0:00:02 > 0:00:03A thousand years ago, on these shores,
0:00:04 > 0:00:06an event took place that has been recounted by history teachers
0:00:06 > 0:00:09to their students for almost as long.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13I'll tell you what it is, and where I am, in just a moment.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17But here's a clue. It involves a king, a throne, and the tide.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37On today's show, I'm helping two urbanites
0:00:37 > 0:00:40flee the congested streets of London
0:00:40 > 0:00:43for the quiet calm of a coastal county.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46The countryside has a liberating effect on our buyers.
0:00:46 > 0:00:49- It would be like permanently being on holiday.- That's the idea.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52And things aren't always what they seem.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55- Goodness me!- You weren't expecting that, were you?- No!
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Today, I'm in West Sussex, and this is Bosham.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03It was here that King Canute the Great sat on the beach
0:01:03 > 0:01:05and commanded the tide to stop rising.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08But it wasn't to demonstrate that he COULD do it,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11rather to demonstrate to his flattering courtiers
0:01:11 > 0:01:12that he could not.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15And it was said that after demonstrating his own humility
0:01:15 > 0:01:18that he never wore his crown again.
0:01:18 > 0:01:19It's a good story, huh?
0:01:19 > 0:01:21It comes from a good county.
0:01:24 > 0:01:26West Sussex is bordered by Surrey to the north,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Hampshire to the West, and East Sussex.
0:01:30 > 0:01:34With its spectacular Downs, it's a county of great beauty.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36In the north, lies the Sussex Weald,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38once concealed by an impenetrable forest,
0:01:38 > 0:01:44but now peppered with affluent picture-postcard towns and villages.
0:01:44 > 0:01:46The gentle, rolling hills of the Sussex Downs
0:01:46 > 0:01:49is a tract of Outstanding Natural Beauty,
0:01:49 > 0:01:52where a grassy blanket covers chalk and flint,
0:01:52 > 0:01:56nature's building materials, used in much of the local architecture.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Along its 40-mile coastline are arguably some of the best beaches
0:02:01 > 0:02:03in the whole of the British Isles,
0:02:03 > 0:02:05with quieter spots such as Climping,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08an expanse of pebble, shingle and sand,
0:02:08 > 0:02:10characterised by its wooden groynes.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14So, whether you're looking for tranquil, sleepy countryside,
0:02:14 > 0:02:16or the quiet seclusion of the coast,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19West Sussex is a county that has it all.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25Property shopping in West Sussex is an expensive business.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28In fact, it's the priciest of all the coastal counties
0:02:28 > 0:02:30in the south-east.
0:02:30 > 0:02:34The average price for a detached house here is £362,000,
0:02:34 > 0:02:38that's £100,000 over the national figure.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41And, there are at least three reasons for that.
0:02:41 > 0:02:44One is that it has excellent links up to London,
0:02:44 > 0:02:46not that everybody who lives here is a commuter,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49two, is that the South Downs National Park
0:02:49 > 0:02:50runs through the whole county,
0:02:50 > 0:02:54and three, that it is, in fact, the sunniest county in the UK.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57What more reasons could you want to move here?
0:02:57 > 0:02:59Let's meet our buyers and find out.
0:03:02 > 0:03:04Born and bred in London, Carl and Katie
0:03:04 > 0:03:08have spent the past 20 years in Harrow, Middlesex.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Now, with their three children having left the family home,
0:03:11 > 0:03:13they feel it's time to relocate for a quieter life
0:03:13 > 0:03:16in the West Sussex countryside.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20We have been here in London all our lives, and the benefit
0:03:20 > 0:03:23of the transport particularly, and all the local amenities.
0:03:23 > 0:03:28But I'm really excited about being able to walk out of your front door
0:03:28 > 0:03:30and walk.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35And have space and air and room, and not to constantly hear sirens.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37It's been really nice being able to get into town,
0:03:37 > 0:03:40especially for all the children, being able to get about.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44But it's all getting a little bit congested, just through traffic.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47- It's just frenetic, isn't it? - And shops and everything.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51I think we're both real urbanites, really, aren't we, at heart?
0:03:51 > 0:03:54That's a little bit scary for us, isn't it?
0:03:54 > 0:03:58But, they're not the only ones who are making the trip south.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01My mum and dad are hopefully going to move with us.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03My dad is at an age that it would be nice to move now,
0:04:03 > 0:04:07so we can enjoy the new location before he gets too much older.
0:04:07 > 0:04:12There's also a family reason behind their choice of location.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15Kate's brother lives down in Chichester.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18I don't want to be too far away from my dad, who still lives here.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23So, be able to get back to him to visit and look after him if needs be.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26And, ideally, they'd like to be within reasonable distance
0:04:26 > 0:04:29of the local Catholic church.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32We've always been involved in the church, so we hope
0:04:32 > 0:04:36that would be our way into a new community and a new lot of friends.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40A change of scenery will allow Carl more scope
0:04:40 > 0:04:43to hit the road on two wheels.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46But there's an artistic side to this biker.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49I have some hobbies, like stained-glass window making.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54I also do woodwork projects and general DIY.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57That would be something really nice in the property,
0:04:57 > 0:04:58if there was room for that.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01Katie is also looking for enough indoor space
0:05:01 > 0:05:03to satisfy her creative streak.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06I'm a bit of a 1950s housewife!
0:05:06 > 0:05:08I love baking.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12'I decorate wedding cakes, First Holy Communion cakes, that sort of thing,
0:05:12 > 0:05:13'for friends.'
0:05:13 > 0:05:16It would be fabulous to have a room for me
0:05:16 > 0:05:20where I could have all my knitting, and my sewing stuff.
0:05:20 > 0:05:24And she's keen to exercise her green fingers.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27'I love pottering about in the garden.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29'I think it's something to do with nurturing things,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31'when you haven't got your children to nurture.
0:05:31 > 0:05:35'It's just lovely to see things growing up there.'
0:05:36 > 0:05:39So, what are the financial details for the move?
0:05:39 > 0:05:44Our budget for the move about £750,000, in that region.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Katie and Carl have asked us to focus our search in the south-west
0:05:50 > 0:05:54of the county, not too far from Katie's brother in Chichester,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56on the edge of the South Downs National Park.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02But before we begin our house hunt, I caught up with them in West Sussex
0:06:02 > 0:06:05to find out more about what they're looking for in their new home.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09- Morning, guys.- Morning! - Welcome to Sussex.- Thank you.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13A lovely bright day. First time out of London for both of you, isn't it?
0:06:13 > 0:06:17- It is, yeah! - Is that a bit nerve-racking?
0:06:17 > 0:06:19Yeah, definitely. Yeah.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23What are you looking for in terms of the location?
0:06:23 > 0:06:29Well, we would like to be near to at least a pub. So, not too rural.
0:06:29 > 0:06:33But getting away from the hustle and bustle of a big city, really.
0:06:33 > 0:06:35And inside the house, what are you looking for?
0:06:35 > 0:06:39We'd like three or four bedrooms for ourselves.
0:06:39 > 0:06:43- Just to turn around the seasons? - Yes!- One for each season?
0:06:43 > 0:06:47And then downstairs, accommodation or an annexe for Carl's mum and dad,
0:06:47 > 0:06:48- who are coming with us.- Yes.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51They're coming from a big house to a little place with us,
0:06:51 > 0:06:54so they need to be comfortable and happy with that, really.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57And in terms of the accommodation, do you want that
0:06:57 > 0:07:00sort of ready and made, or are you willing to do a bit of DIY?
0:07:00 > 0:07:03I think we're looking to potentially refurbish
0:07:03 > 0:07:08maybe a kitchen or bathroom, knock a wall down and reconfigure,
0:07:08 > 0:07:10- but not really do major renovation work.- Right.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Anything else about the inside of the house
0:07:13 > 0:07:15- that you're secretly hankering? - Yeah.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17I would like a kitchen-breakfast room,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19because we've always had one of them.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Yeah, and that's worked very well at home.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24- And I'd like a bit of a garden. - Yeah, what about the garden?
0:07:24 > 0:07:26What would you like in terms of garden?
0:07:26 > 0:07:29- You're coming to the countryside, the sky's the limit.- Yeah!
0:07:29 > 0:07:31I don't think we're looking for hectares,
0:07:31 > 0:07:35but it would be nice to have, sort of, a 100-foot garden.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38So, how much money have we got to play with?
0:07:38 > 0:07:41£750,000 to £800,000 at a stretch.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44We've got both my parents and our property
0:07:44 > 0:07:47to take into consideration, so hopefully that will work out.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Well, we've got three lovely properties lined up.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54Different places, offering very different things. So, come with me.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59For a maximum budget of £800,000,
0:07:59 > 0:08:02Katie and Carl are looking for three to four bedrooms,
0:08:02 > 0:08:06an annexe or extra downstairs space for Carl's parents,
0:08:06 > 0:08:10a large kitchen breakfast room, a good-sized garden,
0:08:10 > 0:08:13extra living space for Katie's craft room,
0:08:13 > 0:08:15all within reasonable distance
0:08:15 > 0:08:18from Katie's family in Chichester.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22We've found three first-rate properties to tempt them with,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25and at each one I'll be testing their evaluation skills
0:08:25 > 0:08:26as we guess the price.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28The third is the mystery house, which could have them
0:08:28 > 0:08:31seeking divine intervention.
0:08:37 > 0:08:40What about the coast? Obviously, you've got lovely seaside here.
0:08:40 > 0:08:44- Are you keen to be near the sea? - Oh, that would be lovely.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47But it wasn't something on our wish list,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50purely because we didn't think we could afford to be near the sea.
0:08:50 > 0:08:53You can never be stressed when you're by the sea. It's lovely.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03We begin our house hunt the quiet hamlet of Lagness,
0:09:03 > 0:09:07around 10 minutes from Katie's family in Chichester.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09A few miles down the road
0:09:09 > 0:09:12is the traditional seaside town of Bognor Regis.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16Up until the 18th century, Bognor was a fishing village,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19before its gradual transformation to a tourist destination,
0:09:19 > 0:09:23one of the first English resorts developed specifically for bathing.
0:09:24 > 0:09:26'House number one is a barn conversion
0:09:26 > 0:09:27'in the village of Lagness,
0:09:27 > 0:09:31'surrounded by farmland in a semi-rural location.'
0:09:31 > 0:09:34- Come on in.- Oooh!
0:09:34 > 0:09:38- Oh, it's lovely.- Oh, wow.- It's enormous!- A swimming pool as well.
0:09:38 > 0:09:43- Oh, it's so pretty!- See, you don't get that in Harrow, do you?
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- A swimming pool.- No! - And then this...- How pretty is that?
0:09:46 > 0:09:49- I do like the look of that. - ..is the annexe for your ma and pa.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Yeah.
0:09:51 > 0:09:53What are your first impressions, then?
0:09:53 > 0:09:56- Oh, great. Let's go in!- Yeah?
0:09:56 > 0:09:58I really like the ambience of the garden,
0:09:58 > 0:10:01and that extra little property looks lovely from the outside.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03What do you think about the location?
0:10:03 > 0:10:07- Do you know where we are?- No.- We're about two miles from the beach.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11- Wow!- And three miles from Chichester. So, very close to your brother.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13- Yeah, great.- We could cycle to the beach.- Yeah.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15But you won't ever need to go to the beach
0:10:15 > 0:10:16because you have your own pool.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18A swimming pool! SHE LAUGHS
0:10:18 > 0:10:22But I'd like to show you this first, cos I really don't quite know
0:10:22 > 0:10:24whether this is going to be big enough,
0:10:24 > 0:10:26or the right size, for your ma and pa.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29- Let's have a look.- Lovely.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31The annexe was originally an old stable block
0:10:31 > 0:10:33converted into separate accommodation,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36and I'm hoping it's big enough for Carl's parents.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40So, step inside.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43Yeah, nice.
0:10:43 > 0:10:44Originally, I think it was laid out
0:10:44 > 0:10:46so this was the sitting-room area.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50And you've got a bathroom and a kitchen through the arch.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53And then this would have been the sleeping alcove.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56I think that would work better, yes. This is a lovely, big area.
0:10:56 > 0:10:58Yeah, a nice big living room, then.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01- And then you've got a lot of storage space.- Oh, in the loft.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Tell me about your mum and dad. What are they looking for?
0:11:04 > 0:11:07What do they want to have in their space?
0:11:07 > 0:11:12I think something like this would be ideal. My dad's 92,
0:11:12 > 0:11:16and my mum's 14 years younger. They're both fairly active.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19But stairs now are becoming more of a challenge.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22- So, the idea would be...- They'd be with us a lot of the time.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24So, it doesn't have to be their entire...
0:11:24 > 0:11:29And when they're fed up with us they come back here again!
0:11:29 > 0:11:32- And when they're ready fed up, they can hide in the attic.- Yes.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34- "We're not here!"- "Go away!"
0:11:34 > 0:11:38Well, OK, so I should show you the place where you're going to live.
0:11:38 > 0:11:39Yeah, let's.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43'Off to the main property now.'
0:11:43 > 0:11:45'Originally a barn, it was converted in 2000
0:11:45 > 0:11:47'and it's packed with country charm.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51'So far we're getting the thumbs up, with Carl's parents catered for,
0:11:51 > 0:11:53'but now for our couple themselves.'
0:11:54 > 0:11:57Come on through into the kitchen.
0:11:57 > 0:12:02- Here we can see some of the original beams.- Oh, wow! Oh, they're lovely.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04- Yes, it's a nice kitchen, isn't it? - Yes, good. Nice kitchen.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08- Kitchen-diner.- A nice island. Quite a hankering for an island.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10And you've got this minstrels' gallery there.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12I'll explain that later on.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14How do you feel about eating in here?
0:12:14 > 0:12:18Because this would be the designated dining room, I think.
0:12:18 > 0:12:19I think there's plenty of room.
0:12:19 > 0:12:24And most of the time at home we tend to eat in the kitchen-breakfast.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28- It's got good points here?- I think so, I like the feel of the kitchen.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31- So far, everything's been really nice.- Yeah.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33Well, this is the kitchen area.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Let's move through into the sitting area.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41- And then, this is your... - Oh, yeah, really nice.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43Wood-burning stove, I like that.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45- That's a fireplace and a half, isn't it?- A real fire.
0:12:45 > 0:12:50- Little French windows onto the garden. More garden.- More garden.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53- This is also a lovely, natural eating space.- Yeah, definitely.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56With the vine over the top, it's almost like an outdoor living space
0:12:56 > 0:12:58as well, isn't it?
0:12:58 > 0:12:59It's as if they planned it!
0:13:01 > 0:13:03What's nice is that you've got this space up here,
0:13:03 > 0:13:06which you could also, if you are feeling very grand,
0:13:06 > 0:13:07have this as a formal dining room up high.
0:13:07 > 0:13:11- I think that might be my sewing room, Alistair.- Nice, yes.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13That's what goes into the minstrels' gallery
0:13:13 > 0:13:14- looking over the kitchen.- Uh-huh.
0:13:14 > 0:13:18Does this feel like a house that you could move out of London to?
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Yeah, at the moment everything feels really good.
0:13:20 > 0:13:24The location, the garden, the accommodation.
0:13:24 > 0:13:25It really looks good.
0:13:25 > 0:13:31And it feels very different from a house in the town.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Let's look at the master bedroom.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38'The property also has a utility room just off the kitchen,
0:13:38 > 0:13:41'and an upstairs study area.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43'There are four double bedrooms in all,
0:13:43 > 0:13:46'accessed via the spacious main entrance hall,
0:13:46 > 0:13:51'with bedrooms two, three and four served by the family bathroom.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53'First, the master.'
0:13:53 > 0:13:56So, there are three bedrooms on this corridor but this fourth one,
0:13:56 > 0:14:00- this would be your master. - It's fantastic.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02You've got doors to the pool there.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05You HAVE got doors to the pool there. And you've got an en suite.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07- You can explore the bit later on. - En suite, eh?- Oh, yes.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10And again, you've got this double aspect.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12You've got gardens each side.
0:14:12 > 0:14:15Really bright. And the beams again, going through.
0:14:15 > 0:14:17It would be like permanently being on holiday, wouldn't it?
0:14:17 > 0:14:19That's the idea, you see.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23That's what it's like moving to the countryside. Holiday all the time!
0:14:23 > 0:14:27And you can have your morning breakfast there on the terrace.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Let's step out this way, and past the pool,
0:14:29 > 0:14:31let's talk about the garden.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36'The mainly lawned garden lies either side of the property,
0:14:36 > 0:14:38'including a raised deck area covered by vines,
0:14:38 > 0:14:42'and a garage with a workshop, ideal for Carl.'
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Ooh, look, stepping out to the pool.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48- Oh, that would be lovely on a sunny morning.- A sun trap.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52It IS a sun trap as well, yeah. So, you've got a single-level dwelling.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55- Was that what you were thinking about?- It really works well.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58I think it is very practical, the accessibility, to be honest.
0:14:58 > 0:14:59And for Mum and Dad, you know?
0:14:59 > 0:15:01For coming over from the annexe to visit us,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04that wouldn't be any problem for them whatsoever.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08- OK, so the final part of the puzzle is the price.- Yes.
0:15:08 > 0:15:13How much do you think this little parcel of West Sussex costs?
0:15:13 > 0:15:16I'm really, really hoping you wouldn't be mean
0:15:16 > 0:15:20- to us...- I've been known to be mean in the past.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22So, I'm going to go £795,000.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25And I am going to be very optimistic
0:15:25 > 0:15:28and probably hoping more than anything else, £780,000.
0:15:28 > 0:15:29£780,000.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Well, in this instance, you should listen to your wife,
0:15:32 > 0:15:35because she's exactly right. It's on the market for £795,000.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38- Right, yeah, listen to me. - Doesn't surprise me.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41So, £795,000 gets you all this.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44There's quite a few rooms that we haven't actually had a chance
0:15:44 > 0:15:45to look at inside,
0:15:45 > 0:15:50- so why don't you go back in and I will catch up with you later.- OK.
0:15:53 > 0:15:58House number one comes in just under their top budget at £795,000,
0:15:58 > 0:16:00and it gives them four bedrooms,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03a separate annexe ideal for Carl's parents,
0:16:03 > 0:16:05a large kitchen-diner,
0:16:05 > 0:16:08a mezzanine area for Katie's craft room,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11ample gardens, including a swimming pool,
0:16:11 > 0:16:13all close to Katie's brother in Chichester,
0:16:13 > 0:16:16and the splendid West Sussex coast.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19I think my parents would really like the property.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22As soon as you walk in through the gate you see the little annexe
0:16:22 > 0:16:25and it just looks like a little self-contained house.
0:16:25 > 0:16:29The only thing that we might change quite quickly
0:16:29 > 0:16:33would be to change the shower room in the annexe,
0:16:33 > 0:16:35so that there was a walk-in shower rather than a bath.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37I really could see us here.
0:16:37 > 0:16:40And all the family, and the kids, and friends coming over, too.
0:16:40 > 0:16:44- It would be absolutely lovely. - We'd be so close to the sea.
0:16:44 > 0:16:47We've always thought about that, but to actually be able to do it...
0:16:47 > 0:16:50I think this house is a real contender.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56- I had to pull you out of that house!- That was fantastic.
0:16:56 > 0:16:59- Got the thumbs up, didn't it? - Yeah, really good.
0:16:59 > 0:17:01But it is only house number one.
0:17:07 > 0:17:11The West Sussex countryside is ideal vine-growing territory,
0:17:11 > 0:17:15thanks to a semi-continental climate and the geology of the landscape.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Dry, cooler nights
0:17:17 > 0:17:22and a fertile soil make this area suitable for wine production.
0:17:22 > 0:17:25It's no surprise, then, that the county's vineyards
0:17:25 > 0:17:26cover over 500 acres,
0:17:26 > 0:17:31making it the largest wine-growing area in the UK.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33With Katie keen to flex her green fingers,
0:17:33 > 0:17:36we sent them to the Bolney Estate
0:17:36 > 0:17:39to meet wine sales manager Stuart Barford
0:17:39 > 0:17:43to discover more about viticulture in West Sussex.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46How long have you been here in West Sussex, and what you produce here?
0:17:46 > 0:17:50Bolney Wine Estates was established in 1972.
0:17:50 > 0:17:54We started with three acres, and now we're up to 39 acres.
0:17:54 > 0:17:58We go against the grain of most English vineyards.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02In fact, we produce more red wine. We've got some Rondo,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06which is an early ripening grape variety, which goes into our red.
0:18:06 > 0:18:07We've also got Dornfelder as well.
0:18:07 > 0:18:10These grape varieties were grown
0:18:10 > 0:18:13because they ripen very well
0:18:13 > 0:18:15in the West Sussex microclimate we have here.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18The climate here causes the ripened grapes
0:18:18 > 0:18:21to retain high levels of natural acidity,
0:18:21 > 0:18:24vital for fine wine flavour.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28The soil, comprising of sandstone, clay and chalk, drains well,
0:18:28 > 0:18:30which is key for successful vine growing.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33And the topography is similar to the Champagne region of France.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37Vine canopies need constant care and attention,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39and our couple are meeting vineyard manager Sue Osgood
0:18:39 > 0:18:42to help out with a very important task.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44So, at the moment we're tucking our shoots in,
0:18:44 > 0:18:48so we keep them nice and neat and tidy inside the metal wires.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52If so, we can obviously drive the tractors up and down the road,
0:18:52 > 0:18:55and obviously come harvest time we want the grapes nicely exposed
0:18:55 > 0:18:56so we can find them.
0:18:56 > 0:19:01So, if you'd like to take hold of some vines and tuck them in for us.
0:19:03 > 0:19:08- How long do they take to flower? - On a usual year, about two weeks.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Then straight after flowering they'll go into fruit set,
0:19:11 > 0:19:12which is what they are now.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15- So you can see the little grapes developing.- Oh, yeah!
0:19:15 > 0:19:18And then they'll continue into bunches of grapes.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Do all the grapes ripen at the same time?
0:19:20 > 0:19:22Not quite all at the same time.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24We are looking here at the Pinot Noir,
0:19:24 > 0:19:26which have just gone through fruit set.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29If you look behind us over here, onto this side,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32this is the Rondo grape, and these have moved slightly further on
0:19:32 > 0:19:36than fruit set, so they're now developing into pea-sized grapes.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38- Oh, yeah!- How many bottles do you get out of a vine?
0:19:38 > 0:19:41Between one and three, depending on the variety
0:19:41 > 0:19:42and depending on the year.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46With the help of a grant from the Department for Environment,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48Food and Rural Affairs, Bolney Estate invested
0:19:48 > 0:19:50in a state-of-the-art winery,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53enabling them to produce wine for smaller neighbouring vineyards
0:19:53 > 0:19:55as well as their own.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57Time, perhaps, for Carl and Katie
0:19:57 > 0:20:01to sample the delights of the West Sussex countryside.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04What's unique about Sussex wines
0:20:04 > 0:20:07are that we kind of make them so they're more fruit-driven.
0:20:07 > 0:20:11If we take the still red, the Lychgate red,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14it's made out of Rondo and Dornfelder grapes.
0:20:14 > 0:20:15You should get strawberry
0:20:15 > 0:20:18and kind of redcurrant and blackberry out of it.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Now that our buyers have tasted the home-grown produce
0:20:24 > 0:20:26of this beautiful county,
0:20:26 > 0:20:29it's time to return to the task of finding them a home.
0:20:34 > 0:20:35For our second house,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38we're travelling northeast into the South Downs National Park
0:20:38 > 0:20:43to the hamlet of Watersfield, about 30 minutes from Chichester.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45A short distance down the road is the village of Bury,
0:20:45 > 0:20:49which sits beside the meandering River Arun.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52The village has an abundance of thatched and barn properties
0:20:52 > 0:20:56dotted amongst its leafy lanes, many of which are listed buildings.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00A Post Office and a shop, along with farm shops,
0:21:00 > 0:21:04provide a variety of locally produced food and drink.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07House number two, an ironstone-built property,
0:21:07 > 0:21:10can be found at the end of a quiet lane in Watersfield.
0:21:12 > 0:21:17- Swing the corner...- This is nice. - Wow.- House number two.- It's lovely.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20- It's like a little country cottage.- It's gorgeous.
0:21:20 > 0:21:24- So, this one has floors. - Floors, yes, indeed! Yeah.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28- And a big garage, look.- A big garage. Something there for you, Carl.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31- And your motorbikes.- Yep.- And if you look to the left, through the hedge.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Another little house for Mum and Dad!
0:21:34 > 0:21:36- A separate annexe for your mum and dad.- Yeah.
0:21:36 > 0:21:41- Is this more what you were thinking? - I think this is what I envisaged.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45So, yeah. Just a normal, detached house.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48Well, in good country style, we're not going to go into the front door.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51We're going to go round the side.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55'Built in the 1950s, the property has undergone radical modernisation,
0:21:55 > 0:22:00'mixing contemporary interior design with a traditional exterior.'
0:22:00 > 0:22:05- Come on in, through the boot room. - That's a lovely big boot room.
0:22:05 > 0:22:10- Straight into this.- Oh, gosh! Fantastic space.- Nice kitchen.- Wow!
0:22:10 > 0:22:14- Goodness me.- You weren't expecting that, were you?- No, no.
0:22:14 > 0:22:18You could have everybody in the kitchen while you were cooking here!
0:22:18 > 0:22:22It's slightly unusual because you've got the old kitchen, the prep room.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24That's got all your white goods, washing machine, fridge.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26And then this is the more kitchen,
0:22:26 > 0:22:30in the sense of this is the space where you'd eat and have breakfast.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32So, if you come through in here, you can see
0:22:32 > 0:22:36- the layout of this spectacular add-on they've got.- It a sun trap.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38It IS a sun trap.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41It's quite hot now, but the great thing about it is
0:22:41 > 0:22:44that you can open up every single one of these...
0:22:44 > 0:22:46- And be outside.- And be outside.
0:22:46 > 0:22:50- Folding... I don't even know what you call them.- Yes. Concertina doors.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54- That really lets the outside in. - That's quite something!
0:22:54 > 0:22:57So, this, really, would be your main walkway, because you can see
0:22:57 > 0:23:03there's a sitting room there, and at the end there's a study as well.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05So, you can access all of the rooms from the back
0:23:05 > 0:23:07and the front, as it were.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11- Is it's nice though? Do you like it? - I do like it, yes.
0:23:11 > 0:23:12It's very different.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15Yes, getting my head around what you've got here,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18- and how you could use it.- It is different from the last property.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20- Let's look upstairs, and you can see the upstairs layout.- Yes.
0:23:20 > 0:23:24'The downstairs definitely has that wow factor in terms of space.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28'But they seem a little over-awed by just how much there is.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32'Upstairs there are three double bedrooms in all.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35'Bedrooms two and three are served by the family bathroom,
0:23:35 > 0:23:37'with a square plunge bath.
0:23:38 > 0:23:40'And, before that, the master.'
0:23:42 > 0:23:46- Oh, look at the stained glass. - Look at the stained glass, yes!
0:23:46 > 0:23:48This is a nice sized room.
0:23:48 > 0:23:52- Up the stairs it's more like a typical 1950s look.- Yes.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55- A lot of storage in this property. - Good.- All your storage here.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59And this one has a very nice, modern en suite, wet room.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01- Right.- And a bath tub.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04- That's something, yeah.- How are you feeling about this house?
0:24:04 > 0:24:06I feel that last time you were...
0:24:06 > 0:24:08I'm a little ambivalent towards this house
0:24:08 > 0:24:12because I'm confused by the additional outside
0:24:12 > 0:24:18and front part of the house, and then the back view just shocked me.
0:24:18 > 0:24:20But it's quite a quirky house.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22And I guess the clincher would be what the annexe is like,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25- for Mum and Dad, really. - Well, let's go and look.- OK.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Excuse me, I'll lead the way.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31With Carl and Katie somewhat dazed and confused,
0:24:31 > 0:24:35I think the annexe is going to have to be a knockout
0:24:35 > 0:24:38to put this house into any sort of contention.
0:24:38 > 0:24:39Come on in.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42What we have here is a much more substantial annexe,
0:24:42 > 0:24:46in the sense it's got three separate rooms.
0:24:46 > 0:24:47A bedroom up this way.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50And separate mains, separate electricity.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52So it's all completely separate.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54It's really all finished beautifully, isn't it?
0:24:54 > 0:24:57- How does this compare to the last one?- Different, isn't it?
0:24:57 > 0:25:00Because this is a larger space, isn't it?
0:25:00 > 0:25:03And it's much brighter, and more open, isn't it?
0:25:03 > 0:25:07- Obviously it's got less stuff in it. - A totally different feel.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10There is more room here. It's a bigger area, isn't it?
0:25:10 > 0:25:15- It doesn't have a kitchen. - OK.- That's the difference.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18And you would have to get planning to put the kitchen on.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20We're not sure how much of a problem would be.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23- I'm sure they'd always be eating with us.- Right.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25But first you need to know how much it costs.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27So, let's go out into the garden and talk about money.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32'The gardens are mainly laid to lawn,
0:25:32 > 0:25:33'with a paved terrace area
0:25:33 > 0:25:35'leading on from the sitting room,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38'looking out over splendid rural views.'
0:25:39 > 0:25:43- And the missing piece of the puzzle is the price.- Yes, the price.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46- What do you think this is on the market for?- You go first, this time.
0:25:46 > 0:25:50Well, one less bedroom... Still really nice location.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54So, I'm thinking maybe £775,000?
0:25:55 > 0:25:59- Oh, and I was sort of going there as well, at £780,000.- £780,000?- Yes.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01Well, it might be the deciding factor.
0:26:01 > 0:26:06- This is actually on the market for £835,000.- OK.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10Hmm, I still think the issue for me is the mix of the modern
0:26:10 > 0:26:12- and the traditional. - Well, go and have an explore,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15because we didn't look at the rooms upstairs,
0:26:15 > 0:26:17and you can have another look around in the annexe.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20- And I will see you at the front. - Thank you very much.
0:26:20 > 0:26:25Priced at £835, our second house has come in over budget.
0:26:25 > 0:26:30It offers three bedrooms, a huge kitchen-breakfast room,
0:26:30 > 0:26:34a living room with folding doors and windows on all three sides,
0:26:34 > 0:26:37a two-bedroom annexe, a good-sized garden,
0:26:37 > 0:26:39all around half an hour
0:26:39 > 0:26:41from family in Chichester.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44I don't think I'm quite so enthusiastic or emotional
0:26:44 > 0:26:48about this house as the first house.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50And although all the elements of this house are just great,
0:26:50 > 0:26:54somehow, for me, it doesn't quite fit together properly.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Overall I like the property,
0:26:56 > 0:27:01but I found this area a little overwhelming in its modernity.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04I find the mix of traditional and modern
0:27:04 > 0:27:06a little bit too much of a clash from me.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12- Here you are, guys. Taking in the view.- Yes.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15I couldn't imagine ever living in a house with a view like that.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17I think moving to the countryside is going to open
0:27:17 > 0:27:20all sorts of imaginary doors.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22- Well, that is all the houses done for today.- Right.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25- Time to digest and have a little rest.- Indeed.- Let's go.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42It's the second day of our property search in West Sussex,
0:27:42 > 0:27:44with Carl and Katie from North London,
0:27:44 > 0:27:48who have £800,000 to spend on a new country home.
0:27:48 > 0:27:53Coming up, the mystery house blows their mind.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56This is beyond my wildest imaginings!
0:27:56 > 0:27:58And I'm caught napping on the job.
0:28:00 > 0:28:01Oh!
0:28:03 > 0:28:05Day two here in West Sussex,
0:28:05 > 0:28:07and Carl and Katie's house search continues at pace.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10I think there was a clear winner yesterday,
0:28:10 > 0:28:11but we have a mystery house today.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14And I'd like to be able to say why we are showing the mystery house,
0:28:14 > 0:28:20but actually, it's quite mysterious. It's just a great house.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22And you've got to remember that they're churchgoers.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24Oops, did I give it away?
0:28:24 > 0:28:26For today's mystery house,
0:28:26 > 0:28:29we're heading further east to the village of Warninglid,
0:28:29 > 0:28:31putting them about an hour away from Chichester.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36Before I reveal the property, I'm taking Carl and Katie
0:28:36 > 0:28:39for a stroll around the village to get a feel for the surroundings.
0:28:40 > 0:28:44- So, this is the mystery village. - It's really pretty.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46A little preview of your surroundings
0:28:46 > 0:28:49before I show you the house. It goes back to Saxon times.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52An interesting name, Warninglid. There was a lot of building in the 1950s.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55A lot of these houses are very nice 1950s houses.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57But copying the same sort of mathematical tiles
0:28:57 > 0:29:00- hanging from the front of the old buildings.- Yes.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04It's won Best Kept Village three times in the last quarter century.
0:29:04 > 0:29:05Impressive.
0:29:05 > 0:29:10So, this is what you could be buying into if you like this house.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13'In the heart of the village is our mystery house,
0:29:13 > 0:29:17'a converted property that was once the hub of the community.'
0:29:17 > 0:29:21Here we go. It's the mystery house!
0:29:21 > 0:29:22- Oh, my gosh.- Oh, wow!
0:29:22 > 0:29:28- What do you think this used to be? - A church!- A church.- That's amazing.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31- I said I liked going to church, didn't I?- You did.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33You don't even need to get out of bed, you're in church.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37- Is that all one property?- It's all one property, yes.- Good heavens!
0:29:37 > 0:29:39So, from 1935 to about 2000,
0:29:39 > 0:29:44this was the Anglican Church of Warninglid.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47This, on the other side, is a new addition,
0:29:47 > 0:29:50so it was converted by an architect in around 2000.
0:29:50 > 0:29:54- And they put on that extra building. - Oh, beautifully done, isn't it?
0:29:54 > 0:29:57- And look at the stained glass, Carl.- Yeah.
0:29:57 > 0:30:02- What are your thoughts and feelings? - Amazing!- Amazing.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04- Let's look inside.- Let's.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07'Built in 1932, the church has undergone
0:30:07 > 0:30:09'a substantial refurbishment,
0:30:09 > 0:30:12'and bearing in mind their reaction to the mix of styles
0:30:12 > 0:30:13'in our second property,
0:30:13 > 0:30:16'I'm hoping this sympathetic modernisation
0:30:16 > 0:30:19'will elicit a more favourable response.'
0:30:19 > 0:30:24Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh!
0:30:26 > 0:30:29It's enormous! It's echoey, listen to it!
0:30:29 > 0:30:31- It is echoey. - What a living space!
0:30:32 > 0:30:36This is beyond my wildest imaginings!
0:30:37 > 0:30:41So, let's walk down to the... Well, I suppose down the aisle...
0:30:41 > 0:30:42to the kitchen.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46This would have been where the altar was, the east end of the church.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49You've got the more elaborate stained glass above the cooker.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Beautiful colours.
0:30:51 > 0:30:55- Good heavens, indeed!- It's quite a signature kitchen as well, isn't it?
0:30:55 > 0:31:00- Yeah.- That dark units and the contrast with the white surface.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02- And really modern-looking. - Is that pleasing?
0:31:02 > 0:31:05I think that looks really nice, yeah.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08So, this is clearly the sort of like pazzang space,
0:31:08 > 0:31:10that's full of the sound of the angels.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14Through the archway is the more modest living space.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17I wonder what your mum and dad would think about living in a church!
0:31:17 > 0:31:19SHE LAUGHS
0:31:19 > 0:31:23'We're certainly getting more than our fair share of wows
0:31:23 > 0:31:25'with this property, but as we head to the new extension,
0:31:25 > 0:31:29'it's time to address the question of space for Carl's parents.'
0:31:29 > 0:31:32The second half of the house is a bit more modest,
0:31:32 > 0:31:34although anything would be modest after that first room.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38- Has it got the same windows?- Yeah. - It's very tastefully done, yeah.
0:31:38 > 0:31:41So the challenge of this property, and I will be frank,
0:31:41 > 0:31:44- is that it doesn't have a ready-made annexe.- Right.
0:31:44 > 0:31:50However, it does have on this floor a massive, beautiful family bathroom
0:31:50 > 0:31:52with a massive shower, which is suitable for wheelchairs.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55- Right, brilliant.- And this room.
0:31:55 > 0:31:59- And then also on this floor, another double and a single room.- Oh, OK.
0:31:59 > 0:32:04So, that is basically a living accommodation and a bedroom.
0:32:04 > 0:32:08Let's look upstairs, at your bedroom.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10'There is enough space for their parents,
0:32:10 > 0:32:12'but it remains to be seen whether the property offers enough
0:32:12 > 0:32:16'separate space for Carl and Katie themselves.'
0:32:16 > 0:32:19- So, a very nice modern bathroom. - Yeah.- Fantastic.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23Yeah, the quality is amazing.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26- And then this would probably be your room.- Definitely.
0:32:26 > 0:32:31- Because it's got... Ta-da! Huge storage.- My goodness!
0:32:31 > 0:32:34- You'd certainly fit all your dresses in there.- Yeah. Just, maybe!
0:32:34 > 0:32:38- There is space over there for more storage.- Yeah, dressing table.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Nice high room.
0:32:40 > 0:32:44And even though it's a sloping ceiling, you wouldn't bang your head!
0:32:44 > 0:32:46So, the challenge of this property is
0:32:46 > 0:32:49that you only have four bedrooms in total to play with.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51- And one of those is quite small. - Yeah, OK.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55It's just so unlike anywhere we've ever seen.
0:32:55 > 0:33:00It's really got the wow factor, both from outside and from inside.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02- That is why it's the mystery house. - Absolutely.
0:33:02 > 0:33:05There is a little bit of space outside,
0:33:05 > 0:33:07so let's look at the back garden.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12'Bearing in mind the Katie wanted somewhere to potter,
0:33:12 > 0:33:14'the garden is relatively modest.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17'At the front is a paved terrace, edged by box hedging,
0:33:17 > 0:33:18'with a small lawn to the side,
0:33:18 > 0:33:23'and the rear is mainly gravelled with a patio seating area.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26'And there's also a garage for Carl to tinker in.'
0:33:26 > 0:33:28Is it working for you?
0:33:28 > 0:33:32It's beyond amazing, isn't it? But we're quite messy.
0:33:32 > 0:33:37We've got quite a lot of things, and that house needs to be open
0:33:37 > 0:33:39and clean, doesn't it?
0:33:39 > 0:33:44So, I'm still trying to get my head around whether WE could live there.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48There isn't an extra room that we could use for your sewing,
0:33:48 > 0:33:50- or as a study to put things away.- Yeah.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52So, I'm struggling to see how that all really fits.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55And how much do you think it is on the market for?
0:33:55 > 0:33:59It's just incredible. The wow factor...
0:34:01 > 0:34:02The outside, the inside,
0:34:02 > 0:34:05I would have thought it would be way beyond the budget.
0:34:05 > 0:34:07So would I, yes!
0:34:07 > 0:34:09Given that it has to be somewhere near budget,
0:34:09 > 0:34:11I would have said £850,000.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15And I would have said near enough that as well, maybe £845,000,
0:34:15 > 0:34:16something like that.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18Well, you must really like it,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21because actually it's on the market for 750,000.
0:34:21 > 0:34:25Oh! Is it? I think they need to put their prices up.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29- Well, why don't you go back inside to the church.- Oh, yes.- Have a pray.
0:34:29 > 0:34:34- Indeed, ask the Lord to help! - And I'll meet you in the porch.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36Thank you.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38Now, that's interesting, isn't it?
0:34:38 > 0:34:41When someone guesses £100,000 over a property,
0:34:41 > 0:34:44that says something about what they think about it.
0:34:46 > 0:34:50It seems our mystery house has foxed them.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54On the market for £750,000, it offers them bags of character,
0:34:54 > 0:34:58with four bedrooms, a massive kitchen and living space,
0:34:58 > 0:35:01a huge downstairs bathroom, ideal for Carl's parents,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04a garage with workshop potential,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07all set in a beautiful village location.
0:35:07 > 0:35:12If it was just the two of us, I think that we could live here.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16Because we would use perhaps one of the bedrooms as a study,
0:35:16 > 0:35:18or a sewing room.
0:35:18 > 0:35:20And then the rest of it could be clutter-free and minimalist,
0:35:20 > 0:35:23how it is meant to be. I think that would work.
0:35:23 > 0:35:26But it's not just the two of us, it's for four adults
0:35:26 > 0:35:29and then, the kids when they come back.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31So, yeah, I'm not sure it...
0:35:31 > 0:35:36Although I really wish it would, I'm not sure that it does work for us.
0:35:36 > 0:35:38- You all done?- Yeah, thank you.
0:35:38 > 0:35:42- I'm afraid that's the last house I have to show you.- Oh!- No more.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45Well, they've all been amazing, the three you have shown us.
0:35:45 > 0:35:46Ended on a real high.
0:35:46 > 0:35:49Good. Well, let's go and find somewhere to gather our thoughts.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52Thank you.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01Many English counties can be identified not only by their
0:36:01 > 0:36:03landscape, but by their buildings
0:36:03 > 0:36:06and the materials used to construct them.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09With an abundance of flint found in West Sussex,
0:36:09 > 0:36:12it's become a defining feature of the county's architecture.
0:36:12 > 0:36:17One such building made from this durable quartz is West Dean House
0:36:17 > 0:36:18in the village of West Dean.
0:36:18 > 0:36:23Originally built in 1804, for the politician James Peachey,
0:36:23 > 0:36:24this Georgian Gothic manor house
0:36:24 > 0:36:27eventually became the West Dean College in 1971,
0:36:27 > 0:36:32a centre teaching traditional craft skills.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35I've come to meet college tutor and flint mason Gerry Williams
0:36:35 > 0:36:39to find out more about this hardy crystalline.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43- Morning, Gerry. Nice to meet you. - Welcome to West Dean.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45What an amazing building.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48- Now, you are a flint fanatic. Can I call you that?- A fanatic, yes.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51Absolutely. I'll go along with that.
0:36:51 > 0:36:53I can see that this is a very unusually white
0:36:53 > 0:36:56and very orderly flint. What information does that give you?
0:36:56 > 0:36:59Basically, when this was built, they left they left the cortex,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02- which is the outside flint, still on.- Cortex?
0:37:02 > 0:37:05Cortex, which is like a rind of a cheese.
0:37:05 > 0:37:06What about West Sussex?
0:37:06 > 0:37:08What's typical about this building?
0:37:08 > 0:37:11Is there anything you'd spot as being typically West Sussex?
0:37:11 > 0:37:14Well, only the fact that there's galleting here.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16There's a lot of areas where there is galleting.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19- Even in East Sussex, no galleting. - What's galleting?
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Galleting is the small slivers of flint
0:37:22 > 0:37:24that are knocked off a big flint,
0:37:24 > 0:37:26so you get all these little bits
0:37:26 > 0:37:29that you can stick in round the joints.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32It is purely to show a sign of wealth,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35because it costs a lot of money to sit there galleting.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38- So, this is a wealthy man's house. - Absolutely, yes.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43Found mainly in areas of chalk and limestone,
0:37:43 > 0:37:46nobody really knows how flint is formed.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49It is extremely tough, almost as hard as diamonds,
0:37:49 > 0:37:52and it takes years to learn how to read the flint
0:37:52 > 0:37:55so you can map it into the exact shape you want.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57Time for my lesson, I think.
0:37:59 > 0:38:05- Here we have the flint bench. - Ah, look. All the raw material.
0:38:05 > 0:38:09How do you work it? Because it's extremely hard. It's tough material.
0:38:09 > 0:38:12It's tough material, but it's not specifically hard.
0:38:12 > 0:38:16You have to look at it and assume where you're going to work it,
0:38:16 > 0:38:18and then tap it.
0:38:18 > 0:38:22- And then you're listening and looking at the same time.- Listening?
0:38:22 > 0:38:26You listen to hear how it rings. And then, off you go.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29- You'll find out in a minute. - Can we have a go?- Yes.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33I think you'd better put your gloves on.
0:38:33 > 0:38:34- They're quite sharp.- Very sharp.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38- They used to make knives out of them.- Knock a bit off.
0:38:38 > 0:38:43- LOUD TAPPING - You can hear it's ringing quite well.
0:38:43 > 0:38:44Are there any tips?
0:38:44 > 0:38:47Am I listening for anything in particular?
0:38:47 > 0:38:49What we want you to do, just try and think,
0:38:49 > 0:38:51you're going to try and knock that lump off.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54What you want to be looking at is that nodule there.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59Just give it a sharp crack.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01That's it.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Yeah, it's gone.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06- LOUD TAP AND CRASH - Oh, my God!
0:39:06 > 0:39:11Absolutely bigger than I expected!
0:39:11 > 0:39:13It's got a mind of its own.
0:39:13 > 0:39:14You have to work it.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18- So, you can see here, this is the cortex?- That's right.
0:39:18 > 0:39:23This is the black, black flint. Wow, it's really amazing.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25I'm getting the hang of it.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28This is amazing. This has been so instructive.
0:39:28 > 0:39:33- I have learnt knapping, gallets... - Gallets.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36- It's been a real joy. Thank you so much.- Good. Good to meet you.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39'I have a long way to go before I build my own flint house, I think,
0:39:39 > 0:39:43'but, thankfully, Gerry is here to pass on these traditional skills,
0:39:43 > 0:39:47'to conserve wonderful flint structures for years to come.'
0:39:47 > 0:39:49For now, time to catch up with our couple
0:39:49 > 0:39:51and return to their house hunt.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54On reflection, I think
0:39:54 > 0:39:57maybe the ecclesiastical portions of that mystery house
0:39:57 > 0:40:00may have put the fear of God into Carl and Katie, quite literally.
0:40:00 > 0:40:05But it's definitely between that one and house number one, with the pool.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08So, which one is going to lure them from London? Let's find out.
0:40:11 > 0:40:16I would bet this cream tea here that the two houses you like
0:40:16 > 0:40:20- the most are the first and the last. - Yeah.- You're not wrong.
0:40:20 > 0:40:23Yes! The cream tea is mine, excellent!
0:40:23 > 0:40:26Have you had any thoughts about the first and the last house
0:40:26 > 0:40:28since we've got back?
0:40:28 > 0:40:31I think we could really see ourselves living in the first house,
0:40:31 > 0:40:36as opposed to the third house, which was beyond fabulous
0:40:36 > 0:40:41but probably not really practical for us all to live in.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44Of course, your parents have been key players in this,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47even though they haven't been with us. Has that been...
0:40:47 > 0:40:50Sometimes I think you're looking for the house for your parents,
0:40:50 > 0:40:51rather than yourselves.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55Have you allowed yourself a bit of, "This house would nice for me?"
0:40:55 > 0:40:57I think it's very much for both.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00So, that's why the separate annexe
0:41:00 > 0:41:03and all the accommodation in the first house really did fit
0:41:03 > 0:41:06the bill, whereas the second house became a bit of a compromise,
0:41:06 > 0:41:10and equally for the third, there was a bit of a compromise.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13Not really having enough space for all of us.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15Have you been telling them what you've seen?
0:41:15 > 0:41:18Yes, I've been ringing them and trying to describe the properties.
0:41:18 > 0:41:21So, we'll have to fill in him little bit more when we get back.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25And hopefully get them down to see one of them.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27So, the next step is what?
0:41:27 > 0:41:29Well, certainly, initially to go back
0:41:29 > 0:41:32and look at the surrounding area from the first property.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34The first property is very close to your brother.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36Yes, which would be so good.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39To be able to see them on a more regular basis
0:41:39 > 0:41:42and have my niece and nephew, over and play in the pool.
0:41:42 > 0:41:46- With that pool you'd be seeing a lot of them.- Yeah!
0:41:46 > 0:41:47I hope it all goes well.
0:41:47 > 0:41:50There's a few obstacles you need to get through,
0:41:50 > 0:41:52but your excitement will carry you through, no doubt.
0:41:52 > 0:41:57- We're really looking forward to moving.- We're looking forward to it, yeah.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03I feel good about the work we did with Katie and Carl this week,
0:42:03 > 0:42:05because we overcame their anxiety, which is understandable,
0:42:05 > 0:42:07having lived in London their whole life,
0:42:07 > 0:42:09about moving into the countryside.
0:42:09 > 0:42:10But that's a good thing,
0:42:10 > 0:42:14because then, they will have all this on their doorstep.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17And I think with their energy, excitement and ebullience,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20they'll clear all the obstacles and make the move.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22I hope that you, with all your enthusiasm,
0:42:22 > 0:42:26join us next time for more Escape To The Country.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30Well, the first property was ideal,
0:42:30 > 0:42:32but having been back to look around the area,
0:42:32 > 0:42:34Carl and Katie decided that although they love the house,
0:42:34 > 0:42:38the location isn't quite right for them and Carl's parents.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41So, they're continuing their search around Chichester
0:42:41 > 0:42:43for their dream home in the country.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47If you want to escape to the country
0:42:47 > 0:42:50in Wales, Northern Ireland, England, Scotland
0:42:50 > 0:42:52or even further afield to the Continent,
0:42:52 > 0:42:54and need our help,
0:42:54 > 0:43:00please apply online at: