Worcestershire Escape to the Country


Worcestershire

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Welcome to Escape To the Country.

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Now, 70 years ago this beautiful country house once housed a

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top secret broadcasting station that became one of the biggest in Europe.

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But why was it build and where?

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

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'On today's show, I'll be helping an Anglo-French couple

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'trying to find a creative space in the countryside.

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'We uncover some rather personal details...'

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Well, I thought you would fit in here comfortably.

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You won't be able to wear your high-heels, though.

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'..and discover the perfect hideaway.'

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We will buy the barn.

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It'd make you a perfect house.

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Well, today we are in Worcestershire in the grounds of Wood Norton hall

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and this now dilapidated hut is one of the few surviving clues

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as to its wartime past.

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Back in 1939 at the outbreak of the second world war,

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the BBC - fearing the threat of German bombing - decided to move

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much of its broadcasting apparatus and staff out here to safety.

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By 1940, some 1,300 programmes a week were being

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broadcast from here all over the world.

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What's more, it also went on to house the BBC's monitoring service.

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Trained linguists would listen to the output

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from occupied Europe, scouring it for any

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scrap of intelligence that might help the war effort.

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Well, these days all that secrecy has long gone

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but as you can well imagine,

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there are still plenty of other hidden gems in this glorious county.

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Forming part of the Midlands,

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Worcestershire is bordered by five counties,

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including Staffordshire to the north and Herefordshire to the west.

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One of the county's natural gems are the Malvern Hills

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and although they only cover 3,000 acres,

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they provide a hugely diverse landscape

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and include the wild expanse of North Hill,

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which descends to the secluded valley of the River Teme.

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In recent years, the county's canal network has received a tidal wave

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of investment, and at Droitwich Spa,

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a £12 million restoration project has reopened

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the 21-mile canal ring.

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Back in its Victorian heyday, the brine springs of Droitwich Spa

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made it a centre for salt manufacture

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and in 1875, local salt king John Corbett commissioned

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the lavish Chateau Impney for his French wife.

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From the connected industrial areas in the north,

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to the rural scenery in the south,

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the diverse character of Worcestershire makes it

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an appealing location to escape to.

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Now, when it comes to the property market here,

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house prices at around about £260,000

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are on a par with the national figure

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and they have remained fairly consistent.

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But as ever, there are places

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which will relieve you of that bit more if you want to.

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Pretty little market towns like Pershore or the stunning

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Cotswold village of Broadway could set you back another 20%.

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But if value for money is your thing - and let's face it,

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it's important to most of us - head towards the Herefordshire border.

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The Teme valley will certainly get you a little bit more

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than you might have bargained for.

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It's all good news, particularly for today's buyers,

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who are determined to make this part of the world their new home.

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John and Dominique have lived on the outskirts of Oxford

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for the past 11 years but feel that the time is right

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to head for the hills and start a new chapter in their lives.

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We met in Scotland over 40 years ago

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and we've now been married for...

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-39 years.

-Well remembered.

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'Dominique has recently retired from teaching. I retired...'

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-'Seven years ago?'

-Eight years ago, I think.

-Oh.

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And both our sons now have a three on the front of their age

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so it is perhaps time for us to look at the next stage of our life

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and embrace a new project.

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And living on an estate close to a city is no longer an option.

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I want to move from...

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the noise, the traffic, the bustle, the sort of...

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the looking at your watch all the time, that sort of thing.

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England, on a sunny day, if you're in the countryside,

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it's the most beautiful scenery that you can imagine.

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You don't need to travel anywhere, it's fantastic.

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-So it would be lovely to live in the middle of that all.

-Indeed.

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For John, it's an opportunity to move back to his home county.

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I was born in Worcestershire

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and Worcestershire has always attracted me as a county

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and my family - some of my family - still live there.

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So it's that combination really of almost going back

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to my roots as well as going back to much more of a rural environment.

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John always behaves like a little boy in the country.

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-It's a release, it's a freedom.

-Yes.

-It's a freedom, the country.

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-Compared to the city.

-Yes, you are a different person.

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You're sort of, so relaxed, so at peace.

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And they're hoping to find extra space for their hobbies.

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One of the things I'm looking forward to with the move

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would be to develop, perhaps, my artistic side a bit more.

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In terms of sculptural work, particularly with metal.

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I've been quite a fan of rogue bits of metal

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which are scattered around the garden at the moment.

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An out-building would give me chance to perhaps

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look at soldering and welding.

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'Most of the things I enjoy doing involve making a noise'

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or a mess.

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'I've always been interested in sewing,

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'particularly with curtains, blinds, cushions.'

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I've started doing a little bit of silver jewellery

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'and I can see myself doing a bit more from home

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'rather than having to go to classes.'

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If I could have a little studio to make some jewellery,

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that would be lovely.

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So how much do they have to finance this Worcestershire move?

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The budget for the move is £650,000.

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John and Dominique have asked us

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to focus our search in the south of the county.

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But before we get started, I'm meeting them on Worcestershire turf

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to find out what it is they're after from their new home.

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Well, Dominique, John, welcome to Escape To The Country

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and to Worcestershire.

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Now, there is one factor that does concern me slightly, John,

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and that is how tall you are.

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Just tell us how high you come to.

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Six foot six on a good day.

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Six foot six, with a good breakfast inside you.

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That is going to preclude many of the properties that are out there

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that we'd ordinarily show you. Low beams are out.

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Perhaps the small black and white cottage is out on this occasion.

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-I would think so.

-Well, fortunately we're not that keen

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on that sort of property anyway.

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-Well, tell us what you are keen on.

-Erm, I like airy properties.

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I need light and sort of a downstairs space, erm...

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and a nice garden.

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A nice sort of space outside, outbuildings would be wonderful.

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-Three bedrooms is a sort of minimum.

-Yeah.

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Erm, a big kitchen, I'd like a big kitchen.

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To get you what you're after, because of the kind of size

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of property physically that we need to actually fit you in,

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we're going to have to travel fairly far and wide.

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We might even do a bit of border hopping outside of Worcestershire.

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-How do we feel about that?

-Absolutely fine, yes.

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I'm all for discovering new areas as well.

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Now, just remind us of the budget, has it changed at all?

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We talked initially of 650,000, but, erm,

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we can stretch to 700 if everything is in there.

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If there's some project work needs to be done, it would need to

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be done within the 700,000 total figure.

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Well, I think we've got three very interesting properties

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to show you, including our mystery house, which is a real classic.

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I can't wait for you to see that one.

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So without further ado, let's finish our coffees and juice

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-and get going.

-Lovely, can't wait.

-Thank you.

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We've found three fantastic properties to show them

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and at each one I'll be testing their eye for valuation

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when they guess the price.

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And third on the list is our mystery house,

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which could really blow them away.

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Now, Dominique, it's interesting really, because obviously John knows this part of the world well

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and clearly you're no stranger to Britain,

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-but you grew up in Paris, is that right?

-Yes, that's correct, yes.

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And do you think there are big differences between

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rural life in Britain and rural life in France?

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I hope so.

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Why do you hope so?

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Because I think true, rural life in France is...

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very rural.

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-Too simple.

-Too simple, yes.

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It's called the deep France, really, you know.

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The deep France? That's interesting, OK.

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La France profonde.

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I'm not even going to attempt to repeat that.

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Bearing in mind their specific requirements for a home

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and John's height, we're casting our net far and wide.

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Starting in the east of the county in the village of Kington.

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A few minutes down the road is Inkberrow village,

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thought to be the inspiration for the Radio 4 series, the Archers.

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Beside the green sits the church, dating back to the 13th century

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and one of its two traditional country pubs.

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Along with a post office

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and local store for the basic everyday supplies.

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On the fringe of Kington village is house number one,

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a period barn conversion with views across the open countryside.

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So there we go. What do you think...

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-of that, Dominique?

-Very nice.

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I love its... It looks very friendly and welcoming.

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You're responding very nicely to this one, but what does John think?

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I'm holding all my questions in.

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-Retreat, retreat, retreat.

-Let's see what you think of the inside.

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'Converted in the early '90s, the property has been architecturally

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'redesigned, hopefully delivering the light and space they're after.'

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OK, Dominique, there we are.

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Is this big enough and light enough?

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It's very nice, yes. Very fresh, like the colour.

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And you've got this nice sort of dining area here,

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a little bit of a sitting room around the corner there too.

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Yes, it's got a good feel definitely.

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-Yes, I like it.

-Good.

-Very much so.

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-Very much so. Worcestershire is outside the window.

-Absolutely.

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-As much of it as you want to look at.

-Classical Worcestershire.

-Yes!

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Well, let's continue. This way.

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So this is the dining room. Again, lovely views out there.

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-Nice little separate room.

-And then this is your principal living room.

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-Oh, interesting.

-Come on in.

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-Now, this is what I want to see.

-Will I get under the beam?

-Come in.

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My brother wouldn't be able to visit.

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Brilliant. Yeah, it all works.

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-Oh, look at these beams here.

-Yeah.

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So you've got this nice kind of mixture

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of the very contemporary look in the kitchen

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and you drift through into the older bit.

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I like that, I like the mixture. Definitely.

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-But all the wood is original from that barn, or...?

-It is, yeah.

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Well, I thought you would fit in here comfortably.

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-Plenty of head room.

-You won't be able to wear your high heels, though.

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Right, come on. Let's go this way.

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The building is essentially one long line of rooms

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all leading onto one another.

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There is a guest bedroom with en suite at one end

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and three bedrooms at the other, comprising one double

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and a single and both served by the family bathroom.

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And then there's the master.

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-Straight onto the garden. Again, very light.

-Yeah, lovely, isn't it?

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-Yes.

-To our specs.

-Could be slightly bigger for us cos we have a huge bed.

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Well, you have a choice. You know, there is the one at the far end,

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-maybe that's a bit bigger for you.

-Yes.

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That is en suite, as indeed is this one. A nice shower room and so on.

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Oh, yes, that's lovely. I like the colour scheme. Very, very nice, yes.

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There is one thing that we haven't discussed yet

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and that is the outside space.

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You wanted a nice big garden and some outbuildings,

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we've got plenty of both.

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-Very keen to see it.

-Come and look at these.

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'There is extra living space in the study

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'and a utility room sits off the kitchen.

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'The grounds of the property total around three and a half acres,

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'with a formal lawned garden looking out over a paddock.

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'There's also a stable block that could work as a workshop.'

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So, let's get our thinking caps on and think about the...

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..the money. You go first.

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-As long as you're not teasing us, I'll say 675.

-675, yeah.

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-Dominique?

-I say a bit less, 650.

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Well, I'm afraid you're both wrong.

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-It's 645.

-Ah!

-Yeah.

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There's a lot on offer with this one.

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-Yes, a lot to think about.

-Yeah. Right then, off you go.

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And I will catch up with you a little bit later.

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Thank you.

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The kitchen's very good, it's probably my favourite room.

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Because I think, as you come in, it really feels spacious.

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I think, in a way, I like that sort of feeling

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when I go into other rooms.

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The idea of having to go through the dining room to go to the lounge,

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to go to the bedroom, is a slight issue for me, I think.

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The house itself,

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disappointed slightly to see it was a single story.

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No problem with the height of the rooms,

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a good half inch clearance on the main beams in the...

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the lounge area.

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If I was to perhaps score it...

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the land and the outside space is a nine, nine and a half.

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The house, probably...

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six to seven.

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-How are we doing then?

-Very well.

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-You wanted a view, you wanted Worcestershire, there it is.

-Yes.

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-That is a view.

-I think this is a really interesting one to start with.

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-It certainly put a smile on your face.

-Well, you've set a high standard.

-Good.

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-Not quite sure what you're thinking.

-Well, I'm always more cautious.

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I like to think things a little bit, but...

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-Every man needs a cautious woman.

-There you go.

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Never a truer word spoken. Come on, let's go.

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Alongside Worcestershire's northern,

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more industrialised centres

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are rural belts of mostly farmed landscape,

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where traditional rural hand crafts are still practised today.

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At the heart of this is a thriving creative hub

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known as the Jinney Ring Craft Centre in the village of Hanbury.

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For over 30 years, farm buildings from the former Hanbury Hall estate

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have been home for crafts people to create and sell their work.

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Given that John and Dominique are passionate crafts people themselves,

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we arranged for them to meet current owner

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Amanda Sunter to find out more.

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What range of crafts do you have here?

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We've got a hardcore of key, old-fashioned type of crafts.

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We've got glass blowing and stained glass here.

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We've also got some woodworking, rag working

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and also the soap maker is doing very well.

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Do you have any jewellery?

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Yes, we do and the jeweller makes some absolutely fabulous tiaras,

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you must see them while you're here.

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-Can the public come and learn the skills?

-Absolutely.

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A lot of the craft units will run one-to-one type workshops,

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but today, we're going to introduce you to Phillip.

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He's our woodworker

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and you're going to come and have a look at what he does.

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One of the skilled craftsman working from the centre is

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Phillip Baldwin, who is carrying on the family tradition of

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hand crafted woodwork started by his father,

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in the very same workshop.

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So, Phillip, where do you get the wood from?

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I get it from all over the world.

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Locally, if possible, but South America, Africa.

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Anywhere that's got a nice coloured wood with grain

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and nice characteristics to work with.

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Do you have a type of wood you prefer to work with?

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I like to work with yew and walnut.

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They have a good variation in colour and relatively easy to work with.

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It's time for John and Dominique to show off their craft skills.

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The trees have been cut from Phillip's design using a fret saw

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and they're going to work on stage two, adding definition

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to the trees using an electric carver to chamfer the edges.

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How long would you be spending doing this on that sort of piece of wood?

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I'd normally do it all day. So I'd do, probably, 10 trees maybe.

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-I think it's your turn now, Dominique.

-OK.

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There are four main processes -

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cutting, carving, sanding and finishing.

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The cutting alone takes around an hour per tree,

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so Phillip works in batches of 10.

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I knew you'd be better than me.

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Once carved and sanded, it's the finishing process.

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Dipping the trees in Danish oil for a matte finish.

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John and Dominique seem quite happy to carve themselves a future here

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but time now to get back to our property hunt and find them

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a creative space of their own.

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For our second house, we're heading

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to the very north of the county to the village of Wolverley,

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right on the Worcestershire, Staffordshire border.

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Wolverley is set beside two major waterways, the River Stour

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and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire canal.

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Sandstone is a feature of the village,

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with roads cut through the rock and cottages into the cliffs behind.

0:18:320:18:36

On the outskirts of the village,

0:18:360:18:37

just over the border into Staffordshire, is house number two.

0:18:370:18:41

A very unusual, extended property

0:18:410:18:43

offering a mixture of styles and character.

0:18:430:18:45

Now...

0:18:460:18:48

oddly, with this one, we're going to start back to front.

0:18:480:18:50

There is a front door but we're going to deal with it here to start with because

0:18:500:18:54

I think this really gives you the story of this building.

0:18:540:18:57

The whole thing started life back in the mid '90s

0:18:570:19:00

as a bungalow.

0:19:000:19:02

-Difficult to imagine.

-It's impossible to imagine it now.

0:19:020:19:06

I'm slightly speechless at the moment.

0:19:060:19:09

I want to remain open-minded.

0:19:100:19:13

-I'm not sure.

-John?

0:19:130:19:16

Struggling to stay open minded. This is quirky plus, plus.

0:19:160:19:20

I think what we'll do is, we'll start with that half there

0:19:200:19:23

that looks like a chapel.

0:19:230:19:26

It's built from the remains of a chapel.

0:19:260:19:28

-You'll see what I mean when we get inside.

-We'll pray for insight.

0:19:280:19:32

'House two is certainly not one for traditionalists,

0:19:340:19:37

'as despite having bags of space over three floors,

0:19:370:19:40

'they may have to see past some of its more unique styling,

0:19:400:19:43

'as we head to the lower ground floor.'

0:19:430:19:45

You see what I mean? It's the most amazing

0:19:490:19:51

hammer beam ceiling, this. Or roof truss.

0:19:510:19:54

-Is that what it's called?

-Yeah, absolutely and they've imported this from a...

0:19:540:19:58

-You know, a reclaimed chapel.

-This wasn't here originally?

0:19:580:20:00

-No.

-This was all added.

0:20:000:20:02

-I've never seen anything like it before.

-It's...

0:20:020:20:05

-So that's part of the church, then?

-This... Yeah, absolutely.

0:20:050:20:08

Look at this skirting board. Isn't that incredibly original?

0:20:080:20:11

-Never seen anything like this...

-Original.

-Roof slates.

0:20:110:20:14

-Original with quirky.

-Yes.

-The vocabulary's building, yeah?

0:20:140:20:18

This is something of an annexe.

0:20:180:20:19

There's a little kind of kitchen area through there,

0:20:190:20:22

a bedroom and so on.

0:20:220:20:24

-Let's have a look at the rest of it, let's go upstairs.

-OK.

0:20:240:20:28

'I think the chapel annex has caught their imagination,

0:20:310:20:34

'so let's see what they make of the living space.

0:20:340:20:36

'We're heading up to the kitchen on the ground floor.'

0:20:360:20:39

So when you get up to the middle floor, it's the kitchen...

0:20:390:20:44

-that greets you.

-Good grief.

0:20:440:20:46

That's quite a... quite an impressive kitchen.

0:20:460:20:48

-It's a great size.

-Yeah, lovely size.

0:20:480:20:52

Very bold in the way that it's put together.

0:20:520:20:54

Yes, but it can take it because the room is big

0:20:540:20:57

and the red does give a bit of warmth.

0:20:570:20:59

The beam is good, the way it separates the room.

0:20:590:21:02

-I love the number of windows.

-Yeah.

0:21:020:21:04

I mean, I would have to change quite a few bits and pieces

0:21:040:21:07

to feel more comfortable. It's not...

0:21:070:21:09

I don't feel it feels like a nest.

0:21:090:21:11

I like the idea of a nest.

0:21:110:21:13

Well, if you want a bit more cosy, have a look at the living room.

0:21:130:21:16

I think it gets cosier through here.

0:21:160:21:18

Come in, Dominique.

0:21:200:21:22

Is this cosier?

0:21:230:21:24

-Come in, John.

-Very nice room. Nice brick, I like the exposed brick.

0:21:270:21:31

-Gorgeous room.

-It's... It is worth you seeing, this place.

0:21:310:21:34

I mean, it offers a huge amount.

0:21:340:21:38

So eclectic, it's wonderful.

0:21:380:21:40

Eclectic, I note, is good. Quirky, original, eclectic.

0:21:400:21:43

-I think we've cracked it.

-I particularly like the split level,

0:21:430:21:46

I think it's a very adventurous way of living and, um...

0:21:460:21:49

Let's you imagine living in the room.

0:21:500:21:52

Well, let's have an explore. Come and have a look.

0:21:520:21:55

I mean, it's bigger down here than it is up there, I think.

0:21:550:21:59

You know, as garden rooms go, I mean...

0:22:000:22:03

-This is a party room.

-It really is a party room.

0:22:030:22:06

-Can you see that little gallery up there?

-Yes.

0:22:060:22:10

That comes off of the master bedroom.

0:22:100:22:12

So that's probably our cue to go upstairs.

0:22:120:22:15

-Yes, please.

-Yeah? Follow me.

0:22:150:22:16

'A study - the fourth bedroom -

0:22:200:22:22

'and shower room complete the ground floor.

0:22:220:22:24

'Upstairs, the spacious family bathroom with corner bath

0:22:240:22:27

'serves two double guest bedrooms and the master.'

0:22:270:22:30

So we're thinking that this would be your room.

0:22:320:22:35

Very good size for a master bedroom.

0:22:360:22:38

I hoped you'd say that. Yes, it's... It almost...

0:22:380:22:41

And that balcony over there, that's the one that

0:22:410:22:43

looks down into kind of the garden end of the main living room.

0:22:430:22:47

Perfect for the chaise longue, isn't it?

0:22:470:22:49

-So is it big enough, John?

-Yes.

0:22:490:22:50

-It may be over-quirky, but it's...

-You can always tone it down a bit.

0:22:530:22:57

-It has a je ne sais quoi.

-Perfect!

0:22:570:22:59

That's the word we were looking for, wasn't it? Yes.

0:22:590:23:02

Well, I think we should go outside.

0:23:020:23:05

Talk about some land cos we've given you a huge home,

0:23:050:23:08

we've also got you plenty of ground to play with.

0:23:080:23:11

-Come with me.

-Wow.

0:23:110:23:12

'There is plenty of room in this property

0:23:140:23:16

'but is the unique character too much for John and Dominique?

0:23:160:23:20

'The grounds total three and a half acres,

0:23:200:23:23

'comprising lawn and paddock areas and come with a large timber barn.

0:23:230:23:27

'A perfect location for a workshop.'

0:23:270:23:29

All of it is so unusual.

0:23:290:23:31

Let's try and make sense of it with the numbers,

0:23:320:23:35

you've got £700,000 to spend.

0:23:350:23:38

-Go on, John.

-I think there's a lot of value here,

0:23:380:23:41

if only in the land, and I'm going to go 625.

0:23:410:23:44

625. Dominique?

0:23:440:23:45

Slightly higher, 630.

0:23:450:23:47

630. You're very close to each other, aren't you?

0:23:470:23:50

-But you're right to be because you, sir, are dead on.

-Result.

0:23:500:23:54

-Not that we're remotely competitive.

-Of course not.

0:23:540:23:57

But, yeah, £625,000.

0:23:570:23:59

How do you feel about it, now you know the figures?

0:23:590:24:03

It's interesting, it's just...

0:24:030:24:05

It's a grower. Yeah.

0:24:050:24:08

-It's got some exceptional rooms.

-Lots to think about.

-Indeed.

0:24:080:24:11

Changed my mind a lot since I first saw it.

0:24:110:24:13

I told you it's a grower. Maybe the money's done it?

0:24:130:24:16

Right, then, off you go. I'll catch up with you a little bit later.

0:24:160:24:19

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

0:24:190:24:20

Go and explore.

0:24:200:24:22

This is one that certainly needs exploring.

0:24:220:24:24

Wow.

0:24:450:24:46

-What a fantastic space here.

-Absolutely stupendous.

0:24:480:24:52

-I like this very much.

-Superb. We'll buy the barn.

0:24:530:24:56

It'd make your perfect house.

0:24:580:25:00

It's a very unusual property

0:25:000:25:03

and I think you need to keep the sort of..

0:25:030:25:07

the eclectic side of the property to give it justice.

0:25:070:25:12

And I'm not sure we're the right people for this

0:25:120:25:15

cos we're very traditional people.

0:25:150:25:17

Split-level lounge, very nice. Wonderful room, good party room.

0:25:170:25:22

The best room in the house without a doubt.

0:25:220:25:24

The barn itself is absolutely tremendous,

0:25:240:25:26

you could not have a better barn.

0:25:260:25:28

-After you, madam.

-Thank you.

-After you, sir.

-Thank you, Jules.

0:25:300:25:34

Well, you did say it was worth coming.

0:25:340:25:37

-It was.

-Look, at last.

0:25:370:25:39

At last I'm almost the same height as you.

0:25:390:25:41

-Almost.

-Come on, let's go.

0:25:410:25:43

'It's the second day of our property search in Worcestershire

0:25:520:25:55

'with John and Dominique,

0:25:550:25:57

'who have a maximum of £700,000 to spend on their country residence.

0:25:570:26:01

'Coming up, the mystery house delivers more than one superlative...'

0:26:010:26:05

Whoa.

0:26:060:26:07

-Yeah.

-What a magnificent room.

0:26:070:26:10

-Can I add another one, then?

-Go on.

-Magnificent.

0:26:100:26:13

'..and I visit the scene of many a childhood ambition.'

0:26:130:26:17

Now, my understanding of what happened yesterday

0:26:210:26:23

is more or less along the lines of, they loved the land

0:26:230:26:27

but they weren't overly wowed by either of our properties.

0:26:270:26:30

So for our mystery house we really have got to pull out all the stops.

0:26:300:26:34

We're going to forget about land,

0:26:340:26:36

we're going to put all our money into property and run for home.

0:26:360:26:39

This is a mystery house I really do think they're going to love.

0:26:390:26:43

We're travelling south into Herefordshire

0:26:440:26:47

and our third county for the mystery house,

0:26:470:26:49

close to the market town of Ledbury.

0:26:490:26:51

Granted a market charter in the 12th century,

0:26:530:26:55

Ledbury is home to a wide variety of independent shops and eateries

0:26:550:27:00

along its attractive cobbled lanes.

0:27:000:27:02

It's noted for its many black and white timber-frame buildings,

0:27:020:27:05

in particular the 17th-century market house.

0:27:050:27:09

On the outskirts of town in a rural location is our mystery house,

0:27:090:27:13

a converted farming property.

0:27:130:27:15

However, in order to give them a spacious home, there's a compromise.

0:27:150:27:19

So here we are, just outside Ledbury and our mystery house.

0:27:210:27:26

Now, I have to tell you that you don't get all of it

0:27:270:27:30

but you do get the central third of it.

0:27:300:27:34

There are three properties here, sharing this driveway.

0:27:340:27:37

You also get two garages up there,

0:27:370:27:40

which we're thinking workshop space, John.

0:27:400:27:43

-It's an old oast house.

-We gathered that.

0:27:430:27:45

Built about 1910 and now much renovated.

0:27:450:27:48

But the great thing about these vast,

0:27:480:27:51

old, agrarian industrial buildings is space.

0:27:510:27:56

We have spoiled you up to now with lots and lots of land.

0:27:560:27:59

We have got you a very generous garden

0:27:590:28:02

-but not acres and acres.

-OK.

0:28:020:28:05

What do you think of it?

0:28:050:28:07

-Very impressive. I mean, the building looks fabulous.

-Good.

0:28:070:28:11

Well, I think now we've whetted your appetite, let's go and have a look.

0:28:110:28:15

Come on then.

0:28:150:28:16

'Great first impressions

0:28:180:28:19

'and I think the six bedrooms and over 3,500 square feet of living

0:28:190:28:24

'accommodation could be just enough space of for them.'

0:28:240:28:27

Do you see what I mean about high ceilings?

0:28:280:28:31

-This is fantastic.

-And look at these doors.

0:28:310:28:35

I don't think I've ever seen doors that high.

0:28:350:28:37

-You don't get those off the shelf, do you?

-You don't. Let's start in here.

0:28:370:28:40

This...

0:28:420:28:43

..is the snug.

0:28:450:28:47

But this is probably the place to start because it's

0:28:470:28:49

the smallest reception room here.

0:28:490:28:51

Well, not bad for the smallest.

0:28:510:28:54

So is it living up to expectations from the outside?

0:28:540:28:57

It's better inside than I thought it was from the outside

0:28:570:29:00

and I love the outside, so, um...

0:29:000:29:01

Wood and stone. Two of my passions.

0:29:010:29:04

-Yeah.

-And space.

-Yeah, indeed.

-Lots of space.

0:29:040:29:07

If you're enjoying this, I think you'll love

0:29:070:29:10

what's through here, Dominique. Come with me.

0:29:100:29:12

OK, Dominique.

0:29:140:29:15

-Whoa.

-Yeah.

-What a magnificent room.

0:29:170:29:21

That's the first "magnificent" of the week, that's good. That's good.

0:29:210:29:25

-Can I add another one then?

-Go on, then.

-Magnificent.

0:29:250:29:29

I mean, as you can see, they've combined dining, living room

0:29:290:29:32

-and kitchen.

-I think that's lovely.

0:29:320:29:35

I think it would suit us very well, wouldn't it? The way we spend...

0:29:350:29:40

Yeah, the bay into the larger window adds that extra dimension to the room.

0:29:400:29:44

I mean, this is a room that you're going to use 90% of the time,

0:29:440:29:47

I would think.

0:29:470:29:48

So is this one getting further onto any kind of list

0:29:480:29:52

-that might be a contender?

-Yes.

-For me, yes.

0:29:520:29:54

Yes, excellent. Thought it might.

0:29:540:29:57

Come on, let's go up.

0:29:570:29:58

'The mystery house seems to be wowing them

0:30:040:30:06

'and we've still two floors to go.

0:30:060:30:08

'On the first, there are two double bedrooms served by a family bathroom

0:30:080:30:12

'with a double ended bath.

0:30:120:30:14

'And of course, there's the master.'

0:30:140:30:16

THIS is the master.

0:30:180:30:20

-That is incredible.

-It gets better.

0:30:230:30:25

-This is huge. This is, agh...

-Yeah.

0:30:270:30:31

There's a dressing room in there which is currently a study

0:30:310:30:33

but I would suggest probably more useful as a dressing room to you.

0:30:330:30:36

Lovely views out there and then you've got an en suite in here.

0:30:360:30:40

-Kind of double shower and so on.

-Excellent.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, absolutely.

0:30:420:30:47

-I love it.

-The space, the light, the warmth of the wood, it's...

0:30:470:30:51

very, very impressive.

0:30:510:30:54

Well, it's not over yet, let's go upstairs. Come with me.

0:30:540:30:56

-On the top floor.

-What, there's only one more floor?

0:30:560:30:59

Only one more, yeah.

0:30:590:31:01

'They're clearly blown away by the sheer scale of this property

0:31:020:31:06

'and there's more to see on the second floor, with bedrooms

0:31:060:31:08

'four and five both doubles with en suite, next to bedroom six.'

0:31:080:31:12

So I guess it poses the question,

0:31:120:31:15

what will you do with all these bedrooms?

0:31:150:31:17

and we were thinking maybe this would be a nice kind of studio...

0:31:170:31:20

-I think you're right.

-..for the craft.

0:31:200:31:22

-Cos you have the light sort of in the roof there.

-Yeah.

0:31:220:31:25

Craft room or a man's room.

0:31:250:31:27

-Ah.

-Erm, crafts room.

-Crafts room, then. Yeah.

0:31:270:31:31

Consider yourself told, John. You have got the double garages outside.

0:31:310:31:34

-Exactly.

-Don't forget.

0:31:340:31:36

But, yeah, I mean, you've got so many choices here.

0:31:360:31:39

-That's what's nice about it.

-Definitely.

0:31:390:31:41

OK, well, let's get outside into that sunshine...

0:31:410:31:44

look at the garden and we'll start to think about the price.

0:31:440:31:48

Have a poke in the garage?

0:31:480:31:49

Might let you have a look in the garage. Bit later on.

0:31:490:31:52

'I think they might just have fallen for this splendidly roomy home.

0:31:540:31:58

'The question is, will the gardens be enough for them?'

0:31:580:32:02

Last but not least, the garden and the views beyond.

0:32:020:32:06

Now, we said at the outset we weren't

0:32:060:32:08

going to give you acres and acres.

0:32:080:32:10

With all this to play with, does it matter any more?

0:32:100:32:13

We could cope with this size garden.

0:32:130:32:16

It is a lovely garden.

0:32:160:32:17

-It's well laid out and with a field at the back.

-Yeah.

0:32:170:32:21

You get the view and that's for free.

0:32:210:32:23

But you don't get that for free. So...

0:32:230:32:26

Now, what's coming next, then?

0:32:260:32:28

Dominique, it's your turn, I think.

0:32:280:32:30

-670?

-670,000, yeah. John?

0:32:320:32:35

-I was thinking higher but I want it to be lower.

-All right.

0:32:360:32:40

-So I shall say 685.

-£685,000.

0:32:400:32:45

You're quite good at this, you two, aren't you?

0:32:450:32:47

This is on the market

0:32:470:32:49

for 675.

0:32:490:32:52

That's put a smile on your face.

0:32:530:32:55

I thought you would push it right to the top of the budget.

0:32:550:32:58

Well, it's comfortably underneath your £700,000 proposed

0:32:580:33:01

maximum spend and what a house.

0:33:010:33:04

You know, I get the feeling it just kind of fits you.

0:33:040:33:07

-Yes, it certainly felt very good.

-It was love at first sight, I'm afraid.

0:33:070:33:11

Oh, don't be afraid.

0:33:110:33:13

Well, that gives it away, doesn't it?

0:33:130:33:15

Well, let this love affair continue.

0:33:150:33:17

Off you go, go and have a look around and I'll and find you later.

0:33:170:33:20

BOTH: Thank you.

0:33:200:33:22

Brilliant. Well, there we are.

0:33:220:33:24

Our mystery house, our lovely converted oast house,

0:33:240:33:27

possibly has done it again.

0:33:270:33:29

It's a very unique property, this one, and they have spotted it.

0:33:290:33:33

The height of the rooms in particular.

0:34:000:34:03

Nobody would need the height but what it does achieve,

0:34:030:34:06

it gives the rooms that really airy feeling.

0:34:060:34:09

The size is more than adequate.

0:34:090:34:10

You could almost forget you've got a third storey,

0:34:100:34:13

which would almost just become a guest suite.

0:34:130:34:18

Although there is the option of course with the room

0:34:180:34:20

in the centre to be a crafts room or a man's room as I suggested earlier.

0:34:200:34:26

Inside the house, it's just so spacious

0:34:260:34:31

and all this pine.

0:34:310:34:33

The doors were really fantastic.

0:34:330:34:35

And I could see, I mean, we have a lot of old pine furniture

0:34:350:34:39

and it would be perfect.

0:34:390:34:41

Erm, so from a heart point of view, I think it's a fantastic place.

0:34:410:34:45

I think now, the head's got to start, you know, agreeing with the heart.

0:34:470:34:51

Is it too big for just two of us?

0:34:510:34:55

Well, I think that was a very interesting final house tour.

0:34:550:34:59

-Very much so.

-So are we that little bit closer - do you think -

0:34:590:35:01

to finding your new home?

0:35:010:35:04

-I definitely think so, yes.

-A lot closer. Yes, definitely.

0:35:040:35:07

-A lot to talk about.

-I should think there is, yeah.

0:35:070:35:09

Right then, off you go. Have a good chat and I'll find you later on.

0:35:090:35:13

-Thank you.

-Oh, to be a fly on the wall in that conversation.

0:35:130:35:17

Well, if John and Dominique's story has inspired you to want to

0:35:170:35:20

move to this part of the world, here's a selection of

0:35:200:35:23

some other rural gems currently on the market.

0:35:230:35:26

If it's character you're looking for, then this timber-framed,

0:35:260:35:29

three-bedroom, grade II listed cottage in Rous Lench fits the bill.

0:35:290:35:33

Packed with exposed beams and buckets of charm, it would

0:35:330:35:37

suit the average budget, on the market for £249,950.

0:35:370:35:41

For individual style with a modern feel,

0:35:440:35:46

then barn conversions might be worth a look.

0:35:460:35:48

Like this three-bedroom example in Honeybourne, on the edge of the Cotswolds.

0:35:480:35:53

Making the most of its wood and stone features,

0:35:530:35:55

it's on sale for £384,950.

0:35:550:36:00

And should you hanker after a grand country residence, then maybe this

0:36:000:36:04

converted four-bedroom farmhouse in Bickmarsh hits the spot.

0:36:040:36:08

Brimming with reclaimed brick and timber features,

0:36:080:36:10

it has a price tag of £575,000.

0:36:100:36:13

The Severn Valley Railway is one of the great heritage

0:36:180:36:21

highlights of the area.

0:36:210:36:23

Following the meandering River Severn for 16 and a half miles

0:36:230:36:26

between Kidderminster and Bridgnorth.

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Opened in 1862, it was never financially successful and by 1970,

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passenger and freight services had come to a grinding halt.

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However, a group of enthusiasts had already formed a preservation society

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and by 1967 had purchased a five-mile section of the line,

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an engine and four coaches.

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A charitable trust now handles fundraising

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and a current share scheme has so far raised £1.5 million.

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Today, I'm meeting Nick Ralls,

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general manager at the southern terminus in Kidderminster

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to find out more about this wonderful railway.

0:37:020:37:06

-Hello, Nick.

-Good morning.

-Very nice to see you, sir.

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-Welcome to the Severn Valley Railway.

-Is this train ready to go?

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This train is going to be going very soon, so we'd better get on board and have a good look.

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Let's not be late.

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'Volunteers are the lifeblood of the railway,

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'with currently 1,300 helping out driving trains, manning

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'signal boxes, maintaining track and overhauling the locomotives.

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'With a national skills shortage,

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'the railway aims to boost the restoration expertise

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'of their workforce to continue the preservation of the line.'

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How do you ensure that you've got that skill set to keep

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something as historic as this going?

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We're piloting this year, actually - this September -

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a heritage skills training academy

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and we're going to take on five young people as trainees.

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They'll be undertaking experience and training on the railway

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to complement the engineering they're learning at college with

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-the heritage skills that we demand...

-Fantastic.

-..to keep going as a railway.

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Of course, you're then investing directly in those young men to keep the railway alive.

0:38:040:38:08

Yes, it's important that we invest in them

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year on year as well because we are going to have

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probably 50 apprentices on the railway at one time.

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-Wow, yeah.

-TRAIN WHISTLES

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Thank you. 'I'm getting off at Bridgnorth station over

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'the border in Shropshire and home of the boiler shop,

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'where the restoration of the engines take place

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'and where new apprentices will be learning their craft.

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'Boiler manager Duncan Ballard, who started his career

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'as an apprentice 18 years ago has agreed to show me around.'

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How important do you think these apprenticeship schemes are?

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Massively. I mean...

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you can sit and show people books all day, at the end of the day,

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you're only going to learn by being exposed to the job, you know.

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-To actually have a feel for it, have a go.

-Yeah.

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-Learn the hard way when something goes wrong.

-Yeah.

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Use your own mind, you know, a bit of initiative.

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But what I love is, you're not just resurrecting these skills,

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you're resurrecting these locomotives.

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I mean, for example, that one there. How old is it?

0:39:020:39:05

-That one's from Dunrobin, that's 1895.

-1895!

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-So well over 100 years old.

-Yeah, it's a time capsule.

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You're bringing these skills together, keeping everything going.

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And we're also using the skills they were using in 1895 to preserve it.

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Well, it's an absolute credit to you and the apprenticeship scheme, I can only celebrate.

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I think it's just a fantastic idea.

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It says a lot about the railway and its vision. Congratulations.

0:39:230:39:26

OK, thank you.

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'We wish the academy great success in developing new talent with

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'old skills, to keep this wonderful railway chugging through

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'the heart of the Worcestershire countryside for years to come.

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'But time now, though, to return to our property search

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'and catch up with our house hunters.'

0:39:410:39:44

Well, John and Dominique have been thinking long and hard

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about all the properties we have shown them

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and I'm hoping they're getting towards some sort of a decision.

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But in this case, I'm beginning to wonder

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if decision is the right word.

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Maybe it's more of a confirmation.

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Let's go and ask them.

0:40:030:40:04

Well, Dominique, John, here we are at the end of our house search.

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It has flown by and we started off with up to £700,000

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of your hard-earned money to spend

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and high hopes for a new home in the countryside.

0:40:180:40:21

We've given you three very interesting properties,

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question is, have we found the perfect one?

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You may well have done.

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Can I take a flying guess as to which one it might be?

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Do that, let's see.

0:40:300:40:32

-The mystery house?

-You're clairvoyant.

-I think you're right, yes.

0:40:320:40:36

OK, I mean, properties one and two were both very different,

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shall we say? The second one, I think you described as eclectic?

0:40:400:40:43

-I did.

-We had quirky in there as well.

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Our first one, much more traditional I suppose in some respects

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but it's the mystery house what did it.

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The house itself has got so much character.

0:40:520:40:55

The architecture is so interesting, the space in the house is fantastic.

0:40:550:41:01

Yeah.

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The lounge in particular, well, this sort of open lounge, kitchen,

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diner, overlooking the garden.

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I can see myself living there.

0:41:100:41:12

The master bedroom, it was just incredible.

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Just being on the landing and sort of this opening onto the bedroom,

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it was very special.

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So the question I must now ask you...

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is what happens next?

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Try to sort of use our head over the heart.

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Because the heart was sort of, you know...

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totally...

0:41:340:41:36

overcome and... yes.

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But is it too large for us?

0:41:380:41:41

You know, a few questions like this, but...

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very tempting.

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So we started off looking in Worcestershire

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-and we've ended up in Herefordshire. Who'd have thought it?

-Yes.

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-But as ever, let us know how it goes.

-No, thank you very much.

0:41:530:41:57

-It was a very good experience.

-Our pleasure.

-Thank you.

0:41:570:42:01

Well, how do we make sense of this one?

0:42:060:42:08

Not for the first time,

0:42:080:42:10

buyers have arrived on Escape To The Country

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with a wish list that by the end of the process,

0:42:120:42:14

they've radically re-designed.

0:42:140:42:16

That, of course, is exactly what's happened with John and Dominique.

0:42:160:42:20

We started out in Worcestershire

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looking for a property with lots of land.

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We found ourselves in Herefordshire with a beautiful garden

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but a fantastic mystery house thrown in.

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And I'm crossing everything that very soon they will call it home.

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Which is exactly where I'm now going.

0:42:340:42:37

And it's that way.

0:42:370:42:39

Although our buyers fell in love with the mystery house,

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after much deliberation they concluded the house had

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too much space inside and not enough outside.

0:42:460:42:48

They're continuing their search in the area.

0:42:480:42:51

But if you'd like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales,

0:42:510:42:55

Northern Ireland, England or maybe even further afield to

0:42:550:42:58

the continent and would like our help, then please apply online.

0:42:580:43:01

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