0:00:02 > 0:00:04This magnificent house was the childhood home of one young lady
0:00:04 > 0:00:07who had the misfortune of marrying King Henry VIII.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11Find out which of his six wives grew up here in a few moments.
0:00:28 > 0:00:33'Today, we help a London couple escape the noise and pollution of the Big Smoke
0:00:33 > 0:00:38'for the fresh air and quiet of the countryside, and it's not all plain sailing.'
0:00:38 > 0:00:44- This doesn't feel like a home. - Right.- It feels like a house. - It feels like a show home.- Yeah.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47'But finally, we come up trumps.'
0:00:47 > 0:00:49- Ohh!- Oh, wow!
0:00:49 > 0:00:53That is really pretty. Super-gorgeous.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Today, I'm in Kent and this is Hever Castle
0:00:59 > 0:01:03where Anne Boleyn was lucky enough to spend her early years
0:01:03 > 0:01:07before losing her head as the second wife of Henry VIII.
0:01:07 > 0:01:12Four centuries on, the American entrepreneur William Waldorf Astor bought this house
0:01:12 > 0:01:14and upsized it in every way.
0:01:14 > 0:01:19Later on in the show, I'll be taking a closer look at this lavish restoration,
0:01:19 > 0:01:23just one of the great treasures this county is home to.
0:01:23 > 0:01:28In the south-east corner of Britain, tucked between London and the English Channel,
0:01:28 > 0:01:31Kent is thought to be the oldest county in England.
0:01:31 > 0:01:37Celebrated for its rich farmland and fruit orchards, it's also known for its brewing industry
0:01:37 > 0:01:43where hops were once dried in distinctive, conical-shaped oast houses that still dot the landscape.
0:01:43 > 0:01:49Gentle, rolling hills, downland and wooded valleys sit alongside the county's architectural heritage
0:01:49 > 0:01:53with historic towns like Royal Tunbridge Wells.
0:01:53 > 0:01:59Sitting on the nation's front line, Kent boasts more than 18 spectacular castles.
0:01:59 > 0:02:04So let's meet today's buyers and find out why they're drawn to Kent.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Married for five years, Dan and Celia currently live
0:02:07 > 0:02:12in a rented, three-bedroom house in Greenwich, south-east London,
0:02:12 > 0:02:18but now, disenchanted with city living, they want a country home in which to raise their young family.
0:02:18 > 0:02:22It is extremely built-up. We're overlooked by a massive tower block.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26We've got a bit of a walk to get to any green space at all.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30It would be nice to leave behind the concrete jungle
0:02:30 > 0:02:34and move somewhere where there's a bit more fresh air and a bit more space.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38Having enjoyed a rural childhood themselves, Celia and Dan are keen
0:02:38 > 0:02:45that their three-year-old son, Ned, and six-month-old daughter, Clem, have the same opportunities.
0:02:45 > 0:02:51In the countryside, kids have more freedom. I spent my summers building dams in streams and climbing trees.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55I have this vision that they can get on their bikes and cycle round to people's houses.
0:02:57 > 0:03:02With doctor Celia working in central London and dentist Dan on the south-east edge of the capital,
0:03:02 > 0:03:08they want to keep commuting time to a minimum, but still enjoy all the elements of a country life.
0:03:08 > 0:03:13I'd like to move into a village and be part of a smaller community.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16Greenwich is a nice community, but it's a very big community.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21It would be nice to live somewhere a bit smaller. I'd like the children to go to a local school.
0:03:21 > 0:03:28As a keen cyclist, Dan is looking forward to having a choice of scenic routes right on his doorstep.
0:03:28 > 0:03:34I spend a good hour, hour and a half to get to the countryside when we go riding or running,
0:03:34 > 0:03:36so it would be nice to already be there.
0:03:36 > 0:03:42But as well as the space of the open countryside, Dan and Celia are looking for a house big enough
0:03:42 > 0:03:46for their two small children and Dan's 11-year-old daughter, Megan.
