Shropshire Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country. Now, today, I'm on a hunt.

Not for a house, or not just yet, but rather, for this, a gravestone.

And as you can probably just make out,

this is the final resting place of one Ebenezer Scrooge.

Now, as we all know, he was, of course,

a fictitious character, invented by Charles Dickens.

So, why is this here, and where is it?

Well, join me in just a few moments and I'll tell you.

On today's show, I'll be helping two adventurous house-hunters

leave behind the confined spaces of their housing estate

to set up base camp in the great outdoors of the open countryside.

And they don't pull any punches.

It's quite small, isn't it?

But in one house, there's no hiding their delight.

-Look at the smiles on your face!

-I know, I like it.

-Ha-ha-ha!

Well, today, we're in Shropshire

and this is the graveyard of St Chad's Church

in the middle of Shrewsbury.

Now, of course, dear old Ebenezer's gravestone is a fake.

In fact, it was a movie prop,

left behind after the making of the 1984 film, A Christmas Carol.

Now, as you can appreciate,

since then, it's become something of a local tourist attraction,

but the good news is,

well, there's a lot more to this county than just the fiction.

Situated in the West Midlands, the landlocked county of Shropshire

is sandwiched between Wales to the west

and Staffordshire to the east.

The county is a rural idyll, rich in agricultural land

and classic English countryside,

dotted with picturesque postcard villages

and towns like Much Wenlock and Ludlow.

Through its middle, runs the majestic River Severn,

splitting the county in half, with rippling fields above it

and rolling hills and deep valleys below,

much of which have been selected as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

All of which belies the county's industrial past.

Shropshire is known

as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution,

symbolised by the world's first iron structure

spanning the River Severn at Ironbridge Gorge,

now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

No wonder, then, that this county remains an attraction

to tourists and property hunters alike.

Now, I love coming to Shropshire.

It offers the sort of rural living that most of us aspire to,

the perfect place, you could say, to escape to the country,

but the real icing on the cake is the property prices.

Now, an average detached here will set you back £237,000,

and, yes, it is a lot of money, but consider this -

it's £19,000 less than the national figure,

and £25,000 less than what you'd have to pay

for the same sort of thing in neighbouring Worcestershire.

So, the lesson is clear -

Shropshire, with all its charm and tranquillity and affordability,

is a really good bet,

which is exactly why, of course, today's buyers want to be here.

For the past four years, fireman Ross and climbing instructor Wendy

have been living on a tight-knit estate in Gnosall, Staffordshire,

but feel they've outgrown their three-bed semi

and now is the time to make the move

to a more private countryside location.

Where we live at the moment is on an estate.

There are other houses that overlook the garden,

so our ideal property would be out in the open with its own land,

not overlooked or near a busy road.

We've, kind of, outlived this house. It's a little bit too small.

And the destination for their relocation

is dictated by their outdoor pursuits.

We're looking to move into Shropshire,

around the Much Wenlock area.

There's plenty of walking and climbing in that area,

so that would be... our ideal location.

Weekends are brilliant.

On a Friday, we can just get everything into the camper van

and head off with Alfie the dog,

go climbing or kayaking, take the bikes.

We're travelling to Wales most weekends

and then travelling to work during the week.

Shropshire would, basically, be halfway between the two.

But all their hobbies come with a lot of kit.

The must-haves for our new property

would be space for our car and camper van.

We've also got my kit car,

so somewhere to keep that under dry storage.

And, if possible, somewhere for my dinghy,

which, during the winter, needs to be stored,

so that would be great.

Also, space to store all the climbing kit -

buoyancy aids and ropes and associated equipment -

would be great.

Not all of their interests are so physical.

Last year, I was taught how to knit,

and I've always been interested in it

and, actually, been able to combine that with the love of climbing.

I've produced some knitted climbing equipment, as key rings,

which have been popular amongst climbers.

All that's left to discover are the financial details.

The budget for this move would be around £210,000.

Ross and Wendy have asked us to concentrate our search

around the town of Much wedlock,

halfway between work commitments in Gnosall, Staffordshire,

and outdoor adventures in Wales.

But before we start our search, I caught up with them in Shropshire,

to find out what they're looking for in a new home.

-Hi, Wendy! Hello, Ross!

-Hi!

-Hi!

-Nice to see you two.

-Yeah.

-Now, then, this is all rather exciting, isn't it?

-It is.

You must be one of the youngest couples we've ever had

on Escape To The Country!

You are a tall guy,

and your classic little country cottage might challenge you.

Yeah, there is a good chance there,

that's why we're looking for something...

a little bit different, a little bit quirky,

off the beaten track, a little bit, something that we can make our own.

-So, uh...bedrooms-wise?

-Two to three?

-Yeah, two, three.

Two to three, lots of outdoor space, barns and so on.

-You have got quite a bit of... stuff, haven't you?

-Yeah.

-Mountain bikes.

-Yeah.

-A dinghy.

-Yeah.

-Canoes.

-Yeah.

-This is going to be good fun.

-Yeah.

-I look forward to this. Shall we get going?

Three properties to show you, including the mystery house -

-who knows what could happen?

-Brilliant.

Let's go through the magic archway. After you, Wendy!

For a budget of £210,000,

Ross and Wendy are looking for two to three bedrooms,

a property with individual character,

plenty of storage space for their outdoor equipment,

a garage to house a dinghy, Ross's kit car,

as well as parking space for the camper van.

And all in a quiet village location,

ideally, midway between Staffordshire and Wales.

We have three different prospects for them today,

with varying degrees of potential,

and one is a mystery house

that will really test their sense of adventure.

So, time to get going and first on the list is house number one.

How do your families feel about this move?

Cos you are going a little bit away from home,

albeit, sort of, just over the border.

I'm originally from Lancashire,

so it's a bit of a... a little bit of a trek, anyway,

to where we are at the moment, in Staffordshire.

But, erm...

I think they'd quite like it, really, to come and visit.

It would be ideal,

if there's a potential for people to stay and stop,

but we can always find ways round that.

You know, we've got our camper van,

which is always a spare bed, if we need it to be.

-We don't mind sleeping outside, if the guests sleep inside.

-Yeah.

-We're pretty adaptable.

-SHE CHUCKLES

For our first property, we're throwing caution to the wind

and travelling to the north-west of the county,

to the village of Morda

near the town of Oswestry and the Welsh border,

but further away from their work in Gnosall.

Named after the River Morda,

the village is on the outskirts of the market town of Oswestry.

The gateway to Wales, medieval Oswestry

is known as a centre for trade from both sides of the border,

and reminders of this are still evident

with its array of textile, craft and local-produce stores.

Just out of Morda village is our first house,

a two-bedroom character cottage in an idyllic location,

adjacent to a wooded area and stream.

Let's start here!

Come on in, guys.

This is a good spot to take it all in.

-There you go, property number one, Wendy.

-It's fantastic.

I'm liking the size of it, yeah, it looks really good.

Now, it used to be two cottages, but now it's one,

so you get a detached building.

-Wow.

-It looks really nice.

-Yeah.

I'm not sure quite where we're going to put all the outdoors stuff yet.

-Yeah.

-Well, there is a little shed over there.

-Yeah.

-But you also get that garage there.

-Oh, wow.

-OK.

-Now, that could be improved upon and made a bit bigger.

-Yeah.

Was this the sort of thing that you had in mind, Wendy?

Yeah, definitely.

It's certainly a lot bigger than I thought we'd be able to afford.

Good! Let's see what you think of the inside. Come and have a look.

A good start with the location,

but already the question of outside space

for their mountain of equipment has been raised,

so it remains to be seen

if the interior of this cottage can redress the balance.

Right, let's start with this one.

-Come on in. Watch your head, Ross.

-JULES LAUGHS

What do you think?

It's nice, I like the... I like it, it's compact.

I like the unusual shape of the room.

There used to be a fireplace there.

-There would have been a chimney on this end of the roof.

-Yeah.

But the flue is still in there, so if you wanted to, open that up,

a really nice focal point with a wood burner in it.

I can imagine it would be nice and snug with a proper fireplace.

It would feel a lot more authentic, more in keeping.

Yeah, definitely. It's quite small, isn't it?

I was brought up in a cottage, so I'm used to low ceilings,

-so I'm not too bothered about the ceilings.

-OK.

-It's just...

-Size-wise?

-Yeah, the shape of the room.

But, yeah, it's interesting, I like it.

Good. Well, it does go on, there's a sort of dining room through here.

-Mm-hm.

-It could be a kind of a snug if you wanted it to be.

-Sure.

-Yeah.

But it does also lead through to the kitchen,

which is really lovely, which is in here.

-I think you'll like this.

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-It's quite a surprise, isn't it?

It's nice, nice and new, nice and fresh, granite tops.

I imagine this is your sort of thing, quite...you know.

It's got everything there, hasn't it?

You know, it's got everything we need.

I think we'd probably like it a little bit more open, wouldn't we?

Yeah, if it was... maybe opened up a little more,

-a bit more social space for if we did have friends round.

-Yeah.

That would be good.

It's a... It's a really interesting property,

I like the features that are in here.

To get you closer to the environment you want to be in,

it's certainly a good option.

Certainly, halfway house, yeah, definitely.

Halfway house, let's find the other half of it.

Come on, it's upstairs.

Not the worst reaction, but still, space is the key here.

Upstairs, the family bathroom with a modern four-piece suite

serves the two double bedrooms -

one bright and airy, with views to the front,

and the other, slightly larger, possibly the master.

This, I would suggest, would be your room.

-It is nice.

-I like the quirky shape of it.

It's really light, as well, with the two windows.

Got the nice view out down the small little valley.

Oh, it's quiet and peaceful. I mean, it's a lovely room.

-Mind you, so is the one next door.

-Yeah.

-So you could try them both.

-Mm, you could.

-Yeah, it's a really nice shape.

It's a similar size to what we've got at the moment,

so the size wouldn't be an issue.

I'm not so sure about the storage, we may need to look at that.

There's a bit of built-in here, a little cupboard over there.

-Again, you know, for two people, you have a lot of stuff.

-Yeah.

-Yeah!

-How you accommodate that, really, I think, is up to you.

-Sure.

-Different, which is what we're most definitely looking for.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-The style, isn't it?

-Shall we finish off outside?

-Sure.

-OK.

-After you.

The surrounding gardens are made up of three separate lawns,

along with secluded, decking, seating areas.

To allay their fears over space, I might have something up my sleeve.

I know space inside, you felt, perhaps was a little limited,

particularly in the living room.

There has been planning granted.

It's now lapsed, but the precedent is there,

to extend it this way, which would extend the kitchen

and give you an upstairs third bedroom as well, should you need it.

So, has anybody got a figure in mind

as to what our property number one is worth?

I'm thinking

around about 200,000.

200,000.

I was thinking, maybe, 210.

210. Well, interesting.

-It's on the market at £218,000.

-OK.

But, having spoken with the owner, I would imagine...

-..your budget would secure it.

-Yeah.

-If that makes sense.

-OK.

Yeah, it's interesting.

-There's a lot to think about.

-Yeah, definitely.

There's plenty to go at

and it's something we could move straight into.

-Mm.

-I'm just not sure about

the space outside, for everything that we have at the moment.

Right, then. You've got plenty to consider.

-Off you go and I'll catch up with you later.

-Thank you.

-OK, thanks.

Enjoy.

This charming character cottage, on the market for £218,000,

is ideally located for weekend trips to Wales,

giving them two decent-sized double bedrooms,

a modern oak kitchen with a stylish range,

separate dining room,

the possibility to extend and it's all set

in an idyllic, peaceful, village location.

My first impression was the location.

It was brilliant walking up the lane and seeing the house.

It was a lovely setting. So I really liked that.

I could see myself living in this house.

It is the exact style that we like.

It's just if it's big enough, that's the only problem.

It looks really nice from the outside.

Then, when we ventured further in,

it was a little narrower than it appeared from the outside.

I like the location. Really nice valley.

But I'm just not sure on the amount of outdoor storage space.

-I think this was a good start.

-Mm, yeah.

-But there are two more to come.

-Yeah.

-Including the mystery. Shall we?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Come on.

Despite its industrial past, historically,

Shropshire has been exclusively agricultural, with sheep farming

and the trade in wool the mainstay of the rural economy.

The Shropshire breed, around since 1882,

was developed for its excellent fleece, ideal for hand-knitting yarn

because of the length, thickness and spring of the fibre.

Mindful of Wendy's cottage industry of knitted products,

we arrange for them to meet local textile weaver, Fiona Nisbet,

who has offered to show Ross and Wendy

how a wealth of countryside bounty can be used in natural wool dye.

This afternoon, what I thought we'd do is I'm going to show you

how to do some natural dyeing.

I'm going to use Shropshire fleece and I'm going to colour it

-using plants that I've collected from the hedgerows.

-OK.

And some from the garden.

Having washed it, I then boiled it for about two hours in a solution

with aluminium sulphate, which is a fixative for the dye.

And then, I've prepared some dye plants, to use for dyeing.

-This one here is cow parsley.

-Yeah.

So, I've soaked it overnight

and then boiled it for about half an hour, to get this colour out.

-The one in here, they're dandelion heads.

-Dandelions.

So I just went, again, down the lane to collect dandelion heads.

Then, in here, this is stinging nettles,

which I collected from the garden. But it's just like boiling cabbage.

-Yeah.

-You put water in with it and stew it up.

The soaking time depends on the raw material.

Willow twigs or bark would need longer to extract the dye.

Once the dye has been removed, the liquid is strained into a bowl.

The fleece is added to the dye bath,

squeezing the wool, to make sure the dye is evenly distributed.

And then we just cook that for about half an hour

and then it should turn a richer, yellow colour than that.

-It's started to turn already.

-Yeah, you can see.

And is that quite a permanent dye now?

It is, although it is permanent, in the sense that it is dyed

permanently on here, it's wash-fast, but it is not very light-fast.

There are three native dye plants which I use a lot -

-madder root, weld and woad.

-OK.

The madder root actually looks like this.

-This is some that I've dug out of the garden.

-Wow.

And you just buy all that?

If you keep the dye pot to a simmering temperature,

you get lovely pinks. If you let it boil, then you'll get coral colours.

-Wow.

-More orangey, coral colours.

There are lots of different plants that you grow in the garden

that you can use to get colour from, but then there are some

that you'd expect to get colour from, like beetroot and red cabbage,

you know, when you boil it up, you get lots of colour coming out

into the saucepan - and those colours just aren't...

They aren't strong enough.

They might colour the wool to start with,

but they fade very, very quickly.

The colours always go together.

That's the lovely thing about natural dyeing.

So, no matter what plant you use,

whether you're getting greens or yellows or reds,

they all go together nicely and they fade together, as well.

Fiona incorporates her naturally-dyed wool

in a variety of products, from rugs to wall hangings,

all made in her workshop using traditional weaving methods.

Inspiration, perhaps, for Wendy's own creative aspirations.

With Shropshire's rural crafts catching

Ross and Wendy's imagination, let's hope our houses do, too,

as our property hunt continues.

For house number two, were travelling east,

to the village of Moreton Say, near to the town of Market Drayton

at a more central location, around halfway between Gnosall and Wales.

Market Drayton itself has been a prosperous market town

since the 13th century.

Evidence of its success are the many brick structures

dating back to the Stuart, Georgian and Victorian periods,

with the occasional half-timbered Tudor building.

Today, it continues to thrive as a centre for trade,

with a diverse array of independent shops and characterful streets.

Just outside Moreton say, down a quiet country lane,

lies house number two -

a two-bedroom, Victorian, semi-detached cottage,

surrounded by open countryside.

-That's what I want you to take in. What do you think?

-I like it.

-It looks really sturdy. I like the brickwork.

-Yeah.

I like the space at the front. That's the first thing I've noticed.

Well, that's the real bonus here

that we didn't have with the first one.

As you can see, you've got a double garage there, timber-framed garage.

-Plenty of footprint there...

-Yes.

-..Ross, to make that even bigger.

A couple of little sheds over there.

The garden, we'll have look at a bit later on.

That's all very pretty, very flat.

There's an extension on the side, here.

And, actually, you know, that could be made more of.

It is a semi-detached, as you probably realised,

looking at that hedge line.

The neighbours have also added on at the back,

so the omens are good, if you want to extend this.

'We're off to a flying start with the exterior,

'which satisfies their need for outside storage space and I'm hoping

'the character features inside can keep the smiles on their faces.

'Let's start with the kitchen.'

-I like the range.

-Yeah.

-There's plenty of space in here.

-More space than the last one.

-Plenty of head height.

-Yes. And the doors.

-Yeah.

It's got a lot of features, already, that we're looking for.

I mean, it's probably about 1850 onwards, this building.

And lots of those lovely Victorian features are still here.

That's the little extension, which has become

something of a breakfast room, which is, again, pretty useful.

You could make that a little bit bigger, if you wanted to.

So, it is, I suppose, a, sort of, kitchen-diner-esque arrangement.

-Quirky was something that you said you wanted.

-Yeah, definitely.

I think this has got a bit of quirk.

-Yeah, it's certainly different.

-Definitely. Full of character.

It feels really good, this place, doesn't it?

-Yeah, it's just our sort of thing. It's kind of nice and remote.

-Yeah.

It's got all the features we're looking for and the space outside.

-Yeah, I'm interested to see a bit more.

-Well, the features go on.

Just have a look at the living room.

Look at that. A nice built-in original cupboard. The wood burner.

-Brilliant.

-Fantastic.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, the log burner would certainly keep you warm.

-It would.

It's enormous. It's an absolute whopper, that one.

-It's a good-sized room, as well.

-Yeah.

Yeah, it feels like there's plenty of space in here.

This is more of an estate farm worker's cottage.

It's got a robust, kind of, agricultural feel about it,

which is what we do like.

-And Alfie, down there, in front of the log burner.

-Perfect.

Yeah, I'm sure he'd like it. You'd struggle to move him, I think.

-Right, let's go upstairs.

-Fantastic.

'So far, so good, with more positive reactions,

'as the period features seem to be doing the trick.

'The family bathroom that serves the two bedrooms has an original

'Victorian cistern and there is more character to see in the master.'

This is for you.

-Oh.

-Wow.

-Brilliant.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, I like it.

-I like the views out the window.

-Yeah.

-That's brilliant.

Well, I did tell you. You wanted a bit of Shropshire. There it is.

-That's nice, too.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, I like that. Definitely.

-I like the two windows, as well.

-The double aspect is nice.

-Size-wise, does this improve on what you've really got?

-Yeah, definitely.

-Yeah, definitely.

-A lot lighter.

-Yeah, I really like it.

The high ceilings are really nice, as well.

-It just gives it that open feel.

-Yeah, it feels bigger, doesn't it?

Now, obviously, next door, you know,

-there is the box room, that's your bedroom two.

-Yeah.

We're struggling on bedroom size here, but we're gaining out there.

-Yeah.

-That's the story of this property.

And that's what we're looking for.

-So, is that a compromise that you'd be prepared for?

-Yeah.

-I think so.

I think so. We could maybe, if we needed to,

steal a little from the bathroom, if that was a problem.

-The period features are gorgeous.

-Definitely.

-Good.

Look at the smiles on your face. This is all good, Wendy.

-I like it.

-Yeah.

-Right, then.

-Fantastic.

-Let's get back outside.

-OK.

-After you, Ross.

'The grounds of the property

'are the big selling point for Ross and Wendy.

'As well as the garage, they have a half share of an original

'Victorian outhouse, currently used as a wood store, that could be

'ideal storage space for their climbing equipment.

'And there's more to see in the garden.'

-How about all this?

-It's great.

-What do you reckon?

-I like it, yeah.

-Yeah? I mean, you've got quite a bit of ground here.

-Yeah, I like it.

I like the space. I like the way you've got the hedgerows.

-Maybe bring those down slightly...

-Yeah?

-..to improve the view.

No, I like the, sort of, ruggedness of it.

Yeah. You could have a lot of fun out here, I think,

and make it as pretty, or as rugged, as you like.

You know, most of the time, we are away in Wales

or in the Lake District,

so, you know, shrubs and hedges are better for us than a formal garden.

-So, madam, how much is it worth?

-Oh... I don't want to go first.

I think it's going to be a little bit less. I don't know. 195, maybe.

-Maybe. Crossing a few fingers. Yeah, OK. Ross?

-I have no idea.

I think going to have to go...

for about 200 again.

-I think it's about 200,000.

-Yeah.

-It's actually on the market for 206,000.

-Oh.

-OK.

-And I suspect that 6,000 is there to be negotiated.

-Yeah.

So, you know, I think it comfortably comes within your budget.

And, although it won't leave you with huge amounts left over,

I think you'd certainly be left with enough change to make

the garage bigger and if, in time,

you decided to invest in the property

and do something about the kitchen, copying the neighbours' extension,

you know, you may think that's something worth doing

-in the future.

-Yeah, some added value.

-Yeah, exactly.

-I think this is more you, if I'm honest.

-Yes, it is.

The smiles say it all. Good. Right, then.

Well, I suggest you get out of this wind. Go and enjoy yourselves.

Have a good look around. Check out some of those store rooms, as well.

-Cheers.

-OK. Cheers.

-I'll find you later. Off you go.

On the market for £206,000, this quirky Victorian cottage

with period features comes in just under budget and gives them

two bedrooms, a characterful living room,

the possibility to extend the property further,

a garage for the kit car and dinghy

and out-buildings,

for their mountain of outdoor pursuits equipment.

And it's all set in a peaceful rural location, off the beaten track.

-We could fit the kit car in here and maybe adapt it for the boat.

-Yeah.

It is really good, isn't it?

It's the workshop that I've, perhaps, always wanted.

I really like this place.

It's very different to what I probably would have looked at.

I'm excited, because it's actually possible to make changes here,

whereas the last property, you were very limited with that.

I think you could make this into a home very easily.

Yeah, we could put our own touch to it.

I'm really excited about the potential this property offers us.

We've got loads of space outside, nice period features,

so, yeah, there's definitely a lot here for us to look at.

I could definitely see myself living here.

I like this house a lot.

-After you, madam. After you, sir.

-Thank you.

-Well, I think that was well worth a visit.

-Definitely.

-Yeah.

-It was really good.

-Look at the smiles. It's all good, isn't it?

-It is.

-Can we improve on this one?

-Oh...

-I'm not sure.

-Maybe.

-Have we got a treat for you!

'We are halfway through our property search

'with Ross and Wendy from Gnosall, Staffordshire

'who have £210,000 to spend on their rural relocation.

'Coming up, the mystery house leaves them gobsmacked...'

A bit stuck for words, really.

'..and I release my inner blacksmith.'

Right. I'm going to upset my iron.

Well, two down and one to go.

It means, of course, that it is almost mystery house time.

Now, throughout my conversations with Ross and Wendy,

they have alluded to the idea that they're quite prepared to

take on a bit of a project, tackle some DIY

and roll their sleeves up, possibly with the help of family and friends.

Well, our mystery house is going to be a real test of how

big their family is and just how many friends they've really got.

Well, we have one more property to come and that is our mystery house.

-Any ideas what we might have lined up for you?

-No idea.

-We're hoping for something a little different.

-Yeah.

-It's different.

It's very different. If you do fancy it, this is the key...

-Wow.

-Wow!

-..to the mystery house. How about that?

-Yeah, that sounds good.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, I'm liking the look of it already.

-OK.

-Definitely.

For the mystery house,

we're heading south to the village of Aston Munslow,

around 20 minutes from their desired location of Much Wenlock,

but an hour's drive to work in Gnosall.

Nearby, is the market town of Craven Arms,

which takes its name from a 200-year-old listed coaching inn,

built on the main road between Shrewsbury and Ludlow.

This traditional town serves the local rural area,

with general stores, pubs, a post office and even a museum dedicated

to the British way of life, set in a Victorian market hall.

There is our mystery house.

-Wow.

-It's brilliant.

-Our mystery chapel.

-I promised you a big key. Or two keys, in fact.

-Wow.

-These get you into that.

-Fantastic.

Now, to say this is a project...

is a huge understatement.

This is going to require lots of imagination and lots of passion.

-Yeah.

-But obviously that is reflected in its price.

-Sure.

But this could be everything you want it to be.

It's certainly what we're looking for - a challenge.

-And something different.

-And different, yeah.

What it gives you is an enormous amount of space to play with

and it's how you use that space, really, that is the trick to any

successful conversion, whether it's a chapel like this or indeed a barn.

How do we use the space and do you want to walk around

with those in your pockets for the next however many years?

-I like those.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

Well, they fit. They work. Come on, let's get inside.

'A great reaction and Ross and Wendy

'don't seem fazed at all by the prospect of a project.

'Mind you, they haven't seen

'the extent of the challenge that lies ahead.'

-Oh, wow.

-Come on in.

Now, for goodness' sake, just be careful where you stand

-and what you stand on, for very obvious reasons.

-Wow.

-Yeah.

-I can see a lot of potential here.

-That's...

-putting it lightly, really.

-Yeah.

-Big space.

-It is a big space.

It is, as it is, in a state of disrepair, but I can see,

you know, it is only superficial, really.

Well, you're absolutely right.

I mean, the thing about it is that, structurally, it's all there.

I mean, looking at the roof and the timbers, there's no obvious sign

of, you know, water coming in or even damp, to be perfectly honest.

I mean, look over there.

There are some other, kind of, you know, internal foundations

-and fabric of the building, those stone walls.

-Definitely.

I can see a builder coming in here and, within a week,

having a new floor in.

It's just a case of joists - all the bearers are there

-in the wall. And from there, it's a blank canvas, isn't it?

-Yeah.

You could have a massive

open-plan, kind of, studio, kitchen, diner, living room here.

You could have a mezzanine floor above you.

You could have the whole thing, as one big floor above you.

If you look at these bays between these two lovely cruck beams here,

you've got three bays,

so you could have a bedroom above us, you could have bedroom

up there and, then, in the middle, a landing and a bathroom.

-You know, the sky's the limit.

-It really is, yeah.

So many different possibilities, isn't there?

-It's great.

-Yeah, it's... A bit stuck for words, really.

It's...

probably the most challenging reconstruction

I've ever shown on this series.

It's quite hard to, kind of, envisage anything right now,

but I reckon, yeah, a bit more of a look around and you could

start to, kind of, see the layout and where you'd put things.

I'm intrigued to see more.

There is the undercroft down there, which we'll go to next.

And then there's a bit of garden area below it.

To get to that, we've got to go outside.

But if you rebuilt it, my suggestion is that you'd have some kind

of stairway going through there or maybe even a spiral staircase.

-Straight down.

-But what we do with that, who knows?

Let's go and have a closer look at it.

'Even faced with the realities of this mammoth task,

'Ross and Wendy seem excited by the possibilities the chapel

'will give them and the downstairs adds another dimension.'

This is why there are two keys. For this little door, as well.

There you go.

-It's a much bigger space...

-Yeah, bigger than I thought it would be.

-..than you probably would have thought.

-I like it.

-I think it would make a really good kitchen space.

-Yeah.

-That was my initial thought.

-It's good.

-It'd be really good.

And you'd have, you know, quite an interesting sort of stairway

-coming down through here...

-Yeah.

..into what would be a really good, big,

quite cosy sort of kitchen/diner.

I mean, can you picture what this could look like?

I think I can a little, yeah.

Yeah, I can see the work surfaces round here

and, maybe, a table in the middle.

The mezzanine floor, I like the idea of that.

Especially with the windows at either gable end.

I think that'll let the light in and it could make some really

-nice features.

-Yeah, definitely. I can see little bits already.

-This is exciting...

-Yeah.

-It is.

-It's really exciting because

your vision is now coming across to all of us. I like it.

-Any ideas on that price yet?

-Oh, I have no idea. I don't even know.

Keep thinking. Keep figuring it out. Come on.

'With their minds whirring as to what they can do with the chapel,

'time to give them some thing else to think about - outside space.'

Right, just before we get to the garden, which is

really at the lower end, behind the chapel, this area here,

-obviously, is potentially a parking space.

-Yeah.

-But, again, could be, I don't know, a bit of storage space.

-Mm-hm.

Looking at it, it is almost wide enough to fit two cars,

-maybe the boat and a car.

-Yeah.

I think it's bigger than we probably think it is.

'The garden has a terraced area that could house a shed

'as a further storage option.'

Genuinely, what do you think, at the moment?

I think, first impressions were, "It's going to be a big project."

But when you look around, it doesn't seem that big of a challenge, really.

-It's very doable.

-You do seem both very optimistic, which is good.

Yeah, I think it's an exciting opportunity.

-My main worry is the space outside.

-Yeah.

The work inside doesn't actually bother me.

The price is really going to dictate whether this is a goer or not.

So, you've got 210 grand to spend.

-Yeah.

-Ross, your turn.

-Good.

Make us an offer on the mystery house.

Looking along the lines of how much I think it would be to renovate...

-Yeah.

-..I'm thinking

160.

-Yeah.

-Maybe a little bit less.

140.

-"140," she said, plucking a figure out of there.

-Yeah.

Well, you're both pretty much close to it.

our mystery house, that needs an awful lot of TLC,

is on the market for £150,000.

-In the middle.

-Mm.

It would lead you with a reasonable chunk left over to really get

-it up and running in pretty short order, actually.

-It's... Yeah,

-I'm really excited.

-Yeah.

-I need to have a closer look, I think.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-It is good.

-Well, let's spend a bit of time here.

-Come on, let's get out of this weather.

-Fantastic.

-Let's go.

Well under budget, at £150,000,

the mystery house offers them the chance for a major project,

giving them full planning permission to create a three-bedroom home,

character features, such as vaulted ceilings

and stained-glass windows, a car parking area for two cars

and it's set in an attractive and quiet village location, in an

elevated position, with views over the glorious Shropshire countryside.

The prospect of renovating this building

doesn't frighten me in the slightest.

I've got a lot of opportunities, with help from friends

and parents, that I could turn this into some thing really spectacular.

It just depends whether it's got the outside space for me, I think.

That's the only consideration.

Renovating this, I think, would be loads of fun.

It doesn't scare me, at all. I could see ourselves living here.

There is just loads of potential.

And I think we could make it into a really special place.

Well, chaps, that's it. Time to go.

Take your thoughts and your hopes and aspirations with you.

Think about all the properties we've shown you

-and we'll catch up with you a little later.

-OK.

-This way.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-There you go.

Now, if our property tours have inspired you to want to move

to Shropshire, here's a little taste of what's on the market right now.

Modern four-bedroom houses, like this near the village of Whixall,

could suit the average budget, open to offers in the region of £250,000.

If you have a little more to play with, then this detached six-bedroom

Edwardian house, in the market town of Wem, could fit the bill.

Full of period features, it's on the market for £365,000.

And if you're keen on the total countryside experience,

how about this restored four-bedroom farmhouse, including character

oak beams, with a guide price of £499,000?

Although Shropshire's factories

and furnaces of the great industrial age have long since disappeared,

the legacy of working with metal can still be found here,

'with a handful of artist blacksmiths still forging

'a living in the county, I've come to meet one of them, Roy Abbott.'

-Roy.

-Hi, good to see you.

-Nice to see you, sir.

This is lovely, isn't it? Tucked away in the Shropshire hills.

Eh, what?

Now then, blacksmithing is something that's always fascinated me.

One of the great ancient crafts, I suppose. But there is a lot to it.

-It's not just horseshoes, is it?

-Not any more, no.

What are we going to try and create?

Well, I think the ideal thing for you would be to demonstrate

how to make a poker and, then, you can get your hands dirty.

That would be a very useful thing to take home. Yeah, brilliant.

-Right, then, let's get started.

-Get your safety glasses on.

Are these for me? Lovely.

'Before I get stuck in, Roy is going to show me

'the process, by making a ram's head poker.

'To work the iron, he needs to heat the metal

'to a temperature of at least 1,200 degrees centigrade.

'From the block of red-hot steel, he first draws out the iron,

'tapering it to roughly the right length for a poker.

'He then cuts one end, to make two spikes for the horns

'and plunges it into water, known as quenching, to harden the metal.

'He then bends it over

'and cleans the metal, using a steel brush, to remove any impurities,

'before he welds the two surfaces together, to make the head.

'He then punches the end,

'to add the ram's features, like nostrils and eyes,

'bending again and then opening out two prongs

'that he'll twist, to form the ram's horns.

'Another decorative twist on the neck

'and next comes the upsetting - the term for fattening the end,

'by bashing it on the anvil, before hammering it into a point.'

-There you go.

-Brilliant, Roy. There you are, look.

That's what you call a red-hot poker. Now, it is my go.

'I'll be using the same techniques as Roy,

'but I'm going to tackle something a little simpler.

'First, the drawing out, to get the shape.'

Keep your hand up. Yeah, that's it. Lovely. That's right.

Now, when it starts to go that cherry red, black,

it's time to take another heat.

-How long would you leave it in there for?

-Till it's hot enough.

'And here's the fancy bit. I'm making a shepherd's crook-style

'poker, so I need to curl the end, for the handle decoration.'

It's got a nice little round scroll.

'Now, to bend the handle into shape.'

-That's doing the pulling, this is guiding.

-OK.

-I'm really, really chuffed with that.

-Make a curtain pole!

-Yeah.

'And time to get upsetting.'

-I love the idea that you can upset mild steel.

-Absolutely.

-Without even shouting at it.

-Just straight down.

-Vertically bash.

Really get some weight into it.

-Enough?

-No! Keep going.

'And more hammering, to finish the end.'

Shall I quench it, Roy?

Is that the end? Right, in it goes.

Thanks, mate.

Roy, that is absolutely brilliant. There you are,

my very own fireside poker.

Congratulations.

'It's great to know that centuries-old skills are alive

'with craftsmen like Roy and long may that continue.

'But, for now, it's time to return to our property hunt and find out

'if our couple have come to a decision.'

Well, Ross and Wendy clearly have high hopes for this move so, having

given them plenty of time to consider all we have shown them,

we've now arrived at that part of the show

when we find out what happens next.

-Well, guys, it's been a very hectic run around Shropshire.

-It has.

Ross, do you think we've got close to finding a solution for you

-with this move?

-Yeah, I believe you have, yeah. I think you've got...

You've presented us with quite a few different options but, yeah.

-Some of them quite extreme.

-Yeah.

So, would you take on our mystery chapel?

It would be a brilliant project,

-but we feel that it would be lacking in the outside space.

-Yeah.

You could change the interior and make it into something amazing.

Our first property was, I thought, something of a safe bet.

My guess is that, of the three,

-the favoured option is property number two.

-Yeah.

Yeah, that would be the one that we feel we could do

the most with. The outdoor space was perfect for us.

It had loads of potential, loads of space for us

-to put all of our different things in there.

-Yeah.

And it also had some potential to develop it, as well,

-so we like that one.

-It didn't feel like it was a semi-detached.

It was really odd, cos they were big rooms and a lot of space.

So, what happens next?

I think we'd like to go back out and have a look,

spend a bit more time,

talk to the neighbours about what they've done with their extension

and see what sort of more potential there is there for us to do.

I think it offers you better value for money, without a doubt.

-Well, here's to you, then. Best of luck...

-Thank you.

..with your possible move.

Go back, have another look at property number two,

-and, if you manage to get it, let us know.

-Yeah. Thank you.

It's been brilliant. Thank you.

As I said at the very beginning of this show,

I love coming to Shropshire.

Its stunning mix of landscapes, clear cultural identity

and rich history have all combined to produce a property market

that never disappoints, whatever your budget,

as Ross and Wendy have proven.

You don't need to be a millionaire to move to the countryside.

You just need a motive. So the question is, what's yours?

Who knows? Maybe next time it could be you escaping to the country.

Ross and Wendy returned to the second property and,

while they loved the house and grounds, reluctantly concluded

that the location isn't quite where they want to be, after all.

However, if you would like to escape to the country

in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England,

or maybe even further afield, to the Continent,

and would like our help,

then, please apply online, at...