0:00:02 > 0:00:05Just over there is the seaside town where, nearly 120 years ago,
0:00:05 > 0:00:07one of Britain's greatest writers
0:00:07 > 0:00:10took just 21 days to pen his most famous work.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13Where am I? You'll find out in just a moment.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35Today, our house-hunters are buying their first home in over two decades.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39Will they be able to envisage their life in another house?
0:00:39 > 0:00:43The question is could you put that homely feel into the house?
0:00:43 > 0:00:45- True.- Well, it's certainly possible.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48And seeing what's on offer is a revelation.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50- Oh, my goodness.- My.
0:00:50 > 0:00:51- We've never had an en-suite before. - No.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55Today, I'm in West Sussex,
0:00:55 > 0:00:57and it was during a stay here in Worthing
0:00:57 > 0:01:01that Oscar Wilde wrote his famous play The Importance of Being Earnest.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06He took inspiration from an article he read in the Worthing Gazette
0:01:06 > 0:01:08about a baby that had been discovered in a handbag
0:01:08 > 0:01:11at Kings Cross Station.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Now, Wilde named his hero Jack Worthing
0:01:13 > 0:01:18after the very place where he wrote what he himself described
0:01:18 > 0:01:20as the best play he'd ever written.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22And, looking around, it's fair to say
0:01:22 > 0:01:24there's plenty to inspire the imagination
0:01:24 > 0:01:26across this beautiful county.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Surrounding the southern county of West Sussex
0:01:30 > 0:01:32are Surrey to its north,
0:01:32 > 0:01:33Hampshire to its west
0:01:33 > 0:01:36and East Sussex to the east.
0:01:36 > 0:01:37Being a coastal county,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40West Sussex is home to several award-winning beaches
0:01:40 > 0:01:44and over 60 miles of distinctive coastline.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48It's also home to historic Saxon ports like Bosham,
0:01:48 > 0:01:50which gets a mention in the Bayeux Tapestry,
0:01:50 > 0:01:53and until the earlier part of the 20th century
0:01:53 > 0:01:57was still a thriving fishing village.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59Being one of the sunniest counties in the country,
0:01:59 > 0:02:01its agricultural landscape
0:02:01 > 0:02:04is rich in the production of dairy and traditional farming crops.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09And with the same chalky subsoil as the Champagne region in France,
0:02:09 > 0:02:12West Sussex boasts an ever-increasing number of vineyards
0:02:12 > 0:02:14rivalling the French for accolades.
0:02:14 > 0:02:19But, arguably, this county's greatest draw for urban escapees
0:02:19 > 0:02:20are the South Downs.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24Gaining National Park status in 2011,
0:02:24 > 0:02:27its rolling green hills and picture-postcard villages
0:02:27 > 0:02:30make it a perfect place to escape to the country.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34And when it comes to buying a house here,
0:02:34 > 0:02:36that perfection comes at a price.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Remember - we're looking at a coastal AND a commutable county,
0:02:40 > 0:02:42and when you add those two ingredients together,
0:02:42 > 0:02:46you come up with a figure of £363,000,
0:02:46 > 0:02:48which is the average price
0:02:48 > 0:02:50of a detached home here in West Sussex -
0:02:50 > 0:02:53some £106,000 above the national figure.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55So is it worth it?
0:02:55 > 0:02:56Well, when you look around
0:02:56 > 0:02:59and you see countryside and real estate like this -
0:02:59 > 0:03:00yeah, it probably is.
0:03:00 > 0:03:04And today's buyers certainly seem to think so. So let's meet them.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08Today's couple are David and Jill,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10who currently live in the town of Banstead, Surrey,
0:03:10 > 0:03:12on the edges of Greater London -
0:03:12 > 0:03:14a place they feel has changed over the years.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Suburbia is creeping ever outwards,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20whereas when we moved here,
0:03:20 > 0:03:22it did have a sort of village feel.
0:03:22 > 0:03:24Now it's really almost all part of Greater London.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28We're looking forward to being in a more rural area
0:03:28 > 0:03:32because we've really had enough of all the traffic in the locality.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36But it's been a long time since they were last house-hunting.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41So we've been here 23 years, pretty much since we got married.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Our elder daughter is at university
0:03:43 > 0:03:47and our younger daughter, who has learning difficulties,
0:03:47 > 0:03:50has now gone to a residential training college,
0:03:50 > 0:03:55and we feel that we're no longer as tied as we were,
0:03:55 > 0:03:58and it just seems the right time to go.
0:03:58 > 0:04:02David and Jill's girls are very much part of the move.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04Although the girls are away,
0:04:04 > 0:04:05once they finish their education,
0:04:05 > 0:04:07who knows where they'll be?
0:04:07 > 0:04:11So we would need bedrooms for both of them.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14And, in fact, the family will be growing.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16We're being joined in the move by my mother.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19She's very excited about moving. Her bags are packed.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21She doesn't have any requirements
0:04:21 > 0:04:24other than she wants her own little area and wants to be with us.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29For David and Jill, the move means starting a new kind of life together.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33When we move, we're hoping very much to spend more time together,
0:04:33 > 0:04:37whether that be walking, cycling, I'd like to do some cooking.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40- In fact, you enjoy cooking. Or don't you?- Yeah, I do. Yep.- We both enjoy cooking.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43To a certain extent, we will be getting to know one another again.
0:04:43 > 0:04:45It would just be a great opportunity
0:04:45 > 0:04:48to develop that new lifestyle in a new place, in a new location.
0:04:48 > 0:04:53But one of their lifelong interests they ARE keen to continue...
0:04:53 > 0:04:54We both enjoy gardening.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56We've done quite a lot to this garden
0:04:56 > 0:04:59and we sort of feel that we've done all that now
0:04:59 > 0:05:01and it would be nice to move on to a new challenge.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05As they're moving out of one of the country's most expensive counties,
0:05:05 > 0:05:07they do have a good budget.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11The budget for the move is £850,000.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17As David and Jill want rural,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19we're moving inland from the West Sussex coastline
0:05:19 > 0:05:22and concentrating our search on the villages and towns
0:05:22 > 0:05:26in and around the South Downs National Park.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28I'm off to find out more details.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31- Good morning! - Good morning.- Good morning.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34- So, welcome, both of you, to West Sussex.- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37Why have you chosen West Sussex to come and relocate in?
0:05:37 > 0:05:38Well, we've come from Surrey
0:05:38 > 0:05:41and West Sussex is a little more countrified.
0:05:41 > 0:05:42OK.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44Looking to get a bit away from the traffic,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48but still be within proximity of our friends and family around there.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50And you've got someone to bring with you, haven't you?
0:05:50 > 0:05:52Yes. We've got my elderly mother to bring with me.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55- The mother-in-law?- Yes. - You get on, I take it?- We do.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58- Good! That's a relief. - Yeah, I don't.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02So how are we...are you just looking for a big house
0:06:02 > 0:06:04or a bit more separation with your living space?
0:06:04 > 0:06:07We'd like, sort of, separate space, in some respects, for her,
0:06:07 > 0:06:10whether that's under the same roof...
0:06:10 > 0:06:12- Yeah.- ..or maybe in a very, very close proximity.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15- OK.- But it has to be her own sort of living area.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17So talk me through a day in the life
0:06:17 > 0:06:21of David and Jill in the countryside in West Sussex.
0:06:21 > 0:06:22Cook breakfast...
0:06:22 > 0:06:25..cup of coffee, wander around the grounds...
0:06:25 > 0:06:29- Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. - You know, walk through the woods. - The grounds?!
0:06:29 > 0:06:32A lot of people, when they come to the countryside, they want a bit of land around them.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34I've never heard them called 'grounds'.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Let's be serious about this - how much outside space do you want?
0:06:37 > 0:06:40Up to an acre, I think, including the plot that the house sits on.
0:06:40 > 0:06:42- We love gardening.- Do you?
0:06:42 > 0:06:44So it would be nice to really do something with the gardens...
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- Yeah.- ..and some sort of landscaping or whatever.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49The house itself? Are you prepared to take on a project there?
0:06:49 > 0:06:53Yeah, but not just a plot that we have to build a house on.
0:06:53 > 0:06:54It'd make my job pretty easy.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56What does this house look like, then?
0:06:56 > 0:06:59It's got a bit of character, a little bit of character,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01but not low ceilings
0:07:01 > 0:07:03or, you know, not very beamy.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05- Not oldie-worldie.- Yeah.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08- Good-size rooms. Airy. - Yeah. Lots of light.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10How many bedrooms in total?
0:07:10 > 0:07:12Three upstairs and one downstairs.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16So last, and by no means least, what's the budget?
0:07:16 > 0:07:19The budget is £850,000.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Good budget, actually. And is that the final, final figure?
0:07:22 > 0:07:24We could stretch a little bit beyond that
0:07:24 > 0:07:27for absolutely the right place with nothing to do.
0:07:27 > 0:07:28OK. And what sort of position are you in now?
0:07:28 > 0:07:31- You've got your house listed on the market?- We have a buyer already.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34- Have you?!- Yeah.- What - it's sold subject to contract?- Yes.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36What we standing here for, then? Let's go.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43So for a handsome budget of £850,000,
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Jill and David are after a light, spacious house
0:07:45 > 0:07:47with three bedrooms upstairs,
0:07:47 > 0:07:50plus a downstairs living suite for David's mother.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54It needs a good-size garden or plot for them to cultivate
0:07:54 > 0:07:56and some country views.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59We've got some great houses to show them,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01but I won't be revealing the price
0:08:01 > 0:08:03until they've had a chance to guess first.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06And we've got the mystery house ready,
0:08:06 > 0:08:09which I think will be a very enticing option.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17So this move over here to West Sussex -
0:08:17 > 0:08:20what sort of things are you hoping to get up to in your spare time?
0:08:20 > 0:08:22I like clay-pigeon shooting.
0:08:22 > 0:08:26This is getting very country-sport now, isn't it? I mean, clay pigeon shooting?
0:08:26 > 0:08:27It is, yes.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29And what about you, Jill?
0:08:29 > 0:08:31I have a qualification in British sign language
0:08:31 > 0:08:33and I'd like to, perhaps, use that...
0:08:33 > 0:08:36- Right.- ..with doing some voluntary work.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Any style of property that you just don't like?
0:08:39 > 0:08:42I mean, there's different houses I do and don't like,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44but I wouldn't class them as a particular style.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47That means it can be quite difficult to tie you down, though.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50- Yes, that is...that is true.- OK.
0:08:50 > 0:08:54I think we'll know the house that we really like when we see it.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57- Yep.- As soon as you walk through the door sometimes, isn't it?
0:08:57 > 0:08:58- Yeah, absolutely.- Yep.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06To start our search, we're going to the southern edge of the South Downs
0:09:06 > 0:09:08to the town of Arundel.
0:09:08 > 0:09:12Arundel is a town that grew up around the grand hilltop castle
0:09:12 > 0:09:13built under William the Conqueror.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15Today, this fortress vies for attention
0:09:15 > 0:09:18with the equally impressive Catholic cathedral.
0:09:18 > 0:09:22Built in the 19th century, it's Grade I listed
0:09:22 > 0:09:24and regarded as one of the finest examples
0:09:24 > 0:09:25of Gothic revival architecture.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29The town itself is full of restaurants,
0:09:29 > 0:09:31galleries, antique shops and boutiques
0:09:31 > 0:09:35and it's just an hour and a half's train journey from Central London.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37Just a few minutes from the edge of town,
0:09:37 > 0:09:40down a private country lane away from the neighbours,
0:09:40 > 0:09:41is our first house.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Here is our first property.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45- Wow.- Very nice.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47Well, some of it is Victorian,
0:09:47 > 0:09:49other parts of it are just a couple of years old.
0:09:49 > 0:09:54- Right.- Good.- Blends in quite well. - Yeah.- Yeah, it looks very nice.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57- So you know where you are - just a stone's throw from Arundel, really.- Yep.- Yep.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00- Which is - let's face it - absolutely gorgeous, isn't it? - Absolutely.- It is.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03- That'd be a nice local town to go to, wouldn't it?- Indeed.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05So first impressions are...?
0:10:05 > 0:10:08- Very nice.- Yeah. It is nice. - Nice-looking house.- Yep.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11- OK, let's look inside.- OK.- OK.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Originally two cottages, which were joined together,
0:10:14 > 0:10:17the house is now over 3,000ft square
0:10:17 > 0:10:19and is currently used as a holiday home.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23I'm hoping it will appeal to their desire for light and space.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27- So you can see why we've taken our shoes off.- Yes.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29- Brand-new cream carpet.- Wow.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31- Lovely.- That fire is beautiful.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34- Good!- Yep, lovely. Lovely open lounge.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36- It's very light as well, isn't it?- Yep.
0:10:36 > 0:10:38Very light but cosy at the same time.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Well, this is the modern part of the house as well
0:10:40 > 0:10:42and they've put things in
0:10:42 > 0:10:45like the picture rails, they've got these decent windows,
0:10:45 > 0:10:47and I think this fireplace just sets it off, doesn't it?
0:10:47 > 0:10:49- Very much so.- Certainly, yes.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52Moving through to the old part, it's no less impressive.
0:10:52 > 0:10:53- Follow me.- OK.- OK.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55So...
0:10:56 > 0:10:58..a room big enough to hear your own echo.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00- Wow.- Yes.- Beautiful. - Very, very nice.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04- That's a fantastic size. - That is beautiful.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08And with all five of us here, we wouldn't be on top of each other.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10- No, not at all. - It's beautiful.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13I mean, you told me about your daughters coming back.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15- This is where you'd love to come back to, isn't it?- Yes.
0:11:15 > 0:11:18- It still feels like a family home, doesn't it?- Very much so.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20- And yet it's a very sociable space, isn't it?- Yep.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23- Don't you think.- Yep, yep. And it has a nice dining area.
0:11:23 > 0:11:28And the light coming through there again is just beautiful.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32Now, let's talk about your mother, your mother-in-law.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34She needs somewhere to live on the ground floor.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36Now, just past that stair there
0:11:36 > 0:11:38is a door going into a room
0:11:38 > 0:11:40which would make a perfect double bedroom,
0:11:40 > 0:11:43and next door to that, there's an en-suite shower and loo.
0:11:43 > 0:11:44Is that enough accommodation?
0:11:44 > 0:11:48I think we definitely want her to have a sort of separate living area.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50You know, a sort of sitting room type thing.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53She could share a kitchen. That's fine.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57But we definitely want her to have her own sort of sitting room area.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01Well, in that case, then, your only option is to hive off some of this living area here.
0:12:01 > 0:12:03You've got more than enough natural light.
0:12:03 > 0:12:04You could put a partition across,
0:12:04 > 0:12:08and there is a door going into that accommodation as well there.
0:12:08 > 0:12:09That's possible.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13I mean, in some respects, of course, it would be a shame to partition
0:12:13 > 0:12:14such a lovely room there.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16But it could work.
0:12:16 > 0:12:21- Now, kitchen. You both love cooking, don't you?- Yes.- Let's have a look.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24There is a bit of work to do to create the perfect granny annexe,
0:12:24 > 0:12:26but at least having so much ground floor space,
0:12:26 > 0:12:29there is still lots of living room for the family.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32- Oh, that's lovely.- Brilliant.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35- So, you like?- Very much.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Actually, you could put a centre island in here.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Yes. It would be nice to have just a little bit more workspace.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43- So that would work well, wouldn't it?- That's a good area. Yeah.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Now, the space is continued upstairs.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49- The master bedroom is a whopper. Let me show you.- OK.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54The large rear conservatory and the utility room off the kitchen
0:12:54 > 0:12:57round up the ground floor configuration.
0:12:57 > 0:13:01Upstairs, there is bags of room for them and their two daughters,
0:13:01 > 0:13:03with four bedrooms and two bathrooms.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07And that doesn't include the enormous master suite.
0:13:08 > 0:13:09Now, then.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13- Oh, my goodness.- My goodness me.
0:13:13 > 0:13:17- En-suite. We've never had an en-suite before.- No. Certainly not.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21- His and hers wash hand basins. - Fantastic.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25- This is enormous, isn't it? - Great, great size room.- Enormous.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27- I like the height as well. That's great.- Yeah.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29And the colours as well.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32I know you can just use a paintbrush, but we wouldn't.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35- This very much suits our taste. - Good. OK.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Well, that is... It all seems to be working fairly well for you guys.
0:13:38 > 0:13:39Yep, it is.
0:13:39 > 0:13:44- Let's look outside at the garden and start thinking about price.- Oh, yes.
0:13:44 > 0:13:45Lead the way.
0:13:45 > 0:13:49The garden to the rear is an expansive lawn and mature borders.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52It's a great plot for their landscaping plans.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56Now, garden-wise, what do you think? Big enough?
0:13:56 > 0:13:58Yeah. A good size and a good shape.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01Nice square shape with mature plants. Yeah. Lovely.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03Yep. That would work.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06So how much do you think this house is on the market for?
0:14:07 > 0:14:09I think...
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- ..£825,000.- OK.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18And that's exactly the same as I was going to say, so, um...
0:14:19 > 0:14:22I'd like it to be £810,000.
0:14:22 > 0:14:28OK. Well... This house is on the market for offers around £850,000.
0:14:28 > 0:14:29OK.
0:14:29 > 0:14:31- I...I think that's... - That's reasonable.
0:14:31 > 0:14:36- I'd be putting it on at that price if it were mine to sell.- Good.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Well, look, you've had good reactions inside.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41When you go back in, have a good look around
0:14:41 > 0:14:43maybe your mum's accommodation,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46but also look around all the bedrooms upstairs that you haven't yet seen.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49- And I'll meet you whenever we're done.- OK.- All right.- Lovely.
0:14:49 > 0:14:50- Catch you in a bit.- Thanks.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55So at the top end of their budget of £850,000,
0:14:55 > 0:14:59this renovated Victorian property gives five bedrooms,
0:14:59 > 0:15:01spacious open-plan living rooms,
0:15:01 > 0:15:03the potential to have a granny annexe,
0:15:03 > 0:15:07and it's all set in a half-acre plot.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09The house is very light and airy on the ground floor.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11It's all open plan.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15I very much like that the house has six bedrooms,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17which includes the bedroom for Mum downstairs.
0:15:17 > 0:15:22The garden is a lovely size, lovely shape and it has mature plants,
0:15:22 > 0:15:25all of which are a bonus.
0:15:25 > 0:15:29It's perhaps a little bit too isolated for us.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32I think it would be nice to have one or two neighbours nearby.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35I could see myself living in this property,
0:15:35 > 0:15:37but I'm not sure that it works for my mother.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39There's not quite enough space for her
0:15:39 > 0:15:42and I can't quite see how we would actually annexe
0:15:42 > 0:15:45the extra room that I think she'd need.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46You know what?
0:15:46 > 0:15:49I thought I would find you in here because this seems to be
0:15:49 > 0:15:51the only slight sticking point in this whole house
0:15:51 > 0:15:53in the tour, that I saw.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57- So why don't you have a think about this on the journey to the next house?- OK.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Let's go.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06Part of David and Jill's move to the countryside
0:16:06 > 0:16:09is a desire to claim a slice of rural life for themselves.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12And right in the middle of our property search
0:16:12 > 0:16:17is a place dedicated to keeping the county's rural heritage alive.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20The Weald and Downland Open Air Museum is a 50-acre site
0:16:20 > 0:16:23which spans over 600 years of history,
0:16:23 > 0:16:26depicting the lives of those who lived and worked
0:16:26 > 0:16:31in the Sussex countryside between 1300 and 1900.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Mindful that David and Jill are keen gardeners and cooks,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37we arranged for them to meet life interpreter Leslie Parker
0:16:37 > 0:16:39to find out more.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42- What are all these amazing buildings here?- They're all rescued.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44They would have been destroyed for one reason or another.
0:16:44 > 0:16:49Road widening, reservoirs being built, gravel pits.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52So if we're offered a building,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54it's taken down, literally piece by piece,
0:16:54 > 0:16:56like taking a jigsaw puzzle apart,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00and then it's re-erected here, um, literally piece by piece.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03- And how many buildings are here? - Over 50 now.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06These are all what we today would call working-class houses,
0:17:06 > 0:17:08although, of course, that's not an expression
0:17:08 > 0:17:10they would have used in the past.
0:17:10 > 0:17:15And we've got everything from 1300s, very much a peasant house,
0:17:15 > 0:17:19up to Bayleaf, our Tudor farmhouse here,
0:17:19 > 0:17:24is probably the most well-off one
0:17:24 > 0:17:26of all the houses we have on the site.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30And we have the gardens, which are a huge resource as well.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33- I understand that's something you're interested in.- Very much so, yes.
0:17:33 > 0:17:36So maybe if you would like to have a look at Bayleaf's Tudor garden.
0:17:36 > 0:17:38We'd love to. Thank you.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41The Bayleaf garden was created in 1989
0:17:41 > 0:17:44and is a re-creation of a late medieval garden,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46which would have been laid out in blocks of beds.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Tudors employed a wholly organic method of gardening,
0:17:49 > 0:17:51finding a use for everything.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55We've got lots of different plants here.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58In the herb beds, we've got herbs for cooking,
0:17:58 > 0:18:00we've got herbs that are
0:18:00 > 0:18:01for medicinal use.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03We've got plants that would help
0:18:03 > 0:18:05keep the bed bugs from your mattress.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07And which ones keep the bed bugs from your mattress?
0:18:07 > 0:18:11Well, tansy is a good one which is actually this plant behind you here.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13Oh, right.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15Because the leaves are very bitter, people picked it,
0:18:15 > 0:18:19they hung bunches at windows and doorways
0:18:19 > 0:18:22and they would put sprigs under things like mattresses as well.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24And do you use some of them in cooking?
0:18:24 > 0:18:28This one is called winter savoury. It's not such a common herb today.
0:18:28 > 0:18:34That was particularly recommended also to help problems of flatulence.
0:18:34 > 0:18:38So they often put that in recipes with beans and peas.
0:18:38 > 0:18:42Slightly like lavender, isn't it? It's got a slight lavender smell.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Some people think it's more like a sort of thyme-oregano cross.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47Oh, yes. Yes, yes.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49And then we've got lots of vegetables,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51including some we're using today.
0:18:51 > 0:18:55At the moment, we've got things like parsnips and leeks, leaf beets.
0:18:55 > 0:18:59We were talking about winter savoury as a more unusual herb of the time,
0:18:59 > 0:19:01so if we use that in our pottage.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- If you'd like to just pick a little bit more each.- Lovely. Thank you.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08And then we'll head over to Winkhurst, our Tudor kitchen,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10and do some cooking.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12David and Jill have seen what ingredients
0:19:12 > 0:19:15were cultivated by Tudor society.
0:19:15 > 0:19:16It's time to head to the kitchen
0:19:16 > 0:19:20and prepare a common Tudor dish called pottage.
0:19:20 > 0:19:25So what we're going to do here is cook a very basic seasonal pottage.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28A one pot meal. That's all that means.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31What we're going to do is start by chopping an onion.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35First, onions are fried and then the vegetables are added.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Pottage can be made from any vegetables and meat.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40It was the staple of Tudor society
0:19:40 > 0:19:43and the main meal for most families, from the poor to the wealthy.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45It was just the ingredients that differed.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50To add bulk and thicken the dish, barley soaked in ale is added.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53And the final ingredients, winter savoury and leaf beet
0:19:53 > 0:19:56collected from the garden are put in the pot.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58Time to find out if this Tudor dish is any good.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01- It's lovely, isn't it? - Mmm!- Very sweet.
0:20:01 > 0:20:05- It's got quite a lot of spice and flavour in it, hasn't it?- It has.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Having sampled an historic snapshot of West Sussex,
0:20:09 > 0:20:11it's time to spool forward to the present day
0:20:11 > 0:20:13and serve up our next property.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18For house number two, we're going ten miles further inland
0:20:18 > 0:20:23to Pulborough, a large village on the northern edge of the South Downs.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25Pulborough dates back to Roman times
0:20:25 > 0:20:28and is one of the larger villages in West Sussex.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30With a population of around 5,000,
0:20:30 > 0:20:34it has a good number of shops, pubs and other amenities.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Three miles from the centre of the village,
0:20:36 > 0:20:37down a long country lane,
0:20:37 > 0:20:39is property number two.
0:20:41 > 0:20:45So a completely different kettle of fish for property number two.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48- Very much so.- What do you think?
0:20:48 > 0:20:50It looks a little bit like a chalet bungalow.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52I see what you mean. Yeah.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55Well, it looks like a one storey with one storey above.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Take my word for it, it doesn't feel like that inside.
0:20:58 > 0:21:00This is a good-sized family home.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Now, of course,
0:21:02 > 0:21:06you couldn't fail to see that we've just gone past a Victorian castle.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09- Yes. I'm not keen. - Not keen? How so?
0:21:09 > 0:21:13- Perhaps feeling a little overlooked, maybe.- Oh, OK. Um...
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Well, I'll tell you this. That's a good point. The house faces that way.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19So are the views.
0:21:19 > 0:21:20But I thought with having that there
0:21:20 > 0:21:23and there's another neighbour way over the other side,
0:21:23 > 0:21:24you wouldn't feel so isolated.
0:21:24 > 0:21:26Yeah.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29Let's see how you feel when you get inside the house, shall we?
0:21:29 > 0:21:31- OK.- Let's go.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34The Victorian castle next door is residential,
0:21:34 > 0:21:37having been converted into luxury flats.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40And whilst they may not be entirely swept away with the exterior,
0:21:40 > 0:21:44I'm hoping the internal layout will more than fulfil their needs.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48Coming in through the hallway, there's a central room in this house
0:21:48 > 0:21:51which all the other family spaces feed off.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53There's a light, modern country kitchen,
0:21:53 > 0:21:55a dining room with views out to the garden
0:21:55 > 0:21:57and then there's the sitting room.
0:21:59 > 0:22:03- So this feels very much more the living room, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:22:03 > 0:22:09- This is lovely.- Open fire.- A good size and, again, lots of windows.
0:22:09 > 0:22:11Very nice.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14- Are you getting a feel of what you might do with the spaces?- Well, yes.
0:22:14 > 0:22:19I was thinking perhaps making this the more formal dining room
0:22:19 > 0:22:23and then perhaps the room that is currently the dining room,
0:22:23 > 0:22:26make that perhaps a space for the youngsters.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28Yeah. Not a bad idea.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32And that's what this house gives you. It's very flexible.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- You've got 3,000 square feet to play with here.- Goodness me.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37- It's a big house.- Yeah, it is big.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Let me show you where your mum might be staying.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44These family rooms form one wing of the downstairs layout.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46The other wing is where a suite of rooms are located
0:22:46 > 0:22:50which could be a perfect annexe for David's mum.
0:22:51 > 0:22:52So...
0:22:52 > 0:22:54..right at this end of the house
0:22:54 > 0:22:59there's as much privacy for your mother as she wants, really.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02- You think this is a living room. - Yes.- But is it?
0:23:02 > 0:23:06- Because you've got an en-suite there.- Oh, OK.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08So this could be a bedroom, if she wants an en-suite,
0:23:08 > 0:23:10or the living room.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12And you've got a study next door
0:23:12 > 0:23:14which would be either the bedroom or the living room.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16And on the other side of the corridor,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18there's a utility room for the house,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21- which is easily big enough to be a kitchen.- Yes, yes.
0:23:21 > 0:23:25- So she could have her entire annexe or wing.- Right.- Yes.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29I can see that. She would like that, I think.
0:23:29 > 0:23:30Very attractive proposition.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Yeah. And this is a very nice size for her.
0:23:33 > 0:23:38- That would work well. - So far so good?- Yeah. Absolutely.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41- We're on the right track.- Good. Onwards and upwards. Follow me.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47What's on offer for David's mother is a definite winner in this house
0:23:47 > 0:23:51and there are some great options for their daughters upstairs.
0:23:51 > 0:23:52Built into the eaves of the house,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55there are three good-sized double bedrooms to choose from,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57all with ceiling windows
0:23:57 > 0:23:59and lots of natural light.
0:23:59 > 0:24:02There are two bathrooms, so the girls can have one each,
0:24:02 > 0:24:06and all of this doesn't include the main bedroom for Jill and David.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Now, I want you to see what I call the master suite.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12- So pretty funky bathroom.- Very nice.
0:24:12 > 0:24:18- But this bedroom also gives you a rather nice balcony.- Oh, lovely.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22- Have a good look.- That looks fabulous, doesn't it?- Very nice.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Now, on a clearer day, that's a view right over the South Downs.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Beautiful.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Bearing in mind there's lots of, you know...
0:24:29 > 0:24:30..there's en suites up here as well,
0:24:30 > 0:24:32there's enough privacy
0:24:32 > 0:24:35for your three generations of family to spend time here,
0:24:35 > 0:24:36which I thought would be good.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39- Absolutely. Yes. - I think that would work OK.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42- Yeah. Very much so. - Good. All right.
0:24:42 > 0:24:47So let's go and brave the weather again and start thinking about price.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49- OK.- Yep.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51- Not an easy one, this, is it? - No, it's not.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53As well as the size and great layout,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56the views are a real bonus with this house.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59However, it is currently used as a holiday let,
0:24:59 > 0:25:02so it doesn't have the feel of a home that's lived in full-time.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Outside, the garden is an undeveloped half acre
0:25:05 > 0:25:08ready for the attention of some green fingers.
0:25:08 > 0:25:11This probably isn't the best day to be saying, "Isn't it nice out here?
0:25:11 > 0:25:15"Is this what you had in mind?" But imagine this on a clearer day.
0:25:15 > 0:25:18- Nice?- Very nice. - I can see it working for us.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22It's a blank canvas too. We can do with it as we wish.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Do you remember when we first walked up...
0:25:25 > 0:25:27..you said "Oh, it looks like a chalet bungalow"?
0:25:27 > 0:25:31It's in, you know... almost underneath a Victorian castle.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33What do you think now we've looked around?
0:25:33 > 0:25:37I think it's a great space inside. It's absolutely right for us.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41- So practicality-wise, I think that's spot-on.- OK.
0:25:41 > 0:25:44- Sounds like there's a but there. - Does it feel entirely like a home?
0:25:44 > 0:25:46No.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49I think you're right. I mean, on paper it's perfect and some.
0:25:49 > 0:25:53- I mean, it's everything we could ever want.- So...
0:25:53 > 0:25:55How much do you think it's on the market for?
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Uh...it's a difficult one. Um...
0:25:59 > 0:26:02I would say £830,000.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06- OK. Jill?- I think it's considerably more than that.
0:26:06 > 0:26:10- I think it's £875,000. - Not a bad guess, Jill.
0:26:10 > 0:26:15- It's on the market for offers around £860,000.- Mmm! OK.
0:26:16 > 0:26:21- So...practically, you think it's spot-on.- Yep.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23Can you make this house a home?
0:26:23 > 0:26:27Why don't you go back inside? Have a look around all the rooms.
0:26:27 > 0:26:28There's lots of it.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31And start to think about "Could you move into this place?"
0:26:31 > 0:26:34- Could you warm it up, if you like? All right?- OK. Lovely.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36- I'll see you later on.- Thank you.
0:26:37 > 0:26:43So for £860,000, this substantial house offers four bedrooms upstairs,
0:26:43 > 0:26:47potential for a self-contained annexe downstairs, a half-acre of garden
0:26:47 > 0:26:51and fantastic views over the South Downs.
0:26:51 > 0:26:52I think the floorspace is great.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55The configuration downstairs is perfect.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58The configuration upstairs is perfect. It would work well for us.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01The longer I spend in this house, the more it's appealing to me.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05It's got everything we could want and more.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07And it's perfect for David's mum.
0:27:07 > 0:27:11I just have a niggle that there's something missing
0:27:11 > 0:27:14and I can't put my finger on it.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16I think it's that feeling that is missing.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18It would be nice to perhaps come back
0:27:18 > 0:27:20and see what we could do to make it our own.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23You get a sort of 90-degree panorama all the way around.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26You can see why they put the balcony here, can't you?
0:27:26 > 0:27:30- You certainly can.- And it's so peaceful.- Yeah. Lovely.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33So you can see some of the view even on a day like today, can't you?
0:27:33 > 0:27:37- Yeah, it's beautiful.- Had a good look around?- Yep. Thank you. Yeah.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39Well, this is the last thing we'll see today,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- so let's take you back and you've got something to think about tonight.- OK.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45- Plenty to think about.- After you. - Thank you.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54It's our last day of house-hunting with David and Jill
0:27:54 > 0:27:58who are looking to move from Banstead, Surrey, to West Sussex
0:27:58 > 0:28:00with a budget of £850,000.
0:28:00 > 0:28:05Coming up, I've still got some surprises for our buyers.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08It wasn't what I expected at all. It has a really homely feel.
0:28:08 > 0:28:13And I find out about one of our country's great aviation triumphs.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16I've got nothing to compare that to, but that sounds pretty amazing.
0:28:16 > 0:28:17It's awesome.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22So here we are. A beautiful day.
0:28:22 > 0:28:23Two properties down,
0:28:23 > 0:28:27both of which I think marry David and Jill's shopping list,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30but there still seems to be something missing.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33So I'm somewhat relieved to be taking them both to the mystery house,
0:28:33 > 0:28:35as, let's face it, it normally stirs things up a bit.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38Now, I think they're both going to enjoy looking round the house itself.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40It has a lovely homely feel to it.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42The garden is a good size,
0:28:42 > 0:28:45albeit on a bit of an angle which could be a challenge.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48And there's even potential for a granny annexe.
0:28:48 > 0:28:53But when I see potential, it is potential, but with a capital P.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59For our mystery house, I'm taking David and Jill
0:28:59 > 0:29:0115 miles north to the village of Fernhurst,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04close to the West Sussex and Surrey border.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08One of the northern gateways to the South Downs National Park,
0:29:08 > 0:29:10Fernhurst is surrounded by five hills
0:29:10 > 0:29:12and miles of walking trails.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16It's a classic rural village with a church dating back to Norman times.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19Now, this village - well, it gives you everything.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21What you want from a village these days.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24You've got your pub, of course. You've got your shops.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26Got a good, vibrant community.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30Now, rumour has it that apparently the last wild bear in England
0:29:30 > 0:29:31was killed here.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34Whether or not that's true, what I do like to believe
0:29:34 > 0:29:37is the ghost of that bear haunts this whole area.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41- So is that putting you off? - No.- No.- Good. All right.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43- Let's get along to the mystery house.- OK.- Lovely.
0:29:43 > 0:29:48Three miles up the road, through woodland, is our final property.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53So...
0:29:53 > 0:29:56..atop this hill is our mystery house.
0:29:58 > 0:30:05- Very nice.- I'm very aware of the slope.- Right. OK.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08And an 88-year-old mother-in-law.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11Let's just ignore my mother for the moment. It's a very nice house.
0:30:11 > 0:30:13It is a very nice house. It is.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17I know you love gardening. There's terracing that can be done here.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19Some landscaping to be done. Yeah. That's good.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21But the mystery here, if you like,
0:30:21 > 0:30:24is the fact that there's work to be done to this house
0:30:24 > 0:30:29and that is making it a bit more OAP friendly for your mum
0:30:29 > 0:30:33and also maybe converting some of her accommodation later on.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36- Let's look inside.- OK.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38With approaching half an acre of mature secluded gardens,
0:30:38 > 0:30:42there's plenty to keep David and Jill busy outdoors.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44But given they're finding it hard
0:30:44 > 0:30:46visualising their life in another house,
0:30:46 > 0:30:48it's the inside that I really want them to see.
0:30:50 > 0:30:55- So the kitchen. Very different feel to what we've seen so far.- Wow.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57- Lovely.- It's beautiful.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00- It's a real country kitchen, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:31:00 > 0:31:04- And also do you not think it feels really homely?- Very much so. It does.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06I mean, it's, you know, great dining area.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09Lovely view over the garden. Good-sized kitchen as well.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Loads of workspace.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14- Spot-on.- Good stuff?- Yeah, absolutely.- Great stuff.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18Right then. Let's go to the sitting room. Just squeeze past here.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21There are two living rooms in our mystery house -
0:31:21 > 0:31:23one which has views out to the garden,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26and the other which is larger and L-shaped.
0:31:26 > 0:31:32- Now, the living room, or one of the living rooms, is pretty big.- It is.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34It's a lovely, cosy room.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36I think the fact that someone lives here permanently
0:31:36 > 0:31:39really brings the house alive.
0:31:39 > 0:31:44- Yeah. You can see yourselves making this a home.- Yes.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47- This is a nice, quiet, slightly darker room.- Yeah.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51The other one's much more open and light.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55Well, the other section we walked past, it has those nice big windows
0:31:55 > 0:31:58that you can see maybe opening out onto the garden.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01So the two reception rooms have two quite different functions, don't they?
0:32:01 > 0:32:06- Good. All right. Let's have a look at one of the bedrooms.- OK.- OK.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10The final rooms downstairs are a small corridor office
0:32:10 > 0:32:12and a utility room.
0:32:12 > 0:32:15Upstairs, there are three bedrooms for their daughters to choose from
0:32:15 > 0:32:17and a bathroom for them to share.
0:32:17 > 0:32:20All of this is separate from the main bedroom suite.
0:32:20 > 0:32:25- So the master, well, it has the best view. Look at that.- It's beautiful.
0:32:25 > 0:32:29- Nice and light.- Yep. - Yes, isn't it?- It's good.
0:32:29 > 0:32:34- It gives it a nice feeling.- Yes. It wasn't what I expected at all.
0:32:34 > 0:32:39Um...it has a... As I say, it has a really homely feel.
0:32:39 > 0:32:40OK. Well, this is good.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42Let's go and have a look at an idea
0:32:42 > 0:32:44for some accommodation for your mum, David.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46Can I just squeeze through the middle there?
0:32:46 > 0:32:50For this house, I have a different proposition for a granny flat -
0:32:50 > 0:32:53a stand-alone annexe just across from the main house.
0:32:55 > 0:32:59So, as you can see, at the top, we've got a collection of outbuildings.
0:32:59 > 0:33:03Now, this was originally converted to be a teenager's den
0:33:03 > 0:33:05and then they started to make upgrades
0:33:05 > 0:33:07to turn it into a granny annexe
0:33:07 > 0:33:10and circumstances along the way changed.
0:33:10 > 0:33:14What you've got here is a footprint of buildings. So...
0:33:14 > 0:33:19..the ability for an annexe, a garden, albeit on a bit of a slope,
0:33:19 > 0:33:22- and a really lovely family home. - Yep.
0:33:23 > 0:33:25How much?
0:33:25 > 0:33:29I think, probably...
0:33:29 > 0:33:31..seven...
0:33:33 > 0:33:36..£765,000.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39- Okey-doke. David? - I'd say £750,000.
0:33:41 > 0:33:42Well...
0:33:42 > 0:33:46..you may well be surprised to hear, then, this mystery property
0:33:46 > 0:33:49is on the market for offers around £850,000.
0:33:49 > 0:33:52- Is it?- Yeah.- Good heavens.
0:33:52 > 0:33:55- Well, we were wrong, weren't we?- We were.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58It's something to think about and hopefully, and I really mean this,
0:33:58 > 0:34:01something to compare against the first two properties.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04- Yes.- This...
0:34:04 > 0:34:07There's a reason why we've looked at all these three properties.
0:34:07 > 0:34:12- It's a big thing you're embarking upon. First house in 23 years.- Yes.
0:34:12 > 0:34:16So go back to the garden. Have a look at it.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19Start to think about this place in relation to everything we've seen.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22- Sure.- All right? Catch you later. - Thank you very much.
0:34:22 > 0:34:26So at the top of their budget of £850,000,
0:34:26 > 0:34:30they get a beautiful hillside house with a stunning interior,
0:34:30 > 0:34:36four bedrooms, two living rooms and potential for a separate annexe.
0:34:36 > 0:34:41When I first saw the property, I was a little aghast at the garden,
0:34:41 > 0:34:45thinking about David's mum and the slope.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49Although, obviously, she wouldn't be out there gardening with us,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52I just felt it was a bit restrictive for her.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54I think the space for my mother could work.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57There's another square footage there to actually turn it into
0:34:57 > 0:35:00a self-contained granny annexe for her.
0:35:00 > 0:35:01If it were on the same level,
0:35:01 > 0:35:03I think that would work perfectly well.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07It's a good property to see, notwithstanding the fact that it has
0:35:07 > 0:35:10some challenges in terms of slope and access for Mum.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13It's this beautiful elevated position
0:35:13 > 0:35:15that I think's going to be the big problem with this house.
0:35:15 > 0:35:16Shame, though.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22Now then. You survived the steep garden.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25- There's no mud on your knees. - Nope, nope.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27- Did you enjoy looking round that house?- Very much so. Yeah.
0:35:27 > 0:35:30- Well, we should find somewhere for you to have a bit of a chinwag.- OK.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32- Come with me.- OK.
0:35:39 > 0:35:40Being on the South Coast,
0:35:40 > 0:35:43West Sussex has always played a strategic role
0:35:43 > 0:35:44in the country's security,
0:35:44 > 0:35:47and no more so than during World War II.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50I'm off to Tangmere Aviation Museum near Chichester,
0:35:50 > 0:35:53which is on the site of a former RAF base
0:35:53 > 0:35:57which was crucial in defending the south against the Luftwaffe.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00I'm meeting retired squadron leader Dudley Hooley to find out more.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02Dudley, thanks so much for seeing me today.
0:36:02 > 0:36:05- How are you?- It's a great pleasure. Very well, thank you.
0:36:05 > 0:36:07What an exciting place to be.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10As a boy that grew up next to an airfield, with planes going over,
0:36:10 > 0:36:13to see these up close and personal is an absolute treat.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16Now, tell me, Tangmere itself, I suppose...
0:36:16 > 0:36:18Is it the proximity to the coast
0:36:18 > 0:36:21behind its existence and its importance?
0:36:21 > 0:36:22That's a great part of it
0:36:22 > 0:36:26because Tangmere was the premier base in the south of England.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29It controlled six other bases here during the Battle of Britain.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33That's probably when it became most famous.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35So you'd have had Hurricanes and Spitfires
0:36:35 > 0:36:37taking off from this base, then.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40Primarily Hurricanes.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42Spitfires were operating from Goodwood Airfield
0:36:42 > 0:36:44and the Hurricanes would go after the bombers.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47The Spitfires would go after the accompanying fighters.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50I also understand you have a very famous son here at Tangmere.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53Douglas Bader. Who else?
0:36:53 > 0:36:57He came here in 1941 with the first of the big wings.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01Douglas Bader was a wing commander at Tangmere in 1941.
0:37:01 > 0:37:05He was one of the most famous fighter aces of the Second World War
0:37:05 > 0:37:08due to his prolific record of shooting down 20 enemy aircraft
0:37:08 > 0:37:10in a short space of time.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13But he was also hugely inspirational
0:37:13 > 0:37:16because he achieved all of this after having lost his legs
0:37:16 > 0:37:19in an aviation accident in 1931,
0:37:19 > 0:37:22and used two artificial limbs.
0:37:22 > 0:37:23I didn't realise till recently
0:37:23 > 0:37:25that he'd already lost his legs
0:37:25 > 0:37:27by the time the Second World War came around.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30He put his hand up and said "No, I want to volunteer again."
0:37:30 > 0:37:31That's right. He did. Yes.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34And once he did become involved
0:37:34 > 0:37:36in the effort, if you like, the war effort,
0:37:36 > 0:37:38he obviously inspired a lot of young pilots.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41Yes. Yes, he did, because people would look at him
0:37:41 > 0:37:45and say - a little bit like the Paralympians today -
0:37:45 > 0:37:48that if he can do that without any legs,
0:37:48 > 0:37:49then as an able-bodied person,
0:37:49 > 0:37:52that's something for me to aspire to.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54But he was an absolutely brilliant pilot.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57Staffed entirely by volunteers,
0:37:57 > 0:38:01the museum has lovingly restored a total of 16 iconic planes,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04including two jet fighters from the Cold War era.
0:38:04 > 0:38:08Now, Dudley, I'm starting to grin from ear to ear
0:38:08 > 0:38:10just to be close to these amazing aircraft.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12- Let's talk about the Hawker Hunter.- OK.
0:38:12 > 0:38:17This is the Hawker Hunter. In military terms, it's a DFGA.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20- A day fighter ground attack aircraft.- OK.
0:38:20 > 0:38:24This was probably the most loved aeroplane,
0:38:24 > 0:38:27second only to the Spitfire in the RAF.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29- Really? Why is that? - It flew beautifully.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33And then, a number of years later, along came this.
0:38:33 > 0:38:37And I've got to say... they don't even look related.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41The Lightning just looks... It looks huge and very different.
0:38:42 > 0:38:46The Lightning jetfighter was a supersonic aircraft.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49Introduced as an interceptor, it could fly at Mach 2,
0:38:49 > 0:38:51twice the speed of sound.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53It was a brute of an aeroplane,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55designed to get off the ground very, very quickly,
0:38:55 > 0:38:59get up to 50,000 feet, intercept the Russian bombers,
0:38:59 > 0:39:01if necessary, shoot them down.
0:39:01 > 0:39:03This is Cold War time.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07- This is the muscle car of the jet plane world.- You're absolutely right.
0:39:07 > 0:39:09Its performance was astonishing.
0:39:09 > 0:39:13It has a 50,000 feet per minute rate of climb.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17I've got nothing to compare that to, but that sounds pretty amazing.
0:39:17 > 0:39:18It's awesome.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20One of the original test pilots, George Aird,
0:39:20 > 0:39:23when asked what was it like to fly,
0:39:23 > 0:39:26he said, "Well, I was in total control of this aeroplane
0:39:26 > 0:39:28"until I released the brakes."
0:39:28 > 0:39:30HE LAUGHS
0:39:30 > 0:39:34The feats achieved by the incredible engineering of these planes is astonishing
0:39:34 > 0:39:36and I could spend all day here,
0:39:36 > 0:39:38but it's time to get back to the house-hunt.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45So three properties down, the big question
0:39:45 > 0:39:49is have we finally found that missing ingredient for David and Jill?
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Well, we've given them some thinking time.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54Let's find out their thoughts.
0:39:58 > 0:40:03- So after some thinking time, what's your favourite house?- Number two.
0:40:03 > 0:40:07- You both agreed on that?- Absolutely. - Yeah.- Right. OK.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11Well, we looked at property number two in not great weather.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13- Mm-hm.- Yet it was still your favourite.
0:40:13 > 0:40:15And didn't have great first reactions either, did you?
0:40:15 > 0:40:18I wasn't keen on the outward appearance of the property.
0:40:18 > 0:40:24- But once we got in and the views were just beautiful. - Lovely location.
0:40:24 > 0:40:27Great view. Very practical inside.
0:40:27 > 0:40:31So let's pick up on that. You said it's practical.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34Looking around the house, you said that, at the same time,
0:40:34 > 0:40:39you struggled to get... the feel of a family home when walking around.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41- Have you thought about that some more, then?- Yes.
0:40:41 > 0:40:46I mean, I think there are things we could do to make it more of a home.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49- Whether it's the right one for us, I'm still not sure.- It's a...
0:40:49 > 0:40:54It is a big move from "It works, there's great views"
0:40:54 > 0:40:56to "Do we love it?"
0:40:56 > 0:40:59And it is very difficult to get to the "Do we love it?"
0:40:59 > 0:41:02when it's a bit cold because it's not lived in
0:41:02 > 0:41:05and it hasn't got the furniture and the knick knacks in
0:41:05 > 0:41:08and it's difficult to bridge that gap.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12It's tough, isn't it, because after living in one house for so long,
0:41:12 > 0:41:13in one place,
0:41:13 > 0:41:15the thought of choosing your next house
0:41:15 > 0:41:17for maybe the next quarter of a century
0:41:17 > 0:41:19is tough going, isn't it?
0:41:19 > 0:41:23- Very tough.- It is and we haven't really looked very much,
0:41:23 > 0:41:24other than on the internet,
0:41:24 > 0:41:26and if anything, this journey has told us
0:41:26 > 0:41:29that we need to look at the properties inside.
0:41:29 > 0:41:31Absolutely.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34Look, it's been a pleasure showing you these houses
0:41:34 > 0:41:36because you've been a bit rusty, haven't you?
0:41:36 > 0:41:38You've not looked at houses for so long.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41- It's opened a door on something else.- Just a bit. Yeah.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44But whatever you decide to do and wherever you decide to go,
0:41:44 > 0:41:45do please let us know, won't you?
0:41:45 > 0:41:48- Indeed we will. Thank you so much for all you've done.- Good luck.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50- Thank you.- Thanks very much.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54So by the sounds of it,
0:41:54 > 0:41:57David and Jill have been on a bit of a journey these past couple of days
0:41:57 > 0:41:59and whilst they both freely admit
0:41:59 > 0:42:03that house number two gives them everything they set out to achieve,
0:42:03 > 0:42:06for them, there seemed to be one thing missing
0:42:06 > 0:42:08and that's that feeling of home.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12But, of course, as we all know, home is what you make it.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15And if they do go back there for the second viewing,
0:42:15 > 0:42:18they'll hopefully see past what isn't there
0:42:18 > 0:42:21and imagine the house with all of their stuff in it.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23And if they're able to do that,
0:42:23 > 0:42:26then they should be at least one step closer
0:42:26 > 0:42:29to making their big move here, to West Sussex.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31See you next time.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36David and Jill have been back to West Sussex to look at more properties
0:42:36 > 0:42:38and have even upped their budget.
0:42:38 > 0:42:40But the search for a house with the right accommodation
0:42:40 > 0:42:44for them, their daughters and David's mother continues.
0:42:44 > 0:42:46If you'd like to escape to the country
0:42:46 > 0:42:49in England, Northern Ireland, Wales or Scotland
0:42:49 > 0:42:50and need our help,
0:42:50 > 0:42:56you can apply online at bbc.co.uk/beontheshow.