West Sussex Escape to the Country

Spanning over 320 metres,

this public bench lays claim to being the longest in Britain

but to find out which county shores you'll find this on, well,

you'll have to stay on the edge of your seat for a few moments longer.

On today's show, I help a couple quit London's commuter belt

to begin a new phase of life in a county they've come to love.

It's not a brilliant start,

as I get to grips with what they're really looking for.

-My first impression is that it's a bit small.

-OK.

Luckily, things progress a little more positively.

-Ah, so it doesn't stop just there?

-No.

-It's right over there.

-Yeah.

Today, I'm in West Sussex, in Littlehampton,

where this stylish bench has cut an architectural dash along this

promenade since it was unveiled here back in 2010.

It was designed by the help of local school children

and the idea behind it was that people could pay for these

individual slats to be personalised

with their own messages and dedications.

I must say, looking at some of these, it's clear that this

stretch of coastline remains a very special place to many people,

which is no doubt the case across this beautiful county.

Situated on the south coast of England, West Sussex is

bordered by Surrey, Hampshire and East Sussex.

It's 40 miles of coastline, with sheltered beaches

and expansive views over the English Channel,

give way to miles of lush chalk downs and ancient woodland.

Tucked amidst this pristine, rural landscape are evocative

reminders of the county's rich history, including

this spectacular and perfectly restored Arundel Castle

and the Cowdray Ruins,

haunting remains of a once magnificent Tudor mansion.

The Cowdray Estate has long held ties to neighbouring Midhurst,

an attractive market town where some of the houses bear distinctive

window frames, painted in the estate's signature Cowdray yellow.

South of Midhurst, on the plains between the Downs and the sea

is Chichester, the only city in West Sussex and its county town.

This elegant centre is home to one of England's most intact

Norman cathedrals and an historic harbour with a picturesque marina.

Just north of the city, stretching across the county,

is the South Downs.

The UK's newest national park,

it was established in 2011 to help protect the rare

and diverse beauty of this stunning part of the country.

There's no getting away from it,

buying a property here in West Sussex can be very expensive.

The average price for a detached house here

comes in at around £363,000.

Some £100,000 above the national figure.

Now, good road and rail connections into London for commuters is

one of the main driving factors here.

So much so, that in Horsham, right in the centre of the county,

you can even pay another 35% premium on top of that.

But, buying a home here in this county needn't cost you

the earth, especially if you comb the property

market around the coastal areas of Shoreham-by-Sea.

So, whereabouts in this county are today's buyers looking to move?

Well, let's meet them and find out.

20 years ago, Peter and Jill bought this four bedroom Edwardian

semi in the London commuter town of Weybridge.

With their busy consultancy careers, it was perfectly

located for transport links to London and abroad.

But having semi-retired, they're cutting those city ties

and looking for a new home in the country.

The time is right, we're both coming up to that,

sort of, formal retirement age, as it were and we'd like to do it

at another location.

I think it's quite good to change occasionally.

It gives you a different perspective on things.

Makes you tidy the house out...get rid of some clutter.

That's my hidden agenda, dear, you're not supposed to know about that.

With close friends already living in West Sussex,

they've made regular visits to the area

and have got to appreciate what the county has to offer.

I think there's some wonderful views because of the rolling country,

with the South Downs.

And you've got that combination of nice areas to walk in

and the hills and the coast.

So, it's a lovely balance of natural amenities and open space.

Although they're fairly open minded about the kind of property

they're looking for, they do still have a few essentials.

Peter actually has an allotment,

which can be accessed directly from our own property, which is

brilliant cos it's like having your own vegetable garden

outside your garden.

So, I think we'd probably want to have at least that when we move.

And also a view...I think a view is important.

I wouldn't want to have somewhere where you've a blank

wall at the end of the garden and you feel hemmed in.

As well as a veggie plot with a view,

there's an indoor space that's also a must for Peter.

A study in a new house is very important.

Currently, trying to get a Master of Arts Degree in Modern History

and I need the space and quiet,

to study and think.

I really couldn't envisage a house without that kind of

quiet space.

So, what have they got to spend on a country home in West Sussex?

Our budget, for this move, is £850,000.

Peter and Jill particularly like the south west of the county

and their friends live near Chichester.

So, we're focusing our search within half an hour's drive of the town.

I'm meeting up with them to find out more about their move.

-Good morning, both of you.

-Hello.

-Good morning, Jonnie.

Rather damp start to the day

but I'm hoping it's going to brighten up.

-No rain yet.

-No, no, you're prepared, which is good.

Now, it's quite a big move, so why now?

It's retirement based?

Yes, we're both semi-retired

and we thought we'd better move before we get too old

and it's a change of location, more than a change of lifestyle.

Why this location?

Because it's lovely, it's nearer the sea,

it's tranquil and three lovely cricket grounds within easy reach.

-Now you're talking!

-THEY LAUGH

Now you are talking!

Location wise, I mean, you're leaving transport hopes behind,

you're looking for something more rural then?

-Yes, yes.

-How rural?

Well, village based.

I think, we'd like to be within walking distance of one or

two facilities, be it a pub or a shop.

OK.

Not a little hamlet with nothing.

The properties themselves, what are must-haves?

I think must-haves are a good sized kitchen, for me

and a separate utility room cos I've never had one.

OK, and this kitchen, it's a dining kitchen?

It could be but we would like a dining room.

We tend to entertain friends quite a lot and I think

-if we're away from London, that will probably be more so.

-Yeah.

So, we'd like to have somewhere separate to eat.

Are you expecting to put friends up overnight,

who are coming down for dinner?

-Yes, we would be down here.

-So, let's talk about bedrooms.

It's a minimum of three, probably four.

OK, any favoured styles?

I think you could describe our requirements as characterful,

without being eccentric.

OK!

What about throwing some, you know,

like converted churches or barns or anything like that?

I mean, that's pretty quirky, I know.

We've looked at a couple of barns

and they seem to pinch out at the top and you lose room.

-Yes.

-So, generally, barn conversions, probably not.

You sound like you know what you want, to an extent, but you're

-prepared to be wowed by something different?

-Definitely.

Yeah, absolutely.

-I think that's a fair summary.

-OK.

It's going to be an exciting couple of days.

We've got a really healthy budget and a beautiful part of the world.

-Sure.

-So, let's finish these cups of tea and coffee and get started.

Great!

With a generous budget of £850,000, Jill

and Peter would like a spacious,

characterful home with a large kitchen and a separate dining room.

They'd like a study for history buff Peter, a utility room and a

minimum of three bedrooms.

Outside they're hoping for a garden with views

and space for a veggie plot and they'd ideally like to be

within walking distance of one or two local amenities.

We've found three fantastic properties to tempt them with

and before revealing the price, we'll get them

to have a guess at it first.

One will be our mystery house, whose style

and dimensions could spark a complete rethink for our buyers.

But first, we're heading for house number one.

So, do you guys have something that you want to get involved in,

when you come to move down here?

-I have an interest in history and...

-Right.

..I'd like to do some local history.

So you want to do a study of your new area, down here, then?

Yes, to see what's going on down here would be very interesting, I think.

Is there anything new you want to take up once you make this big move?

I think I'd be quite interested in doing some sort of volunteer work.

I've got a friend down here who is working at a local museum

and I think something like that could be quite interesting.

You're going to have a busy time moving down here, aren't you?

We won't have time to unpack!

Let's get you a house first, shall we?

'We're starting the house search 16 miles north of Chichester

'in Bexley Hill, right in the heart of the South Downs National Park.

'The nearest village is the rather beautiful Lurgashall and before

'we visit our first property, I'm bringing Jill and Peter here

'to show them a couple of features I think they might just like.'

So welcome to Lurgashall.

You both said you wanted to be close to a pub.

Dah-da!

-I know you have a love of cricket...

-And there's a cricket green.

-This is perfect.

-Perfect.

-It doesn't get any better than this?

-And it's pretty.

-It's gorgeous, isn't it?

They regularly play cricket here and you've even got your shop

and post office right in the heart of the village itself.

-Shopping list completed.

-Done.

It's stunningly picturesque.

All we need to do now is find you a house nearby.

-To match.

-Ah, well.

-Let's go.

'A mile and a half down the road is our first property,

'a detached four bedroomed house in a desirable rural location.'

So here is property number one.

It's very green!

It's very green all around, isn't it?

I think, you know, in all fairness this house needs taking hold of.

-It needs a bit of work.

-Yeah, OK.

-Let's take a look inside.

-Sure.

'The original part of this property dates back to the 16th century

'and is believed to have been a woodman's cottage.

'Around 25 years ago it was extended to create a much larger home,

'which I'm hoping will suit Jill and Peter's needs.'

So once through the hall,

-you come to the first really good sized reception area.

-Mm-hm.

Right. It's nice and light. I love the fireplace.

I think that's really good.

You said you didn't want necessarily fully open plan

-so this is semi open plan. Let me show you the kitchen area.

-Right.

-What do you think?

-My first impression is it's a bit small.

It's quite like a galley type of kitchen,

it's got the long, thin space.

You've got a larder or pantry behind you.

Then you've got a utility just the other side

where you first walked in.

-You said you've not had a utility before?

-Mmm.

So you are used to having a big kitchen with all your gubbins in it?

-Yeah.

-Bearing in mind all your food store is out of the way,

your white goods are out of the way, maybe you do have enough.

-Yes, you don't need so much.

-Just pure cooking area.

-Yes.

Muted opinions here in this kitchen, I would have thought.

-Not an overwhelming endorsement.

-No.

-OK.

Let's keep looking around and see how it changes. Follow me.

So you've got two reception rooms, you've got a small one there,

bear that in mind when we talk about the main one here.

Right.

-Again, on the small side.

-Yeah.

-I thought you might say that.

-Mm-hm.

That wall there is just a stud petition.

-Knock that through and this becomes quite a large reception room.

-Yes.

'This relatively simple alteration would certainly give our buyers

'the more generous living space they're after.

'Also downstairs there's an office

'where Peter can study for his history degree.

'Upstairs there's a family bathroom and four bedrooms.

'One's a single and the others are doubles

'so there's plenty of space for their London friends to stay over.

'We've earmarked the largest bedroom for Peter and Jill.'

The best views in the house are the ones that you would wake up to.

The master bedroom.

-Oh, yes.

-Lovely.

-That is beautiful. Isn't that nice?

-Very nice. Double aspect, too.

-Yeah, nice and bright, isn't it?

-It is.

It's lovely from that point of view.

And there is an ensuite. Have a good look.

-This has obviously been done quite recently, it's all very modern.

-Yes.

Nicely done. Yes.

So let's head outside now, start thinking about price though.

-OK.

-OK?

'I'm not sure if this property has really won them over

'but maybe the outside will give them a better indication.

'There's an half acre plot with gorgeous views and a detached

'double garage where Peter could stash all of his gardening tools.'

It's lovely. I mean, I like the garden. I think it's nice.

-Plenty of room to grow your veggies?

-Oh, yes.

-Plenty of apples to harvest.

-Yes, quite.

I think the garden's pleasant because it's a nice amount of space

but it's not too much work.

On paper, you've got lots of what you asked for.

You've got this land, you've got views, a wonderful countryside location

but all this comes at a price.

How much do you think this house is?

I think it's about 799.

OK, Peter?

No, I wouldn't put it as high as that.

-I think more like 750.

-Right.

Well, you may then be surprised to that hear this house

is on the market for offers around £850,000.

Yes, I would be.

It's an asking price, of course it is. Who knows what price they will sell at,

-until that price comes along and they accept it.

-Indeed.

Why don't you go back inside, have a look at those other three bedrooms,

have a look at the office area,

the double garage, whatever you want to see.

Take your time and I will meet you whenever you're ready. OK?

-OK.

-See you shortly.

'This 16th century property is right on budget at £850,000.

'It offers a characterful dining room

'and two other reception rooms that could be knocked through

'to create the more spacious living area our buyers are looking for.

'There's a utility room, a study and four bedrooms

'and outside there's a double garage and wonderful, rural views.'

-Mind your head.

-Oh, right.

Yes, you have to stoop, don't you?

-It's quite a pretty room, isn't it?

-It is a pretty room, actually.

I think the house itself is a bit on the small side

for what we're looking for, particularly the kitchen area

and, obviously, a couple of the bedrooms are quite small.

I think, for me, it's probably not a house I'd leap at straightaway.

When we got inside I was particularly struck by the dining room area

and the wood fire, I loved that.

It's a really nice feature of the house.

In terms of living space and layout,

it's not large enough in terms of the rooms.

It's not quite what we're looking for.

Now then, seen enough inside and out?

-We have.

-Excellent! Onwards and upwards, this way.

'The fertile lowlands of West Sussex and the south-east

'they're fascinating evidence of its Roman heritage.

'With a significant concentration of Roman villas found in the area.

'One of the largest and most intact of these was most unwittingly

'unearthed in Bignor in 1811 by a farmer called George Tupper

'when he was ploughing his field.

'The site which dates back to around 30 AD is still owned by the

'Tupper family and has been open to the public for the last 200 years.

'With Peter's passion for history in mind, we've arranged for him

'and Jill to meet up with Liz Tupper, whose husband is a sixth

'generation descendant of the man who found this place.

'You're standing in the centre of the courtyard Roman villa here at Bignor.

-All right.

-It would have covered about two hectares.

-It's extensive.

-Very extensive.

How many people would have been living here?

At its height, about 300AD, there would have been 70 family members

and probably 200-300 slaves.

The crops that they would've had, the arable crops, the cereals,

would have gone off to the market towns in Chichester

and would have been sold to the Roman Army

and that's where we think they would have got their wealth from.

'Eager to make their growing status visible to society,

'these wealthy farmers commissioned

'elaborate ornamentation for their homes.

'Peter and Jill are escaping the rain for a tour of what's known

'as the Summer Room, which houses some of the finest mosaics in Europe.'

Here we have the Ganymede and Jupiter mosaics.

They were very good at borrowing mythology from the Greeks

and other classical mythology.

Again, it was a status symbol so they alluded to their wealth

for the visitors that would dine with them in this room.

It must have been quite a sophisticated family.

And if we have a closer look, I have a piece here.

This is a piece of Purbeck marble, all the way from Dorset.

This is the black in the mosaic.

The white is chalk and the yellow, red and orange is sandstone.

'When the weather got cooler the residents would abandon

'the Summer Room for a cosy part of the house.'

Here we are now in the Winter dining room,

which would've been the very best room at the back at of the villa.

'The room was kept warm by a sophisticated heating method

'that involved raising the floor and is known as the hypocaust system.'

It's old-style under floor heating.

It certainly is and very efficient, too.

You would have two slaves outside of the room with a large fire.

They would blow the hot air through a tunnel which would circulate

around the piles of tiles, heating the floor from the underneath.

Nice and toasty warm on the day like today.

'As well as the many intricate mosaics,

'other artefacts have been found on the site that help build up

'a picture of the people who lived here.'

These only come out on very special occasions.

You have the gold ring. That was found in 1818

and we believe it to have belonged to the Roman master of the house.

-Solid gold with a Carnelian stone.

-Beautifully made.

You can try it on, if you like.

I think a Roman's finger might have been a bit smaller than yours.

I doubt it. Well, yes.

THEY LAUGH

'Having acquainted themselves with the Sussex Roman real estate,

'we need to return to finding them a 21st century home of their own.

'Our second property takes us 20 miles south

'to the coastal hamlet of Climping.

'A five-minute drive away is Middleton, a charming seaside village

'with several shops including a post office, greengrocer and butcher.

'A couple of miles down the coast is our second property,

'a Grade II listed house just few minutes walk from the beach.'

So a pretty good vantage point to look at property number two is here.

-What do we think?

-Oh, yes.

It's a pretty flint, very typically Sussex cottage.

-First impression, very positive.

-Yeah. I like it.

-Let's see if the inside matches up, shall we?

-Right.

'This brick and flint home dates back to the 1600s

'and over the years it's had several guises.

'At one time it was the village stores and tea rooms.

'Entering the property takes us through the dining room

'and into a spacious sitting room.'

Ah, yes.

Oh, beautifully presented.

Very nice, a lovely fireplace.

A lovely, cottagey feeling to it.

-But not too small in its proportions.

-No, no, no.

It's just got a nice balance.

-Is this more like it for you then, Peter?

-Much more like it, yes.

-Good.

-Much more like it.

-Can you see your life being transported

into this house, essentially?

We certainly see this as a very comfortable living room.

It's got a lovely character to it.

So, I mean, we just walked into the home.

-So far, I think...

-It hits the spot?

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

-Good, so living room tick, let's go into the kitchen.

-Right.

So stepping down into this kitchen...

It is wider than the kitchen in the first house

but it's a lot longer so it feels even more narrow.

-You tell me what you think?

-It feels...

It is still galley-style kitchen but, I think,

-using the lighter surfaces makes it feel more spacious.

-Yeah.

And, as you say, the length.

-You've got a lot more cupboards and storage space involved.

-Mm.

You've got the utility room at the far end,

-which means you got a downstairs loo.

-Mm.

This brings into play the first reception that we walked into.

-This is a dining kitchen.

-Mm.

I think this is probably just breakfast for you two guys.

For formal dining, maybe in the first reception room.

I would think so yeah.

It looks as though they do that occasionally

-and maybe one would make more of it.

-Mmm.

-Let's go upstairs and have a look at what's available bedroom wise.

-OK.

Let me squeeze through here. Thanks.

'I think we might be getting somewhere with this property.

'It seems to suit their needs a little better than the first house.

'Let's hope upstairs gets a similar response.'

So into the master suite this time.

-Big enough?

-A much better size.

-A nice sized room.

-Yes, it is.

I call it a suite because you've got the ensuite there

- bathroom, shower and loo.

But a really good sized dressing room with wardrobes.

-A good arrangement.

-Very spacious.

-Really nice, yeah.

Now just to give you an idea of what we've got here.

We've got three other bedrooms, one used as a study at the moment

playing into your hands and another really good-sized family bathroom.

-This house is generously proportioned.

-It is.

-Meets a lot of the targets.

-Yeah, good.

For you guys, from what I'm learning that you want,

-this seems to be a lot closer to the finished product.

-Mm-hm.

-Yes.

We've not talked about knocking walls down

-or doing any work to this so far.

-No.

Because I think they've, obviously, done that in there time

-and done it well.

-Good stuff.

OK, well, let's get into the garden, shall we?

I know you're dying to have a look. Follow me.

'They definitely seem impressed by the master suite

'and I know they won't be disappointed by the outside.

'It's got a beautiful walled garden with a glass roofed summer house,

'perfect for entertaining their guests

'and there's also a large garage with a workshop.'

So a lot more formal than the garden in the first property,

until you see the natural meadow next door, which is included.

-Ah, super.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Yes, it is.

Obviously somebody's put a lot of care and love into the garden.

-Very much so.

-It's beautifully done.

And, you can't see it just from here, but there is

a formal vegetable garden just the other side there, as well.

Like the inside of the house, they've done the outside really nicely.

So how much do you think this house is on the market for, Peter?

I would say this is pushing the budget,

erm, possibly 865.

OK, Jill?

I'm going to say it's on our budget at 850.

Well, not much between you.

This house is on the market for offers around £860,000.

We'll split the difference.

So we're in-between.

Encouraging from my point of view, is the fact that you've both reacted

-really well to it and you've guessed pretty much the asking price.

-Yes.

Now is the time for finding out whether or not it's you,

-whether you're going to get this feeling walking around the whole house on your own.

-Mm-hm, yeah.

So why don't you both go and do just that.

Have a good look around every room. Spend a bit of time here.

-It's the last thing we're seeing today.

-OK.

-All right?

-Will do.

-See you whenever you're ready.

-Thank you.

'Just above budget at £860,000,

'this beautiful period property has a characterful sitting-room,

'a galley style kitchen

'and that utility room Jill was hoping for.

'Upstairs there are four bedrooms, including a spacious master suite.

'Its attractive garden comes complete with a summer house,

'a meadow and a veggie plot for Peter.

'And it's all just a stone's throw from the beach.'

The second property is very charming.

It's been beautifully done.

Everything's at a very high quality.

The main bedroom suite is delightful.

It's tastefully done, very elegant and lots of space.

I really like this property. I think they've done it extremely nicely.

It's got a lot of features which meet our requirements.

It's got a lovely garden

and it's also in a lovely location with the beach not too far away.

I think this is really worth having a serious think about as a property.

I think, overall, I'd still say that that the

length of almost all the rooms is excellent

but the width of the house,

it does mean you've got a long, narrow space.

And that's perhaps slightly different from what we had in mind.

-Right, so, a good look around?

-Yes, thank you.

-Yes, superb.

Got any tips for the gardening?

-No, I think we can learn something from them!

-I wish I was that expert!

-It did look wonderful, didn't it.

-It does.

-Really lovely.

Hopefully this house has given you something to think about tonight.

-It certainly has.

-It certainly has.

-Good, let's go back.

-Right.

'It's the final day of our property search

'and on a budget of £850,000 we're helping Peter and Jill

'leave the London commuter belt for a slower pace of life in West Sussex.

'Coming up, the mystery house offers more than they bargained for.'

It's a lovely, large room.

I didn't expect that.

'And I saddle up for a rather challenging sport.'

Thanks.

You seem to be walking off and leaving me on my own.

A bit awkward.

Well I learnt quite a big about Peter and Jill yesterday

and we certainly got much better reactions as the day went on,

especially with that second house.

I'm still not convinced they're getting the proportions

they said they're after.

Now today, we're off to the mystery house.

In order to get them more space,

we're going to have a look around a property that is

built in the style that Peter said he's not particularly keen on,

a barn conversion.

Now my suspicion is he doesn't think these conversions give him

the space upstairs he's after.

I firmly believe this one does.

In fact, the only problem I can foresee is that

this particular mystery house might even be too big for them.

'Our final property takes us

'3.5 miles west to the hamlet of Flansham.

'A handy village a couple of miles away is Felpham,

'where there are plenty of shops and amenities

'so Pete and Jill won't feel too isolated.

'Felpham's most famous resident was the poet and mystic,

'William Blake, who enjoyed three years in the village

'and wrote about it in some of his poems.

'I'm hoping our mystery house, just down the road,

'might have our couple waxing lyrical,

'even though it's not exactly the style they asked for.'

-A rather grand entrance.

-Yes.

-Opening up into the courtyard of the mystery house.

-Ah...

-Come on, be honest, what are you thinking?

-First impressions, good.

-I don't want to poke the hornet's nest but this is a barn conversion.

-Yes, I know.

-I know, but it looks...

-But we are open minded.

-It looks good so far.

-Mmm. This is great news.

-Well, you said you wanted space.

-Yes.

-I think this has it.

-OK.

-All right.

-Excellent.

-But you like the style?

-Yes.

-You like the position?

-Yeah.

-Let's look inside.

-OK.

'The barn was first converted in the 1980s

'and it incorporates the adjoining brick building

'that was originally a series of cow sheds.'

Let's start with a very impressive room.

Goodness!

-That's super.

-Space, you said. Space, we got.

-You have indeed, haven't you?

-Isn't that nice?

-It looks lovely.

-That is super. That really is.

At the far end of the barn you've got a downstairs loo

and another reception room, which is...

I think it's as big as we've seen already, anyway.

-That's, in comparison, a small one.

-An extra room.

-You've got options to do with this house what you want.

-Yeah.

-And then some.

-Mmm.

-Flexibility.

-So good reactions.

-Very positive.

-Yeah, very positive.

Well, I think you'll like the kitchen. I hope you do, follow me.

Goodness! Another lovely, large room.

I didn't expect that.

THEY LAUGH

-I didn't expect that.

-Did you feel we've used up all the space with the living room?

-Yes.

-This house is huge.

-Yeah.

-It's lovely.

Through that door there you've got a lovely utility room,

you got a pantry to the right-hand side and a downstairs loo

and an entrance out into the back garden.

I really like that.

This is twice as big as both the previous houses' kitchens put

-together.

-It is, absolutely.

Are you going to fill it? Oh, easily.

The back end of this wing, if you like, and I think it's fair to call

them wings, there's a staircase going up to one of the bedrooms.

We're going to go up the main staircase and then we'll find

out whether your fears of this being pinched at the top are just or not.

-Follow me.

-Right.

'This place really does give them

'the space they've been looking for and more.

'The property is effectively divided into two sections.

'The large original barn part of the house contains the toilet

'and the two reception rooms we've just seen

'and the more narrow brick wing houses the beautiful kitchen

and adjoining utility room.

'Each section has its own staircase leading to the first floor

'where the same sized space is divided into five bedrooms

'with three ensuites and a family bathroom.'

So, master bedroom.

-Gosh.

-It doesn't pinch out, does?

-No.

-Nice height.

You'll see, throughout this property, that,

unlike a lot of barn conversions, you're not cramped up in the eaves.

-You have genuine roof height.

-Lovely effect with the beams.

Have a quick look into the ensuite, cos I rather like it. See what you think.

-It's neat, the way they've done that.

-It's lovely. Beautiful.

-Clever!

-Not a bad size, is it?

-It's clever.

-They've been really clever with the space.

-They have.

Because although it's steeply sloped, it still looks spacious.

There is another bathroom. I'll explain what we've got here.

'This well thought out conversion gives them

'more than 4,500 square feet.

'So all the rooms up here are a really decent size,

'and they have so much character

'with the wonderful exposed timber beams.'

-So, two bathrooms and back-to-back.

-OK.

Laid out Jack and Jill, so you can go in and out of them.

We've now seen four bedrooms, this is the fifth. And there's four bathrooms.

Plus there's another floor with another bedroom on its own.

-Goodness.

-Fantastic.

So I'm wondering now, with five bedrooms on the first floor,

you could probably dispense with one bedroom

-for a really nice first-floor office, couldn't you?

-Yeah.

-Absolutely.

Lots to...come back and have a look around,

-but now let's go outside, and on the way there, start thinking about price.

-OK.

-OK.

'It's pretty clear, that against the odds, our buyers are rather taken

'with this barn conversion and the huge amount of space it offers them.

'And outside, there's yet more space with a detached double garage

'and an expansive garden.'

So, thankfully,

this house delivers on outside space as well as inside, doesn't it?

-It does, it does.

-In every respect. Lovely views.

-Super views.

-She's a handsome beast, isn't she, this house?

-Yeah.

-This barn conversion.

-It's been nicely done.

-I'll just say that again - barn conversion.

-All right, you surprised us.

-Good!

How much do you think this mystery house is on the market for?

-I think it's probably a bit over our budget, and I'll go for 895,000.

-OK.

Yeah, I'm pretty much of the same mind, somewhere around the 900 mark.

Yeah, well, bad news on this one, cos you're way out.

This is on the market for offers around £795,000.

-My goodness!

-Really?! Goodness.

-Well, do you call that that news?

Well, no, I don't, actually!

I want you to two go back inside, have a look at all the rooms,

cos there's a lot to see, and then whenever you finish,

-I'll meet you outside and will go. All right?

-OK.

-Enjoy.

-Thank you.

Well, best reaction so far, no doubt. Time will tell if it's for them.

I'm looking forward to seeing what they think.

In spite of all that space,

this stylish barn conversion is under budget at £795,000.

It has two large reception rooms,

one of which would make a perfect study for Peter.

There's a spacious kitchen and separate utility room.

And with six bedrooms, three ensuites and a family bathroom,

they'll have no trouble putting up their friends.

Outside, there's a double garage

and a garden with attractive rural views.

-Goodness, another very big room.

-Yes.

I think it's bigger than the sitting room in the first one

-we looked at.

-Yes, this keeps going and going and going, this place.

Coming round the corner and seeing a barn conversion,

one caught a glimpse of a mischievous smile on Jonnie's face.

But actually my first impression was wow! It has wonderful space. It really does.

It's retain the character of the barn,

but it's been intelligently modernised to a very high standard.

I think the mystery property is a really lovely house.

The main living area, with that beautiful fire

and fireplace, is obviously the centrepiece of the whole house.

But the kitchen itself is also spectacular.

The sheer amount of space upstairs, the bedrooms

and the number of bathrooms, it's got everything.

Plenty of space to be comfortable in and to entertain and have friends in.

Now, then, you look like you've rather enjoyed looking round

-that house.

-We did!

-Very much.

-And lots of space, but also, hopefully,

that gives you lots to consider.

-It does.

-It does.

-Let's find you somewhere to do just that.

-Thank you.

The Cowdray Estate in the heart of West Sussex is internationally

recognised as the home of British polo.

Since the first polo ground was laid down here in 1910,

a genuine passion for the sport has been passed down through

generations of the Cowdray family.

During the Second World War, polo all but died out,

but when John, the 3rd Viscount Cowdray , returned from war,

having lost an arm at Dunkirk,

his determined efforts gave the sport a whole new lease of life.

His son, the 4th Viscount Cowdray, has since taken up the reins,

and I'm here at the estate to meet him.

-Lord Cowdray, thank you very much for seeing me today.

-Not at all. Pleasure.

Obviously, there were very few ponies around after the war,

particularly ponies that you could play polo on.

And my father had managed to save eight or ten ponies, but clearly that wasn't enough

-to start polo again, so he imported 50 ponies from Argentina.

-Right.

And he lent them to his friends so that they could actually play some tournaments together.

-He had such a passion for the game, didn't he?

-He did, yeah.

And the fact that he lost his arm during the war was not going to stop him playing polo.

So how did he manage to play, after losing his arm?

-Well, he got his gunmaker to fashion him a prosthetic limb...

-Yeah.

..and the prosthetic limb had a hook which went over the rein,

and he used to pull the pony up by swinging his shoulders.

Goodness me, this is a very determined man.

He was very determined. He wouldn't allow the loss of a limb to stop him

doing all the things he wanted to do in his life.

'The first tournament played on the estate was 100 years ago.

'Today, more than 150 matches are held here each season,

'including the British Open Championship.

'Someone who's very familiar with this grounds is England

'team player Tom Morley, and who better to give me a few polo-playing tips?'

What you need to start is a basic pendulum.

-So you'd just be swinging back and swing forwards.

-Right.

-And once you get that rhythm going...

-Yeah.

-..you swing back,

-and then all of a sudden, it comes up over the top.

-Oh, right.

-And then... That's where you get the power.

-What sort of speed are you moving on a pony?

-You can be moving up to, sort of, 35mph, probably.

So you're going quick enough.

It's been described as playing golf during an earthquake.

I was going to say, not only are you moving at speed,

-you're moving up and down, and side to side.

-Exactly.

'When it comes to selecting polo ponies, temperament is critical.

'They need to be quick and responsive under pressure,

'yet not too excitable and difficult to control.

'I'm not too concerned about getting on the horse.

'But I am wondering how I'm going to manoeuvre this mallet

'to hit the rather small ball while still staying in the saddle.'

Swung too late, didn't I?

Oh!

Getting too close.

I've got to say,

I have a newfound respect for anybody playing this tough sport.

Enough of the amateurs, let's see the pros do it.

A polo match is typically divided into periods of play called chukkas,

each lasting seven minutes.

Ponies are rotated and rested frequently during the game,

in order to maintain the stamina this fast-paced sport requires.

There are four players on each player, and in the game

is to score by hitting the ball into the opposition's goal.

Polo fields are 300 years long and 160 yards wide, making them

the largest field of any organised sport.

Well, that was certainly an impressive spectacle

in such an great setting here in the appealing West Sussex countryside.

So I'm now, though, to return to our buyers to find out

how they feel about the properties we've shown them.

So have you had a bit of a chance to think about things?

-We have.

-Which one's you favourite?

-The mystery house, definitely.

-Definitely?

-Absolutely.

I thought as much, but, you know, sometimes a bit of cooling-off time changes the mind.

-Why is it your favourite?

-I think it's one word - space.

-Yeah.

-Mm-hm.

-Not too big?

-I don't think you can have too much space,

so long as you can heat it properly and it's liveable in.

-I don't think you two can have too much space!

-I think you're getting there.

-Yeah, quite.

I've certainly learnt, over these past couple of days,

more about what you are after. Do you think you've learned more?

I think...

by looking at things you realise you don't want,

you learn something about what you DO want.

The second house was a tad too small,

and we realised that we really do need the space.

-And I think particularly the kitchen in the mystery house was wonderful.

-Yeah.

So much space you could also have a living area within it if you wanted to.

Whereas the other two houses both had galley-type kitchens,

which doesn't leave a lot of flexibility.

Of course, a lot of houses, it's about compromise.

-But that was one room you said was very important to you.

-Mm.

We find that you do have to go and have a look.

You can't just look at what's on the internet

and look at the floor plan and think, "Oh, yes, that's right for us."

Because, at the start of this, if you remember,

you said you'll know the house when you cross the threshold

and see maybe the first couple of rooms.

And I feel like we almost had those reactions and emotions today.

-We did.

-Yeah, I think so.

-Yes. That instant...grabs me.

It really grabs your attention.

And the dramatic main room is a great place to start.

So the next step is going back to have a look

-not only at the house but the area.

-Yes.

You don't know the area, so I think it's a very prudent thing to do.

If all that goes well, how interested in the property are you?

Extremely. And I think, if the locality proves OK,

-then we'd certainly be looking to make an offer on it.

-Fantastic!

Are you surprised you've got, potentially, this far down the road

-in just a couple of days?

-Yes! I think we thought it would be a very interesting process,

but I don't think either of us expected to be so impressed by the mystery house.

-Well, you've got a bit of research to do.

-We have.

-Another trip back here on another day.

-Definitely.

I wish you the best of luck, and whatever happens,

-please let us know what you decide to do.

-We will.

-Keep you in touch.

-Good luck.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

At the start of this, Peter and Jill told me they were open-minded.

And to be fair to them, they were just that, weren't they?

Let's face it, their favourite property was a barn conversion,

a style of property they specifically told me they didn't want.

But in doing so, well, they got bags of character

and all the space they could ever need.

So I think, hopefully,

they'll soon be making an escape to this beautiful part of West Sussex.

See you next time.

Although Peter and Jill loved the mystery house,

after returning to investigate the area more fully,

they decided it wasn't quite right for them.

And they're continuing their search further west,

closer to where their friends live.

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