0:00:00 > 0:00:05This deserted manor house used to be in the centre of one of Britain's thriving weaving communities
0:00:05 > 0:00:09till a local invention which kick-started the Industrial Revolution
0:00:09 > 0:00:11turned it into a ghost town.
0:00:11 > 0:00:13Find out where I am in just a moment.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45On today's show, I'm seeking out a property
0:00:45 > 0:00:49for a buyer who's after a romantic cottage with roses around the door.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53And her dad's come along to offer practical advice.
0:00:53 > 0:00:56Along the way, we really come up trumps at one house.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59I'm moving in now. Tomorrow!
0:00:59 > 0:01:03And then our mystery house delivers some real surprises.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07Having your own turret. I've never had one of those before!
0:01:12 > 0:01:16Today we're in Lancashire, a county that has strong ties to the weaving industry.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18But back in the mid-18th century,
0:01:18 > 0:01:20it all took place on a cottage level.
0:01:20 > 0:01:24It was in the homes of weavers in little rural villages like this one, Wycoller.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28That is until the invention of a local man, James Hargreaves,
0:01:28 > 0:01:30who came up with the Spinning Jenny,
0:01:30 > 0:01:33a machine that took multiple threads from one wheel.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37That changed everything, and all the homeworkers had to abandon their villages
0:01:37 > 0:01:40and go and work in the power looms of the mills.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44I'll be exploring Lancashire's textile history later in the show.
0:01:44 > 0:01:50But take a look at some of the other things that make this county's fabric great.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53Lancashire lies in the north-west of England
0:01:53 > 0:01:55and borders five other counties,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57including North and West Yorkshire to the east
0:01:57 > 0:01:59and Cumbria to the north.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03Agriculture represents the main land use here
0:02:03 > 0:02:06with sheep and beef farming dominating through the uplands
0:02:06 > 0:02:09while dairy farming is a key feature of the lowlands,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12as well as in the Ribble and Lune Valleys.
0:02:12 > 0:02:16However, the county is home to a variety of natural landscapes.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20On the coast, Morecambe Bay is fed by five rivers
0:02:20 > 0:02:25and over 120 square miles of sand are revealed when the tide goes out.
0:02:25 > 0:02:31Further inland, the Forest of Bowland was declared an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
0:02:31 > 0:02:33in 1964.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39On the property price front, Lancashire is good news.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43The average price of a detached house here is £207,000,
0:02:43 > 0:02:47which is £48,000 less than the national average.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51It gets more pricey if you go south of here to the beautiful Ribble Valley,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54which I believe is where the Queen has said she would happily retire,
0:02:54 > 0:02:57though she and I will have to pay more for the privilege.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59It's 50% above the average down there.
0:02:59 > 0:03:03If the royal pound is to be stretched a little further,
0:03:03 > 0:03:07then Her Majesty will have to move into the countryside around Preston and Blackpool.
0:03:07 > 0:03:09But wherever she moves,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12she or I, royalty or commoner alike,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16Lancashire has a rich pot-pourri of different architectural styles.
0:03:17 > 0:03:22It's not surprise that Lancashire's farming roots have had an influence on properties round here.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25From stone-built houses to farmworkers' cottages,
0:03:25 > 0:03:27there's something for every budget.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30This three-bed limestone barn conversion in Halton
0:03:30 > 0:03:34is on the market for just under £450,000.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37A reminder of Lancashire's industrial past
0:03:37 > 0:03:39can be found in villages such as Wycoller.
0:03:39 > 0:03:45The restored weavers' cottages here are a symbol of the prolific textile industry
0:03:45 > 0:03:47that thrived in these areas.
0:03:47 > 0:03:52This four-bed house is on the market for £495,000.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Evidence of this industrial era
0:03:55 > 0:03:57is dotted all over the county.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01For example here in Helmshore where mill owner William Turner
0:04:01 > 0:04:03had homes built for the mill workers.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07This three-bed cottage in the village is priced at £200,000.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13As you can see, Lancashire wears its industrial heritage on its sleeve.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17But is it going to be to the taste of our homebuyer today? Let's meet her.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22School bursar Angela has lived in her flat in Edinburgh
0:04:22 > 0:04:24for the past seven years.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28Now that she's been offered a job in Casterton on the Lancashire borders,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30she's ready for a new life in the country.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33And one that will allow her to get closer to family.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38Edinburgh's a lovely city and I've really enjoyed being here.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40There's always lots to do, lots of culture.
0:04:40 > 0:04:45But I crave my own front door. I live in a tenement block.
0:04:45 > 0:04:49Community living, noisy streets, police sirens in the night,
0:04:49 > 0:04:51peace and quiet in the country would be lovely.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55- Mum and Dad are not getting any younger, are you?- No.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57It would be nicer to be nearer to them.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59My son Anthony's at university now,
0:04:59 > 0:05:01so he's basically flown the nest.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Angela's father Norman, who lives in West Yorkshire,
0:05:05 > 0:05:08is acting as companion and adviser on her property search.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11My role in looking at these houses
0:05:11 > 0:05:13is to spot any possible flaws.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15Four eyes are better than two.
0:05:16 > 0:05:20I've got a romantic notion and I'll fall in love with somewhere
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and Dad will probably see that the back of the house is falling down
0:05:23 > 0:05:25or something I probably wouldn't see!
0:05:27 > 0:05:29As well as doing the house hunt together,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33father and daughter both share a passion for all things culinary.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37I'm a very keen cook, as is Dad.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40We've travelled all over the place doing different cookery courses.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43We try and get away once a year and try something new.
0:05:44 > 0:05:47So somewhere to practise her recipes will be top of Angela's wish list
0:05:47 > 0:05:49for her new rural home.
0:05:49 > 0:05:53When Angela moves to Lancashire, it'll be a bit of a shock to start with.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56Especially the quiet country life.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58I'm looking forward to it, though.
0:05:58 > 0:06:00I think I'm a country girl at heart, really.
0:06:00 > 0:06:05My ideal property would be a traditional cottage type of property.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09Lots of character. Beams, open fireplace.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Roses round the door!
0:06:11 > 0:06:14With that idyllic dream home in mind,
0:06:14 > 0:06:15let's talk money.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18The budget for the move is £250,000.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Angela needs to be within 20 minutes' drive of Casterton
0:06:24 > 0:06:25for her new job
0:06:25 > 0:06:28and preferably a couple of hours from her parents' in Yorkshire.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32So we'll be house-hunting in the north of the county
0:06:32 > 0:06:34close to the border with Cumbria.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37I met her and dad Norman in Lancashire to find out more
0:06:37 > 0:06:40about what she'd like from her new country home.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Welcome to Lancashire. This is what's ahead of you, Angela.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47- I can't wait!- You must know it, Norman. It's not far from you.
0:06:47 > 0:06:51- No, it's not.- Which is part of the reason we want to get you down here.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54In terms of the house that you're looking for,
0:06:54 > 0:06:58tell me about your spec. Your dream property, what would it look like?
0:06:58 > 0:07:02My dream property would have lots of character.
0:07:02 > 0:07:05Not necessarily old, but as long as there's plenty of character.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Two bedrooms minimum. Parking. It's a nightmare in Edinburgh,
0:07:09 > 0:07:14so to be able to pull up outside my own house would be nice!
0:07:14 > 0:07:17And in terms of the... You say two bedrooms. What else?
0:07:17 > 0:07:21A nice kitchen. I'm a keen cook, so the kitchen's important.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25An open fire would be icing on the cake.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28- What about garden? Are you a gardener?- A small garden.
0:07:28 > 0:07:33- I'm not a keen gardener.- Not green-fingered.- No. I'd like to be!
0:07:33 > 0:07:36- Do you think that sounds do-able? - I would think so.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40And you're here to... What's your role in the house search?
0:07:40 > 0:07:43I'm here because of my acute hearing, to listen for the death watch beetle!
0:07:43 > 0:07:46We wouldn't take you to a house that had death watch beetles!
0:07:46 > 0:07:51And in terms of location. Obviously you want to be... We're up in the borders, really.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54We're close to Cumbria, close to Yorkshire, close to Lancashire.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56Do you have a strong feeling for any of those?
0:07:56 > 0:08:00The whole area around Casterton is beautiful.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03A nice village location would be nice.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07- What's your budget?- It's £250,000.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09But you're only looking for two bedrooms, so that's do-able.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12We've found three very nice properties. Shall we go and look?
0:08:12 > 0:08:14- Yes, definitely.- Follow me.
0:08:32 > 0:08:35We've found three fantastic properties
0:08:35 > 0:08:36which we think will really inspire her.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41At each one, I'll be asking them both to guess the price before I reveal it.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43And one, of course, will be our mystery house
0:08:43 > 0:08:46which we hope will be a towering success!
0:08:47 > 0:08:49So, time to get our property search underway.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54With location top of the agenda,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57we're heading to the village of Whittington in the Lune Valley.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01Angela would only have a ten-minute drive to Casterton
0:09:01 > 0:09:04and it's around 70 miles from Norman's house in Yorkshire.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07While the amenities here are limited to a local pub,
0:09:07 > 0:09:11we're just a couple of miles from the Cumbrian town of Kirby Lonsdale
0:09:11 > 0:09:15which has had a market charter since 1227
0:09:15 > 0:09:18and is a thriving centre for local produce.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21We popped into John Natlacen's specialist cheese shop
0:09:21 > 0:09:24to find out more about the importance of food to the area.
0:09:26 > 0:09:28- John, hello.- Hi, Alastair.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30- Hard at work.- Nice to see you. - Here's Angela and her dad, Norman.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34- Hi.- Hi.- Angela may be moving into the neighbourhood.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38- That's nice to hear. It's a wonderful place to live. - And it's beautiful.
0:09:38 > 0:09:41And the foody capital. I had no idea that Kirby was such a foody heaven!
0:09:41 > 0:09:44It is. It's a mecca for food enthusiasts
0:09:44 > 0:09:48from the local producers to the local shops
0:09:48 > 0:09:52to all of the bars and restaurants that are within walking distance of Kirby Lonsdale.
0:09:52 > 0:09:58That's the great thing. You don't have to walk out or get a taxi.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02Everything is in the centre of town within easy walking distance.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05What other suppliers are there? You do cheese.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07There's a butcher's next door.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10A fantastic butcher's next door. Regularly wins awards.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13And every Thursday there's a market in the square
0:10:13 > 0:10:17with the emphasis there being on fine food.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20Thank you very much for your time. It's a wonderful shop.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22I have to persuade her to buy the next house!
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- Excellent. Good luck!- Thank you. - Thank you.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29'Just two miles down the road is Whittington,
0:10:29 > 0:10:31'where we find our first property,
0:10:31 > 0:10:36'a stone-built Victorian terraced house dating back to 1895.'
0:10:36 > 0:10:40So, here is house number one.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44It's pretty, yes. Yes, looks nice.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Bay window. I like bay windows.
0:10:46 > 0:10:48- Norman, what are your thought? - It looks nice.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50It's like something that I live in at the moment.
0:10:50 > 0:10:55- It's got roses round the door. They're the bits I look at!- Right!
0:10:55 > 0:10:58- One of your requirements!- Well done, us, for finding that.
0:10:58 > 0:10:59- Shall we go in?- Yes.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05'Angela appears happy with this pretty terraced house from the outside,
0:11:05 > 0:11:07'thanks to the roses and the windows!
0:11:07 > 0:11:10'Now let's see what she and Norman think of the interior.'
0:11:13 > 0:11:15Straight in to the front room.
0:11:15 > 0:11:20- These big high windows looking out onto the fields.- It's a lovely view.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24- A good view out of the window. - The view is lovely.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28- What about the room?- The room feels quite spacious.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Nice high ceilings. Yes, it's OK. It's a reasonable size.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36Well, this is not the only reception room. There's another.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40'Angela's reaction to the living room was quietly polite!
0:11:40 > 0:11:43'But I think she'll be struck by what the dining room delivers.'
0:11:43 > 0:11:47- Another room at the back. - Oh! Now we're talking!
0:11:47 > 0:11:50- This is more to your liking? - Look at that!- Lovely, isn't it?
0:11:50 > 0:11:54- You're not short-changed on the fire.- No. This is perfect.
0:11:54 > 0:11:55I quite like this as well.
0:11:55 > 0:11:59And this is a bonus. I don't have a dining room in my flat,
0:11:59 > 0:12:05so this is plus points. I love the fireplace! Gorgeous.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10'I'm glad Angela is warming to the charms of this property.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12'Let's hope the kitchen measures up.'
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Is the good mood continuing?
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Compact!
0:12:16 > 0:12:20Quite well designed, I think. Not a lot of work space, is there?
0:12:20 > 0:12:23That's a thing about Victorian houses. Kitchens were for servants.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26So they weren't really luxurious.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29I don't mind the galley style, because that's very practical
0:12:29 > 0:12:31in terms of movements and everything.
0:12:31 > 0:12:37I can see myself here. But trying to plate food up, and pans, where do you put everything?
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Mr Practical, what are your thoughts about the kitchen?
0:12:41 > 0:12:43- If it was me, I'd like a bigger kitchen.- Right.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45But this is obviously quite practical.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Let's go upstairs.
0:12:49 > 0:12:54'Well, practical is good, so maybe Angela could live with a smaller kitchen than she'd hoped for.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58'As we head upstairs, there's more space than they might expect
0:12:58 > 0:13:00'with three bedrooms,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04'one of which could be used as a study and comes with a lovely cast-iron fireplace,
0:13:04 > 0:13:08'and another which could be ideal for her son when he comes to stay.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12'These share a very generously-sized bathroom with wood flooring.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16'But we're heading for what could be Angela's sleeping domain.'
0:13:17 > 0:13:19This is the biggest room.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22- They use it as the master bedroom. - This is quite a size.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25- It is.- Oh, a fireplace!
0:13:25 > 0:13:28A beautiful Victorian cast-iron fireplace
0:13:28 > 0:13:30- with the original ceramic tiles. - It's lovely.
0:13:30 > 0:13:34- I like the dual windows.- Yes. Right.
0:13:34 > 0:13:38Beautiful view over the freshly-mown field
0:13:38 > 0:13:40- and the church.- Lovely.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44That view, every morning, you wouldn't need to close the curtains.
0:13:44 > 0:13:45Just lovely.
0:13:46 > 0:13:49'So a very good reaction upstairs.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53'Outside, the space is sub-divided into a communal parking area
0:13:53 > 0:13:55'which gives Angela room for two cars.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59'And this leads to her lawn and patio
0:13:59 > 0:14:01'with views of the Lune Valley.'
0:14:01 > 0:14:04So this area is a bit more private.
0:14:04 > 0:14:09- Hmm.- But up front, it's definitely more open plan.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11It's different. It's not ideal.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14I could probably live with it.
0:14:14 > 0:14:19If the house is right, then you never get everything, do you?
0:14:19 > 0:14:22You don't ever get perfection.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24There has to be some compromise somewhere.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26So how much do you think the house costs?
0:14:26 > 0:14:28I think it's at the top end of the budget.
0:14:28 > 0:14:30I think - let's go for 245.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33- Norman?- I think about 210.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37Well, you're not quite there. It's actually right at the top of your budget.
0:14:37 > 0:14:42- It's £5 short of £250,000.- I thought it would be near the top.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45With the number of rooms, really.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48I'm going to send you back in. Have a look round and I'll see you at the front.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50- And we'll go from there.- OK. - Thank you.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Just within budget at a shade under £250,000,
0:14:55 > 0:14:58this characterful Victorian terrace
0:14:58 > 0:15:01is very conveniently located for Angela's commute.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15The bits I love about the house, I love this room.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19I love the fireplace. I love the large bathroom.
0:15:19 > 0:15:23When I first went into the kitchen, I was concerned about the worktop.
0:15:23 > 0:15:27It could be redesigned in some way to have more work space.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29The big plusses are the three bedrooms.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32The disappointment for me was that the kitchen was a little small.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37Angela loves cooking. She tends to spread everything all over the place
0:15:37 > 0:15:40when she's making some of her more intricate recipes.
0:15:40 > 0:15:41They really are friendly in Lancashire.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Shared front gardens, shared back gardens,
0:15:44 > 0:15:46you have to like your neighbours!
0:15:46 > 0:15:50- Door knocker.- Hello.- Hi.- You've spotted...- That's an omen.
0:15:50 > 0:15:55- There's a highland piper on the door!- That means you have to buy the house, Angela!
0:15:55 > 0:15:58But not before you've seen the others. Let's see house number two.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Lancashire possesses a rich and varied rural landscape
0:16:15 > 0:16:17including the rivers and woodland of the Ribble Valley
0:16:17 > 0:16:21which fall within the protected area of the Forest of Bowland.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25At its heart lies the historic market town of Clitheroe
0:16:25 > 0:16:28whose Norman castle is said to be the smallest in England from that era.
0:16:30 > 0:16:36Because of its long-standing market tradition and the array of independent food retailers here,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Clitheroe should prove an ideal destination for avid cook Angela
0:16:39 > 0:16:42to source ingredients once she makes her move here.
0:16:44 > 0:16:49The countryside is well suited to producing one of Lancashire's renowned edible commodities, cheese.
0:16:49 > 0:16:53At Beesley Farm, they've been making cheese to a family recipe
0:16:53 > 0:16:57for 30 years, using milk from their own dairy herd.
0:16:57 > 0:17:03We arranged for Angela and Norman to meet third-generation cheesemaker Graham Kirkham
0:17:03 > 0:17:05to find out more about this traditional process.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09What type of cattle do you have here? What breed?
0:17:09 > 0:17:14We have Holstein Friesians, but more on the Friesian, really.
0:17:14 > 0:17:16They're quite a big heavy cow.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19The reason for that is the style of milk we want.
0:17:19 > 0:17:23We want high-protein, high-fat milk.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27What we need to make the style of cheese that we make.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29We'll get some wellies and some whites on
0:17:29 > 0:17:33and you can come into the dairy and make some fabulous Lancashire cheese.
0:17:33 > 0:17:34- Great.- Come on.- Thank you.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40Lancashire cheese-making can be traced back to the 12th century,
0:17:40 > 0:17:45when King John granted Preston a royal charter to host an annual cheese fair.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48So having gone through the process of taking the milk,
0:17:48 > 0:17:52starter cultures, or good bacteria, are added, followed by rennet,
0:17:52 > 0:17:55an enzyme that coagulates the milk.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57The resulting mass is then cut into pieces
0:17:57 > 0:18:00to begin the separation of the liquid, or whey,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02from the milk solids, or curds.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05These are then heated before being drained.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09And it highlights the hand-made element of the process.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14So is your cheese really crumbly?
0:18:14 > 0:18:16What we make isn't a crumbly cheese
0:18:16 > 0:18:23and I think, and I know, the true traditional Lancashire will be sort of really flaky and buttery.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27It will crumble, but it'll be really soft and delicate.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29Creamy but not heavy.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33After draining, the cheese then goes through a peg mill
0:18:33 > 0:18:35to be ground up into small pieces.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39Salt is then added for taste and as a preservative
0:18:39 > 0:18:42before the cheese goes back into the mill again.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Then the next stage, putting it into a mould, or "cheese pot".
0:18:47 > 0:18:51It takes a gallon to produce a pound of cheese.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53A gallon of milk, a pound of cheese.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57So these old farms, they'd only have a few pints, a few gallons,
0:18:57 > 0:18:59they'd no refrigeration, they couldn't keep milk.
0:18:59 > 0:19:03But they can keep this. They can keep curd. Curd lasts for a few days.
0:19:06 > 0:19:11After pressing, the cheese is left to mature for up to 24 months.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15After which, the time is definitely ripe to sample some.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18That should be really quite creamy, that.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Mmm.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24It's not too heavy. It's still broken and fluffy.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26Exactly what I'm looking for, that.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- Yeah.- Really nice.- What do you think?- Gorgeous!
0:19:31 > 0:19:35Having been given a taste of Lancashire's dairy farming heritage,
0:19:35 > 0:19:39the search for Angela's creme-de-la-creme country house
0:19:39 > 0:19:40continues.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50For our second property, we've hopped over the border into Cumbria
0:19:50 > 0:19:53to the hamlet of Old Hutton.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56We're 20 minutes from Angela's job in Casterton
0:19:56 > 0:20:00and within two hours' drive of her parents in West Yorkshire.
0:20:01 > 0:20:08This peaceful community has a public hall and a church that dates back to the 1870s.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13Our second house is a stone and slate cottage built in the 1900s
0:20:13 > 0:20:17which has stunning views over towards the Lake District.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22I am looking forward to showing you this one.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25House number two.
0:20:25 > 0:20:27Come right up to the gate so you get the full glory of it.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31- Oh, wow!- That's nice. - That is gorgeous!
0:20:31 > 0:20:34- Where's my cheque book? - Ah! That's what we like!
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Reminds me of my grandmother's place back in Ireland.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Aw! I think we've done well, then!
0:20:38 > 0:20:40- Done very well, yes!- Very good.
0:20:40 > 0:20:45It's just stunning. It's just... Can we go in?
0:20:45 > 0:20:48No. It's not for sale. It's that pre-fab over there!
0:20:48 > 0:20:50Yes, let's go in!
0:20:50 > 0:20:57This gem of a property seems to have Angela's heart soaring before we've even gone through the front door.
0:20:57 > 0:21:01But I think she'll be even more impressed by what she finds inside.
0:21:04 > 0:21:05Come in.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11- Oh!- What do you think?- Bingo!
0:21:11 > 0:21:13Bingo! That's what we wanted.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15Yes, very nice indeed.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18It's so attractive. It's so...
0:21:18 > 0:21:19I love it.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24They've done a lovely job of completely remodelling the cottage.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26But keeping the original features.
0:21:26 > 0:21:31A lovely oak floor, and a skimmed effect on the ceilings and walls.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Great, thick walls and also beautiful views.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36Could you imagine moving straight in?
0:21:36 > 0:21:39- Yes.- Really?- My bags are packed!
0:21:40 > 0:21:42Wow! She's decided to move in already
0:21:42 > 0:21:46and I think she'll find the kitchen is a cook's paradise.
0:21:48 > 0:21:49Pa-dah!
0:21:49 > 0:21:53It just gets better! Just gets better!
0:21:53 > 0:21:54Incredible.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58- I'm speechless. Absolutely speechless.- Plenty of work surface.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01No problem with work surface here! They've done it so well!
0:22:01 > 0:22:06Everything's to my taste. I am...speechless!
0:22:06 > 0:22:11I'll fill in a few details. A lovely big range, there.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12Super for cooking.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15And lovely solid wood surfaces throughout.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19And these lovely drawers, the ones that go...
0:22:21 > 0:22:23This is a dream kitchen. A dream kitchen.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25- It is. And look at that view! - I know.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28- Magical.- Oh!
0:22:28 > 0:22:32- What's it making you think?- It's making me want to be here now.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- That's what we like!- Moving in now. Tomorrow!
0:22:35 > 0:22:39Angela's love affair with this house continues.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42To seal the deal, I'm going to show her a bedroom
0:22:42 > 0:22:45which could take sleeping to a whole new level.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52Oh! That's a surprise. I wasn't expecting this.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55- Look up there.- An office upstairs. - Yeah.
0:22:55 > 0:23:00- I wonder why they haven't put the bed up there?- Ah, you're one ahead of me.
0:23:00 > 0:23:03I was thinking, cos there's only two bedrooms in this property.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06I was thinking of this as the second one.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10But I was thinking, when Anthony comes down to visit - up to visit -
0:23:10 > 0:23:12you could have a bed up there all made up
0:23:12 > 0:23:16and then have this as your study. What do you think, Norman?
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Yes, very good. I'd put the bed upstairs.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20Beautiful views again.
0:23:20 > 0:23:26And, behind that door, is a lovely little en-suite shower room.
0:23:26 > 0:23:27- Tick?- Yes, tick!
0:23:27 > 0:23:31- So that's downstairs.- OK. - Let's go upstairs.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35'The positivity continues.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39'We make our way upstairs through a latched door in the sitting room
0:23:39 > 0:23:42'and get Angela's take on the main bedroom.'
0:23:45 > 0:23:48This is your bedroom. And what a bedroom it is!
0:23:48 > 0:23:52- Great! Oh!- Oh, that's nice.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54That is lovely.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56More than nice, Norman, it's magnificent!
0:23:56 > 0:23:59It's more than nice. Lovely views as well.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02- Look at that view!- On a clear day, you can see Scarfell Pike.- Yes.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04I'm there. My bed's there.
0:24:04 > 0:24:10I've got some old-fashioned furniture which would be in keeping with the style.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12There's a lovely bathroom here as well.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14It's effectively your en-suite.
0:24:15 > 0:24:19That's nice because it's like a completely private area.
0:24:19 > 0:24:20I don't think I'd change anything.
0:24:20 > 0:24:24'This cottage has passed the test with flying colours.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27'Now, while the garden is a small one,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30'it makes up for its size with those incredible views.'
0:24:34 > 0:24:36Here's your lovely little bijou garden
0:24:36 > 0:24:41which is largely just a viewing post for that.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43- Yes.- Stunning.- Stunning.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46That's the beginning of the Lake District.
0:24:46 > 0:24:51Is it a shared garden, because there's a gate through to next door.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53That's the Pennine Way that goes through your...
0:24:53 > 0:24:56- That takes you to your car port, where you park your car.- Right!
0:24:56 > 0:25:00This is your garden. This is the house. What's the price?
0:25:00 > 0:25:03This has got to be over budget, I think.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05Let's go 262.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10- Norman?- I think because it's got two bedrooms, rather than three,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12I would think 240.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14240.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17This property, in its current state,
0:25:17 > 0:25:19is on the market for...
0:25:19 > 0:25:22249,950.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24- Where's my cheque book? - I was nearest!
0:25:24 > 0:25:28You were nearest. You win. But you don't win the property. You have to buy it.
0:25:28 > 0:25:31- That's good.- But you're in a position to buy it.- Yes.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34- That's good. Great!- Why don't you go in and explore.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37Decide where you're going to put things!
0:25:37 > 0:25:39- I'll see you out the front. - Great! Thank you!
0:25:41 > 0:25:43(Yes!)
0:25:43 > 0:25:44That is great.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47It's a beautiful house. I think she should move straight in.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Although we do still have the mystery house to go.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Priced within Angela's budget of £250,000,
0:25:56 > 0:26:00this traditional cottage is a tasteful mix of old and new
0:26:00 > 0:26:04and seems to fit the vision she has of her dream home.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18When I decided I was moving to the countryside,
0:26:18 > 0:26:25I had sort of a picture and this is nearly it. This is as near as it gets, I think!
0:26:25 > 0:26:28The only thing missing is a rose round the door,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30but that can soon be planted!
0:26:30 > 0:26:32I loved the living room. I loved the kitchen.
0:26:32 > 0:26:35And the bathroom.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Really good. It's very homely.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40I would think this matches Angela's requirements quite well.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43It's a beautiful spot here. Very peaceful.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45I love this spot.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48- I think you'll be very happy here. - I think I would as well.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50But we've got one more house tomorrow.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52So let's rest up and get ready for the mystery house.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06As the sun sets over the beautiful countryside of the Lancashire borders,
0:27:06 > 0:27:10our first day of house-hunting ends on a very positive note.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21School bursar Angela has a new job in Casterton
0:27:21 > 0:27:25and has £250,000 to make the move from the city of Edinburgh
0:27:25 > 0:27:27to the Lancashire countryside.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31She's brought along dad Norman to give some practical guidance.
0:27:31 > 0:27:36So far, they've been impressed by the charms of a Victorian terraced house
0:27:36 > 0:27:39then bowled over by our beautiful stone cottage.
0:27:39 > 0:27:44But coming up, the mystery house is like something from a fairytale!
0:27:44 > 0:27:47It really is Rapunzel-like, isn't it?
0:27:47 > 0:27:51And I experience life as a worker in a Victorian cotton mill.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00I think we may have painted ourselves into a corner of property excellence yesterday,
0:28:00 > 0:28:05with that house, because house number two seemed to really hit the mark
0:28:05 > 0:28:06for Angela and for Norman.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09She loved it. She was practically getting her cheque book out.
0:28:09 > 0:28:12So the mystery house provides us with a bit of a challenge.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15We need to do something a bit different, so we thought we'd risk it
0:28:15 > 0:28:19and take Angela to a property that is far out in the countryside.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23Nice and rural, but not on the edge of a village, as she requested.
0:28:23 > 0:28:26Also it's filled with period charm.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28Because the one thing that puzzled me about house number two
0:28:28 > 0:28:32was how was Angela, who has a good eye for colour and style
0:28:32 > 0:28:35going to put her mark on something that was so perfect?
0:28:35 > 0:28:38It's a risk, but we like risks on this show!
0:28:41 > 0:28:44For our mystery property, we're still in south Cumbria.
0:28:44 > 0:28:48But we've travelled further west, close to the village of Milnthorpe.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52We're just outside Angela's commute time to Casterton,
0:28:52 > 0:28:54which is 21 minutes away.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58It's around 107 miles from her parents' home in Yorkshire.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01Milnthorpe has several old hostelries to choose from,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04and hosts a market in the square every Friday.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09It's home to a variety of local shops, including a butcher and a baker.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13Our mystery property is 2.5 miles to the south
0:29:13 > 0:29:14in the hamlet of Hale.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18While Angela was hoping for a detached property,
0:29:18 > 0:29:23we don't think she'll mind having neighbours here when she sees what we have in store for her.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26A converted cow shed, or shippen,
0:29:26 > 0:29:30which dates back to the 1700s in a farmstead development of six houses.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33Oh, wow!
0:29:34 > 0:29:36So, in from the lane,
0:29:36 > 0:29:39you come into this lovely cobbled courtyard.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41The property I want to show you is this one
0:29:41 > 0:29:44with the castellated turret.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46You've got your private car space there,
0:29:46 > 0:29:49and three communal spaces you can share when people come to visit.
0:29:50 > 0:29:52What are your first impressions?
0:29:52 > 0:29:56- It's fantastic.- Very interesting. Very attractive.- Yeah.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58- Very attractive.- I won't say nice. It's better than nice!
0:29:58 > 0:30:00Better than nice!
0:30:00 > 0:30:02But I can't wait to see the inside of the rooms.
0:30:02 > 0:30:06Having your own turret! Never had one of those before!
0:30:06 > 0:30:07- Queen of the castle!- Yeah!
0:30:08 > 0:30:13'Angela seems intrigued and excited by the distinctive exterior of our mystery house.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16'And I think when she sees the period features inside,
0:30:16 > 0:30:18'she may be even more bowled over.'
0:30:19 > 0:30:23Past the turret, straight in to the kitchen.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Oh, that was a surprise!
0:30:25 > 0:30:27- What do you think?- It's big enough.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30Yes, plenty big enough. Plenty of work space.
0:30:30 > 0:30:32Lots of character. It's got beams.
0:30:32 > 0:30:34It has got beams, yes.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Bay window, enough room for a table. That's good.
0:30:37 > 0:30:42But compared to yesterday. That was a real zowie kitchen.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44That was lovely. That was very modern.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47And very new. But I think I prefer the character of this
0:30:47 > 0:30:50and the style of the building. It's very different.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53- Does it feel like the sort of house where you'd want to live? - It feels lovely.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55Shall we go and look upstairs?
0:30:56 > 0:31:00'So, our mystery house may be nudging ahead of house number two.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02'However, it does have an unusual layout.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04'On the ground floor is the guest bedroom
0:31:04 > 0:31:06which comes with its own en-suite.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10While upstairs is where we find the sitting room.'
0:31:10 > 0:31:14Up the turret, into the main living space.
0:31:19 > 0:31:23- Beams.- Beams.- Small windows. Lots of character.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25That's wonderful, isn't it?
0:31:25 > 0:31:30And look. For the first time a proper functioning open fire.
0:31:30 > 0:31:31Great!
0:31:31 > 0:31:33And there's a door there.
0:31:33 > 0:31:36A door with a lovely balcony. So you could sit out there in the summer.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40- Really is Rapunzel-like! - Mm! Norman?
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Plenty of room. Take out some of the bigger furniture.
0:31:43 > 0:31:46I'm surprised there's an open fire in the building upstairs.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Again, historical. Shippens, people lived above the animals.
0:31:49 > 0:31:51The animals below, and they'd live up here.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53- So they needed the fire.- Oh.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55That's great.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59Then you would sleep right next door.
0:32:00 > 0:32:05'The period charm of this place is continuing to cast its spell over Angela and Norman.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07'And there's more to be found in the master bedroom.'
0:32:07 > 0:32:12So an en-suite there and you come into a good sized bedroom.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14It is a good size, isn't it?
0:32:14 > 0:32:17You could have a king size bed in here, no problem.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20- Yes, absolutely. Norman, what do you think?- Yes, I love it.
0:32:20 > 0:32:25- Plenty of room.- What's nice is there's real historical bones to the property.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28And just behind the unit there,
0:32:28 > 0:32:31there's a horse shoe stuck into the beam,
0:32:31 > 0:32:34which they used to do in agricultural buildings to bring good luck.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37Great. Everything helps!
0:32:37 > 0:32:39- Yeah.- I like this room.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42- Definitely.- Yes, I like it as well.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45- I think the whole property has a very nice feel to it.- It's great.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48'Could it be that this property has won Angela's heart?
0:32:48 > 0:32:50'We've just got the outside to see.
0:32:50 > 0:32:54'This conversion has a really pretty private rear garden and patio.
0:32:54 > 0:32:59'And among the communal areas, there's a field which is shared with the other properties.'
0:33:00 > 0:33:06I have to say this is probably the crowning glory of this property for me.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10- Because it's by far the nicest garden I've shown you.- It is.
0:33:10 > 0:33:13- It's the biggest as well. - The biggest, the most enclosed.
0:33:13 > 0:33:17- Still manageable.- Easy maintenance.
0:33:17 > 0:33:21Easy maintenance. Then here in the quite large triangle of land,
0:33:21 > 0:33:23there's a kind of communal orchard.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27It's a bit overgrown, so you might want to elect yourself the orchard keeper!
0:33:27 > 0:33:30Buy a goat to eat the grass!
0:33:30 > 0:33:33- Yes. He is practical, isn't he? - Yes, he is.
0:33:33 > 0:33:36Well, that's the package. What's the price?
0:33:36 > 0:33:40This is a difficult one, because it's still only two bedrooms.
0:33:40 > 0:33:44But it's got the turret, it's got the lovely courtyard.
0:33:44 > 0:33:46An overhang for parking.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50I will be going... Oooh.
0:33:50 > 0:33:51260?
0:33:51 > 0:33:57- Norman?- I'll go with, because of the same reasons, 250. Full budget.
0:33:57 > 0:34:03Well, this property is actually on the market for exactly the same price as the last one.
0:34:03 > 0:34:05249,950.
0:34:06 > 0:34:07I win!
0:34:07 > 0:34:11- You win again!- So why don't you go in, have a look around.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14You can check out the downstairs bedroom and the communal field.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16If you go out and around, you'll find it.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18- OK.- OK.- See you later.
0:34:21 > 0:34:22Well, look'ee there!
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Mystery house a contender, too.
0:34:25 > 0:34:27Cat among pigeons.
0:34:47 > 0:34:50The mystery house was certainly a mystery. Who else has got a turret?
0:34:50 > 0:34:53It's cosy, it's very cute.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55The contrast between house number two, which was very modern,
0:34:55 > 0:34:58and this house which is very cottagey,
0:34:58 > 0:35:03I've got a tough decision to make, whether to go for the modern or the cottagey character.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05It's going to be hard.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07I thought it was out of this world.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09It's been very well modernised,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12probably from its original boring origins.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14They've done a fantastic job.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17Wow, they have swallows here in this courtyard. Beautiful.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20- You've got swallows in your courtyard.- Really?
0:35:20 > 0:35:23- I'm saying "your" courtyard. You haven't bought it yet! - It is my courtyard!
0:35:23 > 0:35:28That's a good sign. It means there's going to be a summer because there's more than one.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31Right. Let's go somewhere and have some peace and quiet
0:35:31 > 0:35:34so you can digest all the properties you've seen.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36And then we can make some decisions.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38- OK.- Come with me.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49From Cumbria, we're now firmly back in the county of Lancashire,
0:35:49 > 0:35:52which quickly came to dominate the cotton trade
0:35:52 > 0:35:56with the onset of factory mass production in the 1760s.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59One cotton mill with one steam engine
0:35:59 > 0:36:01could power 50,000 spindles,
0:36:01 > 0:36:05the equivalent output of 200,000 people spinning by hand.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08And of the 35 steam-driven engines
0:36:08 > 0:36:10in 18th-century British cotton mills,
0:36:10 > 0:36:1329 could be found in Lancashire.
0:36:13 > 0:36:17The golden era of the mills lay firmly in the Victorian period.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21So I visited Queen Street Textile Museum in Burnley
0:36:21 > 0:36:26to see the world's only operational 19th-century steam-powered weaving mill.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30I started by finding out more about the intricacies involved in weaving
0:36:30 > 0:36:32from Graham Myers.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34- Graham.- Yes.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37That hall through there is amazing.
0:36:37 > 0:36:39Deafening and amazing.
0:36:39 > 0:36:41So what's going on here?
0:36:41 > 0:36:44- You're pulling the threads... - Each individual warp thread
0:36:44 > 0:36:48- has to be pulled through.- You've got the warp and the weft. I remember that from school.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52You remember, weft is left, right. Left, weft.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55- Very good.- Warp is front to back.
0:36:55 > 0:36:59On here, we've got each individual warp thread
0:36:59 > 0:37:01has to be pulled through.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03Once it's been pulled through the correct eye,
0:37:03 > 0:37:06it has to be pulled through the dent in the reed.
0:37:06 > 0:37:10The dent is the gap in-between. It's basically like a metal comb.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13- You have to do that by hand for every single thread?- By hand.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15- How many are there?- And it has to be in the correct order.
0:37:15 > 0:37:20On this particular one, there's 1,330.
0:37:20 > 0:37:22- And one man did that?- Yes.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26Now, mostly, in the weaving shed, this is actually wool.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29It's for another loom that we've got.
0:37:29 > 0:37:36The calico that we do in the weaving is 2,600 warp threads.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41The Queen Street mill specialised in producing cotton calico,
0:37:41 > 0:37:43known as grey cloth.
0:37:43 > 0:37:48Steam would enter the 500 horsepower steam engine from the boiler room below
0:37:48 > 0:37:52and build to a pressure of around 150lbs per square inch.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55Two pistons would drive the flywheel
0:37:55 > 0:37:57which in turn would spin the shafts to power the looms.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01This engine was built in the nearby town of Nelson
0:38:01 > 0:38:06and was in operation until the day the factory closed in 1982.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08And if I thought weaving was hard,
0:38:08 > 0:38:11I hadn't reckoned on engineer Terry Hutton
0:38:11 > 0:38:13putting me to work in the boiler room!
0:38:13 > 0:38:16Small whip back. Open the door.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20- That's hot!- It certainly is.
0:38:20 > 0:38:21And it's basically a swing.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24That's amazing.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26That is an incredible inferno!
0:38:26 > 0:38:30- Would it be just one man feeding it? - Just one man all day.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33He'd have been down here from six in the morning
0:38:33 > 0:38:36right through until six o'clock at night including Saturdays.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38It was imperative they had the steam.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41He had to get the steam to start that engine in the morning.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44Amazing that it closed down in 1982.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46They were still using this machinery?
0:38:46 > 0:38:48They were using everything that you'll see today.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51It's exactly what was put in in the beginning
0:38:51 > 0:38:53from 1894.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56The mill started production in 1895.
0:38:56 > 0:39:02The big corporate people weren't interested in buying a mill like this
0:39:02 > 0:39:05cos the investment needed to fetch it up to the 20th century
0:39:05 > 0:39:07would have been enormous.
0:39:07 > 0:39:12So it just plodded along. And because it was in a village probably it were just forgot.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15The way I look at it, all I am is just the custodian for the next generation.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17If I don't do the job properly,
0:39:17 > 0:39:20then it goes.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23The mill cost £20,000 to build,
0:39:23 > 0:39:27which was raised by selling off 4,000 five pound shares.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29Many workers were shareholders
0:39:29 > 0:39:32and passed them down through the generations of their families.
0:39:33 > 0:39:35In fact, when the mill closed in 1982,
0:39:35 > 0:39:40many of its employees were related to those original mill workers.
0:39:42 > 0:39:45And this is the mill lodge or reservoir that holds the water
0:39:45 > 0:39:48that feeds the engine that makes the steam that turns those wheels
0:39:48 > 0:39:51that gave me a headache because they were very, very loud!
0:39:51 > 0:39:54But it is an amazing slice of Lancashire heritage.
0:39:54 > 0:39:58I need to go and find Angela to find out about those houses.
0:40:03 > 0:40:06Well, here we are, in Cumbria.
0:40:06 > 0:40:11This is Arnside. We've been dotting back and forth across the border, Cumbria and Lancashire.
0:40:11 > 0:40:15But I wanted to gather your thoughts about the houses as we've seen them.
0:40:15 > 0:40:17The first house, seems like a long time ago,
0:40:17 > 0:40:22but it was that Victorian terraced house that we saw, very close to work.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24Lovely location. Nice village.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27It had the lovely woodburning stove in the central room.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31- You loved that room.- I did. But I'm not sure you should buy a house based on one room!
0:40:31 > 0:40:33Although you could!
0:40:33 > 0:40:38What about house number two. That had a wow factor from the two of you.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41House two was a stunning house from the outside and the inside.
0:40:41 > 0:40:45It had been renovated to a very high specification.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49A beautiful big kitchen and the use of space in the back room
0:40:49 > 0:40:52with the loft area.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54The location wasn't ideal for that property.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57It was sort of out of the town, out of the village.
0:40:57 > 0:40:59There were a couple of neighbours nearby,
0:40:59 > 0:41:02but nothing really you could walk to.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05I like house two, with the big thick walls.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08I like the decor. It was beautiful.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12But for the amount of stuff Angela's got, I don't think there was enough storage space.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14What are your thoughts on the mystery house?
0:41:14 > 0:41:18The mystery house was just... That had the wow factor.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21It had the turret, the courtyard, a lovely community.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24- And the house itself?- That had the wow factor as well.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27It had the little balcony, the door from the lounge upstairs.
0:41:27 > 0:41:30And the door from the bedroom downstairs outside.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32And it had the best garden by far.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36But the little courtyard with the houses round it was just lovely.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40Norman, did you notice any negatives. Any practical things to worry about?
0:41:40 > 0:41:43No. None at all. It's surprising. Normally I find something,
0:41:43 > 0:41:45but I couldn't fault it.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47In terms of what happens next, what are your thoughts?
0:41:47 > 0:41:52I'm going to go back to the house with the turret,
0:41:52 > 0:41:54with my son. He's up next week.
0:41:54 > 0:41:59So I'll take him along. I wouldn't like to buy somewhere without his seeing it.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03Although I'm very tempted to phone them tomorrow and put an offer in!
0:42:03 > 0:42:06You're in a unique situation. You've sold your flat in Edinburgh.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09- You've got the money in the bank. - You've done an amazing job.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13Any of the three houses would have been a good choice.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17But the mystery house, you certainly pulled it out of the bag with that one!
0:42:17 > 0:42:19- I'm pleased.- We've had a great time.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22Yes, it was excellent. I loved it.
0:42:26 > 0:42:30That was like a lightning bolt falling out of a clear blue sky.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34We were all convinced that Angela was signed and sealed on property two,
0:42:34 > 0:42:36and then, clear as a bell, she went for the mystery house.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39That's what makes this show so appealing.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43That and coming to amazing bits of the countryside like here.
0:42:43 > 0:42:46We don't often come to the Lancashire borders
0:42:46 > 0:42:48and I think we should come more often.
0:42:48 > 0:42:52So join us next time for more Escape to the Country.
0:42:54 > 0:42:56Angela is clearly a woman of her word
0:42:56 > 0:43:00as she made an offer on the mystery house which was accepted.
0:43:00 > 0:43:04So we wish her well as she settles in to her new home.
0:43:04 > 0:43:08If you'd like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England,
0:43:08 > 0:43:11and need our help, please apply online.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd