0:00:00 > 0:00:04I'm lucky enough to be in the cockpit of one of the most important aircraft of the Second World War,
0:00:04 > 0:00:08the majority of which took off from this particular corner of England.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11So much so, it became known as Bomber County.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15Where am I? Find out in just a moment.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47On today's show, I'm helping a self-employed couple
0:00:47 > 0:00:51in search of a country home with space to house their business ideas.
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Along the way, one property brings on a surprising change of character.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57- I'm speechless.- Yeah.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59And that's unusual for me!
0:00:59 > 0:01:03While our mystery house takes time to adjust to.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05It's like the TARDIS, isn't it?
0:01:05 > 0:01:10This house... It's much bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside.
0:01:14 > 0:01:15Today I'm in Lincolnshire
0:01:15 > 0:01:18which, during the Second World War, was the centre of Bomber Command
0:01:18 > 0:01:21and home to over 100 airfields.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25The skies here would literally thunder to the sound of aircraft.
0:01:25 > 0:01:30Sadly today, though, only four of these iconic bombers remain intact,
0:01:30 > 0:01:34one of which is housed here in Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Museum.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36I think it's safe to say that these days,
0:01:36 > 0:01:39life in Lincolnshire is a rather more sedate affair.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43The second largest county in England,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Lincolnshire is bordered by the North Sea to the east
0:01:45 > 0:01:50and seven counties, including Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire to the west
0:01:50 > 0:01:52with Cambridgeshire to the south.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55The 40-mile stretch of chalk upland that forms the Lincolnshire Wolds
0:01:55 > 0:01:58is one of the key landmarks of the county.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02It's home to beautiful villages such as Somersby,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05the birthplace of the Victorian poet Lord Alfred Tennyson,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08and Spilsby, where the celebrated Arctic explorer
0:02:08 > 0:02:10Rear Admiral Sir John Franklin was born.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13Agriculture has shaped this landscape.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16Over a quarter of the nation's field vegetables are grown here
0:02:16 > 0:02:20in addition to cereals, sugar beet and flowers.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23The Wolds stand in contrast to the rest of the county
0:02:23 > 0:02:26which is typified by vales to the south-west
0:02:26 > 0:02:28along with flat low-lying fens,
0:02:28 > 0:02:30with windmills a common sight.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35The average price of a detached house here in Lincolnshire
0:02:35 > 0:02:38is just shy of £167,000.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42That's a massive £88,000 below the national figure.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44So you certainly get value for money here.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48However, go north to the Lincolnshire Wolds villages around Cater and Louth
0:02:48 > 0:02:51and you will find property hotspots.
0:02:51 > 0:02:52But keep going towards the coast
0:02:52 > 0:02:56and just like the land itself, property prices do tend to flatten out.
0:02:56 > 0:03:00And moving south, you'll pay a premium for living in places like Woodall Spa.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02But go to the market town of Boston
0:03:02 > 0:03:05and you're sure to find a competitively priced property.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08But no matter where you look around this county,
0:03:08 > 0:03:12it's fair to say there's some rather handsome housing stock to be had.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15For centuries, limestone was a popular building material in Lincolnshire
0:03:15 > 0:03:18and it's still quarried here today.
0:03:18 > 0:03:23Ancaster limestone can be seen in many old buildings throughout the county.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26This Grade II-listed four bed terraced house in Stamford
0:03:26 > 0:03:28which dates back to the 1700s
0:03:28 > 0:03:31is priced at £475,000.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35Ironstone was also used when deposits were found
0:03:35 > 0:03:38around Scunthorpe in the late 1800s.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43The distinctive red rock was quarried until the end of the 1970s.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46This Grade II-listed four-bed property in Manthorpe
0:03:46 > 0:03:50could be yours for £355,000.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54The south of the county, around Bourne, was home to many brick yards
0:03:54 > 0:03:57which translated into bricks being used as the main building material here.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00This four-bedroomed Georgian property
0:04:00 > 0:04:04is on the market for £325,000.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13There's no shortage of good-looking housing here in Lincolnshire.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15But can we find any that's suitable for today's buyers?
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Let's meet them and find out.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21John and Jane met through a dating agency in 1999
0:04:21 > 0:04:23and married two years later.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25Since selling their house three months ago,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28they've been staying with Jane's daughter, Corinne,
0:04:28 > 0:04:29in the city of Sunderland
0:04:29 > 0:04:33whilst searching for a new home in their chosen county of Lincolnshire.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37But it's not easy adapting to life under someone else's roof.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39It's silly the things that you miss.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43But you do miss your own things and your own space.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46And living life to your own pace as well.
0:04:46 > 0:04:51That's very different here. We're used to a more relaxed pace.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53We can't wait to get back to that.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58It's a very different environment being here in Sunderland.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01It's obviously a very urban area,
0:05:01 > 0:05:03it's close to the city centre.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05It's a totally different lifestyle
0:05:05 > 0:05:07to the one we're hoping to have in Lincolnshire.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Both John and Jane are self-employed.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15Jane is a reiki therapist and hopes to run her business from home.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20Reiki is a Japanese healing system, an energy system.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23It's about moving energy through the body
0:05:23 > 0:05:25in the way that a lot of Eastern philosophies work
0:05:25 > 0:05:27on moving energy through the body.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32It's about finding a balance and a calm
0:05:32 > 0:05:34in today's busy and stressful world.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38Carpenter John has been lending a practical hand
0:05:38 > 0:05:40while living in his daughter-in-law's home.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43Since we have lived here,
0:05:43 > 0:05:47I've caught up on quite a few jobs for Corinne,
0:05:47 > 0:05:49building cupboard doors under the stairs for her,
0:05:49 > 0:05:53doing lots of little jobs like hanging doors and things that needed doing.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55So, a room for Jane's reiki practice
0:05:55 > 0:05:59and storage space for John's tools will be top of the priority list
0:05:59 > 0:06:00for their new property.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03I'm looking forward to having my own workshop
0:06:03 > 0:06:06rather than a garage/workshop,
0:06:06 > 0:06:10where I can lay my machinery out as it should be laid out
0:06:10 > 0:06:13and where I can put my tools, where I can say to Jane,
0:06:13 > 0:06:18my tools are in such-and-such a place and she knows exactly where they are
0:06:18 > 0:06:22rather than saying, "I can never find anything in your garage."
0:06:22 > 0:06:26Also, we'd like to have space for the caravan.
0:06:26 > 0:06:27At the moment, it's in storage.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30It's great to have it at your home
0:06:30 > 0:06:35because it means you can hitch up and go away much more on impulse.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38It means it's more of a freedom thing as well.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41Having already viewed around 40 houses,
0:06:41 > 0:06:43they also know what they don't want.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47The nightmare as well, we would not like a modern bungalow.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51- Yeah.- It's definitely not for us.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Once they move, they're looking forward to getting out and about
0:06:54 > 0:06:56and meeting their new neighbours
0:06:56 > 0:06:57as they revive old interests.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01- You were on the council.- I used to be on the parish council.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04And John used to be a countryside ranger.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07He used to look after the walkways in the countryside.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09You'd quite like to get back to that.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12I would like to go back to that, yes.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15And with the cash from their house sale burning a hole in their pockets,
0:07:15 > 0:07:17that just leaves the subject of money.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21Our budget is up to £270,000.
0:07:21 > 0:07:28We have sold our house, and as you know, we're living with our daughter.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Things are very squashed.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33We're ready to move ASAP.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42John and Jane have done an exhaustive house-hunt
0:07:42 > 0:07:44in the north and west of Lincolnshire.
0:07:44 > 0:07:47So we're concentrating on the south of the county
0:07:47 > 0:07:49near the towns of Bourne and Grantham.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53I met them so they could tell me a bit more about what they're after
0:07:53 > 0:07:55in their new rural home.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Welcome to a beautiful sunny day in Lincolnshire.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01- Cracking, isn't it?- Beautiful. - Absolutely amazing.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Why did you choose this part of Lincolnshire?
0:08:04 > 0:08:08- It was a combination between family commitments...- Yes.
0:08:08 > 0:08:11..and wanting to be further south and having a longer summer.
0:08:11 > 0:08:17And being in a rural area and Lincolnshire made those three work for us.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19It fits the bill in all those aspects.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24- What are you hoping to get for your budget around here?- We don't need a lot of bedrooms.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27- We don't need a lot of house. - We want space around our house
0:08:27 > 0:08:33with a choice to build things around the house if we haven't got them.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38So the house, really, a minimum of two bedrooms.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41OK. A minimum of two bedrooms inside the house.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44But you want space to maybe work outside.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Will you work down here as well, Jane?
0:08:46 > 0:08:50Yes, I've been running a small business in reiki for a couple of years
0:08:50 > 0:08:52and I'd just need a room to do that.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54You've looked at a lot of properties before.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56And I've only got three I can show you.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Two that I hope fit the bill,
0:08:59 > 0:09:01and the third property, the mystery house,
0:09:01 > 0:09:05hopefully will fit the bill, but something different to what you're after.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07- I look forward to that.- Yeah?
0:09:07 > 0:09:11- OK.- Look forward to that.- This is going to be...- Good!- ..interesting!
0:09:11 > 0:09:13- Let's start, shall we? Come on.- OK.
0:09:15 > 0:09:18John and Jane have £270,000 to spend.
0:09:31 > 0:09:36We've lined up three fantastic properties which we think will really inspire them.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40At each one, I'll be asking them to guess the price tag.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43One, of course, is our mystery house,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46which challenges them to face their worst property fears.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56We're kicking off our house hunt close to the village of Thurlby,
0:09:56 > 0:09:58around two and a half miles south of Bourne.
0:09:58 > 0:10:03It's a lively community which has all the amenities John and Jane will need,
0:10:03 > 0:10:05including a local shop and post office,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07a traditional pub for bar meals
0:10:07 > 0:10:13and a community hall, which is the centre for local activities, such as indoor bowls and line dancing.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16On the outskirts of Thurlby, in the hamlet of Obthorpe,
0:10:16 > 0:10:20our first house shares a driveway with a small working farm opposite.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Right, then. Property number one is this one.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26It's an old farm worker's cottage.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28- Hmm.- I don't know what "hmm" means,
0:10:28 > 0:10:30but it doesn't sound too good!
0:10:30 > 0:10:33- Just wondering...- Nice architectural features.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34- I like the roof line.- Yeah.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38Some of it looks older than the rest of it.
0:10:38 > 0:10:42The house we're looking at is this, if you like -
0:10:42 > 0:10:45the end there all the way up to what we're facing, the gable end.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48So your house starts from that chimney and goes back.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50- Right. Yes.- OK.- OK.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53The windows, double-glazed plastic,
0:10:53 > 0:10:58which I'm not 100% enamoured on.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00But to be honest, they're quite pleasant.
0:11:00 > 0:11:01- OK.- They are.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03- Let's have a look inside.- OK.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07'It seems John definitely prefers period features to modern.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11'So he and Jane should be impressed when they see the character inside this property,
0:11:11 > 0:11:14'starting with the rustic kitchen.'
0:11:14 > 0:11:17Right, then. What do we think of this?
0:11:18 > 0:11:19Hmm. Very nice kitchen.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22It's definitely a country kitchen.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25I like the range-style cooker.
0:11:25 > 0:11:26That's nice. It's a good space.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29It looks like a hand-made kitchen.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Yes, I thought this might appeal to you,
0:11:31 > 0:11:33being a master of wood.
0:11:33 > 0:11:38It's not your standard buy-from-a-superstore kitchen.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40- I think it works well here.- Yeah.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42- A good start?- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44Turn left there. That's the living room.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46Have a look at that.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Do you like it?
0:11:48 > 0:11:50- Yeah...- First impressions, yes.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53It's a decent size. It's quite cosy.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57I like the fireplace. It would be nice if it's useable
0:11:57 > 0:12:00- as a proper fire. - That's the next question.
0:12:00 > 0:12:01It needs some work done to it.
0:12:01 > 0:12:05A woodburner there would be fine. It needs some work done to the chimney.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08It would need lining again, maybe.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11I like the stone on the wall there. That's quite nice.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13It's nice, yeah.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15- So far, so good?- So far, so good.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18- Let's take a look at the master bedroom.- Right.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21'That's what I like to hear.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25'Also downstairs, off the kitchen, there's a utility room and cloakroom.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27'And off a lobby area to the rear of the house,
0:12:27 > 0:12:29'there's a bright conservatory.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32'Time to show them what this house offers upstairs.
0:12:32 > 0:12:38'With three bedrooms, there's potential to have one for guests and one for Jane's reiki work.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43'There's also a generously-sized modern family bathroom with shower
0:12:43 > 0:12:45'but we're taking a look at the master bedroom.'
0:12:46 > 0:12:49The biggest of all three rooms, by some margin,
0:12:49 > 0:12:51what's your thoughts on it?
0:12:51 > 0:12:52Um...
0:12:52 > 0:12:54Not a bad size.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56These are quite big wardrobes.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59- Yes!- Quite in-your-face when you come in.
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Perhaps with a bit of repositioning and jiggling...
0:13:02 > 0:13:05A good size with our furniture in it.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07It would be a good size.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Right. So you'd have less.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13- Realistic.- Smaller design, really, for me.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17Let's go into the garden and start thinking about price.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19Right. OK.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24'Outside, as well as an enclosed 90-foot-long garden,
0:13:24 > 0:13:30'there's an off-road parking area and shed that should be large enough for John to store his tools.'
0:13:33 > 0:13:36So, it's enclosed.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40My first thought is it's not massive, which is maybe what you're thinking.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42- Hmm.- Yeah.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44Where would our caravan go? Down the end, there?
0:13:44 > 0:13:48Whenever there's a farm, always have a conversation with the farmer,
0:13:48 > 0:13:52regarding land to purchase, land to rent.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54- Uh-huh.- How much do you think it's on the market for?
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Hmm.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00You've got a good guess in your mind, I reckon.
0:14:00 > 0:14:01Come on! You've seen 40 houses!
0:14:01 > 0:14:04- 235.- What? 235?- Yeah.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06I'll say 265.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08Remember, I'm half Yorkshire and half Scottish!
0:14:08 > 0:14:12Does that affect your judgement on how much properties are worth?
0:14:12 > 0:14:16- The price!- Is your guess, do you think that's how much it's on the market for
0:14:16 > 0:14:18or how much you think it's worth to you?
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- To me.- Right. So what do you think it's on the market for?
0:14:22 > 0:14:24272.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28I won't even ask why!
0:14:28 > 0:14:31That's fantastic.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33- So you think it's on the market for 272.- You think 265.
0:14:34 > 0:14:38- It's actually on the market for dead on £250,000.- Oh, right.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41So between the two, it wasn't such a bad guess.
0:14:41 > 0:14:47Go and have a look, not only in the house, but maybe start by having a look at the outbuildings.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50- Right.- I'll catch you at the front when you're ready.- OK.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54This is my first tour with these guys.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58I'm starting to understand what they want and don't want.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00But on the whole,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02I think they've warmed to this house quite a lot.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05For the future, I think land might be an issue,
0:15:05 > 0:15:09but this has certainly set their sights on what compromises they may have to make.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16So with a price tag of £250,000,
0:15:16 > 0:15:20John and Jane are left with £20,000 to sort out any land issues
0:15:20 > 0:15:22and build John a bespoke workshop.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25This lovely character cottage offers...
0:15:28 > 0:15:32Three bedrooms, one of which could be used for Jane's reiki practice,
0:15:32 > 0:15:34a small outbuilding for John's tools,
0:15:34 > 0:15:36and potential space for the caravan
0:15:36 > 0:15:40if they can negotiate an agreement with the neighbouring farmer.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43The lounge was a good size for us.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46Not massive, but big enough for what we need.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50I wouldn't be able to get a reiki bed in the smallest of the bedrooms
0:15:50 > 0:15:52so it's a bit small upstairs.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56Outside, we looked for storing the caravan, and the workshop.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00We felt it would take too much time and effort
0:16:00 > 0:16:06and money to make it into something that Jane and I are looking for.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Had a good look around, inside and out?
0:16:09 > 0:16:10- Yes, yes.- Yes, we have.- Good.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14- On to the next house, then, shall we?- Lovely. Thank you.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26Set within the Lincolnshire fens, on the banks of the River Welland,
0:16:26 > 0:16:30lie The Deepings, the collective name for five adjoining villages and towns,
0:16:30 > 0:16:32one of which is Market Deeping.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36The historic centre of this market town is a protected conservation area
0:16:36 > 0:16:39as it has over 60 listed buildings,
0:16:39 > 0:16:43most of which are made from local stone and date to the 17th century.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47Close by, the Deeping Lakes Nature Reserve
0:16:47 > 0:16:49is one of over 100 such reserves in the county.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52As a haven for wildlife,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54this 200-acre site needs careful management
0:16:54 > 0:16:57for its rich bio-diversity to thrive.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03As Jane and former country ranger John have a desire to reconnect with the countryside,
0:17:03 > 0:17:08we arranged for them to meet warden David Vandome from the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13What we have here is an amalgamation of two sites, really.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Beyond that tree line is another larger lake
0:17:16 > 0:17:19and a site of special scientific interest.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23That was declared back in 1968,
0:17:23 > 0:17:28and at that time it had a large population of herons nesting on it.
0:17:28 > 0:17:34Also, it was one of the first noted colonies of cormorant
0:17:34 > 0:17:35away from the coast.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37How many volunteers do you have?
0:17:37 > 0:17:41Today, Tuesday is our big day. There's about a dozen people here
0:17:41 > 0:17:42volunteering at the moment.
0:17:42 > 0:17:47But volunteering is crucial to the work of the trust.
0:17:47 > 0:17:51I have some botanical skills. I can identify most of the plants here.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Other people have worked for highways departments
0:17:54 > 0:17:56so they bring civil engineering skills.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59And with the sand martin bank,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01we needed building skills.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05John's carpentry skills could also be very useful here
0:18:05 > 0:18:08One of the jobs for volunteers is maintenance
0:18:08 > 0:18:09of the three miles of fencing
0:18:09 > 0:18:13used for keeping in sheep that help to maintain the grassland through grazing.
0:18:13 > 0:18:18Some of these are hurdle-style fences woven from willow.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21Ian and Flynn are two of the volunteers currently putting one together.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24They're showing Jane and John how it's done.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Start at this end, the thick end.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Yeah.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31- Knock it down.- Knock it down.
0:18:33 > 0:18:34Excellent.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37- We'll have to put that this way. - Weave that one in.
0:18:37 > 0:18:39That one that way.
0:18:39 > 0:18:41That one. That one...
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Watch that whippy end.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45The willow branches used for this fencing
0:18:45 > 0:18:48are cut in autumn and kept in water to keep them flexible
0:18:48 > 0:18:50before building work begins.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52When woven between wooden posts,
0:18:52 > 0:18:56they provide a strong barrier and a natural habitat for insects.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59I suppose this is an eco-friendly fence
0:18:59 > 0:19:02because you have a lot of this spare after you've coppiced.
0:19:02 > 0:19:07We do have a lot of spare. We're coppicing and pollarding across the reserve.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Can I ask what pollarding is?
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Pollarding is basically when we take a tree
0:19:13 > 0:19:17and instead of coppicing, which is taking it at ground level
0:19:17 > 0:19:18and it shoots up from the ground,
0:19:18 > 0:19:22pollarding will cut it from perhaps two or three feet higher
0:19:22 > 0:19:25and that's when you see these lollipop trees.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Make it bush out to a better shape.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31These fences are also the ideal solution for protecting plants -
0:19:31 > 0:19:34such as the rare orchids that grow here - from the grazing sheep.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36How do you finish the ends?
0:19:36 > 0:19:41Where it is the thicker end, we'll just chop down here.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Probably a couple of inches away from the end.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Whereas the thinner end, we'll just nick it,
0:19:47 > 0:19:51bind it round and start weaving it back round.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53Then just popping it down through the willow.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57So it ties in the last end post to stop them popping out.
0:19:57 > 0:19:59Yes.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03I think we've found John the ideal volunteering opportunity here.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05But now it's time for us to weave our way back to our search
0:20:05 > 0:20:08for their new Lincolnshire home.
0:20:13 > 0:20:17We've journeyed to Wilsford, around nine miles from Grantham.
0:20:17 > 0:20:22Home to around 400 residents, it's been granted conservation village status
0:20:22 > 0:20:26and has a post office with shop and its own pub.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29Many of the houses are built from the local Ancaster limestone.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33Set in the heart of the village, our second house is totally in keeping,
0:20:33 > 0:20:36but was only built some six years ago.
0:20:37 > 0:20:42Now, then, the second property. A very different proposition to the first.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44What's your thoughts?
0:20:45 > 0:20:48First of all, it's a new property, so very different from the other one.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51But nicely done. I like the stonework.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55- Um... It's an attractive property with a good finish.- Yeah.
0:20:55 > 0:20:56It's nice. A nice setting.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00The boundary is right beyond those laurels and this conifer.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02- You've got all this space to play with.- Yeah.
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Certainly room, if you dug it out, for a caravan out the back.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07Yeah.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10Now we've nailed the space for the caravan,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12let's move on to the main event,
0:21:12 > 0:21:14the inside of this fantastic new build.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18It gives them more character than they might be expecting.
0:21:20 > 0:21:21Let's start in the kitchen.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25Wow!
0:21:25 > 0:21:29Yeah, lovely kitchen. Very nice. I like the high ceiling.
0:21:29 > 0:21:31I like the ceiling lights. I like the...
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Sorry, I just can't say. I'm speechless.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36- Yeah.- That's unusual for me!
0:21:37 > 0:21:39It's really nice.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42- I love it.- I think I'll sit down!
0:21:42 > 0:21:46It's very different to the first house, isn't it?
0:21:46 > 0:21:49It's contemporary. You've got granite work surfaces.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51But it's massive, isn't it?
0:21:51 > 0:21:54It's a liveable kitchen, and it's what we've been used to
0:21:54 > 0:21:56over our time.
0:21:56 > 0:21:58And it's a good kitchen.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01- I'm just absolutely gobsmacked! - Good!
0:22:01 > 0:22:04'Well, the kitchen's set their hearts soaring,
0:22:04 > 0:22:08so let's see what Jane thinks of her potential reiki room.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10I thought, for your reiki,
0:22:10 > 0:22:13the study could be perfect.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15- Hmm.- Yes, it's a good size.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18- A good shape. Could easily fit the table in there.- Definitely.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20Good position in the house, too.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23Nobody needs to walk in to the rest of the living accommodation
0:22:23 > 0:22:26- and the loo's next door. - Ideal.- It's ideal. Yeah.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29So your living room would be this one.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33- Wow.- Again, lovely size.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Nice shape, as well.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37Very workable shape.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40- Yeah.- I like the light from the garden
0:22:40 > 0:22:43- and the doors.- Good size.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46It's a good quality finish throughout and that shines through.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48It does. It's really nice.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Let's keep this positive vibe going, and take a look at the master bedroom.
0:22:51 > 0:22:53Right. OK.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58'The upstairs gives them three bedrooms in total.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01'The two for guests being spacious and tastefully decorated
0:23:01 > 0:23:04'and they both share a smart family bathroom.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07'But we're heading towards where they could be sleeping.'
0:23:07 > 0:23:09This is the master.
0:23:09 > 0:23:13- Yeah. It's a good size.- Very nice.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15- Again, nicely finished.- Yes.
0:23:15 > 0:23:16This is the master because...
0:23:18 > 0:23:20..a really nice en-suite. Have a look in there, guys.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- Gosh!- Oh, that's lovely. A really good size.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26- Very good.- Yeah. A good-sized shower room.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29Is it like anything you've seen so far?
0:23:29 > 0:23:31- Actually, no.- No.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35- I don't think we've seen anything that was built as recently.- No.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39But it's still got a lot of character about the design and the build.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43'Even though they'd previously seen around 40 houses,
0:23:43 > 0:23:47'this property has delivered something new and refreshing to tempt them with.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51'Outside, the lawn is a reasonable size
0:23:51 > 0:23:53'and there's also a paved patio area.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57'What's more, there's a garage for John to store his tools.'
0:23:57 > 0:24:00OK. What are your thoughts on its size, first of all?
0:24:00 > 0:24:03- Manageable.- It is that, of course.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05I would have liked a little bit more.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08A bit more privacy from the neighbour there,
0:24:08 > 0:24:12- but you could get round that by planting a hedge or something. - Screening.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Let's see how much you think this house is on the market for.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18- Who's first?- I'll say 270.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20- Straight in.- Yeah.- OK.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Gut feeling.
0:24:22 > 0:24:24I'll go for 289.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26All right.
0:24:26 > 0:24:27Pretty good guesses.
0:24:27 > 0:24:31This place is on the market for offers around £285,000.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34- Hmm.- We spoke to the owners,
0:24:34 > 0:24:37and they said they'd consider an offer of around your budget, 270.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41- Yeah.- So we could be getting there. - We could.- Could be.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45This is a great opportunity for you to go back into the house,
0:24:45 > 0:24:48have a look around. You've also not looked into that garage.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52So take as much time as you want, and I'll meet you by the front door.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54- Lovely.- See you in a bit.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59There's a steely look of determination in John's eye there.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01They both reacted wonderfully inside.
0:25:01 > 0:25:05But I think, after 40 houses,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08this one's in the running, maybe.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Priced at £285,000,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14this property is over budget.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16But as John and Jane are cash buyers,
0:25:16 > 0:25:19they could see where a lower offer might get them.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21Immaculate throughout, it gives them...
0:25:21 > 0:25:23a fantastic kitchen/diner,
0:25:23 > 0:25:25a large, light living room,
0:25:25 > 0:25:27a study for Jane's reiki,
0:25:27 > 0:25:30three bedrooms with a great master en-suite,
0:25:30 > 0:25:33and a garage for John's tools
0:25:33 > 0:25:37and enough land for the caravan and maybe even a workshop.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Hmm. Quite a long garage.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Is it wide enough?
0:25:45 > 0:25:47I don't... It is wide enough.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Whether it...
0:25:51 > 0:25:55- I don't know whether it'll work out or not.- As a workshop?- Yeah.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58House number two, walking into the kitchen, there was a real wow factor.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02And the reiki room is big enough to do what I need to do in it.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06When we first approached it, I was disappointed cos it was sideways on to the road.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10But on further inspection, I found the house raised a lot of good issues.
0:26:10 > 0:26:14It's in a good spot and I think it's a good contender.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17- All finished?- Yes.- Yes.
0:26:17 > 0:26:21- Inspected top to bottom.- Yes. - Thoroughly.- And the garage?- Yes.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23- Been there too.- So a good day today?
0:26:23 > 0:26:25- A lot to think about.- Hopefully so.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28Then one more tomorrow. Let's go.
0:26:38 > 0:26:42As dusk falls over the stunning Lincolnshire landscape,
0:26:42 > 0:26:46our first day of house-hunting ends on a high note.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57Self-employed carpenter John and reiki therapist Jane
0:26:57 > 0:26:59are cash buyers who sold their house three months ago
0:26:59 > 0:27:03and are now living with Jane's daughter in the city of Sunderland.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06They've already looked at around 40 properties in Lincolnshire,
0:27:06 > 0:27:08without any luck.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Our house-hunt has delivered a pretty cottage that didn't quite measure up
0:27:12 > 0:27:15and a modern build that they reckon could be just the job.
0:27:15 > 0:27:20But coming up, there's a problem before we even step inside the mystery house.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22I can't fit my caravan down here.
0:27:25 > 0:27:29And I find out about restoring tapestries at a stately home.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34A gloriously hot day yesterday,
0:27:34 > 0:27:38but in the morning, a luke-warm response from John and Jane in that first house.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42But in the afternoon, they reacted fantastically to the second property.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44Great reactions inside and outside the house.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48But on the way home, they were both rather thoughtful.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51This morning, rather a dull start
0:27:51 > 0:27:54but I'm hoping it'll burn off to show the mystery property in all its glory.
0:27:54 > 0:27:58As usual, it's here to challenge the expectations of our buyers
0:27:58 > 0:28:01and I'm hoping it will do just that!
0:28:04 > 0:28:06What would you not like the mystery property to be?
0:28:06 > 0:28:09- A bungalow.- Yes.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13A bungalow on a modern estate would be our nightmare.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16Would I do that to you? I'm not like that, am I?
0:28:16 > 0:28:18I think you might!
0:28:22 > 0:28:25We've made our way to the beautiful village of Folkingham,
0:28:25 > 0:28:27around nine miles north of Bourne,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30which is surrounded by farmland and open countryside.
0:28:30 > 0:28:35As well as the usual amenities of a post office, a local shop for everyday items,
0:28:35 > 0:28:37and a pub for a bit of refreshment,
0:28:37 > 0:28:39there's also a chocolatier,
0:28:39 > 0:28:42and we couldn't resist having a word with owner Jan Hansen.
0:28:42 > 0:28:45Oh, look at this!
0:28:46 > 0:28:50The start of any house tour should be with a bit of chocolate on board.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52Shall we get some?
0:28:52 > 0:28:54- Yes!- Yeah.- Would you like to make your own selection?
0:28:54 > 0:28:57No, your choice. You're the expert.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00So, living in the village, what's the community like?
0:29:00 > 0:29:03Is there much to do here, is there much going on? Much life here?
0:29:03 > 0:29:06There's a laid-back feeling in the village.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08We've got a very busy village hall.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10What sort of things in the village hall?
0:29:10 > 0:29:16The usual things. Dances. Once a week they have a meeting for the elderly folk.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18That's well-attended.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21- Something for you, then, John! - Belly dancing.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24- Belly dancing?- That's for me! I'll have a go at that!
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Sounds great, doesn't it? Plenty going on here.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Whenever there are local dances here in the village hall,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33it's a good indicator that they're always sold out.
0:29:33 > 0:29:38- It's a good sign.- Do you do a bit of dancing?- We have been known to!
0:29:38 > 0:29:40Hello.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42There's a very nice local tea room.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45Which people come from a long way away to visit.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48- So there's an active community. - Yeah, definitely.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50I'll seal them up, so you're not tempted on the way home!
0:29:50 > 0:29:54- I was going to say, who's going to look after these?- I will! - Close the box!
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Thank you very much. Hopefully these two will see you again
0:29:57 > 0:30:01- and next time I'm passing, I'll certainly drop in. - Two new customers.- Yeah.
0:30:01 > 0:30:05Fingers crossed our next offering will be an equally tempting proposition.
0:30:05 > 0:30:11Three miles west of Folkingham is the village of Pickworth, which is where we'll find our mystery house.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14We've gone out on a limb here by showing them a single-storey property,
0:30:14 > 0:30:18the type of building that John claims is his worst nightmare.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21We're hoping this one will prove the exception, though,
0:30:21 > 0:30:25as it's a converted barn which dates back to the 1700s.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27What's your thoughts? What's going through your mind?
0:30:27 > 0:30:30I can't fit my caravan down here!
0:30:33 > 0:30:36Yes, correct. You can't fit your caravan down here.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39- I was hoping we might... - Is there a back entrance?
0:30:39 > 0:30:41- No.- Right.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44So you might have to store your caravan off-site.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47- Oh, dear!- Oh, dear.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50OK. Not a great start.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52Right. What's Jane thinking?
0:30:52 > 0:30:56I'm thinking it's partly stone-built, which is nice.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00And it is an attractive-looking single-storey house.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05Yes, it's an attractive-looking bungalow!
0:31:05 > 0:31:07It's not a bungalow!
0:31:07 > 0:31:11- Sorry. Converted bungalow/barn. - Let's look inside!- OK.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15'I might have an uphill struggle on my hands here,
0:31:15 > 0:31:17'but I think they'll warm to the interior.'
0:31:19 > 0:31:21Come right in.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24- I like the fireplace.- Yeah. - That's really nice.
0:31:24 > 0:31:28- Yeah.- And it's quite a long room, which is a surprise
0:31:28 > 0:31:32- for some reason. - Very cosy. Very homely.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35I feel better now I'm inside than I did outside.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39The house is at right angles. It's opened out a bit
0:31:39 > 0:31:42- and that feels better.- I actually like the feel of the place.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44OK. All right.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48'Thankfully, our mystery house is growing on them
0:31:48 > 0:31:50'and the kitchen is cosy and rustic
0:31:50 > 0:31:52'so I'm hoping they'll feel at home here, too.'
0:31:53 > 0:31:55What do you make of the kitchen?
0:31:56 > 0:32:00It's a good size, actually. I like the design of the kitchen.
0:32:00 > 0:32:05- Yes, I do.- Definitely country style and it fits in with the house.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09I think it's not a bad-sized kitchen.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13You can get a small table in, which is all you need, so that's good.
0:32:13 > 0:32:18And I think the bright blue tiled surface, it doesn't dominate.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21Sometimes a bright colour dominates,
0:32:21 > 0:32:22but that's fine.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25Two good reactions from both rooms.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27- Let's have a look at the bedrooms. - OK.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34Just off the kitchen is a utility room.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38Heading back through the sitting room, we pass a formal dining area
0:32:38 > 0:32:40which leads to the sleeping wing of the house.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44There are three bedrooms here, the smallest of which could be Jane's reiki room.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47The second guest room is a good-sized double
0:32:47 > 0:32:50and it adjoins the very stylish family bathroom.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53But we've saved the best bedroom until last.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58So, three bedrooms in total. This is definitely your master.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02Yes, it's a good size. It's nice and light.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05I like the access directly onto the garden. That's good.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08- And I like the part-stone wall.- Yep.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11It's a TARDIS, isn't it?
0:33:11 > 0:33:17This house is much bigger on the inside than you think it is from the outside.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21- I quite like it.- One thing this room certainly has
0:33:21 > 0:33:23is a lovely aspect out to the garden.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25We can reach the garden from these double doors.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27- Let's do just that.- Yes, OK.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32Outside, there's a beautifully manicured garden,
0:33:32 > 0:33:35but as it stands, no space for John to build his workshop
0:33:35 > 0:33:36or store the caravan.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39But there may be a way around that.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42The boundary is the far laurel hedge.
0:33:42 > 0:33:45That land beyond is hugely overgrown,
0:33:45 > 0:33:47but it does have road access.
0:33:47 > 0:33:48About two-thirds of an acre.
0:33:48 > 0:33:52So there might be a strategic move for you with that land.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55So how much do you think, in its current guise,
0:33:55 > 0:33:57this house is on the market for?
0:33:57 > 0:34:02It's hard. It's hard for me to put a figure on it.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04But I would say 245.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08- Right.- I would say it's nearer our budget maximum, which is 270.
0:34:08 > 0:34:13Well, the asking price for this property is offers around £255,000.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15All right?
0:34:15 > 0:34:17So, I imagine
0:34:17 > 0:34:20this house could be of interest...
0:34:22 > 0:34:25- ..if you got that land.- If we got the land.- Got the land.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27Am I putting words in your mouth?
0:34:27 > 0:34:29No, that's right.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32Being able to have the bigger garden
0:34:32 > 0:34:34and the access from another side
0:34:34 > 0:34:37would solve the issues we have with the outside space.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40Actually, it would put the icing on the cake,
0:34:40 > 0:34:41because it is a lovely house.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44Now is a great opportunity to go back into the house,
0:34:44 > 0:34:46have a look at the bedrooms you haven't yet seen,
0:34:46 > 0:34:49but really just spend some more time here
0:34:49 > 0:34:54so you've got all the nuts and bolts to make the decision later on.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57- Yeah.- So have a look around the house and I'll meet you out front.
0:34:57 > 0:34:58- OK.- All right?
0:35:01 > 0:35:04Priced at £255,000,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07our mystery house has definitely challenged John and Jane's opinion
0:35:07 > 0:35:09of single-storey living.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23They could make enquiries about the adjoining parcel of land
0:35:23 > 0:35:25for their caravan and workshop.
0:35:26 > 0:35:27On first impressions,
0:35:27 > 0:35:31I wasn't too taken with it, really.
0:35:31 > 0:35:34On further inspection, coming into the house,
0:35:34 > 0:35:36it's a very nice conversion.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38So Jane and I have got some decisions to make
0:35:38 > 0:35:40and quite a bit of discussion, I think.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42The issue for us again would be the outside space.
0:35:42 > 0:35:46Whether there would be the possibility of buying the additional land
0:35:46 > 0:35:49to be able to make it into the type of property we would need
0:35:49 > 0:35:53with the outbuilding that John requires.
0:35:54 > 0:35:58Hopefully, that's something else to have a think about.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00- Yeah.- "Yeah"!
0:36:00 > 0:36:02Let's find somewhere to mull things over, shall we?
0:36:02 > 0:36:04- Yeah.- OK.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17Set in Lincolnshire's rich agricultural landscape
0:36:17 > 0:36:19are a number of iconic stately homes
0:36:19 > 0:36:21that are key landmarks of this county's heritage.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Burleigh House is a fabulous Tudor mansion
0:36:24 > 0:36:29with parkland laid out by famous landscape architect Capability Brown.
0:36:30 > 0:36:34Near Lincoln, Doddington Hall is a stunning Elizabethan manor.
0:36:34 > 0:36:39It was built by architect Robert Smythson in 1595 for Thomas Taylor,
0:36:39 > 0:36:41who was registrar to the Bishop of Lincoln.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43Since 2005,
0:36:43 > 0:36:45it's been home to Clare Birch,
0:36:45 > 0:36:47who inherited it from her parents
0:36:47 > 0:36:51and now runs it as a business with the help of over 80 people from the local community.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54She's revived the hall's walled kitchen garden,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57and also has another large conservation project on the go.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00I visited her to learn more about her work
0:37:00 > 0:37:02on some historic tapestries.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06You have to use your imagination, but this room, in Georgian times,
0:37:06 > 0:37:09had tapestries nailed to the walls.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Every surface was completely covered with the tapestries
0:37:12 > 0:37:14and they'd got really, really dirty.
0:37:14 > 0:37:19The dirt from the coal fires and sunlight and everything,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22it got into the fabrics and they were falling apart.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25- Right.- So a year ago, we had them taken off the walls,
0:37:25 > 0:37:29sent off to Belgium to be washed.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33They've all been washed now. This is a sample of a washed panel of the tapestry.
0:37:33 > 0:37:35But the big, big job now is,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38because they're very fragile, they need to be put onto backing
0:37:38 > 0:37:40and they need to be mended all the way through.
0:37:40 > 0:37:45This conservation work is going to take about two years and cost probably £300,000.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48- This room and another room full of tapestries.- Wow.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50They actually date from the 1620s
0:37:50 > 0:37:54and when they were nailed to the walls in the 1760s, they were already antiques.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56That's one of the fascinating things about it.
0:37:56 > 0:37:58The guy, John Delaval, who lived here,
0:37:58 > 0:38:01it's an early example of antiquarianism.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04He wanted an old-fashioned look for the house.
0:38:04 > 0:38:09This major project involved removing over 1,600 nails.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11Eight students from Lincoln University
0:38:11 > 0:38:13worked with a textile conservation expert
0:38:13 > 0:38:15to take down the nine tapestry panels
0:38:15 > 0:38:17in preparation for them to be cleaned.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23The transformation between that and what it can become is huge.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27You can see why. Every room has a fireplace in it
0:38:27 > 0:38:28- puffing out the smoke.- Yes.
0:38:28 > 0:38:32The project has been assisted by the Heritage Lottery Fund
0:38:32 > 0:38:36and the next stage is to set up a "conservation in action" workshop
0:38:36 > 0:38:37complete with looms.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41This will be open for visitors and will provide opportunities for students of conservation
0:38:41 > 0:38:45to get practical experience in preserving tapestries.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53Well, a beautiful old hall and garden,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55steeped in family history.
0:38:55 > 0:38:57It sounds like it's got a bright future ahead of it,
0:38:57 > 0:38:59thanks to its current owners.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01Time now to catch up with today's buyers
0:39:01 > 0:39:04and find out if I've found anything suitable for them
0:39:04 > 0:39:05here in Lincolnshire.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15At last the cloud's finally burnt off.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19How have you found looking for houses now,
0:39:19 > 0:39:22after all your vast experience of looking at properties,
0:39:22 > 0:39:24how have you found this session in Lincolnshire?
0:39:25 > 0:39:29It's been an interesting journey
0:39:29 > 0:39:32to have a look at three properties that have been chosen by somebody else.
0:39:32 > 0:39:37- Yes.- That means that the parameters that you set yourself
0:39:37 > 0:39:40are slightly moved and different things come up.
0:39:40 > 0:39:42So let's start at the beginning.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45The first property, the semi-detached farm cottage.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48What were your thoughts then when you first saw it?
0:39:48 > 0:39:51I was worried straightaway about the access
0:39:51 > 0:39:53and the surrounding farm.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55- Yes.- When I went inside, though,
0:39:55 > 0:39:59the downstairs space, the kitchen/diner, was a really good size.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03The lounge was nice. Warm, cosy and inviting.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06When we went upstairs, the upstairs space was a little bit small.
0:40:06 > 0:40:13The two single bedrooms wouldn't have been enough for me to do reiki in the rooms.
0:40:13 > 0:40:17And I think we had some issues with the land space outside.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Yes. It was a pretty narrow garden
0:40:20 > 0:40:26and I want my caravan with me in the garden, rather than in storage.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28I learned quite a bit from that first house.
0:40:28 > 0:40:33Which is why, in the afternoon, I was so chuffed with your response to that modern place I showed you.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35- Very positive feelings about it. - Yeah.
0:40:35 > 0:40:40I think it's very similar in style to the house that we sold.
0:40:40 > 0:40:44And therefore it immediately felt more welcoming and comfortable
0:40:44 > 0:40:47because it was a style we were familiar with and used to.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51And the up-to-date facilities and the newness of the build
0:40:51 > 0:40:53appealed as well.
0:40:53 > 0:40:55It had been done nice. You were on about the finish
0:40:55 > 0:40:58and I thought, building-wise, it had been done really well, hadn't it?
0:40:58 > 0:41:00Very well. I immediately liked the house.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02It was absolutely brilliant.
0:41:02 > 0:41:07Now, today, the weather's almost been a metaphor for the mystery house itself.
0:41:07 > 0:41:09It started off dull, but it's come good.
0:41:09 > 0:41:14Your reactions outside the mystery house were a bit muted, to say the least.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17- Subdued.- Yeah. But then it came good inside, didn't it?
0:41:17 > 0:41:21- Yes.- It did. Initially, we could only see one side of the house,
0:41:21 > 0:41:24from the front door.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26At first, I thought it looked rather small.
0:41:26 > 0:41:31When we went inside and realised the house was a U-shape
0:41:31 > 0:41:33and we'd just seen a third of it from the outside,
0:41:33 > 0:41:36that's when it started to feel a possibility.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38The back garden was lovely laid out. Very nice.
0:41:38 > 0:41:40But not enough of it.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42At the moment, it's between two houses.
0:41:42 > 0:41:44The second house and the mystery house.
0:41:44 > 0:41:49I think, of the two, it would be the second house I'd look at again.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51What's your next step, then?
0:41:51 > 0:41:56- Probably to have a further discussion on houses two and three.- Yeah.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00And try and really work out what compromises would need to be made
0:42:00 > 0:42:01with either house.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05And then decide whether we want to take either of them further.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08- Let me know how you get on. Do keep in touch.- Yes.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11- Whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck.- Thank you.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14- Thanks very much for your help. - My pleasure. It's been fun.
0:42:14 > 0:42:16Thanks for all the work you've put in. Thank you.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23I've got to say, going back to yesterday morning,
0:42:23 > 0:42:26when I first heard from John and Jane, they'd already seen 40 houses,
0:42:26 > 0:42:30and I was a bit concerned whether I'd be able to find them the right sort of place.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33But then I saw their reactions to the second property,
0:42:33 > 0:42:37that wonderful new-build house right in the heart of the village.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40They really opened up and fell for the place.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43So I'm a bit surprised on what's happened between then and now.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46Have they talked themselves out of it?
0:42:46 > 0:42:49I really do hope that they go back to that property,
0:42:49 > 0:42:51heed my advice and give it a second chance.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54And then, if it's not for them, it's not for them.
0:42:54 > 0:42:59But of course, that number then creeps up to 43 viewings.
0:42:59 > 0:43:05But one thing's for sure. If the right property is there for them, they're determined to find it.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07See you next time.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12If you'd like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England
0:43:12 > 0:43:15and need our help, please apply online.