West Sussex Escape to the Country


West Sussex

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This could be a scene from the French countryside but, no, I'm not in the Champagne region.

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In fact, I'm standing in England's wine-growing heartland.

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But which county are we going to be raising a glass to today?

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Keep watching to find out.

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On today's show, I help a couple with six dogs

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find a country home that suits all their needs,

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and we dive straight in.

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-That is the biggest surprise of the lot.

-Yep.

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But later on in our search, there's a daunting prospect to consider.

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Go on, be honest with me.

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-I think you're being polite!

-Communal living is a question mark.

-Yes.

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Today I'm in West Sussex, home to one of England's largest wine-growing regions.

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A combination of warm climate, limited rainfall

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and the chalky slopes of the South Downs

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make ideal conditions for these vines to thrive,

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so much so, there are over 20 vineyards in West Sussex alone,

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spanning around 500 acres.

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But grapes and vines aren't the only thing this county has going for it.

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West Sussex became a separate administrative county from East Sussex in 1888,

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and within its borders lie some great historic gems.

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Along with vibrant market towns,

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the county capital of Chichester is graced by its awe-inspiring Norman cathedral.

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Other architectural feats hailing from this period

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include the magnificent Arundel Castle.

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However, West Sussex is also home to a landmark residence

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that dates back to Roman times.

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Fishbourne Roman Palace, unearthed in 1960,

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is the largest and best preserved site of its kind in the country.

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Highlights of the natural landscape fall within the South Downs National Park.

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Across its chalk uplands,

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the South Downs Way, which extends over 100 miles in total,

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covers some of the most scenic walking terrain in the South East of England.

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The average price of a detached property in West Sussex

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is just over £361,000.

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That's £104,000 more than the national figure.

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This is mainly down to beachside properties in hotspots such as The Witterings,

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where you can easily pay up to £1 million.

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But if you're prepared to live without a sea view,

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you can instantly shave a couple of hundred thousand pounds off that.

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But wherever you choose to live,

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there is a fantastic array of different architectural styles to choose from.

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One distinctive feature, seen throughout the villages and towns of West Sussex, is flint.

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This local stone has been used to decorate many a facade,

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from Saxon churches, period farmhouses and garden walls.

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This two-bedroom terraced cottage in Eartham

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is on the market for £435,000.

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Besides chalk, more durable limestone varieties

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form part of the county's natural bedrock

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and have been used as a building material for centuries.

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The prices for these properties range hugely.

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For £250,000,

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you could buy a small two-bedroom cottage.

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But if you want something grander with some land,

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this schoolhouse in the popular village of West Chiltington

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could be yours for £1.1 million.

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A great selection of West Sussex properties there.

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But can we find one to suit today's house-hunters?

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Let's meet them.

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Retired teachers John and Jan

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live in the busy seaport town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight.

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They first met when they were at college.

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Jan was in the year above me and,

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er, for a dare, I asked her out

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and, er, actually, the date, from my point of view, was very successful.

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A few months later, Jan graduated and they went their separate ways.

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However, 42 years on,

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a chance meeting brought them back into each other's lives.

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I was cycling past and I said, "Hello, Janet."

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I thought, "Nobody calls me Janet!" so it was a bit strange!

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There was a man with a cycling helmet and a cycle standing at the top...

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-In shorts, in the middle of January!

-Yes!

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-I did recognise you, didn't I?

-Mm.

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And then, having gone our separate ways for a very long time...

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-42 years.

-42 years.

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..to meet up again was amazing, really.

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For the last three years, they've been living in Jan's property.

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John still owns a flat, which he needs to sell,

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and they're hoping to start a new chapter of their lives by buying their first home together.

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The idea of two houses is great,

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but there comes a point when one or other of you

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is going to have to move in with the other one, and there are always issues.

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"Is it your house? Is it my house? Are these your things?"

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It just gives us that chance to make a fresh start.

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They have their sights set on the English mainland,

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as all of their children have flown the nest and are dotted throughout the UK.

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They also want to lead a quieter life, as their house is on a busy road.

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It is a bit noisy.

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I think to live somewhere up a little lane or a quieter road

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would be really peaceful and pleasant to live

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and wake up and actually hear birds.

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Although owning a home together is uncharted territory,

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they've agreed on a location which they're both familiar with.

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I was brought up in that area

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and, also, because we both trained in West Sussex a long time ago

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-and we go there...

-Yes.

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-..I think we feel comfortable.

-We feel comfortable.

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Besides giving our couple enough space,

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their new home must be able to accommodate Jan's award-winning dogs.

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For me, my biggest wish is space outside for my six dogs

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and I'm used to being able to let them go out and gallop.

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Finally, they've settled on how much they want to spend.

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The budget for the move is £600,000.

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John and Jan may be keen to break free

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from living in a coastal town on the Isle of Wight

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but they still want to be close to the sea,

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so we're focusing our search in the south of the county.

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I met our buyers by the water's edge

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to find out more about their planned move.

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-John and Jan, welcome to West Sussex!

-Thank you.

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Hopefully, we're not going to get too wet today.

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Life, in a way, has gone full circle, hasn't it?

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-This is where you met and hopefully where you'll end up together.

-Yes.

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-That would be good.

-It would be interesting if that happened.

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I feel like I've got Cupid's arrow ready for this search!

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-It is the first house you've bought together.

-Yes.

-That's right.

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With my romantic head, we're going to find a fantastic property for the two of you.

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But it's not just the two of you, is it?

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-It's not just the two of us.

-How many dogs, Jan?!

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We have only six!

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-And they're not small, are they?

-They're not small.

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Are they going to be living in the house with the two of you

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or do they have their own wing, shall we say?

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-They do have their own wing.

-Yes.

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They're not particularly kennelled. They do like to come in with us, as well.

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-They play a huge part of your lives.

-A huge part of our lives.

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-So we've got to consider their wants, as well.

-Absolutely.

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This property that you're looking for together,

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ideally, what's it going to consist of?

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Primarily, it's quite a bit of land that we need, three bedrooms.

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-We do like our bathrooms, don't we?

-Yes.

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-Yep!

-We like to have...

-As many bathrooms as possible!

-Yes!

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That's new! OK, let's see how many we can find you.

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And we have a few children that might come and visit us, so we do need space for family

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-and new baby grandchildren.

-Excellent.

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We've got three properties lined up, one is our mystery house,

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which will certainly get you thinking.

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-Shall we get started?

-Yes, please. Come on, then.

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With a budget of £600,000,

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John and Jan have given us a clear brief

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on what they're after from their country home.

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They'd like a light, airy property, with a minimum of three bedrooms,

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as many bathrooms as possible,

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a separate living area for the dogs

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and around two acres of land.

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We've selected three tempting properties

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and, as usual, I'll be asking them to hazard a guess at the price before I reveal it.

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Lastly, there's our mystery house,

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which challenges them to take on a lifestyle overhaul.

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Janet, it would be fair for me to say you're a bit rusty when it comes to house-hunting.

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-I am. I've been in my house a very long time.

-How many years?

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35 years. NICKI LAUGHS

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I hate to warn you, but the prices are going to have changed just slightly in that time!

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Will you be sad to leave your home or are you ready?

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I'm ready. It will be very sad, I'm not going to say it won't be.

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I've brought the family up in it

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and it's been quite a monument to me,

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but I think I'm ready to move on now.

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Mindful of getting them as close to the coast as possible,

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we're starting our house hunt seven miles southwest of Chichester,

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near to the seaside village of East Wittering.

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The area offers wide-open spaces for walking the dogs

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and also provides a range of useful amenities,

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including a butchers and a couple of pubs.

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Three miles inland from East Wittering, in complete rural seclusion,

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is where we find our first property,

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a farmer's cottage, built back in the 19th century.

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Here's your first property in West Sussex.

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-What do you think?

-It's big.

-Big!

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Maybe a bit close to the road.

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We are on a road, but we are still surrounded by the country.

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-Yes. I like the idea of the sea not being far away.

-Yes.

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-Shall we get started?

-Oh, yes!

-Yes, please.

-Come on, then.

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'Although their first responses are quite muted,

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'as we move inside the house, I hope they'll warm to the interior.'

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I wanted to bring you straight into the kitchen,

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-the heart of the home.

-Absolutely. I like it very much.

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-It's very welcoming. Cosy, warm feel to it.

-It's bright.

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-I like the floor, too. Lovely floor.

-All Chinese slate.

-Beautiful floor.

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Very nice coming in, very friendly and warm.

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To the right, you've got a little utility room fitted out in the same style,

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with access to the garden.

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If you didn't want the dogs to come through the front door,

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-you've got a back door there.

-Sure.

-That is good.

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Right, we will continue. If I can squeeze past you,

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let's go through to the drawing room.

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My word!

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-Yep.

-Yes. Beams.

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-Beams are good.

-Plenty of beams. A forest of beams.

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I've never had beams before. The beams feel a little bit low and perhaps a little bit dark.

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-I have seen beams painted white...

-Yes.

-Mm.

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-..and it really worked.

-Yes. I might have to think about lightening them.

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I'll let you mull that over.

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Let's see if this cottage can work its magic upstairs for you.

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You go through this tiny little door and up the stairs.

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'There's plenty of space for visiting family.

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'Leading off the landing there are five bedrooms,

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'one is set up as a twin

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'and another as a single with a skylight.

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'The third is a small double, whilst the fourth is being used as a study.

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'They're all served by a spacious family bathroom.

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'But we'll explore their generous sleeping accommodation.'

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This is the most important one, with en suite,

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because this is the master.

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-Oh, that's delightful, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Really attractive.

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So, the layout of this cottage and the rooms and the space,

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how does it feel for you? You've got to think of the two of you living together.

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-Two of us is fine.

-Two of us is fine, yes.

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Er, six dogs...

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That's the question downstairs, to see where we're going to put them.

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-We haven't shown you everything in the cottage itself so far.

-Ahh!

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-So there might be an answer there for you.

-Right.

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Let's head back downstairs and I'll show you the last bit.

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-John, you lead the way.

-Thank you.

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Set to the side of the main cottage is a one-bedroom annexe,

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which could either be turned into a doggie den

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or used for the family when they come to stay.

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What we haven't shown you is this part of the property.

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Oh, my word! I thought we'd run out of rooms.

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It's self-contained. You've got a fantastic sitting room here.

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You've got a kitchenette in here.

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-Here's your bedroom and shower room next door.

-My word!

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Blowing me away, this is. It's absolutely amazing.

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-Great for families and children.

-Yes.

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-This is your wing.

-"Don't come in ours without permission!"

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There is another option for this part of the property.

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It could be the dog area.

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-Yes.

-Mm. Yes.

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They need a kitchenette!

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-They do, actually.

-They do!

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'So with that extra accommodation up for grabs,

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'we'll brave the weather outside and see what size of play area the dogs would get.

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'It amounts to three-quarters of an acre of well-maintained gardens.

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'And as if we weren't wet enough,

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'there's one more feature I have up my sleeve to show them.'

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-NICKI LAUGHS

-Now, one last thing...

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..I wanted you to see...

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Your own swimming pool!

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-That is the biggest surprise of the lot.

-Yep.

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-That's a surprise, yes.

-Even more than the annexe!

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-Do you need a swimming pool in your lives?

-I would love a swimming pool in my life.

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So we are going to need to talk how much it's on the market for.

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-Ten minutes from the sea...

-Mm.

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I think you've gone over budget. I think 645.

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-OK.

-625, I think.

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The asking price...

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-..is below that.

-Ooh!

-Right.

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-£565,000.

-Oh!

-OK.

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-That's reasonable, isn't it?

-Yes.

-I'm quite surprised at that.

-Yes.

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At that price, why don't you have another look around,

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see how you can make it work for you and possible kennels for the dogs.

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-Thank you.

-See you in a minute.

-Yes.

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Comfortably under their budget at £565,000,

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our first property provides a substantial amount of accommodation

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for family and the dogs.

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It includes a kitchen-diner, a spacious living room,

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five bedrooms in the main house, along with a one-bedroom annexe.

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Outside, the garden extends to three-quarters of an acre

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and there's even a heated swimming pool.

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I didn't like the beams at all to start with,

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I thought they were a bit dull, something I'd not even considered,

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but the whole place took off when I went upstairs. I thought it was charming.

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The thing that really amazed me was when we came downstairs and then went into the annexe part.

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I didn't even realise that was there. That was fantastic.

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The biggest surprise, of course, was the swimming pool at the end,

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which wasn't in our specification at all.

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But the drawback is the fact that the land is not open.

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The dogs would need the running space

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and, at the moment, I don't see how we could actually run the dogs

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and accommodate them here successfully.

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-What do you think?

-I'm overwhelmed with the building and the cottage itself.

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It doesn't feel cottagey. It's a house but it's so pretty. It's lovely.

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-I can feel a "but"...

-The problem is the dogs.

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-You've got to have a think about that.

-Yes.

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-It's been a good start, hasn't it?

-It's been a very good start.

-Good.

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-Come on, let's go.

-OK.

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Set in Sussex's ancient landscape

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are many historic reminders of invaders from the continent

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who have come and conquered over the past 2,000 years.

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The Romans established the City of Chichester

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as an important fortified settlement

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and set out a formalised street plan of its centre,

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which can still be seen today.

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In fact, just a couple of miles outside Chichester

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lies one of the most important Roman archaeological sites in Britain.

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We sent John and Jan to meet its curator, Rob Symmons

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to discover how such a great display of wealth

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came to be unearthed here.

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When was this site discovered and how?

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It was in 1960. They were digging a water main through the field where the palace was built

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and they started digging up mosaics.

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Fortunately, somebody stopped the digger

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and the archaeologists were called

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and, eight years later, this is what was discovered.

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Why do you think the Romans chose this particular place

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to put up such a wonderful palace as this?

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Our favourite theory, if you like, is that the palace was built for a local client king

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called Tiberius Claudius Togidubnus.

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He was friendly with the Romans and let them sneakily in through the back door to Britain

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and, as a reward, the Romans built this massive palace

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and sat him in it so that he could rule the area for them as a sort of a puppet king.

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The palace houses the largest collection of in situ mosaic floors in Britain.

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Many of these were laid at the time the palace was constructed, around 75 AD,

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which makes them some of the oldest mosaics in the country.

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The early ones are almost exclusively black and white

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and very geometric in their design.

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The later ones tend to be multi-coloured and more figurative,

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so they've got images of people, animals, plants on them.

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So, Rob, what's happened to all the artefacts found on this site?

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-Do you want to come and have a look?

-We'd love to, thank you.

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Once an artefact has been excavated from the site

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it's taken to the laboratory, where the archaeologists work on the object

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to stop it from deteriorating any further.

0:18:490:18:53

I've got one of the coins. This was actually found in 1992.

0:18:530:18:58

See that bright green colour? That's bronze disease.

0:18:580:19:02

What we're trying to do is go through all of our coins

0:19:020:19:05

and clean away that bronze disease. It's like rust.

0:19:050:19:08

It's a very laborious, mechanical process,

0:19:080:19:11

very, very gently scraping away

0:19:110:19:15

tiny, tiny particles of rust.

0:19:150:19:19

Every item found is labelled, catalogued

0:19:190:19:22

and stored for researchers in the future.

0:19:220:19:25

Held within those artefacts is information

0:19:250:19:28

that you or I might not be able to read,

0:19:280:19:31

but there'll be a specialist who's spent their life studying imported Roman pottery

0:19:310:19:36

and they'll be able to look at sometimes tiny pieces

0:19:360:19:40

and they'll be able to work out what the complete pot looked like,

0:19:400:19:43

when it was made, where it was made.

0:19:430:19:45

With a fancy chemical analysis, you might even be able to work out what it was used for.

0:19:450:19:50

There are around 200,000 objects housed in an enormous artefact store

0:19:500:19:56

and each one builds up a picture of life at that time.

0:19:560:20:00

-It's a piece of pottery.

-Right.

0:20:000:20:03

It's a fragment of one of those enormous amphorae that you get, and they're storage jars.

0:20:030:20:09

We know that this one is from Rhodes.

0:20:090:20:11

This little point on the shoulder tells us that.

0:20:110:20:13

I'm just wondering what part it would be.

0:20:130:20:17

This is a modern replica,

0:20:170:20:19

but you can see...

0:20:190:20:22

..it would've come from the little point on the shoulder.

0:20:220:20:26

But that's part of the handle.

0:20:260:20:29

They're useful things because they tell us about trade.

0:20:290:20:32

They tell us that there was enough wealth here to be able to import something.

0:20:320:20:36

The cost of importing the amphora alone must've been quite expensive.

0:20:360:20:40

Thanks very much for showing us your treasures.

0:20:400:20:43

-That's my pleasure!

-It's been absolutely amazing.

0:20:430:20:46

-Good to meet you both. Best of luck with your search.

-We've really enjoyed it. Thanks.

0:20:460:20:50

Having enjoyed a behind-the-scenes visit to this unique historic site,

0:20:500:20:55

it's time we fast-forwarded to the present day

0:20:550:20:57

and continued our property search.

0:20:570:21:00

For our second house, we're majoring on outside space

0:21:030:21:06

as we jump over the Hampshire border to Swanmore.

0:21:060:21:10

This rural village gives them a quiet location

0:21:100:21:13

but also useful amenities, such as a local shop,

0:21:130:21:16

a post office and three pubs.

0:21:160:21:19

Many of the buildings here date back to Victorian times.

0:21:190:21:22

However, our property, which lies on the edge of the village, is modern,

0:21:220:21:27

although it's built in a period style.

0:21:270:21:30

So, what do you think?

0:21:300:21:31

-It's a very imposing house.

-Yes.

0:21:310:21:33

This house was only built in 2,000, so it's 12 years old.

0:21:330:21:38

-I'm surprised.

-But it doesn't look overly modern.

-No.

0:21:380:21:42

-It's in character.

-It is very much in character.

0:21:420:21:45

So the weather is pretty dire.

0:21:450:21:47

-Shall we start off inside?

-Yes, please.

-Come on.

0:21:470:21:50

'It doesn't look like the weather has dampened their spirits

0:21:500:21:53

'as they seem impressed by the exterior.

0:21:530:21:56

'Long may it continue and we explore inside.'

0:21:560:21:59

So come into the dry and the warm.

0:22:020:22:06

We'll start off with the kitchen because I brought you through the back door.

0:22:060:22:10

Very different from the kitchen we saw earlier,

0:22:100:22:13

different style, different layout.

0:22:130:22:16

-What do you think?

-It's small.

-Yes.

-It hasn't got the dining space,

0:22:160:22:20

-but it's a good kitchen.

-It's very nice.

0:22:200:22:23

-It's a functional kitchen.

-It works as a kitchen.

0:22:230:22:26

It depends what else we've got to go with it.

0:22:260:22:28

-Good point. Shall we continue?

-Yes, please!

0:22:280:22:32

To complement the kitchen,

0:22:320:22:35

-you've actually got a separate dining room.

-Right.

0:22:350:22:38

Or an extremely large hallway, because there's your front door!

0:22:380:22:43

-Yes.

-It's dual-purpose, isn't it?

0:22:430:22:45

Very happy to sit down and eat my meal there.

0:22:450:22:48

-You seem more in unison with this property.

-BOTH: I think we are.

0:22:480:22:52

It feels more like home in a funny sort of way!

0:22:520:22:54

-Perhaps it's more in our zone.

-Yes.

0:22:540:22:57

-I love it.

-Yes?

-We're doing well.

-Right.

0:22:570:23:00

We'll go through.

0:23:000:23:02

We've got a beautifully presented sitting room.

0:23:020:23:05

Oh, that is really lovely. Look at the ceiling.

0:23:050:23:09

The first thing that hits me is the ceiling and the light.

0:23:090:23:12

-Multi-fuel burner there.

-I love that.

-Lovely fireplace.

0:23:120:23:15

The house has character. It doesn't look like it's only 12 years old.

0:23:150:23:20

-No, it doesn't.

-You've got a massive conservatory, a really good size.

0:23:200:23:24

That was built in 2003.

0:23:240:23:26

Now, every time I look at a room, I'm thinking,

0:23:260:23:29

-"Is this suitable for the dogs?"

-I'm sure you are, yes.

0:23:290:23:32

They would probably love it in there. I would fight them for it

0:23:320:23:36

but it could be perfect for the dogs.

0:23:360:23:38

Just a thought.

0:23:380:23:40

-Let's see if we can keep this good mood upstairs!

-OK!

0:23:400:23:45

'The clean lines and modern feel of this property

0:23:470:23:49

'have struck a chord with them so far.

0:23:490:23:52

'Upstairs gives them the number of bedrooms they asked for,

0:23:520:23:55

'the largest of which would be theirs.'

0:23:550:23:57

Amazing views from every window.

0:23:570:24:02

-Yes.

-And here is the master.

-Right.

0:24:020:24:05

-I like the, er, arch there.

-The little dressing room.

-It's like a little dressing area.

0:24:050:24:10

And lots of storage space, which I need!

0:24:100:24:15

-THEY LAUGH

-There is a drawer for me!

0:24:150:24:19

-Very nice.

-You've got two other bedrooms,

0:24:190:24:21

one which is being used as a study-come-bedroom,

0:24:210:24:25

and a family bathroom.

0:24:250:24:27

-These award-winning dogs haven't even been thought about yet, have they?

-No!

0:24:270:24:31

-They haven't got a home.

-No. OK.

0:24:310:24:33

-The bedroom!

-I think we should go outside,

0:24:330:24:36

take a look at the land

0:24:360:24:38

-and what you could possibly do for them.

-OK.

0:24:380:24:42

'The house comes with around an acre and a half of grounds,

0:24:420:24:46

'so a perfect area for their six dogs.'

0:24:460:24:49

I think it's time to talk champion doggies.

0:24:500:24:55

We've got to get it right for them, as well as for the two of you.

0:24:550:24:59

-As we came in, you probably saw there was a double garage.

-Yes.

0:24:590:25:02

There's loads of space above.

0:25:020:25:04

Planning permission hasn't been given for that to be converted, but an option.

0:25:040:25:08

-And then you have all of this.

-Mm.

0:25:080:25:11

-It's an acre and a half.

-It's lovely. A delightful property.

0:25:110:25:16

Let's get it over with. Let's talk about how much this house is on the market for.

0:25:160:25:21

-I'll have a punt.

-Go on, then, you go again.

0:25:210:25:25

-595.

-Mm.

-OK.

0:25:250:25:28

You have the face of a poker player, can I just tell you that, John?

0:25:280:25:31

-Very good!

-Poker-faced.

0:25:310:25:33

I don't think he's far wrong, actually.

0:25:330:25:36

I'm going to say 575.

0:25:360:25:39

Jan, it's you.

0:25:390:25:41

-£575,000.

-Really? I'm right!

-Well done.

0:25:410:25:45

Go and have another look around, please do.

0:25:450:25:48

I can see you're very taken with this property.

0:25:480:25:51

And now you know the price, you can work out, potentially,

0:25:510:25:54

-the adjustments that you might make to make it right for you...

-Yes.

0:25:540:25:58

..plus those six dogs!

0:25:580:26:00

-Off you go!

-Thanks.

-See you in a while!

0:26:000:26:05

Under budget at £575,000,

0:26:050:26:09

our buyers have £25,000 left over

0:26:090:26:12

to make any changes to this property.

0:26:120:26:15

It gives them a large main living room with multi-fuel burner,

0:26:150:26:19

a conservatory, three bedrooms

0:26:190:26:21

and a round 1.5 acres of land for their dogs to roam free.

0:26:210:26:26

Very imposing as you come in the beautiful sweeping drive. It's almost like a mansion.

0:26:260:26:31

I'm a bit concerned about there's only one bathroom upstairs,

0:26:310:26:34

that we haven't got an en suite in the master.

0:26:340:26:37

I think we need something like that to think about.

0:26:370:26:40

Outside is amazing.

0:26:400:26:42

The grounds are well put together, well kept, easy to maintain,

0:26:420:26:47

and the whole house sort of exudes quality and quality of build.

0:26:470:26:52

The problems, if they are problems,

0:26:520:26:54

are going to be how we accommodate the dogs.

0:26:540:26:57

I think we've got ideas there.

0:26:570:27:00

Well, that seemed to go rather well.

0:27:020:27:05

-Big smiling faces. Happy?

-Yes.

0:27:050:27:07

-Seen enough?

-Yes.

-Yes. Seen lots.

0:27:070:27:09

-I think, as it's pouring with rain, we're going to make a move.

-I think so.

0:27:090:27:14

As evening falls over the West Sussex countryside,

0:27:270:27:30

our first day of house-hunting draws to a close.

0:27:300:27:35

With a budget of £600,000 and their beloved dogs in tow,

0:27:380:27:43

John and Jan are making strides to leave the busy seaside town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight

0:27:430:27:48

and buy their first house together in the West Sussex countryside.

0:27:480:27:53

Our first property scored on location,

0:27:530:27:56

whilst the second won our buyers over with its large amount of land.

0:27:560:27:59

But will the mystery house be a challenge too far?

0:27:590:28:03

-I'll put the dogs up for sale!

-Do you mean that?

0:28:030:28:07

And I meet some of the important native-breed residents of the Goodwood Estate.

0:28:070:28:13

For Jan and John, plus the six dogs,

0:28:170:28:19

this move represents an exciting new chapter in their lives.

0:28:190:28:23

Now, so far, we've shown them a period property,

0:28:230:28:26

complete with self-contained annexe, a swimming pool and land.

0:28:260:28:31

We then crossed the border to Hampshire,

0:28:310:28:33

where they saw a modern country home with plenty of scope for those dogs.

0:28:330:28:37

Today, we want them to consider perhaps life for the two of them -

0:28:370:28:42

just them together.

0:28:420:28:44

Now, I say this as just a suggestion.

0:28:440:28:47

But let's see if the mystery house can convince them of this new way of life.

0:28:470:28:52

Our mystery property takes us to the village of East Dean.

0:28:540:28:58

Set in the South Downs, the village pond is surrounded by charming properties

0:28:580:29:03

and in that sense, our mystery house is totally in keeping.

0:29:030:29:07

It's a barn conversion, which forms part of an award-winning development.

0:29:070:29:11

Although it lacks immediate outdoor space,

0:29:110:29:14

it does give the dogs the complete run of the South Downs.

0:29:140:29:19

With the mystery house, we do change things slightly

0:29:190:29:23

-and we have a fantastic property to show you.

-Right.

0:29:230:29:27

Here is your mystery.

0:29:270:29:29

Mm...

0:29:290:29:31

-What, all of it?

-THEY LAUGH

0:29:310:29:34

I would love to give you the whole development,

0:29:340:29:37

but in actual fact, it's this part of the barn here.

0:29:370:29:40

So the set-up - it's communal living within a village.

0:29:400:29:44

You've got two this side, the same on the other.

0:29:440:29:47

In a way, it's like a horse shoe

0:29:470:29:49

and then there's sort of a paddock in the middle,

0:29:490:29:52

-and then you're surrounded by the Goodwood Estate and the South Downs.

-Yes.

0:29:520:29:56

What's going through your minds?

0:29:560:29:59

Go on, be honest with me. I think you're being polite!

0:29:590:30:02

-Communal living is a question mark.

-Yes.

0:30:020:30:05

-Communal dogs...

-Communal dogs...

0:30:050:30:07

I'm not sure whether other people would appreciate us with so many.

0:30:070:30:12

-That's a good point, yes.

-Perhaps one or two.

0:30:120:30:15

It's something we're going to need to discuss as we're walking around.

0:30:150:30:19

-I'm very open-minded.

-You're so polite! Come on.

0:30:190:30:24

'Despite that reserved reaction outside,

0:30:240:30:26

'I'm sure the space and high-spec finish inside

0:30:260:30:29

'will lift their mood.'

0:30:290:30:31

Welcome to our mystery house.

0:30:340:30:37

There's a section of old barns, a granary actually,

0:30:370:30:40

and as you can see, it's been done to a really high spec.

0:30:400:30:45

-Absolutely lovely.

-Amazing light.

0:30:450:30:48

-Everything is light and bright.

-And flowing.

-Yes.

0:30:480:30:52

-I like it because I like the open aspect, the open plan...

-I like the open space, too.

0:30:520:30:57

-I can't wait to get in the kitchen. It looks absolutely amazing.

-Come on, then. Let's take a look.

0:30:570:31:02

An island! A big island!

0:31:020:31:05

No shortage of space with this kitchen.

0:31:050:31:08

Again, because of the way it's been converted,

0:31:080:31:12

you have so much light.

0:31:120:31:14

What about that open-plan feeling?

0:31:140:31:17

-We like open plan.

-Yes.

-It's convenient and pleasant

0:31:170:31:21

and you feel more together in some ways.

0:31:210:31:26

-Let's keep going!

-Let's keep going.

0:31:260:31:28

-What do you think of this?

-My word! That is a bit unusual!

0:31:340:31:39

Is it making you think...

0:31:390:31:42

..about the possibility of how you could live your lives?

0:31:420:31:45

-Yes.

-Put the dogs up for sale!

-Do you mean that?

0:31:450:31:49

-Do you really mean that?

-For a split second, I might!

0:31:490:31:54

-They'd love it here.

-They'd love to be in this room.

-They'd be very happy here.

0:31:540:31:59

-I'm going to be very practical - easy-to-clean floors.

-Yes.

0:31:590:32:03

-You normally say that about children but we can say it for dogs.

-Yes.

0:32:030:32:08

And you have your multi-fuel burner there.

0:32:080:32:11

You've got the double-height ceiling with the Victorian truss A-frame.

0:32:110:32:15

I've never seen anything like this before.

0:32:150:32:18

I've been in a few barns but never seen anything like this, not so attractive or well finished.

0:32:180:32:23

-It takes your breath away, doesn't it?

-Yes.

0:32:230:32:25

So on this floor you've got...

0:32:250:32:28

..well, it could be a downstairs bedroom

0:32:280:32:30

-because there's a bathroom next door.

-Right.

0:32:300:32:33

Or you could make that into your office.

0:32:330:32:35

Shall we head upstairs because there's more to see there.

0:32:350:32:39

'Despite their first impressions,

0:32:410:32:43

'the pristine yet practical layout of our mystery house

0:32:430:32:46

'could lend itself to them living alongside the dogs.

0:32:460:32:50

'We'll change tack now and head upstairs,

0:32:500:32:53

'which gives them their ideal in terms of en suites.'

0:32:530:32:57

We have three bedrooms in total with this barn.

0:33:000:33:03

You've got the one downstairs and then you've got two up here.

0:33:030:33:07

-They're all en suite, all three of them.

-BOTH: Oh!

0:33:070:33:12

Gosh, look at these small windows here, are they?

0:33:120:33:15

I think they're either for the dovecote or ventilation.

0:33:150:33:19

It could've been for drying, to let the air go through.

0:33:190:33:22

-Very attractive.

-How clever. If you look closely, they've put mirrors round the edge

0:33:220:33:27

-so it reflects all the light.

-Even more...

0:33:270:33:30

Let's head back downstairs.

0:33:300:33:32

It's also going to get a little bit grubby.

0:33:320:33:34

-I'm not talking muddy boots. I'm talking money.

-Money!

-Yes.

0:33:340:33:38

It's not going to be cheap.

0:33:380:33:40

My lips are sealed so far! We're going to follow you, John.

0:33:400:33:44

Outside, apart from having direct access to the South Downs' pathways,

0:33:460:33:50

the immediate shared grounds amount to around two acres.

0:33:500:33:54

This part is the communal land

0:33:540:33:56

and then you've got the whole estate around here of the South Downs.

0:33:560:34:00

It's very beautiful, isn't it?

0:34:000:34:02

And then if we look back,

0:34:020:34:04

you can actually see the whole development.

0:34:040:34:07

-Absolutely wonderful.

-It's heaven, isn't it?

0:34:070:34:11

But how much does this slice of heaven cost?

0:34:110:34:14

That is quite a difficult one, isn't it?

0:34:140:34:16

-What do you think?

-SHE SIGHS

0:34:160:34:19

£650,000.

0:34:190:34:22

Mm...

0:34:220:34:24

I'm going to go slightly lower and go for 595, I think.

0:34:240:34:28

OK. The asking price is £625,000.

0:34:280:34:33

-Not too far off.

-No.

-I knew it'd be top of our range.

0:34:330:34:37

-Do you fancy having another look around?

-Yes, I do.

0:34:370:34:41

-It gives you some fantastic ideas...

-So many ideas.

0:34:410:34:43

-..about what you can do with your next property.

-Yes.

0:34:430:34:46

-I'll catch up with you when you're ready.

-BOTH: Thank you.

0:34:460:34:49

Granted, our mystery property is over budget at £625,000,

0:34:500:34:56

but we couldn't resist tempting them to consider

0:34:560:34:59

whether a different living arrangement with the dogs is possible.

0:34:590:35:02

If so, they would enjoy a stunning and unique first home together.

0:35:020:35:08

They love the flow and features of the contemporary kitchen

0:35:080:35:11

and open-plan living areas.

0:35:110:35:13

It gives them the three bedrooms and the numerous bathrooms they asked for.

0:35:130:35:17

Outside, along with two acres of shared grounds,

0:35:170:35:20

the South Downs is right on their doorstep.

0:35:200:35:24

I think the property is absolutely stunning,

0:35:240:35:27

I love it to bits,

0:35:270:35:28

but I think it's just when I saw it and I realised

0:35:280:35:32

that there was nowhere I could have my dogs here.

0:35:320:35:36

And I still think that probably the top of my list

0:35:360:35:39

is not to have neighbours at this point in my life,

0:35:390:35:44

not neighbours quite so close.

0:35:440:35:46

We turned the corner and I saw the barns,

0:35:460:35:49

I was a little bit disappointed.

0:35:490:35:51

However, walking into the building itself,

0:35:510:35:55

I was amazed by the standard of the fit,

0:35:550:36:00

the layout was amazing.

0:36:000:36:02

It's just pure luxury.

0:36:020:36:04

-OK, you two? Happy? Seen enough?

-BOTH: Yes.

0:36:060:36:09

-Can we take it with us?

-Put in your pocket and take it home!

-Jack it up and take it away!

0:36:090:36:15

-I'm going to take you two away now. Come on.

-All right.

0:36:150:36:18

Set in the Sussex Downs, just north of Chichester, is the Goodwood Estate,

0:36:290:36:33

which covers some 12,000 acres

0:36:330:36:36

and is a renowned horse racing and motorsport venue.

0:36:360:36:39

In complete contrast, it's also home to its own ancestral farm,

0:36:390:36:44

which, as well as supplying food to the Dukes of Richmond for the last 300 years,

0:36:440:36:49

is also one of the largest organic farms in the UK

0:36:490:36:53

and includes the country's very first dairy herd

0:36:530:36:56

to be completely organically fed.

0:36:560:37:00

I went along to find out more about their organic farming ethos,

0:37:000:37:04

and the native-breed livestock, from manager Tim Hassell.

0:37:040:37:08

-It's a huge set-up, isn't it?

-It's a huge farming operation.

0:37:080:37:11

We farm 3,200 acres. Not only do we farm, we add value to what we produce.

0:37:110:37:15

Historically, is it right the farm came about

0:37:150:37:18

-because it was producing food for the Duke and Duchess of Richmond?

-For the estate, yes.

0:37:180:37:23

-And that goes back, what, 300 years?

-Something like that. It's been in the family a long time.

0:37:230:37:27

So we are in West Sussex today. Do you have any native breeds here?

0:37:270:37:31

We do. We have the Southdown sheep and the Sussex beef.

0:37:310:37:34

We rear them as a local breed because they do well on the local grass.

0:37:340:37:38

-How long have you had them here?

-The Duke, back in the early 20th century,

0:37:380:37:42

was one of the leading lights of the South Down Society, so they've been here for a long time.

0:37:420:37:46

-Is it possible to see them?

-Sure.

-Great.

0:37:460:37:50

The Southdown sheep is a breed which thrives here

0:37:500:37:53

and helps maintain the downland pastures.

0:37:530:37:56

These are our pedigree Southdowns.

0:37:560:37:58

We've got 40 pedigree ewes and about five or six males.

0:37:580:38:02

We breed these for going over our commercial flock.

0:38:020:38:05

So we've got over 1,000 ewes, a cross-bred type of mule

0:38:050:38:08

and we use our Southdowns as a terminal sire to cross over all those and that produces our Goodwood lamb.

0:38:080:38:13

-So, this is a strong blood line, is it?

-That's right.

0:38:130:38:16

We've picked blood lines that we've had around for quite a long time.

0:38:160:38:19

We're trying to perfect the type of animal we're producing.

0:38:190:38:22

The main purpose of the arable land

0:38:220:38:25

is to provide the animals with organically-grown cereals

0:38:250:38:28

to balance home-grown forages, fed during the winter months.

0:38:280:38:32

The rough grasses here are also perfect grazing terrain

0:38:320:38:36

for the traditionally deep red-coloured Sussex cattle,

0:38:360:38:39

which is a hardy, stocky, native breed,

0:38:390:38:41

normally reared for its beef.

0:38:410:38:44

We've got 38 cows with calves-at-foot.

0:38:440:38:46

That means the calves were born in April

0:38:460:38:48

and they're rearing their calves up until Christmas.

0:38:480:38:52

We've also got some maiden heifers. That means they've never had a calf.

0:38:520:38:56

We've got a very attractive black variety here. Why is that?

0:38:560:39:00

She's a first Sussex cross out of a black and white cow.

0:39:000:39:04

With the black gene dominant over red,

0:39:040:39:06

you'll get a black one, even though she's half-Sussex.

0:39:060:39:10

Eventually, we'll breed that colour out of her.

0:39:100:39:12

You must have to keep an eye on them 24 hours a day.

0:39:120:39:14

Our stockmen work long hours.

0:39:140:39:17

We're always on call, checking calves and cows at night.

0:39:170:39:20

We can be doing 12, 13-hour days for 12 days and then have two days rest.

0:39:200:39:24

-It's a passion. We're farmers. It's a way of life.

-Yes.

0:39:240:39:28

-Hard-working, as you say, very passionate about what you do.

-That's right.

0:39:280:39:31

Tim, thank you for taking the time to give us this tour. It's been fascinating.

0:39:310:39:36

-I could watch your animals for hours.

-I'm glad you've enjoyed it.

0:39:360:39:40

-You don't have that luxury! You're working hard!

-That's right.

0:39:400:39:43

-Thanks very much.

-Thank you.

0:39:430:39:46

What a fantastic day out on a historic farm!

0:39:500:39:54

But it's time to get back to the properties.

0:39:540:39:57

So after rekindling their romance after 40 years,

0:39:570:40:01

John and Jan feel the time is right to buy their first home together.

0:40:010:40:06

But have we found them and their dogs

0:40:060:40:08

their perfect rural retreat?

0:40:080:40:11

Let's find out.

0:40:110:40:12

John and Janet, I've really enjoyed the last few days,

0:40:170:40:22

apart from getting wet!

0:40:220:40:24

So that first property we took you to see,

0:40:240:40:27

-you expressed an interest in seeing quite modern properties...

-Yes.

0:40:270:40:31

..so we started off with an old one! But it was quite well received.

0:40:310:40:35

I didn't think too much of it when I first arrived, from the outside.

0:40:350:40:39

Different altogether inside, and it got better and better as we went round.

0:40:390:40:43

It's not often we show someone a property

0:40:430:40:46

-that has a separate annexe...

-Yes.

0:40:460:40:49

..a swimming pool, a fair bit of land with the property,

0:40:490:40:52

but wasn't quite right for the dogs, was it?

0:40:520:40:56

The shape of the land and the size, it just wasn't big enough.

0:40:560:41:00

So doing the search, we spread it out a little bit.

0:41:000:41:03

We crossed the border into Hampshire.

0:41:030:41:06

This time, we showed you quite a modern country home, with an acre-and-a-half of land.

0:41:060:41:11

The layout was OK, wasn't it?

0:41:110:41:14

But it would've needed some work, from our point of view,

0:41:140:41:17

-to make it dog-friendly.

-Yes.

0:41:170:41:21

I don't think I took to the area as much as I thought I would.

0:41:210:41:26

-We retreated then back to West Sussex...

-Yes.

0:41:260:41:30

..for our mystery.

0:41:300:41:31

This time, we decided that it was such an outstanding property,

0:41:310:41:36

but what was different was the way that you would live your lives.

0:41:360:41:40

-Design magazine at its best, wasn't it?

-Absolutely stunning.

0:41:400:41:44

-Wouldn't have wanted to change anything.

-No.

0:41:440:41:46

Now, set within the Goodwood Estate,

0:41:460:41:50

but you did have neighbours either side of you

0:41:500:41:53

-and more, in a way, didn't you? That was the sticking point.

-Yes.

0:41:530:41:57

We both thought that it wasn't quite the right timing for us

0:41:570:42:01

to live in that sort of community, with people so close

0:42:010:42:06

-and not having our own little patch of England.

-Mm.

0:42:060:42:09

-It wasn't quite right. We're not ready for that yet, even without the dogs.

-Yes.

0:42:090:42:14

But with the dogs, impossible.

0:42:140:42:16

I do think, with a little bit more research,

0:42:160:42:19

looking at a few more properties, you'll get there very soon.

0:42:190:42:23

What's come out of it most for me is the location.

0:42:230:42:27

I do like West Sussex. I've always felt at home in West Sussex.

0:42:270:42:31

The house will come, I think. We've got to keep looking.

0:42:310:42:34

That's fantastic news. We really hope you find that house

0:42:340:42:38

and that you're happy and the dogs are, as well.

0:42:380:42:40

-Thanks very much.

-BOTH: Thank you.

0:42:400:42:43

We've had a great few days here in West Sussex

0:42:470:42:50

and John and Jan have thoroughly enjoyed exploring this beautiful county

0:42:500:42:54

all over again.

0:42:540:42:56

It's such a shame we couldn't find them their dream home.

0:42:560:43:00

What is apparent, they're happy to compromise on their needs

0:43:000:43:04

but when it comes to the dogs' creature comforts,

0:43:040:43:07

it's got to be just right.

0:43:070:43:09

We wish them all the best with their future together.

0:43:090:43:11

Until next time, bye-bye.

0:43:110:43:14

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0:43:140:43:17

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0:43:170:43:20

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