0:00:02 > 0:00:04This grand edifice behind me could be mistaken for one of our country's
0:00:04 > 0:00:09magnificent cathedrals. But it's actually a parish church, which in
0:00:09 > 0:00:12the 15th century served a town of just 400 people.
0:00:12 > 0:00:13Find out why it's so big,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16and indeed where I am in just a few moments.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38On today's show we're helping two golf fanatics
0:00:38 > 0:00:40find a slice of rural heaven.
0:00:40 > 0:00:44But will any of our properties be up to par?
0:00:44 > 0:00:46At one house we land in the rough.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Not a huge bedroom, admittedly.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50No. Bit small, isn't it?
0:00:50 > 0:00:52But then we get back on the fairway.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55Wow.
0:00:55 > 0:00:57It's a lovely room, isn't it?
0:00:57 > 0:01:00Today I'm in the town of Northleach in the Cotswolds,
0:01:00 > 0:01:03and this is the Church of St Peter and St Paul.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06It's one of a series of impressive wool churches,
0:01:06 > 0:01:09so called as they were built on the proceeds of the wool trade.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13Now, back in the 15th century, the golden fleece was big business.
0:01:13 > 0:01:16And wealthy wool merchants would plough their profits
0:01:16 > 0:01:18back into local communities,
0:01:18 > 0:01:22bequeathing huge amounts of money to their local churches.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25And it's the legacy of this medieval wool trade that today gives
0:01:25 > 0:01:28the whole of the Cotswolds its unique charm and character.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32The Cotswolds refer to a range of hills
0:01:32 > 0:01:34which lie between Bristol and Oxford.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37Covering six counties, around 80% is agricultural land
0:01:37 > 0:01:41with sheep and arable farming the main activities.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44The area sits on a bedrock of Jurassic limestone,
0:01:44 > 0:01:47producing a rare grassland habitat which is quarried
0:01:47 > 0:01:50for the famous honey-coloured Cotswold stone.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53Many of the wonderfully preserved towns and villages developed
0:01:53 > 0:01:56when the wool trade was at its peak in the 15th and 16th centuries,
0:01:56 > 0:02:00and have changed little in the last 300 years.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05Now as you may expect, prices vary greatly across the region,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07but generally speaking,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10your budget will stretch further the further west or south you go,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13especially if you can look for houses
0:02:13 > 0:02:15just south of the M4 corridor.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18What's attracting today's buyers to this expensive
0:02:18 > 0:02:21if not very beautiful part of the world?
0:02:21 > 0:02:23Let's meet them and find out.
0:02:23 > 0:02:27Married couple David and Jane met at university nearly 40 years ago and
0:02:27 > 0:02:31they've lived in the London suburb of Mill Hill since graduating.
0:02:31 > 0:02:34Home is currently this four-bedroom detached property
0:02:34 > 0:02:36that they own outright.
0:02:36 > 0:02:41But having both recently retired, they're now seeking a change.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45It's a good time to move now because I've retired last July
0:02:45 > 0:02:49and it's taken us six months to sort out what retirement is like
0:02:49 > 0:02:54and now we've decided that London is too busy and time to go
0:02:54 > 0:02:58and find somewhere a bit quieter, bit of a more laid back lifestyle.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Jane ran her own successful IT business
0:03:02 > 0:03:06and David was a history teacher at a nearby school for many years.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09As well as being closer to David's home country of Wales and Jane's
0:03:09 > 0:03:13mother in Somerset, the Cotswolds offer them the best of both worlds.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18We want to move to the Cotswolds because it's beautiful.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22We love the valleys, we love the undulations, we love the fact that
0:03:22 > 0:03:25it's very, very countryside
0:03:25 > 0:03:30and it's convenient for everything in England and Wales.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Although they've now retired,
0:03:32 > 0:03:36they don't plan to put their feet up just yet.
0:03:36 > 0:03:37For a long time I was a rugby player
0:03:37 > 0:03:41and I coached a lot of rugby, up till about five years ago.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45In the meantime I took up golf and then Jane did too.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48She took it up and got a lot better than I did.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50But we play a lot of golf,
0:03:50 > 0:03:54we go on golf holidays and moving to the country, hopefully we'll
0:03:54 > 0:03:58find a golf course nearby that we can continue doing that.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03Over the years they've built up many friends in Mill Hill
0:04:03 > 0:04:05and their biggest fear is starting all over again.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07It would be very easy to stay around here
0:04:07 > 0:04:10and just carry on but we want to do something new, something different,
0:04:10 > 0:04:13something enjoyable, which we think it will be.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21David and Jane would like us to concentrate our property search
0:04:21 > 0:04:23in the central belt of the Cotswolds
0:04:23 > 0:04:26close to the Gloucestershire market town of Stroud.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28I'm meeting them in the county to learn more
0:04:28 > 0:04:31about their proposed rural move.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33So welcome, both of you, to the beautiful Cotswolds.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37This is a very different life you're setting yourself up for,
0:04:37 > 0:04:38isn't it, Jane?
0:04:38 > 0:04:42Very different, and we can't wait to get going on it, really.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Now, anybody moving up to the Cotswolds, most people have
0:04:45 > 0:04:48the desire to live in a house
0:04:48 > 0:04:50built out of this beautiful Cotswold stone.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52I imagine you're no different.
0:04:52 > 0:04:53- Absolutely.- Yeah.
0:04:53 > 0:04:55So, character house?
0:04:55 > 0:04:58Yes, but all the nooks and crannies, we don't go for that.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00We don't want the low cottage feel.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04We want the... Space is important. It's got to be light and airy.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Let's talk about the house itself. How many bedrooms?
0:05:07 > 0:05:08Three.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10- Three minimum?- Minimum, yes.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13But the space downstairs is more important to us than upstairs.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15That makes sense.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17I would like a garden to sit out in.
0:05:17 > 0:05:21Be able to have the sunshine, but we don't want much work in the garden.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23- No.- No, we don't want that at all.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26- Now, golf plays a big part in both your lives.- Yes.
0:05:26 > 0:05:30So I imagine proximity to a golf club is at the top of the list,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32especially for you, Jane.
0:05:32 > 0:05:33Yes, absolutely.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36At the moment we're only five minutes away from our club
0:05:36 > 0:05:37and that's great.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39It's really convenient.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43So we don't want to be commuting 40, 45 minutes into a golf club.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Let's talk budget. What are we looking at?
0:05:45 > 0:05:48We're looking at about £500,000.
0:05:48 > 0:05:49We've only got three chances
0:05:49 > 0:05:54- but I think we've got three crackers to show you, so let's start. - Let's go.
0:05:54 > 0:05:58For a maximum budget of £500,000, David and Jane are after
0:05:58 > 0:06:01a character property with a minimum of three bedrooms.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05However the downstairs space is more important to them and they'd
0:06:05 > 0:06:08like three reception rooms as well as a south-facing garden.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Finally, they'd like to be close to a golf club,
0:06:11 > 0:06:13not too far from amenities.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17We've lined up three characterful Cotswold properties
0:06:17 > 0:06:20to show our buyers, but they'll have to wait
0:06:20 > 0:06:23until the end of each tour before I reveal the price.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25Our third house, the mystery property,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27could leave our buyers brewing with excitement.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34Our first property is found in a hamlet named The Vatch, two miles
0:06:34 > 0:06:39north of Stroud and a 20-minute drive from the nearest golf club.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42The neighbouring village of Slad is famous for being the home
0:06:42 > 0:06:45and final resting place of author Laurie Lee.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47He wrote the novel Cider With Rosie in the 1950s
0:06:47 > 0:06:49in his house in the village.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56The first property is often a bit of a learning curve for us all.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59Well, me, normally. Here it is. What do we think?
0:06:59 > 0:07:01It looks quite small. Is it two or one?
0:07:01 > 0:07:05It's semi-detached. We're looking at the right-hand side.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07What's going through your mind? Jane?
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Nice to look out over fields. Great aspect.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13It does look quite small but obviously it goes up into the roof.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16- Yeah, that's one of your guest bedroom, if you like.- Oh, right.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18- So, let's see if you like it.- Good.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21David and Jane seem a little reticent
0:07:21 > 0:07:24and were perhaps expecting something bigger for their budget.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28But I'm confident the interior of this deceptively large,
0:07:28 > 0:07:32period Cotswold stone cottage will lift their spirits.
0:07:33 > 0:07:37In we come. Let's have a quick pause here.
0:07:37 > 0:07:38Now, kitchen.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41- Perfect size for you.- Absolutely.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44The person who lives here moved out of London, bought this house
0:07:44 > 0:07:48in the countryside and has done it up over the last three years.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52So what you see is new flooring, new electrics, new pretty much
0:07:52 > 0:07:55everything but it doesn't feel necessarily brand-new.
0:07:55 > 0:07:56It's lovely.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59Now, behind you, that oak-panel wall is a utility room with a
0:07:59 > 0:08:03wash-hand basin and all the white goods. Let's keep looking round.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05- It's really good.- OK. - Just mind your head here.
0:08:05 > 0:08:08Talking to Jane, not you.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12Now, you said you wanted to have a house where you could
0:08:12 > 0:08:16sit in the living room maybe and look out at views, nice and sunny.
0:08:16 > 0:08:17Is this the sort of place you had in mind?
0:08:17 > 0:08:19It's very light in here, isn't it?
0:08:19 > 0:08:21I thought it would be darker back here.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23It is bigger than it looks outside as well.
0:08:23 > 0:08:27I think the owners have made it just a lot more user friendly, if you like.
0:08:27 > 0:08:31They've raised the fireplace there which gives the fire a better draw,
0:08:31 > 0:08:35but also, you get to see the features of the house a lot more,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38- straightaway, when you walk in, don't you?- Yeah, very much.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41You get the whole two rooms in one. It's very nice.
0:08:41 > 0:08:43Better reactions to the ground-floor living space.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47Upstairs there are three bedrooms spread over two floors.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50The first floor features two doubles, one of which
0:08:50 > 0:08:54overlooks the front of the house and has a small study area.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57There's a third bedroom up in the eaves of the house with a cosy
0:08:57 > 0:08:59space for a bed overlooking the hills behind.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01But we're staying on the first floor
0:09:01 > 0:09:04and what would probably be David and Jane's bedroom.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11So, not a huge bedroom, admittedly.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15- No. Bit small, isn't it? - Nice view to wake up to, though.
0:09:15 > 0:09:16Yeah.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19But it's a bit too small for what I'd like for a main bedroom.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22I mean, downstairs has been knocked about a bit.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26Upstairs, it does have more cottagey dimensions
0:09:26 > 0:09:29- or proportions, doesn't it? - Yeah, absolutely.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32- OK, let's go out to the garden and talk about price.- OK.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36The south-facing gardens are mainly to the front and side
0:09:36 > 0:09:40of the property and offer a variety of lawn areas
0:09:40 > 0:09:41and a sheltered terrace.
0:09:43 > 0:09:47- So, back outside. Now, you did say you don't want a big garden.- Yeah.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50You also said you didn't want a big upstairs but that's probably
0:09:50 > 0:09:54a bit too small so what do you think of this garden? Is it too small
0:09:54 > 0:09:55or is this what you had in mind?
0:09:55 > 0:09:57This I the size I had in mind, this is fine.
0:09:57 > 0:09:59- Good.- Yeah.- OK.- Absolutely.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01So after our brief look around this house,
0:10:01 > 0:10:04how much do you think it's on the market for?
0:10:04 > 0:10:08I think, semi-detached, I would say 350.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11399.
0:10:11 > 0:10:12Right.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14This is on the market
0:10:14 > 0:10:18- for offers around £450,000. - Ah.- Right.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21- But you're paying for the proximity to Stroud.- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24And the rural position which some people will absolutely love.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27And this is close to Slad and it's Laurie Lee and that sort of...
0:10:27 > 0:10:29- You've got it.- ..area. Yep.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32- So, something to get your head around.- Mm, definitely.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36The price of our first property comes as a bit of a shock
0:10:36 > 0:10:39to David and Jane, even though it's £50,000 under budget.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Situated in a sought-after location,
0:10:42 > 0:10:46the period cottage offers our buyers the downstairs space they're after,
0:10:46 > 0:10:51three bedrooms, and it's 20 minutes from the nearest golf club.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55- All done?- All done.- How'd you find it?- OK.- OK?- Yes.- Bit small.
0:10:55 > 0:11:00- Something a bit bigger next? Yes, please.- OK. Let's go and find it.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15The hard limestone slopes of the Cotswolds make up the largest
0:11:15 > 0:11:20Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the country, at 800 square miles.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23In the 1930s, nearly half the region was covered
0:11:23 > 0:11:25in flower-rich grassland.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Today, much of this precious habitat has gone.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Flatter grassland has been converted
0:11:29 > 0:11:32to more commercially viable arable land.
0:11:33 > 0:11:34The little that's left is
0:11:34 > 0:11:38so rare it's being restored with the help of a herd of cows.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40I've come to one of these cattle-managed sites at
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Crickley Hill Country Park to chew the cud with
0:11:43 > 0:11:45National Trust ranger Matt Stanway.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Well, Matt, I've got to say what an amazing part of the world this
0:11:50 > 0:11:53is to be working, and farming.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55How untouched is some of this land, then?
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Because it's such steep slopes, what's left here -
0:11:58 > 0:12:00- we're right on the Cotswold escarpment...- Yeah.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03It's high up and it drops away down to the Severn Vale
0:12:03 > 0:12:05and we can see that arable land down there.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07This is the type of land which has never really been
0:12:07 > 0:12:10touched by the plough. For centuries it's been
0:12:10 > 0:12:11left untouched as grassland,
0:12:11 > 0:12:14and it's been grazed, traditionally, by the cattle or sheep.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- Traditionally, the Cotswolds was always sheep farming...- Yep.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21..but for this type of land, the cattle are equally as good,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23if not better, because the cattle are less selective,
0:12:23 > 0:12:25so we've got short turf and long turf.
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Matt's taking me to a site with no munching cattle,
0:12:28 > 0:12:31and the difference is immediately clear to see.
0:12:31 > 0:12:36So, Matt, this hasn't been grazed on for how long?
0:12:36 > 0:12:37Decades.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41There's pictures of here in the 1930s, this bit of land,
0:12:41 > 0:12:43and it was grazed as tight as anything.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46- The grass looked like a lawn mower had gone over it.- Really?- Yeah.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50But then you've got trees here. That's a silver birch, isn't it?
0:12:50 > 0:12:52That's grown up, what, in the last 50 years or so?
0:12:52 > 0:12:56Yeah, all the natural environment wants to do is to convert
0:12:56 > 0:12:58back from grassland to woodland.
0:12:58 > 0:12:59- Right.- It's a natural process,
0:12:59 > 0:13:02and what we're involved in is trying to halt that succession.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05So what's wrong with just letting nature take its course
0:13:05 > 0:13:08- and having woodland? - There's nothing wrong in woodland,
0:13:08 > 0:13:11but the problem is here is that what's left of this grassland
0:13:11 > 0:13:14is so precious, there's so little of it left, that it's that which
0:13:14 > 0:13:16we need to preserve. That's the priority.
0:13:16 > 0:13:19Rather than introduce local cattle to the Cotswold grassland sites,
0:13:19 > 0:13:23Matt is using a breed more suited to the slopes of Scotland.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26I don't think I've ever seen cattle with those colours before.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Where are they from?
0:13:28 > 0:13:30They're called Belted Galloways, they're a breed that
0:13:30 > 0:13:34originate from Dumfries and Galloway in south-west Scotland.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37- So why did you choose this breed, then?- Several reasons.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39One, because they're an upland hill breed,
0:13:39 > 0:13:42they're tough and hardy, they can live outside all winter.
0:13:42 > 0:13:44They have got short legs,
0:13:44 > 0:13:47- so they can cope with these steep slopes...- Yeah, quite.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50..of which we're on one of them. And also their distinctiveness.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Obviously you noticed their belt, their big white belt.
0:13:52 > 0:13:55- Fantastic colouring.- They stand out, they really do.- Yeah.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58I see you've got some recent additions. How old are those calves?
0:13:58 > 0:13:59They're just a week old.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01So we've got 20 cows calving each year.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04I wish you the best of luck with all the calving you're going to have
0:14:04 > 0:14:06over the next couple of days. And I'll pop by next time I'm down.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10- Great stuff.- Thanks very much. - Thanks.- See you again.- Bye-bye, now.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12Some of the cows are sold for beef, which helps finance
0:14:12 > 0:14:14the grazing project.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17It's a fascinating, self-sufficient model of land management
0:14:17 > 0:14:19in the heart of the Cotswold hills.
0:14:24 > 0:14:25For our second property,
0:14:25 > 0:14:28we're travelling 27 miles to the southern tip of the Cotswolds
0:14:28 > 0:14:32and the hamlet of Nettleton Shrub in the county of Wiltshire.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36It's a five minute drive from the heritage village of Castle Combe,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39which is often ranked as one of the prettiest in Britain.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42It's also where you'll find the nearest golf club.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46So, property number two is a bigger affair.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48- That's good news.- What do we think?
0:14:48 > 0:14:51- Really nice.- It looks really nice.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54- Now, do you know where you are? - Yes.- Good.- Castle Combe.
0:14:54 > 0:14:58Exactly, so you're just over the motorway, which makes property
0:14:58 > 0:15:01- a little bit more affordable yet we are still within the Cotswolds.- Yep.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04I think it's great. And quite close to the village.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06- We came through a nice village. - Good news. Let's go inside.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11A more upbeat reaction to our second property, a stone cottage
0:15:11 > 0:15:15which the current owners have completely remodelled inside.
0:15:15 > 0:15:19So just as you come in there's a downstairs cloakroom.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22- Kitchen-wise, very different to the first place, isn't it?- Very.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26A lot more cupboards, a lot more work space. Nice size.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28- Room for a table.- I really like it.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30This is the old part of the building.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33It would've been a worker's cottage for someone that
0:15:33 > 0:15:35- worked on the Castle Combe estate.- OK.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38Your entertainment's going to take place through here.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42Just mind the step.
0:15:42 > 0:15:45- Wow.- Light-filled rooms, you said you wanted.- Yes.- Perfect.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47I think this is a bit of a winter room.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50You'll have the sun room there which would be beautiful.
0:15:50 > 0:15:51Absolutely, yeah.
0:15:51 > 0:15:55- Yes, very light and airy. - Very nicely done, isn't it?
0:15:55 > 0:15:57- So is this the old house? - The very old part is there.
0:15:57 > 0:16:03The extension that was completed back in 2004 starts at that wall
0:16:03 > 0:16:04and it's a green extension.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06You can see those lovely timber joints there.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09So, good reactions so far.
0:16:09 > 0:16:10There's some interesting bits and bobs
0:16:10 > 0:16:13just through there which we'll look at later on.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15Let me first show you the master bedroom just up here.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21There are three bedrooms in the original part of the house.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Two of those are doubles and overlook the back of the property.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28There's also a fully tiled family bathroom.
0:16:28 > 0:16:32The largest bedroom is dual-aspect with views over the front.
0:16:32 > 0:16:33This is your master.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36Room to move about in this one.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39- Is it big enough? - Yes, definitely.- Yes.
0:16:39 > 0:16:42Let me show you the other end of the house which I think gives
0:16:42 > 0:16:45this place a pretty different kind of option.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50As well as the bedrooms in the older wing of the house,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53there's a further room upstairs in the modern extension, which is
0:16:53 > 0:16:55accessed via the garden room.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00So this is an added extra, I think.
0:17:00 > 0:17:02- Yes, yep.- Ooh.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05You could have it as a guest room
0:17:05 > 0:17:07because it's great to have separation.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- That's an en-suite shower room. - Oh, right.- But...
0:17:10 > 0:17:14- What a lovely library, or... - Study.- Study, yeah.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17And south-facing, with that lovely glass gable.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Is this the sort of place you think you'd go for, so far?
0:17:20 > 0:17:24Oh, definitely, yes. It's got the three bedrooms. This is extra.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26- And the living space. Yeah. - Mm.- It's got it all.
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Below the office there's a garage
0:17:31 > 0:17:33with plenty of space to store the golf clubs.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35Outside, the garden is compact
0:17:35 > 0:17:39and low-maintenance with views over open countryside.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42On the surface David and Jane appear to like our second property
0:17:42 > 0:17:45but I have a feeling something is holding them back.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47The price guess is often a true reflection
0:17:47 > 0:17:49of how people really feel.
0:17:51 > 0:17:55So, how much do you think this house is on the market for?
0:17:55 > 0:17:59- I'll go first, then. - OK, you go first.- 425.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04- OK.- Right.- I'll go 400. I'll go below you again.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06You're getting worse at this game.
0:18:06 > 0:18:11- This place is on the market for offers around £495,000.- OK.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13We're still within the Cotswolds.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17- It's a three to four bedroom detached house...- Yeah, true.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21..with a proper village nearby with a shop and a pub.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24- OK.- It's all right. It's a good price.
0:18:24 > 0:18:25I think that's a fair price for it.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Just £5,000 under budget, our second property,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31an extended stone cottage, offers up three bedrooms,
0:18:31 > 0:18:34a large reception area and it's just five minutes' drive
0:18:34 > 0:18:37from the golf club and the busy village.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42Now then, have you come to a solution,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45or fought over who uses that first floor sun room?
0:18:45 > 0:18:47- No decision yet. - No. Decision pending.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50Well, it's good that it's still a decision, I suppose.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53- Maybe something to talk about over dinner.- Yes.- Absolutely.- Let's go.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06On reflection I think yesterday's property number two,
0:19:06 > 0:19:08we got everything pretty much spot on.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10It's certainly what they asked for.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13But I'm not convinced it's a house that David and Jane
0:19:13 > 0:19:16want to move to and maybe that's because they're getting
0:19:16 > 0:19:20cold feet about moving from London to a much more rural location.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24So in order to remedy that, today's mystery house is slap bang
0:19:24 > 0:19:26in the heart of a village.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30But as you might expect, it does come with a couple of compromises.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34Firstly, it's just outside their ideal search area,
0:19:34 > 0:19:38and it's also close to a river and after recent events in this country,
0:19:38 > 0:19:41that could well put some people off.
0:19:43 > 0:19:47For our mystery house we're heading north back into Gloucestershire
0:19:47 > 0:19:50and to Frampton-on-Severn, which as the name implies,
0:19:50 > 0:19:53sits on the River Severn's eastern bank.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Welcome, both of you, to Frampton-on-Severn.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59- Have you been here before? - No, not at all.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02- Do you know anything about it? - Nothing at all.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Now, the village itself has your Post Office and store,
0:20:05 > 0:20:08two pubs, coffee shop.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10It's almost like London, isn't it?
0:20:10 > 0:20:13- It's like being home.- Yes. What's going through your minds? Tell me.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Concerns, or...?
0:20:15 > 0:20:18Well, we thought when we came across the M5 that we're in an area
0:20:18 > 0:20:20- we hadn't looked at at all.- No.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23But now we're here, it's really nice, there's a nice feel to it.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27Now, this is a part of the world, it's Frampton-on-Severn.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31- So might we need a boat? - You don't need a boat.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34- Are we on the flood plains? - Well, it's a good point you make.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37Areas around here have flooded in the past
0:20:37 > 0:20:39but there is a canal in between this village
0:20:39 > 0:20:42- and the Severn which actually serves as a flood defence.- Right.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44The mystery property,
0:20:44 > 0:20:46the first thing it's pushing you on is location.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Definitely, yeah.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50It's further away from London.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52But it's closer to Wales.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- Come with me, let's see what you think of it.- OK.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Well, the location hasn't put them off, even though
0:20:58 > 0:21:00the nearest golf club is a 20-minute drive away.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03The house itself is located just beyond the village green,
0:21:03 > 0:21:06a stone's throw from the Gloucester and Sharpness canal,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09and has an industrial heritage of its own.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11- Right, then.- Ah.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16This is the mystery house, the mystery malt house.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19- Malt house?- Yeah.- Right. Nice court out here, isn't it?
0:21:19 > 0:21:23- This is your outside space. - Oh, really?- The only outside space.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25- Oh, OK.- South-facing.
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Now, you don't get much less maintenance than this, do you?
0:21:27 > 0:21:29- Absolutely not. - Even we could do this.- Yeah?
0:21:29 > 0:21:32- Perfect.- I love the fact you like it small. Now...
0:21:33 > 0:21:39- Reports of this building date back as far as 1724.- Right.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42- It's good history then.- Yeah, it is. I cannot wait to show you.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48'As well as the lack of garden, this historical gem is
0:21:48 > 0:21:51'Grade II listed, and has an unusual layout inside.
0:21:51 > 0:21:55'I just hope that David and Jane don't mind upside-down living.'
0:21:55 > 0:21:56Come on in.
0:21:58 > 0:21:59Wow.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Ooh.
0:22:01 > 0:22:02Oof. Oh.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04THEY CHUCKLE
0:22:04 > 0:22:06Quite some entrance hall, isn't it?
0:22:06 > 0:22:08Oh, so what's behind the curtain, then?
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Yeah, it does beg a question as soon as you walk in, doesn't it?
0:22:11 > 0:22:13- Any ideas?- A stage or something like that?
0:22:13 > 0:22:15Pretty good guess.
0:22:15 > 0:22:19I think I'll show you before I get myself into hot water. Come with me.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21'Not a stage as such but the master bedroom.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26- Right.- Ooh.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31- Oh, wow.- I wasn't expecting that to be a bedroom.- A bedroom.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34- A big bedroom.- Huge, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:22:34 > 0:22:35Now, it's Grade II listed
0:22:35 > 0:22:38but because it's an historic building,
0:22:38 > 0:22:39it came with a few stipulations,
0:22:39 > 0:22:41and one of those at the time, ten years ago,
0:22:41 > 0:22:44when it was converted, was they couldn't put a partition
0:22:44 > 0:22:48in between this room and the entrance hall, hence the curtain.
0:22:48 > 0:22:49Right.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53Now, I think it works absolutely fine, that curtain's so heavy.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56- It's certainly different, isn't it? - Yeah.- Something to get used to.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59It's almost as thick as some walls anyway, isn't it?
0:22:59 > 0:23:03As well as the master bedroom, the ground floor also features
0:23:03 > 0:23:05an additional guest bedroom with en-suite.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10And one of the most impressive family bathrooms I've ever seen.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13This fabulous brick-vaulted room would've contained
0:23:13 > 0:23:15the kiln for the malting.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21Now I just want to pause here momentarily, minding my head.
0:23:21 > 0:23:22Good idea.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Now, you mentioned you wanted different areas,
0:23:26 > 0:23:28almost like break-out rooms.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30Lovely little reading room, with that light coming in.
0:23:30 > 0:23:31That's really good.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33And just through there, you see the canal
0:23:33 > 0:23:35and then the Severn beyond there as well.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Yep. Very nice.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41David and Jane could also use this mezzanine floor as another
0:23:41 > 0:23:43sleeping area for guests,
0:23:43 > 0:23:46as there are only two bedrooms in this property as it stands.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48There is one other bedroom option,
0:23:48 > 0:23:53a TV room with a see-through viewing platform of the malting kiln below.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55It's on the first floor, which is where we're heading now.
0:23:57 > 0:24:00Now, what do you make of this?
0:24:00 > 0:24:02- Very nice.- Wow.- My word.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04That's a lovely room, isn't it?
0:24:04 > 0:24:06Yes.
0:24:06 > 0:24:11- Kitchen, dining, living, all in one but divided.- Yeah.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13It's very nice.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15You've got no problem with it being open-plan?
0:24:15 > 0:24:16No. The beams are lovely.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18The skylight... Plenty of light in here, isn't there?
0:24:18 > 0:24:22And then, this is true entertaining, people are sat down at the table...
0:24:22 > 0:24:23That's a nice size, not too big,
0:24:23 > 0:24:27but a lot of work spaces for you to prepare your food. It's really nice.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30I think it's great and it's...
0:24:30 > 0:24:34I love the house, it's whether I see myself living here day to day.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41At the moment, there isn't a great deal of storage space in this house.
0:24:41 > 0:24:44However, the current owners have sought planning permission to build
0:24:44 > 0:24:48a garage on the gravel driveway, so that's something to bear in mind.
0:24:49 > 0:24:50So...
0:24:51 > 0:24:53Lovely house. Your reactions have been quite different.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56I can see you falling in love with the place but then
0:24:56 > 0:24:58the practicalities going through your mind especially, Jane.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01- Yes.- So how much do you think this house is on the market for?
0:25:01 > 0:25:04- I'm going first today.- OK.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05530.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09- OK.- Yeah, I was thinking round that mark, I'll go down to 525.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15This place is on the market for offers around
0:25:15 > 0:25:18£499,950.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20- OK.- Yes, well, there we are.
0:25:20 > 0:25:23- You guessed over, which is good.- Yeah.
0:25:23 > 0:25:25Just under budget, our mystery property is
0:25:25 > 0:25:27an 18th century malt house.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29While the layout is unconventional,
0:25:29 > 0:25:30it does give David and Jane
0:25:30 > 0:25:32the huge reception area they wanted.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34But only two bedrooms.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35It's located in the centre
0:25:35 > 0:25:36of a thriving village
0:25:36 > 0:25:38although the golf club is
0:25:38 > 0:25:40a 20-minute drive away.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44- Still smiling. - Still smiling.- Very much so.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47- I was worried this house would get you falling out.- Not quite.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50- It has split the camp though, hasn't it?- It definitely has, yes.- Yes.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52Well, I think now's a good time to find somewhere for you guys
0:25:52 > 0:25:55to have a chat and then we'll meet up and talk everything through.
0:25:55 > 0:25:56- Yeah.- Let's go.
0:26:01 > 0:26:06So, an interesting couple of days. Three houses. What's your favourite?
0:26:06 > 0:26:09I think the second house we saw is our favourite,
0:26:09 > 0:26:12although the third one was very attractive and very lovely.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16I think, on reflection, Jane was right that the difficulties
0:26:16 > 0:26:20and the practicalities of it would make it difficult to live in.
0:26:20 > 0:26:23- But the second one was lovely.- You've talked him down, have you, Jane?
0:26:23 > 0:26:26- Head over heart...- Yeah. - ..has made the decision.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28I think that that really isn't a house that you
0:26:28 > 0:26:33can live in on a day-to-day basis, day in, day out, year in, year out.
0:26:33 > 0:26:34You're moving out of London.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37We've shown you three rural properties.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39The last one, the mystery house, was in a village,
0:26:39 > 0:26:41but the second house is rural, still.
0:26:41 > 0:26:44It's in a scattering of houses within a village, if you like.
0:26:44 > 0:26:47Big leap for you. How do you feel about it now?
0:26:47 > 0:26:50It's made us realise that we are social animals
0:26:50 > 0:26:55and we need to be closer to activities and so on.
0:26:55 > 0:26:58So whilst the second property is your favourite,
0:26:58 > 0:27:02it doesn't sound like you're going to pursue it.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04No, I'd say that's probably true.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06Maybe because of what you don't need,
0:27:06 > 0:27:08you don't need a big sprawling house,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11you certainly don't need or want the outside space,
0:27:11 > 0:27:15that lends itself, in my opinion, to maybe a lovely country town,
0:27:15 > 0:27:17a market town, perhaps.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20Yes, I think that's definitely brought that into focus for us.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22Well, it's going to be a very active retirement for you, isn't it?
0:27:22 > 0:27:25- Yes.- And that fully starts once you've found a house,
0:27:25 > 0:27:28- so I wish you both the very best of luck.- BOTH: Thank you.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33Well, let's face it. An escape to the country in its truest form
0:27:33 > 0:27:35isn't always for everyone.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38And it certainly seems like the big city of London
0:27:38 > 0:27:40has its claws in David and Jane,
0:27:40 > 0:27:42but I think these past couple of days has been
0:27:42 > 0:27:44a bit of a journey for both of them.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47I think they've come to realise that whilst a truly rural
0:27:47 > 0:27:48environment isn't for them,
0:27:48 > 0:27:52maybe a smaller step to perhaps a market town
0:27:52 > 0:27:54somewhere in the Cotswolds would be the ideal move,
0:27:54 > 0:27:57and let's face it, this beautiful region certainly has
0:27:57 > 0:28:00plenty of these beautiful towns to choose from.
0:28:00 > 0:28:02See you next time.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05If you'd like to escape to the country in England,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08Northern Ireland, Wales or Scotland and need our help,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10you can apply online at...