0:03:46 > 0:03:51It would be nice to have a five-bedroom house because when Megan stays with us at the weekends,
0:03:51 > 0:03:58she ends up staying on a blow-up bed in Clem's room, so it would be nice for her to have her own room.
0:03:58 > 0:04:04We're bursting out at the seams. We haven't got room to store Dan's bike stuff and our ski stuff and whatever.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08I'm really looking forward to moving somewhere where we have a garage,
0:04:08 > 0:04:14where these umpteen bikes can be stored and not cluttering up my hallway and my kitchen.
0:04:14 > 0:04:20This will be the first property Dan and Celia are buying together and they have to make the right choice.
0:04:20 > 0:04:25We do plan on just moving once and then staying there, hopefully, for a long time,
0:04:25 > 0:04:28so it will change our life in a massive way.
0:04:28 > 0:04:33It's a major decision, so what have they set aside for their dream home?
0:04:33 > 0:04:37Top end of the budget to spend probably would be between £850,000 to £900,000.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39Yeah!
0:04:41 > 0:04:45'Dan and Celia are interested in the area close to the market town of Tonbridge,
0:04:45 > 0:04:50'four miles north of Tunbridge Wells and around 30 miles south-east of London.
0:04:50 > 0:04:55'I'm meeting them in situ to find out just what kind of property they have in mind.'
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Dan and Celia, welcome to Kent.
0:04:57 > 0:05:02Tell us a little bit about the home you're looking for in your eyes.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Ideally, detached, olde worlde, a little bit quirky.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10We'd like five bedrooms because we've got three children
0:05:10 > 0:05:16and it would be nice to have some space for people to visit and so on, and, if possible, a play room.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Remind us how much we've got to spend.
0:05:19 > 0:05:23- We are lucky enough to have a budget of £850,000.- OK.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26Is there any flexibility on that or is that the limit?
0:05:26 > 0:05:31I suppose for the perfect house we would be able to go up to about £900,000.
0:05:31 > 0:05:37- We've got three properties lined up to show you in this beautiful county. Shall we get started?- Yeah.
0:05:41 > 0:05:47With a generous budget of up to £900,000, our buyers are looking for a detached character property.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06We've found three contrasting properties to tempt them with.
0:06:06 > 0:06:10At each one, I'll ask them to guess the price before I reveal it.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12The last is the mystery house
0:06:12 > 0:06:16which, whilst straying from the wish list, might just bowl them over.
0:06:19 > 0:06:25'We're testing Dan and Celia with our first property which is on the edge of Tonbidge.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30'It offers the convenience they're after, though will it give them enough of that country feel?
0:06:30 > 0:06:36'Built around the River Medway with over 150 listed buildings, including its very own castle,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39'Tonbridge offers excellent primary schools.
0:06:39 > 0:06:45'With great train and road connections into London, they could be at work in less than an hour.'
0:06:45 > 0:06:48- So, here is...- Oh, wow! - ..our first property.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52- Very nice.- Lovely.- Beautiful. - It looks stunning, doesn't it?
0:06:52 > 0:06:55Is this what you had in mind when you thought of moving?
0:06:55 > 0:07:01It's perhaps a little more urban than we'd expected, but there are benefits to being on the edge of a town.
0:07:01 > 0:07:06When the children get older, they can walk places. We won't have to drive them everywhere.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09- There's pros and cons to it. - Something to weigh up.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11- Shall we start the tour?- Yeah.
0:07:12 > 0:07:19'Built in 1957, this house has been extended and the space provides a substantial family home.'
0:07:22 > 0:07:25Gosh, it's lovely and light!
0:07:26 > 0:07:30- Plenty of windows, which is great. - Yeah.- Wow, I love the fireplace!
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Different from where you are at the moment?
0:07:33 > 0:07:36You could fit our whole house in this...
0:07:36 > 0:07:39- Every room is going to be spacious for you two.- Yeah.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41- Shall we continue to the kitchen? - Yeah.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50- So, you've got the kitchen here. - Mm-hm.- So, long and thin.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54But it leads into a separate area with informal dining at the end.
0:07:54 > 0:07:58Yeah, that's really nice, to have space for a family kitchen table.
0:07:58 > 0:08:05This is where the original house ended, so you could look at opening that out a little bit more.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Wow, that would be a big space if this was all opened out!
0:08:08 > 0:08:12And there's another room through here which I've got an idea for.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17It makes a great office.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20But what about if you took away that wall
0:08:20 > 0:08:23- and opened it all out?- Yeah.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26- That would be lovely. - Amazing for the children.- Yeah.
0:08:26 > 0:08:30You can keep an eye on them. They've got access to the garden.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33- But what a great area. - That would be lovely.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38I have this vision of a great, big kitchen table everyone can sit around. That would be really nice.
0:08:38 > 0:08:43And just behind us, you've actually got a dining area, a separate room.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47People of our generation are less likely to use a formal dining room and are more likely
0:08:47 > 0:08:52to entertain friends on the side of the kitchen, so you could put the kids' stuff in there.
0:08:52 > 0:08:59That could be the children's play room. We've got it sorted! Now we'll go upstairs and see the bedrooms.
0:08:59 > 0:09:04'Upstairs are three good-sized rooms, all with built-in cupboards,
0:09:04 > 0:09:08'a light, spacious double and a family bathroom,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11'plus there's an impressive master suite.'
0:09:11 > 0:09:13So, lots of bedrooms with this property.
0:09:13 > 0:09:19- How do you fancy having your own en-suite?- Yeah. Are we allowed to have a little look?- Go on.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21Oh, right. It goes on.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23Wow! Dressing room and bathroom.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25- It's huge.- Terrific.
0:09:25 > 0:09:30'Dan and Celia seem happy with the room inside the house.
0:09:30 > 0:09:34'There's also a basement with a games room and a large wine cellar.
0:09:34 > 0:09:40'I hope the garden won't disappoint. There's a large patio and lawn with mature trees and shrubs,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43'plus two garages to accommodate Dan's bikes.'
0:09:43 > 0:09:47You've got a beautifully presented, mature garden.
0:09:47 > 0:09:53It's not overlooked at all, which, considering there are other houses around, is really nice.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56- It's a decent-sized plot. - And you've got the front garden.
0:09:56 > 0:10:01It's plenty big enough for the kids to have a game of football, so that's fine.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04So, who wants to go first with "guess the price"?
0:10:04 > 0:10:06About...
0:10:06 > 0:10:10£825,000.
0:10:10 > 0:10:15I've had a look at some of the houses that you can walk into Tonbridge from round here.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18You've done a lot more research. That's unfair.
0:10:18 > 0:10:23I think it would be quite a lot more than that with this amount of garden and in such good condition.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26I'd say we're looking at more like 875.
0:10:26 > 0:10:31I'm sorry to tell you that one of you is wrong and one of you is bang on the money.
0:10:31 > 0:10:35£875,000.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39This house is under their maximum budget.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55- Are you happy? Have you seen enough?- Yeah, very much so.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58- That's our first house done. Shall we get moving now?- Yeah.- Come on.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09'One of Kent's most famous historic houses
0:11:09 > 0:11:13'is the stunning, 13th-century Hever Castle near Edenbridge.
0:11:13 > 0:11:18'Best known as the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII,
0:11:18 > 0:11:23'it's now one of the county's most popular tourist attractions.
0:11:23 > 0:11:28'I'm meeting Chief Executive Duncan Leslie to delve into the castle's extraordinary history.'
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Duncan, great to meet you.
0:11:30 > 0:11:34I have a real passion for anything to do with the Tudor period.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38- Anne Boleyn's family had connections to Hever Castle.- Absolutely.
0:11:38 > 0:11:42This was their main home. They needed a home close to London
0:11:42 > 0:11:45and we're only 21 miles, as the crow flies, to London.
0:11:45 > 0:11:49She spent a lot of her formative years here before going to France.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54Then she came back and spent a lot of time here when Henry VIII was courting her.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57So, what happened to the castle after she left?
0:11:57 > 0:12:03Henry VIII actually gave Hever Castle to another of his ex-wives, to Anne of Cleves.
0:12:03 > 0:12:08- No?- As part of the divorce settlement. Anne of Cleves lived here for 16 years.
0:12:08 > 0:12:11- Two out of the six wives lived here? - That's right.
0:12:11 > 0:12:16'Over the years, the castle was owned by a number of prominent families,
0:12:16 > 0:12:23'but had fallen into disrepair when it was bought by wealthy American William Waldorf Astor in 1903.
0:12:23 > 0:12:27'He set about lovingly restoring it at enormous expense.'
0:12:27 > 0:12:29My word!
0:12:29 > 0:12:33This just gives you an idea of the sort of workmanship.
0:12:33 > 0:12:36We're talking hundreds... thousands of hours of work.
0:12:36 > 0:12:40- It's not just this room. It's the whole castle.- The gardens as well?
0:12:40 > 0:12:43There were 600 or 700 people working in here,
0:12:43 > 0:12:48- and another 150 in the gardens, so come and have a look.- My goodness!
0:12:49 > 0:12:54'It's hard to believe the elaborate gardens around the castle were just marshland
0:12:54 > 0:12:58'before Astor embarked on his massive restoration project.'
0:12:59 > 0:13:02Now, that is what I call a view!
0:13:02 > 0:13:08This was just fields. He wanted a lake, so 800 men were employed for two and a half years,
0:13:08 > 0:13:10digging this lake by hand.
0:13:13 > 0:13:19I wonder if he had any idea that we would be appreciating this huge investment 100 years later?
0:13:19 > 0:13:23I think he wanted to leave something behind that he would be remembered by
0:13:23 > 0:13:26and I suspect he's probably succeeded.
0:13:33 > 0:13:37'It's 110 years since Astor bought the castle
0:13:37 > 0:13:42'and to mark the anniversary, the Japanese Tea House on the lake is being rebuilt.
0:13:42 > 0:13:47'I'm meeting landscape designer Simon Scott who is overseeing the project.'
0:13:47 > 0:13:50So, these dragons, were they on the original building?
0:13:50 > 0:13:55They are hopefully something similar to what was on the original building.
0:13:55 > 0:14:00'The Tea House was taken down in the 1930s to make space for a pillbox,
0:14:00 > 0:14:05'the dug-in guard post, built as part of British anti-invasion preparations
0:14:05 > 0:14:07'during the Second World War.
0:14:07 > 0:14:11'Simon's job is to try and re-create it as accurately as possible.'
0:14:11 > 0:14:16A lot of the records and photos were lost during a flood in 1968.
0:14:16 > 0:14:22The only bit we have got is the existing roof, the original roof which is here on top of the pillbox.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25The only other bits we know about the Tea House...
0:14:25 > 0:14:30A pensioner who lives in the village remembers taking down the original Tea House to make way...
0:14:30 > 0:14:36And the only bits he actually remembers are the roof and the gold dragons.
0:14:38 > 0:14:42I'm looking forward to seeing it complete in all its grandeur.
0:14:42 > 0:14:47I'll be wondering which of those dragons did I help paint?
0:14:47 > 0:14:51'If everything goes to plan, they should be finished here in a couple of weeks.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54'And I can't think of a more relaxing place to come
0:14:54 > 0:14:56and enjoy a cup of tea.'
0:15:01 > 0:15:05Our second house is located in the village of Chart Sutton,
0:15:05 > 0:15:08around 13 miles east of Tonbridge.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Staplehurst, three miles south of the property,
0:15:11 > 0:15:15offers a good selection of local shops, some traditional pubs and a library,
0:15:15 > 0:15:19plus the all-important main-line rail service into London.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26Let me show you our second property.
0:15:26 > 0:15:27- Wow!- Wow!
0:15:27 > 0:15:32The house itself is about 100 years old. It was extended about 30, 35 years ago.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36- Are you eager to step inside? - Yes, absolutely.
0:15:36 > 0:15:39'This may look like a classic character property,
0:15:39 > 0:15:42'but the interior is quite a surprise.'
0:15:44 > 0:15:48So, it's not quite the cottage it looks from the outside, is it?
0:15:48 > 0:15:50It's enormous.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53It's huge.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56- Surprised?- It's a bit mind-boggling.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00It looks really small from the outside and in here it's like a TARDIS.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02If you look, there's a door.
0:16:02 > 0:16:06Through there is a media room. That's how they use it when the grandchildren come to stay.
0:16:06 > 0:16:10- But that could be the children's play area.- Brilliant.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14- Do you want to see the next bit, the kitchen?- Yeah.- Absolutely.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19And if you like a lot of space in your kitchen...
0:16:20 > 0:16:24- Mm-hm.- It's taken your breath away, hasn't it?- It's enormous.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27- This all looks brand-new. - It is, actually.
0:16:27 > 0:16:32It's been here a year and a half, so you've got granite work surfaces all the way round,
0:16:32 > 0:16:35a huge island in the middle,
0:16:35 > 0:16:39two ovens at the end, so much storage space.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43- Is it too much for you? - I think it is too much. I'll be honest with you.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47Is it too sort of smart, do you think? Is it too smart for your...?
0:16:47 > 0:16:54It's not to my taste, but if it's only a year old, I wouldn't dream of changing it. Do you know what I mean?
0:16:54 > 0:16:58I think my problem is that this doesn't feel like a home.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01- It feels like a house. - It feels like a show home.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03We'll continue upstairs now.
0:17:06 > 0:17:12'Leading off the generous living room is a conservatory overlooking the garden and the open countryside,
0:17:12 > 0:17:18'but despite all the space, it seems Dan and Celia can't imagine themselves in this property.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21'Maybe they'll be more taken with the upstairs.'
0:17:21 > 0:17:24Now, before we look at bedrooms,
0:17:24 > 0:17:26I have to show you this.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28- Wow!- Step inside.
0:17:28 > 0:17:32It is the most amazing shower, power shower, jets everywhere.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36- It's a double shower.- It's got room for two.- We'll not go into that!
0:17:36 > 0:17:40- You have a bath, a Jacuzzi.- You could have the whole family in there.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44I'll bring you back to reality and show you the bedrooms now.
0:17:48 > 0:17:54So, we have a very light and spacious master bedroom with en-suite.
0:17:55 > 0:18:00- Plenty of space.- Loads of light. - This has got a lot of light and beautiful views.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04Yeah, really nice to have a kind of...two-aspect views.
0:18:04 > 0:18:08And high ceilings. It doesn't feel cottagey inside. It feels big.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12So, you've got five bedrooms in total - one single,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15- four doubles, two of those are en suite.- Right, OK.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19- When your guests come to stay... - They'll be very happy.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Then you've got your family bathroom as well.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25Let's head outside. I've got some out-buildings to point out to you
0:18:25 > 0:18:27and also we are going to have to discuss money.
0:18:35 > 0:18:40So, the total outside space, it is pretty impressive.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44You've got an out-building there. A bit of work has been done on it. Piping and everything's in there.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Next door to that you've got a sauna and a hot-tub.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52A huge garage, a carport. Then we start on the land.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57In total, there's four acres, including the footprint of the property.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59- It's a big chunk of England.- It is.
0:18:59 > 0:19:05- Shall we walk round to the front of the property and talk about money? - Yeah.- Come on.
0:19:07 > 0:19:13'Having guessed the exact price of the last house, can Celia do it again?'
0:19:13 > 0:19:16Celia, I think it's your turn to go first, isn't it?
0:19:16 > 0:19:22Well, it's a big house. It's been newly done up and it's got masses of land.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24I can't imagine all that will come very cheap.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27I'll have another stab at 875.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Right. How about you, Dan? Guess the price.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33I would say slightly cheaper,
0:19:33 > 0:19:37maybe 860?
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Right. Interesting.
0:19:39 > 0:19:43- The asking price is £850,000. - Oh, right, OK.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46- Surprised?- Yeah.- Yeah. - Definitely surprised.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52This modernised period property is well under Dan and Celia's maximum budget.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14- Happy, you two?- Mm-hm.- Thank you. - What a glorious end to our day!
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Sun shining, in the countryside...
0:20:17 > 0:20:20It's gorgeous. It certainly feels a million miles from London.
0:20:20 > 0:20:25- Yeah. We've given you some thinking to do with these properties. - You have, yeah.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42'It's the second day of our house-hunt in Kent with London couple, Dan and Celia.
0:20:42 > 0:20:48'They have a generous budget of up to £900,000 to spend on a rural family home.
0:20:48 > 0:20:53'We're taking a risk with our mystery house, travelling around 30 miles south-east of Tonbridge.'
0:20:56 > 0:21:00'Our third and final property is just outside the small village of Mersham.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04'There's a church, a couple of pubs and village shops here,
0:21:04 > 0:21:09'but although the road connections are good, it would mean a longer drive to work for Dan
0:21:09 > 0:21:13'and Celia would have to travel three miles to Ashford to catch the train to London.'
0:21:13 > 0:21:18'This timber-framed manor house is Grade II listed
0:21:18 > 0:21:21'and is thought to date back to the 16th century.'
0:21:21 > 0:21:25Dan and Celia, this is your mystery house. Take a look.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29- Oh!- Oh, wow!
0:21:29 > 0:21:31That is really pretty.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Oh, wow, that is beautiful!
0:21:34 > 0:21:35Super-gorgeous.
0:21:35 > 0:21:40- Shall we start the grand tour? - Yes, let's.- Very much so.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48So, I have to say "welcome".
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Wow!
0:21:51 > 0:21:54- Wow!- That's absolutely beautiful. - It's unbelievable.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58- It's hard to believe this is a home.- Yeah.
0:21:58 > 0:22:03- Shall we start with the kitchen?- Yeah.- Kitchen first.
0:22:03 > 0:22:09- You might have a period house, but you've got a fantastic modern kitchen.- Wow!
0:22:09 > 0:22:14- But done in such a nice style. It really fits with the feel of the house.- It does.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17It's lovely. I love the big, open range at the end.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20- Would you change anything here? - No, not at all.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22It's absolutely beautiful.
0:22:22 > 0:22:27- We've surprised you, haven't we? - I'm a bit blown away, yeah. It's really nice.
0:22:27 > 0:22:33It's not often you get to see the inside of a house like this, let alone being told you could own it.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35It could be your future home.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39- Dan, if you want to lead through, we'll keep going.- Mind your head.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Oh, wow!
0:22:43 > 0:22:45Look at the fire!
0:22:45 > 0:22:49- I want to see your faces. - Oh, my goodness!
0:22:49 > 0:22:53This is exactly what you expect from a country cottage or house.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57- It's just...stunning. - So, if you think the house is old,
0:22:57 > 0:23:01those beams are ships' beams, so they're going to be even older.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04They could be 150 years older than this house even.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07If I was to imagine any house, this would be it.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11Just from the walk up the drive, everything.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13The beams, the fire...
0:23:13 > 0:23:16- It's absolutely amazing. - It's gorgeous.
0:23:16 > 0:23:22'The ground floor also offers an elegant dining room with another original fireplace,
0:23:22 > 0:23:25'a small office and wine cellar.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29'Upstairs, there are two floors.
0:23:29 > 0:23:34'At the top of the house is a bedroom and bathroom, ideal for visiting guests.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39'The first floor consists of a family bathroom and three more spacious bedrooms,
0:23:39 > 0:23:43'including a show-stopping en-suite master.'
0:23:44 > 0:23:46Oh, my God, it's enormous!
0:23:46 > 0:23:48I was expecting poky little bedrooms.
0:23:48 > 0:23:53Even enough room for a sofa in it, but there is more.
0:23:53 > 0:23:56It used to be a dressing room. It's now an en-suite.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00An en-suite in a medieval house? I don't believe it!
0:24:00 > 0:24:02- Shall we head outside?- Yeah.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08'Dan and Celia clearly love what they've seen so far
0:24:08 > 0:24:12'and I wonder what they'll make of the grounds.'
0:24:12 > 0:24:16So, you've got all this. I just want you to take another look.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19That is what you call a period property.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22Absolutely. It's idyllic. It really is.
0:24:22 > 0:24:27A couple of other things to mention - you've got a cottage here. It used to be the hayloft.
0:24:27 > 0:24:34It's got a massive bedroom with three beds in it, a kitchen, sitting area, self-contained.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38You've also got a double garage there and a studio flat.
0:24:38 > 0:24:44- And if that wasn't enough, you have three acres of land in total.- Goodness!
0:24:44 > 0:24:50- But how much is it on the market for? We've now got to get serious, haven't we?- You can go first.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54I would have thought this would be double our budget. Really!
0:24:54 > 0:25:00I'm puzzled as to why you've brought us here. I couldn't imagine that this would be less than £1 million.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04- Yeah.- Really.- What do you want to say? What's your figure? A million?
0:25:04 > 0:25:06- Yeah.- OK.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11I'd almost agree with her. Just slightly under. I don't think we can afford it.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14I think it's still just under a million.
0:25:14 > 0:25:16Are you ready...?
0:25:16 > 0:25:20The asking price for this amazing property...
0:25:21 > 0:25:24£895,000.
0:25:24 > 0:25:31- Wow!- I think it would be an honour to live somewhere like this. It's just beautiful.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34I'm absolutely gobsmacked that it's even within our grasp.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39This house is just inside Dan and Celia's maximum budget.
0:25:52 > 0:25:55But it would make a longer journey into work.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Dare I drag you both away?
0:26:00 > 0:26:03- I'd rather stay inside.- Would you? - Yeah.- That's a really good sign.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06- But don't give too much away. Shall we go and have that chat?- Yes.
0:26:14 > 0:26:20Out of the three houses we've shown you here in Kent, there is one that I want to talk about
0:26:20 > 0:26:23and it is our mystery house.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26- Mm-hm.- And my goodness, did we get fantastic reactions!
0:26:26 > 0:26:28Fireworks.
0:26:28 > 0:26:35If you'd told us a couple of weeks ago that we'd be going to see a place like that within our budget...
0:26:35 > 0:26:39I didn't expect you to be able to find somewhere like that for us.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41What happens next?
0:26:41 > 0:26:46Definitely want to go back to see the mystery house again, have a look round,
0:26:46 > 0:26:48then have a total chat about it.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52I'm pretty much sold, but you need a bit more convincing.
0:26:52 > 0:26:58I need to shift my mindset a bit further east in Kent, but I couldn't ask for more from the house.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02You do have to think about work, locations and commutes. I totally agree.
0:27:02 > 0:27:07But from a family point of view, if it is the house for you, I wouldn't sit on your hands.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11- Thank you so much. It's been great. - Thanks.- Thank YOU.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Well, that's it.
0:27:17 > 0:27:23For a couple desperate to leave the capital behind and bring up their family in the Kent countryside,
0:27:23 > 0:27:27I think we may have found them their dream, first-owned home together.
0:27:27 > 0:27:33I think Dan and Celia's reaction to our mystery house... Well, it said it all, didn't it?
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Great house, great garden.
0:27:35 > 0:27:40I just hope Celia's nerves about the location and commute to work can be settled.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43For me, that house is a journey worth making.
0:27:43 > 0:27:48From the Kent countryside, goodbye. See you next time.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Dan and Celia fell in love with our mystery house,
0:27:52 > 0:27:57but have reluctantly concluded that the extra commute would prove too far for them.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01They're continuing their search in the Tonbridge area.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05If you would like to escape to the country in England, Northern Ireland, Wales or Scotland,
0:28:05 > 0:28:10and need our help, you can apply online at: