0:00:02 > 0:00:05For today's Escape To The Country, I've been given a real treat.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08As an archaeologist, there aren't many ancient sites in this country
0:00:08 > 0:00:11that I've not visited, but this is one of them.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14To give you a clue as to where we are, it sits on top of a hill
0:00:14 > 0:00:17and it's alongside one of the most important ancient trade routes
0:00:17 > 0:00:20not just in Britain, but in Europe.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22So, what is it and where are we?
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Join me in just a few moments and I'll tell you.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59On today's show, I help a couple of house-hunting novices
0:00:59 > 0:01:02buy their first home together in the countryside.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Along the way, they're sizing up some huge rooms.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07This is an en suite bathroom.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10- It's gorgeous. His and hers! - Well, look at it, yeah.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Although at times, they do feel the pinch.
0:01:14 > 0:01:18I do like having the dining table right next to the kitchen,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21but I worry just a little bit in terms of the size.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25However, they've certainly got the measure of the property market.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29I wonder if you've been doing a bit of quiet research on the side.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32- Because you're spot-on.- Come on!
0:01:32 > 0:01:33Was I right?
0:01:36 > 0:01:39Well, today, we're in Oxfordshire on the Ridgeway National Trail.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42And these are the remains of the Neolithic long barrow
0:01:42 > 0:01:44at Wayland's Smithy.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48Five and a half thousand years ago, our ancestors built this as a tomb,
0:01:48 > 0:01:51but its name comes from a much later period.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54The Saxons thought it was the home of the Smith god, Wayland.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58It's thought that travellers using the Ridgeway would bring their horses here,
0:01:58 > 0:02:02pop a silver coin into one of these holes in these great sarsen stones,
0:02:02 > 0:02:03whistle a tune, walk away,
0:02:03 > 0:02:07and by the time they came back, their horse would be shod.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09Now, whether it's true or not, I wouldn't like to say.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12But whichever way you look at it, it's a cracking story.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Oxfordshire is bordered by a number of counties,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21including Berkshire to the south and Warwickshire to the north.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Landlocked it may be, but its heritage
0:02:23 > 0:02:26is very much defined by its waterways.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28From the late 18th century, the Oxford canal
0:02:28 > 0:02:30was an important trade route,
0:02:30 > 0:02:34transporting coal from Coventry into Oxford itself.
0:02:34 > 0:02:39However, for many of the 9.5 million visitors to the city these days,
0:02:39 > 0:02:43its industrial character is obscured by the impressive academic
0:02:43 > 0:02:45buildings which dominate its centre
0:02:45 > 0:02:49and chart the university's 800-year-old presence here.
0:02:49 > 0:02:53Awe-inspiring architecture is a running theme throughout the county.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55Take for instance Blenheim Palace,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58whose origins date back to the early 1700s
0:02:58 > 0:03:01and is now recognised as a World Heritage Site.
0:03:01 > 0:03:03More modest, but no less beautiful,
0:03:03 > 0:03:05are the well-preserved residences
0:03:05 > 0:03:08in rural villages such as Fringford and Bletchingdon.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10They perfectly encapsulate
0:03:10 > 0:03:13what many consider to be a dream home in the country.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21Now, at £387,300 to be precise,
0:03:21 > 0:03:25the cost of your average detached property here in Oxfordshire
0:03:25 > 0:03:29is a cool £132,000 above the national figure,
0:03:29 > 0:03:33which begs a question, what do you get for all that extra expense?
0:03:33 > 0:03:34Well, the answer is simple.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36Take it from me, despite the gloom,
0:03:36 > 0:03:38there is some beautiful countryside here
0:03:38 > 0:03:40and some wonderful property to match.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43And, of course, great transport links to the rest of the country
0:03:43 > 0:03:46and in particular, into London.
0:03:46 > 0:03:47There are hotspots, of course,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50around the Oxfordshire/Berkshire borders,
0:03:50 > 0:03:51and East Hendred and Arlington
0:03:51 > 0:03:54are also villages that are highly sought after.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57But the good news is that wherever you look in this county,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59there are some gorgeous properties on the market.
0:04:01 > 0:04:07Take this charming 17th-century cottage priced at £345,000.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09It's thought to be one of the oldest buildings
0:04:09 > 0:04:10in the village of North Stoke.
0:04:10 > 0:04:13It's often said that good things come in small packages,
0:04:13 > 0:04:17and this Grade II listed property is certainly a gem.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19The sitting room is full of historic character
0:04:19 > 0:04:22whilst the bespoke kitchen adds a more contemporary feel.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26Upstairs, the two bedrooms provide a cosy retreat.
0:04:26 > 0:04:30£430,000 would buy you this four-bedroom thatch cottage
0:04:30 > 0:04:32in the village of Uffington.
0:04:32 > 0:04:36The living areas retain many of their 17th-century features
0:04:36 > 0:04:40and the bright, open-plan kitchen is a great modern addition.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44Outside provides a quarter of an acre of gardens.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Or if your budget can stretch a little bit further,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50how about this four-bedroom property in the village of Long Whittenham?
0:04:50 > 0:04:52Formerly two cottages knocked into one,
0:04:52 > 0:04:54it includes a farmhouse kitchen
0:04:54 > 0:04:57and a comfortable open-plan living room
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and is on the market for just under £450,000.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06So, as you can see,
0:05:06 > 0:05:09the architecture is as captivating as the countryside here.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12So let's meet today's buyers and find out what they're looking for
0:05:12 > 0:05:15and why they think Oxfordshire could be their new home.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Steve and Nikki met in Dublin three years ago
0:05:18 > 0:05:23and currently rent a two-bedroom apartment in the city centre.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25We met through two mutual friends.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28They set us up on a date and we went out.
0:05:28 > 0:05:32They were dating at the time. They no longer are, we still are.
0:05:32 > 0:05:34Now Steve's job with a telecommunications company
0:05:34 > 0:05:36has brought him to Newbury.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38And South African born Nikki
0:05:38 > 0:05:40will be leaving her job as a marketing manager.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43We've always lived in city centres.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47Living in the city has been good fun, but now I think we want more space.
0:05:47 > 0:05:51Just has that feeling of more of a home than a temporary apartment.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Enjoying the freedom of the countryside
0:05:54 > 0:05:55is familiar to both of them
0:05:55 > 0:05:58and forms many of their childhood memories.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01I spent a lot of my holidays growing up in North Wales,
0:06:01 > 0:06:03so I think I've always longed to go back to that.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05Living in the city is actually...
0:06:05 > 0:06:07you feel a little bit claustrophobic.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Since I'm from South Africa, I miss the open air
0:06:10 > 0:06:14and the space you actually get when you're out and about.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18This will be the first house our city dwellers have bought together.
0:06:18 > 0:06:23But for Nikki, it will also be the first time she's lived in the UK.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26However, she appears to already have a thirst for the culture.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28Just finding a really great village
0:06:28 > 0:06:30so you do get that nice community feel.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32I think English pubs are great fun.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35I think we've decided just south of Oxford.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38The reason for that is it's got good transport links into London.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40And as far as the property goes,
0:06:40 > 0:06:43they've got some clear criteria on their wish list.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46For me, a lot of natural light is key.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50So high ceilings, big windows, really nice kitchen/diner.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53So Steven absolutely loves to cook.
0:06:53 > 0:06:56I haven't really got the bug just yet.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59He's hoping I will.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02They also hope they'll be able to devote more time
0:07:02 > 0:07:04to their outdoor sporting pursuits.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07I do a lot of tennis, golf and football.
0:07:07 > 0:07:11But probably tennis will be the first game I pick up again.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13I've recently started Bikram yoga,
0:07:13 > 0:07:16so I'd love to find a Bikram yoga studio
0:07:16 > 0:07:18quite close to where we're living.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21But also, we'd love to pick up horse riding
0:07:21 > 0:07:23and starting to run again.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Well, they obviously have a vision of the lifestyle
0:07:26 > 0:07:30and property aspirations they hope to fulfil with this move,
0:07:30 > 0:07:32but, of course, finding the right home in the perfect location
0:07:32 > 0:07:36depends on the amount of money they have to spend.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39The maximum budget for the move is £800,000.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48Mindful that Steve needs to drive to Newbury in Berkshire for work,
0:07:48 > 0:07:52and they also want to have access to Oxford for the odd night out,
0:07:52 > 0:07:54we'll be focusing our house search on the villages
0:07:54 > 0:07:57towards the southern part of the county.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00I caught up with our buyers to discuss the finer details of their move.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04Well, Steve, Nikki, welcome to Oxfordshire.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08This is the first time you have lived in the UK.
0:08:08 > 0:08:09So, what do you want?
0:08:09 > 0:08:11Well, I think the biggest thing for me,
0:08:11 > 0:08:15coming from South Africa, is lots of natural light.
0:08:15 > 0:08:18Lots of big windows, open-plan living, outdoors.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22Looking for a garden, probably not the biggest of gardens.
0:08:22 > 0:08:23Given Nikki likes open living,
0:08:23 > 0:08:27we'd like something that has an old feel to it in terms of the building,
0:08:27 > 0:08:29but inside is a bit more modern.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31Approximately around about four bedrooms.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35Definitely a bathroom en suite would be a bonus.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37We like entertaining, so I think probably
0:08:37 > 0:08:42the most important room in the house is going to be the kitchen/diner.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44Now, I know that for both of you, a sense of community is important.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47And a village, obviously, is going to be key to that.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Good people. People make places, so we just want that community feel.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53We've got three fantastic properties to show you,
0:08:53 > 0:08:54including our mystery house,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58so who knows what that's going to involve in this glorious country.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01- Let's go and see what we can find you.- Great.- Follow me.
0:09:03 > 0:09:07For a top budget of £800,000, Steve and Nikki are looking for
0:09:07 > 0:09:11a detached four-bedroom house that is located in a lively village.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15They want a spacious kitchen/diner for when they entertain,
0:09:15 > 0:09:19a large, light, open-plan living area, but with character features.
0:09:19 > 0:09:23Outside, they want a manageable garden that'll suit their needs.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26We have selected three fantastic properties for them to view,
0:09:26 > 0:09:30but I won't reveal their price tag until the end of each tour.
0:09:30 > 0:09:32And, as ever, we'll end with the mystery house,
0:09:32 > 0:09:34which comes with compromise attached.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45With location at the top of the agenda,
0:09:45 > 0:09:47we're kicking off our house search
0:09:47 > 0:09:50just over 16 miles from Oxford in East Hendred.
0:09:50 > 0:09:52Set in the Vale of the White Horse,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55the village is home to numerous historic buildings,
0:09:55 > 0:09:57including cottages with cruck beams
0:09:57 > 0:09:59dating from the 14th and 15th centuries,
0:09:59 > 0:10:02as well as thatched properties.
0:10:02 > 0:10:03Since being part of community life
0:10:03 > 0:10:05is important to Steve and Nikki,
0:10:05 > 0:10:07we're taking them to find out more about
0:10:07 > 0:10:09the village's activities and amenities
0:10:09 > 0:10:13from Martin and Louise Johnson, the owners of the local shop.
0:10:15 > 0:10:19Hi, chaps! How are you? Louise, nice to see you. How are you?
0:10:19 > 0:10:23Our two escapees here, Nikki and Steve, are looking for community.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27If you were coming in from outside, would you say this was a good place to start?
0:10:27 > 0:10:30I would say this is a great place to start. We have two churches.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32Two schools, three pubs.
0:10:32 > 0:10:34Three pubs! Very important.
0:10:34 > 0:10:39A vineyard, a shop, and a village post office.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41On top of that, we've got just about every organisation
0:10:41 > 0:10:43and society you can think of.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46We've got a local amateur dramatics society,
0:10:46 > 0:10:48every sports complex you can imagine.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Bowls green, football, cricket, it's all here.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Well, we must push on and see if you like house number one. Shall we?
0:10:54 > 0:10:56- We might see you later.- Lovely.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58- Thanks.- OK.- Thank you.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Now we've been given the low-down on the community,
0:11:00 > 0:11:03I'm hoping they'll be impressed by the house,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06which is just a short walk away in a central village location.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08Well, there you are.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11That's what we're going to tempt you with for our first property.
0:11:11 > 0:11:12What do you think?
0:11:14 > 0:11:16Looks...interesting. Looks nice.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- Looks nice. - It's beautifully presented.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22It's got a lovely symmetry to it, that's what's really nice about it.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26- And it has attractive windows.- Very nice. There's lots of light in here.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28- Let's see what you think of the inside. Yeah?- Brilliant.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34Built back in 1800, this substantial red-brick property
0:11:34 > 0:11:36has been tastefully renovated and, as they'll see,
0:11:36 > 0:11:40retains its character features, but with modern living in mind.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48Right, in you come. Grab the door, Steve. Let's start in here.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51Come on, Nikki. What do you think?
0:11:51 > 0:11:54- It's a nice-sized kitchen. - Isn't it?- Yeah. Good kitchen.
0:11:54 > 0:11:55That's rather nice.
0:11:55 > 0:12:00The fireplace is original, the wood burner is quite something.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02I've never seen one like that before.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04But it gives you this nice division between
0:12:04 > 0:12:07the kind of business end of the kitchen and the everyday end of it.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10And the beams are nice in the kitchen.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14I do like having the dining table right next to the kitchen,
0:12:14 > 0:12:17but I worry just a little bit in terms of the size
0:12:17 > 0:12:20and if you could have a really nice, big dinner party.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22The size of the dining area.
0:12:22 > 0:12:23Well, we have a dining space in here,
0:12:23 > 0:12:27but in the main reception room next door, there's bags of room.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30So maybe you have a kind of posh dining end through here.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33- Have a look.- Let's take a look. - See what you reckon.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37How about this? Loads of room. Look at it.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Really nice and spacious.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42So maybe you can have a dining end...
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Nice, different aspect and also makes the rooms...
0:12:45 > 0:12:47It gives it a divide without actually having a divide.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50Good. Right, let's continue this way.
0:12:50 > 0:12:54There is another option for a formal dining area just off the kitchen,
0:12:54 > 0:12:58if they wanted to use this light and spacious family room.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Also on this floor is a large utility room
0:13:00 > 0:13:03as well as a study and WC.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06Upstairs certainly delivers, too,
0:13:06 > 0:13:09as they get the four bedrooms they asked for.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11So you've got this lovely light landing.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13Family bathroom in there.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16Bedroom either side of us, currently children's rooms
0:13:16 > 0:13:20But this...would be yours.
0:13:22 > 0:13:23It's lovely.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Yeah? Ah! It's lovely!
0:13:25 > 0:13:27Now we've got upstairs, everything's coming to life.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30Yeah, it's a nice room. Beautiful cupboards there.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33- Lots of built-in, which is great. - Fireplace.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35Now, I know you wanted an en suite.
0:13:35 > 0:13:37Are you familiar with the whole idea
0:13:37 > 0:13:39of what's known as a Jack and Jill bathroom?
0:13:39 > 0:13:43If you're in any doubt, let me show you what I'm talking about.
0:13:44 > 0:13:46So it opens up into this little corridor,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50which gives you a shower room there and a loo
0:13:50 > 0:13:53and then another gorgeous double bedroom.
0:13:53 > 0:13:54Yeah.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57It's pretty much identical to the last bedroom, isn't it?
0:13:57 > 0:13:59Same perspective, perhaps slightly bigger.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02That bathroom is interesting.
0:14:02 > 0:14:03- Different, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Purely functional.
0:14:05 > 0:14:08Let's finish off in the garden and then we'll talk about the price.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11You can take your first guess at what it might be. Come on.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16We've intrigued them with the layout upstairs
0:14:16 > 0:14:19and the generous proportions carry on outside.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21There's around a quarter of an acre of pretty garden
0:14:21 > 0:14:25with a patio area for alfresco dining, a large garage
0:14:25 > 0:14:28and a couple of other country-living essentials.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32Down here...chickens.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34How about that?
0:14:34 > 0:14:36You've got the chickens and some really nice...
0:14:36 > 0:14:38- A vegetable patch! - ..raised vegetable beds.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41In keeping with the style of the rest of the house, really.
0:14:41 > 0:14:42It's all pretty immaculate.
0:14:42 > 0:14:46And I know you didn't want a massive garden, but you do want some space.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48This is plenty big enough for what we need.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52Let's have a think about how much this slice of interest might cost.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56- I would say, looking at the house, 750.- 750?
0:14:56 > 0:15:00- But looking at the village, it might have to go up to about 770.- Mm-hm.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03I would say no more than 750.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05I think your instincts are right.
0:15:05 > 0:15:11The nice thing is that this property could be yours for £725,000.
0:15:11 > 0:15:12- Hm.- Happy?
0:15:12 > 0:15:16- Very happy.- Yeah, you should be. I think it's a great price.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Right, then, off you go. Go and have a closer look
0:15:18 > 0:15:21- and I'll come and find you later on. - Thanks.- Brilliant.
0:15:23 > 0:15:28At £725,000, this gorgeous period property
0:15:28 > 0:15:30in a beautiful and historic village
0:15:30 > 0:15:33is well under Steve and Nikki's budget.
0:15:33 > 0:15:34Along with plenty of kerb appeal,
0:15:34 > 0:15:37it offers them a spacious kitchen/diner,
0:15:37 > 0:15:40three reception rooms, four bedrooms
0:15:40 > 0:15:42and a large, well-maintained garden
0:15:42 > 0:15:45which has a lovely area for entertaining.
0:15:46 > 0:15:50My initial thoughts were, it looks practical, it looks well kept,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53it looks tidy, and basically, on the outside,
0:15:53 > 0:15:55that was reflected on the inside.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58It just didn't have that sort of...
0:15:58 > 0:16:00wow factor that says,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03you know, this is a house that you want to make your home.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06I'd say my key issues would be the main bedrooms
0:16:06 > 0:16:10going into the road, as well as the key living areas,
0:16:10 > 0:16:13actually facing out onto the road.
0:16:13 > 0:16:14I'd almost love to just lift the house up
0:16:14 > 0:16:18and turn it the other way around and then it would be perfect.
0:16:20 > 0:16:21Ah, here you are. All done?
0:16:21 > 0:16:24- Yes, all done.- Seen it all?
0:16:24 > 0:16:27What about those chickens? They must have been a selling point.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Really cute and really nice fresh eggs.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31Chickens, vegetable patches.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33See, we've got him the dream. Yeah, it's all good.
0:16:33 > 0:16:37I thought this was a really nice start overall.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40But there are two more to come, including our mystery house.
0:16:40 > 0:16:42- So, who knows? Keep your minds open.- Exciting!
0:16:55 > 0:16:59Running 77 miles between the dreaming spires of Oxford
0:16:59 > 0:17:04through beautiful countryside to Coventry, flows the Oxford canal.
0:17:04 > 0:17:09As one of the first British canals to be built between 1769 and 1788,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13it was originally used to carry coal down from Warwickshire.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17One section of the canal passes through the market town of Banbury.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19It's here that the historic Tooley's Boatyard
0:17:19 > 0:17:21has been in continuous use since 1778
0:17:21 > 0:17:24and is the oldest working dry dock in Britain.
0:17:26 > 0:17:29We arranged for Steve and Nikki to meet Matthew Armitage,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31one of the directors of the boatyard,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34to see how this historic site operates.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39The boats you work on today are generally metal boats.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42And there are a variety of different types of boats,
0:17:42 > 0:17:44but they're all narrow boats here
0:17:44 > 0:17:47because we're on a narrow canal, being the Oxford canal,
0:17:47 > 0:17:49which was one of the first to be built.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53They built the locks narrow. That's why they call them narrow boats,
0:17:53 > 0:17:54to fit through the narrow locks.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58Steve and Nikki are going to have a go at some boat maintenance.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Known as blacking, the wooden hulls of boats would be painted
0:18:01 > 0:18:03with tar in order to preserve them.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07What they used to use was a mixture of tar
0:18:07 > 0:18:10and horse manure on the boat
0:18:10 > 0:18:12and it was a mixture of all sorts of...
0:18:12 > 0:18:14- Smelt beautiful(!)- Yes, exactly.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19And that was all boiled up in a big vat outside and applied to the boat.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21But the term blacking is really the act of just painting it
0:18:21 > 0:18:24with the substances to turn it black.
0:18:24 > 0:18:29The boatyard also has a forge which dates back to 1790
0:18:29 > 0:18:32and is now a scheduled ancient monument.
0:18:32 > 0:18:33So here we are, this is the forge.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36And it's very much a part of the boatyard itself.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38We used to work in conjunction
0:18:38 > 0:18:40with the wooden boat builders on site here.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42So, what do you make in the forge?
0:18:42 > 0:18:44The most common item we make onsite
0:18:44 > 0:18:47is probably brackets and hinges and things like that.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50- For the boats?- For the boats, yes.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52Steve and Nikki are now going to try their hand
0:18:52 > 0:18:54at flattening out a piece of metal
0:18:54 > 0:18:57that could then be shaped to make a window latch.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00You can see there this is just one simple technique.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03I don't think it's a bad attempt at a first go.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05- Thank you.- And, er...
0:19:05 > 0:19:07I will take that as a compliment.
0:19:07 > 0:19:08Having gained an insight
0:19:08 > 0:19:11into the craftsmanship that's still practised here,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14they now have a chance to board one of the historic narrow boats
0:19:14 > 0:19:16and travel on this stretch of waterway,
0:19:16 > 0:19:21which has remained largely unchanged over the past 200 years.
0:19:21 > 0:19:23So now they've had a chance to navigate their way
0:19:23 > 0:19:26through this important part of Oxfordshire's heritage,
0:19:26 > 0:19:30we'd better steer a different course as we return to our property search.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36We continue our journey to Longworth.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39This pretty village is in a sought-after rural location,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41however it's also within easy reach of Oxford
0:19:41 > 0:19:45and has good road links for Steve's drive to work.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48The church dates back to around the 13th century,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51and it has a couple of welcoming country pubs.
0:19:51 > 0:19:52In the heart of the village,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54yet still retaining a great deal of privacy,
0:19:54 > 0:19:58we find our second house, which, although it was built in the 1950s,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01has been heavily extended and refurbished
0:20:01 > 0:20:03to give it a real period feel.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05There.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Property number two.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11- Very good.- Yeah?- Yeah.- You like?
0:20:11 > 0:20:13- I do like, yeah.- Very grand.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15It's pretty grand, isn't it?
0:20:15 > 0:20:17It's not short of space,
0:20:17 > 0:20:20it is beautifully presented, beautifully finished.
0:20:20 > 0:20:24The other thing is that the garden is all at the front, effectively.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27But what we have got you is this nice secluded garden.
0:20:27 > 0:20:28So I suppose going back to South Africa,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31where you're used to that gated style of living,
0:20:31 > 0:20:34maybe this will feel a bit more familiar. Who knows?
0:20:34 > 0:20:37- Home from home.- Home from home. - I think it looks good.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40- I'm keen to see if it looks as good inside.- Let's do that. Follow me.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Well, we're off to a flying start with this one,
0:20:44 > 0:20:48which has a well laid-out patio area just off to one side.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53Let's hope the style of the interior suits our buyers' tastes.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55Let's start with this bit.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57What do you think, Nikki?
0:20:57 > 0:21:00Really, really, really like that kitchen.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02It's pretty special, isn't it?
0:21:02 > 0:21:05This is a very kind of grand arrangement for the wood burner.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08And what I do love about it is this panelling works really nicely.
0:21:08 > 0:21:10Gives it something of a kind of Georgian feel,
0:21:10 > 0:21:13even though it's a much younger building.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Yeah. That kitchen does look good. It's drawing us in.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19Let's check it out. There you go.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22A much more manageable island, as well, I think,
0:21:22 > 0:21:24compared to property number one.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Yes. It's nicely finished, nice sink.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Island is the right size. It doesn't take over the room.
0:21:29 > 0:21:33I think this part is key. It's light, as well, which is nice.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36I'd say this is the centre of the house.
0:21:36 > 0:21:38- We haven't seen the rest yet.- No.
0:21:38 > 0:21:39The reception room is through here.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42I can imagine when you've had dinner, everybody drifting through
0:21:42 > 0:21:45to enjoy a glass of wine in here.
0:21:47 > 0:21:48There.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52- This is a really nice-sized room. - Yeah.
0:21:52 > 0:21:53Yeah, it's a good-sized room
0:21:53 > 0:21:55and you can get the settees around the fireplace,
0:21:55 > 0:21:58- which makes it feel quite social. - Yeah. Good.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00Well, upstairs, plenty of space.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02You wanted four bedrooms, we've got you five.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04- OK.- Check these out. They're really nice.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Wrapping up the ground floor, there's a separate dining room,
0:22:09 > 0:22:12a large utility space and a WC.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16Overall, the main living areas have really impressed them,
0:22:16 > 0:22:18and as we move upstairs, I have a feeling
0:22:18 > 0:22:21the space here won't disappoint either.
0:22:21 > 0:22:22The five bedrooms consist of two
0:22:22 > 0:22:25beautifully-decorated bright guest rooms,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28one of which has an en suite.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31The third is smaller, but would fit a double bed
0:22:31 > 0:22:34and there's also a shower room just off the landing.
0:22:34 > 0:22:36But we're heading straight to the master,
0:22:36 > 0:22:39which has some magnificent features.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Well, you guys get something of a suite.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48And that's the en suite to the master suite.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52Yeah, OK. This is an en suite bathroom.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54It's gorgeous. His and hers!
0:22:54 > 0:22:58Well, look at it. Two sinks, shower, nice little roll-top bath there.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00Yeah, that's a nice bathroom.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02And it leads on this way, over here.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Again, the panelling a real feature,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07not just of the house, of course, but of this room.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Really nice, warm room.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12And there's such a lot of space. I mean, it's enormous!
0:23:12 > 0:23:16All the bedrooms we've seen are very kind of open,
0:23:16 > 0:23:20ceilings are reasonably high. It's nice proportions.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23I think this property is causing a little bit of a stir, isn't it?
0:23:23 > 0:23:27- Much more than the last one. - Interesting. Right.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31OK, let's pop downstairs and find out how much it's going to cost you.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33- Sure.- Who knows. Got any ideas?
0:23:33 > 0:23:35- Start doing the sums.- Some!
0:23:37 > 0:23:41There's more accommodation to be found above the large garage.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45A spiral staircase leads up to this light and airy double bedroom
0:23:45 > 0:23:47which has its own WC.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50So now they've seen all the property has to offer,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53it's time to find out what they think it's all worth.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56Oh, this kitchen is just gorgeous, isn't it?
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Who wouldn't want to spend time in here?
0:23:58 > 0:24:02- Even if you didn't like cooking, you'd still hang around in here. - Absolutely.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06So...how much do we think property number two is worth?
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Who's going to make me an offer? Steve?
0:24:09 > 0:24:12I need to go first. I would probably say 750.
0:24:12 > 0:24:15Might be a little bit optimistic. Madam?
0:24:15 > 0:24:18I'm going to say 770 again.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21This doesn't begin with a seven.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23This begins with an eight.
0:24:23 > 0:24:28And it goes £835,000.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32Now, yes, it is, of course, technically over-budget,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35but the vendors know your budget,
0:24:35 > 0:24:38and so there is a conversation to be had.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40I mean, we have a bit of flexibility
0:24:40 > 0:24:44to go slightly over-budget if we found the right house, um...
0:24:44 > 0:24:47I'm not sure at that price this is the house.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50Go and have a good old look around and a final explore
0:24:50 > 0:24:52and I'll catch up with you later.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55- Great.- Off you go. Right.
0:24:57 > 0:25:02On the market at £835,000, it is above their top budget,
0:25:02 > 0:25:05however the vendors are open to offers.
0:25:05 > 0:25:09It's a grand country residence finished to an exacting standard
0:25:09 > 0:25:12and delivers the space that Steve and Nikki requested.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15Its selling points include a huge kitchen/diner,
0:25:15 > 0:25:20a spectacular sitting room with feature fireplace and five bedrooms.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23Outside gives them a private and manageable garden
0:25:23 > 0:25:25and it's located in a sought-after village
0:25:25 > 0:25:28with good road links for Steve's work.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32Absolutely love the master bedroom.
0:25:32 > 0:25:37I think it's beautiful, but I think the big winner in this one
0:25:37 > 0:25:41is that open-plan kitchen and living area.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43I'd say as pleasing as it was on the inside,
0:25:43 > 0:25:46outside it just lacked that little something.
0:25:46 > 0:25:51But really nice on the inside, but it's too overpriced, I think.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53Ah!
0:25:53 > 0:25:56While you've been hard at work taking it all in,
0:25:56 > 0:25:58- I've been relaxing. - Can we join you?- Yeah, do. Jump on.
0:25:58 > 0:26:04- It looks kind of funky. - As garden seats go, this is a first.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06A swinging sofa.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09It's got to be one of the ideas you take away from this house.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12- Extremely unique.- Extremely unique.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15Extremely comfortable. Too comfortable, in fact.
0:26:15 > 0:26:16Let's get going, shall we?
0:26:16 > 0:26:19- I'm scared I'm not going to get out of here.- Come on!
0:26:19 > 0:26:21Up you get. Right.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36As the sun sets over the Oxfordshire skyline,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40the first day of our property hunt draws to a close.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52With a substantial budget of £800,000,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55Steve and Nikki want to quit apartment-living in Dublin city centre
0:26:55 > 0:26:57and buy their first home together in Oxfordshire
0:26:57 > 0:27:00as Steve begins a new job.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03So far, there's been a lukewarm response to house one,
0:27:03 > 0:27:05a 19th-century cottage
0:27:05 > 0:27:08but a fabulous kitchen/diner in property two
0:27:08 > 0:27:09got temperatures rising.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13However, our mystery house might get the most positive reactions yet.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15So, are we almost at a wow?
0:27:15 > 0:27:18This has got to be there or thereabouts, I'd say.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22And I revisit the golden age of Oxfordshire's railway heritage.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Well, as we head into our final day, it's perhaps worth
0:27:28 > 0:27:31reflecting on what happened yesterday during day one.
0:27:31 > 0:27:35Now, when it comes to house hunting, it's often said that
0:27:35 > 0:27:38it's as much about knowing what you don't want as what you do.
0:27:38 > 0:27:43When it comes to Nikki and Steve, I'm not sure I'm any the wiser.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45We started with a classic Victorian
0:27:45 > 0:27:47and finished it off with the stylish renovation
0:27:47 > 0:27:50of what was relatively speaking a new build,
0:27:50 > 0:27:52but still there were no wows.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54So for our mystery house, it's clear
0:27:54 > 0:27:56we're going to have to pull all the stops out.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00So in time-honoured tradition, let's try them with something different.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09We're hopping over the county border into neighbouring Berkshire
0:28:09 > 0:28:13for our mystery house, to the historic village of Compton.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16This lively community, with its variety of period buildings,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19offers all the necessary everyday amenities, including a pub,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22one of the demands on Steve and Nikki's wish list.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28I gather there's been much speculation overnight
0:28:28 > 0:28:31as to what our mystery house might be.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34What are the current conclusions?
0:28:34 > 0:28:37I think the current conclusions are we don't really know.
0:28:37 > 0:28:41But if we had to guess, it's usually something different.
0:28:41 > 0:28:45Maybe an old school, a barn conversion, an old church,
0:28:45 > 0:28:50an old mill, something a little different is what we think.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53The options are endless, really? We'll have to wait and see.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55I think it's a good one, actually.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57Do you think we'll get a wow today?
0:28:57 > 0:29:00- I hope so.- Yeah. I hope so, too.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03Nikki doesn't give wows very easily, but you never know.
0:29:07 > 0:29:09Well, they're certainly on the right lines.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12We are indeed off to see a barn conversion.
0:29:13 > 0:29:15Well, at last the wait is over.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19And you were guessing we had you a barn conversion.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21Well, that, of course, is what is on offer.
0:29:22 > 0:29:25What do you think? How do we feel about barn conversions?
0:29:25 > 0:29:26I love barn conversions.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29I think they really do the nice open-plan living.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31Well, this one is light, it's open plan,
0:29:31 > 0:29:33but it's not cavernous as some of them can be.
0:29:33 > 0:29:38So it's quite intimate, but there's lots of space to play with, with this one.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41This one is currently unfurnished. There's nothing in it at all.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44It's going to be interesting to see what you might do with it
0:29:44 > 0:29:47and how you might use the space because there's a lot of it.
0:29:47 > 0:29:49We'll need to buy some furniture!
0:29:49 > 0:29:51You're going to need to buy quite a lot to go in here.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54So I think we should get out of the drizzle and go and have a look.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56- Absolutely.- Come on, then.
0:29:56 > 0:29:58As we go in, the first thing to flag up
0:29:58 > 0:30:01is that the barn is attached behind,
0:30:01 > 0:30:03which I know our buyers were keen to avoid.
0:30:03 > 0:30:08The conversion three years ago stripped it back to its bare bones
0:30:08 > 0:30:10and its redesign should be ideal
0:30:10 > 0:30:13in terms of giving them their modern, airy interior.
0:30:13 > 0:30:15What I thought we'd do was start with the main event,
0:30:15 > 0:30:18which is this room here.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20THEY LAUGH
0:30:20 > 0:30:23- Ah!- Ah!- We like? - The smile says it all, yeah.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Doesn't it just. Yeah.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27- What a great wall that is. - Beautiful, isn't it?
0:30:27 > 0:30:28- Yeah.- Really lovely.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31I think a really, really nice cosy lounge
0:30:31 > 0:30:33around that log burner is...
0:30:33 > 0:30:36So something over here that would
0:30:36 > 0:30:40effectively kind of divide the room into cosy living?
0:30:40 > 0:30:42I think that would make sense, yeah.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44It's a good start. Great first room.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Hooray! So are we almost at a wow?
0:30:47 > 0:30:49This has got to be there or thereabouts, I'd say.
0:30:50 > 0:30:53Let's have a look at the kitchen. It's back through here.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58There.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02Lovely, clean, slick, ready to go.
0:31:02 > 0:31:04- Nice kitchen.- Now, in fairness,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07it's not the biggest kitchen we've been able to show you,
0:31:07 > 0:31:09but it does have the potential to be made bigger.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12Above that cooker hood, there is a steel beam.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15The idea being that you could actually remove that wall
0:31:15 > 0:31:17and open it right out into the living space.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20I kind of think that room is big enough already.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23If you knocked it through, it's just going to be huge!
0:31:23 > 0:31:24THEY LAUGH
0:31:24 > 0:31:26Let's continue back across here.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32We're going to retrace our steps across the main living room
0:31:32 > 0:31:35to explore one of the bedrooms.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38Now, also on the ground floor, you've got one of the four bedrooms,
0:31:38 > 0:31:41which could be the master bedroom if you so wish.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44There's its en suite, which I think you'll agree is pretty...
0:31:44 > 0:31:46- It's lovely.- ..pretty good. - It's nice. Really nice.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48And then we've got the rest of the room in here.
0:31:48 > 0:31:50So the issue is, I suppose,
0:31:50 > 0:31:53are you happy with having a master bedroom on the ground floor?
0:31:53 > 0:31:57- Hm.- I think traditionally, we'd prefer an upstairs...
0:31:57 > 0:32:00- But as a guest room.- Great guest room, great bathroom, that.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03Yeah. And they've got access, too,
0:32:03 > 0:32:07through their own sort of patio doors out to the garden.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09I guess the other bedrooms are upstairs, are they?
0:32:09 > 0:32:11- They are upstairs. - Stairs which I haven't spotted.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15Come and have a look. The stairs are right around the corner.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17There's one other bedroom down here
0:32:17 > 0:32:21and it's located at the front of the property, off the main hallway.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24As we make our way up the oak staircase to the first floor,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27we'll find two other bedrooms, both of them en suite.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32This is the thought. This could be your master.
0:32:34 > 0:32:36But if you wanted to make that an en suite,
0:32:36 > 0:32:40all it needs is a door across the landing.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42And you'd have a dressing area then, to go with it.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45- I like this room.- It's great, isn't it? The vaulting is terrific.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48And this, again, gives you that sense of being in a barn.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50- Space, as well.- Yeah. Yeah.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52Let's finish off in the garden
0:32:52 > 0:32:54and then you can give me your best estimates
0:32:54 > 0:32:57as to what the mystery house may set you back. Come on, then.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02I'm glad they're appreciating the space
0:33:02 > 0:33:05and potential provided by our mystery house.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07To the rear, there's a lovely lawn
0:33:07 > 0:33:11with far-reaching views over the Berkshire Downs.
0:33:11 > 0:33:14But time now to see if they're keen to buy into this proposition.
0:33:15 > 0:33:19We haven't had a chance to see this view of it yet.
0:33:19 > 0:33:24But, er...if you wanted a lovely image of a converted barn...
0:33:24 > 0:33:26there it is.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29It's really, really pretty from the outside.
0:33:29 > 0:33:33A proper barn conversion, so it looks really nice.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35The only concern is you can see your neighbours.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37So it's not a freestanding...
0:33:37 > 0:33:41Everything has its...compromises, really.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44I hadn't really thought about the neighbours.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48- I'm still focused on the house. This is a little different.- OK.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Let's see if the price is any different.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54What would you expect to pay for our mystery house?
0:33:55 > 0:33:59- I would probably say 800,000.- Yep.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01I'd probably say 745.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05I wonder if you've been doing a bit of quiet research on the side?
0:34:05 > 0:34:07- Because you're spot-on.- Come on!
0:34:07 > 0:34:11- Is that right?- Yeah. This is on at 745.- Oh, brilliant.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14Right, then, let's get you inside out of this rain
0:34:14 > 0:34:16and let you explore a little further. Come on.
0:34:18 > 0:34:22Comfortably under-budget at £745,000,
0:34:22 > 0:34:24our mystery property gives our couple
0:34:24 > 0:34:26a lot of house for their money.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29It provides them with a huge open-plan living area
0:34:29 > 0:34:31with exposed beams and a wood burner,
0:34:31 > 0:34:34as well as a spacious fitted kitchen.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37Of the four double bedrooms, three have en suites.
0:34:37 > 0:34:40What's more, it's all wrapped up in a great location
0:34:40 > 0:34:43as it's set in the heart of the Berkshire Downs
0:34:43 > 0:34:45with a village community close by.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47It looks good when you approach,
0:34:47 > 0:34:49on the inside, it's really well appointed.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51Great reception room for entertaining,
0:34:51 > 0:34:53which is what we were after.
0:34:53 > 0:34:58I didn't probably realise I liked barn conversions as much as I do now I've seen this one.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00So yeah, it's made quite an impact.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03I must admit, I absolutely love the mystery house.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07The biggest concerns for me are the fact it's not detached,
0:35:07 > 0:35:09so you have your neighbours next door.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12However, when you look outside at the views,
0:35:12 > 0:35:16you don't actually feel you're being overlooked by neighbours.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19So I have to have quite a few big chats with Steven, I think.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21After you, sir. Madam.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27Well, who'd have thought it? Our house tours are now over.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30- It's gone by in a flash. - I really enjoyed it.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32Has it been useful, though? That's the key thing.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34BOTH: Definitely.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36We've seen three very different places.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39And I think the diversity of the three
0:35:39 > 0:35:42has pushed us towards knowing what we want.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44- And that's not a bad thing. - I wonder!
0:35:44 > 0:35:45Do you know what you want?
0:35:45 > 0:35:48Let's get you somewhere where you can have a think about it
0:35:48 > 0:35:50- and we'll catch up with you after that.- Great.
0:36:00 > 0:36:03Historically, it wasn't just the canal networks
0:36:03 > 0:36:06that were used to navigate Oxfordshire's countryside.
0:36:06 > 0:36:11In June 1841, the iconic Great Western Railway line opened
0:36:11 > 0:36:14and ran through the county connecting London to Bristol.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17It was the brainchild of the Bristol Railway Committee,
0:36:17 > 0:36:21who appointed Isambard Kingdom Brunel as its chief engineer.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24Brunel's great vision was that the line would link London
0:36:24 > 0:36:28to New York by train and steamship.
0:36:28 > 0:36:30I've come to the Didcot Railway Centre
0:36:30 > 0:36:33to find out more about the Great Network Society,
0:36:33 > 0:36:35which has played a key role in conserving this part
0:36:35 > 0:36:39of the county's transport heritage over the past 40 years.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42What's the importance of this place in particular
0:36:42 > 0:36:44to the history of the GWR?
0:36:44 > 0:36:48Well, Didcot is roughly halfway between London and Bristol.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51And Bristol was the destination that Brunel
0:36:51 > 0:36:54and the Great Western Railway was designed
0:36:54 > 0:36:55to go from London to Bristol
0:36:55 > 0:36:59to catch the steamers that went eventually over to the USA.
0:36:59 > 0:37:02There was a desire to go towards Oxford,
0:37:02 > 0:37:06but it would be a branch line rather than take the mainline to Oxford.
0:37:06 > 0:37:08But it's fitting in a way that the museum here
0:37:08 > 0:37:11should be alongside the current mainline at Didcot.
0:37:11 > 0:37:14Every year, tens of thousands of people pass through that station,
0:37:14 > 0:37:17but maybe few of them will realise just how important it was
0:37:17 > 0:37:20in the history of one of the most famous railway lines in the country.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23We try and portray what the Great Western was all about
0:37:23 > 0:37:27in those glory days leading up to just after the Second World War.
0:37:29 > 0:37:30I'm a huge railway enthusiast
0:37:30 > 0:37:33and can't wait to have a look around the museum,
0:37:33 > 0:37:36which houses the largest collection of locomotives
0:37:36 > 0:37:38from this railway company anywhere in the UK.
0:37:39 > 0:37:43First stop is a prime example of mid-19th century engineering
0:37:43 > 0:37:47in the form of this working replica of an early steam locomotive.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53- Well, this is a real sight, Roger. What a treat!- Yeah.
0:37:53 > 0:37:58- In engineering terms, is this where the GWR really begins?- Yeah.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01This is a replica of a Fire Fly locomotive
0:38:01 > 0:38:03as they were built in 1840.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07Built for the Great Western Railway, the Fire Fly class.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10And these engines were doing roughly 56 mile an hour
0:38:10 > 0:38:12or up to 56 mile an hour in 1840.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16It's beginning to look like the sort of locomotive we would recognise,
0:38:16 > 0:38:19but 60 miles an hour, I mean, how comfortable would it have been?
0:38:19 > 0:38:23Do you want to come and sit in an 1840s carriage and sample it?
0:38:23 > 0:38:25- Is this it?- This is it, yeah.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27- It's a cattle truck, isn't it? - It is.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31Fundamentally, it is basically a cattle truck with bench seats.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34- Is this an original? - No, this is a reproduction.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37But exactly as passengers in third class
0:38:37 > 0:38:40would have been carried in 1840.
0:38:40 > 0:38:43You can see how broad it is compared to a modern train.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46As you say, the seven-foot gauge from Brunel's decision
0:38:46 > 0:38:50made the carriages much more wider and arguably more stable.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52And... Have a read of that
0:38:52 > 0:38:55and that shows you what the Victorians...
0:38:55 > 0:38:57What's this? Handbook for Railway Travellers...
0:38:57 > 0:38:59Oh, published in 1840.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02So the same date as the engine.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04"Persons intending to travel by open carriage
0:39:04 > 0:39:07"should select a seat with their backs to the engine,
0:39:07 > 0:39:12"by which means they will avoid the ashes emitted there from,
0:39:12 > 0:39:14"that in travelling generally,
0:39:14 > 0:39:17"but particularly through the tunnels, prove a great annoyance."
0:39:17 > 0:39:20So the idea is that you get showered with sparks and fumes and...
0:39:20 > 0:39:22Yeah, that's right.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25The GWR was nationalised in 1948.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27And it was soon after this
0:39:27 > 0:39:30that diesel engines replaced steam locomotives.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33The Great Western Society began collecting
0:39:33 > 0:39:36these redundant engines in the early 1960s.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39This is one of our locomotives that's in restoration.
0:39:39 > 0:39:43A same class locomotive that we're reconstructing
0:39:43 > 0:39:45back from another loco
0:39:45 > 0:39:47because none of these were actually preserved.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50And what about the future for the museum?
0:39:50 > 0:39:52We've got lots of skills from the older generation
0:39:52 > 0:39:55which we must pass on to the younger generation
0:39:55 > 0:39:59if we want to keep the steam engines alive for the next 20-30 years.
0:39:59 > 0:40:01Well, Roger, thank you very much indeed.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04It has been a real treat to get a look at what you're doing here.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07And I have to say, best of luck putting that back together.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09Thank you.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20Well, as you can probably tell,
0:40:20 > 0:40:24I could very happily spend the rest of the day here.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27But like any good railway, we have a timetable to keep.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30So lets find out if Steve and Nikki have reached a decision.
0:40:36 > 0:40:40Well, let's just remind ourselves of the first property,
0:40:40 > 0:40:45that lovely Victorian bay-fronted cottage, which I had high hopes for.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47I think one of the things about that property
0:40:47 > 0:40:50was the village was absolutely beautiful.
0:40:50 > 0:40:55I think one of the concerns for me more so is the privacy.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58And you are on a road where your bedrooms
0:40:58 > 0:41:02and your living areas, actually, are looked onto.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04There was good space. I think for us,
0:41:04 > 0:41:07I couldn't personally quite figure out how to use the rooms.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10The kitchen, obviously, was dominated by the island.
0:41:10 > 0:41:14And we couldn't see how we'd get more relaxing furniture into the kitchen.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16- OK.- We didn't feel the love, Jules. - You didn't feel the love.
0:41:16 > 0:41:20Well, we hoped you'd find a bit more love with property number two.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23Quite an interesting - and I think stylish - renovation.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26We said we wanted houses with an open kitchen,
0:41:26 > 0:41:28you guys gave us a house with an open kitchen
0:41:28 > 0:41:31and it was a really well-presented house,
0:41:31 > 0:41:33I think both externally and internally.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36But the house itself didn't quite work for us.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38So we were learning all the way.
0:41:38 > 0:41:43But still...creeping towards some kind of positive conclusion.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47Our mystery house was our final offering, of course.
0:41:47 > 0:41:52You were hoping for a barn conversion, I think.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54- I got my wish. - And that's what we got you.
0:41:54 > 0:41:58- Really stylish property, I think. - Yeah.
0:41:58 > 0:42:03I think house number two and number three were really well finished off.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07A great house. We just need to consider its location.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10So in terms of where we are now, where are we?
0:42:10 > 0:42:13I mean, is the mystery house our favourite?
0:42:13 > 0:42:18I'd say definitely our favourite, well, my favourite. Your favourite?
0:42:18 > 0:42:19I'd say the mystery house, yeah.
0:42:19 > 0:42:24Probably...carry on looking for a couple more barn conversions.
0:42:24 > 0:42:28Ah! So we've whetted your appetite for the classic barn look.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30There are lots of options out there for you to explore.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33You are going to have to get a move on,
0:42:33 > 0:42:36but I do wish you all the very best of luck. It's been a real pleasure.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38- It's been absolutely great. Thanks.- Thank you.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46Well, in drawing today's Escape To The Country to a close,
0:42:46 > 0:42:48I thought we'd end where we started,
0:42:48 > 0:42:50on the great Ridgeway National Trail.
0:42:50 > 0:42:52Now, as we said at the beginning of this show,
0:42:52 > 0:42:56this is one of the most ancient and important routes in Britain.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58For thousands of years, people have used it
0:42:58 > 0:43:00not just to cross the country,
0:43:00 > 0:43:03but also to settle in the landscape either side of it.
0:43:03 > 0:43:05Now, as for Nikki and Steve,
0:43:05 > 0:43:08clearly their journey has yet to be concluded,
0:43:08 > 0:43:11but hopefully now they are just a little bit closer
0:43:11 > 0:43:14to figuring out just what it is they want from their new home.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18As for me, well, I'm going home, and it's that way.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20I'll see you next time.
0:43:21 > 0:43:24If you would like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales,
0:43:24 > 0:43:26Northern Ireland or England
0:43:26 > 0:43:29and would like our help, then please apply online at:
0:43:35 > 0:43:38Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd