Malvern Hills Escape to the Country

For today's Escape To The Country, we've come to a county cricket ground

whose players are known as the Pears. So where are we and how did they get their fruity nickname?

Join me in just a few moments and I'll tell you.

'Today we're helping a Surrey couple find their textbook country retreat.

'They're not easy to please.'

-No wow. Where's the wow? I said wow when I walked in here for the first time.

-Well, it's beautiful.

It's nice. We have to take it in.

-'But finally, we impress them.'

-It's really sweet, isn't it?

-Cosy.

-This is good! This is positive!

This is what we've been searching for, positivity. Hurrah!

Well, today we're in Worcestershire at the county cricket ground,

where the players are known affectionately as the Pears

thanks to the black pears that appear in the county's coat of arms.

And it's thought that that story goes back to the days of Elizabeth I

when, back in 1575, she was so impressed by the sight of a fully-laden black pear tree,

she insisted that an image of one was incorporated into the county's coat of arms then.

Now, these days, black pears are relatively rare.

This example was planted back in 1964

to commemorate the very first time that the county won the championship.

'Worcestershire in the West Midlands is bordered by Herefordshire to the west

'and Gloucestershire to the south.

'The Malvern Hills are the jewel in the crown of this region.

'Rising dramatically from the landscape, they straddle the border with neighbouring Herefordshire.

'Known for their natural springs,

'the Malverns are formed of ancient igneous rock

'and are a magnet for walkers and cyclists.

'Lying in the shadow of the hills is the town of Great Malvern,

'which developed as a spa resort in the 19th century

'by playing on the healing properties of the local spring water.

'And water is certainly a theme that runs throughout this part of the world.

'The River Severn, the UK's longest, weaves its way through the centre of the county,

'and sitting on its banks, pretty settlements include the Georgian town of Bewdley.

'What's more, the composer Edward Elgar was born here,

'and the pastoral beauty which inspired much of his music is all around you,

'making Worcestershire and the Malverns a popular rural escape.'

Well, at £262,000, average house prices in Worcestershire

are pretty much on a par with the national figure,

but as you might expect, there are, of course, some rural highlights,

not least around Malvern, those hills out there on the horizon, tucked away in the gloom.

They're as popular today as they were back in the Victorian period.

But if you don't want to dig that deep and pay the premium,

well, head over towards Herefordshire.

The area around Bromyard will certainly get you that little bit more for your money.

So, without further ado, let's meet today's buyers

and find out why they think this part of the world could be their new home.

'For the past 17 years,

'Simon and Anne have lived in this four-bedroom detached property in Camberley, Surrey.

'Now that their two daughters have left home, it's the right time

'to leave behind the sounds of suburbia.'

We've enjoyed living in Camberley. We like the cul-de-sac,

we've got lovely neighbours, but it's just getting more and more built-up all the time,

there's so many new houses being built. It used to be quite countrified

and it's just lost that now. It's just more and more crowded.

The M3 is really, really noisy.

It's so frustrating, opening the back door

and hearing the road noise. I just want to get away from that.

'And their choice of location couldn't be more different.'

We are interested in moving to the Malvern Hills area.

We just like the countryside there, there's lots of walks up on the hills and views.

It's just idyllic, really.

'But with this house search, we've got a lot to live up to.'

Yeah, we found a house over in Malvern that we really liked

and then we were told that the vendor pulled the house off the market.

-I was...

-Very upset, weren't you?

It'll be so lovely to actually finally move and find the right house

and sort of start a new chapter.

'So we've got our work cut out finding Simon and Anne a new dream home

-'and that has to include...'

-Some character features

but not too many beams, because of spiders.

SHE LAUGHS I'd like a real fire wood burner.

I'd like airy rooms. A nice, big garden, a couple of acres would be lovely.

'But most importantly,

'the house needs to take account of someone else very close to their hearts.'

We need a room downstairs that we could use as a bedroom,

because our dog Roly's getting older now

and he find stairs difficult sometimes.

'Simon currently works for a telecommunications company

'and Anne is a hospital receptionist.

'But this move is really about indulging their outdoor interests.'

I've been interested in birds for over 25 years.

I've been a member of a charity. So I'd just like to continue that.

I'd like to get back into helping with the riding for disabled.

I used to belong to a group in Woking, because when we started looking at houses,

everything was put on hold, so I'd be interested in getting back to doing some form of charity work.

'All that's left is to find out how much money is riding on the move.'

And the budget for our move is around £600,000,

-but we could go up to 650...

-650, yeah.

-..if the right property came along.

-Mm-hm.

'As their sights are firmly set on the Malvern Hills,

'we're concentrating our property search within a 25-mile radius

'of the town of Great Malvern.

'I've come to meet Simon and Anne at their hotel in Worcestershire

'to finalise the details of what they're after.'

So, why the Malverns? I mean, they are beautiful,

but why in particular here?

Erm, we fell in love with it last year when we came up house-hunting.

And what is it you're looking for in this new life particularly?

A four-bedroom house, I'd like a study,

we'd like some land.

-Downstairs bedroom so my mum can come and visit.

-Yep.

A decent-sized kitchen, decent-sized lounge.

-So all the usual stuff, really.

-Yeah, a fireplace and everything else.

And in terms of the style of property, have you got a particular image in mind?

A little bit of character,

but not too many beams.

Now, this land issue. What are you going to do with it?

I'd like to rescue a couple of ponies, so we'd need about two acres, really.

-So, lots of options.

-Yeah.

-Oh, absolutely.

Just remind us of how much you've got to spend.

Erm, our budget's about £600,000 to £650,000 for the right property.

-I think that's quite doable.

-OK.

-He said confidently, sticking his neck out.

-We hope so, as well.

-We'll put our trust in you.

Yeah, well! I'm not trusting in the weather, unfortunately,

but I've got more confidence in the property market. Right, then, finish your tea and let's go.

'For a maximum budget of £650,000,

'Simon and Anne are seeking an older property with a bit of character,

'despite Anne's reservations about beams.

'It has to include four bedrooms, a study for Simon and a large kitchen,

'and let's not forget a downstairs bedroom for both the dog and mum

'when she comes to stay.

'Ideally there would be some land with the property, up to two acres

'for Anne's rescue ponies, or the option nearby

'to stable some horses.

'We've found three fantastic properties to tempt them with

'and at each one, I'll be asking them to guess the price before I reveal it.

'One, of course, is our mystery house, which could challenge Anne's concerns over too much timber.'

So while Anne is looking after your rescue ponies, what are you going to be doing, Simon?

I'll probably have myself a nice garden with a veggie patch in it,

be out walking, bird-watching.

You might end up with a property that doesn't have all the land you'd want

but may allow you to have access to ponies and a stable yard down the road. What do you think about that?

-Yeah, that's fine.

-Sounds like fun.

'Our first property is located a few miles outside the town of Upton upon Severn,

'around 16 miles from Great Malvern.

'As the name would suggest, the River Severn flows right through the town

'and Oliver Cromwell and his troops crossed here

'before the decisive battle of the English Civil War at nearby Worcester.

'The town is home to a range of historic buildings, including a 400-year-old coaching inn,

'but by far the oldest is this medieval church tower,

'topped by an 18th century dome known locally as the Pepper Pot.

'A few miles outside the town, you're well into the countryside and our first property.'

I thought we'd start here cos it really gives us a sense

of the geography and what's on offer.

-What do you think?

-Looks nice, doesn't it?

-It's nice, yeah.

-Peaceful.

We haven't got acres of land. The garden you can see here represents most of it.

There is another lovely chunk behind the house, and beyond that,

-views of the Malvern Hills.

-OK.

-First impressions overall?

-Yeah, it looks nice.

-It's a nice property.

Nice. I think when we get inside, we might get a wow. I'm hoping for a wow. Come on.

'Set within a third of an acre of lawn,

'our first property has been extensively restored by its current owner.

'And with Anne's desire for a large kitchen in mind, it's there we're heading first.'

-What about this, then?

-It's lovely, isn't it?

No wow?

Where's the wow? I said wow when I walked in here for the first time.

-It is beautiful, it's nice.

-Really nice.

-You have to take it in, don't you.

-As kitchen/diners go...

-That's a very nice...

-Lovely outlook on the fields.

-Yeah. Beautiful finish.

-It's nicely done.

-There is absolutely nothing to do here.

You do not even need to bring a paint brush with you

-if you were to move in.

-SHE LAUGHS

-It's lovely.

-I suppose what I'm trying to encourage is that in giving you less land,

-in a way, we're giving you more house...

-OK, yeah.

-..for the budget.

-Yeah.

-Erm, you know, and something that is just ready to go.

-Yes.

-Come on.

-Lovely.

-Let's continue this way.

Here's the living room with its lovely parquet floor.

-Look at the fireplace.

-Yeah. How about that?

-It's amazing.

That is beautiful. That is really nice, isn't it?

-So we've got fabulous and beautiful now.

-SHE LAUGHS

-It's all heading in the right direction.

-Yeah.

This is interesting, as well. There's a snug in here...

-..which, again, you could have as a sort of separate den if you wanted, for you, Simon.

-Yep.

But in terms of mum coming to stay,

it could also double up as a downstairs bedroom,

because through there is a really nice downstairs shower room and loo and all the rest of it.

Well, let's go upstairs and see what that offers you.

'In addition to the rooms we've already seen, the downstairs also features a utility room.

'Upstairs, there are three first-floor double bedrooms

'all serviced by a stylish family bathroom.

'One of those bedrooms has windows on two sides.

'Up another flight of stairs are two further bedrooms in a converted attic.

'But the biggest surprise in the house is found in the master.'

-There.

-Oh. SHE LAUGHS

-That's unusual.

-Yes.

-I'm not used to seeing a bath in a bedroom.

-Yeah.

-SHE LAUGHS

-I could bird-watch while I'm actually sitting in the bath.

-You see?

-Every cloud, Simon.

-THEY LAUGH

-But you have got a beautiful shower through here in the en suite.

-OK.

Via a little dressing room. Loads of storage in there.

-And, of course, all this. So, yeah.

-It's a great size.

-Yeah.

-It's just a bit of a surprise, that's all.

-Yes.

-SHE LAUGHS Wasn't what I was expecting.

-But is it a welcome surprise?

-I'm sure I could live with it, yeah.

-Yeah.

-Still no wow.

-No.

-I don't know what to say.

-Sorry.

-I'm heartbroken.

-I just wasn't expecting it like this.

-Come on! Come on! Let's go and find a wow somewhere.

SHE LAUGHS

'Well, Simon and Anne aren't terribly convinced by the bath in bedroom concept,

'but that's not the only surprise here.

'As well as the house, the property comes with this additional building which serves both as a double garage

'and extra living space. There's a kitchen area downstairs

'and a double bedroom in the eves. A perfect holiday let,

'or as the name already suggests, a home for Roly perhaps.

'But let's not forget those all-important Malvern Hills.

'Maybe we'll finally get a wow in the garden.'

And there, look. The Malvern Hills.

-Oh, yes.

-Yep.

-Just in the distance there.

-Yeah.

So it's all accessible, it's all easy, lots of walking with the dog up there

-and around here, of course.

-Sure.

Based, maybe, in our lovely property number one.

-Mm.

-Let's think about the price, then.

-Erm...

-630.

-£630,000 says your wife, sir.

I'm going to go 575.

Well, you are right.

-Oh, wow.

-£75,000 underneath your budget.

Mm. Food for thought.

-A feast, I would suggest!

-THEY LAUGH

-You know? I think this is really interesting, actually.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

This is a house you could have an awful lot of fun in.

-It's even got a hot tub!

-Sure, yeah.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Go and enjoy it.

-OK.

-And I will come and find you later on.

-Thank you.

-Thank you, Jules.

-Take your time.

I would. I love it.

'Priced at £575,000,

'our first property has only been on the market for five days

'and is £75,000 under Simon and Anne's maximum spend.

'It's a detached cottage which has been recently restored.

'The accommodation includes five bedrooms within the main house

'and an additional bedroom in the annexe.

'It's set within an third of an acre of grounds

'and with glorious views overlooking the Malvern Hills.'

When we first walked up to the property,

I thought it looked very pretty with the wisteria growing up the wall.

I admit to being a little surprised in the master bedroom

to see a bathroom, but on reflection,

with the view, it sort of made sense.

The annexe, erm, that was really good.

I'm not sure if it was big enough downstairs to perhaps use as a holiday let,

but it would certainly be good ancillary accommodation for visitors.

But I'd like a bit more land. I would like the land, as well.

Ah, here we are! Happy?

-Yes, thank you very much.

-You said this had given you plenty of food for thought.

-I hope you've eaten well.

-We have.

-We have, yes.

I'd have cleaned the plate with this one. Come on.

'Just down the road from our first property

'is the county's largest and most important natural habitat,

'the Longdon & Eldersfield Wetlands.

'The marshes were drained for agriculture in the 19th century

'and most of the flora was lost, and along with it, the birds and wildlife that lived here.

'But 12 years ago, the site was taken over by the Worcestershire Wildlife Trust

'and they're in the process of restoring this grazing land to its former glory.

'We sent wildlife enthusiasts Simon and Anne to get hands-on with the conservation work.

'They're meeting reserve manager Rob Allan.

'Their first task - to find out how many plant species are growing back

'on a patch of meadow which has recently been resown.'

Right, this is a green-winged orchid.

You can actually see, if you have a quick look,

we've got to use the eye-glass,

you should just be able to see the little green veins inside the wing there. Can you see it?

-Oh, yeah.

-What's that leaf there? It's got like a sawtooth.

-Ah!

That's a very interesting one. This is actually called great burnet.

It's crept over from the lower, wetter ground over there.

It's just sort of seeded in. This is very much a plant of wet, saturated ground

and this has taken really well across the whole of this field.

-What's that thing there?

-This one here? That's called birdsfoot trefoil,

definitely something you'd see in a hay meadow.

Used to be called ham and eggs, which you can probably guess from the yellow and red colouring.

'The distribution of plants and flowers within the quadrat is then recorded

'so experts can compare with previous surveys.'

What we've got here is going to be what this whole meadow's going to look like.

It might take a few years, but it's starting to go that way.

'As well as recultivating, reserve managers use sustainable methods of conservation.

'These natural grass-cutters are allowed to wander the marshes.

'But some areas need fencing off from cattle

'to allow bird-friendly reed beds to thrive.'

-Anne, if you'd like to grab the post.

-OK.

We've got it lined up on the string. So if you'd like to put the end in there.

Simon, if you grab one half of that.

We are gently going to put it over the end of that.

Right, if you want to give us a bit of room there. Fantastic.

And the plan is, we're going to drive this down until it's solid,

-which was about your shoulder height.

-Yep.

So if we get you in a little bit closer so we can measure it.

-Are you ready?

-Yep.

-Lift.

That's it.

One more.

Right, lift that off and we'll just measure it and see how we're doing.

-That's not bad. Is that firm? Give it a shake and see how solid it is.

-That's fine.

-Perfect. Well done!

Why do you use cattle to graze the land here?

Well, they're really important for what we do.

We need to make sure we get the grass the right sort of length for birds to breed in.

If it's too long, species like lapwing won't want to breed here.

If it's too short, other species like redshank also won't want to breed here.

So we need to create the perfect height

and the way to do that is with cattle.

Well, folks, I think we've done a very good job here.

The fence is looking awesome. Shall we head off and get dry?

-That would be lovely!

-Let's go this way.

-Let's go!

'The habitats will take many years to mature,

'but once established, they'll provide an excellent local bird-spotting site for Simon.

'But we need to find our buyers a new home first,

'and so it's back to the property search.

'For our second house, we're venturing 20 miles northwest

'and hopping over the border into Herefordshire to the village of Tedstone Delamere.

'The closest amenities are in the small town of Bromyard.

'Noted for its historic architecture,

'the centre includes many traditional black and white buildings typical of the area,

'and perhaps more surprisingly, its very own museum of science fiction.

'Although we've left Worcestershire, we're still within striking distance of our beloved Malvern Hills.

'And the location of our second property offers more scope for land.'

There is our property two for you.

-That's very interesting.

-Impressive.

-Yeah.

-Do you like it?

-Yeah!

-That's very nice.

-It's a barn, isn't it?

-It is a barn. A converted barn.

It was pretty much derelict up until about 2003.

-OK.

-And then the current owners finished it off in 2005.

-So they have, as you can imagine, done an awful lot of work.

-Sure.

There's a lot more to it than meets the eye.

-OK.

-Yeah. That's good.

-Now, look behind you.

-Yeah?

-Yeah? Lots of land.

-Yeah.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Nice views.

-Nice paddock.

-Over there, we've got the Malvern Hills in the mist.

-Oh, right, yeah.

-You'll probably have to take my word for it.

But all of this is set within about two and a half acres.

-Right, OK.

-So your ponies could be out here.

-Aww.

-There you go.

-That'd be nice, wouldn't it?

-Yeah.

Well, as it's pouring down, come on, let's not delay.

Let's go inside.

'Despite the rain, this one seems to have lifted the spirits, at face value, at least,

'and I'm confident the interior layout of our barn conversion won't dampen them.'

-Come in, Anne.

-Ah, that's nice, isn't it?

And this is one of the great joys of this sort of barn conversion.

You imagine the old barn doors, they've now gone, lots of windows, lots of light.

-And a fantastic kind of entranceway, really.

-Yeah.

-I've just spied out there.

-Yeah, the pool, how about it? Yeah.

-It's different, isn't it?

-Plenty of water in it today.

-Yes.

-Good weather for ducks.

-Come on.

Come into here, then. This is your living room.

-That's nice, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's a good size. It's got great views.

-And the stonework's lovely, that gives it a real texture.

-Yeah.

-I mean, effectively, you've got a modern house in an old shell.

-Yeah.

There's a feel to a house that you get when you come in,

and I feel it more with this one than the last one, and I don't know why.

Well, sometimes you just don't have to know,

-it's just the kind of magic of whether a house is going to grab you and clearly this one is.

-Yes, sure.

Good. Right, well, let's have a look through this bit.

'Arranged around the swimming pool, the ground floor of our courtyard-style barn conversion

'also features this dining room

'with vaulted ceiling and exposed beams.

'Although hopefully not enough to frighten off Anne.

'In addition, there's this study, that could serve as an extra bedroom if need be.

'But I want our buyers to see the kitchen.'

-Ah, that's a nice space, isn't it?

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-That's a nice kitchen, yeah.

-I mean, this is all more you, isn't it?

-I think so, yeah, yeah.

-And, of course, then you've got this behind you.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Now, as you can appreciate, a lot of this is sort of ground-floor living, as it were.

-Yeah.

There are four bedrooms on offer here.

Two of them are on the ground floor. One of them is through here,

-with a really nice kind of en suite arrangement, which would be great for your mum.

-Yep.

The master is the other side of the pool, right through there, you can probably just make it out.

-Oh, yes!

-So, let's go have a look at that bit. Your bit. Off you go. Go on.

'As well as the downstairs bedroom for mum,

'there are two further bedrooms on the first floor of this barn conversion.

'But we're staying on the ground floor and heading to the master,

'which is served by this en suite bathroom.'

-Very nice. Ah. It's a nice room, isn't it?

-Yeah.

And, of course, it leads straight out onto the pool.

OK! Get up first thing in the morning, take a dip.

Well, just take a running jump, mate, I mean, you know...

THEY LAUGH

Yeah.

-It's very different, isn't it?

-Mm.

-It is, yeah.

And I don't see many barn conversions that really have embraced this courtyard arrangement.

-So, the final bit is, of course, the price.

-Mm.

Let's go and settle down, I think inside, as it's still tipping down.

-And let's see what it might cost you.

-OK.

-Yeah? After you.

Well, look, there's the view,

despite the rain, and beyond it, horses in that paddock.

-There is a riding school right next door.

-Oh, that's good. That's handy.

Yeah. We are furnishing you with lots of places to learn about ponies and all the rest of it.

But the question, as always, is how much do you really want it?

-I think it's top of budget.

-OK.

-I'm thinking 650.

-650. Yeah. Simon?

I hope you've left us a chunk of change so I'm going to say 620.

-You can hope, mate.

-HE LAUGHS

Well, 620. Er, I'm afraid, on this occasion, your good wife is pretty much on the money.

This is currently for sale for 649,500.

Oh, right. I'm useless at this normally.

So you've got 500 quid left over.

Well, I'm going to leave you here to discuss it.

-And I will catch up with you later.

-OK. Thank you.

Well, there we go.

'On the market for just shy of £650,000,

'our second property is fractionally under their maximum budget.

'It's a converted courtyard barn arranged around a swimming pool.

'There are four double bedrooms, two of which are on the first floor,

'but most of the accommodation is found on the ground floor.

'The plot amounts to around two and a third acres,

'plenty of room for some rescue ponies

'and with views of the Malverns and surrounding countryside.'

This room would really work, wouldn't it, for my mum?

-Yeah. It's a good size.

-Yeah. And then you've got a bathroom next door.

-Yeah.

-Near the kitchen.

-Yeah.

-And you can get a wardrobe in, dressing table.

-Some storage, yeah.

-Even got a view.

-Yeah.

When we walked up to this property, I instantly liked the look of it.

And I hadn't really given any thought to barns.

I can imagine living here. It just feels right. It just feels cosy, homey.

-It just sort of feels like it fits.

-Loved the great big windows

and the wood. It's very, very impressive.

Er, yeah, I really, really like this property, and it's one on our list, I'm sure.

-It's fun up there, isn't it?

-I know. It's lovely.

Two more bedrooms, I mean, so much space. What are you going to do with it all?

Oh, I don't know. Have lots of people to stay.

-Well, you can. And they can go for a dip.

-Yeah.

Although, on a day like this, they don't need to, really.

Right then, let's go and brave the weather.

-After you.

-Thank you.

-Thank you, Jules.

Time for tea.

'It's day two of our property search,

'and with a budget of £650,000,

'we're helping Simon and Anne swap suburban Surrey

'for the harmony of the Malvern Hills.

'Coming up, Simon's lost for words at our mystery house.'

I think I might leave you here to consider it.

See if you can come up with a word that might describe it all.

-I'll catch up with you later.

-Wow!

'And I'll be going underground, discovering some of Worcestershire's subterranean secrets.'

Well, having thrilled Anne and Simon with two fantastic properties yesterday,

it's perfectly clear that our mystery house has got some work to do.

And whilst we like to think that the mystery should ideally challenge our buyers,

well, on this occasion, I think it will amaze them,

because when they see the package that's on offer,

well, who knows what they'll make of it?

'For our mystery house we're heading to the Worcestershire/Herefordshire border

'and the hamlet of Grittlesend, five miles northwest of Great Malvern.

'The nearest village is Cradley in Herefordshire,

'which has a post office, butchers and a church,

'parts of which date back to Norman times.

'Today's mystery house gives Simon and Anne the Malverns on their doorstep,

'land for ponies, and it's packed with character.

'But will it be too much for Anne to handle?'

-There it is.

-Gosh.

-There's our mystery house.

-It's got character.

As you would expect with a house that is not only listed

but that dates from about 1670.

-Really?

-Wow! It looks really nice.

-I'm intrigued.

-I am.

-Can't wait to get inside and have a little look.

Well, we have got plenty to show you, inside and outside.

-Oh, right.

-Oh, yes.

-Even more intriguing.

Yes, indeed! But let's deal with the house first and then we'll come back out here

and see what you might do with the green stuff. Come on.

'This timber-frame 17th-century mystery house is by far the oldest property we've shown Simon and Anne.

'And as you'd expect, there are beams aplenty.'

-Well, traditionally, we'll start with the kitchen.

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

Yeah, it is, nice and cosy.

See, I think this is a theme that's emerging.

When I think back to our first property with its great big kitchen-diner,

very impressive, beautiful room to show you.

But actually, I think you are a more cosy sort of person, aren't you?

-Isn't it true? I think you are.

-Maybe.

The kitchen is small. There is also this amazing kind of garden room

which we'll have a look at now, which I think you'd use all the time, really.

Because it does allow us some wonderful views.

-There you go.

-Ah, that's nice.

-That's good, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Have a look in the garden.

-Yeah.

You can really immerse yourself in the garden whatever the weather in here.

-Breakfast. Reading.

-Brilliant space for family dining.

Right then, I'm going to pursue this cosy thing.

I think the living room is really cosy, too. Come and look at this.

So, the living room also comprises the dining area.

-Oh.

-Yes?

-Yes.

-And then this is the kind of living bit.

-Oh, that's amazing.

-Again, cosy.

-Yes, it is cosy, actually.

-Yeah.

-It's lovely.

-I don't know, I'd have to think about it, really. Work it out in my head.

-She does like a big lounge.

There's quite a bit of furniture in here, to be fair. But it's the two of you most of the time.

-That is true.

-Isn't it, really?

-Yeah, that is true.

'I fear we may have a hard time convincing Anne about the beams.

'The downstairs also includes this utility room and a large study

'that could be easily converted into a bedroom for Anne's mum or space for Roly the dog.

'Upstairs there are three bedrooms, one of which is a good-size double,

'and there's also a single, along with a family bathroom.

'And then there's the master suite.'

-Now, watch your heads.

-Gosh!

So, this is your bit. And you've got this kind of dressing area here.

Loads of storage behind this curtain.

And then this is the bedroom side of the master suite, as it were.

-Oh, gosh. Isn't it sweet?

-It's very sweet, yeah.

-Wonky floors.

-Yep.

-Bags of character.

It's really sweet, isn't it? Cosy.

This is good! This is positive! We've been searching for positivity.

-Hurrah! Yeah!

-This is good.

We did promise you a little more outside.

It wouldn't be our mystery house unless there were some surprises.

-Can't wait.

-You're going to love this. Come on.

'The sweetness of our master suite has got us back on track.

'And Anne certainly seems to have overcome her reservations about beams.

'But let's not forget that Simon and Anne wanted land.

'And land they've certainly got with this place.'

-OK. I've been dying to talk about this bit.

-THEY LAUGH

-Garden-wise, you've got all that.

-Right.

-Yeah.

-Land-wise, you also get that paddock there...

-Uh-huh.

..which is, all in all, about 1.8 acres.

Now, by separate negotiation within the same family, is that field over there.

-Oh, right.

-OK.

-Which is six acres.

-Oh, crikey! SHE LAUGHS

Shall we consider a price for the 1.8 acres

and our lovely 1670 mystery house?

-Right. Hm. Gosh, it's a hard one.

-Mm.

-I'll take a stab with 585.

-585.

I'm going to go 620.

You're both wrong, I'm afraid.

-This is currently on the market at £535,000.

-Really?

-My goodness me!

-Wow!

-HE LAUGHS

-And you've got those views.

-Now, that means we've saved you, what, from 650?

-Crikey!

-£115,000?

-Gosh!

And if you are wondering what you might do with that slack 115 grand,

I have just the thing. Come this way.

-Wow.

-JULES LAUGHS

Now, I know you like a bit of bird-watching.

-Oh, my!

-Yeah.

For another 70,000 quid, you could also have your own lake.

-You said you wanted a pond.

-Oh, wow!

-That's some pond.

-Crikey!

-That is excellent.

-It's a real lifestyle choice, this one.

-Absolutely.

I think I might leave you here... to consider it.

See if you can come up with a word that might describe it all.

I'll catch you later.

Wow!

'At £535,000, our mystery house is by far the cheapest property we've shown our buyers

'and is a whopping £115,000 under their maximum budget.

'It's a Grade II listed 17th-century cottage surrounded by countryside.

'It comes with three bedrooms, but there's a possibility of converting the study into a fourth.

'The price includes nearly two acres of land.

'However, there is an option to purchase six acres of adjacent land

'as well as the nearby lake.'

I never in my wildest dreams expected to come to the mystery house and find a lake.

It's just absolutely blown me away.

Erm...

My feelings are probably slightly more mixed.

I'm a little bit worried about the internals of the property, really.

I'm used to having sort of space to move furniture around,

and I think I might be a bit restricted.

There are certain compromises to be made with the property itself.

Erm, I don't know whether we can make those compromises.

It's something we're going to have to think long and hard about.

Well, that was a very interesting house tour, wasn't it?

-It certainly was.

-Yes, it was.

-Very unexpected.

Very unexpected. But that's the mystery house.

You know, we do like to tease you with the unexpected.

It's been a real gem in that respect.

So, I think you've got plenty to go and think about, haven't you?

-Definitely.

-Oh, yes. You've thrown a spanner in our works, that's for sure.

Right, then, off you go. You go and have a good old think and I'll catch up with you later.

-Thank you.

-Thank you, Jules.

Well, as mystery houses go, they don't get much more exciting than this one.

So, if our series of house tours have inspired you to want to move to this part of the country,

here's a little taster of what's on the market here right now.

'Attractive black-and-white timbered cottages are a hallmark of the county

'and this Grade-II listed cosy thatch in the village of Callow End in the Malvern Hills

'is priced at £275,000.

'It offers three bedrooms and a good-sized garden.

'Further north in Bewdley, this four-bedroom 18th-century property with a mature landscape garden

'is on the market for £425,000.

'But if it's space you're after, this generous period home,

'just over the border in Putley, Herefordshire,

'is set in one and a half acres and offers three spacious reception rooms and five double bedrooms.

'It's priced at £750,000.

'On the surface, Worcestershire's heritage is plain to see.

'But there's an underground history that's less well-known.

'Behind these unassuming gates at the Kingsford Country Park

'lies a subterranean network of tunnels with an extraordinary past.

'Built by a vehicle manufacturer in the early 1940s

'when car assembly was turned over to helping the war effort,

'the tunnels were part of the government's shadow factory scheme.

'I've come to find out more from local historian Sid Robinson.'

Well, Sid, not everybody is going to be familiar with the term shadow factory when it comes to the war.

-What are we talking about?

-The shadow factory was designed

to be sort of a back-up factory to the Rover works.

So if the main factory at Longbridge was damaged

then they could carry on production from here.

Now, we all know Rover for their cars, but what were they making in here?

They made parts for the Rolls-Royce Merlin engines,

which were used in virtually all of the military aircraft at the time.

-So Spitfires, Lancaster's...

-That's right, yes.

This production facility was absolutely at the top of the list.

Oh, it was crucial to the war effort.

Had anything happened at Longbridge, this would've been the main supply chain.

Well, the scale of it just walking in here is breathtaking.

How many miles of tunnels are there?

There is about four and a half miles of interconnecting tunnels.

But it's based on 285,000 square feet, so, you know, it was a very large factory.

And just to be clear, this wasn't an old mine that was reused,

-this was purpose-built at the beginning of the war.

-Oh, yes, totally built from scratch.

'At the height of the Second World War, around 700 people worked down here.

'Although the machinery from the plant has long gone, there are still remnants of the wartime factory.

'Urns used for making tea and an industrial kitchen.

'But the story doesn't stop with the end of the Second World War.

'The Cold War heralded the threat of nuclear attack

'and these tunnels were converted into a bunker for regional government,

'local services such as police, and an organisation closer to home.'

We're now in the hub of the nuclear bunker.

-This is the BBC room.

-This is a BBC studio?

-Yeah. It is.

This is where they would've broadcast to the nation if they were all about to die.

-Or some were still alive.

-Yeah, those who hadn't guessed.

-Look at it, just kind of rotting here.

-Yeah, it's a terrible shame.

It's extraordinary, isn't it? I mean, I grew up, as you did,

with the threat of a nuclear war, through the 70s and the 80s,

and we always heard talk of these nuclear bunkers, much fabled refuges

that, of course, none of us would've got into if it had really happened.

And you often wondered what they were like. You know?

And what kind of people would be in them and what they would contain. But here we are.

Who would have thought it? We've finally got inside a nuclear bunker.

-Absolutely.

-It must be a first for Escape To The Country, that is for sure.

-Does anyone want to live here, though?

-I don't know. Is it for sale?

'There are plans to turn the tunnels into a museum and open them to the public.

'In the meantime, they stand as a fascinating historical monument to Worcestershire's military past.'

Well, Anne and Simon are in here trying to make sense of all that we have shown them.

But to say they are confused is a classic Escape To The Country understatement.

But, that said, you might think, given their reaction to our mystery house, that it's a done deal.

Or is it? Let go and ask them.

-Hi, guys. How are you?

-Hello.

-Hello, Jules.

-Fine, thank you.

Well, this has all gone quite quickly, hasn't it?

-THEY LAUGH

-Were you expecting such an emotional trip through our house searches?

-Definitely not.

-No.

-No.

-Nothing like it.

You came here wanting land for ponies, somewhere with some character,

weren't sure about beams, but we got there, didn't we?

Er, and, obviously, within sight of the Malvern Hills.

So are you going to go back and look at any of them?

-House number two.

-Our lovely barn conversion.

I loved the proportions of the lounge and the dining area,

-there's ground floor bedrooms, and the land, of course.

-Mm-hm.

-Yeah, two and a half acres or so.

-Met a lot of our criteria. And the views were stunning.

-Let's consider our mystery house, shall we?

-Yes.

-What a package.

-Yes, what a package.

Completely unprepared, really, for what you offered us,

with all the character features and the history.

Erm, and the land, and the views,

and also the lake.

It's given us... We're in a bit of a quandary, aren't we, I think?

Yeah, we're conflicted between the practicalities of the house

-and...

-The opportunity of the land.

-..the opportunity of the land and the lake.

Emotional response against the practicalities of actually living there

that we can't resolve at the moment.

-Do you need a tissue?

-No.

-THEY LAUGH

Brilliant, guys. It'll be really interesting to know what your final conclusion is.

But in the meantime, I'm not going to press you on it,

cos you've clearly got a lot going on in your minds.

-Yeah.

-Best of luck, guys. It's been a lot of fun

and I hope we've got you that little bit closer to finding your new home here in the Malverns.

-Thank you.

-Thank you very much.

-Pleasure.

Well, as we've talked a lot this week about having views of the Malvern Hills,

it seems only fitting that we should finish on top of them.

This is known locally as British Camp. It's an old Iron Age hill fort

and it's said that one of the area's most famous residents, Edward Elgar, regularly walked these paths

composing some of those tunes that we all know and love.

This was clearly an area that seriously inspired him,

as indeed it has Simon and Anne.

And when you look out across there, well, you can see why.

Land of Hope and Glory? I think so.

'After further discussion, practical considerations ruled,

'and despite the package on offer, in the end,

'Simon and Anne felt the mystery house didn't give them the interior space they wanted.

'If you'd like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, England,

'or further afield to the continent, and would like our help,

'then please apply online at...'

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