0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to a very special edition of Escape to the Country,
0:00:04 > 0:00:07where Jules and I are going to be highlighting the property gems
0:00:07 > 0:00:11of one county and helping two couples find their dream home.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14We'll be throwing in our thoughts and reflections,
0:00:14 > 0:00:17and offering some hints and tips on what it takes to move here.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21Today's destination is known as the healthiest in the country
0:00:21 > 0:00:24and we'll be letting you know where it is in just a moment.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43Coming up on today's show, we're helping a couple
0:00:43 > 0:00:47from Surrey to escape England's crowded south east.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50And the potential space is a real eye-opener.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Wow! This is amazing! Oh, I like it.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57This is really big, this is very deceptive.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00And I'll be helping a couple who are taking a break from their
0:01:00 > 0:01:03busy careers to find a new home and a whole new business venture
0:01:03 > 0:01:04in the country.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07And one of our houses gets quite a reaction.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10And now look up. THEY LAUGH
0:01:11 > 0:01:13On today's show we are Dorset bound.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16Now, Jules, you and I have been to Dorset many times with this show.
0:01:16 > 0:01:20Indeed we have, and why not? It is one of my favourite counties of all.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23And there's always something new to experience, for example,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25this year I had a dawn swim near Bridport.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Beautiful and bracing, I would think.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30It was very bracing, yes.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33But that's sums it up for me. It's that lovely mixture of
0:01:33 > 0:01:36coast and landscape that really makes this county so captivating.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39But do you really think it's a healthier place to live?
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Well, statistics show that you live on average two years
0:01:41 > 0:01:43longer in that county.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Two years? Well, every little helps, as they like to say.
0:01:46 > 0:01:49But there's more to Dorset that just extended living.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Situated on the south coast of England,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Dorset borders Devon to the west,
0:01:57 > 0:02:01Somerset and Wiltshire to the north and Hampshire to the east.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Largely bypassed by the Industrial Revolution,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07Dorset has retained much of its rural charm
0:02:07 > 0:02:09and over three quarters of the county
0:02:09 > 0:02:11is still in agricultural use today.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15The county is a magnet for over two million visitors a year,
0:02:15 > 0:02:20who are drawn here by its beautiful countryside and extensive coastline.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23Bypassed by motorways and city settlements,
0:02:23 > 0:02:27the 95-mile stretch of the Jurassic Coast charts
0:02:27 > 0:02:31185 million years of prehistoric geology.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Over that time, the sea has carved natural wonders into these
0:02:35 > 0:02:37limestone cliffs, such as Lulworth Cove
0:02:37 > 0:02:40and the precarious chalk arch of Durdle Door.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44This appealing county provided the backdrop
0:02:44 > 0:02:48for the novels of its most famous writer, Thomas Hardy.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50And much of its ancient beauty that so inspired him
0:02:50 > 0:02:53remains unchanged today.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58Now, here's an easy one for you.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00What is it about Dorset that makes it so attractive?
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Not easy at all, cos there's too many things to list.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Beautiful coast, amazing landscape, no motorways, no cities,
0:03:07 > 0:03:09and of course, incredible houses.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12But they do come at a price.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14It's not the cheapest place in the country, let's face it.
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Your average detached is now, what, just over £320,000,
0:03:18 > 0:03:20so you do need some fairly deep pockets.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Yes, although I find those figures, particularly
0:03:23 > 0:03:25around Dorset, a bit misleading because you've got Sandbanks,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29that completely weird pocket of super, super high valued
0:03:29 > 0:03:32properties in the south east, and also things like Lyme Regis -
0:03:32 > 0:03:36beautiful, but skews the county profile a bit.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38There's no doubt that the closer you are to the coast,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41the higher you are going to have to go in terms of what you want to spend,
0:03:41 > 0:03:45so my advice is always go inland, the coast is never far away,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49and you can get that bit more for your money, particularly if you get up towards Somerset.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52And the mass of the Dorset population live in the conurbation
0:03:52 > 0:03:55around Poole and Bournemouth, so that's going to be more pricey.
0:03:55 > 0:03:58If you want the sort of Thomas Hardy look, then head for the hills.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01Well, that's exactly what my buyers were looking for
0:04:01 > 0:04:03and they came to Dorset with a seven-figure sum.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05More of that a little bit later.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Well, my couple didn't have QUITE that much money,
0:04:08 > 0:04:11but they were also looking for a rural retreat.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14Husband and wife Denise and Peter first laid
0:04:14 > 0:04:17eyes on each other at a bowling alley four decades ago
0:04:17 > 0:04:22and have spent a thrilling 32 years raising their family in this
0:04:22 > 0:04:25four-bedroomed semi-detached home in the busy commuter
0:04:25 > 0:04:29town of Epsom in Surrey. But now their three children are all
0:04:29 > 0:04:33grown up, they want to downsize, release some capital and
0:04:33 > 0:04:35realise a long-held desire.
0:04:35 > 0:04:37I just want a change of environment.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39I've lived in this area all my life
0:04:39 > 0:04:42and I just want to be out in the countryside.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Not too far from the sea so we can do coastal walks,
0:04:45 > 0:04:50and we just want to see birds, animals, rather than traffic.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54A self-employed building consultant, Peter has only recently decided
0:04:54 > 0:04:59to wind down professionally in order to fulfil the country dream.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02It was one particularly horrible,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06cold day in January or February, and I thought, "That's enough!"
0:05:06 > 0:05:07With work on the backburner,
0:05:07 > 0:05:10they've set their sights on relocating to west Dorset.
0:05:10 > 0:05:16We like the area, it's very uncommercialised
0:05:16 > 0:05:20and we really would like to be in a rural setting.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Their current house is already on the market and they have
0:05:23 > 0:05:27approximate figures in mind for the proposed West Country venture.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31The budget for our move is £325,000
0:05:31 > 0:05:35up to a maximum of £375,000.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40Peter and Denise have requested a location in the western
0:05:40 > 0:05:44portion of Dorset, and near to the coast, but not necessarily
0:05:44 > 0:05:48right on it, so we'll be searching in the beautiful
0:05:48 > 0:05:51villages around the market town of Bridport.
0:05:51 > 0:05:56I'm meeting up with both our buyers on Dorset soil to get better acquainted.
0:05:56 > 0:05:59- Welcome to Dorset. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01It's a very beautiful spot I brought you to, isn't it?
0:06:01 > 0:06:03- It certainly is. - Absolutely gorgeous.
0:06:03 > 0:06:07- Is this what you're looking for as a change from Epsom?- Oh, definitely.
0:06:07 > 0:06:08Yeah, life in the country.
0:06:08 > 0:06:09So tell me about the house.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13What's your sort of dream house, within budgetary constraints.
0:06:14 > 0:06:20Anything with between two to four bedrooms or three bedrooms
0:06:20 > 0:06:23- and a study.- I think three bedrooms is the minimum.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27And with a garden, somewhere to perhaps have a few chickens to
0:06:27 > 0:06:30run around and grow a few vegetables.
0:06:30 > 0:06:31What is your budget?
0:06:31 > 0:06:36Well, it's realistically between 325 and 375.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40We would be prepared to take on a project providing it was
0:06:40 > 0:06:43towards the lower end of the budget rather than the higher end.
0:06:43 > 0:06:47And in terms of your house sale in Epsom, how's that going?
0:06:47 > 0:06:51We've just accepted an offer yesterday which we're very,
0:06:51 > 0:06:52very pleased with.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54- So it's all systems go. - Yeah, absolutely.
0:06:54 > 0:06:55I'm buying into this dream,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59but you have to buy into the houses that we've selected for you.
0:06:59 > 0:07:01- Hopefully.- We've got three corkers...
0:07:01 > 0:07:03- Super!- ..so I just hope that they fit the bill.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07- Well, we'll soon find out, won't we? - You will. Very soon, follow me.
0:07:09 > 0:07:15For a maximum budget of £375,000, Peter and Denise are downsizing
0:07:15 > 0:07:19and looking for a character home that has at least three bedrooms.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23They'd consider a small project that involves minor refurbishment
0:07:23 > 0:07:26and are after a decent sized garden in which to grow vegetables
0:07:26 > 0:07:28and possibly to keep chickens.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30And lastly, they want to be within
0:07:30 > 0:07:31easy reach of the
0:07:31 > 0:07:33enticing southern coast.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37We've got a variety of great Dorset homes to show our buyers,
0:07:37 > 0:07:41but of course, the price will be a guessing game until the end of tour.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46Lastly, there's our mystery property set in a 350-acre plot,
0:07:46 > 0:07:50and yes, I did say 350 acres.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53So, with Peter and Denise's house under offer,
0:07:53 > 0:07:54we'd better get started.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02Our first destination is in the remote hamlet of Hilfield.
0:08:02 > 0:08:06With their hankering after a traditional country life, let's find
0:08:06 > 0:08:08out what Denise and Peter make of our first
0:08:08 > 0:08:11house in the thick of lush Dorset countryside.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17OK, house number one. Here we are.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19Really, we wanted to show you something that was
0:08:19 > 0:08:22the absolute opposite to the hustle and bustle of Epsom.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26- You've certainly done that. - It's amazing.
0:08:26 > 0:08:31- We're in a beautiful, beautiful area. - Can you hear the birdsong?- I can!
0:08:31 > 0:08:35- It's so tranquil and absolutely fantastic.- Yes.- Yes.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38What are your thoughts about the style and the look from the outside?
0:08:38 > 0:08:40It looks quite a period cottage.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43It is, it comes from the end of the 19th century,
0:08:43 > 0:08:49farmworkers' cottages, and it's attached, so there's your neighbour.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53- That's fine, that's not a problem. - Tempted to look inside?- Absolutely.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56- Yeah, definitely.- Let's have a look.
0:08:56 > 0:09:01Built in 1889, this semi-detached Victorian cottage has been
0:09:01 > 0:09:05gradually extended over the years and has a deceptively large
0:09:05 > 0:09:08ground floor footprint with three reception rooms.
0:09:10 > 0:09:15So this is the front room straight off that little sun room porch
0:09:15 > 0:09:18and you can see the bones of the house here,
0:09:18 > 0:09:19these lovely original flagstones.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21- It's beautiful.- Yeah.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23What a lovely, charming room.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25I love the wide window cos obviously that denotes
0:09:25 > 0:09:27the thickness of the wall, doesn't it?
0:09:27 > 0:09:31Exactly, so they were well built, these Victorian cottages.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33I do love the floor, absolutely adore the floor.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35It's quite a decent size room.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39- Do you feel that it could be homely? - Yeah, I like what I see so far.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Good. Very good, let's go have a look at the kitchen.
0:09:46 > 0:09:48So the house proceeds in these rooms -
0:09:48 > 0:09:50you've got a little dining room there,
0:09:50 > 0:09:54at the foot of the stairs and then this is the old kitchen.
0:09:54 > 0:09:55- This is charming.- Yeah.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58This is really sweet, yeah. I like this.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01So you've got the front room, which is south-facing,
0:10:01 > 0:10:03so you get a lot of the sunshine,
0:10:03 > 0:10:05and the dining room and the kitchen,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08but you've also, through here, got a very nice study.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12- Oh, this is a surprise. - This is very nice.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14You get the nice quarry tiles on the floor
0:10:14 > 0:10:16and lots of lovely light
0:10:16 > 0:10:18and doors out onto the garden, there.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20It's a very useable space -
0:10:20 > 0:10:22Yes, you could make it into a nice snug.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24Yeah. Yeah, that would work.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26Things seem to be going well for the ground floor,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29which also benefits from a shower room
0:10:29 > 0:10:31that doubles up as the utility.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Now we've completed our tour downstairs,
0:10:34 > 0:10:37we're going to make our way up to the first floor.
0:10:37 > 0:10:41There's a family bathroom and three bedrooms on offer.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44To the front of the property lies the smallest bedroom
0:10:44 > 0:10:48next to a larger double with glorious, unspoilt views.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Then this is the master.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54Oh, this is...nice, a nice space.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57No storage, no? OK.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Yes, you need to think about your storage.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02You might want to appropriate one of your guest rooms
0:11:02 > 0:11:03- as a sort of dressing room. - Possibly.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06- But it's nicely decorated. - Nice colour scheme.- Nice outlook.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09The thing about all of the rooms up here are the views -
0:11:09 > 0:11:12- you've got killer views.- Fabulous.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Well, I can let you explore the rest of the house in your own good time,
0:11:15 > 0:11:19but I'm going to show you the garden and ask you about the price,
0:11:19 > 0:11:20so follow me.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24As we make our way outside,
0:11:24 > 0:11:26it gives Peter and Denise another chance
0:11:26 > 0:11:28to take in this charming cottage.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Off the study, a paved patio
0:11:30 > 0:11:34leads onto a delightful long and level lawned garden,
0:11:34 > 0:11:37featuring ready-established vegetable plots
0:11:37 > 0:11:40and plenty of room for chickens.
0:11:40 > 0:11:41I mean, in terms of the garden,
0:11:41 > 0:11:43is this the size that you're looking for?
0:11:43 > 0:11:47- It's lovely. - That's very, very, very acceptable.
0:11:47 > 0:11:49Yeah, that's a really nice...
0:11:49 > 0:11:51It's a really nice property.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54OK. Well, what do you think it's on the market for?
0:11:54 > 0:11:58Um...I would hazard a guess at about 320?
0:11:59 > 0:12:03- I'd say about 315.- 315.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06- Well, this is actually on the market for 340.- Oh, OK.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08That's the market price at the moment.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Well within budget and all modernised and ready to go,
0:12:13 > 0:12:17the first property is on the market for £340,000
0:12:17 > 0:12:21and presents a late-19th century semidetached cottage.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23It comes with three reception rooms,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26a kitchen-breakfast room, three bedrooms
0:12:26 > 0:12:28and a large garden that is enveloped
0:12:28 > 0:12:31by an exceptionally green and pleasant Dorset land.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37Apart from the farmer in his field, it's just so tranquil here.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39A little too remote for them, perhaps.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42- Hello, guys - you all done?- We are.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44- Wonderful.- Thank you very much. - Thank you.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46Well, shut the door, cos we're done, too.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49That's your house tour finished. Follow me.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56In 2002, we were in this same glorious spot,
0:12:56 > 0:13:01helping Londoners Chris and Sue find their dream West Country escape.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05This is the first, first opportunity I've seen -
0:13:05 > 0:13:07you know, the other house and this house -
0:13:07 > 0:13:10as somewhere suitable for painting.
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Half a century of the city commute had taken its toll
0:13:13 > 0:13:17and Chris in particular was longing to sit on a cliff somewhere
0:13:17 > 0:13:21to draw real land and seascapes rather than painting from photos.
0:13:21 > 0:13:25And although we didn't find them their ideal country abode,
0:13:25 > 0:13:28the experience was the catalyst that completely changed their lives,
0:13:28 > 0:13:32for they are now fully fledged Dorset residents.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36What's more, Chris's amateur pastime has evolved into his profession,
0:13:36 > 0:13:39and he and his wife run a gallery in Bridport,
0:13:39 > 0:13:41which is where I met up with them both.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47Chris and Sue, it is such an honour to meet you,
0:13:47 > 0:13:49because you predate me -
0:13:49 > 0:13:52you were on the show before I existed,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- as far as Escape To The Country was concerned.- We were.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57So, we're surrounded by your art.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59This is all your beautiful art on the wall, Chris.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01- Are these all yours? - Yes, they are, yes.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03I see the sign - they're all very different styles.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05Mostly, they're local views,
0:14:05 > 0:14:07purely because I've got this commercial background
0:14:07 > 0:14:09and I want to tap in on that, really, I suppose.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11If you imagine what it would be like
0:14:11 > 0:14:12to move down and open a little gallery,
0:14:12 > 0:14:14this is kind of how you imagine it.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17Has there been any regret? Have you missed London?
0:14:17 > 0:14:22- No - we've been back twice.- Twice? - Twice in five years.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24We still get a buzz, but it's nice to come home.
0:14:24 > 0:14:26And it was home -
0:14:26 > 0:14:28as soon as we moved here, it was home.
0:14:28 > 0:14:32I want to experience more of the inspiring Dorset environment
0:14:32 > 0:14:35that is now home to Chris and Sue 24/7.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38So leaving Sue behind to look after the gallery -
0:14:38 > 0:14:41and armed with sketch pads and pencils -
0:14:41 > 0:14:45we're off for a mini art class at nearby Charmouth Beach
0:14:45 > 0:14:49which has one of the best vantage points of the hill and cliff
0:14:49 > 0:14:50at Golden Cap.
0:14:50 > 0:14:55And, at this moment, I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58I'm liking what you're doing, but I shouldn't copy you.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00I should draw what I see.
0:15:02 > 0:15:05It's interesting, because you see you're much less fearless
0:15:05 > 0:15:07about putting in all the details.
0:15:07 > 0:15:09It's all there - you can tell where it is.
0:15:09 > 0:15:12- I think it's brilliant - well done. - Thank you.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16So, I can understand why you'd want to make this your life,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18as opposed to the rat race of London.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20- Yes.- Any regrets?
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Um...
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Other than I should have - or WE should have -
0:15:25 > 0:15:27done it a lot sooner.
0:15:27 > 0:15:28That's a pretty good regret.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32After savouring some of the more relaxing elements
0:15:32 > 0:15:34of Chris's daily life here in Dorset,
0:15:34 > 0:15:35I'm definitely sold.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47Now back to the house hunt,
0:15:47 > 0:15:48and we're venturing out west
0:15:48 > 0:15:50to Broadwindsor,
0:15:50 > 0:15:52which lies just over six miles north of Bridport.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56We find our second property on the edge of the village.
0:15:56 > 0:16:01This used to be the tollhouse for the road in and out of the village.
0:16:01 > 0:16:04And you can see, it's the whole property.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06It's a LONG house
0:16:06 > 0:16:09and it's actually extended in two chunks,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11- once in the '60s and once in the '90s.- Yeah.
0:16:11 > 0:16:12But it's built of the local stone,
0:16:12 > 0:16:15the Jurassic limestone that you get around these parts.
0:16:15 > 0:16:20- Looks very, very, very... - Interesting.- Interesting, yeah.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22How do you feel about the concept
0:16:22 > 0:16:24of taking on a historic property that you'd have to do something to?
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Is it grade listed?
0:16:26 > 0:16:28- No, it's not.- Fine - that's...
0:16:28 > 0:16:30Obviously, keeping it in character with the village,
0:16:30 > 0:16:33but modernising it, is not a problem.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36- Let's look inside.- OK.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38Dating back to the 1800s,
0:16:38 > 0:16:42this historic detached property is abundant with character,
0:16:42 > 0:16:45and for our buyers, who would be up for some minor improvements,
0:16:45 > 0:16:47this could be just the ticket.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50We're entering the property through a generous study
0:16:50 > 0:16:52and straight into the sitting room.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57- Wow!- Nice surprise?- Yeah.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00- This is really, really nice. - Really old-school.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02- Lovely and wide.- Yeah.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04You know, proportions are really, really good, yeah.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07You've got a chimney breast there that you could open up
0:17:07 > 0:17:10and put in a log burner or even a real fire.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Where the first house, I think,
0:17:12 > 0:17:13was finished to a very high standard -
0:17:13 > 0:17:16clearly, the people had come in and brought in a lot of...
0:17:16 > 0:17:18This, I think, is more of a, sort of, open book
0:17:18 > 0:17:20that you could write your story in.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22- Absolutely. - It's very, very interesting.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26I don't think we'd have ever considered anything quite like this
0:17:26 > 0:17:28and quite as old as this, perhaps.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30I would like to see more.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32We go through here, it takes us to the dining room.
0:17:32 > 0:17:33Lovely.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Had to slightly dip my head to get through there, but not too low.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40It's a small room, but it's quite...
0:17:40 > 0:17:42Again, the proportions, the widths.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44Obviously the width of the house...
0:17:44 > 0:17:46Well, it's bright, because you've got three windows,
0:17:46 > 0:17:48Double aspect, which is...
0:17:48 > 0:17:50Yeah, light coming in all the time.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53But of course, the kitchen's key - let's have a look.
0:17:53 > 0:17:54- Yes.- OK. Let's go.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00This is the last addition, so this was put on in the 1990s.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03- OK.- To make a kitchen room.
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Really nice space.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09- Yeah, I could see me cooking in here. - Could you?- Yeah, I could.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12The tiles go really well with the age of the property,
0:18:12 > 0:18:14sort of slate-looking.
0:18:14 > 0:18:19In terms of the actual layout of the light and the space,
0:18:19 > 0:18:20it could work.
0:18:20 > 0:18:21Yes, it could, yeah.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24- Good.- I like this. I really, really like this.
0:18:24 > 0:18:25I'm glad you can see...
0:18:25 > 0:18:26This is definitely one
0:18:26 > 0:18:29where you need to engage your "house imagination."
0:18:29 > 0:18:30- Yes.- Yeah.
0:18:30 > 0:18:31Let's have a look upstairs.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34You've got three bedrooms here, which I think is good.
0:18:34 > 0:18:35You lead the way.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Served by a spacious family bathroom,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40the three bedrooms upstairs
0:18:40 > 0:18:43are arranged over the entire ground floor footprint
0:18:43 > 0:18:45and so are all great-sized rooms.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51Come on in - this is actually not the biggest room,
0:18:51 > 0:18:53but perhaps the brightest.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56It's above the kitchen, so at the modern end of the house.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59It's nice - it's triple aspect, nice and light and airy.
0:18:59 > 0:19:00Even with small windows,
0:19:00 > 0:19:02you've still got a decent amount of light.
0:19:02 > 0:19:03Yeah. In terms of...
0:19:03 > 0:19:05I'll let you explore upstairs a little more -
0:19:05 > 0:19:07first, let's have a peek outside.
0:19:07 > 0:19:09- Mm-hm.- Cos you do have a river.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13- Do we?! That sounds...- OK.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16We're going to weave our way back through the property
0:19:16 > 0:19:19to the gardens at the rear and the side of the house
0:19:19 > 0:19:22that are mainly laid to lawn, backing onto meadows
0:19:22 > 0:19:24and featuring a lovely little stream.
0:19:24 > 0:19:28I might have slightly oversold it as a river.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- Yes, very narrow. - But a brook, perhaps.- Yeah.
0:19:32 > 0:19:34- Very quaint.- It's very sweet.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36So you can see, from the back of the house,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39you can see the age of the different extensions a bit more clearly -
0:19:39 > 0:19:40the old house at the front,
0:19:40 > 0:19:42the modern extension right at the back.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46- What do you think of the garden? - It's a manageable size - uh...
0:19:46 > 0:19:47That's one way of putting it!
0:19:47 > 0:19:49THEY LAUGH
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Divided by the delightful stream, brook...?
0:19:52 > 0:19:55So, what do you think it's on the market for?
0:19:56 > 0:19:59- I think 330.- Oh...
0:19:59 > 0:20:01I think, given the location
0:20:01 > 0:20:03and the size and the quaintness of it,
0:20:03 > 0:20:07I think it'll be more than that. I think it'll be about 350-355?
0:20:07 > 0:20:11OK, you're dead on the money. It's on at 350.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13But the owner has been very frank
0:20:13 > 0:20:16and said that she's aware that there's work that needs doing
0:20:16 > 0:20:18and she would take sensible offers.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21It would need a bit of money spent on it, yeah.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24It needs a little bit of modernisation.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29With a guide price of £350,000, property two is a former tollhouse,
0:20:29 > 0:20:33made of local limestone, that lies within a charming village.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37The accommodation lends itself to three reception rooms,
0:20:37 > 0:20:41a kitchen-breakfast room and three bedrooms
0:20:41 > 0:20:43and the garden is rather special,
0:20:43 > 0:20:44being that a river
0:20:44 > 0:20:46runs right through it.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52- Good - so, we're all done in Broadwindsor.- OK.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- Ready for the mystery house? - I am, indeed.- Yeah. Come with me.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05Throwing our suburbanites into the rural deep didn't quite pan out
0:21:05 > 0:21:08as I hoped, even with that beautiful river.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11But you may still sort it out with the mystery house. Fingers crossed.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15Well, before we get to that, time now to meet our second couple.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19When it comes to cash, these two had plenty to splash around.
0:21:19 > 0:21:24When Mark and Michelle bought their five-bedroom 1930s home in Henley
0:21:24 > 0:21:27ten years ago, it was virtually a wreck.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29But Mark, who is quite a handy man,
0:21:29 > 0:21:31gutted and completely renovated the place.
0:21:31 > 0:21:36Since they met in 2002, they've been busy with demanding careers,
0:21:36 > 0:21:40Michelle in telecommunications and Mark in the aviation industry.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43But recently they decided to put work on hold
0:21:43 > 0:21:46to look for a new, more balanced way of life in the country.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49I mean, we love Henley, so we love the house, we love Henley, but
0:21:49 > 0:21:52what we wanted is somewhere where we could start a business together.
0:21:52 > 0:21:56And just looking round this area, it's really difficult to do that,
0:21:56 > 0:21:58to get the land we're looking for.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00They know they want to begin a business together in Dorset,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03but they're not entirely sure what it will be.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06And they're hoping the properties we show them might spark some ideas.
0:22:06 > 0:22:11I'm really open, I just want something to come along that's going to grab hold of me.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14I want a property that is going to give me an opportunity,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17maybe it's got holiday lets currently,
0:22:17 > 0:22:20I've always had an idea of doing some really high-end luxury,
0:22:20 > 0:22:22even with their own little swimming pools,
0:22:22 > 0:22:23make a place for people to come to.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26But what's the budget
0:22:26 > 0:22:29for a property with business potential in rural Dorset?
0:22:29 > 0:22:33So the budget is up to a maximum of 1.5 million.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35And then, really depending on if it's absolutely perfect,
0:22:35 > 0:22:38doesn't need any work on it, the 1.5.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41Actually, we would look at something a lot less than that
0:22:41 > 0:22:44if it had massive potential and we can use some of the capital
0:22:44 > 0:22:46to actually do the property up.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51Mark and Michelle particularly like
0:22:51 > 0:22:54Dorchester and the countryside around it,
0:22:54 > 0:22:58so we're focusing our search within 30 miles of the town.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00I'm catching up with them by Dorset's scenic coast
0:23:00 > 0:23:03to learn some more about what they're hoping to find.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06- Hello, Michelle. Hello, Mark. - Hi.- Nice to see you.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09- Nice to see you.- On a gorgeous Dorset morning. Look at that! - It's fantastic, isn't it?
0:23:09 > 0:23:12If you want a coastal view, they don't get much better than this one.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Well, let's talk about this ambition.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17And we can't go much further without talking about the budget,
0:23:17 > 0:23:22- which is a very, very handsome £1.5 million.- Uh-huh.- Uh-huh.
0:23:22 > 0:23:27But for all that, you yourselves don't want a massive house, do you?
0:23:27 > 0:23:29No, that's it. We don't want...
0:23:29 > 0:23:31It's just the two of us and our dog Chester,
0:23:31 > 0:23:33so we don't need a house to rattle around in.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35It's really a property with a business,
0:23:35 > 0:23:39so whether it's an existing business or just opportunities,
0:23:39 > 0:23:43outbuildings, somewhere we can add some value and we can actually start something together.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46So, leaving the business element to one side, give us an idea,
0:23:46 > 0:23:51- Michelle, of the sort of property that would suit the pair of you and the dog.- And the dog, yes.
0:23:51 > 0:23:55So, ideally, probably about four bedrooms, something like that.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59We sort of like big kitchens, I do a lot of cooking,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02so a really nice farmhouse-type of kitchen would be great.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Obviously, the quainter the property is...
0:24:04 > 0:24:09Dorset's full of beautiful thatched cottages and sea views, obviously.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11So if some of that was involved, that would be really good.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Well, we've got three properties which I hope will tempt you
0:24:14 > 0:24:17and, who knows, maybe one of them could be your new dream home.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20- That'd be fantastic.- Let's go spend some money, shall we?
0:24:20 > 0:24:23- THEY LAUGH Let's go.- Sounds good.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27With a very healthy budget of £1.5 million,
0:24:27 > 0:24:31Mark and Michelle are looking for a four-bedroom period property
0:24:31 > 0:24:32with business potential.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36They're interested in holiday lets, but are very open to suggestions
0:24:36 > 0:24:40and like the idea of an outbuilding that could provide the foundation
0:24:40 > 0:24:43from which to create some kind of cottage industry.
0:24:43 > 0:24:45They'd also like a decent sized plot
0:24:45 > 0:24:48to give their dog, Chester, plenty of room to play in.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52We've found three very different Dorset homes for them to look at
0:24:52 > 0:24:55and each of them has business potential.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58One will be our mystery house, which is such a rare piece of real estate
0:24:58 > 0:25:02it's unlikely our buyers would have seen anything of its kind before.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13We're beginning our search in Whitchurch Canonicorum,
0:25:13 > 0:25:1520 miles west of Dorchester
0:25:15 > 0:25:17and just a mile from the coast.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20Just a few minutes' walk from the centre of the village
0:25:20 > 0:25:23on a quiet road is our first offering.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27This is property...number one and I think it really sets the scene
0:25:27 > 0:25:29in terms of your classic Dorset home.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32- Definitely. It looks lovely, doesn't it?- Yeah, it's gorgeous.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35- Fantastic front door. - Beautiful front door.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37The thing to point out is that that bit
0:25:37 > 0:25:40is just the owners' accommodation.
0:25:40 > 0:25:44- OK.- Because this has a huge holiday complex that way.- Uh-huh.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47We'll deal with the home bit first,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49and then we'll deal with the business,
0:25:49 > 0:25:52- and then we'll talk about how much it might cost you.- OK. SHE LAUGHS
0:25:52 > 0:25:54Come on, then.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57This four-bedroom, Grade II listed stone farmhouse
0:25:57 > 0:26:01dates back to the 16th century and has plenty of period charm.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05- Let's start at this end. Study in there.- OK.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09- And then this is your principal living room.- OK.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12It's nice. It's got some good character because of the beams.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14- It's quite, quite cosy, isn't it? - Yeah.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17- It's whether it would be big enough for us.- I think it feels smaller
0:26:17 > 0:26:20- because of the beam in the middle. - Yeah.- But on the whole,
0:26:20 > 0:26:22it's very quaint and cosy.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25- Come and have a look at the kitchen space.- OK.- Let's look at this.
0:26:29 > 0:26:33- Ahh! This is a really good size, isn't it?- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37- A lovely size.- There's an enormous utility room through there.- OK.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39- But this is nicely appointed.- Yeah.
0:26:39 > 0:26:43Nice and open plan as you can see and it leads out onto the courtyard,
0:26:43 > 0:26:46- which we'll explore a little bit later on.- OK.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49- And that's the business end of it. - OK.- Is it your sort of style?
0:26:49 > 0:26:52I like the fact that it's quite open plan,
0:26:52 > 0:26:54so you've got your open plan area
0:26:54 > 0:26:57but you've got a nice kitchen table as well.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Well, let's have a look upstairs quickly at your accommodation
0:27:00 > 0:27:05- and then we'll deal with the business end of it through there. - Perfect.
0:27:06 > 0:27:10Also on the ground floor adjoining the kitchen is a cosy snug
0:27:10 > 0:27:13that could be converted into a formal dining room.
0:27:13 > 0:27:16And next to that is another characterful reception room
0:27:16 > 0:27:18with a beautiful inglenook fireplace.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Upstairs there are four double bedrooms,
0:27:22 > 0:27:26one of which has a walk-in wardrobe and en suite.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28There's also a family bathroom.
0:27:28 > 0:27:32Well, this is perhaps one of the lightest rooms at the moment of the four to choose from.
0:27:32 > 0:27:36This isn't currently the master, but it could be if you wanted it to be
0:27:36 > 0:27:37cos there is a bathroom next door.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39- OK.- Yeah, nice feel to it.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41I like the scaled ceilings, we have that in our current house,
0:27:41 > 0:27:43- so it's something we like.- Yeah.
0:27:43 > 0:27:49- So this really, I suppose, completes the picture for what you get as the owners.- Yes, exactly.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- Just about right for us, I think. - Good. A few cosmetic changes,
0:27:52 > 0:27:54- but nothing that a man like you couldn't do.- Absolutely.
0:27:54 > 0:27:57- You've done it all before anyway, haven't you? - THEY LAUGH
0:27:57 > 0:27:59Yes.
0:27:59 > 0:28:04I'm not certain the style of the interior is exactly to Mark and Michelle's tastes,
0:28:04 > 0:28:05but I'm thinking it's probably
0:28:05 > 0:28:08the business potential that's going to be the main deciding factor
0:28:08 > 0:28:11for our buyers when it comes to choosing a property.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13So I'm interested to hear their reactions
0:28:13 > 0:28:15to what this place has to offer.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18- So, here we are, the main event.- OK.
0:28:18 > 0:28:23- This whole complex contains eight separate holiday lets.- OK.
0:28:23 > 0:28:28- They're currently turning over just under...£100,000 a year.- OK. - A good turnover.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31- Of which about 50,000 is profit. - OK.- Sure.
0:28:31 > 0:28:36They have a lot of return customers, 25% are returns,
0:28:36 > 0:28:40so that means that you walk into an existing business with people already booked in.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42- OK, so there's plenty of goodwill there already.- Absolutely.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46- The courtyard's nice, isn't it? - Very nice.- So we've got eight to choose from.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50- Let's have a look at the biggest one, which is that one.- OK.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53These brick and stone holiday cottages are currently operating
0:28:53 > 0:28:57at a 40% occupancy and were originally the farmhouse stables.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03Now, it's going to be very interesting to learn
0:29:03 > 0:29:07how this compares with the...the market that you're going for.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10Yeah. I think the space seems quite good.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13I like that wall, the fact you've got that natural part of it.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17I think we would probably... Yeah, we would do quite a bit of renovation, I think.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19It's got that potential, hasn't it?
0:29:19 > 0:29:21It has and that's what we've asked for,
0:29:21 > 0:29:23- so the potential is here, I think. - Yeah.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Also included in this holiday let package,
0:29:27 > 0:29:29in what was originally the farmhouse barn,
0:29:29 > 0:29:33is a games room and a superb indoor heated pool.
0:29:33 > 0:29:36Outside there are more than two and a half acres of land
0:29:36 > 0:29:38that includes a pond and a paddock.
0:29:40 > 0:29:45Well, this is a view we haven't seen before. This is the back of your bit, the owners' accommodation.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48Which in itself is the sort of beautiful property
0:29:48 > 0:29:51- we would happily sell on its own. - Yeah, exactly.- Yeah.
0:29:51 > 0:29:53So there's quite a lot with this one.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56- What do we think it's worth, then? - Oh!- Difficult.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59Probably 1.35, something like that?
0:29:59 > 0:30:01I think there's a little bit of maintenance work to do here,
0:30:01 > 0:30:05I'm going to go a bit lower and, I think, about 1.25.
0:30:05 > 0:30:08Well, as we're in the world of decimals, you're 100 grand apart,
0:30:08 > 0:30:13but this could be yours for 1.3.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17- Ahh!- Split either side.- You straddled it nicely.- OK.- Yeah.
0:30:17 > 0:30:22Under budget at £1.3 million, this period property
0:30:22 > 0:30:25offers a ready-made holiday let business with eight cottages
0:30:25 > 0:30:28that can accommodate up to 36 guests,
0:30:28 > 0:30:30a games room and an indoor pool.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34The house itself has three reception rooms and four bedrooms
0:30:34 > 0:30:36and outside there's more than
0:30:36 > 0:30:382.5 acres of land.
0:30:39 > 0:30:44- Oh, squeaky door! Out you go. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47- Well, I think that was quite an impressive start, really.- Yeah.
0:30:47 > 0:30:50- Yeah.- A business all ready to go, it's a beautiful house
0:30:50 > 0:30:52- and it's more or less where you want to be.- I think so, yeah.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55- Have we spent any money yet, though? - SHE LAUGHS
0:30:55 > 0:30:57- We've got two more to see yet. - We have indeed.
0:30:57 > 0:30:59THEY LAUGH
0:31:02 > 0:31:06Fishing has been a way of life for generations of Dorset families,
0:31:06 > 0:31:09but over the years the growing decline in fish stocks
0:31:09 > 0:31:13has put both this age-old local industry and the costal ecosystem
0:31:13 > 0:31:14under threat.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19Finding a way to reconcile the needs of both the environment and
0:31:19 > 0:31:24the fisheries has long been fraught with conflicts and frustration.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27But in Lyme Bay, a dedicated group is approaching this sensitive issue
0:31:27 > 0:31:31with a ground-breaking scheme that facilitates dialogue
0:31:31 > 0:31:35between concerned parties to reach solutions through collaboration
0:31:35 > 0:31:36rather than confrontation.
0:31:36 > 0:31:40The organisation is known as the Lyme Bay Working Group.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43I'm here to meet its project manager, Neville Copperthwaite.
0:31:44 > 0:31:48We've come in more or less as mediators, really.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51We've developed a model where all stakeholders, you know,
0:31:51 > 0:31:53all the fishermen, the conservationists
0:31:53 > 0:31:57and also the scientists have got together to manage
0:31:57 > 0:32:00the area in a better, more sustainable way.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03How have you managed to persuade the fishermen here that this
0:32:03 > 0:32:05scheme is worth getting involved in?
0:32:05 > 0:32:08As much as anybody else, they want to be able to fish in the future.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11They want their children to be able to fish, and their grandchildren.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13So they've entered into a code of conduct,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16basically, about gear limitation,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19about not putting too many pots down, too many nets.
0:32:19 > 0:32:23So, for instance, they can only fish with 250 pots per boat
0:32:23 > 0:32:27and 4,000 yards of net, and numerous other things.
0:32:28 > 0:32:32This code of conduct is voluntary and is regulated by the fishermen
0:32:32 > 0:32:35themselves, which is what makes this project the first of its kind.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38With input from scientists and conservationists,
0:32:38 > 0:32:42they manage the waters they fish in a responsible, sustainable way.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47Another of the group's initiatives is the investment in equipment
0:32:47 > 0:32:50to be set up on the cob that will ensure the fishermen deliver
0:32:50 > 0:32:52only premium fish.
0:32:52 > 0:32:53Quality versus quantity
0:32:53 > 0:32:56is very much at the core of the organisation's aims.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00We would like the fishermen to catch less, but earn more.
0:33:00 > 0:33:02Is that really possible, though?
0:33:02 > 0:33:04It is possible.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06What we're doing to achieve that is we're going to install
0:33:06 > 0:33:10ice-making facilities inside these sheds,
0:33:10 > 0:33:13so that then the fishermen can get a really good quality product
0:33:13 > 0:33:14into the shops.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17Neville and his team have been overwhelmed
0:33:17 > 0:33:19by the response they've received.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22After some robust resistance when they first proposed the idea
0:33:22 > 0:33:27almost two years ago, they now have 98% of the Bay's fishermen on board.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29Alex Jones is one of them.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32Do you think that this project is going to work?
0:33:32 > 0:33:35That you might be able to fish less but still maintain
0:33:35 > 0:33:38a decent standard of living and an economically viable business?
0:33:38 > 0:33:39Well, this is the plan.
0:33:39 > 0:33:44We believe we can get up to 30% more on the fish markets for our fish.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47The fact that if you buy our fish, you know it's probably
0:33:47 > 0:33:50caught on one of the most sustainable fisheries in the UK.
0:33:50 > 0:33:54But for the fishing community here, there must be some optimism.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56Yeah, I mean, the fishing industry's got to evolve
0:33:56 > 0:33:58and move forward with the times.
0:33:58 > 0:34:00I think this is just one way we can do that.
0:34:02 > 0:34:04I don't think any fisherman's going to be unhappy
0:34:04 > 0:34:06if they're getting more money for their fish.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09Let's just see if we can get it to work. I think we can.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12Already receiving attention from abroad,
0:34:12 > 0:34:16the innovative scheme instigated here in this quiet Dorset bay
0:34:16 > 0:34:18may well provide the blueprint for sustainable
0:34:18 > 0:34:20fishing all over the world.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32Our search takes us further inland
0:34:32 > 0:34:34to the village of Hazelbury Bryan,
0:34:34 > 0:34:3716 miles north of Dorchester.
0:34:37 > 0:34:41Just down the road is our second property, which doesn't come
0:34:41 > 0:34:44with a business, but does have eight acres of land offering
0:34:44 > 0:34:46a blank canvas from which Mark
0:34:46 > 0:34:49and Michelle can create a completely new venture of their own.
0:34:49 > 0:34:54This is a very different proposition to property number one.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57We showed you an existing business that
0:34:57 > 0:34:59was very much in the mode of what you've been thinking about.
0:34:59 > 0:35:01- With the holiday lets and so on.- Yeah.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04But maybe, I'm wondering, it was too defined.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06So with this one, we're trying something a bit different.
0:35:06 > 0:35:11It's very much about a home with land and potential to go with it.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13- OK.- But what do we think of that?
0:35:13 > 0:35:15It looks lovely. So...
0:35:15 > 0:35:18The fact that you've got the combination of the thatch
0:35:18 > 0:35:19and non thatch.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23This part of the house looks really quaint. Very pretty.
0:35:23 > 0:35:28From here it's certainly very impressive. Let's take a look inside.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30I think you'll enjoy it.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35This good-looking thatched farm house dates back to the 16th century
0:35:35 > 0:35:37and incorporates a more recently built weatherboard
0:35:37 > 0:35:41and tile extension, which is where we're starting the tour.
0:35:41 > 0:35:45- This, I think you will enjoy. - I like this, yeah.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48This is magnificent. Loads of space.
0:35:48 > 0:35:51It's open plan, but the fact is the kitchen's bigger,
0:35:51 > 0:35:55but a nice area where you can put a table or sofas.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57- A good start, isn't it? - A good start.- A very good start.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59That's why we came in here first.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01Brilliant.
0:36:01 > 0:36:02- Come with me.- OK.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06'Back across the entrance hall to the original part of the property
0:36:06 > 0:36:08'is an appealing family room.'
0:36:08 > 0:36:10The owners are currently moving out
0:36:10 > 0:36:13so there's load of space to appreciate with this one.
0:36:13 > 0:36:18- Yeah, this is nice. This is lovely, isn't it?- Bread oven in there.
0:36:18 > 0:36:20- Nicely lit.- Yeah.
0:36:20 > 0:36:23So you've got this as a very big family room and then it goes
0:36:23 > 0:36:27through to this area which is much cosier. More of a snug, I suppose.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29But still pretty imposing.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33- This is lovely, as well.- This would probably be the main lounge.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36- I like the...- Vaulted ceiling. - Yeah, that's really nice.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38Double height.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42I get the feeling this is more exciting than our first
0:36:42 > 0:36:46- property, as it were?- Yeah, from a property perspective, definitely.
0:36:46 > 0:36:50- It just feels a bit more us, I think.- Yeah. More us as a home.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54- Yes, definitely. - Let's have a look upstairs.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59Also downstairs in this older half of the house,
0:36:59 > 0:37:01there's a double aspect study.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05Upstairs, there are two family bathrooms -
0:37:05 > 0:37:08one on the first floor and one above, in the attic.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12There are four light-filled bedrooms.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14Three are doubles and one is a single.
0:37:17 > 0:37:22- This is the one that's currently being used as the master.- OK.
0:37:22 > 0:37:28It does have an en-suite but it's only the loo and a wash hand basin.
0:37:28 > 0:37:32- OK.- But it is big enough, I suspect, for you to get a shower.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35- In a way I think many of these rooms are interchangeable.- Yep.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38As to which one you would pick for yourselves.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41Again, it's beautiful to see all the beams.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44Again, really spacious, really light.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46A really nice cosy feel to the house, I think.
0:37:46 > 0:37:51Good, so that's the main house. More or less.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53But we have got these eight acres.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55What's this business going to contain?
0:37:55 > 0:37:57What's it going to look like? What are you going to do with it all?
0:37:57 > 0:38:00Let's go and have a look.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03I'm really pleased they've responded so well to the house.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05The big question now is
0:38:05 > 0:38:08whether they can see some business potential in the land outside.
0:38:08 > 0:38:12What you can see here, double it over that hedge
0:38:12 > 0:38:17and that's pretty much your eight acres and that is our lovely home.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20You said, "Give us something to think about."
0:38:20 > 0:38:22- That's what we've done.- It certainly is something to think about.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24There's plenty of scope there.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27There's some outbuildings so we'd have to have a good think.
0:38:27 > 0:38:29The outbuildings are interesting.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31Who's going to go first, then?
0:38:31 > 0:38:34- Who is going to guess the price? - I'm not going first on this one.
0:38:34 > 0:38:35Mark can go first on this one.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39I'm finding this one really difficult because it's a lovely, lovely house.
0:38:39 > 0:38:43I'm going to go probably 950, I think.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46I'm going to say 1 million.
0:38:46 > 0:38:54- This is on the market at £975,000. - Wow, that's not bad.- Yeah.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57Now, I don't often get to say this on Escape To The Country,
0:38:57 > 0:39:03but that has brought you in under budget by a cool £525,000.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06- You can do a lot with that. - Could do a fair bit with that.
0:39:07 > 0:39:11Considerably under budget at £975,000,
0:39:11 > 0:39:15this beautifully renovated thatched home has a large kitchen-diner,
0:39:15 > 0:39:18two reception rooms and four bedrooms.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20It doesn't have an existing business,
0:39:20 > 0:39:23but with eight acres and that large Dutch barn,
0:39:23 > 0:39:25there's masses of potential to create one
0:39:25 > 0:39:27and plenty of money left in the budget to do it.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31Well, what a fascinating time we've had.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33It's been a very good day.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36You wanted lots of options, you wanted us to challenge and test you.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39- We've given you two very different proposals, haven't we?- Yeah.
0:39:39 > 0:39:42- Most definitely, yes.- But there is one more to come.- The mystery house!
0:39:42 > 0:39:43- Tomorrow morning.- Can't wait.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51- Well, you knocked £500,000 off their asking price.- Just like that!
0:39:51 > 0:39:53Do you get a commission for saving them money?
0:39:53 > 0:39:55We should think about it in the future, definitely.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58But they'll need plenty of cash left over if they're going to realise
0:39:58 > 0:40:01- any one of their business ideas. - Indeed.
0:40:01 > 0:40:02OK, going back to Peter and Denise,
0:40:02 > 0:40:05they're looking for their dream home in Dorset.
0:40:05 > 0:40:08- They've got a top budget of £375,000, remember?- Yeah.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12But I get the impression that Peter is not that keen on doing a project.
0:40:12 > 0:40:17- Not really a DIYer.- Well, he was, but I think he's like, "No more."
0:40:17 > 0:40:20But they are looking for space and character,
0:40:20 > 0:40:22and the mystery house had those in spades.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26The mystery house is our final stop
0:40:26 > 0:40:29and we've headed even further west, out of Dorset,
0:40:29 > 0:40:33to the village of Rousdon in eastern Devon.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35The property's just a stone's throw away
0:40:35 > 0:40:37from the stunning Jurassic coastline,
0:40:37 > 0:40:42and can be found at the end of a rather grand tree-lined driveway.
0:40:43 > 0:40:47- Well, this is quite a mystery house. - Yes, very much so.
0:40:47 > 0:40:52- It's completely...jaw-dropping. - We're supposed to be downsizing!
0:40:52 > 0:40:55I'm sorry to break it to you, but it's not all yours.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58This is the Rousdon Estate and this is an extraordinary building
0:40:58 > 0:41:00that was built in the mid-19th century
0:41:00 > 0:41:03by Sir Henry Peek, who was a sort of spice merchant
0:41:03 > 0:41:05who then went on to make famous biscuits.
0:41:05 > 0:41:10So the whole 350-acre site is now,
0:41:10 > 0:41:13essentially, a sort of private community,
0:41:13 > 0:41:15of which you could be part.
0:41:15 > 0:41:19- As long as I don't have to mow the lawns.- No, you don't.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21- This is mystery with a big "M". - It is a mystery.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23I've never been here before
0:41:23 > 0:41:25and I think it's just a stunning bit of architecture,
0:41:25 > 0:41:26a very interesting story.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29- Lead on.- Yeah.- Follow me.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32The Grade II listed Rousdon Estate
0:41:32 > 0:41:34comprises of numerous converted buildings,
0:41:34 > 0:41:38including cottages, farmhouses, as well as a chapel,
0:41:38 > 0:41:41and the section we've selected for Peter and Denise
0:41:41 > 0:41:44is a mews house located in the courtyard.
0:41:45 > 0:41:46This is amazing.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52This was all the stable block - so the horses and carriages
0:41:52 > 0:41:55would come in under the clock tower, into the cobbled yard
0:41:55 > 0:41:58and then these were all various, sort of, professions
0:41:58 > 0:41:59to do with looking after the horses.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02And your house is part of it - not all of it.
0:42:02 > 0:42:06It goes from this gable here - so this right-hand door -
0:42:06 > 0:42:08across to this door here.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11So it's the central section of the courtyard in front of us.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15- Wow.- That's quite an impressive building, that.
0:42:15 > 0:42:16It's terrific!
0:42:16 > 0:42:19- Shall we have a look inside? - Shall we? Yeah!
0:42:19 > 0:42:20- Follow me.- Can't wait.- Let's go!
0:42:21 > 0:42:23Part of a ready-made community,
0:42:23 > 0:42:27the stable courtyard has been carved into ten properties
0:42:27 > 0:42:30but each one has its own individual design.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34Come on in - better close the door behind you, Peter.
0:42:34 > 0:42:35If you come over here,
0:42:35 > 0:42:39you get the full view of the dining kitchen.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42This is the first one where we've given you the dining room
0:42:42 > 0:42:44and the kitchen in one space.
0:42:44 > 0:42:45I like this, yeah.
0:42:45 > 0:42:48This is really nice - great kitchen-dining room.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51So what we're looking at the moment
0:42:51 > 0:42:53is approximately half of the ground floor?
0:42:53 > 0:42:56- Yes - this is the lion's share of the ground floor.- OK.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59It's not a massive property but, I think, very well laid out.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01Fabulous. Certainly is.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03Let's have a look at the next room.
0:43:06 > 0:43:10Come on through - nice, big, wide walkway,
0:43:10 > 0:43:12and then a step down into this area.
0:43:12 > 0:43:14- I like this.- Do you?- I do.
0:43:14 > 0:43:18Lovely oak floors. A slightly smaller space, but...
0:43:18 > 0:43:20Big enough, it's big enough.
0:43:20 > 0:43:24No, proportions are great. Like it - like it a lot.
0:43:24 > 0:43:27There's some storage in there, the boiler is actually in there.
0:43:27 > 0:43:31Under the stairs, you've got a shower and toilet.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34It's a very efficient use of the space.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36What about the stairs coming down into the sitting room?
0:43:36 > 0:43:38That doesn't mind me in the slightest.
0:43:38 > 0:43:39It just adds to the charm
0:43:39 > 0:43:44and it is...a bit of a feature, within the house.
0:43:44 > 0:43:47- Shall we go up them? - Ooh, yes, please!- Absolutely.
0:43:58 > 0:44:02So, another step, into the master bedroom.
0:44:02 > 0:44:05Wow - this is amazing. Oh, I like it!
0:44:05 > 0:44:07This is really big. This is very deceptive.
0:44:09 > 0:44:11Storage area there, what I assume is a wardrobe.
0:44:11 > 0:44:14- No - this is an en-suite. - Ah!- Oh, even better!
0:44:14 > 0:44:16SHE GASPS
0:44:16 > 0:44:17Shower room, toilet...
0:44:18 > 0:44:22Then you've got two very nice guest rooms, both doubles,
0:44:22 > 0:44:24and a family bathroom at the end of the hall.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27- This is wonderful.- Yeah - this works.
0:44:27 > 0:44:29Really nice, really nice.
0:44:29 > 0:44:30It's got a nice feel to it -
0:44:30 > 0:44:33it has that slight sort of feel of the Victorian.
0:44:33 > 0:44:35Big, high ceilings, lots of light.
0:44:35 > 0:44:38I'm getting a good feel from this house.
0:44:38 > 0:44:41Yeah. Yeah, I think it's fantastic.
0:44:41 > 0:44:43Shall we take a look outside at your outside space -
0:44:43 > 0:44:46you do get a garden as well - and maybe talk about money?
0:44:46 > 0:44:47Fantastic, yeah.
0:44:51 > 0:44:54Both Denise and Peter are clearly bowled over
0:44:54 > 0:44:56by this striking mews property so far
0:44:56 > 0:44:59and I've no doubt that the large, low-maintenance garden
0:44:59 > 0:45:00won't disappoint.
0:45:01 > 0:45:03Obviously, this is your garden,
0:45:03 > 0:45:06but clearly, you've got to be quite friendly with your neighbours,
0:45:06 > 0:45:08one on each side.
0:45:08 > 0:45:10But you have, as a resident of the estate,
0:45:10 > 0:45:14access to the 350 acres.
0:45:14 > 0:45:18So you can, you know, walk around those at your leisure -
0:45:18 > 0:45:21including two pathways which take you straight down to the beach.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24- Oh! Incredible!- You're kidding! - You can walk to the beach.
0:45:24 > 0:45:27- Oh, yeah - that sounds good to me. - Pretty amazing, isn't it?
0:45:27 > 0:45:30- I didn't even realise we were that close.- Yeah.
0:45:30 > 0:45:32So what do you think it's on the market for?
0:45:33 > 0:45:38- 370?- I'd be amazed if it's less than 400, 420.
0:45:38 > 0:45:40Peter, you think we're very mean,
0:45:40 > 0:45:42showing you a property so above your budget!
0:45:42 > 0:45:43This is actually right on your budget -
0:45:43 > 0:45:46it's on at £375,000.
0:45:46 > 0:45:49- I won!- Incredible. That's amazing.
0:45:49 > 0:45:53So you could have your slice of the Rousdon Estate.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55- That's really surprising.- Yeah.
0:45:57 > 0:46:00With a guide price of £375,000,
0:46:00 > 0:46:03the mystery property is a spacious mews house
0:46:03 > 0:46:07that makes up part of an exclusive 350-acre estate.
0:46:07 > 0:46:10A high-quality, two-storey conversion,
0:46:10 > 0:46:14it features a large kitchen-diner, open-plan sitting room,
0:46:14 > 0:46:16as well as three good-sized bedrooms,
0:46:16 > 0:46:18including an en-suite master.
0:46:18 > 0:46:20I think it's safe to say
0:46:20 > 0:46:21that both our buyers
0:46:21 > 0:46:24are quite taken with this unique proposition.
0:46:24 > 0:46:27With the tours complete, I'm catching up with Peter and Denise
0:46:27 > 0:46:29to find out what they think about our properties.
0:46:32 > 0:46:34I've shown you all the houses, and I have a very strong feeling
0:46:34 > 0:46:36that the mystery house is in the lead -
0:46:36 > 0:46:39the other two houses, not so much. Is that right?
0:46:39 > 0:46:41The mystery house is a real contender,
0:46:41 > 0:46:42yes, you're right.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45I didn't particularly warm to either of the first two houses,
0:46:45 > 0:46:46for various reasons -
0:46:46 > 0:46:51the remoteness of the first house, and it was obviously semidetached,
0:46:51 > 0:46:54and the second house needed a lot of work doing to it,
0:46:54 > 0:46:57and it would have entailed renting and complete renovation
0:46:57 > 0:46:59while that was being done,
0:46:59 > 0:47:00so it would have been a lot of pressure.
0:47:00 > 0:47:01You're in a good position,
0:47:01 > 0:47:03cos you got an offer on your house in Epsom.
0:47:03 > 0:47:07- We have, mm-hm.- Would you think about making a move on the mystery house?
0:47:07 > 0:47:09What are your thoughts about it?
0:47:09 > 0:47:12We are going to talk about it tonight
0:47:12 > 0:47:19and...weigh up the...all of the good points and the not-so-good points
0:47:19 > 0:47:22and, uh...yeah, discuss our future.
0:47:22 > 0:47:23You can choose where you live,
0:47:23 > 0:47:26- but you can't choose your neighbours.- Very true.
0:47:26 > 0:47:30And the concept is totally different to what we were expecting
0:47:30 > 0:47:33and it really has sent my head into a total spin,
0:47:33 > 0:47:36so it does need an awful lot of consideration
0:47:36 > 0:47:39before we commit to that sort of thing.
0:47:39 > 0:47:40Yeah, we did parachute you
0:47:40 > 0:47:43- into a completely different concept of living.- You certainly did!
0:47:43 > 0:47:44But it was well worth it,
0:47:44 > 0:47:49because it helped us appreciate what we want and what we don't want.
0:47:49 > 0:47:51And on the positive side,
0:47:51 > 0:47:54what has it, sort of, clarified for you that you do want?
0:47:54 > 0:47:57It's absolutely confirmed what we first thought -
0:47:57 > 0:48:00that we just love Dorset/East Devon.
0:48:00 > 0:48:03And it is definitely going to be the place where we want to live.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06Do let us know what you decide and what happens with your house.
0:48:06 > 0:48:08- Of course.- Thank you very much for your help
0:48:08 > 0:48:09- Thank you.- Cheers.
0:48:11 > 0:48:14- So, you really did save the best till last.- It was a corker.
0:48:14 > 0:48:16I'm not going to tell you whether they went for it.
0:48:16 > 0:48:18I'll let you know later on. How about your couple?
0:48:18 > 0:48:20Well, Mark and Michelle, let's not forget,
0:48:20 > 0:48:23they had £1.5 million to spend,
0:48:23 > 0:48:26so could our mystery house relieve them of some,
0:48:26 > 0:48:29if not all, of their hard-earned cash? Well...
0:48:29 > 0:48:32- Would it have tempted you? - It most certainly did tempt me.
0:48:32 > 0:48:34In fact, it tempted all of us.
0:48:34 > 0:48:36Our final offering was arguably, for me,
0:48:36 > 0:48:39one of the best properties we've ever had on the show.
0:48:40 > 0:48:42The final stop on our search takes us
0:48:42 > 0:48:44half an hour's drive south
0:48:44 > 0:48:45to Kingston Maurward,
0:48:45 > 0:48:49just east of Dorchester, in the heart of Thomas Hardy country.
0:48:49 > 0:48:53Our mystery house is set amidst 35 acres of beautiful parkland
0:48:53 > 0:48:56owned by Kingston Maurward Agricultural College.
0:48:56 > 0:48:59With this place, seeing is believing.
0:49:00 > 0:49:02Right, keep looking down.
0:49:02 > 0:49:03Keep looking down.
0:49:03 > 0:49:05Keep looking down, and now look up.
0:49:06 > 0:49:09Wow!
0:49:11 > 0:49:13- Are you being serious?- Yep!
0:49:13 > 0:49:16- Really? The whole thing? - The whole thing.
0:49:16 > 0:49:19- Oh, my lord.- It's one of the most perfect examples
0:49:19 > 0:49:22of an E-plan Elizabethan manor certainly in the region.
0:49:22 > 0:49:26We're thinking high-end residential,
0:49:26 > 0:49:28dare I say it, B&B.
0:49:28 > 0:49:31I know you haven't really gone for the whole B&B idea, but...
0:49:32 > 0:49:36..it's with a twist, because as a destination venue...
0:49:36 > 0:49:38- Amazing, isn't it? - ..it's astonishing.
0:49:38 > 0:49:41Yes, it's certainly a mystery house, that's for sure.
0:49:41 > 0:49:42Do you know what, Jules?
0:49:42 > 0:49:45I have not been so excited to go inside a property
0:49:45 > 0:49:46for such a long, long time.
0:49:46 > 0:49:48- Definitely.- Come on!
0:49:49 > 0:49:52Built in the 1590s, this Grade I listed manor house
0:49:52 > 0:49:55was close to being demolished in the early 1960s,
0:49:55 > 0:49:57but, thankfully, new owners stepped in
0:49:57 > 0:49:59and saved the then derelict building
0:49:59 > 0:50:01with a huge eight-year restoration project.
0:50:04 > 0:50:08- Oh, my goodness.- Quite a hallway. - Yeah!- As you can see.
0:50:08 > 0:50:09It is absolutely amazing.
0:50:09 > 0:50:13Obviously, the staircase is one of the door surrounds.
0:50:13 > 0:50:16- All kinds of periods... - Look at those door surrounds.
0:50:16 > 0:50:19They're not door surrounds, they're castle entrances!
0:50:19 > 0:50:22- Let's make use of them. Let's go through this one.- OK.
0:50:22 > 0:50:23Into the drawing room.
0:50:25 > 0:50:27This is fantastic, isn't it?
0:50:28 > 0:50:29It's just amazing.
0:50:30 > 0:50:34- I love it.- Your eyes just can't take in all the detail. It's incredible.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37Remember I mentioned to you this E-plan
0:50:37 > 0:50:39that the building conforms to?
0:50:39 > 0:50:42Part of the E goes round that corner there
0:50:42 > 0:50:43- as a wing.- Oh, OK.
0:50:43 > 0:50:47This is a house that has genuine wings, which is terrific.
0:50:47 > 0:50:50This is a room that your guests could make use of,
0:50:50 > 0:50:53because that way there is another room equally as big,
0:50:53 > 0:50:56equally as beautiful and that's the library.
0:50:56 > 0:50:59It's separated by a very modest kitchen, actually,
0:50:59 > 0:51:02but you could have the library for yourselves on the ground floor.
0:51:02 > 0:51:05This could be for your guests and you could feed them
0:51:05 > 0:51:06in the dining room through here.
0:51:06 > 0:51:08- OK.- Come and look at this.
0:51:08 > 0:51:11Crossing back over the central hall, we enter the northern wing,
0:51:11 > 0:51:15which, in Elizabethan times, was occupied by the great kitchen.
0:51:15 > 0:51:17There.
0:51:17 > 0:51:18Do you think this is big enough?
0:51:18 > 0:51:20I think it would work, wouldn't it?
0:51:20 > 0:51:22This is... Oh, my lord, look at that.
0:51:22 > 0:51:25- That's lovely.- Again, this E-plan,
0:51:25 > 0:51:29so the room stretches off that way as a little finger.
0:51:29 > 0:51:32We are moving on from the first property
0:51:32 > 0:51:34where we had very separate accommodation
0:51:34 > 0:51:36and self-catering accommodation
0:51:36 > 0:51:39to something which is much more involved as far as you're concerned,
0:51:39 > 0:51:41because you're living with your guests.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44We asked to be challenged and you're challenging us
0:51:44 > 0:51:47in terms of our thinking, but I can see real potential here.
0:51:47 > 0:51:50- Wait till you see the accommodation upstairs.- OK.
0:51:50 > 0:51:51Have a look at this.
0:51:51 > 0:51:54Since the current owners bought the manor in 1998,
0:51:54 > 0:51:57they've been running it as a five-star B&B
0:51:57 > 0:52:01with an annual turnover of £40,000.
0:52:01 > 0:52:04'All of the guest accommodation is upstairs on the first floor
0:52:04 > 0:52:05'off the galleried landing.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08'We're taking a look at the north wing,
0:52:08 > 0:52:10'which is directly above the dining room we've just seen.'
0:52:10 > 0:52:13This is something of a suite, which is rather nice,
0:52:13 > 0:52:16so your guests have this lovely little lounge area,
0:52:16 > 0:52:18tea and coffee and all that sort of stuff,
0:52:18 > 0:52:22and then through here is the bedroom.
0:52:22 > 0:52:26- En suite through that little door. - OK.- And quite an impressive...
0:52:28 > 0:52:32- ..suite.- That's amazing, isn't it? - This could be your master bedroom,
0:52:32 > 0:52:35but there are also two further rooms upstairs
0:52:35 > 0:52:37which occupy the entire top floor,
0:52:37 > 0:52:41so you could separate yourselves completely
0:52:41 > 0:52:46- by occupying that top floor, because it also has its own bathroom.- OK.
0:52:46 > 0:52:48So we could run that like a self-contained apartment
0:52:48 > 0:52:51up there for the owners and run this as the business.
0:52:52 > 0:52:55In the original E-shaped part of this house,
0:52:55 > 0:52:57the suite we've just seen in the north wing
0:52:57 > 0:53:01is mirrored on the other side by a second suite the same size
0:53:01 > 0:53:04and in an extension built during the 17th century,
0:53:04 > 0:53:06there are three more bedrooms.
0:53:06 > 0:53:09All of the rooms are doubles with their own en-suite bathrooms,
0:53:09 > 0:53:11and they have some wonderful original features,
0:53:11 > 0:53:15including stone-mullioned windows and exposed timber beams.
0:53:17 > 0:53:19Outside, the garden is just over half an acre,
0:53:19 > 0:53:22which may seem small in relation to such a large house,
0:53:22 > 0:53:23but it is surrounded
0:53:23 > 0:53:26by the agricultural college's expansive parkland,
0:53:26 > 0:53:28which includes a five-acre lake.
0:53:31 > 0:53:33- Garden-wise, this is it.- OK.
0:53:33 > 0:53:35But in terms of something that's manageable
0:53:35 > 0:53:37and that really sets the building off...
0:53:37 > 0:53:39- That's a good-sized garden, I think.- I think it is.
0:53:39 > 0:53:41- I think it's a good-sized garden.- So...
0:53:41 > 0:53:43Don't ask.
0:53:43 > 0:53:45- I'm going to ask you. I'm going to make you tell me.- No!
0:53:45 > 0:53:48What is our mystery house on the market for?
0:53:48 > 0:53:51I really do not have a clue.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53But I'm going to go over 2 million for this one.
0:53:53 > 0:53:57- I'm going to say 2.2. - I'm thinking about 1.8.
0:53:57 > 0:53:591.8.
0:53:59 > 0:54:03It was on the market for close to 1.8.
0:54:03 > 0:54:07It's now on the market for 1.25.
0:54:09 > 0:54:11- No.- 1.25 million? - I can't believe that.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13- And a million pounds under my guess. - Yes!
0:54:13 > 0:54:15LAUGHTER
0:54:18 > 0:54:22Below budget at £1.25 million,
0:54:22 > 0:54:25this extraordinary Elizabethan manor house
0:54:25 > 0:54:27has a ready-made B&B business,
0:54:27 > 0:54:30with three huge reception rooms on the ground floor
0:54:30 > 0:54:32and five en-suite bedrooms on the first.
0:54:32 > 0:54:35There's also plenty of space on the second floor
0:54:35 > 0:54:37that could be Mark and Michelle's accommodation,
0:54:37 > 0:54:40and it has a peaceful parkland setting.
0:54:41 > 0:54:43You know, buildings like this are, for me,
0:54:43 > 0:54:46what escaping to the country is all about.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49It certainly spoilt me and, I suspect,
0:54:49 > 0:54:50it's spoilt you two as well.
0:54:50 > 0:54:52Oh, it certainly has. It's been amazing.
0:54:52 > 0:54:54But have we sold it?
0:54:54 > 0:54:55I think there's a lot of consideration
0:54:55 > 0:54:57to take into account here.
0:54:57 > 0:54:59- Let's go and consider.- OK.
0:55:03 > 0:55:06This has been quite an interesting process for you, and certainly
0:55:06 > 0:55:10from my point of view, because you gave us such a broad brief, really.
0:55:10 > 0:55:14Have we managed to refine it any more over the last few days?
0:55:15 > 0:55:18I think you've brought us some focus. Yeah. Most definitely.
0:55:18 > 0:55:21I mean, the three properties you've shown us are quite diverse.
0:55:21 > 0:55:22Yeah, I think it's...
0:55:22 > 0:55:25when you look at them, I think where it's helped us focus is,
0:55:25 > 0:55:29one is, Dorset is still very much an area that we love,
0:55:29 > 0:55:32so the fact that we've seen different parts of Dorset
0:55:32 > 0:55:33just reaffirms that.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37And I think that property number two, where you had a home,
0:55:37 > 0:55:40plus an opportunity to start something from scratch,
0:55:40 > 0:55:43I think it's helped us narrow more into that area
0:55:43 > 0:55:46rather than an existing holiday letting business
0:55:46 > 0:55:47that is about just upgrading.
0:55:47 > 0:55:49It had lots of acres,
0:55:49 > 0:55:52but I think it was more the breathing space it would give us
0:55:52 > 0:55:56to build a business and not have to get an income from it immediately.
0:55:56 > 0:55:58But then with our mystery house,
0:55:58 > 0:56:01we went for something completely different.
0:56:01 > 0:56:03An astonishing building.
0:56:03 > 0:56:06Yeah, we can totally see the business side of that.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09As a home, we're not so sure about it, are we?
0:56:09 > 0:56:13It's so far removed from how we live today that, you know,
0:56:13 > 0:56:15you'd really have to spend more time to figure out
0:56:15 > 0:56:18- whether you could actually live there as a home, I think.- Yeah.
0:56:18 > 0:56:22I think sometimes that size of budget can give you too much choice.
0:56:22 > 0:56:26Actually, going on this journey of finding out what it actually is
0:56:26 > 0:56:28you really want has actually taken us
0:56:28 > 0:56:30longer than we thought it was going to ourselves.
0:56:30 > 0:56:32Thank you very much for coming down here.
0:56:32 > 0:56:34We wish you all the very best of luck.
0:56:34 > 0:56:38I'm glad that we've brought a little more focus to this great,
0:56:38 > 0:56:41life-changing plan that you're about to undertake. Good luck.
0:56:41 > 0:56:43No, thank you very much. It's been fantastic.
0:56:43 > 0:56:45- It's been great.- Pleasure.
0:56:50 > 0:56:54It's not every day that you see a Grade I listed B&B.
0:56:54 > 0:56:56I think if I had £1.5 million, I might have been tempted.
0:56:56 > 0:56:58It was absolutely remarkable.
0:56:58 > 0:57:00Not only to have that sort of money to spend,
0:57:00 > 0:57:04but to find a property like that available was, for me, a real treat.
0:57:04 > 0:57:07But I think it raises an interesting question.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10Does the more money you've got to spend make the whole process harder?
0:57:10 > 0:57:14Well, I don't know, because I think Peter and Denise, they didn't have
0:57:14 > 0:57:17such a whopping budget, but they were still really up in the air
0:57:17 > 0:57:20after the mystery house, and it made them reconsider their priorities.
0:57:20 > 0:57:22I think the lesson that I take away from today,
0:57:22 > 0:57:24and it's often a cliche we use,
0:57:24 > 0:57:27but you do need to think outside of the box.
0:57:27 > 0:57:30Having a look at properties that may not initially tickle your fancy
0:57:30 > 0:57:32can sometimes open the door
0:57:32 > 0:57:35on opportunities that could otherwise pass you by.
0:57:35 > 0:57:37And giving a rigorous reassessment to your wish list,
0:57:37 > 0:57:40particularly if you're aiming for a property that is going to be
0:57:40 > 0:57:42a business as well as a home, that's an absolute must.
0:57:42 > 0:57:44So there you are. You can't win them all,
0:57:44 > 0:57:47but you can join us again on Escape To The Country.
0:57:47 > 0:57:49- We'll see you next time. - See you then.
0:57:49 > 0:57:53Mark and Michelle have since decided to move to the Chiltern Hills,
0:57:53 > 0:57:55not far from their current home in Henley.
0:57:55 > 0:57:59And Peter and Denise finally found a house in the village of
0:57:59 > 0:58:02Cattistock, West Dorset, and they've already settled in.
0:58:02 > 0:58:04If you'd like to escape to the country
0:58:04 > 0:58:06in Scotland, Northern Ireland, England, Wales,
0:58:06 > 0:58:10or even further afield to the continent and would like our help,
0:58:10 > 0:58:16then please apply online: