Herefordshire Escape to the Country

Most monuments that you find lying around the British countryside do have a legend or two attached

to them and this one is no exception. The story goes

that it marks the spot where King Arthur no less

slew a giant. But where is this tall tale set and is it true?

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

On today's show, we've found a fantastic collection of properties

to tempt our buyers.

But there's one word we need to avoid...

I'm not going to say nice.

-This is one of the nicest rooms in the house, actually.

-Oh, nice!

I wasn't going to say the nice word, was I?

Well, today we are in Herefordshire

and although most counties like to lay some sort of claim

to the Arthurian legend,

this thing has absolutely nothing to do with him.

It is, in fact, a Neolithic burial mound.

Some 5,000 years ago,

our ancestors interred their dead in these things.

When it was first built, it would have been covered with a huge mound of earth.

Many were deliberately sited on hilltops

to dominate the landscapes below.

Now, this is probably one of the oldest man-made structures

in the county, but strangely, it's never been excavated,

so who knows what lies beneath it. But of course, it's what's

above ground that's of real interest to us

and, what's more, Herefordshire is also my new home.

So take it from me, it's a county that has plenty to recommend it.

Landlocked Herefordshire is one of England's most remote

and sparsely-populated counties

and borders Worcestershire to the east and Shropshire to the north.

The landscape is mainly rural

and agriculture plays a key role in the local economy.

The rich, fertile soil is excellent for fruit growing,

and apple orchards are a common feature across the county.

The capital, the city of Hereford, was originally a border

garrison town and literally means "army ford".

At its centre is the towering cathedral.

East of Hereford in the town of Ledbury,

you'll find excellent examples of the distinctive

black-and-white style architecture the county is famous for,

including the 17th-century Market House.

It balances on top of 16 wooden posts,

supposedly taken from a wreck from the Spanish Armada.

With the River Wye meandering its way through scenic,

unspoilt countryside, Herefordshire is arguably

one of the most peaceful counties in Britain.

Now, when it comes to property prices here in Herefordshire,

they pretty much reflect the national picture

with your average detached coming in at about £254,000.

But if you're not that fussed about being close to any one

of the county's five market towns, such as Ledbury or indeed

Ross-on-Wye, you could push your search a little bit

further westward towards the border with Wales.

There your property pound will certainly go that bit further

and you'll have plenty of space in which to spend it.

And it's that sense of space that today's buyers so desperately crave.

Steve and Yvonne currently own this four-bedroom house

in Wheatley on the outskirts of the city of Oxford.

Their desire to live in a more rural setting has been on the cards for a while.

Just under ten years ago, I retired

and the master plan was to spend two years round the country

on a narrow boat that I'd just bought,

but that never came to fruition.

The move was put on hold as Yvonne gave up her teaching job

to become a full-time carer for her elderly father.

Sadly, he died this year.

Leaving their home will be emotional,

but they feel it's time for a change of scene.

I came to teaching in '71, 1971. I've been in Oxfordshire since,

so I have a lot of friends and I will miss those.

What I won't miss, I suppose, is the closeness of everything

and the noise and the traffic. I hanker for wider spaces.

They've been married for 33 years

and during that time, they've bought seven houses together,

but this move to rural Herefordshire they hope will be their last.

This is the opportunity to find exactly what we want,

what Steve will be happy with,

plenty of space around us and just relax in our golden days.

And having that space around them

is probably a good thing as Steve has some particularly noisy hobbies.

I've always tinkered about playing guitar

and one of the things I always said I'd like to do when I retired

was to learn to play the drums.

Now, I have this set of drums

and up until very recently, they've been stored away

in my friend's garage because of all the house renovations.

I've just got them out and I'm just looking forward to going somewhere

where I can start to learn and bash away.

And when he's not hammering the drums, he's keen to work

on the new house, having completely renovated their current home.

I have a go at most things.

You know, brickwork, plastering, plumbing.

I've done a lot of woodwork

and also built some bespoke sheds for myself and Yvonne.

Fortunately, Yvonne prefers quieter pursuits.

I spend a lot of my spare time in the craft studio

that Steve built for me.

Although I call it a shed, but it's posher than a shed.

I do crochet, I do needlework, I do artwork.

I've got a project in there waiting to be finished.

I also love my gardening. I grow veggies as well.

When I'm not doing that, I go swimming.

So, I'm a busy girl, really.

All that's left is to find out how much money they've set aside

for this move to rural Herefordshire.

The budget for the move... Well, between £600,000 and £700,000.

Although if we find the right property,

we could push ourselves to 750,000.

Steve and Yvonne aren't fussy about a specific location

in Herefordshire, but want lots of space around them.

So, for a change, we have a free rein with our property search.

I'm meeting them to go over the details of what they want

from their country relocation.

-Welcome to Herefordshire.

-Thank you.

So, just paint us a picture, Yvonne, of what this new life is going to comprise.

Peace. Quiet.

The ability to do what I want without any interference from anybody else.

Just time to spend to do the things I want to do.

I mean, I know you're an engineer, Steve, and I know that you've done

quite a bit of work on previous properties that you've owned.

How involved are you intending to get with this new building,

whatever it's going to be?

If you've got the right place in the right location,

if it's done and finished and shiny, that's fine.

-Obviously, that will reflect the budget variation.

-Yeah.

If it was a rural barn that wanted fitting out,

but was the right place

and the right location, then I'd take that on as well.

So, the specification of this property, Yvonne.

Like everybody, I'd like a spacious kitchen. I love open plan.

I'd like more accommodation downstairs than upstairs.

-Outbuildings. I love outbuildings.

-Yeah, don't we all!

So that I can do painting and flap about in it

and make mess without having to tidy it up. Just leave it.

Now, you said more space downstairs than upstairs.

-How many bedrooms do we need?

-Three's OK, but four would be fine.

Just remind us of the budget for this move.

Well, we said sort of 600,000 to 700,000,

but obviously, if the right place came along, we'd push to 750.

We've got three properties to show you, including our mystery house.

Hmm, what's that going to be?

-We only want one.

-Well, there you are.

Three should, I hope, leave you spoilt for choice here.

The property market in this part of the world is absolutely superb

-and you've got a budget to match it.

-Excellent.

-That's good.

-Follow me.

For a maximum budget of £750,000,

Steve and Yvonne want a house with space around them

and far-reaching views.

In terms of layout, they prefer open-plan accommodation

and favour the downstairs space over the bedrooms,

although they would like at least three of those.

Yvonne would like a large kitchen

and an outbuilding for her artwork.

We've arranged three stunning properties for Steve and Yvonne

to view here in Herefordshire

and at each one, I'll be putting their pricing skills to the test.

Our last, the mystery house,

may leave our buyers brewing with excitement.

For our first property, we're heading to the village

of Kerne Bridge in the south of the county.

It's within a stone's throw of one of Herefordshire's key

attractions, and that's where we're making a short stop.

Right then.

-"So, why are we not at property number one?" you're thinking.

-Yep.

Why are we here looking at this stretch of river?

As a bit of a scene setter, I thought

we'd pause here at Symonds Yat,

this wonderful gorge, which is

one of the great kind of tourist hot spots of this part of the world.

-That is the River Wye.

-Yep.

-And this lovely little collection of pubs

and restaurants is ever so popular.

And all of this would be on your doorstep because property number one

is just over that hill.

-Wow.

-But it does mean we've got to cross the river.

-OK.

-Do we swim?

-No, we're going to drive, come on.

THEY LAUGH

Our first property is a five-minute drive away in Kerne Bridge, nestled

into the hillside, on the edge of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

So, there is property number one.

-Mm-hm.

-All right.

But you did say location was everything,

-and that view...

-Yeah, stunning.

-..I think really kind of makes this property.

-Yeah.

-That certainly is a view, Jules.

-So, what do you think, Yvonne?

I think the views are stunning, absolutely stunning, yeah.

-But what about our property?

-Um... Well, I'll wait to see.

The outside looks promising. I'm eager to see the inside.

-But in terms of setting.

-Oh, yeah, sure.

I mean, obviously, it speaks for itself, the setting.

-Let's have a look.

-Yeah.

It's a thumbs up for the location, but let's hope

that this 19th-century building,

which has been extended over the years,

continues to deliver once we get inside.

We're accessing it via the conservatory.

Right, we're going to start with the principal living room,

which is this one.

Yes...

-It's, uh... I'm not going to say nice.

-You can do.

-Nice is the gist of it.

-It's...

Yeah, it's oldy looking, isn't it?

It's in keeping. It has mega views.

-Well, that's what it's all about.

-Mega views.

-Yeah.

-Mega views.

-Through that door over there, is a little study area.

-Right.

And the boiler room.

Um, and of course, you've got the great big fireplace as well.

Which you could put a log burner in.

Let's see what you think about the dining room.

Follow me up the steps and through the hallway.

And then this is the dining end,

which also goes out into the conservatory, which we saw already.

-Yeah.

-Right, yes.

I don't know, something is worrying me about your reactions to this one.

-Uh... I'm not moved at the moment.

-You're not moved?

-I can't fault that view, but...

-No.

I mean, the views are excellent, absolutely.

But it has got to be more than a view.

-Let's keep going, let's see if we can find a bit more for you.

-OK.

Come and look at the kitchen.

Oh, yeah.

-I wanted something a bit bigger than this.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-Probably a bit more open plan as well.

-Yeah.

-I'm finding it a little bit boxy.

-Mm.

One of the issues we sort of faced with your very generous budget -

in this part of the world,

-we could find you something absolutely enormous.

-Yeah.

-And arguably too big.

-Yeah.

-So we've tried to strike a balance

-with our first property.

-Yeah, nice to have that.

Just to complete the picture,

you've got a little utility room through there,

which is very handy, and another door out to the front.

-But that's pretty much the principal areas downstairs.

-Yep.

-Let's go up.

-OK.

-I'm crossing everything, maybe we can find a way.

All right.

Not the best of starts with the downstairs tour of our first house.

I fear it is just not grabbing Steve and Yvonne.

Perhaps we can do better upstairs, where there are four bedrooms,

all of which are good-sized doubles.

One of those offers a large en suite and could make a good master.

But I've another bedroom in mind for our buyers.

-So this, we're thinking, would make a very nice master.

-Yeah.

-Yes.

This is a good size. Plus it's got a nice feel, this room.

-It's cosy.

-Yeah.

-It may not be the biggest room up here and, of course,

-it doesn't have the en suite that exists down the corridor.

-No.

-But with the little box room next door...

-You could knock through.

-That's what we're thinking.

-Yeah.

This is one of the nicest rooms in the house, actually.

Yes, lovely feel.

-So, we didn't get a wow, but we did get a nice.

-Yeah.

-Oh, nice!

I wasn't going to say the nice word, was I?

You think it deserves it?

Cos lying in bed, looking at those views, must be fabulous.

But the downstairs doesn't do justice to it at all.

Well, one other factor on your wish list are, of course, outbuildings.

Yep.

Let's go and have a look at those and we'll talk about the price.

Cos that will be interesting to gauge where we're at with this one.

-Follow me.

-Yep.

The gardens include a planted rockery, shrubs

and lawned areas with stunning views over the Wye Valley.

There's a large double garage with a generous office space

at the back, as well as two further outbuildings -

one could make an excellent workshop or craft room

and there's an additional one for storage.

There's also a swimming pool, which should keep Yvonne happy.

-Now, some buyers, of course, insist on the pool.

-Yeah.

You've got one as a bonus.

Now we're going to talk about the price on this one.

I'm certainly going to go on the low side. That is going to be about 575.

-575?

-It's even under the lower part of the budget we set.

-Yeah.

-I would say 585, just fractionally more.

-585.

But I'm just saying that to play devil's advocate, really.

Well, you know, it is all in the eye of the beholder,

and that is you two on this occasion.

This is on the market for offers in excess

-of 635.

-Is it?

-Oh, not too far over.

Well, I don't want you to leave this place without having a good

look around those outbuildings, because clearly they are important.

-Yes.

-Go and check them out,

see what 635 really means in this part of the world.

-OK.

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

-Fine.

-Why don't you head over that way?

-OK.

-OK.

Priced at offers over £635,000,

our first property is well within budget,

with money to spare to make adjustments.

It is a 19th-century home, situated on a hillside

overlooking the River Wye.

The downstairs accommodation includes a large living room

and kitchen and breakfast room.

All the four bedrooms are of a good size.

The outside space includes two outbuildings.

And from the garden, there are stunning views

of the surrounding countryside.

It's quite a nice cottage as it is.

There isn't a lot of scope for doing

modifications to the inside,

not without doing major building work to it.

Well, for this house to work for me, primarily, it would

have to be more secluded.

The views are absolutely stunning. I mean, you know, you can't fault that.

The views are stunning.

But you've got to have a bit more than a view, you've got to

want to like the house or see the potential of the house.

-Right, out you come. Grab the door, Steve.

-Uh-huh.

-Something tells me you are not going to be opening that again.

-No.

-I don't think so.

-No.

Well... Tough sell, I suppose.

In some respects, if it has got this issue with levels

and the space, but I am confident property number two is going

-to be more what you are looking for.

-Good.

-I'm crossing everything.

-Let's be positive.

Once described as a forest of trees, Herefordshire is known

for its apples, and today it's home to more than 3,000 orchards.

Whereas traditional orchards are in decline across the rest

of the country,

one group of farmers are bucking the trend.

Thanks to a pioneering business modelling,

here at Dragon Orchard, they are planting new trees

and bottling apple juice and cider on site.

Since Steve and Yvonne are keen to experience Herefordshire

traditions, we sent them to meet owner Norman Stanier,

whose family have farmed these orchards for 100 years, to find

out why this county has become the UK's very own Big Apple.

We are very lucky because we have got fantastic natural conditions.

We have got fantastic soil here.

It is really, really rich and it holds moisture well, which is

what you need for fruit growing.

And the climate is just right.

The far west of the county are the Black Mountains,

which take a lot of rain.

Just west of here, we have got a ridge called the Marcle Ridge.

So we are in a little microclimate.

How long have you actually been growing apples here?

My wife and I took over from my parents 20 years ago,

and took over at a declining time, really.

People were eating less English apples

and supermarkets were beginning to become much more popular.

So the little local shops were taking less apples.

So we came up with a community supported agriculture scheme,

we call Dragon Orchard Crop Sharers.

People can come and sponsor a tree or they can come

and be part of our crop sharers scheme and actually pay an annual

subscription to join in with what we do in our orchard

and in our community.

The scheme encourages people to get involved in fruit picking

and production in return for a take-home share of the crop.

Today, Steve and Yvonne are lending a hand.

Once the apples are picked, it is on to the grading stage,

where they are sorted depending on size for different uses.

Large ones head straight for the shop,

the smaller ones are made into juice.

The rest are turned into cider, and Steve and Yvonne are meeting

the man responsible for the production process, Simon Day.

This particular batch has been produced using the champagne

method - a secondary stage of fermentation, whereby yeast

and sugar is added to the bottles to create the famous bubbly.

When you have sparkling cider, champagne-method cider,

you end up with yeast in the bottle.

And if you turn that,

you might be able to see the yeast all along the side.

And it has been two years with that yeast on the side,

developing flavours.

And what we need to do is to get that yeast out.

And so the riddling frame, or pepitre in French,

is how you do that.

And basically, it's a process of quick movements like this over

a period of about 35 days, so over a month,

that gently sweeps the yeast around the bottle.

And what you end up with is beautifully clear product

with just the yeast right down in the neck of the bottle,

sitting on top of the crown cap.

The end of the bottle is then frozen at -27 degrees.

The pressure build-up forces the yeast out

and you are left with a clear solution

that is begging to be tasted.

Not too sure whether I like that, Simon, perhaps I'll try a bit more.

-THEY LAUGH

-For sure.

The champagne cider seems to have gone down well.

Let's hope later on we will all be raising a glass to today's

buyers and toasting their move to the country.

For our second offering, we are

crossing the border into Worcestershire

to the village of Callow End.

In 1651, King Charles II stayed here before he was

defeated at the Battle of Worcester, during the English Civil War.

Today, the village consists of two pubs, a shop and a chapel.

Although we have left Herefordshire, we are much closer to Oxford

and Steve and Yvonne's friends.

Right. Well, here we are,

our second property.

Not a bad spot and, actually, not a bad looking property.

-No, it does look nice.

-It looks OK from here.

-Looks good.

-Steve, the wheels are turning, what is happening?

-So far, so good.

-So far, so good.

I mean, give us a sense of what you make of its look and character.

-Because it certainly has a bit more about it than number one.

-Yeah.

No... I mean, there's no comparison.

It's got a lot more character. You got the black and white outside.

You know, you can see the old brick-style cottage.

You can see, you know, the new side, all done very sympathetically.

-Happy?

-Yeah.

-Relieved?

-We'll see.

Come on.

It is a slightly better reaction to our second house.

It's a substantial part-timbered property,

which traded as a public house until the early 20th century.

I'm hoping Steve and Yvonne will be sipping their cider champagne

once we are inside, as the interior has been completely remodelled

and is more open plan.

Let's start with the big kitchen-diner you are after.

-Yeah, it's nice.

-Yes?

-Yeah.

-That's very nice.

-This is more like it.

-Yeah.

-More like it.

-I thought this might be.

-Yeah.

It's all new, it's all been done in the last three or four years.

There is a very generous utility room through there

and a really nice downstairs shower room as well.

-Yep.

-Should you need it.

-Yeah, excellent so far.

-No, it's nice. Ah!

I'm not using that word nice.

-It's OK.

-It's very pleasing to the eye.

Let's go with nice.

Let's enjoy the word nice and soak up all that it means.

-Because it is nice, it's gorgeous!

-It is, it is.

You don't very often get a wow out of Yvonne,

but very nice is probably...

We might be building towards it, Steve.

-Yeah, could be, you never know.

-Let's see if we can get one.

Come this way.

As well as the open plan kitchen-breakfast room, there is

a large entrance hallway and, off that, a spacious study.

And then this is your main living area. Come right into this room.

-Because it's quite a lot to take in, actually.

-Yeah, it's ni...ce.

There's that word again. But I love the beams.

-Yep. Good size, actually. Dual aspect, nice views.

-Exactly.

-The dual aspect is unusual in a house this wide.

-Yeah.

-Nice feel. Relaxing.

-It does have a nice feel.

-Relaxing?

You said earlier that, obviously,

-it was the downstairs that mattered more.

-Yeah.

-I don't think the upstairs is going to disappoint you.

-OK.

-OK.

-I'm crossing everything.

You never know, we might get a wow at some point.

There are four good-sized bedrooms on the first floor,

including a large double and two smaller rooms.

They are all serviced by a large family bathroom,

which just leaves the master suite.

And then finally, his and hers basins in your own en suite.

Nice freestanding bath in there.

And then, this is obviously the master bedroom itself.

-Very nice.

-Very nice.

-Yeah?

-The way the en suite through there... It flows lovely.

-Yeah.

You know, it's not... It doesn't look like it's stuck on the end

-or anything, it's lovely.

-Curiously,

it also has this little sort of mezzanine dressing area

-up there in the roof space itself.

-Interesting.

-That is really sweet.

You could have it as a kind of master snug if you wanted to.

A little sofa in there, a TV. So how are we doing?

You are doing pretty well.

In addition to the main house, our second property comes with

a range of outbuildings in the grounds.

These include a laundry room and garden stores,

but there is also this red-brick building,

which houses a garage and workshop and, on the upper floor,

a vast loft space offering plenty of options for Yvonne's artwork

and Steve to tinker around with.

The gardens are extensive.

Most of it is laid to lawn,

but there is also a terrace with an ornamental pond.

The property even comes with its own apple orchard.

Now, grounds wise,

-it is just under, just under an acre.

-Yeah.

-Oh.

-All right? But I love that view.

-Yeah, it's gorgeous.

-It's nice.

Now, the Severn, the River Severn is just a few yards that way.

So, you know, it is kind of on your doorstep.

-So, it is an interesting property in terms of its location.

-Yeah.

It's imposing, but it hasn't lost its cottage sort of feel.

No, and it is not over the top.

So, let's think about the price, then.

It has got to be top end of our budget.

740, 750.

740, 750, yup.

Yeah, well, I'm going to come down a little bit from that.

I'm going to come down to, say, about 720.

-I myself would expect this to start with a seven.

-Yeah.

The exciting news is that it starts with a six.

-Does it?

-£685,000.

Oh, that's good.

-It's gone the other way this time, you see?

-Yeah,

we have gone over the top.

I love that kitchen and I love those outbuildings.

-Right, go and explore those outbuildings.

-OK.

-Off you go.

I'll catch up with you later.

On the market at offers around £685,000,

our vast second property is still within budget.

It is a part-timbered former pub,

parts of which date to the 17th century.

The interior has been redesigned in recent years

and includes a large, open-plan kitchen-diner.

There are four bedrooms as well as the additional

room off the master suite.

The property comes with a range of outbuildings

and it is all set in a acre of land on the banks of the River Severn.

What I love about the house is the openness.

Looking at the house, it is just so very, very pretty.

And of course, the icing on the cake is that there is all those

tremendous outbuildings. So as far as I'm concerned, I've...

It would be a really good contender.

It is very pretty from the outside. It's laid out fantastically well.

This lounge in itself, very peaceful, relaxing room.

Nice fireplace.

The last rays of sunshine after a busy day.

This is just lovely.

-Hello.

-Hello.

-Talking of lovely...

-How is our lovely house, then?

-It's lovely.

It's lovely.

-But is it the one? Who knows?

-Who knows?

Maybe for one of us, maybe not the other one, I don't know.

Let's go and sleep on it and prepare ourselves for the mystery house.

-Yeah.

-Excellent.

It is day two of our property search,

and on a generous budget of £750,000,

we are helping Steve and Yvonne from Oxford

find peace and harmony in Herefordshire.

Coming up, will the mystery house pass the test?

Come on, give this score out of ten.

Well, I used to teach, and I never gave ten out of tens,

-so I will give it a nine.

-I'll take that as a ten, then.

HE LAUGHS

And I'll be finding out what it means to own

a piece of English history.

Well, as we head into our final day of househunting, we are

approaching what is arguably one of the most eagerly anticipated

parts of the process - the moment

when we can reveal our mystery house to our buyers.

Now, in the past, we have had wonderful windmills,

beautiful barns, inventive industrial conversions,

folly chapels... You name it,

we've pretty much done it. And this week is no exception.

We have got a building lined up that I think really does reflect

this area's rich agricultural past.

As mystery houses go, take it from me, this one is a real classic.

Given the reaction of Yvonne and Steve to our properties yesterday,

I think it probably has to be.

So, was there a lot to talk about last night?

No, it was quite simple, really.

-Property number one was just definitely a no go.

-Yeah.

Property number two was a go with me, but not a go with Steve.

-So, we need a yes from our mystery house.

-We certainly do need a yes.

What would it take to make it a yes? What are you hoping for?

I'm hoping for a property by itself, secluded,

with its own land all around it.

If it's the right house like that in the right location,

I don't really mind whether it wants a certain amount of work doing,

because obviously, that's doable.

It's not doable to pick up a house that is nice

and move it somewhere to another location.

For our final property, we are heading back over the border

into the Herefordshire, into the hamlet of Canon Frome.

The closest amenities are to be found 3½ miles away

in the village of Bishop's Frome, which has a parish church,

a pub serving real ale and a village shop.

The area has a long, hop-growing tradition,

and in its former life, our mystery house played an important role

in the brewing industry here in Herefordshire.

It's packed with character and history,

but it isn't the isolated property Steve and Yvonne were after,

so I'm crossing my fingers with this one.

So this, I think, is the best place to really take in our mystery house.

-Yes.

-It certainly is. It is

-an old oast house. It is enormous.

It is about 4,000 square feet.

The only compromise, Steve, is the fact that there is a farm next door.

-Yeah.

-OK? But that way...

-Yeah.

-..there's nothing.

-I think... I'm not too uneasy with that.

-Good.

-Let's get in our mystery house and sell it to you.

-OK.

-Come on.

I'm relieved that Steve isn't put off by the neighbouring farm

because our spacious mystery house really is worth seeing.

Built around 1895, the former hop barn was completely

renovated by the current owners three years ago.

-Now, what a greeting!

-Wow!

-Wow.

A wow! Two wows.

Wow. Yeah.

-Isn't it gorgeous? It is.

-Yes, it is.

We don't normally sort of linger in hallways on our house tours,

but this is one that is worth spending some time in,

because it really is the hub of this building.

-Yeah.

-What they have done is totally renewed the floor.

This is local stone from the Black Mountains. Underfloor heating.

Big kitchen-diner?

This way, madam.

So, Yvonne...

..come on up, let's explore.

-Gosh!

-Yes?

-Yeah, it's lovely.

You have got the boiler room through there and utility room as well.

-And you have got this view, yeah.

-They are all bifolds.

-They will open up, exactly. So on a nice, hot summer's day...

-Love it.

Come on, give us a score out of ten.

Well, I used to teach, and I never gave ten out of tens,

so I'll give it a nine.

I'll take that as a ten, then.

As well as the kitchen, there are three other rooms off

the spacious entrance hallway,

including a generous study and a cosy snug,

but I want to show our space-loving couple the largest reception room.

-Yeah.

-Like that.

-Yeah?

Yeah, I like the open stonework on the wall there. Nice feel, too.

Just a nice relaxing feel again here.

You've got some lovely bits of detailing

-like this old door and so on.

-That's stunning, isn't it?

And look at the width of it.

I mean, that is the joy of converting an agricultural,

industrial building like this, is that you get these

proportions you don't get in a modern building.

It is a lovely door, that one.

Let's go and take a look at the upstairs

and find you a sumptuous master bedroom.

There are four large bedrooms off the first floor landing

as well as a family bath and shower room with exposed brickwork.

There is one large double and two of the bedrooms have separate

stairs access to two further rooms on the second floor of the property,

ideal for storage or as extra office space, which just leaves the master.

Quite an unusual layout in many respects.

-Beautiful, isn't it?

-Yeah. It is.

Now, when we first met,

you said very clearly that what really mattered

-was the downstairs space.

-Yeah.

-But this place clearly delivers over and above upstairs.

-Yeah. Yeah.

-Definitely.

-Definitely.

Nine double plus.

A nine double plus? Excellent! I like that, good.

Now, this is the master because it has this very unusual en suite.

You liked open plan, you said,

how about a bit of open-plan bathing?

-That is, isn't it?

-Well, that's different, isn't it?

It's very different. It's the sort of thing you might find

-if you go to a boutique hotel these days.

-Yes.

My guess is that you might give yourself a little

bit of our project here, Steve,

by continuing these walls,

-maybe even rearranging the access with a door.

-Yeah.

But I think in some cases, you have to live in a place

first before you decide what you are going to change.

-Yeah.

-Get to know it, around it.

Well, I get the feeling that this really has struck a chord

with both of you.

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

The house has certainly passed with flying colours, but I am

keen to see if we we'll get top marks with the garden and grounds.

Although there are fewer outbuildings here

than at our last property, just this timber carport

and adjoining shed, there is a generous 2.3 acres of land,

including three paddocks as well as a large lawn.

So this is one of the paddocks. Friendly sheep looking on.

And there, of course, is our mystery house.

-And you like what you see.

-I do, I really do.

-So do I.

-Nine triple plus.

-Nine triple plus! We'll never get a ten out of you, will we?

-No.

-But will it score highly on the price?

-750.

Straight in at the top end of the budget. OK, no messing.

It has got to be around that area, isn't it?

-I think it is 750, really.

-Shall we agree on 750?

Let's go for 750.

I would if I were you, cos that is what is on the market for.

-Right.

-Spot-on.

-We got one right.

-Spot-on.

-Excellent.

-You are not fazed at all, are you, by that?

-No.

-No.

I'm just thinking about I'd rather it be spent on that than leave

-it in the bank, quite frankly.

-Well, you get more fun out of it here.

-Yeah.

-That's for sure.

Go on, go and take some time, explore it at your leisure.

-Yep.

-Get out of this rain. Go on, off you go.

-I may be some time.

I'm sure you will.

I'd take a lot of time, because this is a fabulous building.

It has taken the current owner something of a lifetime to

turn it into this fabulous mystery house,

where, once again, it might have done the trick.

This could be exactly what Steve and Yvonne are looking for.

On the market at £750,000, our mystery house is as far as Steve

and Yvonne are willing to go on price.

It is a former oast house, which has been renovated in the last

few years, but retains much of its character.

The accommodation includes a large sitting room

and kitchen as well as four good-sized bedrooms.

It sits on 2.3 acres of land, which includes paddocks for stabling

and the property has views of

the surrounding Herefordshire countryside.

This is just...

It has got all the aspirations of the interior of the sort

of property that we want, but then it has also got all the outside

features and the character of the building that it is.

I'm just... I just like openness of it and space of it.

What I would have ideally liked is a property that was

surrounded by its own ground, so you had no neighbours.

And yes, there is a property next door, but, you know,

you never find a property with absolutely everything that you want,

so there is always a compromise.

-Well, I think we might have arrived at our destination...

-Yep.

..as far as your future is concerned. Who knows?

-I think you have done really well with this one, certainly.

-Good.

Right then, I'm going to whisk you away out into the rain. Come on.

On Escape To The Country, we get to show buyers around

all manner of different houses, some of which are historically

and architecturally important enough to have listed building status.

But what does that mean when it comes to buying

and renovating one of the hundreds of thousands of listed buildings?

Herefordshire has around 6,000 examples,

and I have come to one of them -

Wellbrook Manor - to meet Laura Norris of the Vivat Trust,

a charity which specialises in restoring listed properties

and turning them into exclusive holiday lets to pay for the work.

-And this is Wellbrook Manor.

-This is Wellbrook Manor.

-Isn't she beautiful?

-Absolutely stunning.

Now, what grade of listing is Wellbrook?

-Wellbrook is a Grade 1.

-Is it?

-Grade 1 listed.

-So that is as high as it gets.

-Exactly.

The same as Buckingham Palace.

But what is it about this building that makes it so special?

Number one, it is from 1340.

So that is kind of a bit of a marker.

It is a medieval hall house that sits on the border of England

and Wales. It is a very unusual.

And you don't really see that outside.

What you see is a lovely building.

Inside, it tells a different story.

-Come on, then, give me the tour of it.

-All right, then.

Wellbrook Manor was altered in the late 16th century

and restored in the 1920s.

Laura's charity is in the process of correcting the previous

restoration work that, at the time,

was considered good building practice.

The first stage was to remove a cement pebble dash render

applied a century ago to keep the moisture out

that has revealed the original medieval timbers

and now allows the building to breathe again.

The work will now move to the inside of the house,

where the manor is slowly revealing its secrets.

Tell us how this building has evolved

and what you have learned about it.

-Well, Jules, see that ceiling?

-Yes.

In 1340, that's not there.

A vandal in the 1700s came and put that ceiling in.

So this should be a double-height space

-and it should have another wing running down the side...

-Should it?

..where the lawn is. That would have been the service wing.

Going back to the fact that it is listed

-and that it is at the top of the listing scale...

-Yeah.

..are there any compromises that you had to

make in terms of the repair and conservation of this building?

Actually, no, because what we have done is we have listened to

the building and dealt with it appropriately for its listing.

That said, not many people are as fortunate as we are.

We are not going to use it as a permanent residence,

it will be holiday lets, so you don't need as much storage,

you don't need as much clutter space.

You need something that is beautiful.

It is quite a holiday let.

THEY LAUGH

The older a building is, the more likely it is to be listed.

Grade 1 buildings are of exceptional interest,

often considered to be internationally important.

But the vast majority, around 92%, are Grade 2.

Whatever the grade, listing doesn't mean you can't change anything,

it simply means that consent is required to make any

alterations to the building which might affect its special interest.

Anyone can suggest a building for listing for English Heritage,

although the decision on whether to list rests with the Government.

One of the reasons this building is listed

is its impressive medieval timber-framed roof.

I mean, going back to the date of this, 1340,

again, how much of this is original?

Quite a bit of it.

And, yes, it has been supported and it has been mucked around by various

generations, but the majority of this, particularly the roof...

-Yeah.

-..is 1340.

-I mean, this is why we celebrate listed buildings.

-Exactly.

Because of the history and the character that they have.

But I meet a lot of people on Escape To The Country who would run

a mile from a listed building.

They are not to be feared.

No, they are not, they are to be embraced.

Although the listing is there to protect buildings

such as Wellbrook Manor,

they need to be lived in in order to survive.

And it's exciting to think that it won't be long before this

historic treasure will be opening its doors to the general public.

Well, all that now remains is to find out

if we have managed to match Steve and Yvonne's ambitions

with our properties for their new life in the country.

I do think there is really only one contender.

The big question, of course, is has it impressed them

enough to want to buy it?

Well, there's only one way to find out, and that is to ask them.

Wow.

-What a week it has been with you two, hasn't it?

-Yep.

Three very different properties.

Now, I'm guessing there is only one real contender here.

Yeah, number three, the mystery house.

-Why?

-Oh, cos it just had everything.

It had space, open plan...

-It just blew me.

-There's no competition with the rest.

I mean, the space is all there, the architecture is lovely

cos it's a bit of a quirky building, which is nice.

But is it your new home?

Well, potentially we are going to, on the way back, go and have

another look around it, and then we'll take it from there, I think.

I think it would be a great base for you from which to launch,

-well, this new chapter in your lives.

-Yep.

-I've got one concern.

-Go on.

Well, if we ever invite our friends across there,

then we're going to have a job getting rid of them, aren't we?

I think you will! I think you will.

-But you're going to have plenty to keep you busy in the garden.

-Yeah.

-Because you really can start again with that.

-Yeah.

-It is a blank canvas.

-Yes, it is.

I am already ticking off all sorts of things I could do.

I'm delighted that we have got you that bit closer to

realising your new dream and what could be, I hope,

your new home, our mystery house. Well done.

You know, when we started out on this search, Steve said to me

that regardless of the number of properties

we were going to show them, it would take only one to satisfy them.

And whilst that may sound overly philosophical, of course,

he is absolutely right.

But it doesn't escape the fact that sometimes

when you're trying to match the right house to the right buyers,

well, it can feel like you are looking for a needle in a haystack.

But thankfully, finding beautiful homes in Herefordshire

is an awful lot easier.

I'll see you next time.

Although Steve and Yvonne thought our mystery house was stunning,

they concluded that the neighbouring farm was just too close.

Their search continues.

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