Kent Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country.

Now these cavernous ruins are just part of what's been dubbed

Britain's greatest Napoleonic fortress.

But where was it built and why?

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

'On today's show, we're helping a couple find a rural home where

'they can raise their daughter and enjoy more quality family time.

-Wow!

-'Along the way, there are some differences of opinion.'

Hands up, who's in favour?

You're in favour, you're not so sure.

No. I need some more convincing.

'But, thankfully, they eventually find some common ground.'

Oh, wow! What a beautiful room.

It's stunning. Absolutely stunning.

Well, today, we are in Kent, on top of Fort Amherst

overlooking the sweep of the River Medway below me.

Now the fort here began life in the 1750s, built specifically to protect

the Royal Naval dockyard at Chatham, just below us -

then, the most important dockyard in the country.

It was here, after all, that Nelson's Navy was born.

Now the fort itself was never attacked, although it did see

service during the Victorian period as a training base.

But, importantly, then again during the Second World War,

when it was headquarters to the local Civil Defence.

These days, their efforts here are far more focused on conservation,

as they hope that one day this may become a World Heritage Site.

But, for me, it's Kent's maritime history that really does make

this county so appealing.

Situated in south-east England,

Kent is bordered by East Sussex,

Surrey, Greater London and Essex.

The county's most visited and historically rich city is

Canterbury, centred on its magnificent Gothic cathedral,

which has been the centre of English Christianity since 597 AD.

Stretching across the county is the scenic High Weald,

and one of its many attractions is Bewl Water,

a picturesque reservoir which supplies much of the county's water.

Kent's reputation as the Garden of England endures,

with allotments and orchards found throughout.

Of Kent's countless appealing towns and villages, perhaps the prettiest

is Tenterden, with its beautifully preserved high street,

lined with historic shops and houses.

Architectural treasures like these, combined with a fascinating

history and unspoiled natural beauty,

give this county an enduring appeal.

Now at £320,000, the cost of a detached property here in Kent is

some £60,000 above the national figure, for the simple reason that

it offers glorious countryside and easy commutability

into London for work.

As a general rule of thumb, the closer you get to Greater London,

well, the higher the premium you'll have to pay.

But, interestingly, estate agents are also predicting

something of a ripple effect, as new fast-track rail schemes

create something of an uplift for people living further afield.

For example, Rochester, which is currently pretty affordable,

by 2015 is expecting a new rail line that'll get you into

the capital in just 40 minutes.

So clearly the time is right for today's buyers to make

quite a savvy property move.

Andrew and Janine have been living in this four-bedroom

new-build in the town of Corsham, Wiltshire, for the last seven years.

They've always craved a more rural lifestyle, but the birth of their

daughter, Francesca, has given them the impetus

to finally make the move.

I think the time is right for us to move for Francesca now,

because she's just getting to the stage of walking and exploring

and actually understanding the world around her.

She gets very excited about being outside,

and being in a modern housing estate, as we are here,

there is very limited scope for us to do that with her.

I think it's important, as children grow up, to have outside space

where she can play safely, be a bit of a tomboy, get on a bike,

climb a tree and have the space to be able to do that.

As well as providing Francesca with a wholesome rural upbringing,

the move will enable Andrew to spend more quality time with her.

His job as a compliance consultant is based in London,

and his current commute from Corsham

takes him up to two and a half hours each way.

Francesca's getting to the point, shortly, where I run the risk

of not seeing her in the evenings.

And I really don't want to be a dad who sees my daughter

on a Saturday and a Sunday.

So obviously moving to Kent,

being within an hour, an hour and a quarter,

of the city, would make family life so much easier.

Before Janine had Francesca, she also did the London

commute for her work in management training consultancy.

But now she's put her career on hold to focus on being a full-time mum.

I'm in a fortunate position that I'm not going back to work.

I'm luckily going to be looking after our daughter.

So to be able to do the mum things with her, to cook,

to bake and all those, you know, the kinds of things you don't get

a chance to do if you're working,

and really just the chance to move somewhere different

and to put our own stamp on a different property.

Ever since they bought their current home, they've never felt

it's fully reflected their style or their needs.

And they sense that even more so, now they've become a family.

This house was new when we bought it, so whilst we managed to choose

the colour of the tiles, there were so many decisions that we didn't get

a chance to influence, really.

So it'd be nice to move somewhere whereby you can really actually

start to mould a family home and provide good family living.

Ideally, in a property I'm looking for character.

Both of us have said we'd like something older, albeit

we recognise that that can come with a price tag and its own challenges.

But certainly something that reflects the historic nature of Kent,

and the sort of houses that are around there.

The last thing to establish is how much they've set

aside for their rural family home.

The budget for the move is between £500,000 and £600,000.

FRANCESCA COOS

'Andrew and Janine are quite open to looking at any area

'within Kent's borders, as long as it's no more than an hour

'and a quarter's train journey from London for Andrew's commute.

'So before we begin our countywide search,

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

Well, Janine and Andrew, welcome to Kent.

Why this county, then?

Well, it's, as you say, the Garden of England, beautiful greenery,

but, most importantly, we have a 14-month-old daughter,

and it's just a great place for her to grow up.

The schools are fantastic, and for us it's just the ideal location.

Now the kind of property you're after, give us a spec list, as it were.

Well, for me, it's important to have a nice kitchen.

-The kitchen's always the heart of the home.

-Yep.

As Francesca grows, I really want to be doing the baking with her,

and teaching her about food and nutrition. So really a place

that we can socialise, but also have that time with her.

Alongside with that, we want a garden where she can learn

to grow vegetables, so she can really learn the whole transition

between seed, vegetable, on the table.

Wow. But you're obviously going to have family and friends

-down to stay?

-Ideally, we'd like four bedrooms.

Or three and a study. I do get the chance to work from home,

albeit it's not as often as maybe I would like.

So, yeah, we have other people around who flit in and out when

they feel like, so, yeah, we do need a couple of bedrooms for them.

OK. Now the budget for this move of yours?

Well, £600,000 would be our absolute max. If you found us the perfect,

ideal home, that would be the upper limit.

But also, you know, if there's a house slightly less than that,

and it needs work doing on it, we sort of said, well, £500,000,

to give us that comfort zone, that if we needed to extend or build

a study area in the garden, we actually have the scope to do that.

-Now Kent, as you probably know, is not the cheapest county...

-No.

..in the country. How much research have you done?

How well do you know this part of the world?

Janine is fortunate, she does have family in Ashford,

or the Ashford area, so has a connection here.

But I'm from South Wales, I have no connection here.

So Kent is very much, for me, by reputation.

But with the reputation of the Garden of England, we know we've got

a significant uplift from where we live in Wiltshire.

Well, I spent most of my life in Wales,

I know exactly where you're coming from.

I'm hoping the next few days will give you the chance

to get your feet under the table here in Kent,

and get a sense of what this county can offer you in particular, Andrew.

For you, I guess it's something of a homecoming, isn't it, really?

-Yes, yes.

-We've got three, I think,

very interesting properties for you to look at,

including our mystery house. Who knows what that will be?

So I think, without further ado, let's go and find some properties.

-OK.

-Great!

With a maximum budget of £600,000, Andrew and Janine are looking for

a characterful period home within a commutable distance to London.

They'd like a large kitchen/diner,

three to four bedrooms and a study for Andrew.

They don't need a huge garden

but would like enough space to grow vegetables

and for Francesca to play in.

We've lined up three very different Kentish homes for them to view,

and I'll keep them guessing about the price until they've had a good look around.

The last will be our mystery house, a rare historic property, the likes

of which they've probably never seen

and might not have considered on paper.

In terms of style...

..what do you prefer?

In terms of style, I'd like something with character.

I'm not hugely a fan of low ceilings,

being nearly six foot tall,

so something with a bit of character, a bit quirky maybe.

And what about you, Andrew?

Yeah, the character for me is quite important and I actually

like structural beams where you can see them, so your barn conversion

type thing, I really like, but not where they're low.

Well, it's good that you like barn conversions. There are lots of them in Kent.

-Not giving anything away.

-No.

But you never know what we might have in our midst.

'Our search begins three miles south of Maidstone,

'Kent's county town in the attractive village of Boughton Monchelsea.

'There are some useful amenities here, including a village hall that

'Janine will be pleased to know holds regular parent and toddler sessions.

'And with plenty of direct London trains from nearby Maidstone

'and Staplehurst, it's well-placed for Andrew's commute.

'Our first offering, a classic Kentish weatherboard property,

'is in the heart of the village.'

That's it, that's property number one.

Wow.

I didn't expect to see three storeys.

Interesting, isn't it? Yeah.

-Very pretty.

-Very pretty.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

The character just springs out as soon as you walked round the corner.

It's quite beguiling, actually, it's a bit of a TARDIS.

Something of a cliche, but this is probably appropriate for this one,

because there is a lot more to see once we get inside.

-Yeah?

-Excellent.

-Yeah.

'The house was built around 1825.

'Later, in the Victorian era, an extension was added to the rear,

'which almost doubled its size.'

Well, let's start in here.

-Wow.

-What do you think?

-I wasn't expecting that, it's the hidden bit there.

-Yes.

It really opens up, doesn't it?

It does create a different, an atmosphere of a different room, but

the two of them give the, I guess, sense of space, which is one of the

-things we miss at the moment...

-Yeah.

-..and we are looking for.

We have a very big sofa at home, and it's around the same size as that

sofa, so you can kind of sense where the furniture would actually fit.

Could you imagine getting off the train...

doing a ten minute drive back home

and walking in here with a glass of wine?

Yes.

-I can.

-Right, well, let's continue through here via the dining room.

Now Janine...

let's tackle the nice big kitchen/diner that you want.

-It is not one of those.

-No.

But would you be prepared to do a bit of knocking about?

Yeah, obviously, budget allowing, we already talked about that. But, yeah.

I looked at this and thought, "That wall needs to come down,"

-when I came in.

-I think it can go because what it would do is,

it would open it all up.

You get the idea. I mean, if that wall were to go,

-it would transform it...

-Absolutely.

-..into a fabulous,

huge kitchen/diner, within this very substantial,

and very nicely produced, conservatory.

I like the fact that we can start seeing how we can shape it to

make it our own. I like the fact that we can bring, you know,

the outside in, in terms of making this space a more usable space.

And I can see us having family here and cooking and doing all the things

that we've discussed that we really want to do from the move, so...

So far, so good. I just can't wait to see upstairs.

Well, let's do that. Come and follow me.

There's lots to see - two more floors.

'I'm delighted that Janine is already visualising the family

'enjoying this place.

'Also, on the ground floor opposite the sitting room, there's a spacious

'dining room with an elegant, original fireplace.

'And below lies a cellar that's been converted

'into an extra living space.

'The first floor consists of a family bathroom and three bedrooms.'

'All of them are doubles, which have some lovely original features.

So, this is your bit.

Wow.

There's a huge bed in the way of everything.

Rather nice, actually, a kind of oak, four-poster.

It is smaller, but we know we're going to go smaller...

because the room we've got is unnaturally large,

at the moment in time.

This is a nice room, the fireplace is nice.

-It's still got that cosy feel.

-Yeah.

There is an en-suite through there,

which is, you know, very handy

and usually much sought-after.

But we also have the top floor, which you spotted from the outside.

That has, really, two separate bedrooms in it at the moment.

So, technically, you could say this is a five bedroom house.

And it's got another bathroom too.

Let's have a look at the garden. then we'll finish up and maybe

you want to start thinking about how much this is going to cost you.

'Outside, there's around a quarter of an acre of land

'with a west-facing garden,

'where there's plenty of room to create that veggie garden

'for Janine and Francesca to potter in.'

Some lovely mature trees here.

And I love that little house, over there. I think Francesca would have

a lot of fun in it, and you'd probably have a bit of fun

-kind of doing it up a bit, actually.

-Definitely.

Would this be big enough for you?

-Yes.

-I think so, yes. I like the fact that it's mature

and it's almost got places for her to explore, but safe exploration.

But how much is it going to cost you?

-Mm.

-Hmm.

-Who's going to go for our first price guess of the week?

-£525,000.

-£525,000! Straight in!

-That was quick!

-No messing there, from Andrew. Great!

-I'm going to go...

-£545,000.

-£545,000. You're right to err...

higher, but I'm afraid it's on the market

for quite a bit more than that.

-This is on the market at £595,000.

-Really?

-Yeah, well...

-Gosh.

-..we are in...commuter belt.

Yep, true.

Look, come on, I think it's about to rain.

-Let's all go in...

-OK.

..and you can have a bit more time looking around.

Just below their maximum budget at £595,000,

this elegant Georgian home has an impressive reception room,

a dining room and a kitchen which is next to a conservatory

that could be knocked through.

There are also five bedrooms and a converted cellar.

It comes with around a quarter of an acre of land,

and there are two nearby stations

for Andrew's commute.

Wardrobe space?

-Oh, wow.

-Oh, quite nice.

Narnia! Do I dare go through?

'I like the fact that it looks traditional and, I think,'

from the back area, where you've got the old and the new merging, it looks really pretty.

And it's a really attractive-looking property.

The office space is actually quite a number of spaces that I've looked at

and thought, "Actually, I could use."

There's the room upstairs through the wardrobe,

there's also potential, actually,

to use one of the first floor rooms as well.

Downstairs space is really, really spacious and light, surprisingly.

Kitchen, for me, was a little bit small but, obviously,

we've got the scope to do the work into the conservatory area,

which, I think, opened up, would give us a really nice family space.

Good start. Certainly one to create a lot of thinking,

in terms of what we do want, what we don't want,

what works for us, what doesn't work for us.

Good. Well, we are a property down.

We are a third of the way through our house tours,

-but are we any closer to getting you a new home?

-Food for thought.

-Well, talking of food, let's have some lunch.

-Yep.

'Kent has an extraordinary heritage of castles

'and fortified manor houses, due in part to its frontier status

'and proximity to the continent.

'Set in the unspoiled countryside of the Weald of Kent

'is a house that has a unique link to the county's important past.

'Penshurst Place has stood on the banks of the River Medway

'since the 14th century, and is one of England's grandest

'and most perfectly preserved fortified manor houses.

'Almost 500 years ago,

'the property was gifted by Edward VI to the Sidney family, who had

'been advisers and confidantes to the monarchs for many years.

'Their descendants have lived here ever since.

'As Andrew is keen to know more about the county's rich history,

'we've arranged for him and Janine to meet the current owner,

'the second Viscount De L'Isle, Philip Sidney.'

Welcome to Penshurst Place, which has been in my family since 1552.

I think that makes it about 460 years-odd.

Has the external appearance of the building changed much over the years?

The original part of the house, the baronial hall,

was built in local sandstone, but when it came to

the Elizabethan times, it was more fashionable to build in brick.

And you put up smart chimneys with patterns on to show that you

have got some money.

-Is it OK if we take a look inside?

-Absolutely, please.

-Great.

-Follow me.

-Thanks.

The original part of the house was built

in 1341 by Sir John de Poultney,

a wealthy London wool merchant and Lord Mayor.

As for Andrew today, distance to the capital was key, but Sir John

wanted a country retreat which was then a day's ride from the city.

Here we are in the Baron's Hall,

which is the eldest part of Penshurst Place.

It's unusual because of its unsupported roof

which is 40 years older than the one in Westminster Hall.

So what would this beautiful space have been used for?

Well, the original hall would have been used by everyone.

The fireplace would have been there in the centre,

a very unusual octagonal fireplace, and there would have been

a hole in the ceiling where the smoke would have gone straight out.

'The hall would have been the focal point of the manor,

'as the room where guests were banqueted and entertained.'

These are the original trestle tables.

They are the only example, the oldest example, of their type.

And the servants would sit down here.

Now when they had finished, they would move the trestles to

the sides to give them more space,

so that they could sleep on the floor...

..which would have been earth covered in rushes.

And they changed the rushes occasionally.

'One of the most fantastic and fateful feasts

'staged at the hall was held for a ten-day visit by Henry VIII.'

He came here to visit John, Duke of Buckingham,

who was extremely rich

and spent the equivalent of £1 million entertaining him.

The King became jealous and, in 1521, executed him

and took this house as his own

and used it for hunting in the park,

at the same time as pursuing Anne Boleyn

at Hever Castle next door.

'Philip's father took over Penshurst Place during the Second World War

'and it didn't look the way it does now.'

Has it required much restoration over the years?

Well, it has. My father inherited the house in 1495

from my great uncle

and all the windows had been blown out by flying bombs,

and it took six months to re-glaze the house.

And he and my mother spent most of the rest of their lives

restoring it. My mother sadly died in 1962.

My father continued the work until his death in 1991.

Penshurst Place houses some of the finest collections

of tapestries and armour.

And due to the family's restoration

and constant maintenance over the years, part of the house

and gardens are open to the public for future generations to enjoy.

But it's time now to get back to viewing some more modest properties,

as we continue our house hunt.

'We're heading up to the northern part of the county to Lynsted.

'Sitting on the slopes of the North Downs, this lovely village is

'characterised by an impressive collection of Kentish architecture.

'And, conveniently for Andrew,

'it's only a short drive from Sittingbourne Station,

'where the train journey to London is just 55 minutes.

'Close to the centre of the village, at the end of a private driveway,

'is our second offering.'

Now earlier...

in the car, you said you were quite interested in a barn conversion

and I teased you about the fact that we might have one and here it is.

-Wow.

-There you go.

-Some barn conversion.

-You've got this L-shaped courtyard, as you can see,

but the bit we're interested in is that chunk there.

-Wow.

-Interested?

Yes, please.

-Now there is an interesting debate between you about the merits of beams, isn't there?

-Yes.

Hands up, who's in favour?

You're in favour. You're not so sure?

No, I need some more convincing.

-We have no issues with head height in here.

-OK.

So I'm not worried, actually. I'm really not worried about this one.

I think that the beams will be OK.

-Let's see if I'm right.

-We'll see.

'The barn, which is thought to date back to the 1500s,

'was converted in 1991.

'And it offers more than 3,000 square feet of space.'

But let's begin...

over here, because...

..I think this really gets us into the whole beam discussion.

-Straightaway, without any messing.

-Yes.

There's a smile here and there isn't here. You see, this is what worries me.

-We're struggling here, aren't we?

-And I like the structure, the height,

the architectural beauty of the beams.

Obviously, dining area, something of a sort of

living room area here too. This isn't the main living room.

-Oh, OK.

-Now with our first property we looked at knocking a wall down...

-Yep.

..and my suggestion is that you also do the same thing here,

and it's that wall that you would take away because the kitchen

-is behind that...

-OK.

-..and it would open all of this up then, to a kitchen-living-dining area.

You'll see what I mean. Have a look through here.

So, it is a lovely kitchen,

but it would be lovelier if this wall behind me were gone, I think.

-Yes, I agree.

-I can see that.

I think this is the only big compromise with this property,

because the rest of it goes on and on and on.

-You see, you're there on this one, aren't you?

-More or less, yes.

You'll have to help me. We're going to have to persuade Janine

-that this could be the one.

-But I've got to live with her after.

HE LAUGHS

-This is a nice space.

-Yes?

-And lots of light.

Natural light because there's lots of windows.

I think, because it's dark and whilst it's beautiful,

I'm used to barns that are slightly lighter in oak.

I'm used to oak-flooring rather than carpeting and I think it's

just trying to visualise how we would utilise this beautiful space.

Clearly, Janine still needs some convincing

but I'm hoping the rest of the house might just do that.

Also downstairs, next to the sitting room,

there's a study which would be handy for Andrew when he works from home.

Opposite that there's a downstairs bedroom

which could make a good playroom for Francesca.

Upstairs there's a family bathroom and three more bedrooms.

All are good size doubles, but it's the master bedroom which has

particularly generous proportions.

This is your bit.

Wow.

Now, your wardrobe.

I'm thinking you might not need it because through that door is

an enormous walk-in wardrobe, his and hers either side.

And...master en suite through there

so everything, shower, bath, the lot.

-It looks great.

-It does.

-Yeah?

I love the window seat, absolutely love the window seat.

Let's have a look at the garden and see if that helps the process.

'It seems Janine may be warming ever so slightly to this place

'and I don't think she'll be disappointed by what's outside.

'There's almost a third of an acre of land that includes a ready-made

'veggie garden, perfect for her horticultural projects with

'Francesca and a huge garage and a workshop and space for two cars.'

Just to help me sell this property further to you, Janine,

the sun has blessed us with a bit more support.

Yes. It's working.

It's working. Let's see if the price works, shall we?

-Make me an offer.

-I think it's going to be slightly over budget.

-I'm going to go 625.

-625?

-I'm going to say 580.

-580.

You're both wrong.

-But the good news...this is 600.

-Really?

-Wow.

-Gosh, that surprises me.

-Yes? Certainly something for you, Andrew.

-For you, it's got to be a grower.

-Yes.

-Well, off you go.

Spend some time thinking about it and I will catch up with you later.

Well, clearly property two is working for Andrew

but is it really going to work for Janine? Who knows?

It wouldn't be the first time a property has grown on our buyers

enough for them to want to buy it, but I suspect

with Janine our beautiful barn still has some way to go.

Right on budget at £600,000, this spacious barn conversion has

a large light-filled reception room and a dining room with adjoining

kitchen that could be knocked through.

It has a study and five bedrooms,

including that very spacious master, and outside there's a garage,

a veggie garden and plenty of space for Francesca to play in.

My dream...barn conversion. always wanted one.

Here I am looking round one.

They're not really the type of property I would normally

go for if I saw it on a website or prospectus of an estate agent.

I much prefer the traditional chocolate box, Kentish house,

the oast house, that type of look.

The garden offers huge amounts of space.

Francesca growing up here, I think, would be great.

The master bedroom was a real surprise.

It was a lovely, lovely space, nice and light.

Lovely walk-in wardrobe space and lovely en suite.

This room is really lovely.

I like the fact that it's probably twice as long as it is wide.

Lots of natural light throughout the property, which for me

is really, really important so, for me, a really good property.

-After you, madam.

-Thank you.

-Through the beepy door.

HE CHUCKLES

-Well, not a bad day, all told.

-Good day.

-Property number one was nice for you.

-Yes.

-Property number two was nice for you.

-Indeed.

Can we get it right with the third one, the mystery house tomorrow?

-Can't wait.

-Let's see.

-Time for a pint. Come on.

'It's day two of our property search and with a budget of £600,000,

'Andrew and Janine are leaving a lengthy commute

'from the town of Corsham, Wiltshire,

'for a family home in rural Kent, closer to Andrew's London-based job.

'Coming up, our mystery house delivers a watery proposition.'

Completely out of anything I'd have ever thought of,

but actually totally charming.

'And I check out an accidental, unintentional wartime asset.'

-What they created was the perfect bunker.

-It certainly was.

Well, with just a few hours left to go on our property

search with Andrew and Janine here in Kent, where are we so far?

At the beginning of every Escape To The Country, we like to ask our

buyers if they are likely to agree on the properties we show them

and usually it's just a bit of fun,

but on this occasion there is clearly some difference

of opinion as to the respective merits of both property one and two.

But it is agreement that we seek

so what can we do as regards our mystery house?

Well, true to form, it's going to be different

and it's going to be quirky.

To give you a clue, imagine this lot with a house next to it.

Let's see if they like it.

'Our final stop on our house search takes us

'11 miles south to Charing in the district of Ashford.

'This appealing village is situated on the Pilgrim's Way,

'and in medieval times provided a rest stop for travellers

'making their way to Canterbury Cathedral, 15 miles away.

'Today, the village has a host of attractive shops and restaurants

'yet still retains its historic charm.

'And not far from the village centre there's history aplenty

'with our final offering.'

That is our mystery house.

Now, you don't get all of it, I'm afraid.

You get that timber-framed chunk right there in front of us.

-So, what do we think of it?

-I like it.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

Not what I was expecting at all...

but so far I think it's really interesting.

You seem more engaged with this one than our property two, which he

-really likes.

-Yes.

For me, on the outside I prefer the look of this.

The real selling point with this one is Charing. 40 minutes!

-40 minutes into London.

-Fab.

-It's the closest commute we could find you.

-Yeah, great.

-I want to get inside and have a look.

-Come and have a look.

Our Grade II mystery property was once part of a larger

15th century hall house, and is thought to have been once a rectory.

But it's what's hidden behind that makes this a mystery.

There isn't a conventional garden as such,

but a large freshwater lake that used to serve a nearby water mill.

JANINE LAUGHS

-Oh, wow!

-Come in.

Oh, wow!

Knowing you have this thing about beams, we thought this would work.

-What a beautiful room.

-It's stunning, absolutely stunning.

-It's very different, isn't it?

-Oh, yeah.

It's the best room I've seen in the three houses you've shown me.

-Really?!

-Really.

-Why, though?

The almost square shape of this room, with the ceiling height,

with these fantastic beams and a fireplace, just...

and they've still got an oak floor.

Lots going on in here but it all works.

-Would you feel cosy in here, then?

-Absolutely.

-Good.

Well, let's go through to the next bit which hopefully will

please you as much.

-What do we think of the dining room?

-Gosh, what a lovely space.

-Really light. And the beams are OK.

-The beams are OK? And very high.

Yeah. But it's a beautiful room.

The light streaming in here. What a lovely room.

Now, we don't really have a kitchen/diner as such

so you'd have to think about how this would work

with the kitchen that's through there.

-But the kitchen isn't small. Have a look at it.

-OK.

Do you see what I mean? It's not tiny but...

A surprise, actually,

-because I'd only thought of half the size of it.

-Yeah.

-It's actually quite a nice kitchen space.

-You're not so sure.

No. I think from the proportions of the other two rooms,

I expected this to be bigger.

It's a workable space but not quite what I had in mind.

Let's see what you think of upstairs

because there is plenty of space up there.

On the next floor, there's a generous landing currently

being used as a study.

There's also a luxurious family bathroom and three bedrooms.

Two are good-sized doubles and one's a single

and they all have beautiful leaded windows.

On the very top floor, taking up the entire roof space, is

an impressive bedroom suite.

Now this is what I think is your master bedroom.

We're right at the top floor. It's got a lovely shape to it, actually.

Very generous en suite through there and a dressing room beyond.

-Very nice.

-So you get your own floor.

-Excellent.

-Unusual. Didn't expect to have this space.

-It's a lovely space.

-Yeah.

-Quirky, I think is probably right.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Would you agree?

-Yes.

-Definitely.

-But it may be you.

-Certainly challenging my thinking.

-Interesting.

-Absolutely.

The garden area is certainly going to challenge your thinking

because this is very different to almost any other property

I've ever shown on this programme. You'll see what I mean.

Come and have a look at this lot.

The outside space is mainly comprised of a cleverly

designed decked area that wraps around the end of the lake.

It includes some attractive planting,

a vegetable garden with raised beds,

a storage shed, a summerhouse and its own private mooring.

-But look at this.

-Wow!

-It's a garden like no other, really.

-What an interesting space.

-Er, yes.

You kind of get the terminus end of this moat and you get this,

well, decking complex, shall we say?

So, it's a very different kind of set-up.

Completely out of anything I'd have ever thought of

but actually totally charming.

I suspect your instincts wouldn't have brought you here, ordinarily.

-No. Certainly challenged us.

-Really challenged us.

Well, is the price going to be a challenge, I wonder?

Go on, then, Sir, take it away.

-610.

-610?

I think, because of location, where we are, slightly higher than that,

-so I'm going to go 615?

-615?

-It is £575,000...

-Really?

-..for our mystery house.

-Cheapest of the three.

-It is indeed.

-That's a real surprise.

-It is.

A real surprise.

It's the cheapest of the three, it's the quirkiest of the three.

And in terms of location, for you, I think it's the best of the three.

Absolutely. It's an hour.

Total calculation, if I get my timings right,

an hour door-to-door to work. You can't put a price on that.

We have put some sort of price on it, £575,000. Go and explore...

-Thank you.

-..our curious mystery house and I will find you later.

-BOTH:

-Thank you.

-Off you go.

There we are, money does talk and it certainly talks here

at our final offering.

We've always said it was quirky but it does work logistically

and that's the key thing. It's all about family time

and quality of life. A difficult balance to strike

but hopefully here, we might have done it.

Below budget at £575,000, this rare 15th century home has

a sitting room packed with wonderful period features,

an impressive high ceilinged dining room and four bedrooms,

including a top floor master suite.

Outside, there's a extraordinary lakeside garden

and it's all within

easy commuting distance of London.

A beautiful 15th century house.

I've really always loved really old houses so, for me,

a house that's 500 years old is great.

I think the only compromise for me in the mystery house is

the kitchen space.

That being said, it's actually not a compromise too far

because the rest of the property was absolutely stunning.

So this property... I actually think that it will probably be the one

that draws us closer together and this is the one I can see us

actually being a family.

I think for both of us different elements all come

together in this house and make it a real strong contender.

How are we doing?

-Just admiring the view.

-Anybody been for a paddle yet?

-Got your feet wet?

-Yeah...no.

I think this is a really interesting contender.

I think it means we've given you three very viable options

but I suspect there is a debate as to which are the favoured.

-Indeed.

-As there would be with you two.

Right then, let's go think about it. Come on.

'Sitting high above the River Medway is a fort that has played

'a significant part in Kent's military

'and maritime history for over 250 years.

'Built in 1750, Fort Amherst is a formidable structure,

'but it's true calling as a military defence came some two centuries

'later during the Second World War.

'To find out more about its intriguing history,

'I'm meeting one of the fort's trustees, Martin Rogers.'

Martin, this is a fabulous and somewhat sprawling complex

but why is it so significant, why is it here?

Following the Dutch raid in 1667,

when the Dutch sailed up the Medway and attacked Chatham Dockyard,

plans were put in place so that this would never happen again.

A series of river and sea fortifications went in to

protect the entrance to the Thames and the Medway.

In that period the Empire was expanding dramatically

and the Navy was the seat of that power.

And Chatham was the premier shipbuilding dockyard.

But the fort itself was never actually called upon to

defend the dockyard. It was never attacked, was it?

No, it wasn't, not in that period.

There's clearly a lot to see above ground but looking at these

tunnels and doorways, I suspect there's even more to see...

below ground.

We've carried out a lot of conservation work below ground.

'The fort was called into service not during the Napoleonic wars it

'was built for, but during the Second World War

'when it housed the Home Guard.

'Since the 1970s, a team of volunteers and trustees have been

'slowly restoring it, section by section,

'recreating its vital wartime role.'

-Gosh. Oh!

-Well, this is it. This is the heart of the civil defence.

Many people won't be familiar with the idea of a civil defence

network, but during the Second World War they played a vital role,

didn't they, in managing the civilian response,

in particular to things like air raids?

Yes, they did, because the dockyard was very heavily bombed,

and you can just see from the resources on these boards how

they responded to a particular day in August 1940.

The reports of the bombs...0900. Bomb damage. CAS, casualties?

Casualties. Onslow Road in Stroud. And incident number ten.

And here, the response to it from the National Fire Service,

Auxiliary Fire Service, ARP rescue, demolition, gas decontamination!

-Luckily, you will see that...

-is blank.

-..they were not deployed on

-that day.

-There were no gas attacks.

-Certainly all the others were.

Isn't it strange that Amherst starts its life in the 1750s

and doesn't really have a role? It's a grand statement but really

not much more than that,

and yet 200 years later in the 1940s it fulfils a very purposeful role.

Had the Germans breached our barriers,

this was the last line of defence before the dockyard.

But the men that designed this fort would have had no concept

of aerial warfare, yet what they created

-was the perfect bunker.

-It certainly was. Yes.

The volunteers have come a long way in terms of getting

the fort's historical significance recognised

and it's hoped it may attain World Heritage status.

This would be a huge help in further restoring

and developing this fascinating military site.

Well, as we reach the end of the programme, I am confident

we have given Andrew and Janine three fantastic options

but the trick with this house search has been getting both of them

to agree on which one is going to be best, but I am assured they

have now reached a decision and that apparently it's quite surprising.

Well.

-Hello. How are you two?

-Yes.

I gather that the planets may have lined up in your universe

and there may be some form of agreement on one of our properties?

Is this true?

The mystery house, for both of us, really took our breath away.

It wasn't what we expected at all.

A few challenges in terms of how we'd use the space.

The garden area for Francesca, how's she going to play?

How would we rejig the decked area to make it work for us as a family?

But I think, actually, that for us for now is the house we will go for.

-Really? So we have agreement on the mystery house?

-Yeah.

As we walked around the mystery house...independently there was

a meeting of minds which said, "This house really does it for everybody."

And its location, I suppose, was the thing that really twisted your arms?

Charing and its commutability and the facilities in the community

it provides for you on your doorstep makes it very, very amenable.

Definitely. I think the whole reason for this move

is because of Andrew and Francesca

and the time they have is going back to actually, "Why are we moving?"

As much as some of the houses are pretty,

picture perfect houses, actually

we need to get down to the reason for the move with Francesca -

that driver has to be the commute, which is why the mystery house.

-So, what happens next?

-I think for us,

we don't know the area that well.

It's not an area we had looked at on our search,

so I think it's a case of going back round,

taking Francesca back, just so she can have

a little run around the house, to see practically what it's

like with a little baby in the house and then we'll go from there.

Brilliant, guys. Well, very best of luck. It has been a really fun week.

You're going to go back for a second look

but if it doesn't work, there's always the barn conversion.

Indeed. And plenty to think on, so, thanks, guys. It's been really good.

-It has challenged and made us think absolutely what we want.

-Brilliant.

Our pleasure.

Well, what a roller-coaster it has been this week.

She loved property one, he loved property two

but finally it all came together in our mystery house. But why?

I think it's all about attitude, and having the right attitude is

exactly what Andrew and Janine have brought to this process.

It demonstrates that knowing how to look at a property is often

just as important as knowing what it is you're looking for.

Take each one on its own merits

and hopefully you'll find your perfect dream home in the country.

Although Andrew and Janine loved the mystery house,

they concluded it wasn't child-friendly enough.

Instead they put in an offer on the barn conversion which sadly

was declined. They're continuing their search in the same area.