Shropshire Escape to the Country

This 8-metre-high wall is one of the largest examples of Roman masonry still standing in Britain,

2,000 years after it was built.

Find out where this ancient architecture is

in just a few moments time.

On today's show, I'm with a jet-setting couple

who've spent their entire married life travelling,

but now want to put down some roots in the English countryside.

As outdoor lovers, they get very excited by one garden.

Let's rock and roll!

And there's twice what they bargained for at the mystery house.

So, how do you feel about potentially owning two houses,

-not one?

-Excellent.

A bit scared, actually!

Today, I'm in Shropshire in Wroxeter,

which, in the 2nd century, was the fourth-largest city in Britain.

Viroconium, as it was known by the Romans,

grew into a thriving metropolis

with a population of over 5,000 people.

Known as the "Old Work",

this magnificent wall divided the municipal baths by the exercise hall

in the heart of the city,

and when this site was excavated back in 1859,

it enthralled visitors, including Charles Dickens.

Indeed, there are many things in this historic county

worth writing home about.

One of England's largest and least populated counties,

Shropshire spans from its winding border with Wales in the west,

over to the extreme fringes of the Black Country in the east,

with Herefordshire to the south.

The River Severn flows through the county town of Shrewsbury,

whose historic centre features a large number of half-timbered buildings.

Ludlow, further to the south,

has the edge when it comes to stunning Tudor and Jacobean architecture

and is home to over 500 listed buildings.

The medieval Ludlow Castle provides a dramatic centrepiece to the town,

which is home to the renowned arts festival, held every summer.

Its past wealth from the wool trade

is reflected in the grade I listed Church of St Laurence,

which dates back to the 15th century.

The undulating south of the county includes the Long Mynd,

meaning "long mountain",

a heathland plateau set in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Shropshire's beautiful countryside comes with an affordable price tag.

An average detached property here is £241,000.

That's some £13,000 below the national figure.

However, in the south-east of the county,

popular towns like Ludlow and Bridgnorth tend to be rather expensive,

whilst properties in the northwest can offer better value for money.

But whatever your budget,

Shropshire is packed with a great range of different architectural styles.

Perhaps the most popular property style in Shropshire

is the traditional timber-framed house.

The streets of Ludlow and Much Wenlock

are lined with fine examples of these oak-framed properties.

This three-bedroom grade II listed cottage in Old Ludlow

is on the market for just shy of £280,000.

A common building material is Wenlock Limestone

from the South Shropshire Hills.

This pale grey stone stamps its character most firmly on the town of Much Wenlock,

where it's used in civil buildings, churches

and, of course, the local housing stock.

This two-bedroom 18th-century cottage

is priced at just under £155,000.

There are some beautiful architectural styles in Shropshire,

but will any of them meet our buyers' expectations?

Let's find out.

Retired accountant Reg and his wife Jules, who works in IT,

met in Australia and have been married for 23 years.

After a jet-set lifestyle, travelling between Sydney and their London flat,

they're ready for the slower pace of the countryside.

My lifestyle has been very much

international travel on a weekly basis

and very much avoiding the English winter,

but as Reg says, "You'll have to get used to it because you'll be moving to the country."

I've come back to help him look for a property for us,

for both of us.

Over the past two years, while Jules has been working,

Reg has been searching for the right property.

After looking at around 100 houses in various counties,

they've decided that the area around Ludlow in Shropshire would be the best fit.

-We are looking for a community feel.

-Yes.

-Some of the places that we have seen around that area has offered us that.

-Very much.

You know, knitting circles, art and walking.

-Walking's pretty big in our lifestyle.

-Yes.

We'll drive out of town and do an all-day walk,

ideally with a pub lunch in the middle, which helps a little bit!

And then a few more miles after that to walk off the odd pint or two!

And as well as putting on their hiking boots,

they have lots of creative pastimes lined up for their new life in the country.

The last few years I've been getting into painting.

And then, of course, in downtime, I always like to be busy doing something,

so I got very much into the knitting, knitting being a bit of a craze.

I've taken up landscape designing and I'm wanting to elaborate on that.

But I need space, and so I think what we're looking for -

and because Reg won't let me paint inside -

we're looking for outbuildings

that I actually be outside with my crafts.

I'm also looking for a workshop, as well,

where I can make odd little bits and pieces of furniture.

Just as a hobby, not as a commercial enterprise.

They can move quickly, as the necessary finances are in place for the move.

The budget for our move is £370,000.

Jules and Reg have focused their search on the southern part of Shropshire

and have a special interest in the area around the market town of Ludlow.

We met in the county so they could tell me what they hoped to find in their dream home.

Reg and Jules, great to meet you.

Welcome to, I'm going to say it, a very soggy Shropshire

but a beautiful county. Why have you decided to live here?

I think Shropshire is very attractive to us

from the point of view that we think we can get what we want here for our budget,

so we believe it's good value for money.

-Are you done with city life now?

-I've never enjoyed living in the city.

-Have you not?

I'm a country boy at heart.

And I'm a city girl, so this is a new experience for me!

-But looking forward to it?

-I am, actually! I think it's going to give that real contrast,

so Reg is going to take me off to the countryside and we're going to go for it.

Now you've decided to settle here,

what type of house are you ideally looking for?

Three bedrooms, a large garden, a garage workshop,

maybe somewhere we can have a studio for Jules,

and a kitchen which you can spread yourself around a little bit.

I know it's a cliche - the heart of the home - but it is, isn't it?

Remind me of your budget.

We're looking at 370.

For 370, we can maybe personalise the place somewhat.

For the right property, which is a move-into,

we could go a little higher, maybe another £20,000,

-maybe as high as 400,000.

-OK.

-But that would be the absolute max.

So there is some flexibility there

but, ideally, you'd like to stick to the 370.

We do have three fantastic properties lined up for you to see.

One, of course, is our mystery house.

I hate to say it, but it looks like it might've stopped raining.

-Shall we get started?

-Let's go.

-Good.

For their top budget of £400,000,

our buyers are looking for a period-style property

with a large, sociable kitchen, three bedrooms,

a craft room for Jules's knitting,

along with outbuildings for her painting and Reg's furniture-making

and up to an acre of land, if possible.

We've lined up three properties which we hope will fit the bill.

At each one, I'll be asking them to guess the price before I reveal it.

The last, of course, is our mystery house, which could split them right down the middle.

But now, it's time to get our search under way.

For our first property, we're just eight miles northwest of Ludlow,

close to the village of Craven Arms.

Known as the Gateway to the Marches,

it was once an important frontier trading post between England and Wales.

It offers all the amenities they could ask for,

including a local pub, a post office and a variety of useful independent shops.

Our first property sits in a quiet location, a mile outside the village,

and was originally a gamekeeper's cottage,

built in the 1890s to serve a local estate.

So we've brought you to South Shropshire,

Craven Arms is just up the road,

-and this is your first property.

-Mm.

-A good start?

-Yes. Looking good.

I like the area. The woodland's fantastic because, I mean,

-the wildlife that we can take advantage of, or walking...

-Yes.

-You're surrounded by walks around here.

-Exactly.

-Shall we start the tour?

-Yes, please!

The exterior has the period kerb appeal they wanted

and, as they'll see, that Victorian feel is still very evident inside.

So come on through.

-Right!

-You've got a small porch there.

-Yes.

The family never use the front door,

but I wanted you to come straight through and see the dining room.

Good proportions, isn't it?

-I like the ceilings.

-Nice height, isn't it?

-But it's got a really cottagey sort of feel to it.

-Yes.

You get loads of light. You've got an amazing view over the field.

You've got the Victorian fireplace. That's an original.

Through the door, to the right, there's another room in there,

a slightly smaller drawing room which they currently use as their TV room.

-But we'll continue this way into the kitchen.

-Brilliant.

A promising start with the reception rooms,

but I'm hoping they'll also warm to the kitchen.

-Now, you wanted a kitchen that was big enough for the two of you.

-Yes, definitely.

Something we can put a table in.

-Well, there's one here now with benches.

-Great.

I think this is nice for daytime eating and for just the two of us,

but we do like the idea of more formal dining.

I'd envisaged something a little larger for the kitchen,

-but I could live with it.

-Yes.

And what about the range? Have you cooked on a range before?

No, I actually haven't. But, of course, in Oz

-we're used to having the wood-burning ones.

-Yes.

Brilliant baking. What's nice is, it's got that country feel in the kitchen

so it sticks with the period of the home.

The character charm downstairs seems to be holding their interest.

Let's see if upstairs can impress.

There are four bedrooms in total.

The guest double has a lovely feature fireplace,

and there are also two singles

so one could be put to use as a craft room for Jules.

All the rooms share a modern family bathroom.

But we're heading for where they could sleep.

-I would call this the master bedroom.

-Mm-hm.

Not the largest, I think next door is larger than this,

but I think they've picked it because of the aspect.

-Having two windows is a good idea.

-Gives plenty of light.

What about the feel for this property? You like this room, you like the aspect.

You're being very polite about the house. I haven't had any negatives.

As far as proportions-wise, it's good.

-We might like a bit larger, but we'll have another look.

-OK.

Let's head back downstairs. Reg, lead the way

-and we're going to go outside.

-OK. Thank you.

It seems the jury's still out on this lovely cottage.

Maybe the outside space and setting will convince them.

The total plot size is a third of an acre

and includes a large lawned area, a thriving vegetable patch

as well as a decent-sized work shed which they could use for their hobbies.

Is this enough land for you, do you think?

Er... Possibly.

I would certainly want to reconfigure quite a bit of it, I think.

So, how much is this house worth? What's it on the market for?

I think it could be in the range of...

..about 345.

OK. Reg?

I think probably nearer 360.

I think your wife's got a new job as an estate agent because you're absolutely right!

£345,000.

-OK.

-You sound surprised now I've said that!

Yes. No. Interesting.

Have another wander around, check out all those bedrooms,

then check out the land, the vegetable patch,

the all-important shed,

-and I'll catch up with you in a little while.

-Good. Thank you.

-Off you go.

So a good start. Polite, but not overly enthusiastic.

But it is only house number one.

Comfortably under budget at £345,000,

there's a substantial pot of money left over

for them to add their own personal mark to this period property.

On paper, it meets the brief, giving them a spacious kitchen,

a separate formal dining room,

four bedrooms - so space for Jules's craft room -

and an outbuilding for Reg, all sitting on a third of an acre.

The first impressions are good.

I probably would've liked maybe some outbuildings

and maybe a bit more land perhaps,

but the essentials are here.

My first impression was "good solid house"

and coming into it, it didn't disappoint.

Maybe one of the things against this property

would be its actual location.

This may be a little too isolated

to allow you to easily integrate into the local community.

-Happy? Have you seen enough?

-Yes, seen it.

-Checked out the vegetable patch?

-Have done, yes.

-Checked out the shed?

-Yes.

-The all-important shed.

-Yes.

-Good. OK. Let's go.

-OK.

Due to its position on the border with Wales,

Shropshire's history is one of turbulent territorial clashes,

which can be charted by the huge number of fortified castles

still in existence today.

A prime example is the medieval town of Bishop's Castle,

where the remains of its walls still survive.

This historic market town is also home to a tradition

that's been here since the mid-17th century -

brewing real ale and beer.

As Jules and Reg enjoy a long walk, topped off with a local pint,

we arranged for them to meet head brewer Steve Wilmer,

whose brewery has a unique claim to fame.

-Good morning!

-Hello.

-I'm Steve.

This is the oldest brewery in the United Kingdom.

It was licensed in 1642 by Charles I.

There was a new tower built, a Victorian tower, in 1880,

-but the black-and-white part is medieval.

-Wow!

Built before the advent of electric pumps,

this grade II listed building is a tower brewery

which is gravity-fed.

This means that ingredients such as malt and water

are fed in at the top of the tower

and are processed downwards by gravity.

We're at the top of the tower. This is where the malt is.

The malt is what we use for making beer.

Different beers have different malts in them,

so something like a stout would be a really roasted malt.

-If you smell it, it's almost like chocolate.

-It is, actually! It even looks like chocolate.

And then the lighter beers

will be made with one that's only very lightly roasted.

What happens next is, they go down this chute,

gravity takes them to the next process, which is the mash tun,

in which we mix them with water.

It's like a big porridge. They sit in there for a couple of hours

and all of the flavour of the different barleys comes out.

The next stage is adding the hops, which are used to give the beers its bitterness.

The mixture is then boiled for a couple of hours before the fermentation process,

when the yeast is added.

What you end up with is a barley-flavoured water,

with yeast that's turned to alcohol, which is, in effect, beer.

-And then from that process, you put it straight into the barrels?

-Yes.

It only stays in the barrels a little while before we send it out.

It does carry on fermenting in the barrels a little bit

and then it goes out to the various pubs or outlets

where they serve it.

So now Reg and Jules have seen how it's made,

they get to sample the finished product.

-If you want to have a try...

-I'm going to try this one.

The stout. It's quite nice, the stout.

Mm. It is quite nice, actually.

-That one, I do like.

-That's a bit more malty.

Do you have different types of hops?

We use six or seven different types of hops.

But most of the hops we use, apart from maybe one or two brews,

the majority are English hops from just down the road.

-I appreciate that.

-You're welcome.

-It's been a pleasure.

ALL: Cheers.

After a taste of Shropshire's hop heritage,

it's time to see what's brewing

in our search for Jules and Reg's new country home.

We've made the journey close to the village of Bedstone,

by the borders with Wales and Herefordshire

and 13 miles west of Ludlow.

Set within the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,

it's perfect walking country

and around five miles from the pretty village of Leintwardine,

whose amenities include a pub and a post office.

Our second house lies at the bottom of a valley with its own stream,

and, like our first property, was once a gamekeeper's residence.

So this is our second property,

a beautiful 1860s cottage.

-It looks really sweet, actually.

-Doesn't it?

It looks really, really nice.

-It gives a real feeling of time, doesn't it?

-Yes.

-This is what you're after, isn't it?

-Actually, yes.

-Intrigued? Want to go in?

-Very much.

-Yes, please!

I think so.

The outside of this beautiful cottage

encapsulates the countryside dream.

And they should be equally impressed when they see the interior.

At least it's lovely and dry and warm in here.

-Come on through.

-OK.

So you're straight into the kitchen.

-Yes, nice.

-Nice feel. Nice layout.

-Very cottagey, isn't it?

-Mm.

The kitchen, like a lot of the house,

has been done very, very recently.

You've got new units, everything, double sink...

You have your range.

-Oh, yes, yes.

-That's right.

-Lovely style.

-Yes?

-Nice style.

They've blended the modern in with the old quite well, I think.

So you can just see a doorway through there.

There's a huge utility room down the side of the property,

-as well as a downstairs shower room and toilet.

-That's a good idea.

As well as character, this cottage also delivers on space,

as they'll see in the living room.

Mm. Lovely.

-I like this.

-It has a contemporary feel.

-Very nice.

-It's got a warm feel to it.

I noticed the fireplace there.

-A very contemporary woodburner.

-That looks good, actually.

It apparently gives out plenty of heat in the winter.

And if you look to the right, you can see the old bread oven.

-Oh, right! Does it still work?

-Probably not.

-I've just got into bread-making.

-Have you?

-It's a lovely feature. OK. Let's head upstairs.

-Thank you.

That sympathetic mix of character and contemporary continues upstairs.

While there are just two bedrooms here,

they're both a very good size

and they share a stylish panelled family bathroom.

I'm going to show them the master.

I really love it up here.

When I think "cottage", this is what I have in mind.

Yes, I can understand that.

-It is quite sweet, isn't it?

-Mm. Yes.

-It's got a little bit more of the old world about it, but it works.

-Charm to it...

Look at the lattice windows. They've taken out the side panels and put in glass.

-That makes all the difference.

-Yes.

-Do you like what you've seen so far?

-Yes.

Downstairs is really good. I like the utility area.

It's really extended the kitchen area and been nicely done,

so this just sort of complements it.

Although upstairs doesn't give Jules scope for her craft room,

outside has lots of potential

as there's a separate studio, currently being used as an office,

which comes with plenty of storage space

that would suit Reg's furniture-making ambitions.

All told, the land comes in at 0.8 of an acre,

complete with greenhouses and a vegetable patch.

Ooh! NICKI LAUGHS

Let's rock and roll!

It's what lies at the top of the garden that's really going to sell this property to them.

It's well worth the climb.

Inside this cabin, there's enough space

for all the arts and crafts Jules could want.

And this outbuilding has a mezzanine bedroom, too.

-Step inside...

-Oh, my goodness!

..this amazing little lodge.

-Oh, it is, isn't it?

-Oh!

-I could live here.

-THEY LAUGH

-Do you like?

-What's not to like? It's brilliant.

-This would make a great studio.

-That's what we had in mind for you.

I wasn't expecting that. Like, you would have the cottage,

but then to have this little outhouse, as such,

-it's so unusual to find that.

-It is.

But from a studio perspective - brilliant.

So we pretty much delivered the elements they were after

and it seems to fit the vision of their country home.

Before I ask you the price, I've got to ask Jules,

you wanted a slice of country living,

is this the magazine ideal as you open the pages?

It is for us. It's sort of very, erm,

very Beatrix Potter sort of feel to it!

It is quite exciting in a way.

-Fairy tale-ish?

-Very much!

I'm just looking for the toadstools and the little fairy mushrooms and things!

That all sounds very good.

OK, decision times... Money!

Who wants to guess the price first?

Seeing as I lucked out badly last time,

-I'm going to stick with my 360.

-OK.

Erm, I say round about that. I'd probably say 365.

Right. It has recently come down, actually.

It was on the market for 399,000.

It's been reduced to 385.

-Wow.

-Why don't you go back down the hill and I'll see you when you're ready.

-Thank you.

-Off you go.

-Thank you.

Priced within budget at £385,000

this immaculate country cottage needs no work

and meets their criteria in so many ways.

It has a bright, spacious kitchen, a living room with woodburner,

two bedrooms, with a third in the log cabin,

and the two outbuildings give them both space for their creative pursuits.

My first impression of this house was just absolutely wonderful.

It's just so cute and cosy.

Coming into the kitchen, it's just lovely.

And outside was just fantastic.

The little studio, I can hardly wait, you know,

to make that something that we can utilise.

My first impression on approaching the house was,

"It might be a little on the small side."

But coming into the house,

I was surprised how roomy it was for a cottage.

The location, I would've thought,

might be a drawback to the value of the property.

-Right, you two. Happy? Seen enough?

-Yes. No, good, good.

-There's quite a lot of land there, isn't there?

-It was a surprise, actually.

The house is just lovely. Real kerb appeal on the house.

-And options with the those outbuildings.

-Definitely.

-I could certainly do something with those storage sheds.

-Good.

Well, let's grab those umbrellas, because we haven't seen the last of the rain,

-and we'll head back up the hill.

-Right.

As the sun sets over the spectacular countryside here in Shropshire,

day one of our property search comes to a close.

After 23 years of married life, travelling between Australia and London,

Jules and Reg have decided to put down some roots in the Shropshire countryside.

So far, they've seen two attractive period properties,

which delivered different land and outbuilding options

and both priced under their £400,000 budget.

But coming up, it's double trouble at the mystery house.

-Wow!

-I don't know what to say!

And I find out if the rural dream came true

for some past Escapees.

Reg and Jules have already viewed over 100 houses

in various counties throughout the UK.

Although they were very polite about the first two properties we showed them,

I don't think we've quite cracked it yet.

Will our mystery house give them the slice of English country living that they so crave?

Our mystery house lies just five miles south of Ludlow

in the village of Brimfield,

which straddles the Shropshire-Herefordshire border.

It's got that strong community feel they wanted,

with a pub and village hall providing great venues for social gatherings.

There's also an impressive grade II listed church with a timber tower

that dates back to the 13th century.

Set in a quiet lane towards the edge of the village,

the twist with our mystery property is that it's made up of two dwellings.

The older black-and-white residence is grade II listed

and was originally built for the workers at the local rectory.

You have seen so many properties already,

I don't think one house is enough for the two of you!

The reason that it's our mystery is that it's two houses.

-Mm!

-Wow! Wow!

-HE LAUGHS

I don't know what to say!

-I'm speechless!

-The good news is, they are attached.

I can see! So a bit of old and a bit of new.

-A bit of old and a bit of new.

-A bit of Reg, a bit of Jules!

-Vintage!

-She's so cruel!

-How do you feel about potentially owning two houses, not one?

-Excellent.

-A bit scared, actually.

-THEY LAUGH

Happily, our mystery property isn't quite a his-and-hers setup,

as the two houses are linked on the ground floor,

which makes the most of the two contrasting styles.

I wonder which they'll prefer.

Here we have two houses, one home.

-So, to start the tour, old or new?

-Old.

-New.

-She got in there first! You win!

-Story of my life.

-Follow me.

So as Jules won,

-we'll start off with the oldest part of the house.

-Wow!

-What do you think about this?

-It looks lovely doesn't it?

It's just got so much character!

It reminds me so much of when I first came to England and I thought these were all museums!

-I didn't realise people actually lived in them.

-Yes.

But there's so much light for a cottage of this age,

when they traditionally had small windows, but so many of them.

-That was the original exterior wall.

-I see.

-There was your front door.

-Oh, yes!

-There would've been a partition here.

They've knocked it out so it flows more,

but they use that as their office and this as a second sitting room.

Mm, lovely.

There are two sets of stairs in this property,

one on each side.

The staircase in the old part leads to the two guest bedrooms,

both of which have a huge amount of character

with those gorgeous exposed beams.

We're returning through the hall, past the back kitchen and shower room,

to explore the modern part.

The new part of our mystery home...

You have probably noticed straight away we have two kitchens.

The current owners use the old kitchen in the old part of the property

-because they love this room as a family room.

-I can see that.

That's a good idea, actually. Looking good!

-Do you like what you see so far?

-Yes!

-I do, very much.

Our mystery home-of-two-halves

seems to have struck a chord with both of them.

We'll go up the new staircase to see the master suite.

So I like to think this could be where you two sleep.

Ooh! It's cosy!

-You have...

-Ah, look at the view.

-..that amazing view.

-Amazing, isn't it?

-Like it.

-Good. Next door, you have your bathroom.

-Oh, yes.

-And then, just poke your head in that end room...

-Oh!

-Look at that.

-It could be a bedroom. I love it.

-It's been made as a dressing room. Do you like?

-Very nice, Nicki.

Our mystery proposition so far is scoring highly,

but we've still got the all-important land to consider.

Outside, there's around two-thirds of an acre of landscaped grounds, including a pretty pond,

and to top it all, there's a range of outbuildings to house all their hobbies.

You've got the open building there, which is a great workshop.

At the back, there's sort of a greenhouse-potting shed,

but then you've got this impressive building next door, which is an even bigger shed!

I would probably call that a barn.

If that wasn't enough, there's an office at the back

with a mezzanine floor.

I think it's fantastic. For all the things that we want to do,

like with the artwork and Reg with his hobbies,

-I think it's great!

-Good.

-Room to breathe.

So it's come to that time...

Who wants to go first?

My guess is it's going to be over our budget,

so I'm going to go for 415,000.

-And you're talking your top budget of 400,000, aren't you?

-Yes.

-OK.

I'll go in at 400.

If I gave you...

..£50 change,

would you be happy?

-I think so!

-That's wonderful.

The asking price is £399,950.

-Oh, I'm excited now!

-That's amazing.

-Good news?

-Very good news.

-Yes.

-You've done a really good job.

-Yes.

This is our image that... what we wanted.

There's the garden, the outbuildings, the character on the house.

I mean, what more could we want?

Have a wander. Please do! We love our mystery properties for that reason

because they're always something a bit different.

-Take your time and I'll catch up with you when you're ready.

-Thank you.

-Thanks.

What can I say? It is the most amazing house.

With the outbuildings, the garden, fantastic location,

so much going on right on their doorstep,

I think it'll be perfect for them.

Nipping in under their £400,000 budget,

our mystery property gives them the lifestyle and location they dreamt of,

if they can get their head round the quirky layout.

It features a new kitchen-diner, a cosy living room,

three bedrooms, extensive outbuildings,

all wrapped up in two-thirds of an acre of land.

-Oh, my goodness!

-My goodness!

-Look at this!

-This is so exciting! I can just see everything!

-That's amazing.

Look at this. There's another room here and an upstairs, as well!

-Wow! This could be the studio.

-OK.

I like it! I like it a lot!

It's got virtually everything we're looking for.

The fact that you've actually got two distinct houses

but they actually make one home,

er, I feel really positive about this.

The most exciting part of this particular property

is the outbuildings and the garden.

I'm just so excited about that!

It's what we've been looking for

so that I can do all my crafts

and Reg can do his bits and pieces and we can really get involved,

so I think it's a good place for us

and I'm sure Reg and I will have a lot to talk about.

Have you seen enough of our mystery house?

-I'll say!

-Yes?

-Yes.

I'm just amazed. I don't know what to say. I'm speechless.

Speechless, hopefully, in a good way!

-Let's go somewhere quiet and we can discuss it in a little bit more detail.

-Excellent.

Here on Escape to the Country, we often get asked

if any of our house-buyers end up buying one of the properties we showed them

and, if so, does it change their lives?

Today, I've come to meet a couple

that not only ended up buying one of those houses,

but have established a very successful holiday business

here in the country, as well.

Just over two years ago,

Richard and Anna Thomas moved from the busy Herefordshire town of Berkhamsted

to a beautiful Shropshire farmhouse that we found them.

Along with a 15th-century home for them

came two barns, which they planned to convert into holiday accommodation.

As it stands in South Shropshire,

in order to build the eco-lodge that you want,

you would have to apply perhaps for change-of-use of the land.

-What do you think?

-It's great.

Let's see how they've been getting on.

-Hi!

-Hi!

-Lovely to meet you.

-Hi, Nicki. Nice to meet you, too.

-How wonderful to see your home.

-I know. It's good to have you back

-and see what we've done.

-Welcome to Colemore Farm.

-Fantastic.

The original plan was for them to build eco-dwellings on their land

but now they've invested in livestock instead,

their first animals being sheep that they bought with the help of the Shropshire Smallholders Group.

SHEEP BLEAT

You've obviously drastically changed the way you live your lives,

just looking at the sheep next to us!

But I know that you were really passionate

about trying to be as eco-friendly as possible,

and also sustainability was high on your priorities, wasn't it?

Yes, we've been quite fortunate. We've grown our own vegetables -

potatoes, onions, cabbages,

garlic, peas,

-broad beans, Jerusalem artichokes, allsorts.

-Goodness!

We have all of that and then we have the eggs from the chickens.

And then we've got two pigs - Berkshires.

Again, that was through the Smallholders Group.

They're just perfect, the pigs, aren't they?

We've been self-sufficient in pork for the last year.

-And we could possibly have our own lamb!

-No!

Is this a side of the business that you want to grow?

It's not really a business.

-It's more of a hobby that's slightly getting out of hand, I think!

-That's right!

Because it is just for us.

I don't think we could make a living out of this.

For us, the holiday let is the living still

and this is just a sideline.

So, how about those holiday lets?

So far, they've renovated one of the barns,

adding huge floor-to-ceiling windows where the black thresher doors used to be.

They've built a fireplace from reclaimed brick

and installed a magnificent kitchen, resulting in a radical transformation.

I know it was always your dream to be able to have holiday lets, have guests here.

-Has it lived up to your expectations?

-Definitely, and more.

This is our first year.

We've been 50 percent full over the summer, our first summer, which has been good.

That'll go through until October.

We took our first booking for 2013 this morning,

-which is good.

-Which is excellent, yes.

A great start for Richard and Anna in their move to the country.

We wish them well with the renovation of the second barn.

It's great to see in here. It's been such a success for you, but I'm sure it was such hard work.

-Would you do it all over again?

-Yes.

-Definitely.

-Yes.

I think it has been hard work. We've learnt a lot

and we've been well supported by friends since we've moved in.

But there's nothing that's insurmountable

and it just takes a bit of learning and application to get on with it.

-No regrets escaping to the country?

-None.

-Thank you both.

-BOTH: Thank you.

I'm really pleased for Anna and Richard and it's worked out so well.

After spending the best part of 23 years

living on opposite sides of the world,

Reg and Jules have decided now is the right time to live in the English countryside.

But have we found them their dream property?

Let's find out.

-Reg and Jules, what a great few days we've had.

-Absolutely.

Let's start with the first property, the gamekeeper's house,

about 110 years old.

What were your first impressions?

-Bags of outside character, good solid house.

-Yes.

I thought if we had a bit more land...

When you pointed out it was a third-of-an-acre, I actually didn't feel that

so it made us really think,

-"Do we want more land? Do we need more budget?"

-Yes.

Our second house was a gamekeeper's cottage.

I think this is going to be the Gamekeeper's Cottage Tour of Shropshire!

But a very, very different property.

I thought the cottage was actually magnificent.

It was picture-postcard on the outside.

Inside it had been modernised but sympathetically,

so you had a really good mix of the old and the new.

-It wasn't a large place, was it?

-No.

But the contemporary feel of it and the bits and pieces was great.

The location probably bothered us somewhat.

It's beautiful in the valley,

but access during winter months would be something of a concern, I felt.

So, of course, we then took you to see our mystery houses,

which were attached to make one property.

But did it give you the slice of country living that you are so after?

I love them both, I really did.

I tend to be more of a modernist

so the newer extension, I felt, was wonderful.

Good feel to it. Lots of timber, which gives you that sense of permanence.

But the older cottage had that, too.

I think the two houses together make a really good home.

I thought they were fab.

That family area, we could just see ourselves with that -

bread baking, me cooking, making jam, Reg reading the paper,

the radio on, we've got it all set there.

And then the older part was really nice and cosy, with the fire and that.

And we thought of even the other bit being the dining area.

-So lots of potential in that house.

-Definitely.

-And talk to me about outbuildings!

-Whoo!

The outbuildings were everything that we needed and more.

I'm getting a pretty good vibe as to which one was your favourite property,

but where do we go from here?

As you say, you're getting a good vibe.

We've got strong leanings towards the mystery house.

The next move for us would be to take a second look at the property,

go away, do some sums, because it is top of our budget.

-Reg is the accountant so he's got to look at that up.

-That's his profession!

-Yes!

I feel quite strongly about it.

-I think it might make me raid the pension pot.

-Really?

I feel good enough to say that at this moment in time!

I really, really hope it works out.

-Thank you.

-Thank you. It's been a pleasure. Thank you.

What a brilliant couple.

Having searched for over two years and viewed over 100 properties,

I think we may've found Jules and Reg their perfect escape-to-the-country home.

I sincerely hope so. Until next time, bye-bye.

Reg and Jules did go back to see the mystery house,

but they're still considering their options

so there's no offer as yet.

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