Shropshire Escape to the Country

These atmospheric ruins have particular significance for democracy in our country.

Find out where I am and why these old stones mean

so much for Britain in just a moment.

Today, our house-hunting pair are in search of a new rural home

and a new venture to keep them busy in retirement.

-OK!

-Wow.

-Very different offering.

-Mind-blowing.

-It is a totally different offering.

-Yeah.

And our property hunt gets rather magical.

You've gone off with the fairies, Martin.

Are you dreaming about waking up here or are you worried about woodworm?

-No, no.

-Woodworm!

Today, we're in Shropshire, and this is Acton Burnell.

And these two red sandstone gables are all that

remain of the Parliament Barn,

so called because it was here in the late 13th century that

Edward I called a very special parliament.

It was the first time that the commoners

and the nobility came together to discuss and make decisions.

So, in many ways, although it is a ruin,

the meeting that happened here 700 years ago was a turning point

in British parliamentary history and the birth of the House of Commons.

But the birth of democracy is not the only good thing about Shropshire.

The county of Shropshire sits in the West Midlands and is bordered by

five counties, including Cheshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire.

One of England's most rural and sparsely populated regions,

it has Britain's longest river, the River Severn,

running through its crop-filled landscape.

The striking Shropshire Hills to the south of the county have been

designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, with their

rocky hills forming gentle peaks and troughs of beige and green.

Nine miles from the Welsh border, the busy county town of Shrewsbury,

in the centre of the region, features an appealing

display of red brick and stone buildings lining medieval streets.

Its Grade II listed arched viaduct, the English Bridge,

is a splendid feature across the River Severn.

First completed in 1774, the current bridge was

rebuilt in 1926 at a cost of £86,000, using the original masonry.

It was opened the following year by Queen Mary.

With its convenient central location, beautiful scenery

and historic towns and villages,

Shropshire is a region that really does have it all on a plate.

As well as all those wonderful things,

Shropshire also has reasonable house prices.

The average price for a detached property here is £242,000,

which is £30,000 less than the national figure.

And where in other counties prices are creeping up,

here they still stay well below their 2007 peak price.

So what is it that has drawn today's buyers to this lovely county?

Let's meet them and find out.

Retired planning manager Martin and his curtain-maker wife

Jacqueline live in this four-bedroom detached house

in Rufford, west Lancashire, and have been married for 26 years.

When they met 30 years ago, it brightened up their working day.

It was a work relationship, and Jacqueline is going to tell me

she courted her boss, because I was her boss at the time.

But last year, 57-year-old Martin swapped the daily

grind for a more relaxed pace of life.

It's coming up to 16, 16 months now I've been retired.

I must admit, I have found it difficult adjusting to not working.

Throughout my life, I've been a very corporate man.

I've always worked for companies,

and it is quite a challenge doing something for yourself.

I want to fill my time a bit more and I think a project would

really give me something to really get my teeth stuck into.

We're looking at a new adventure together, really.

Possibly looking at running a bed and breakfast.

We're just looking for some extra income as well, plus, you know,

to give us the flexibility of the lifestyle.

And they've got their eye on central England for their country escape.

We're looking to move to Shropshire because we visited it several times,

we love the location. It's very quiet compared to where we live now.

It's not just the peace that's attracting them to the countryside.

Where we live now, it's very, very flat.

I'm a keen cyclist and I'm looking more to the undulating countryside.

Whenever we go to somewhere new, we always...

The first thing I do is send away or pick up cycling leaflets to

look for new routes.

Yeah, we do a lot of cycling holidays as well together

and then we do lots of short breaks within the UK with our bikes as well.

And now their son has left home,

they're free to follow their dreams.

Calvin is 21 this year.

He has decided to stay in Leeds as he graduates this year.

Erm, so, really,

that has been the trigger for us to do something for ourselves.

We just feel like we're ready for the next step in our lives.

And with their house on the market, the time has come to find

a new home that can double up as an exciting new business.

Jacqueline's hoping to offer sewing lessons to the guests and Martin

is sure he has also got the skills to make the B&B a roaring success.

I've always been told I can do a very good poached egg.

Jacqueline and Martin don't want to be too far away from their son

in Leeds, friends in Lancashire and family in South Wales,

so have decided to move somewhere around the Shrewsbury area,

but will consider moving further afield if the house is right.

'And before we kick off our search for a dual-purpose property,

'I am meeting them in the county to make sure

'I know exactly what it is they're looking for.'

Welcome to Shropshire, you two. Thanks for bringing me here. It's a lovely county.

-Thank you.

-A glorious day as well.

-I know.

And tell me exactly your dream home.

Well, we're looking for a detached house

and we're looking for a property with potential for a bed and breakfast.

-Ahh!

-So, about four to five rooms.

Have you done anything like that before?

No, it's a completely new thing. We thought it would suit our lifestyle.

Something that the two of us can be involved in.

And we're also looking for a room for me

-to carry on my sewing business.

-Yeah.

What about you, Martin? In terms of the outside, are you a gardener?

I'm becoming more of a gardener now I have more time on my hands,

Alistair. Nothing too large. I don't want it too daunting.

Maybe up to three quarters of an acre.

Do you need to be in a community or do you want to be in the sticks?

We'd like to be near amenities. You know, not too remote.

Not too far away from anywhere.

In terms of the bed and breakfast, are you looking for sort of a...

one of these ones where it is all separate or are you wanting them

to kind of eat with you and live with you?

We are really open on that.

Ideally, it would be nice if it's separate, but if it is

integrated in some way, we're quite happy to work around that, yeah.

Remind me of your budget. How much have we got to play with?

-Our budget is £500,000 and we don't mind doing some work, as well, within that budget.

-Great.

-That's a good, healthy budget, here in Shropshire.

-Yes, it is.

-Hopefully.

-Hopefully, we won't disappoint.

-Let's go and look, cos the houses are ready and waiting. Follow me.

-Thank you.

Jacqueline and Martin's budget may be pretty generous for this

part of England, but they are looking for a two-in-one,

which presents a bit more of a challenge.

They want a detached property with four to five bedrooms

so two or three can be part of a new bed and breakfast business.

Jacqueline would also like a room to hold sewing classes

and Martin would love to get stuck into a good-sized garden.

And they'd like to be within arm's reach of local facilities.

To get Jacqueline and Martin one step closer to realising

their dream, we will be taking them to see three contrasting properties.

And once they've toured each one, we'll let them know its cost.

Their final tour will be around the Mystery House,

a property whose exterior hides what lies within and,

after more than 25 years of marriage,

could see our duo taking another trip down the aisle.

Our first property is located near the village of Maesbrook,

just outside the larger village of Knockin.

It's 12 miles north-west of Shrewsbury

and five miles from the Welsh border.

Knockin is a pretty village, much of which was once

owned by the Earl of Bradford, whose family name is still evident.

There are many handsome and historic buildings,

plus the essential amenities to hand,

situated in a striking rural setting.

The beautiful location already attracts visitors wanting to

stay the night and explore the area.

Just under two miles away, back on the outskirts of Maesbrook,

is our first property.

This imposing period house was once a timber-framed hall where

locals lived at one end and their animals at the other.

Come to the lawn and you can see the full splendour of house number one.

-Wow!

-Ta-da!

-Fabulous. Looks lovely.

-Certainly characterful.

-Isn't it just?

-Yes.

And this is a classic. You know, of course, these black-and-white houses all through Shropshire.

-But this is a very historic one. It goes back to 1485.

-Oh, my God!

That's history.

A lot of extensions in the 17th century

and in the 20th century again, and then in 2008, completely modernised.

-What do you think?

-Beautiful.

-Really nice.

-Yes, it's got a hell of a history, hasn't it?

This 15th-century house has seen many changes over the past 500 years

and is a real mix of old meets new.

We're heading to the back door, which would be the guest entrance

if this property became a B&B.

We're starting off in the large open-plan kitchen/diner.

-Come on inside. Now you get an idea of the inside space.

-Wow, beautiful.

Very light and airy.

So you can see the periodness.

These are all original beams, probably from the 15th century.

Beautiful.

You've got the kitchen, open-plan kitchen. Light on both sides.

And you've got a little breakfast niche here, and then round there, you've got the dining room.

It is a great area for a bed and breakfast, I think, as well.

What do you think of the facilities? Is this what you were thinking of?

-Yes.

-Yes, it is. I just love the open-plan,

the fact that you've got the dining area in the same place.

And also the sitting area, with the wood-burner. It feels homely.

'Moving through a dining room in the middle of the house,

'we find ourselves in a large sitting room.'

-More beams.

-A really good size as well.

-It is, isn't it?

And this would be also perhaps quite nice as a sort of guest room,

-if you wanted to have a separate room for your...

-Yes.

-..for your B&B guests.

-That's right, yes.

I like the way they've kept everything so light, you know,

the walls and the colourings, it's just... Even though

you've got the wood panelling in the ceilings, it's light.

Through here, there's a little study room

which has another door out into the garden.

We thought that could be a sewing room. You can explore that later on.

But I want to show you upstairs, because that's where you'd be putting your guests and yourself.

'On the first floor, there are three double bedrooms...

'..a single...

'a family bathroom...

'a shower room...

'and at the front of the house, above the kitchen,

'is the largest of the five bedrooms.'

-This is the master bedroom.

-Beautiful. Mm.

-And it has got an en-suite.

-It's got an en-suite.

-Which is good.

-Martin, what are your thoughts? You've gone all quiet.

-No, I just...

I'm amazed at how light and airy it is again upstairs. Love the ceiling.

Mm. And it's nice having the double windows either side.

Plenty of light coming in.

-What's interesting here is you can see this is the cruck construction. You see this big curved beam.

-Yeah.

This is what makes the house historically interesting, because it is actually a fork cruck.

So, crucks are when you have the bent oak

and sort of beams that meet in the middle.

-So, quite unusual.

-Very good.

You've gone off with the fairies, Martin.

Are you dreaming about waking up here or are you worried about woodworm?

-No, no!

-Woodworm!

It's just so peaceful. I think that's what I'm finding. It's just so quiet.

You wanted something nice, light and airy.

You can't beat anything more than this, can you?

'This centuries-old house seems to have taken Jacqueline

'and Martin's breath away and it has real B&B potential.

'Martin is determined to keep busy during his early retirement,

'and if running a guesthouse isn't enough, I think the extensive

'gardens, with mature shrubs and two orchards, would do just that.'

-Beautiful views all over the Shropshire Hills.

-Fabulous.

So the garden is a good size. They say three quarters of an acre.

-Right.

-Got a big veggie patch over there, lovely kind of...

Oh, look forward to seeing that.

-Double garages here, which could be your sewing studio.

-OK.

And then the other side here,

-you've got a separate garden which you could have for your guests.

-Mm.

And you can really see the wonderful character of the house.

I think it shows up more from the back than the front,

doesn't it, the character?

What do you think this is on the market for? That's the key issue.

-I'd say 495.

-Mm-hm. Martin?

-I'd possibly go 475.

-475.

In this instance, Martin, you should listen to your wife.

-Because she is EXACTLY on the money.

-Is she?

-Really?

-It's on the market for 495.

-Oh, really? There you go.

So perhaps if you go back inside, and when you've had a good old

-nosy round, we'll meet at the front and go on to the next house.

-OK.

-Thank you.

-Head on back in.

-OK.

This detached house is full of character

and is on the market just under Jacqueline and Martin's budget.

It would give them £5,000 change.

It's got exactly the number of bedrooms they're after

for themselves and guests, plus a study and a garage with a workshop,

either of which would be perfect for a sewing room for Jacqueline.

The beautiful gardens would be a pleasure to look after

and the property's location is rural but still close to amenities.

I love the house. It is picture-postcard perfect.

The negative points, really, for us would be the upstairs,

from the bed and breakfast point of view.

The rooms are quite small, apart from the main bedroom,

which is very large.

But the four bedrooms, the other four, are quite small,

and I don't see an awful lot of scope to make them bigger or to put en-suites in,

which is what people want these days when they go to a bed and breakfast.

They've created the downstairs into a large open-plan

kitchen-cum-dining area, and it really is spacious.

It was very, very impressive.

And then I was very surprised to be led through

into an equally impressive lounge, which was quite large as well.

So the downstairs area was absolutely...really spot-on.

-OK, guys. Are you all done?

-Yes.

Well, even if you're not all done, you'll have to leave, because that's our time over here.

-And we've got another house to visit.

-OK.

-Great.

-Follow me.

Jacqueline and Martin love cycling,

and what better way to appreciate the scenic Shropshire countryside,

with its plentiful river valleys and hills, than on two wheels?

The National Cycle Network has 14,700 miles of cycle routes

which run the length and breadth of Britain,

with one pretty spectacular path winding through this lush county.

Jacqueline and Martin have come to Hampton Loade railway station

near Bridgnorth, which has the bike path running alongside it.

They're meeting local cycle guide Chris Dartnell, who has been

cycling in the area for the past 25 years.

-This is one of the first stops on the Mercian Cycle Way.

-OK.

It's route 45, and it goes from here all the way up to Chester.

And it's 200 miles. We're not going to cycle all 200 miles today.

-OK.

-Five miles for you.

And the terrain, is it good?

Well, around here there's a really nice family track.

-It runs down to the country park.

-Right.

-And just past that,

-there's a forest.

-OK.

-So it suits lots of different people.

Then after this it's more undulating.

-Sounds good.

-So it suits everybody.

-Excellent.

OK, undulating and not too hilly.

-No, not too hilly! But...

-Right.

-But there are hills in it so we better crack on, do you think?

-OK.

-OK.

-That's fine.

-Let's go.

The Mercian Way gets its name

as it meanders through the ancient kingdom of Mercia,

which was once ruled by King Offa, the first king of England, in 757.

The trio are travelling two miles south before their first stop,

the Severn Valley Country Park.

This area used to be prime coal mining territory

until 1969, when mining ceased,

and the park was opened in 1992.

-What do you think of the cycling so far?

-Excellent.

-Really, really scenic.

-Beautiful.

I found that quite tough.

-Cos it's so flat where we live and the hills are quite difficult.

-Yes.

It's only a very short hill coming up to here, though.

After stopping to appreciate

the breathtaking views across the valley of the River Severn,

it's back in the saddle to cycle a further three miles south

to the Arley Arboretum,

which is part of the 1,600-acre Arley Estate.

The 19th-century walled garden

is considered one of the world's finest tree collections

and includes rare and exotic tropical plants,

some dating back to the mid-1800s.

A more recent addition to this 200-year-old attraction

is Arleyensis, which is Latin for "of Arley".

It's a miniature historical replica of the Arley Estate in the 1820s.

The project began four years ago and is ongoing.

It's always looking for volunteers so could well be something

that green-fingered Martin could get involved in

to keep himself busy during his retirement.

He and Jacqueline are meeting the project's curator,

Peter Howells.

This is our first building.

It was built by my son.

It's going to look like this for evermore, believe it or not.

There's going to be little figures hammering the floorboards down

and actually involved in the building, the construction, here.

-So what inspired you to build this?

-A man called Roland Callingham.

He is the founder of Bekonscot,

the oldest model village in the country.

How many models do you plan to...?

Right, well, this whole area,

it is actually a volunteers' project

where we're hoping to get grandmas and grandads interested enough

to come and build us these models.

We've got a castle going up on the top, there.

We've got a windmill,

a replica of the church that we have on the grounds, here...

When it's complete, this eco-friendly tiny village

will feature over 500 miniature trees and plants

from all over the world.

Peter is hoping his vision

will preserve the estate's history for generations to come.

Travelling just over 35 miles south takes us to our second property,

in the village of Clunton.

It's almost 28 miles south-west of Shrewsbury

and about a mile east of the town of Clun.

Clun is a small town which takes its name

from the river that runs through it

and it's said to be one of the most tranquil spots in England.

Situated in the Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,

it boasts stunning vistas,

especially from the ruins of the Norman Clun Castle.

And it has a pretty town centre with an attractive mix of houses

and there's a traditional pub.

A three-minute drive and we're in Clunton,

at our second property,

which stands in the Arvon Centre -

26 acres of woodland once home to the late playwright John Osborne

and now a retreat for writers.

Down a long, windy road, or rather up a long, windy road

-into the hills and the forest to this.

-Wow, OK!

-Very different offering.

-Mind-blowing!

-It is totally different.

-It is.

It was an old coach house.

You can see the arches where they would drive the coaches in

-and also the stable.

-Yeah.

So it's been converted by the present owners.

And unlike the one this morning, this is being run as a B&B.

-Is it?

-Oh, right. That's interesting.

So what are your impressions of the actual building?

Fantastic.

-Very beautiful.

-So this is a big forest.

It's about a 100-acre forest and you have right to roam round it

-as a resident.

-Right, OK.

So from the aspect,

-do you think it's somewhere you could imagine living?

-Yeah,

I can imagine it would make a great bed and breakfast.

'But before we roam around the outside,

'I want to show Jacqueline and Martin the inside

'of what could be their new home and new venture.

'And we're starting off our tour in the rather large sitting room,

'with its fantastic views across the valley.'

What is your vibe as you walk in?

Great size.

-Just the sort of thing we're looking for in a lounge.

-It's cosy.

And unlike the other property,

this has a separate sitting room for your guests.

-Right.

-So this would be your family space.

-OK, OK.

'Just behind the sitting room, in the main body of the house,

'is the kitchen.'

So, a smaller offering than the last.

-Yes, it is a bit.

-It's very dark and small.

Small.

-It feels a bit more oppressive in here, doesn't it?

-It does.

That's the only feeling.

It's more, sort of, segregated

in the sense that this would be your kitchen, where you cook,

-and your guests would be at the other end of the house.

-OK,

-that's a positive thing.

-Yeah, yeah.

But part of the reason we want to bring you here is to show you

-the B&B set-up upstairs...

-Yes. OK.

-..which I think is more what you're looking for.

-All right.

'On one side of the kitchen there's a utility room

'and on the other, the guest dining room.

'I can see Jacqueline and Martin taking it all in.

'There's a lot to consider

'when you're searching not only for a family home

'but also somewhere suitable to put up your guests.

'Maybe upstairs will help them see things more clearly.

'There's a family bathroom,

'a double bedroom which is used by the owner as the master,

'two smaller rooms,

'and the next room along is a guest sitting room,

'with a rather attractive arched window.'

-Fabulous, yeah. I like that!

-All right.

-This is a lovely, sunny aspect.

-Yes, I love it. Very nice.

This is currently what they use for the guests

and then through here is one of the guest rooms.

So there's a child's bedroom there

-and then this is the en-suite...

-OK.

-..top-dollar guest room.

-OK.

-Lovely view.

-Yeah, it is.

-Yeah, terrific views again.

You've got two windows.

It shows great self-sacrifice on the present owners' part

-to give this to the guests!

-Yes!

-Well, let's go and have a look at the outside space...

-OK.

-Yeah.

..find out the price

-and then you can balance it all up.

-All right.

'Well, there's no doubting the fact

'that this property is set up perfectly as a B&B.

'Let's see how the outside space fares.

'The double garage is currently being used as a games room

'but there's scope to develop it into more guest rooms

'or a sewing room.

'We're going to the patio garden at the rear of the house.'

-Oh, it's such a lovely spot!

-Yes.

-Very tranquil.

It's not a huge garden.

It's actually just up to this wall

so it's really a small terraced garden,

and the land out the front, there,

-slopes down to the view over the valley.

-Yeah.

-OK.

-So very manageable.

-Very easy to maintain.

It's like a wooded valley, isn't it?

It's like you're surrounded by...

forest, really.

Looking at the outside, I think it would be a possibility

that you could put an extension on

-which would totally transform it.

-Absolutely.

In that case, we need to talk about budget.

Would you have the money to do that?

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

I would say 460.

I'd say...435.

-Well, in this instance you're both wrong.

-OK!

It is actually on at 470.

-Oh, OK. Oh, right.

-Really?

-So a little bit over what you thought.

-Yes.

-Mm.

-You need to make sure it's something you could do something with.

-Yeah.

So have a wander around, and you know the drill,

-I'll see you at the front.

-OK.

-OK, thank you.

This Grade II listed coach house

is on the market at £30,000 under Jacqueline and Martin's budget

and it's all set up and ready to go as a B&B.

There are three guest bedrooms, and the layout downstairs

means privacy for the owners when welcoming guests.

And although the garden isn't as big as they'd like,

the house is set in a stunning estate with fabulous views.

OK.

-This is the owners' bedroom.

-Right, this is the master, is it?

-OK.

-Very small.

-Small and it's not very light.

-No.

Well, obviously the guest room might take priority.

-You had the two windows in the guest room, didn't you?

-Mm.

'My initial reaction when we approached it...

'It's a wooded valley

'so it's a lot more secluded and darker than the other place.

'But the view is absolutely stunning.'

First impression coming up the drive...

As soon as we saw the property, I thought it looked lovely.

It looked nice and spacious. Fantastic view across the valley.

I think also the small lounge upstairs, beautiful room.

Probably the best room in the house.

But looking around all of the rooms, I just thought it was very dark.

I think we...

If we took a property like this,

we'd want to adjust quite a few things on it.

I think it would work very well as a bed and breakfast

but I don't think that it's a good home for us.

Just taking in the tranquillity of the place.

-It's gorgeous.

-Beautiful.

-Very peaceful.

-Have you seen everything you need to see?

-Think we have, yeah.

-Yes.

-It's been a long day. Let's find a place to relax

-and mull over what you've seen.

-OK.

-Why not?

It's the second day of our jaunt around Shropshire,

looking for a country home

for Jacqueline and Martin from Rufford, west Lancashire.

Armed with a generous budget of half a million pounds,

they are looking for a country abode that doubles up as a B&B.

Coming up, our Mystery House will be revealed

and I just PRAY it goes down well.

I can see it on the front of your flyers for your B&B.

-Well, it's certainly an unusual...

-It would certainly attract people.

And I will be having a day on the tiles.

-That's not bad.

-Don't sound so surprised, Jennifer!

It would take me weeks to do this!

One thing became clear to me yesterday

and that's how important this B&B business is, for Martin, particularly.

I think Jacqueline would be happy doing her curtains

in the first house, for example, but I think Martin is struggling

a little bit with knowing what to do with himself in his retirement,

so having a good project to get his teeth into could be crucial,

so the Mystery House offers them a lot of character,

but also lots of B&B potential. Let's hope they like it.

-How are you feeling today?

-Very excited.

-Excited about the Mystery House?

-Yes, very excited.

-What do you think we might be showing you?

-I really don't know.

But I just hope it's not going to be a property that has got small

rooms and very dark rooms.

The Mystery House usually tends to be an unusual building,

-a conversion, like, maybe a church.

-You're expecting a conversion?

Of something unusual.

Our final visit takes us 44 miles north-east to the town of Newport,

a 40-minute drive from Shrewsbury

and close to the Staffordshire border.

'Newport is a Britain In Bloom finalist

'and its centre offers locals a good selection of shops and eateries.

'A striking blend of architecture lines the streets, with some

'Norman buildings still evident.

'Only the Guildhall and Smallwood Lodge remain after a fire

'swept through the high street in 1665.

'Just on the outskirts of town and down a tree-lined drive

'is our third and final house.

'The mystery is revealed at first sight.'

Well, I have to say, Martin, you were very accurate.

It's like you have second sight. The Mystery House is a church.

-It is.

-This, next door, is the old church,

-which was knocked down to build this one.

-Oh, right, looks very pretty.

Character, isn't it?

That's what screams at you when you first see it. I like the stone.

Yes, this beautiful red sandstone that you see all around Shropshire.

-Yeah.

-And I can see it on the front of your flyers for your B&B.

-It's certainly an unusual...

-It will certainly attract people.

-Let's look inside.

-OK.

'This striking Grade II listed church dates back to 1800

'and was converted from a derelict shell,

'making use of many reclaimed materials.

'The ground floor is laid out in a rectangle, with an octagonal

'room at the back and a tower at the front, which is where we are

'entering the building and heading straight for the kitchen-diner.'

-It looks a labour of love, doesn't it?

-I like it.

It is very nice, very unusual.

There's some scope to make more use of the space, I think.

And there is a utility room and larder and pantry through there.

-So more storage, all your white goods.

-That's very handy.

Remember, of course, obviously the original church didn't have

any interior walls, so you could of course move things around.

-Let's head towards the altar.

-OK.

'Moving on from the kitchen of this beautiful church, there is

'a small bedroom-cum-study and a shower room on the opposite

'side of the house and we are entering the open-plan living area,

'which takes up the rest of the ground floor.'

-I love this room.

-Oh, wow.

-Oh!

This is the centrepiece of the house, you can guess.

-It is absolutely stunning.

-So this would have been the altar.

When you sit in a church, the windows are high,

so you can't see out of them, so the problem with that, of course,

if you're living here, you don't get any views. So they stepped it up.

You can look out of these beautiful vaulted windows.

Making the most of the view. Wow, it's just really impressive.

-Absolutely stunning.

-So what is the vibe you get?

-It's really positive.

-Yes, very much so.

-It's just so different.

But homely as well.

-So the decision you have to make is how to make it work as a B&B.

-Yes.

'This beautiful conversion gives Jacqueline

'and Martin the freedom to decide how they want to divide it as a B&B.

'The first floor is smaller than the ground, as it's square.

'There is a family bathroom with a feature window

'and a further three bedrooms - one single,

'and an en-suite double.

'And at the front of the house is the master bedroom.'

-It's lovely. Beautiful.

-Big and spacious.

-It is, yeah.

Window, fabulous.

-South-facing window and it has an en-suite which is in the tower.

-Oh.

-Lovely feel.

-It's wonderfully done.

So is this a bit more what you are looking for in terms of a B&B room?

-Yes, very much so.

-Yes, in terms of the standard.

'I think it would be hard not to be wowed by this property

'and I'm sure it would hold great appeal for guests.

'Outside, the landscaped gardens are a striking contrast to the

'imposing red sandstone of the church.'

What do you think?

-Very nice layout, it's very tasteful.

-It's beautifully kept.

-Beautifully kept.

-Very, very private.

-You do have wonderful countryside all around.

-And it's very quiet.

-No traffic.

-No.

There's also this very big garage space here, which is huge

and it could easily be turned into a workroom for you, or even converted.

-OK.

-So, a good vibe?

-It's lovely.

-A very good vibe.

I'm just a bit lost for words.

Can I drag a few more words about the price out of you?

-I'm going to go for 495, Alistair.

-A little bit below at 485.

Well, it is actually right at the top of your budget,

RIGHT at the top of your budget, it is

five pounds short of half a million, it's at 499,995.

-OK.

-So there's obviously space for a bit of negotiation.

I think that sounds reasonable.

-For a B&B, there's plenty to market, isn't there?

-It's so unique.

Definitely. Why don't you have a look around, have a look upstairs

-and check out those bedrooms, see if it's going to work?

-OK.

Churches are always so risky, but I think this is a beautiful conversion

and it seems to have cast a spell, if churches are allowed to do that.

This listed converted church is only five pounds under Jacqueline

and Martin's budget, but there's always room for negotiation and it

would make a great marketing tool to attract guests if it became a B&B.

It has just enough bedrooms for them and guests

and a garage that would be the perfect space

for Jacqueline's sewing room.

And the gardens may not be extensive,

but they are striking and easy to look after.

-Oh, wow.

-That's an interesting space.

-It's very, very big.

-It is.

-Could convert it into a sewing room.

-I know that's what you're after.

It's a really good size.

When I first saw the house,

I was quite taken aback at how beautiful it is.

The garden is immaculate.

Certainly, when we walked into the driveway,

I was quite lost for words, really. It is just unique.

It has been very, very tastefully renovated, and the exterior,

even though the gardens are not very large, it is lovely, very nice.

It is very different to everything we've seen so far.

I think it would make a great bed and breakfast, very unusual inside.

It's been converted really, really well

and I think it will attract a lot of people.

I just think it's such a unique opportunity to move outside

-the box, it's just unbelievable.

-OK, so that's the Mystery House done.

-All three properties seen.

-OK.

So let's go and find a place to have a cup of tea

and then we can pick your brains about how it's been for you.

-Sounds great.

-Plenty of food for thought.

'Jacqueline and Martin are attracted to Shropshire's gorgeous

'countryside, but the county is also proud of its industrial

'and cultural background.

'There are historical sites all over the region

'and over a century ago, it was known for its production of ceramics,

'due to its proximity to clay deposits.

'In 1872, the Craven Dunnill Jackfield works

'were founded in the Ironbridge Gorge, a World Heritage Site

'and home to the world's first arched iron bridge.

'The factory produced ceramic wall and floor tiles,

'which are still made here today.

'The site is the oldest surviving purpose-built tile factory

'in the world and it is now also a museum.

'I've come to meet curator Matt Thompson to find out a bit

'more about its colourful history.'

I don't think I've ever been to a tile museum before.

There's not many of them around, to be fair.

But what you've got here is a preserved example

of a real model factory.

The classic phrase they used was "from dust to dispatch".

They made a lot of the tiles out of dust, they pressed them

under hydraulic pressure, brought them in at one end of the factory,

went through all the different processes

and finally get to the saleroom just here at this side.

Ceramics were always really important.

Way back into the 1600s,

they were making clay tobacco pipes

and ceramics really started to pick up

towards the back end of the 19th century.

-Would you like to have a look inside?

-Of course.

'The factory was built alongside the Severn Valley Railway,

'which was an ideal spot to transport raw materials in

'and ship the finished goods out.

'In its heyday at the turn of the 20th century,

'the factory was producing around 20 million tiles a year.

'The finely crafted ceramics would end up everywhere

'from humble terraced houses to the Houses of Parliament

'or a maharajah's palace.'

What we've got here is an example of just

some of the tiles that they produced at the factory here.

We like to think that there were...

some of the best-quality material was produced from this area.

I'm struck by the incredible kind of beauty of the patterns.

What we've got here are encaustic floor tiles.

It's a very old method of production where the pattern isn't just

on the surface, the pattern is actually within the body of the tile

itself, so it's very hard-wearing, it's perfect for floors.

So floor tiles, but then there was also

that great explosion of wall tiles.

Yeah, certainly. Over there, the ones with the sort of

more highly finished, glazed surfaces,

they can't take the kind of punishment that you'd have for

floor tiles, but it does mean that they can be slightly more decorative

than perhaps these bold, simple designs that we've got here.

You're still producing tiles here?

We're really pleased that within the building that we've restored,

er, we've got the tile company that originally built this factory.

They've come back and continued to produce tiles

actually within the site itself.

'Currently there are 25 members of staff here

'working in tile production,

'and they produce around 1,000 tiles a day.

'Each one is handmade to order, and they're also sold worldwide.

'Jennifer Keller has been with the factory for 13 years,

'and is going to show me how it's done.'

This is the dust bit, is it?

Absolutely, this has been dust pressed

-on the original Victorian machines.

-Amazing.

And you can see here the pattern that's been put on,

which shows the back stamp where the tile was made.

So the smooth side, erm, when they've been fired,

is brought into this area and we're going to decorate it.

And these are the things that you actually sell from the factory?

Yeah, this is the kind of thing that we do within the Art Nouveau range.

How long would it take you to do this design?

-Me?

-You.

-Couple of minutes.

-Couple of minutes?

-Yeah, absolutely.

My gosh, that's really...

-We can do about 100 a day.

-Wow.

I'd probably be lucky if I could do one a day.

'After the tile is made, an image is transferred onto it using charcoal.'

-It's like dot to dot.

-It is like a little dot to dot design,

and then the idea is that

we're going to follow those lines with the clay slip.

'The slip is liquid clay, which provides an outer wall

'for the design to stop colours running together.'

The idea is that you don't touch the tile, keep it lifted up in the air,

guide with one hand, squeeze with the other hand.

'It's not the easiest thing I've ever witnessed,

'but I'm a willing apprentice and I'm going to give it a go.'

I've got to join up?

Absolutely, try not to leave any gaps, and squeeze much harder.

-Harder, my gosh.

-That's it, no, you're fine, you're fine.

-That's not bad. That's great.

-You sound so surprised, Jennifer.

Normally you'd practise for about six months before you did them

commercially, so you'd have a bit of time to get...

-As opposed to six seconds!

-..to get on top of it.

No, that's pretty good.

How long...? It would take me weeks to do this.

-I'm going to let you finish it off.

-OK, that's fine.

-You did really well.

-Thank you very much.

The speed is incredible at which you do this.

'Once the outline of the design has dried, the colours are applied.

'They look very different to the finished product.

'The liquid glaze is made from powdered glass mixed with

'metal oxides which give the colour, which are suspended in water.

'Copper oxide will turn green,

'and red iron oxide, or yellow ochre oxide, yellow.'

-So the colours are put into the different areas.

-It's so drab.

It is very different before and after it's fired in the kiln.

So, er, there's just these small sections here left to do.

So this is, presumably, it glazes,

it turns into those beautiful kind of translucent...

Absolutely, these sections here are all yellow,

and these are actually a lovely green.

-Basically it's dot to dot and colouring in.

-Yep.

'When the design is complete, the tile is fired in the kiln

'for two days at a temperature of 1,040 degrees.

'This melts the powdered glass and creates a chemical reaction with

'the metals in the dyes,

'and the dull hues transform into vibrant shades.'

Oh, look how much prettier they look!

These are some of the Art Nouveau designs,

and as you can see this one here is very similar...

-It's like magic.

-Absolutely, all the colours are exactly the same.

And this one here, as you can see, is going to become that one there.

It is like alchemy, isn't it?

Something that looks a little like a school child's drawing

comes out looking very professional.

Absolutely, the kiln does marvellous things.

Mm-hm, I'm not sure mine will look quite so beautiful.

Well, I'm sure you'll be pleased with it when you get it.

Thank you so much! It's amazing, it's a real pleasure,

and I'm sure I'll be spotting tiles everywhere I look

-for the next few days.

-Oh, I hope so.

Because converted churches are always a bit of a dark horse,

my money was actually on the first house.

But I think I may have been proved wrong. Let's go and find out.

Let's cut to the chase.

I want to know which of the houses is a contender.

Well, every house was such a contrast.

I think the last one is the most impressionable. For me, anyway.

Yes, it was the Mystery House. Definitely.

Ah. What was it that finally swayed you on that?

I was overwhelmed by, obviously, such the uniqueness of it,

and I just feel what a unique opportunity to live in such a...

you know, stunning environment, really.

I think from our project of a B&B, which is obviously what started this

whole process, I think it has a USP,

the unique selling point, of a church.

I think it would be a very attractive marketing thing, that would.

I think it'll be great for a bed and breakfast.

That's music to our ears.

Have you found the whole experience has sort of geed you up?

-Definitely.

-Very much so.

I mean, I'm fired up now to start planning

what I would do, potentially, if we did put a bid in for that property,

what rooms we could do and what we could utilise the space for.

So it's given me a feeling like I'm excited that way to start a project.

Well, I really hope that Shropshire provides pastures fresh for you.

I hope so as well.

And great if it was the Mystery House, but do keep us in the loop.

We will. We really enjoyed it. It's been a really good experience.

-Likewise.

-Yes.

-Good luck.

-OK, thank you very much.

-Thank you.

If they go and explore the countryside around

the Mystery House, Martin and Jacqueline will discover that it's

not a million miles away from the stunning Ironbridge Gorge, which is

a complete magnet for B&B guests, and even if they don't

go for our property, I think we've given them the Shropshire bug.

So join us next time on Escape To The Country for more

beautiful British countryside.

Jacqueline and Martin have indeed decided that this area of

Shropshire is where they want to make their move,

but they've put their house hunt on hold

until they've sold their Lancashire home.

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