County Durham Escape to the Country


County Durham

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This impressive structure is the oldest

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single span railway bridge in the world.

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It's also a symbol of this area's very impressive industrial heritage.

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Find out where I am in just a moment.

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This week, I'm helping a father and daughter-in-law duo

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looking for a sizeable rural home to suit three generations.

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-I think there's enough space here.

-Should be.

-Only just!

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But after a shaky start,

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it looks like I might have found a plot to please them.

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That something special makes it a very nice property.

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Today I'm in County Durham.

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This is Causey Arch, which was built in 1725

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by a consortium of mine owners

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who wanted to transport the coal over the Burn here.

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At the time, it was the largest single span bridge in Britain

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and at its peak, it was seeing more than 900 horse-drawn carts

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crossing back and forth every single day.

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Then, after about ten years,

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the bridge and the collieries nearby went into decline

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and it was 200 years later in the 1980s

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that it was restored, as a symbol of this area's

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rich industrial heritage.

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County Durham in the north-east of England borders north Yorkshire,

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Cumbria and Northumberland to the North.

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The region boasts some of the most breathtaking countryside

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and dramatic coastlines in Britain,

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including the North Pennines Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,

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and the famous Durham Dales,

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encompassing the valleys of Teesdale and Weardale.

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The rolling farmland

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and rugged moorland is broken up by meandering rivers

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and is scattered with picturesque villages and market towns.

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The county takes its name from the city of Durham,

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which offers an appealing mix of history and contemporary culture.

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The old English university city's winding cobbled streets

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are crowned with the dramatic cathedral

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and Castle World Heritage Site,

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which makes for a stunning city setting.

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But is it the place for our buyers today?

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Well, let's meet them and find out.

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Today's house-hunters hail from the city of Sunderland

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and are a father-and-daughter-in-law team, Doug and Anne.

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Anne is married to Doug's son, Jeremy,

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and has three children, Alex, Christina, and Jonathan.

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They first met 15 years ago.

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We enjoy each other's company because we like the same things.

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I love the way he doesn't let the grass grow under his feet.

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We'll suddenly think of an idea and then, the next thing,

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we're doing it. And that's what great about him.

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He's dynamic and just good company.

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I'll give her the 20 quid later!

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It was one day 18 months ago that the pair came up with

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the brainwave of selling their separate homes in order to buy

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one big property to fit the whole family.

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Doug will be joining Anne, Jeremy and the children,

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as well as Anne's mother, Eileen.

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My idea is to have everybody around, not living in each other's pockets,

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but just a stone's throw away so we can be there if we're needed.

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Anne and her husband have lived in their five bedroom home in Seaburn,

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just outside the city centre, since getting married 14 years ago.

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With their children fast growing up,

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Anne feels it's time for a change of scenery and pace.

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I do have a natural pull to the country.

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When I visit the country,

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I would love to be part of that life on a permanent basis.

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Currently just a five-minute drive away,

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Doug is keen to remain close to his only son and grandchildren

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and, despite being 76, he's up for a new adventure.

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I'm at a stage in my life where

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I'm prepared to look at anything and everything.

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Armed with a long wish list and seven people to consider,

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the pair have a lot of responsibility

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resting on their shoulders to find the perfect extended family home.

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The bottom line is,

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I've reassured the family that I have everybody's interests at heart

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and of course, Doug's coming along with me anyway,

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so it's going to be a joint enterprise.

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The family want to be within an hour of Sunderland

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for Anne and Jeremy's work and Doug's social commitments.

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They are otherwise open-minded so we are looking all over County Durham.

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I'm catching up with Anne and Doug

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to talk through the details of their proposed move.

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Welcome to County Durham.

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Let's go through what you're looking for.

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Let's start with you, Doug.

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What would you like to get out of the move?

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I would like separate accommodation,

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either a cottage or something where, perhaps,

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we may have to do some work on, to create that separate accommodation.

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Anne, your mum is coming, too - is she going to want a separate house, too?

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I'm afraid so, yes. If possible.

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Would Eileen be prepared to be in the house if push came to shove?

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I think it would be preferred to be a self-contained annexe if possible.

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How much land are you looking for?

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Just a couple of acres, really just maybe a nice garden.

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You also want some horses, for your middle daughter, isn't it?

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My middle daughter who likes to ride, yes,

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and yearns for her own horse.

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What about your house -

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how many rooms do you want in the house for you and your family?

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Probably a minimum of five. Or six.

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At least a couple of bathrooms, if possible.

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What about location - are you keen to be way out in the countryside

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or more in a community?

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It would be superb to be within a community,

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within a village or a hamlet as long as it was commuting distance.

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Remind me again of your budget, Doug?

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The budget would be about 700,000.

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Of course, there is a little bit of flexibility in that.

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So we've got three beautiful properties lined up.

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They are going to require a little bit of head scratching and,

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"How is this going to work for us?" So, put on your compromise hats.

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-Let's go and look at them.

-Right.

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For a joint maximum budget of £700,000,

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Anne and Doug are hoping to find their family a main property

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with five or more bedrooms,

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a separate cottage or annexe for Doug,

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and either a second annexe or an extra bedroom in the main house

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for Anne's mother, Eileen.

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Outside, they're after two acres of land and a paddock for a horse.

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We've found them three unique properties,

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all of which could suit the family setup.

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After each tour, I'll be asking them to guess the property price.

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The final offering will be our mystery house,

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designed to really test their appetite for a challenge.

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We're starting our search five miles south of Durham city

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in the sought-after Tudhoe Village.

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This conservation village centres on an attractive village green,

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surrounded by character properties of various ages and styles.

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Our first house lies on a quiet corner of the village green,

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adjacent to open countryside.

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Here we go. House number one.

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All for sale.

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We've got a lovely annexe which is actually the oldest part,

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it dates back to the 1700s. The whole thing is a conversion.

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The present owner took it back to the foundations

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and built it up again.

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And then we would have to convert this.

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That's the job that you'd have at hand,

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to give Eileen a separate building.

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Yes, the footprint's there. I think it's very smart.

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I think the annexe looks good.

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The house, probably... We are flexible,

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but it does seem to me quite modern.

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-Yes.

-Let's have a look inside.

-Lovely.

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A mixed reaction to the outside,

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but I am hoping they'll like what's to come.

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Come into the main heart of the house.

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This is the sitting room.

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-Lovely room.

-Nice size. I like the French doors leading onto the patio.

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-Mm-hm.

-Both sides.

-Both sides, yes. So, very nice. Very spacious.

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So, through those, there's a snug, and over here's the kitchen.

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Recently converted, this property has a modern feel.

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The work has been done to a high standard,

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so the family could move straight in without any further effort.

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Nice double doors into the kitchen-dining room.

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I think this kitchen is lovely.

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What about the dining area? Because it's not a massive table

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-and there's a lot of you.

-It's big enough.

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-And there's a study which would have to be another bedroom.

-Right.

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If you wanted all your family in this bit...

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-..that would have to become another bedroom.

-Right.

-Ah-ha.

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-OK?

-Good, yes.

-I can see all this sort of going on in your head.

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I want to know what it is.

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-But tell me in your own good time.

-OK.

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Back through the lounge on the other side of the property

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are two good-sized double bedrooms,

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the family bathroom and a separate toilet,

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as well as the master bedroom with an en suite.

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-Well, Anne, this would be yours and Jeremy's room.

-Yes.

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-The dressing room's nice.

-Yes and en suite.

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-Smaller than our existing room.

-Right.

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However, we have our wardrobes in the existing room.

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So, that's a nice touch, that you don't have now.

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I'm conscious that we haven't shown you

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-where you're going to live.

-Yes.

-So let's go and look.

-I am all right, Jack.

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ANNE LAUGHS

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Jokes aside, I'm sensing Anne wasn't overly impressed

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with the size of the master bedroom.

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One area I'm confident will deliver on their desire for space

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is the detached annexe.

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So this is the annexe for you, Doug.

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-Oh!

-It's LOVELY.

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Oh, it looks as though it's been very well done.

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-Very nice.

-And you have two rooms, really.

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This could... It's being used as a bedroom,

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-but it could be a, sort of, sitting room or study.

-Yes.

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And through there you've got a big bedroom with an en suite

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-and quite a lot of storage.

-Oh, very good.

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It looks ideal. First impressions are very good.

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Well, that's good, one happy customer.

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-I want to show you the garden, the outside space.

-Lovely.

-Good, good.

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Outside, the annexe has its own small garden area

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off the central courtyard.

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To give Eileen her own space, they'd need to convert

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the garage, currently used as a workshop.

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Beyond the main house, there's a larger garden

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backing onto open fields.

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-Oh, so green.

-Oh, it's lovely.

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-So, this purple hedge is the end of your property.

-Right.

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-I'm afraid there isn't a paddock or a stable block.

-Right.

-Yes.

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Um, but...it does have a lot going for it.

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It's a beautiful garden.

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I thought this was going to be the garden

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and I thought, perfect size for the garden.

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-And you also thought there was going to be a paddock?

-I did, yes.

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OK, well, we need to find out how much it's on the market for.

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So what you think the price of this property is?

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I would think it's probably on the market for about 670.

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I think 600,000.

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OK, so THIS property

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-is on the market for £695,000.

-Oh!

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-It's right at the top of your budget.

-Right.

-Right.

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And that's a lot to do about where it is, I think.

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It does, to me, seems expensive.

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For £5,000 short of their maximum budget,

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these converted farm buildings offer the family a main house

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with three bedrooms and a study to be converted as a fourth.

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There's a separate two-bedroom annexe that could suit Doug

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and a large garage that could be converted

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to give Eileen her own space, too.

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Unfortunately, there's no paddock here,

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but the gardens are a good size and the property is within easy

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commuting distance of Sunderland.

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-Got all your information?

-We have, yes.

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-Well, we've got another house to do it all again.

-Good, well.

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-Good stuff.

-Let's see.

-Thank you.

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County Durham is known as one of the earliest and largest

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mining areas in the country.

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Its mineral-rich shallow seams with close proximity

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to the coast meant coal could be dug

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and quickly shipped around the country.

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Since the mine closures in the 1980s,

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the county, and in particular the ex-colliery villages, have welcomed

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the addition of new industry and entrepreneurship.

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A new business on the outskirts of Durham City hoping to help

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with the revival is Durham Distillery.

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I've come to meet owner John Chadwick to find out more

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about this craft industry.

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So this is a juniper wood.

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We're in the biggest juniper wood in England.

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Obviously, essential for gin, and I'm quite intrigued

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because I don't associate gin with County Durham.

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No. We are the first legal distillery in Durham

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since Henry VIII.

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How did the idea come around?

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I was in America and I came across a whole load of really beautiful

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little micro distilleries mainly on the East Coast.

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And then the moment we said "Durham gin",

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it was such a lovely concept, we kind of thought we had to do it.

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In 2012, it was reported that a fungus infection was found

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to be present on juniper bushes in Northern Britain.

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Already a declining supply, it became a protected species.

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Due to the volumes needed at the distillery,

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John imports his juniper from Europe.

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But with a small supply of the local strain, his plan is to regrow it

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with the aim of becoming self-sufficient within five years.

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So what's the basic of a gin?

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By law, it must be juniper.

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I think you would want to have a balance

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of some nice very English flavours,

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so we use things like elderflower, celery and Angelica.

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And you'd want to balance that with some slightly sort of

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more exotic flavours,

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so we use pink pepper and a bit of coriander and cardamom.

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Compared to a commercial distillery that produces

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thousands of bottles a day, this is a small operation.

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Each batch of just a few hundred bottles at a time

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takes several days. At the forefront of what they do here

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are the craft techniques and skill of the distiller, Jessica Tomlinson.

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At 25, Jessica is the youngest female distiller in the country.

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-This is your baby.

-It is, yes.

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A 400-litre copper pot still.

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It was handmade for us in Portugal and Spain so it's bespoke to us.

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So just talk me through it.

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So, into our main still here we put grain neutral spirit,

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which is just ethanol,

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mineral water which is from Durham itself and a selection of botanicals.

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We've got the hand-crushed junipers in there.

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And we cold-macerate that overnight,

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so that means all of those oils are infused into the ethanol overnight,

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and then in the morning we add another selection of botanicals

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into there and close that up,

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and once we turn the boiler on it all heats up.

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During the distillation process, the ethanol separates from the water

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and infuses with the botanical oils.

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Over several hours, the liquid starts to evaporate.

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The vapour then passes through a copper tube, called a Lyne arm,

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and into what is known as the gin basket,

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containing a third and final set of botanicals.

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The hot vapours just pass over those.

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Yes. And then we pass down here and in to our worm tub.

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-Worm tub?

-Worm tub, yeah.

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As the hot vapour hits the cold metal, it condenses and passes

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all the way down through here

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and then comes up through the parrot spout.

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So this is where the finished product comes out.

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It does, yes, and we collect that from there.

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And presumably that's super strong.

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-It is.

-Roughly kind of 75-80%.

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-And then you dilute it?

-We dilute it down with water

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to the legal 40%.

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Have you got any of the good stuff?

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We do, yes.

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Yeah.

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It definitely has... I wouldn't typically drink neat gin.

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Especially given how early in the morning it is.

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We always say try it like that

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and you can see what your gin's actually like.

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It's quite strong, but it does have lots of taste to it.

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Brilliant. Well, all the best and congratulations.

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-I hope it's going to be a long career in distilling ahead of you.

-Thank you.

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For our next property, we are heading towards the market town of Bishop Auckland,

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12 miles from Darlington.

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The town grew rapidly in the 19th century,

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but was of historical significance much earlier.

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Home to the magnificent Auckland Castle,

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it's been the principal residence of the Bishops of Durham

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since the 12th century.

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Six miles south-west in the small village of Evenwood Gate,

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we find our second property in a rural setting

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half a mile from the main road.

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This is an old Durham longhouse,

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dating back to 1630.

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Oh, lovely.

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And you can see the period, the lovely mullioned windows

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-that were boxed up between the window taxes.

-Oh, yes.

-Yes.

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It looks more right than the other one, to me.

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-But I warn you there will be compromises.

-Yes.

-Yes, well.

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Nothing in life's perfect, is it?

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-Except me!

-Ha-ha!

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Let's go.

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Doug may not be expecting to be blown away,

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but I have got a good feeling about this farmhouse.

0:17:090:17:12

So this house has one...

0:17:150:17:17

TWO sitting rooms.

0:17:170:17:19

-Big size.

-It is, lovely.

0:17:200:17:23

-Perfect.

-Oh, ha-ha!

-Yes.

0:17:230:17:25

Love the inglenook fireplace.

0:17:250:17:27

I love the sash windows, as well.

0:17:270:17:29

Not only does this house have two sitting rooms,

0:17:290:17:31

it actually has two dining rooms, which is a first on the show.

0:17:310:17:35

-Yes, well.

-Lovely.

0:17:350:17:37

-We could easily make use of that.

-Yes, I'm sure we can.

0:17:370:17:40

-This is dining room number one.

-Yes.

0:17:420:17:45

And then through the kitchen, dining room number two.

0:17:460:17:49

Wow.

0:17:490:17:51

-I think there's enough space here.

-There should be! Good Lord!

0:17:510:17:54

Only just!

0:17:540:17:56

But this dining room is wonderful. Lovely.

0:17:560:18:00

The real issue, of course, is bedrooms,

0:18:000:18:02

and here you are going to have to think creatively.

0:18:020:18:05

-I'm just warning you.

-I'm happy to.

0:18:050:18:08

Despite the abundance of space downstairs,

0:18:120:18:14

the upstairs might be a bit of a squeeze.

0:18:140:18:17

There are three double bedrooms for the children,

0:18:170:18:19

a single bedroom, currently used as a study,

0:18:190:18:22

as well as a family bathroom.

0:18:220:18:24

At the far end, there is a light and spacious master bedroom.

0:18:240:18:28

Here we have the master suite.

0:18:280:18:30

This is a lovely room, isn't it?

0:18:300:18:33

Absolutely delightful.

0:18:330:18:35

You've got an en suite and a sort of walk-in wardrobe affair here.

0:18:350:18:39

Similar to the last property but much bigger.

0:18:390:18:41

The windows are lovely.

0:18:410:18:42

You and the family are sorted.

0:18:420:18:45

We might have somewhere for you lined up.

0:18:450:18:48

We need to think creatively and find a solution,

0:18:480:18:51

which is always possible,

0:18:510:18:53

-to find somewhere lovely for Eileen to stay.

-That would be nice.

0:18:530:18:56

Get your thinking caps on. We shall explore the annexe.

0:18:560:18:59

We might not have found a solution for Eileen yet,

0:19:000:19:03

but, first things first, I need to show Doug the annexe.

0:19:030:19:06

Currently used as a holiday let, it has its own entrance

0:19:060:19:10

and should give him the independent living he's after.

0:19:100:19:13

Doug, come and look at your home-to-be.

0:19:140:19:16

Wow.

0:19:160:19:20

This is a sort of sitting room area, you've got your bedroom in there,

0:19:200:19:24

and a sort of galley kitchen here.

0:19:240:19:26

And a bathroom here.

0:19:260:19:28

-More compact.

-Ideal.

0:19:280:19:30

One of the other things you need to see is the land.

0:19:300:19:33

-Yes.

-Let's do that.

0:19:330:19:35

The property sits on an impressive plot of over three and a half acres

0:19:370:19:41

and includes an outbuilding providing useful storage,

0:19:410:19:45

a patio area and a huge lawned garden.

0:19:450:19:48

It's also got the paddocks they were looking for

0:19:480:19:50

and comes complete with its own stream.

0:19:500:19:53

-You have your three acres, including two paddocks.

-Yes.

0:19:550:20:01

And then you also have your own stretch of river.

0:20:010:20:04

Including a little bar.

0:20:060:20:08

That's something special, makes it a very nice property.

0:20:080:20:12

How much do you think this property is going to set you back?

0:20:120:20:15

I would say about 700.

0:20:150:20:18

-What about you?

-675.

0:20:180:20:20

This three-acre plot with the house and the annexe

0:20:200:20:24

and the river is on the market for...

0:20:240:20:28

-£575,000.

-Wow!

0:20:280:20:31

Which gives you, like, £100,000 to think seriously about...

0:20:320:20:35

you'd have to build something for Eileen.

0:20:350:20:38

At that price, you would be able to afford, no bother.

0:20:380:20:43

And this is not a listed building, it's not a conservation area,

0:20:430:20:46

so planning, particularly if it's a relative coming to live with you,

0:20:460:20:49

they're quite keen to support that.

0:20:490:20:50

The third property that we're going to see will have to be something

0:20:500:20:55

to beat this, without a doubt.

0:20:550:20:57

You've thrown down a gauntlet.

0:20:570:21:01

For a significant £125,000 under their maximum budget,

0:21:010:21:05

this property works hard to give the family

0:21:050:21:08

practically everything they're after.

0:21:080:21:10

With five bedrooms, four reception rooms and an annexe,

0:21:100:21:13

all it's missing is a separate space for Eileen.

0:21:130:21:16

But with a sizeable plot and coming in well under budget,

0:21:180:21:21

they could easily build her what she wants.

0:21:210:21:23

Good. Let's draw a line under today and get ready for tomorrow.

0:21:240:21:27

That's excellent.

