Hampshire Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country.

These magnificent medieval buildings are built

on the foundations of England's oldest charity.

And for some 600 years, they've been home to 25 brothers.

So, in which county would you find a Grade I listed gem like this

that you can actually call home?

Well, stay tuned and I'll tell you.

On today's show I'm helping a mother and daughter

who are joining forces to find their perfect forever home in the country.

'There's no holding back in bagging the best rooms.' This room's lovely.

This is mine. Oh, really?

And the thatched roof hits the spot.

Oh! Isn't that gorgeous? It's beautiful.

Well, today, we're in Hampshire, and this is the magnificent

aerial view of the Hospital of St Cross

on the outskirts of Winchester.

It was founded back in the 12th century by the grandson

of William the Conqueror, Henry de Blois,

and he had two real aims.

The first was to demonstrate his piety,

but the second was to set up a community that would care for men

who really found themselves with nowhere else to go.

In time, they became known as the Brothers of St Cross.

In the 15th century, a man called Cardinal Beaufort

added the buildings you can now see below me,

that wonderful range of almshouses with their tall chimneys.

Later on in the show, I'll be back here

finding out what life is like

for the brothers who still call this home in the 21st century.

But in the meantime, here's a little taster

of what the rest of Hampshire has to offer.

Set on the south coast of England,

Hampshire is bordered by five counties

including Wiltshire to the West, and Surrey to the east.

To the north-east of the county, much of the surrounding landscape

makes up part of the North Wessex Downs,

a protected Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Rising in the mid-Hampshire Downs is the River Itchen,

a classic chalk river and designated a Special Area of Conservation,

flowing through Winchester on its way to the Solent.

Part of Hampshire's southern landscape is encompassed

within the South Downs National Park,

dotted with beautiful villages such as East Meon,

set on the Meon River, and Buriton,

both characterised by traditional thatched-roof cottages.

Whether it's the lure of the cathedral city of historic Winchester,

or the quiet contemplation of its majestic countryside,

Hampshire is a county that has something for everyone.

Now, when it comes to the housing market here,

Hampshire's hot spots have pushed up the price

of your average detached property to just under ?350,000.

And you could pay even more than that

if you step inside the borders of the New Forest National Park,

or you fancy a slice of pretty little villages

such as Stockbridge or Broughton.

But if you want a bit more value for money,

head north in the county towards Andover.

There, you could knock off as much as 25%.

This is all good news for today's buyers.

So, let's meet them, find out what they are after,

and crucially, how much they want to spend.

Tired of their busy, urban lifestyles in Surrey and Cardiff,

Anna, husband Jake, and her mother Sheila

have decided to combine their resources

into a large, family home in the country.

The last six years Jake and I

have had a house on a main road in Woking,

and it's always a bit worrying with the cat and that sort of thing.

But actually we really look forward to some peace,

and want to move out to the countryside,

live more in a village location,

pooling our resources with Mum to get a place,

the three of us together, with the animals.

The animals are very important. We've got Mum's dog and our cat.

I was widowed last year and I don't like living on my own.

After 40 years, it's hard.

And we get on really well,

and I get on particularly well with my son-in-law.

But, having lived in the Cardiff area for around 25 years,

the last 11 in Penarth Marina,

Sheila feels the time is right to move on.

The whole of the Marina is a concrete jungle, and I just...

I'm ready to have my own space, I think.

To be in a detached house with a lovely driveway and a garden.

I think that would be just perfect.

Being a close-knit family,

living together isn't such a daunting prospect.

I'm really looking forward to living with Mum.

We spend many hours on the phone at the moment and we talk every day.

But obviously with Mum being all the way in Cardiff and us being

up nearer London, it's a good two 1/2 hours in the car to get down here.

My husband works quite a lot of weekends, and quite long hours,

so it would be great to have a shopping partner on a Saturday.

And even more perfect it means that when Jake and I have children

we've obviously got Grandma on-call to, er...

for a little bit of childcare.

Oh, in your dreams!

And they are looking for a house large enough

for the whole family to live in.

If we could find a bottom-heavy house,

so that it's bigger downstairs than upstairs,

so that there's a possibility

of making a bedroom and bathroom downstairs,

that would be good.

Because then Anna and Jake could go upstairs to bed

and I'd have my little bit of independence.

I don't want to be stuck in some little Granny annexe, in a little box.

I'm not ready for that yet!

And there's one thing in particular

Sheila is looking for in the new home.

We've got a tiny little decked area at the back,

which is crammed full of pots, because I love to garden! SHE LAUGHS

It's getting a little overgrown now.

To me, a garden is going to be really important.

So, all that's left to discover are the finances

for this combined relocation.

The budget for our move is ?700,000.

Bearing in mind they're looking for enough living space

for the whole family, we're going to concentrate our search

in the north-east of the county

to try and get them more for their money.

But before we begin our property search, I caught up with them

in Hampshire to find out more about this major family move.

Well, hello, Sheila. Good morning to you. Hello, Anna. Hi, how are you?

Very well, thank you. Now then. This story of yours.

Quite a lot's happened recently, hasn't it? Yep.

We are looking to combine our resources and buy a property,

my husband and I, with Mum.

We are also now expecting our first child as well,

so yes, there's a new addition.

So, it will be three generations in one household. Brilliant.

Yes, so we really need a house! And fast.

Now, the kind of property that you have dreamed of for this move

will be an interesting mix, I suspect,

between what Mum wants and what you and your husband want.

Luckily, Mum and I have got very similar tastes,

so that always helps, particularly from an interiors point of view.

We both love pretty character properties,

so I think for us that's really important

that you get that really good feel from a house.

Now that we've got a family coming as well,

it's kind of to set down roots somewhere.

Yes. And actually what we'd really love to find is our forever home.

Give me an idea of bedrooms, because I don't get the feeling

you're after the classic annexe, are you?

No. Nobody's putting me in an annexe!

Yeah, we need at least four bedrooms.

But the potential for five would obviously... Even if it's not there now, would be good. Yeah.

And I think actually,

even if there is potential for a ground floor bedroom

as the fifth bedroom or something, that would be great. Yep.

Whether it's now or in the future.

But in terms of social spaces,

I suppose the classic big kitchen/diner goes without saying.

But reception rooms, you are going to want your own space,

aren't you, really? Yes. Yeah, definitely.

I think in addition to that kitchen/breakfast room,

which we really do want to be the hub of the home,

we need at least two additional reception rooms.

Obviously more than that would be great.

Or, again, if there is the potential

to do something in the future, then great.

But I get the feeling that location is relatively flexible? Yes. Yes.

I work in Bracknell and my husband's in Cobham, so as long as we are

reasonably distanced from those, about an hour being the Max...

Well, I don't think you're asking for anything out of the ordinary,

but we are challenged by a pretty pricey property market here.

So, let's go. Come this way.

For a budget of ?700,000,

Sheila and Anna are looking for four to five bedrooms,

enough downstairs space for Sheila to have her own living area,

and potential for a bedroom.

A large kitchen/diner,

a decent-sized garden for Sheila's horticultural aspirations,

and within reasonable distance to work commitments

in Bracknell and Cobham.

We've found three wonderful properties to show them,

and in each one we will see how close they can get to the price tag.

One, of course, will be our mystery house, which could really change their lifestyle.

But, first on our agenda is house number one.

And what does your husband feel about all this?

Because, of course, he's not here. No!

Yeah, Jake's well up for the plan as well.

Him and Mum get on brilliantly.

His biggest thing is that he has his own study,

or his man cave, as he calls it.

Yeah! Well, I'm going to be Jake this week.

I'm going to put Jake's voice into the ring.

We begin our search in the north of the county in the village

of Ecchinswell, around 45 min from Bracknell and an hour from Cobham.

In 1990, Ecchinswell was declared a Conservation Area,

with pretty, thatched roofs dotted around the village

along with its many listed buildings,

including the 19th-century church.

For their day-to-day provisions, the nearby village of Kingsclere

has a general store, post office and a butcher.

In the centre of Ecchinswell is property number one,

a Grade II listed cottage overlooking the open countryside.

OK, ladies. Here we are. Wow. Wow.

Property number one. What do you think of this?

It's beautiful. So pretty. Gorgeous.

Is this the sort of thing you had in mind? Yes!

Yeah, it's beautiful, yeah. Roses around the door. Yes, yes.

Love the leaded lights.

It's got this lovely aspect, it's set back from the road.

You've got the front garden here.

Garage there, with the wood store next to it. Can we go in?

Let's have a look. Let's not delay any more. THEY LAUGH

'Dating back to around 1680, the cottage has been recently

'extended and modernised, but still retains its character features.

'We're off to a great start, so let's hope that continues

'with lots of downstairs space high on their agenda.'

Wow. That's pretty.

I thought we'd start in here. It's lovely.

Your main reception room. Yeah, it's a great room. Yeah.

Really good size. There's space for my books.

Plenty of space for books, don't you worry about that.

Yes. Well, I'm being Jake on this one.

So, what would I think about this, do you think?

It's a great sized living room. He'd like the character of it.

In terms of reception areas, this being one of them, next door is one. It's currently a dining area.

Again, we could think about how we might use that space

as we go round the rest of the building.

We did want a nice big kitchen/diner. We did. It's this way.

There we are, Sheila. Oh. Oh, wow. That's lovely! Yeah?

Look at the wall, as well. That's the old external wall. Yeah.

Of 1680. And they built this on. They've added it on, yep.

It wasn't what I was expecting, actually. No, not at all.

No, it's lovely.

It's been very nicely done,

and it does make the best use of that little terrace out there.

That's exactly what we wanted, wasn't it? Doors onto the garden. Double doors out onto the garden.

I mean, you talked about a kind of hub. Yep. Is this it? Yeah.

I think so. Good. Right then, let's continue this way.

And then, we've got this. A garden room.

Ah! Shower room. Very nice. And one bedroom, yeah.

You notice on the way through there was that glazed link

which is the study at the moment. Yeah.

And it goes into this kind of utility area.

It could be a bit of a... There's a cupboard with a washing machine and drier in it and so on.

But I'm thinking about reception space,

to give you somewhere to do your thing. Absolutely.

This would be perfect. I just think this room is lovely. This is mine.

Oh, really? Right then. Upstairs. Right.

'The downstairs gets the thumbs up, so let's see if we can keep the

'good vibes going upstairs with the three double bedrooms and a single.'

Bedrooms two, three and four are all served by a family bathroom.

But let's start with the master.

Oh! Come on in. Oh, how pretty. Oh, isn't it lovely?

A new edition as well, then? Much renovated.

I spy another door behind you.

Yes, Well, this is your en suite shower room. Perfect.

So, the question is, I suppose, who gets this room?

Is it you and Jake, or is it Mum? It's a beautiful room. Yeah.

I think it's probably Jake and Anna's room. Right, come on.

Let's have a look at the garden.

The grounds surround the property with lawns to the front and rear

including terraced areas, an ornamental pond and summerhouse.

Lots to potter around in. Oh, perfect size. Yeah, really good size.

And for a young child to play in. Oh, and a pretty house from the back.

Yeah, isn't that lovely from the back? How much is it worth, then?

I'm going to put it at ?675,000. ?675,000, yes.

I'm actually going to go slightly lower,

because of what I'd like to do with it,

at ?650,000. OK.

It is on the market for ?695,000.

OK. All right?

So, gives you an idea of what the property market here

might do to you and your budget.

But it is a lovely house. Definitely.

Yes, it is. Well, we've got a bit of time.

Go and spend it having another look around,

and I will catch up with you later. Great. Thanks.

And in the meantime, I am going to go and cool off.

Our Grade II listed cottage comes in just under their budget at ?695,000,

and gives them four bedrooms, the master including an en suite,

a very spacious sitting room, a large kitchen/diner,

the potential to convert downstairs space into Sheila's living area,

a manageable garden,

and it's all set in a pretty village

with views

over the Hampshire countryside.

The kitchen's just what I had in my mind's eye,

with the doors out onto the garden.

And the garden was bathed in sunshine.

I think what I would do would be to incorporate the garage

and the garden room, extend the garden room out a little bit,

and have my own sort of private space there,

so a sitting room, bedroom, and the shower room.

It's got the prettiness and the character from the outside and a lovely garden, in a great village.

And it's got the footprint.

But I think we'd probably want to pretty much redo the inside.

The big question in both of our minds is about the location,

cos it is an area that we hadn't considered,

and it's quite a long drive for my husband to work.

For me, it works, but for my husband...

So, I think that's the one thing that we'd really need to consider.

Ah, this is the life, isn't it? Getting comfy there. I'm loving it!

Have you seen enough? Yep. We're good.

Well, I had hoped that I would cool down. But... It's extremely warm.

It's heated, yep! Come on, let's go.

Hampshire is home to the South Downs National Park,

a biodiverse landscape covering over 600 square miles

from Winchester to Eastbourne in Sussex.

Close to the village of Selbourne on the northern edge of the park

are 24 acres of lavender fields,

which complement the natural surroundings

and form part of Hartley Park Farm.

Given Sheila's interest in horticulture,

we sent them to meet farmer and lavender grower Tim Butler

to find out more about this scented blue bloom.

This is such a beautiful sight. It's a lovely sight.

It's on the edge of our farm where we farm 1,500 acres of land

and 24 acres are devoted to lavender.

Is the ground particularly good for lavender?

The field that we are in now is ideal.

It's free-draining soil over chalk, and that's ideal.

Freely-drained, south-facing.

And how is all this sunshine, doing the lavender? Lovely.

I mean, this is great. Sunshine is the ideal.

In a sunny summer we produce twice the amount of oil

to a miserable summer, like last year. Oh, dear.

Does the lavender field give a boost to the natural environment, so bumblebees, that sort of thing?

Yes, it does indeed. And the honeybees,

although we haven't any hives in this field,

there are some in the locality

and they travel up to two miles, and they come into here.

From now on, it's just coming to the stage where they love it,

and the hum and the buzz of the bumblebees and the butterflies.

We also see quite a lot of other wildlife in here as well.

English Lavender is a durable plant with over 250 varieties,

and here they grow around ten of them.

Some are suited for bunching and drying,

others are grown for their vibrant colour and the quality of their oil.

Immediately after harvesting, the lavender is loaded into a still

and oil is extracted using steam distillation.

The oil comes out of just below the flower and the globule there,

and the top of the seed head there.

And that's where the majority of the oil comes from.

And what we're doing is,

we're passing steam through the lavender

and where it comes up through,

it will draw the oil in the steam, if you see what I mean.

We can drain off the water, and we're left with oil.

And it's ready, in two years' time, for use. Two years?

Two years, we would say. It's quite a long time. It gets a better scent, actually.

Lavender isn't only used for its iconic fragrance.

It's also used as an ingredient in biscuit, chocolate and ice cream.

And its scent can have the opposite effect you'd imagine.

Lavender's good for keeping moths at bay, but also mosquitoes.

We have people who buy lavender oil or bunches to hang around,

or use for keeping away mozzies.

Now, what we have here is lavender tea for you to try.

Culinary lavender has become very popular in the last 15-20 years,

used widely now by so many people.

I can see you're enjoying that. It's very refreshing.

Especially on a hot day like this. Yeah.

Now that Sheila and Anna have taken some inspiration for the garden,

it's time to head further afield and resume our property search.

For house number two, we want to find them

more space for their budget by travelling west,

out of the county into Wiltshire, to the village of Chiseldon,

giving easy access to motorway links for Bracknell and Cobham.

An old Saxon village, Chiseldon sits

within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

and is characterised by its many pretty thatched cottages.

The village has the obligatory country pub,

along with a splendid 13th century church

and a general store for their provisions.

House number two is a Grade II listed property

set in a secluded plot at the end of a no-through lane.

Oh! SHEILA LAUGHS HAPPILY

So, this is it. This is property number two. Oh!

Isn't that gorgeous? It's beautiful. Looks pretty big. It's enormous.

It was originally four cottages, kind of one-up, one-downs. Oh, wow.

And now, of course, it's all one enormous house.

That bit over there is the kitchen. Yep.

And that bit over there, Madam... Oh, yes? Might be your bit.

It's got bars on the window! THEY ALL LAUGH

I'm not going to use the words you don't want me to use!

Let's just say it's a flat. OK.

As you can appreciate, with it being originally four separate properties,

you've got more than one reception room,

more than one staircase, and more than one bedroom.

So, shall we? Oh, yes. Come on, then.

The cottage dates back to the 17th and 18th centuries,

and over the years has been configured into one line of adjoining rooms.

Entering through the main hallway,

we're attacking the dining and kitchen areas first.

Well, we've got to start somewhere. So how about in here?

This is a lovely room. Yeah, very nice.

They've got this as a dining room, because it's next to the kitchen.

That makes sense. Yes. Looks good. Happy? Yeah.

Let's have a look at the kitchen. That's through here.

There we are. Oh! It's sweet. Look at the ceiling! Yeah, wow!

It's got a real, kind of, ''20s feel to it, actually.

Yeah, it does, doesn't it? This classic battening.

Handmade kitchen, it's all elm.

Which, of course, you can't get any more. Yeah, it's really nice.

It's got a really nice feel about it.

You would want to update it, but...

I think you would. And maybe lighten it a bit.

Further on down you've also got a bathroom

with a bath and shower in it.

Come on, then. Let's go and explore more.

So, back across the hallway and we end up in here.

This is currently set up as the kind of main living room,

as it were. That's really nice. And lovely fire.

Yeah. Nice wood burner in there. Yes. Let's have a look at your bit.

From the living room we head to a family room,

our starting point for the other end of the property.

So, what I'm thinking, Sheila,

is that your bit of the house really would start here.

How lovely is this? Your own study in there. Yes. Cum-snug, whatever.

And then the actual accommodation itself is through here.

Oh! My own little kitchen.

Well, there are sort of two kitchens. That's a utility area.

There's a loo there. Bath and shower there.

And then this, sort of, living/kitchen area. Oh, gosh!

And there's a bedroom in there.

Oh, this is has got oodles of potential, hasn't it?

My guess is that you'd probably gut it and start again. Yeah.

And kind of give it a new floor plan.

But the space it offers you... Yeah, definitely.

It's far more than we could wish for, wasn't it? Yes.

Yeah, it's great. It's lovely.

Let's go upstairs and see what you make of these four bedrooms.

There are four double bedrooms in total upstairs,

all served by the family bathroom.

Bedrooms three and four are accessed via a second staircase.

The main stairway leads to a landing area,

giving access to bedroom two and the master bedroom.

And then this would be, I think, Anna and Jake. Yeah, lovely. Yeah?

Yeah, really nice. You'd be happy in here? Yes!

Would Jake be happy in here? I think so, yeah.

I have to be the voice of Jake. I keep forgetting about him, poor chap.

As long as we find him a study, yeah. Well, you take your pick.

Exactly. He's got a few rooms to choose from. Yeah.

I mean, I know it's a bit further away than we perhaps had hoped for,

but the space it gives you for that extra bit of travelling. Yes.

Right, then. Let's go outside and finish off, and talk about the price, shall we? Yep.

The south-facing gardens are mainly at the front of the property,

with hedged lawns, fruit trees, arches,

seated areas, and even a well.

So, let's think about the telephone numbers on this one, shall we? Yes.

You can go first, this time, Anna.

I'll go at ?700,000, because of the size of it. OK.

No, I think I'll go ?675,000. ?675,000? A cheeky offer?

Yes, very cheeky offer. Well, Anna's the one who's closest, I'm afraid.

It is on at ?699,995. Ooh, very good, Anna! Close. Yes.

Lots to think about. Go and wander the labyrinth of property number two.

I think we will. Thank you, Jules.

Our second offering sneaks in just under their budget at ?699,995

and gives them four bedrooms, a separate wing with bedroom,

kitchen and living area, ideal for Sheila,

a large kitchen/breakfast room, a dining room, a study for Jake

and all within the glorious Wiltshire countryside.

Oh, it's just beautiful! It's really beautiful.

The work that I would want to do to it would be the kitchen,

the bathrooms, and my wing. SHE LAUGHS

Which I would reconfigure.

Although having a wing for Mum would be great,

it feels like she's almost slightly detached from the main house

and actually a big thing for us

is about having Mum living as part of the family.

There's a lot of rooms,

and I think it needs a bit of figuring out,

quite how you would use all of those rooms,

upstairs and downstairs, actually, just how the flow would work.

So, are we happy with our house-hunting so far?

Yeah, it's great. Good.

Well, I think it's time for a nice, cold beer. Lovely. Or maybe a glass of wine. Sounds good!

Come on. It sounds very good.

'It's day two of our property hunt in Hampshire with Anna and Sheila,

'who have a combined budget of ?700,000 for their family residence.

'Coming up, we find out what's on offer at the mystery house.'

Oh, it's got two front doors.

'And I tuck into an ancient pilgrim tradition.'

I might take that with me.

Well, as we head into our final day of house-hunting with Anna and with Sheila,

once again the weather promises to be a real scorcher.

But can our final offering raise the temperature of this house hunt

But can our final offering raise the temperature of this house hunt

yet further?

Yesterday, we did take a bit of a gamble with property number two,

heading all the way over to Wiltshire

to get them something big enough for this growing family to call home.

But for our final offering, well, we're going to play it safe.

We're going to go for plan A and stay in Hampshire -

but with a bit of a twist.

Our mystery house requires a little bit of work,

but that's because it has bags of potential.

This is a property they could be in forever.

For the mystery house,

we head back into Hampshire to the north of the county

to the hamlet of Cole Henley

to offer them a total change of lifestyle

with a forever home that could be refurbished over time.

Now, before we get to our final property,

we thought we'd stop off in its nearest local town.

This is Whitchurch, this is its church.

Have you ever been here before? No, never. No.

It sort of gets its name from the white tower of the church itself,

but its origins are far older than that.

It goes back to 400 BC, so it's located well into the Iron Age.

But it is replete with all the kind of things you would need.

Surgeries, chemists, local shops, boutique shops, coffee shops,

and the secondary school has an outstanding OFSTED report.

Ah, we need to think about these things now. Thinking ahead, you know!

There's one other point.

It's also the home of the author of Watership Down, Richard Adams. Oh!

So, if there's a romantic bit of landscape out there, that sets the scene... Bunny rabbits!

Exactly. This could be it. So, shall we? Let's go.

The mystery house is a Grade II listed farmhouse

set in a rural location in Cole Henley.

Oh, Anna, look at this. Come on in to our mystery house.

Oh, this is really pretty. Yeah? Yes. Oh, it's got two front doors.

Yes, it's been an amalgam of once-separate buildings.

Look at these doors. They're beautiful. Yeah, lovely. And the windows I love. Yeah.

There's a bit of work to do, but that's what will occupy your imagination.

No, that sounds exciting. I'm really looking forward to this.

And what's more, the whole thing comes with just over two acres.

Chickens! Plenty of chickens. Pigs? Yep. Let's see what you make of it.

Come and have a look inside.

'The renovated farmhouse is situated within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

'and has bags of the character that they are looking for.'

Let's walk through into the kitchen

because I think this is the best place

to really start to sell this property. Oh, wow.

This is the kitchen. This is perfect. Yeah?

This kitchen definitely is the best kitchen we've seen.

This is definitely what we're after. What would Jake think? He'd love it. Yeah.

This is exactly what we had in mind, really, wasn't it? Yeah.

Next up, let's go through this lovely hallway and have a look at the living room.

I love this room.

Now, I get the feeling this is probably your kind of feel of room, Sheila.

Yes, it's definitely my kind of feel of room.

It's lovely, isn't it? But what do YOU think, Anna?

It's lovely. It's got a really nice feel about it.

It could do with a bit of updating, I think. I love this outlook.

It's all about the feel, and this one's definitely got that.

None of the rooms here are particularly big,

but next door to us, the other side of the staircase,

is a utility room which is probably a little bit bigger than this.

Which I think is a bit wasted, really. Yep. Definitely. You could create another reception room.

So that is pretty much it for the downstairs,

with one notable exception. There is an enormous cellar here.

Oh. Oh. It's not damp. It's nice and big. Man cave it most definitely is! THEY LAUGH

Brilliant. For Jake.

Our next stop is going to be upstairs. Right.

The downstairs is completed by a sitting room at the front,

with the main access to the property and a conservatory to the rear.

There are four bedrooms upstairs, all decent sized doubles.

Bedrooms one and two are served by the family bathroom,

and bedrooms three and four have access to an additional shower room.

Oh, this is a beautiful... No, the baby's not having this room. THEY LAUGH

Well, we picked this one to show you in more detail

because it's the lightest of the lot. It's got so much more light than the others.

They've currently got it as a kind of makeshift office,

but I think this would make a lovely master bedroom. Yeah.

Yeah, this is definitely the best of the... No, I think this will be my bedroom.

Well, you'd certainly want a room for some period of time,

but I am thinking that maybe we should go and have a look

at the outbuilding with a view to converting it

for you exclusively, in which case, this could be you and Jake's room.

Sounds good. Yeah? OK, let's go back outside.

'At the front of the property is a two-storey brick and flint

'stable building which could hold long-term possibilities for Sheila.'

Now then. This is the project, all right? Wow, this IS a project. Come on in.

What a fab building.

You could certainly incorporate a lovely bathroom up there,

with a bedroom all of your own. Sofa space. Yes. And then down here...

A nice big living space. Yeah. It's got plenty of potential, hasn't it?

You seem quite fired up by the idea of a project. I do, I really like this! Yeah, it's great.

And as I said to you at the beginning, we have got you some two acres or so. Yes!

Come and look at those.

At the rear of the house is a walled garden

with fruit trees dotting the lawn,

a greenhouse for Sheila's green fingers,

and a patio seating area, all leading up to three paddocks.

So, not only do you get those two paddocks there,

you also get the one we've just walked through.

And that is the back of the walled garden that creates your formal garden attached to the house.

You can just see the thatched roof poking up there.

And the view beyond... It's amazing.

Can you see in the far distance that green hill with trees on it?

That is Watership Down. Wow. Oh, it's beautiful.

Absolutely stunning.

I get the feeling this one's taken you little bit by surprise, Sheila.

Yes, it really has.

And Anna, what do you think? I think it's fab.

I think the opportunity with it is massive. So... Price?

How much is it? Oh, no. Anna? OK, I think...

It's probably at ?695,000, that sort of price. Mum?

I think it's over that. ?725,000. ?725,000 plays ?695,000.

Well, I'm going to put a smile on both of your faces.

This is on the market for ?685,000.

Ooh. Food for thought, definitely!

Yeah, really! Go on, then. Off you go. Explore.

I'll come and find you later on.

Ha, ha! Brilliant. Well, there we are.

It's often the case that the mystery house does take our buyers by surprise,

but this one really has.

And in a way, I'm not surprised.

It's in a beautiful location, with some beautiful and frankly historic views.

But the property, it really is a gem.

The mystery house comes under their top budget at ?685,000,

And gives them four bedrooms, two bathrooms,

a large kitchen/diner, a cellar for Jake's man cave,

a two-storey outbuilding right for remodelling,

just over two acres of garden and paddocks

and all with stunning views

of the Hampshire countryside.

We could definitely have a horse in the future though.

Yeah, which would be lovely.

We could have a pony when the kids are old enough. Yeah.

I think it's amazing. So do I.

I can really see us here. Yeah.

It's completely taken my breath away.

It's a lifestyle, this house, rather than just a house.

There's so much going on in my head at the moment, what one could do.

I love it.

The feel of this room in particular, the kitchen, for this house,

really made it straightaway, as soon as we came in.

Just that real homely feel.

And with the outbuilding, in particular, for a couple

of years down the line, to get that into a really lovely home for Mum as well. It's brilliant.

I think the one elephant in the room always for me is location,

and making sure that it's feasible for Jake and I to get to work

and back again.

Right, you too. Come on. That's it, time is up I'm afraid.

We've got to go and think about what we have seen.

Yeah. There's a lot to think about, definitely.

A lot of planning going on with this one, isn't there? There certainly is. It's a very good sign.

Who knows, maybe this is the one!

Come on, let's go.

Set in the water meadows running alongside the River Itchen

lies the Grade I listed site of St Cross Hospital.

Founded in the 1100s as a hostel for poor brethren,

it is home to England's oldest almshouses.

But rather than being a quaint time warp, it's a living community.

and, three centuries later, Cardinal

are known as brothers,

and today I've come to meet Jim Abson in his 13th year as a brother,

to find out more about St Cross and life at this historical site.

This is an extraordinary place.

It really is a step back in time, isn't it?

It's a special place to be,

and we appreciate it because we're all pretty ancient ourselves.

But it's been here for a very long time.

There were a lot of poor.

There was no National Health Service in those days,

so his main aim was to look after the poor men.

Not only was it a refuge for the poor,

but it also provided food rations for 100 men at the gatehouse,

and served as a way station for pilgrims on their way to Canterbury.

The only remaining part of Henri's original 12th century site

is its Norman church.

I'm off to have a closer look and to meet the master of St Cross,

the Reverend Reg Sweet.

This really is the most wonderful space. Oh, it's fabulous.

But as the master, you're in charge of running the whole thing. Sort of, yes. Yes.

When does it date from? From about 1132, thereabouts.

And it's been going ever since.

I mean, it survived the Reformation, it survived everything.

And it's still going, as it was.

I've noticed there are two different colours of gown.

James is wearing a black one. There are also some red ones. What's the difference?

OK, the original foundation, the Black Brothers, 1132.

400 years or so later, Cardinal Beaufort,

who was then Bishop of Winchester,

decided he would like to bring in people of noble poverty,

and they wear the cardinal red with the Cardinal's badge, you may have noticed.

It's a wonderful institution. I can't believe that it's still here.

It is an extraordinary survivor. Absolutely marvellous.

And you can imagine, I mean, it is a charity,

and the upkeep of this place is quite enormous. Yeah.

Thought to be Britain's oldest charitable institution,

it has religious roots, but St Cross is a secular foundation.

The ethos on assisting the poorer men of society remains,

with places for 25 brothers available to single,

non-working men of limited means aged 60 and over.

Now, among the many traditions that survive here, there is one

that I have to experience before I go, and it's that called Wayfarer's Dole.

And you get it from this little door.

With a little tap, so I'm told.

Hello, there. I've come for my dole. Certainly.

Now, apparently, it's a little bit of beer

and a little bit of bread, to help the weary traveller on their way.

And there it is. Well, thank you very much indeed.

That has finished my visit off perfectly.

What a fascinating slice of Winchester's living,

yet quite hidden history. A real secret gem.

Time though to get back to our property search

and catch up with our house-hunters.

Well, as you can see, we have found a beautiful spot

for Sheila and Anna to consider all that we have shown them.

But if I were a betting man, I'd say they were sunbathing.

Let's go and find out what's going on.

Well, how are we doing? Very good, thank you. Yes?

So, have we managed to find you a property that will work, Anna?

Well, I think the mystery house definitely ticked the boxes in terms of the property,

and yeah, a completely different lifestyle that it could offer.

I think the big question for us over this is the feasible locations,

and what is doable for myself and Jake

in terms of getting to and from work.

Well, let's talk about the mystery house.

Because clearly that is the main contender.

What was it, Sheila, for you, about our final property,

over and above the first two, that you really hit home?

The location of it. It was in such a beautiful setting. I loved that.

Walking in, you get that feeling.

And from the moment we walked in through the front door

and straight up into the kitchen, I thought, yep, I could live here.

It definitely had that feel.

It had the really homeliness about it, a good smell of dogs and cats.

Which just works for us.

I think it was daunting, the amount of work it needed,

because we've never done anything like that.

And having that extra outbuilding, outside, which I could,

in the future, make into my own little private home,

that was exciting, wasn't it?

Yeah, definitely. What happens next?

I think we need to work out the location bit.

And before we start dreaming about our house for the future

I think we need to just make sure we can tick that box

and see whether or not it will work

in terms of getting us to and from work.

If that's good, yeah, we've got to take Jake to have a look at it.

Well, I certainly think he would respond well to the mystery house.

I think definitely having that cellar, right for conversion

into the good old man cave,

will definitely help to whet his appetite.

Well, there's clearly a lot more discussion to be had,

and at least one more visit to be undertaken.

But, Anna and Sheila, it's been a real pleasure this week,

having you on Escape To The Country. Oh, thank you, Jules.

So, let us know how you get on.

And we wish you all the very best of luck for the future,

and the new baby.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Well, we have searched and we have sizzled

under some of the hottest temperatures of the year so far.

The wheat is beginning to ripen,

as indeed are Anna, Sheila and Jake's ambitions to find their ideal home of the future.

But, like the crop,

I think their house search still has some way to go

until it is fully ripened. And why not?

This is an enormous decision,

and if you are looking for something that is going to last you forever,

it isn't something you really want to rush.

I'll see you next time.

Although they loved the mystery house,

Anna, Jake and Sheila decided the location wasn't quite right for them.

They've since found a property that is a major renovation project,

but it's closer to work and they've had an offer accepted.

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