outside?- Yes, it was.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19So what went wrong when you stepped inside?
0:39:19 > 0:39:22It seemed a little bit claustrophobic,
0:39:22 > 0:39:26the room seemed a little bit too small for us.
0:39:26 > 0:39:31I felt that first moment of walking in, it didn't match the outside.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35I did like the kitchen with the utility room, as well.
0:39:35 > 0:39:37When you walked into the kitchen you weren't too keen
0:39:37 > 0:39:41but the minute you saw the utility, you thought it's not that bad.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44That would be very good, actually, for us, with the dogs coming in.
0:39:44 > 0:39:49If it had been a foot and a half wider, that would have made all the difference.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53If the first property didn't afford you that space you were after,
0:39:53 > 0:39:56the second property most definitely did.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58It did. When we saw it from the outside,
0:39:58 > 0:40:02it looks quite as pretty and cottagey as the first one,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05but, on the inside, it was very good.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09I think, obviously, we keep coming back to the dogs,
0:40:09 > 0:40:14but whilst it was open plan - and the way they did it was very good -
0:40:14 > 0:40:18but you couldn't tell it was open plan just by standing in the kitchen.
0:40:18 > 0:40:23The problem for us, at the moment, is how do you shut off parts of it?
0:40:23 > 0:40:27We would have to, we couldn't leave it open plan, because of the dogs.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30There's no separate utility room or anywhere to come in.
0:40:30 > 0:40:34Do you create more of an entrance hall by putting up another wall
0:40:34 > 0:40:36between the front door and where the kitchen is,
0:40:36 > 0:40:38because that would create a large entrance area?
0:40:38 > 0:40:42- There's different possibilities. - Different possibilities with that one.
0:40:42 > 0:40:43It was one that would interest us
0:40:43 > 0:40:47- but we need to go back and have a look at it.- Definitely think about that one.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50OK. Well, the first one had lots of character,
0:40:50 > 0:40:53the second one was slightly more modern.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57The third one, well, we really pushed the boat out and I think it was too modern for you.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00You didn't even want to step into that living room.
0:41:00 > 0:41:05- You're not a big fan of open plan? - Not completely open plan, no.
0:41:05 > 0:41:10I've never really thought of looking anywhere that has been completely open plan.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12You seemed to like it after a while?
0:41:12 > 0:41:15Not at first. I thought, "What have we got here?"
0:41:15 > 0:41:17It was a bit of a shock walking straight in
0:41:17 > 0:41:21and it was so open and so bright.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24There wasn't a bit of privacy in that bit.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28- It had more rooms than all the other properties we've shown you.- Yes.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32Obviously, it probably had more floor space.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34But that four-legged word.
0:41:34 > 0:41:38The D-O-Gs come into it again. Dare we mention them any more?
0:41:38 > 0:41:43That was a problem, because there was no area
0:41:43 > 0:41:47where you could just wash them off or dump them in the house.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49- They'd be in the kitchen.- Yes.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51It would.... Yeah.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55Can you imagine yourself living in that one?
0:41:55 > 0:41:56Not that one in particular.
0:41:56 > 0:41:58I think, after a while, you'd get used to it.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03I think the location is probably... It's not quite the right location for us.
0:42:03 > 0:42:08Well, I hope you do find your lovely period property
0:42:08 > 0:42:10with lots of character, lots of space, of course,
0:42:10 > 0:42:15and a separate door for the dog and a couple of separate offices.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17And, er, you could be looking a long time!
0:42:17 > 0:42:19But, honestly, it has been a joy meeting you
0:42:19 > 0:42:22and I really do wish you all the best in the future.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25- It's been very interesting, thank you very much.- It's a pleasure.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27Now I'll race you on the cakes. Let's go!
0:42:32 > 0:42:35We set out looking to inspire John and Penny with a little country charm.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38All the properties we showed them had bags of character,
0:42:38 > 0:42:41maybe not the character that they were really after.
0:42:41 > 0:42:46John did say that Penny was the boss and she has a definite idea in her head of what she wants in a house.
0:42:46 > 0:42:49I don't think we realised that vision.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51To be honest with you, I'm not 100% sure what it is.
0:42:51 > 0:42:52One thing is for certain,
0:42:52 > 0:42:55we helped them clarify what they don't want in their new home
0:42:55 > 0:42:59and that's open-plan living. So, in a way we've helped, haven't we?
0:42:59 > 0:43:00I wish them well in their search.
0:43:00 > 0:43:04I'll see you next time on Escape To The Country.
0:43:04 > 0:43:06If you'd like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales,
0:43:06 > 0:43:09Northern Ireland or England, and need our help,
0:43:09 > 0:43:13please apply online....
0:43:35 > 0:43:38Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd