Somerset Escape to the Country

Standing at almost 50m high, this 18th-century tower once straddled

three separate counties, and now it resides in just one.

Join me in a few moments to find out which one it is.

Today's property hunt is a real emotional journey as we search

for a couple's country dream, which leaves them lost for words.

-Has it taken your breath away?

-Yeah. SHE LAUGHS

-But really puts them in the picture.

-Wow.

It's like being inside a Van Gogh painting.

Today I'm in Somerset,

and this is King Alfred's Tower on the Stourhead estate.

Now, back in the 1770s,

estate owner and eccentric banker Henry Hoare built this magnificent

folly, which originally stood on the border of three counties -

Wiltshire, Dorset and Somerset -

with one corner of its triangular base

set in each one.

However, as boundary lines have shifted over the years,

it's now Somerset that can lay claim to this splendid landmark along with

many other historic treasures.

The southwestern county of Somerset shares its land borders with

Devon, Dorset and Wiltshire,

and is flanked by the Bristol Channel to the north.

This sweeping coastline is known for its family favourites,

such as the coastal resort of Minehead, as well as for having

one of the largest tidal ranges in the world.

The influence of water continues as we head inland.

The Somerset Levels incorporate a vast wetland area including

Shapwick Heath Nature Reserve,

a thriving habitat for a variety of local wildlife.

Stranded in the midst of these lowlands rises the mysterious

Glastonbury Tor, reputed to be the seat of the fabled King Arthur.

Somerset's magnificent geology has established a strong tradition

in stonemasonry, which has shaped the architecture of the region.

Beautiful towns such as historic Frome and countless

villages are testament to what this rural county has to offer.

The average price of a detached property in Somerset is just above

£265,000, which nudges £10,000 more than the national figure.

At the higher end of the market is the village of Nunney

and the neighbouring town of Frome,

which is regarded as a smaller version of Bath.

It also gets more expensive

if you veer towards the coastal regions near Devon and Dorset.

And if you want your money to go just that little bit further,

it might be worth checking out Shepton Mallet or Radstock.

These up-and-coming areas are more populated and are easily

accessed by road, but that is reflected in the lower price.

So, let's find out where today's buyers are hoping to move to.

Rick and Dee are from Ilford in Essex.

They've spent their six years together in this four-bedroom house,

but yearn for the peace and tranquillity of the countryside.

It would be so nice to wake up to silence, or maybe just some animal

noises, rather than the lorries and the cars and the motorbikes.

Dee is a teacher but plans to retire in the foreseeable future,

and Rick runs his own dog grooming business.

I've spent the last two years building the business up

and it's beginning to really get going now.

And, uh...hopefully I'll be able to start again

and hopefully build it a little bit quicker, knowing what I know now.

Rick and Dee have decided that the smart move for their dream escape

is down in the southwest.

Really want to move to Somerset for the fabulous countryside.

I quite like the sort of Wells, Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet

sort of triangle.

You've got all the facilities there whilst also still having

the countryside and of course the Glastonbury tickets,

if at all possible.

SHE LAUGHS

Rick's mother, Ruby, is 88 and would love to relocate to the country

with them.

She's an important part of their move.

Ideally it would be nice to accommodate her wholly

on the ground floor, so, um...so probably a bottom-heavy house -

particularly a bathroom or a shower room.

Away from the house, Rick

and Dee would like to free up time to continue their on-court battles.

When I first met Rick, he'd never played tennis.

He was a squash player, and in fact I used to have to give him three serves -

little bit of a chance - but I'd still beat him 6-0.

Unfortunately he now beats me 6-0.

I'd like to take up some golf and I think Rick can teach me the golf.

He knows how to play.

And when not on the fairway,

they want to take to the open Somerset roads.

Motorcycling's a great love.

Fortunately Dee's now got a full bike licence

and dreams of getting herself a Harley-Davidson.

I'm very much looking forward to riding on the country lanes,

although I am a bit nervous.

I'm much better in a straight line.

The move is to be funded by the sale of Rick's mother's house.

All that's left is to find out approximate figures for their dream

Somerset move.

The budget for our move is around £420,000.

Rick and Dee love the countryside just to

the south of the Mendip Hills, so we'll be searching

the villages around the ancient cathedral city of Wells.

Time to meet up and find out more about their Somerset relocation.

So I've gotta say welcome to...oh, a beautiful Somerset today.

Look at it - it's glorious.

So why did you two decide you wanted to move here from London?

My sister moved to Wiltshire in Devizes and when we went to see her,

we really liked the area.

And so we started to do a bit of research and we sort of moved across

the border and discovered Somerset and love everything about it so far.

But it's not just the two of you, is it?

-Who else is going to join you in this move?

-My mother.

-And her requirements?

-Um...she's very easy-going, believe it or not.

She's going to need a little bit more help as she gets a bit older,

so has decided that to move in with us would be quite a nice idea.

-Happy families.

-Yes.

-Very much so.

So we're looking for a property for the three of you that's going to

work out for all your needs.

What are you after?

-Absolutely ideally, I'd love a converted church.

-Would you?

Failing that, perhaps a converted barn, but something old.

And also, you've got a business, haven't you?

Yes, I need to set up a dog grooming parlour

somewhere around the property or within the property.

I have a bit of a pipe dream of having a Shetland pony.

A Shetland pony. Now, how much do we need for a Shetland pony?

It's going to be about an acre, isn't it?

-I don't think it's as much as that.

-No?

-No. Little paddock.

-Yeah?

-So, remind us of your budget.

-Our budget is £400,000.

If it was absolutely fantastic, everything that we desired,

we could probably be pushed to £420,000.

So, top, top, top limit, £420,000. Well, shall we get going, then?

Cos we've got three great properties to show you,

and I must admit, I'm really looking forward to this.

-So are we.

-Thank you.

For a maximum budget of £420,000,

Rick and Dee have quite a lengthy list.

They are ideally looking for a quirky character property

with at least three bedrooms,

one of which needs to be on the ground floor

as part of a separate living area for Rick's mum, Ruby.

Rick is also after some space for his pet grooming business

and Dee would love a good-sized plot

to create a home for her dream Shetland pony.

We found some fantastic properties to show our buyers in Somerset,

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

The last will be a mystery house, which could just have them

singing from the rafters.

Now, tell me a little bit more about this passion for motorbikes.

Well, I first learnt to ride a motorbike

because I fancied doing the Highway 66 route in California,

and then...I met Rick, and he had a motorbike.

-Did that clinch the relationship?

-It did, it did.

SHE LAUGHS

-In fact, our very first date was a ride out in the countryside.

-Was it?

-Yes, it was indeed.

-How romantic!

Our first destination is the rural village of Holcombe,

situated seven miles northeast of the action of the ancient market

town of Shepton Mallet.

Holcombe's name was originally inspired by the undulating local

landscape, with "hol" meaning "hollow"

and "combe" meaning "valley".

This historic village features a striking church dating back to

Norman times as well as more modern facilities,

including a village store and two pubs.

Our first property is set on the fringes of the village.

-So, can I introduce you to your first property...

-Wow.

-..here in Somerset?

-Oh, wow.

-Has it taken your breath away?

-Yeah.

SHE LAUGHS

What's going through your mind?

Well, it's just...a cottage in the country.

What do people say when they want to retire? "A cottage in the country."

-Absolutely gorgeous.

-And, Rick, what's your first impression?

It did take my breath away as well, actually, yeah.

-Put a little lump in my throat.

-Well, you're both so emotional.

But that's good. No, that's good.

-Well, it proves it means a lot to you.

-Mmm.

We want to find you, you know,

the perfect home not just for the two of you, but also for your mum

as well, and if a house can create that impression straight away...

-She'd love it.

-She'd like it, would she - Ruby?

-Yeah.

-Oh, yeah.

-Let's hope you like it inside.

-Oh, yeah. Yeah.

-Come on.

I think that's what you'd call love at first sight.

This pretty 18th century detached cottage has been sympathetically

restored and still oozes the charm Dee's looking for.

-So come on through to the cottage.

-Look. Oh!

And because it is a cottage, you know, it's not huge,

but the good news is there's more to see.

So you've got your wood burner there, and if you look straight

ahead of you, that was the original doorway leading to the back garden.

So what do you think of the actual room itself?

Well, I think it's lovely. Do you think it's too small?

-Initial impression is a small room.

-It's snug, isn't it?

-It is.

-I like snug.

-It depends what else comes with it.

-I like snug.

-Right.

Well, we'll continue through. If you'd like to follow me...

From the sitting room, we're heading back through the entrance hall

and into the dining room.

This cosy space in turn leads to the cottage kitchen.

Oh, there's another burner.

So you've noticed the burner in the dining area.

-That leads us through to our kitchen.

-Well, this is very sweet.

-It's not a kitchen diner.

-No.

No, with this cottage, even though this was extended,

they've sort of done it in keeping with the rest of the cottage.

-It's small...plenty of small rooms rather than one big open space.

-Hmm.

It's got everything you need, hasn't it?

And I suppose you've got the dining area almost in table to the kitchen.

-Initial thoughts is kitchen's too small.

-Yeah.

But the budget we've got, we're going to have to make compromises,

so it really does depend on how the rest of it hangs together.

I think snug is a good word for this cottage.

Yeah.

It seems they both like the feel of the cottage,

however Rick seems to have a nagging doubt about the room sizes.

But he hasn't seen everything yet as we pass through the rear lobby to

-the games room.

-Oh, my goodness.

SHE LAUGHS Wow.

-You weren't expecting this, now, were you?

-Definitely not.

-No.

-Now, Rick, what's going through your mind?

-Mum.

-Oh, OK. Yes.

This could be perfect cos you've got the kitchen, which is next door,

you've got the downstairs toilet.

So this could also be a contender for your business,

-the dog grooming business.

-OK. Yep.

-But it's a fair space, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Fabulous space.

-Very posh for a grooming parlour.

-So, potential.

So bear this in mind. We're going to head upstairs.

I'll show you what else there is.

Lots of options for the games room,

and I don't think the first floor will disappoint.

-So...

-Oh, look.

This is the master bedroom,

-and you've got three doubles upstairs with the cottage.

-Gosh.

And I have to say, a good-size family bathroom.

Oh, this is lovely. I mean, I like the size.

-It's a good sort of spacious room.

-I like the light.

-Oh. Wow.

-She's spotted it.

-Can you see out here, Rick?

Have a look, Rick.

Oh, wow! HE CHUCKLES

-How fantastic is that?

-Fantastic.

-Don't see views like that every day, do you?

-No, you don't.

And a pond as well. So does that come with the property?

-Guess what - it does.

-Fantastic.

-You're kidding.

-No.

-Three quarters of an acre.

-Oh!

-So who wanted a Shetland pony?

SHE GASPS

-What, that comes with this property?

-Yep.

-And I've still got more to show you. Right. Follow me.

-OK.

What a reaction.

The paddock across the lane is a real bonus,

and the cottage also has some outside space around it.

You might have noticed there's a block to the side -

it's actually a double garage, but with building regulation permission,

you could potentially convert that into a granny annexe

or a Ruby annexe, as I'm going to call it.

-A Ruby annexe, yeah.

-Be fantastic.

But I've got to talk money, haven't I?

-How much is it on the market for?

-I think I've got to say...£415,000.

I'm going to come in with a fairly optimistic £390,000.

-The owners would like offers in excess of £350,000.

-Oh, wow.

-Hmm.

Uh...it's...unbelievable, really. Unbelievable.

Why don't you go and have a look another look around?

-Start off with that garage, and we'll meet up in a little while.

-OK.

-Off you go.

-Thanks.

Well under Rick and Dee's budget at £350,000,

this period cottage is set in a stunning location.

It offers three double bedrooms, three reception rooms,

including the games area that could be used for Rick's dog grooming,

a paddock of three quarters of an acre, and a double garage that could

house their motorbikes

or potentially be converted

into living accommodation

for Rick's mum, Ruby.

Oh.

-It's definitely a wow, isn't it?

-It really is a wow.

-Oh!

-I'd say it's bordering on a lake rather than just a pond.

-Incredible.

The main living room was quite small, but very cosy.

Dining room perfectly adequate in size.

Uh...bedrooms are all good sizes.

My first impressions when I first saw this house was...wow.

I could not believe it. It just was a dreamlike cottage.

The real bonus obviously is the field with the pond,

so as a first property, an excellent start.

I look forward to seeing the next ones.

-Have you had a good look round, you two?

-Yes, we have.

-Yes?

-Lovely, thank you.

-I'm loving the smiling faces. Right.

We're going to go now.

The historic city of Wells is set on the edge of the majestic

Mendip Hills.

In the shadows of the magnificent 13th-century cathedral lies

the Bishop's Palace, which has been home not only to the bishops of Bath

and Wells for the last 800 years, but also to the Palace Croquet Club

since the 1920s.

We know Rick and Dee are competitive about their tennis,

so we're sending them to find out more about this most

traditional of ball sports from club chairman Ian Telfer.

Is there any significance to the croquet club being at the palace?

Not really.

You need a large lawn and convenience.

It's in the centre of the city.

And one of the bishops early on was

interested in playing and he formed a small club.

But there's no religious association.

It's not because it's anything to do with the church -

just the interest shown by the early bishops.

Unfortunately the more recent bishops haven't shown the same interest.

Oh. That's a shame.

Croquet was introduced to Britain in the mid 19th century.

It had a huge impact on Victorian society

and was even featured in Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland with

the unfortunate flamingo being used as the mallet.

It was the first game that allowed men

and women to compete on an equal footing,

although some conservative minds described it as a ruinous game.

Has the game changed a lot?

Well, it used to have at one stage two pegs, and you used to have a

hoop in the middle with a bell in it, and you had to hit that.

Those have all changed, and it's now become a much more simple

and straightforward game, um...with just six hoops and one peg.

Most people think of croquet as a sort of vicious game and they always

often have the idea that you put your foot on the ball and hit it.

Those all disappeared in the late 1890s.

-And is croquet played equally with men and women?

-Oh, yes.

There's no difference at all.

Competitions are, as far as I know, very, very rarely for ladies only.

And today is no exception,

as Rick and Dee will shortly go head-to-head.

They'll be playing the simpler form of the game, golf croquet.

Just as well,

as the more complex association croquet can take up to three hours.

What's the difference between this type of croquet

and association croquet?

We've got to get your ball through the hoop before the others,

all right?

Then you've won the hoop, and we all move on to the next one.

Whereas in association croquet, all the players have to get their own

balls through each hoop before continuing on as a group.

Today's winner will be the first player to win seven individual hoops,

or points.

They have to alternate shots with the balls being hit in a strict

order - blue, red, black, then yellow.

Right. That's a fair enough shot.

-That's a pretty good shot.

-Shot.

-Wow.

Now, black, you've got to try and run through the hoop.

Sadly for Rick, the ball has to be completely through to score a point.

-Oh!

-Nearly, but not quite.

And your opponent is allowed to hit your ball out of the way.

-Oh!

-Shame.

-Or at least try.

Croquet has gradually attracted younger players into the game, and

there are currently about 6,000 club members around the country.

Oh, that's 5-0. I think it's time to call it a day.

-I think that's fair enough.

-Well done.

-Thanks very much.

-Congratulations.

-Unlucky, Dee!

They didn't quite make it to the end,

but Rick is declared winner of their latest sporting battle.

It's time to leave the beautiful Palace Croquet Club

and carry on with our Somerset property hunt.

For our second house,

we're heading 27 miles southwest to the village of High Ham, a 20-minute

drive from the captivating area surrounding Glastonbury...

..and only three miles north of the ancient market town of Langport,

which is situated on the banks of the River Parrett.

The town was an important trading post in the 18th century.

Today it offers a wide range of amenities,

including a public library

and varied independent shops.

Just a ten-minute drive away,

the village of High Ham offers up its own distinctive buildings,

as well as the second property in today's hunt.

So this time we're going to show you a cottage that's even older than

-the first one, and here it is.

-Oh, my goodness.

-Another cottage.

This time believed to be about 300 or 400 years old.

How much of this property do you think could be yours?

Well, initially I thought up to that drain pipe.

-And I was hoping it's all of it.

-You'd be right.

-Is it really all of it?

-Whole thing.

-SHE GASPS

-It's just as awe-inspiring as the first one.

-Should we head inside?

-Yes, please.

-Please.

No tears yet,

but I think Dee and Rick are being sucked in by this charming cottage.

So I have brought you in the back entrance,

but it does lead straight from the utility into...

-Big-enough kitchen?

-Yeah. This is lovely.

This space is exactly the kind of thing that we...

-It's what we'd envisaged.

-This is what you had in mind?

-Yeah.

Well, that's good.

Through the door, you've got a downstairs cloakroom with a very

large shower, but to the right of that, you've got a study.

Rick, I'm looking at you

because that'd be really easy to convert into a dog grooming room.

-So that's my first thought that I want to plant.

-OK.

-Do you like the idea of that?

-Consider it planted.

-OK. Good.

All right. We're going to continue through here.

Positive reactions as we head for the living room,

which is connected to a spacious dining room. You like what you see?

Oh. HE CHUCKLES

-I do.

-So you've actually got two reception rooms.

-And this is just an open fireplace?

-Open fireplace.

Granny bonnet, apparently, it's called.

-I don't think I've ever seen one like it.

-No.

-And there's a bread oven on the right.

-I love that fireplace.

-Fireplace is fantastic.

-Yeah.

-If you wanted to, you could open it up.

Or I was thinking maybe even to close it up

so we've got additional accommodation for Mum.

That is one possibility - however, I can show you another.

-Surprise us again.

-I hopefully am.

-I look forward to seeing it.

I've got their attention now as we head back through the utility

and the entrance hall to an area with real potential,

currently being used for a clothing business.

So... This part of the property... the lady runs her business.

It was one huge area, and she's divided it up into three.

This potentially could be perfect for your mum, Ruby.

Because it's connected to the house, and if you really wanted to, you

could put in a kitchen, a bathroom, a sitting room and a bedroom.

-Wow.

-What do you think she would say if she saw this?

I think she'd be quite impressed,

and the idea of having something self-contained within the property

means if she wants to visit, she doesn't have to run through the rain

and things like that.

The downstairs layout certainly offers up options for Rick and Dee.

We're continuing up the first floor, which is equally spacious.

There's a family bathroom with built-in storage and four bedrooms.

Two of the doubles offer glorious views to the front, as does

the smallest bedroom, currently being used as a dressing room.

And now time for the all-important master bedroom.

Wow. HE CHUCKLES

And you're not getting excited about the walk-in wardrobes, though -

-you're actually getting excited about the view, aren't you?

-Yeah!

It's like being inside a Van Gogh painting.

That is just incredible.

-Think how that's going to change through the seasons.

-Yeah, yeah.

Well, I don't need to talk about the bedroom, then, do I?

Well, this is why I want to move, isn't it?

-I can see you're getting a little bit teary.

-I'm just loving it, yeah.

No, it's...it's...stunning.

-You've got an en suite next door, generous en suite.

-Wow.

-Speechless again. Speechless.

-That doesn't happen very often.

THEY LAUGH

Those views have left Dee lost for words.

We've also delivered on character.

And the rear of the property features a private sheltered patio

with ornamental pond and a pretty lawned area.

What do you think about the garden?

Fabulous. It's absolutely wonderful.

-Yeah.

-It's a good size. Got all...?

-Yes.

-All that?

-Just under half an acre.

You've got an orchard behind you, which if you wanted to,

you probably could just about squeeze a Shetland on there.

-The all-important garage.

-Yeah.

If you did want to have the dog grooming business outside,

-you could, or...storage for those motorbikes.

-Absolutely.

-And that's the garage? Isn't it beautiful?

-Yes.

It is guess the price now. Who wants to go first?

-I'm going to take a stab. £385,000.

-I'm going to try £395,000.

-Are you two competitive?

-Very.

-Do you want to know who's won?

-Mmm.

Dee. The asking price is £395,000.

Oh! HE CHUCKLES

One each.

So I wonder if you want to have another look around.

-What do you think?

-I would like to.

-Probably need to, yeah.

-Please do.

Off you go.

Well within budget,

our second property is on the market for £395,000.

It's a detached cottage with character

and comes with four bedrooms and plenty of scope to create

self-contained accommodation for Rick's mother.

The beautiful gardens total around half an acre,

and look out onto those

uninterrupted views.

-Oh. Still more views. So every bedroom has that beautiful view.

-Mmm.

Oh, it's great, isn't it? I thought it was fantastic.

When we went into the, uh...kitchen/diner, oh,

that just opened up something completely different.

Not what you'd expect from outside of an old cottage.

The accommodation downstairs for my mother,

I think could work out really, really well,

and the possibility of actually fitting the dog grooming within

the house as well...uh, keeps it all nicely compact.

Well, that's it for today. I've had two sets of tears.

Got a job on my hands for tomorrow now, haven't I?

-You'll just have to make me cry.

-Yeah.

That's the priority - to get tears from you. Are you happy to leave?

Absolutely, yeah. Thank you.

It's the second day of our house hunt in Somerset with Rick and Dee

from Ilford in Essex,

who have £420,000 to spend on a dream rural property.

Coming up, our mystery house conjures up some festive fun.

My Christmas tree's already in. SHE LAUGHS

And I'll be getting carried away in a piece of pure motoring history.

Rick and Dee are desperate to buy their first home together

here in Somerset for a more relaxed way of life in the countryside with

Rick's mother, Ruby.

Now, yesterday certainly got off to an emotional start, with

tears as we approached our first property.

That theme continued with Dee literally welling up when she saw

the spectacular view from the window of our second cottage.

It was tears of happiness.

So today we've really set the bar high for our mystery property.

Now, land, chicken, donkeys, Shetland ponies -

they would be a struggle,

but will the property itself be the answer to their prayers?

Let's see.

For our mystery property,

we're heading ten miles east to the beautiful village of Charlton Adam.

It's well within our favoured location,

and only a 15-minute drive from the shops and facilities of Ilchester.

Charlton Adam is a historic place.

The ancient Roman Fosse Way runs through the parish

and the village features a variety of stunning stone buildings.

It's a thriving community with a pub and village shop and even serves up

a tennis court so Rick and Dee can continue their racquet rivalry.

They also love their motorbikes,

and would be interested in joining a local club,

so before we show our buyers our next house,

we're meeting up with Dave and Len from the Bridgwater Chapter to

see what the Somerset roads have to offer.

So the guys are hoping to move down to Somerset, well, very quickly, and

obviously the first thing they want to do is make new friends down here.

-Come to the right place.

-Oh, that's very encouraging.

Bridgwater Chapter is just up the road.

You've got some of the best riding country that you'll find,

which is why of course in the summer we're full of visitors.

We've got some rides that will take your breath away.

We've got nearly 300 members - we meet monthly,

-we ride out every month.

-Room for two more members?

-Of course!

-Of course. The more the merrier for us.

-Are ladies welcome?

-I was going to say - are there many ladies?

-No. Of course there are.

Of course there are. And even better if you ride your own bike.

-Of course she does.

-Go on - start them up!

-BIKE ENGINE SPUTTERS, ROARS

-Whoa!

And on that note, we'll say goodbye.

Just a short walk away lies our final house.

The risk with our mystery property is definitely the outside space,

but we have managed to deliver Dee's dream property.

I don't think yesterday could have gone any better if we tried,

but today with our mystery house, we're going to show this property.

-You are kidding me.

-No.

-That's not really...?

-Yes, it is.

-It's fantastic!

-It's an old schoolhouse, and it was a chapel.

SHE GASPS

Oh, how do you manage it?

But of course, it is our mystery house,

so it's not all what it seems because you're probably aware with

chapels, they very rarely came with a lot of land.

Might not have the acres of land,

-but it has horses in the field across the road.

-Wow.

-So what do you think, Rick?

-Amazed.

-Yes?

-Speechless again.

Didn't think you could do better after yesterday.

What a reaction,

and the land doesn't seem to be ringing any alarm bells.

This beautiful Victorian schoolhouse must be appealing to

Dee's teaching roots.

The interior's unfurnished,

but I don't think it will hinder their imagination.

-I think we should start off...

-THEY LAUGH INCREDULOUSLY

-..with the main chapel.

-SHE LAUGHS

-Come on in.

-THEY LAUGH

Oh, that is... I can't believe it!

But you've got the mullion features, haven't you? Leaded light windows.

I'm...my Christmas tree's already in.

SHE LAUGHS

My crib. THEY LAUGH

The wood burner's going. And just look at that stained glass window.

Would you like to see a little bit more?

-I'd love... I think you've...

-Oh, she's gone again. All right.

Let's keep going. We've lost her. Come on.

Yes, Dee's off again as we head through a light-filled vestibule.

Just mind the slight slope leading into...rather large kitchen.

Is it larger than you were predicting?

I've lost all ability to predict at the moment.

Wondering if our kitchen table would fit in this space or not.

That's my only initial concern.

-What I haven't told you yet is next door is a huge dining area.

-Gosh.

But I haven't quite done the ground floor yet because there's a very

important lady in your lives that we haven't mentioned so far.

There's an opportunity for her to live within the chapel itself as well.

-Wow.

-Let me show you.

So you've got a wet room here,

-and then perhaps a great room for your mother.

-That's un...

-That's incredible.

-It's a nice size.

-Yeah.

She does sort of have her own space in a way, doesn't she?

Again, having an en suite and it being a wet room,

she can just walk in and out and only just a couple of stairs to

-contend with to use the kitchen itself.

-And this space is perfect.

It's gorgeous. It's a lovely room.

I really think Rick can see Ruby in this separate living space,

and Dee loves the quirkiness of the downstairs.

We head up the first floor, where the character keeps on coming with

a gallery looking down to that stunning stained glass window.

It also offers two double bedrooms, the first of which features ornate

leaded windows and a modern en suite complete with panelled bath.

I'm thinking dressing room here, perhaps, for the two of you.

-SHE GASPS

-Because this is your master bedroom.

-And forget the artwork - you have...

-HE LAUGHS

-..your own stained glass window.

-Start me off again! Unbelievable!

-Do you like it?

-Yeah. Yeah, yeah. No, very much so.

Cos at the moment, all you're managing to do is prop poor Dee up.

-I'm holding her up at the moment.

-You are.

Because you've also got a bathroom next door as well.

We haven't really touched on your business, the dog grooming business.

Let's head back outside.

We can talk about that

and also...where are we going to find room for those two motorbikes?

-SHE LAUGHS

-There's a question for you.

The outside space is quite different to our first two properties,

offering a compact walled courtyard made of local Somerset stone,

but will Rick and Dee be able to live with it?

Now I've got to talk to you about the garden and the land,

and, um...well, chapels don't often have a lot of land with them,

and this is what we've got to play with at the moment.

Oh, there's always got to be a compromise,

and you have got the fields across there.

And as you can see, there's a coach house.

At the moment it's divided up - you've got the garage part

underneath and then upstairs is a loft.

Potentially you could have the bikes downstairs

and then perhaps the dog grooming upstairs.

-That's a very good thought.

-Yeah.

-Very good thought.

Well, we've all got smiles on our faces.

Let's hope that remains for guess the price.

So, Rick, would you like to go first?

I'm going to come in with £425,000.

I'm going to be slightly optimistic and finish it at £420,000.

-The asking price is £375,000.

-You are kidding.

-No.

SHE GASPS

HE LAUGHS

I think you should be kissing Nicki, yeah.

-THEY LAUGH

-Yes.

-Amazing.

-Mmm.

Do you think you want to go and have a second look around,

-the two of you?

-Love to.

-Yes? Please enjoy your mystery property.

-Thank you.

-Off you go.

-Thank you.

So excited.

Not only did I get three sets of tears,

but more importantly, this converted chapel seems to be

the house of their dreams at a price that's right.

At £375,000, the mystery property is well under Rick and Dee's budget.

It's a beautiful attached former Victoria school and chapel,

and offers three double bedrooms, one of which is downstairs,

a magnificent principal room in the old chapel with high-beamed ceilings

and stained glass windows,

and outside, the detached stone

coachhouse offers up great storage

and business potential.

My first impression when we walked along the road

and this was kind of at the end of the road, I thought,

"Surely they have not managed to completely fill all my wishes

"and got me a little church."

Accommodation for us including my mother,

it looks like it'll work pretty well.

Overall, I think it's a very, very serious contender.

Right, you two. Well, I'm emotionally drained, so you must be.

Let's go and sit down. We're going to have a chat.

Somerset is a county steeped in tradition with market towns

that date back to the Middle Ages

and geologic wonders that dominate the landscape.

But there's another historical attraction driving visitors to

the village of Sparkford - the Haynes International Motor Museum.

I'm meeting up with curator Mike Penn to get

the inside track on our motoring heritage.

Mike, you have such an impressive collection of cars

here at the museum.

Just name some of the models.

Well, of course the most important is the Benz here,

which was the world's first motor car, and then of course we've

got the famous Duesenberg - 10.5 million worth.

The cars that maybe you and I knew - Austin 7s, Morris 10s, Ford Anglias.

Everything for everybody.

The museum was the brainchild of John H. Haynes,

known for his bestselling car manuals.

He wanted to give something back to the motoring public,

opening this petrolhead's paradise in 1985.

How many cars did you start off with when the museum opened?

Just 29 cars and one motorcycle. And we charged £1 a head to get in.

Uh...it was great fun in those days.

Of course now, running a motor museum costs huge amounts of money,

so we've had to go up-market.

We've extended and put an awful lot more about interpretation of the car.

The museum now holds over 400 cars from around the world and relies

heavily on local volunteers to keep them looking pristine.

There's even a collection interpreted through colour -

red being synonymous with passion

and speed throughout much of motoring history.

So you don't just display these wonderful vehicles,

but you actually restore them as well under this roof?

Yeah, we do indeed.

We take crumbling old machines and turn them

into fully displayable items.

-I'd love to see that, if that's possible.

-Let's go.

-Thank you.

And in the workshop today is a stunning 1966 Ford Mustang.

Maintenance work can take up to 80 hours and it's a constant battle to

keep these beautiful machines up to showroom standard.

They all try to return to Mother Nature,

so you gotta keep on top of them.

The paintwork, for instance, blooms and it goes dull,

so we need to restore that part of it,

and it's basically keeping it as near to an original as possible.

But tell me, what's so special about the seats?

Well, of course, in 1966 was the only year they put in pony seats,

and that's a part of a panel in the back of the seat where it shows you

-a scene of Mustang ponies racing through the desert.

-Wonderful.

I don't think I'd want to drive one - they're far too precious

and valuable - but I'd love to be a passenger.

Well, we've got a 1930s Austin Carlton that's due its turn today.

-Do you think it needs a passenger?

-Oh, most certainly.

-Fabulous. Right.

-Lead the way, sir.

-OK.

Austin was one of the first manufacturers to offer a stylish

alternative to the dominant French and German imports of the 1910s.

Two decades later, British manufacturing was firmly on the map.

When I look at a vehicle like this, it's so aesthetically pleasing,

-isn't it?

-Yeah, they're lovely.

These cars are made in an entirely different way than modern cars -

no seat belts, no airbags.

I've got to ask - how much would a car like this have cost?

Around about £400.

Regular working people couldn't afford a motor car, but this sort of

car here would be a doctor, you know, factory owner, that type of thing.

Well, Nicki, I've told you all about the car.

-Now I think it's time for a spin.

-I would love to.

-I think this is the only time I'm ever going to be a lady.

-OK.

Now, that's what I call travelling in style.

A truly incredible collection, and a perfect way to

round off our tour of the beautiful Somerset countryside.

So we've shown Rick and Dee our three properties and, I must admit,

I have never had anyone cry tears of joy at all three before,

but I am baffled which one they like the most.

Let's go and ask them.

Well, Rick and Dee, every property I showed you, I thought,

"This is the one. We've clinched it. They love it."

We've had tears, we've had laughter.

So put us out of our misery - which property has captured your hearts?

-The mystery house.

-Has it? Yes!

-Everything about it is fantastic.

Lack of garden hasn't even come up in discussion.

Well, all three properties were just fantastic.

If I'm not careful, I'll start again.

And that chapel...oh, it just... it literally did blow me away.

And to live there would be just be wonderful.

Now, I'm presuming the next step is to bring mum Ruby down to

look at the chapel?

Obviously we'd like to bring her around, show her the properties,

or property, uh...and get the royal blessing.

The final seal of approval.

And I'm going to push you...are you going to be in a position to

put in an offer?

Well, we're hoping to go and see the agent tomorrow

-and certainly express our interest.

-Listen, thank you so much.

Give our regards to your mother. Let us know how you get on.

We certainly will, Nicki, and thank you very much.

-We've really enjoyed our time.

-Been an absolute pleasure.

I knew I was going to enjoy this house hunt -

I just didn't realise quite how much.

Well, it seems we scored a hat-trick with the properties we showed Rick

and Dee here in Somerset.

So much so that I really wasn't sure which one they would go for.

But after careful reflection,

it seems, despite its lack of land, that our mystery converted chapel

was the one that would make not just the two of them

but also Rick's mother, Ruby,

the perfect place to escape to the country.

I truly hope when Ruby goes to see it,

she feels just as strongly as our couple.

I'll see you next time. Bye-bye.

And the great news is Ruby loved the chapel and has now sold her house

so Rick and Dee are going full steam ahead with their mystery property.

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