0:21:270:21:29

I may have been a little hasty in saying the sun always shines

0:21:360:21:38

in County Durham, but this morning we've brought Doug and Anne

0:21:380:21:41

into the interior of the county,

0:21:410:21:43

where the landscape is very striking and very beautiful

0:21:430:21:46

and very sparsely populated.

0:21:460:21:47

We're playing the remote card with the mystery house

0:21:470:21:51

and also throwing down the gauntlet about building

0:21:510:21:53

because they are going to need to build those annexes,

0:21:530:21:55

but that's what the mystery house is about.

0:21:550:21:58

A challenge.

0:21:580:22:00

Heading inland to the heart of the Durham Dales,

0:22:000:22:03

our mystery property is in Upper Weardale,

0:22:030:22:06

in the traditional Dales village of St John's Chapel.

0:22:060:22:09

A popular tourist spot for walkers and cyclists,

0:22:100:22:13

visitors come to the area to explore its famous scenic routes

0:22:130:22:17

including the highest road in the UK.

0:22:170:22:20

A mile from the village, our mystery property occupies

0:22:200:22:24

a secluded position with fantastic views of the Dales.

0:22:240:22:28

-The mystery house.

-Looks very nice.

-It's lovely.

0:22:280:22:32

One of the reasons we really wanted to bring you here is this

0:22:320:22:35

-is a house with a huge plot of land. It comes with 13 acres.

-Wow.

0:22:350:22:39

It's a big offering that gives you potential to do things

0:22:390:22:42

that the other properties perhaps couldn't.

0:22:420:22:44

The house is very big, so it could accommodate everybody in the house.

0:22:440:22:49

It means you would have to build or convert to even give you

0:22:490:22:54

an annexe, so it's a bit more work,

0:22:540:22:56

so in that sense it's a bit more of a challenge.

0:22:560:23:00

-That's good.

-We don't mind challenges.

0:23:000:23:03

Obviously, we would like to see inside.

0:23:030:23:06

Because it's you, I'll let you.

0:23:060:23:08

Originally built in the late 1800s,

0:23:110:23:14

this farmhouse is an impressive modern conversion.

0:23:140:23:17

Across three floors, it offers a generous seven bedrooms

0:23:170:23:20

and substantial living space.

0:23:200:23:22

-This is the main sitting room.

-Very nice.

0:23:270:23:31

I think it's lovely, lovely and comfortable.

0:23:310:23:33

Let's look at the kitchen.

0:23:330:23:34

Accessed from both the main sitting room and another lounge,

0:23:350:23:38

the family kitchen is spacious and bright

0:23:380:23:41

and runs the length of both rooms.

0:23:410:23:43

This is a lovely room, I think.

0:23:460:23:48

I think it's really nice and I could see myself in here.

0:23:480:23:52

I wanted to show you upstairs

0:23:520:23:54

-because you have seven bedrooms in this house.

-Lovely.

0:23:540:23:58

Also on the ground floor,

0:23:580:24:00

there is a stunning beamed room used as a study.

0:24:000:24:04

Heading up to the first floor are five of the seven bedrooms -

0:24:040:24:07

all good-sized doubles.

0:24:070:24:09

None are en suite, but there is a family bathroom

0:24:090:24:12

and a separate shower room.

0:24:120:24:13

This is being used as the master

0:24:150:24:16

-because it has a walk-in wardrobe over the staircase.

-Lovely.

0:24:160:24:19

So when push came to shove, when you were building,

0:24:190:24:23

-you could have everybody in the house.

-While we were building, yes.

0:24:230:24:26

But let's go outside and look at the footprint of those houses.

0:24:260:24:30

Outside is where this property's real potential lies.

0:24:310:24:34

With a garage, a number of outbuildings

0:24:340:24:36

and a vast plot of land, the family could build separate accommodation

0:24:360:24:41

for Doug and Eileen.

0:24:410:24:42

It really is a stunning view, and this is your field.

0:24:430:24:47

This and the field beyond it is your field,

0:24:470:24:49

-so it's 10 acres of hayfields.

-Oh, right!

0:24:490:24:54

You've got that outbuilding up there.

0:24:540:24:55

So you can see they've already put the footings down

0:24:550:24:59

for a giant... This was going to be a barn for the hay,

0:24:590:25:02

so they got that passed no problems and they were suggesting

0:25:020:25:05

if you went with the same architect with some plans for a dwelling,

0:25:050:25:09

you can probably get that through as well.

0:25:090:25:12

-But that's all subject to planning so we can't promise that.

-Course.

0:25:120:25:15

-Exciting prospect, isn't it?

-Yes.

0:25:150:25:17

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

0:25:170:25:19

600,000.

0:25:190:25:22

-My guess is 500,000.

-500,000.

0:25:220:25:25

That's a bit of a wild card because this is on the market

0:25:250:25:29

-for 650,000.

-Ohh, right.

0:25:290:25:32

So a little wide of the mark.

0:25:320:25:34

The owners might be open to negotiations.

0:25:340:25:36

Of course, that's true.

0:25:360:25:39

At £50,000 under their top budget,

0:25:400:25:42

this property and its lovely location

0:25:420:25:44

could give Anne and Doug the rural family lifestyle

0:25:440:25:48

they've been discussing for so long.

0:25:480:25:50

This substantial three-floor conversion with seven bedrooms

0:25:500:25:53

should have more than enough space for the family.

0:25:530:25:56

The 13 acres of land would keep the kids busy

0:25:560:25:59

and there are paddocks for a horse and a number of outbuildings,

0:25:590:26:02

meaning, subject to planning permission, they could give

0:26:020:26:05

Doug and Eileen purpose-built separate annexes,

0:26:050:26:08

but whether it's too rural, only they can decide.

0:26:080:26:12

Hold your thoughts, because we are going to find

0:26:120:26:14

a nice County Durham pub,

0:26:140:26:15

and that's where we'll have our final discussion.

0:26:150:26:18

Thank you so much for bringing us to this lovely part of the world.

0:26:230:26:26

I don't think we've ever been here before.

0:26:260:26:28

-Was it a good trip for you?

-Without a shadow of a doubt.

0:26:280:26:30

I don't think we're naive enough, or certainly I'm not,

0:26:300:26:33

to believe that there is a perfect property out there.

0:26:330:26:36

There will be a part-perfect property, which we think we've seen,

0:26:360:26:41

and we'll have to put a lot of work effort

0:26:410:26:45

to make that property perfect.

0:26:450:26:50

Which one are we talking about? Which is the part-perfect property?

0:26:500:26:53

Well, perhaps Anne and I are at odds here.

0:26:530:26:58

-Mine was the last one.

-And yours?

0:26:580:27:00

I'm thinking property two is slightly less remote,

0:27:000:27:03

but I can see Doug's point regarding property three.

0:27:030:27:07

I think it does have huge potential.

0:27:070:27:10

I very much value my husband's opinion, too, and I have

0:27:100:27:13

every intention of arranging to go back to both properties.

0:27:130:27:18

That's good. So, you did give us a very tall order.

0:27:180:27:20

Did we measure up in any shape?

0:27:200:27:22

Yes, it's been excellent

0:27:220:27:26

and I'm a lot more knowledgeable about the marketplace

0:27:260:27:30

and, as Anne said, we will follow it up.

0:27:300:27:33

-Very good.

-Thank you.

0:27:330:27:36

It's been a great pleasure and thanks again for bringing us

0:27:360:27:38

to this lovely county.

0:27:380:27:40

I think we did a pretty good job here in County Durham,

0:27:420:27:46

because Doug and Anne are keen to revisit not one but two of our properties.

0:27:460:27:50

So claps for us and claps for you for watching and do join us

0:27:500:27:54

next thing for another challenge on Escape To The Country.

0:27:540:27:57

If you'd like to Escape To The Country

0:27:590:28:01

in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland,

0:28:010:28:04

or perhaps even further afield to the Continent,

0:28:040:28:07

and would like our help, please apply online.

0:28:070:28:09

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