North Yorkshire Escape to the Country


North Yorkshire

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This grand 18th-century country house is believed to be

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the largest privately owned home in the UK,

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bigger than Buckingham and even Blenheim Palace.

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But whereabouts in the country is it?

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Find out in just a moment.

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On today's house hunt, I'm helping some university sweethearts,

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recently reunited, looking to buy their first home together.

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Our search brings out some differing opinions.

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Well, the first house, done in a very much old style out of oak.

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This is more contemporary, isn't it?

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-Yes, I like it better.

-Do you?

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Ah, I like the oak!

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Oh, do you?

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And some rather unusual offerings.

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A cross between a medieval castle and the Arabian Nights, isn't it?

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Yes. It kind of is, isn't it?

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Today, I'm in Yorkshire and this is the colossal Grade I-listed

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Wentworth Woodhouse, whose buildings alone cover around three acres.

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Now, it was built in the early 18th century under the instruction

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of Thomas Watson Wentworth, the Marquis of Rockingham.

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Now, these six columns here form the centrepiece of the impressive

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facade, which when spanning over 600 feet, is thought to be

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the longest facade of any privately owned home in all of Europe.

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Since 1999, it's been in the hands of the Newbold family,

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who are in the process of restoring this beautiful building

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to its former glory, a mammoth and expensive task that I'll be

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finding out more about later on in the show.

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The Yorkshire region is made up of four counties, including

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North Yorkshire, where today's search is based.

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Around 40% of the county is covered by national park, including

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the North York Moors, home to 44,000 acres of stunning moorland

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and the greatest concentration of ancient trees in northern England.

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The national park also extends east to where the Cleveland Hills

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meet the sea and the area has been designated as a Heritage Coast.

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At over 200 meters above sea level, the Jurassic Era cliffs at

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Boulby are the highest on the entire east coast.

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Further south and roughly equidistant between London

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and Edinburgh, well-heeled Harrogate has been popular as a spa

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town since the 16th century.

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The first mineral waters were discovered here in 1571

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by William Slingsby at Tewit Well.

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In 1842, the Pump Room was opened to shelter the town's wealthy

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visitors as they took the waters.

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At the height of their popularity, they were attracting over

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15,000 people a year.

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Today, the world-famous Betty's Tearooms continues to bring

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tourists to the area, while agriculture and hill farming

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are also mainstays of the region's economy.

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Despite its stunning countryside,

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the average price of a detached house in North Yorkshire is

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only £1,000 above the national figure at £269,000.

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However, the area between Harrogate, Leeds

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and York often referred to as the Golden Triangle, can attract a

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hefty premium, basically reflecting the fact that buyers get a slice of

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country life yet still good access back into the towns and cities.

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So what's attracting today's buyer to this beautiful part of the world?

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Well, let's meet them and find out.

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Today's house hunters are long-distance partners Kevin,

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a pharmaceutical engineer, and Amanda, a GP

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They've been together for five years,

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but have known each other for over 40.

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We were at university together in the early '70s

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and we did date then, didn't we?

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-We did.

-We drifted apart.

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We kept in touch over the years because we are both from up north.

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-I was at his first wedding, his 40th birthday party.

-You were.

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But it wasn't until years later, whilst Kevin was living and

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working abroad, that they rekindled their relationship after the

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death of a mutual friend prompted them to get back in touch.

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He was saying, "Well, I wouldn't be able to come to the funeral

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"living out in Holland.

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"Would I like to go out for a weekend?"

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So I did and the rest is history!

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Or will be when we get married very shortly.

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Kevin now lives in Farnborough, Hampshire, and fiancee Amanda

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in Leeds, West Yorkshire.

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With over 200 miles between them and both busy with jobs they

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love, quality time together has been a rare thing.

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Up to now, we've only been together at weekends and on holidays.

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Amanda didn't want to leave her patients which she's

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known for over 20 years, some of them,

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and I'm in my employment more or less tied to Heathrow and

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Gatwick, so I had to be really based down here to have the air links.

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The problem with the long-distance

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relationships really is the travelling

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because even on a good day, it can take four hours.

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So we're finally, both of us are just about retirement age,

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so we're going to both retire in the summer and then get married

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and then we can finally be together.

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Both Yorkshire born and bred, they've decided God's Country

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is the perfect place to finally set up home.

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North Yorkshire, really. I mean, it's wild and wonderful.

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Some say you may have to be born there to enjoy it,

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but I just love it, the stone walls, the open spaces, the moors,

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everything like that.

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I've always known that

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when I've retired I'm going to go back to my roots anyway,

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so that was the game plan, and the fact that Amanda was in the game!

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-Came along.

-Came along.

-Conveniently.

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Just strengthened the game plan, really.

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With that plan now including a wedding and a new house

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purchase, there's a big year ahead.

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Not to mention the fact they've never lived together before.

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But the happy couple aren't phased.

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I think we know each other well

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-enough to know that there will be difficulties.

-No.

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-And we may get on each other's nerves.

-No!

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But...

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Yeah, and we do marvel sometimes at how long we've been together

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-and not really ever had a...

-A barney.

-A major row.

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Not a major one.

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-Obviously, we have a little tiff.

-No, we don't!

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Very funny!

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Retirement will not only mean more time to spend together, but

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for Kevin, more time to pursue other interests.

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I've been playing with cars for as long as I can remember, really.

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He has promised to rebuild me a Mini at some point.

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I rather foolishly promised that. Minis are Amanda size.

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She's always loved them.

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These two might have more life experience under their belt than the

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average newly weds, but this series of firsts is no less exciting.

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It's going to be a huge change, really, in that I'll no longer

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be working, I'll be married for the first time, we'll be together

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instead of having to just spend weekends with each other.

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It's going to be a really exciting time.

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I'm just looking forward to living with Amanda. That's it.

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There's nothing more.

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Our buyers are looking for a rural

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spot in North Yorkshire with

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good access to the open spaces

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of the Dales, the North York Moors

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and the coast.

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But with Kevin's family in Bradford,

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his children down south and

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Amanda's friends in Leeds,

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they want to be on the A1 corridor for access to the M1.

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I'm catching up with them to see what's on their property wish list.

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Well, you've picked a beautiful county, haven't you? Welcome back.

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Thank you.

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You're already living in Yorkshire.

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You're travelling massive distances up here.

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Well, we share it. We do it alternate.

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You're both on the cusp of retirement. How far away?

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Nine working days for me. Not that I'm counting.

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How about you?

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About 20 days.

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So let's try and find you a home where you can start your new

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lives here in Yorkshire together.

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What does this house look like in your mind's eye then?

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Built of Yorkshire stone.

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Built of Yorkshire stone, OK.

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-At least three bedrooms.

-Right.

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We want a big double study.

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Now, that could be a converted bedroom.

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That's so we don't get on each other's nerves.

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Is it? What else?

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-A nice...

-Big kitchen.

-Big kitchen.

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He took the words out of my mouth.

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-Who's...?

-We're both cooks, yeah. We both like to cook.

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Outside?

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Yeah, reasonably-sized garden.

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Enough so that we can grown our own veg.

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Is it character you're focused on or can we show you something modern?

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-I'd rather it had character.

-I agree.

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How rural can you go? How can I push you there?

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-I think...

-I wouldn't want to be too remote.

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I think I'm more relaxed about being remote than Amanda is.

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-Difference of opinion straight away.

-That's right, yeah.

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Let's talk budget. Remind me of what we're looking up to.

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Up to £650,000.

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That's a good amount of money, but I'm confident we can get you

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something you can get both excited about.

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-I'm sure you will.

-Are you ready to go?

-Absolutely.

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-This way.

-Let's go.

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Kevin and Amanda have a healthy budget of £650,000

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and are hoping for a character property ideally built of Yorkshire

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stone with a large kitchen, at least three bedrooms, meaning

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friends and relatives can come to stay, and at least one study area.

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They'd also like a large garden

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with space to grow some veg.

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With the three properties we've got

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lined up, I'm feeling hopeful we'll find our couple what they're after.

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Three very different propositions, but the one thing they all

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have in common is character.

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I'll be asking Kevin and Amanda to guess the price of each

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property at the end of the tour.

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The last will be the mystery house, which is designed to challenge

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their wish list.

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I've got a feeling they won't have seen

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anything quite like this one before.

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Buy a house, retire, move in with

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each other for the first time, get married.

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You're doing so much in one short space of time.

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It's a recipe for disaster, really, isn't it?

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It's all of the high-stress things, you know - retiring,

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changing house, getting married.

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-All at once. Do it all, get rid of it.

-I mean, slow it down!

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Our search begins south of

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the North York Moors, six miles from

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the medieval city of York

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in Shipton by Beningborough.

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Traditionally a farming village, Shipton is in a popular position for

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buyers, half an hour from the North York Moors, but with city access.

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The locality includes a lively village pub, a shop and

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active community centre with sporting facilities, so

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plenty for retirees Kevin and Amanda to get involved with.

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Just over a mile from the village centre on a country lane is

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our first property, set around its own private courtyard.

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So house number one.

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Always a bit of a litmus test to your reactions, so here we are!

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-Wow.

-Big.

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-Big is good, though, isn't it?

-It's excellent.

-Big is excellent.

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It's not Yorkshire stone, but it does look attractive.

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It looks like a converted animal stable or something like that.

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Spot on. Obviously you've got a car port there

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and, for the man that wants to start whittling away with his tools

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and building cars and what have you, a double garage there with power.

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I had already spotted that!

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-Excellent, yeah.

-Good news?

-Excellent.

-Sounds good to me.

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Let's go inside.

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It may not be made of Yorkshire stone, but this four-bed barn

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conversion does have heaps of internal character.

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Right then, this is where we get to find out if you guys like open plan.

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I love the big windows.

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I'm not so sure about the open plan all the way through.

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It's a huge space, though.

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Well, let's focus on the individual rooms first, then. Now, kitchen.

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Lovely. My thing.

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-You're not so sure?

-No, that works, that works.

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If you don't like the idea of having all your living space in one

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room, there is an option and I will show you that now. Follow me.

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The living space could be partitioned off to create

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separate areas, but I think it would be a shame to break up such a

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fabulous space.

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From the kitchen then, there's a corridor leading to a utility

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room, downstairs cloakroom, a good-sized guest bedroom with

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en-suite as well as another reception room.

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Now then, you tell me if you could have this as a snug?

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-Or a dining room.

-You could.

-It's lovely.

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If you did want a separate room, this is it.

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Equally, this could be an office.

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Yes. I would normally say it could be an office.

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You got two other offices to choose from here,

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you got a ground floor office the other end of the building.

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Let's walk back through and go upstairs to the bedrooms.

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OK.

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Back past the living room, beside the dining area is a

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magnificent oak carved staircase leading to the other three

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bedrooms on the first floor.

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Now, I just want to pop in here briefly

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because there's a fantastic bit of detail to this house.

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-Look at this!

-Ho, ho, ho!

-Oh!

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Children that used to live on the farm

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here during the Second World War used to come up here and play.

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-Right.

-And so this is a wall they drew on and you can see how the war

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has influenced them here, as you can see.

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Amazing. Yes, yes.

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And Charlie Chaplin.

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Amazing, it is, yeah.

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Would you keep it?

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I think I would, actually. I think I would.

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I think the great thing about this is there's three bedrooms up

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here, so this would always only ever be a guest suite,

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so it's kind of a nice, it's a nice feature for your guests to enjoy.

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Yes, a feature, yeah.

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And you said you wanted character, lots of character.

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That's certainly character.

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The two guest bedrooms, both good-sized doubles, share a

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fantastic Victorian-styled family bathroom, complete with roll-topped

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bath and attractive exposed brickwork.

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Right then, the master suite.

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It looks a little bit small at first glance.

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And the first thing you notice is there's no wardrobes.

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That's because, walk-in wardrobe area over there.

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-Fantastic.

-Very nice, yeah.

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-That's something I've always dreamed of.

-Now, you get an en-suite there.

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Just have a quick peek at that actually.

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So what do you think? You said you wanted character, Amanda.

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Are you getting character in this property?

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-Yes and no. Yes and no.

-Right, what's the yes?

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The yes is there are beams,

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there's those beautiful big windows downstairs.

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The no?

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But the no is it does still feel a bit kind of

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modern conversion looking.

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Does it? You want genuine old character, is that what it is?

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I think I do. I certainly do.

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Let's go outside and have a look at the outside space,

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but also start thinking about the price.

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How much is this house on the market for? All right.

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Outside, the property sits on a plot of just under half an acre.

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There's a large patio area with doors leading off from the

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living space and a generous lawned garden.

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-Now, you don't see a veggie patch here, do you?

-We don't.

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But you could have one. South is thataway.

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So I'm thinking maybe vegetable plot there.

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It seems such a shame to dig up this lovely lawn.

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If you want to eat veg, you've got to break some ground.

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-No pain, no gain.

-You got it.

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Now, there's some other land beyond that post and rail fence,

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that driveway.

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I spoke to the farmer and he said he would consider selling it off,

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the paddock, if you couldn't bear to see marrows being

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grown on your lovely bowling green.

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There is an opportunity to maybe have a veggie patch somewhere else.

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OK.

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

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I would say about £625,000.

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I don't think it's going to be that much.

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Maybe £580,000, £590,000, something like that.

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All right. This place...

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is on the market for offers around

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£550,000.

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-Ooh!

-Wow!

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Walking round the place, you've not been overjoyed by this house.

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I think the main thing's the open plan.

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And the fact that it doesn't have

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the character that I would want.

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Well, I tell you what, go back into the house,

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look at the other rooms you haven't seen,

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look at the garages and stuff like that

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-and I'll meet you out the front whenever you've finished.

-OK.

-OK.

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Coming in well under budget, this recent barn conversion

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wasn't an instant hit with Kevin

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and Amanda, but considering they can

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make a saving of around £100,000,

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it's definitely food for thought.

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It's not made of Yorkshire stone,

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but the inside has a wealth

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of character features, with four

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bedrooms, a large kitchen

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area and a separate study.

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The garden is extensive and has the

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potential to create the

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veggie patch they want, plus car-nut

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Kevin would have a double

0:16:060:16:07

garage for all his tools.

0:16:070:16:09

Ah-ha! This is what we want.

0:16:090:16:13

Yes, this is what you'd like, isn't it?

0:16:130:16:16

Yeah. Work bench, Mini, perfect.

0:16:160:16:20

-All your tools.

-I can do that.

0:16:200:16:22

It's a very interesting house.

0:16:220:16:24

The negative is the large open-plan area.

0:16:240:16:29

Having said that, the rest of it is done in a very nice standard.

0:16:290:16:33

I had originally thought that I would quite like a barn conversion.

0:16:330:16:36

I think I'm looking for something a lot more traditional.

0:16:360:16:39

Very nice house for someone else, but not for me.

0:16:390:16:42

So all done inside?

0:16:430:16:44

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Had a good look around everywhere?

0:16:440:16:47

-We have.

-Did you fall in love with the garage?

0:16:470:16:49

-The garage was fantastic. Perfect.

-I knew you'd like that.

0:16:490:16:51

-OK, that's one down. Two more to go.

-OK.

0:16:510:16:54

The great oak trees that dominate the woodlands of the UK have

0:17:010:17:04

become a national symbol for strength and endurance.

0:17:040:17:07

Whilst Yorkshire's majestic oaks stand mighty on the local

0:17:070:17:10

landscapes, they also hold great cultural significance,

0:17:100:17:13

particularly in the village of Kilburn.

0:17:130:17:16

It was here on the edge of the North York Moors that Robert Thompson

0:17:160:17:20

began his career as a furniture maker in the early 20th century.

0:17:200:17:24

Thompson's skills with oak earned him a notable reputation,

0:17:240:17:27

whilst his signature carved mouse earned him the moniker, Mouseman.

0:17:270:17:32

We sent Amanda and keen hobbyist Kevin to meet Thompson's

0:17:320:17:35

great-great-grandson, Simon Cartwright Thompson at the Mouseman

0:17:350:17:39

Visitor Centre to learn more about one of Yorkshire's famous sons.

0:17:390:17:43

-Look at this!

-Wow!

-Wow!

0:17:440:17:46

Good morning, well, this is where Robert Thompson's story begins.

0:17:460:17:50

Do you have any Mouseman items yourself?

0:17:500:17:53

I've got some, just two little mice.

0:17:530:17:55

Yeah, well, those very earlier

0:17:550:17:57

pieces are sort of quite highly collectible.

0:17:570:18:00

There's a story behind the mouse, as well, that's quite nice.

0:18:000:18:03

Robert had a commission to repair a church roof.

0:18:030:18:06

He was chatting amongst his apprentices.

0:18:060:18:09

His apprentices were saying to him, "We're as poor as church mice."

0:18:090:18:12

And while they were having their lunch,

0:18:120:18:14

he decided to carve a mouse on one of the church beams.

0:18:140:18:16

Oh, fantastic!

0:18:160:18:17

And, I think that sort of set the seed for using it as a trademark.

0:18:170:18:21

The furniture designed and made by Mouseman was born out of the

0:18:210:18:25

Arts and Crafts movement that began in 1880

0:18:250:18:28

and continued to have influence into the 1930s.

0:18:280:18:31

Today, antique Mouseman pieces are highly collectible.

0:18:310:18:35

OK, so we're into our workshop

0:18:350:18:37

and here we can see two chairs that we're working on at the moment.

0:18:370:18:41

This one is practically finished

0:18:410:18:43

and this one we're about to start refurbing it.

0:18:430:18:46

They're pretty similar. Are they the same age?

0:18:460:18:48

This one here is from the '30s and this one we believe

0:18:480:18:52

is from the '60s, but you can see on this mouse here, it's very narrow on

0:18:520:19:00

the neck, whereas on the '60s chair they went to a slightly wider neck.

0:19:000:19:05

We were finding the ears were getting knocked off,

0:19:050:19:08

so it was an advantage to have them slightly chubbier.

0:19:080:19:11

So how would you go about restoring this chair?

0:19:110:19:14

First off, I would chemically strip it,

0:19:140:19:16

then I would neutralise it with methylated spirits.

0:19:160:19:19

It's actually the joints are loose on this,

0:19:190:19:21

so it'd go into the workshop, we'd knock it to bits

0:19:210:19:23

and then we'd re-pin it with new dowels and modern glue.

0:19:230:19:27

Upstairs, we've got guys making new pieces of furniture.

0:19:270:19:32

So, I mean, would you like to go and have a look at those?

0:19:320:19:34

-Yes, please.

-Absolutely.

0:19:340:19:35

-OK, well, follow me then and we'll go upstairs.

-Thank you.

0:19:350:19:38

The Mouseman philosophy today is still devoted to handcrafting

0:19:400:19:43

simple, solid and functional oak pieces for the home following

0:19:430:19:47

the Arts and Crafts ethos that places value on high-grade,

0:19:470:19:49

handmade design, rather than poorer quality mass production.

0:19:490:19:54

Well, I'm working on a cheese board here.

0:19:540:19:56

I've just adzed it

0:19:560:19:58

and you can see the undulations in the top.

0:19:580:20:01

If you just run your hand over that, you can actually feel it.

0:20:010:20:03

And then once we've adzed the top,

0:20:030:20:05

we'll use a cabinet scraper, which is this item here.

0:20:050:20:09

And what we do, we go with the grain and we take out any steps

0:20:090:20:16

and tears that may be in the timber.

0:20:160:20:18

-Would you like to have a go?

-Thank you.

0:20:180:20:20

-That's it.

-So can I just ask you

0:20:230:20:25

about the mouse itself?

0:20:250:20:26

Is it carved separately and then added afterwards?

0:20:260:20:29

You can see a cheese board that I haven't started here.

0:20:290:20:32

There's the bit left on for the mouse.

0:20:320:20:34

So that's where the mouse will get carved.

0:20:340:20:36

OK, is that anything like?

0:20:360:20:38

-Yeah, I think you'd make a good apprentice.

-Thank you!

0:20:380:20:41

So, after we've scraped it, we're going to sand,

0:20:410:20:45

put sand paper on and, again, we're going to rub with the grain.

0:20:450:20:48

With the board almost complete, the edges are softened with a

0:20:500:20:53

bevel edge chisel before smoothing with a spokeshave

0:20:530:20:56

to prevent splinters and then given a final sand.

0:20:560:21:00

So with the possibility of a new hobby on the horizon for

0:21:000:21:02

Kevin, it looks like he'll be needing that workshop even more.

0:21:020:21:06

Our second property takes us 30

0:21:110:21:12

miles north towards the Yorkshire

0:21:120:21:14

Dales and the village of

0:21:140:21:16

Well, conveniently positioned

0:21:160:21:17

10 minutes from the A1.

0:21:170:21:19

The village takes its name from St Michael's Well, one of the

0:21:190:21:22

many springs feeding the river beck which runs through it.

0:21:220:21:26

This ancient settlement has several historic buildings including the

0:21:260:21:30

14th-century church and a row of alms houses and chapel dating

0:21:300:21:34

back to 1758.

0:21:340:21:36

Our second property is on the edge of the village, down the road

0:21:360:21:39

from the church behind a low stone wall.

0:21:390:21:42

Now then, here we come to another conversion.

0:21:430:21:47

What do we think? First impressions.

0:21:480:21:50

I know what you're going to say. Go on.

0:21:500:21:53

-Yorkshire stone.

-Yes!

-Wonderful.

0:21:530:21:55

-Yorkshire stone.

-We got it.

-It's fantastic.

0:21:550:21:57

It's absolutely wonderful.

0:21:570:21:58

Well, it's a converted schoolhouse, OK, and it's been done fairly

0:21:580:22:03

recently but it's, again, very different in layout.

0:22:030:22:06

-So let's see what you make of the inside.

-OK.

-OK.

0:22:060:22:09

Built in the 18th century, this former school was closed in the

0:22:110:22:15

1950s and has been sympathetically and skilfully converted into

0:22:150:22:18

a two-storey house.

0:22:180:22:20

-Wow!

-Look at this!

0:22:210:22:23

-Like it?

-Yes.

-Yes.

0:22:250:22:27

I'm going to allay any fears you may have.

0:22:270:22:29

You have a separate living room.

0:22:290:22:30

-Right.

-So this is just for your cooking and dining.

0:22:300:22:34

Which is a much nicer arrangement to me.

0:22:340:22:37

Well, the first house was done in a very much traditional old

0:22:370:22:39

style out of oak.

0:22:390:22:41

This, more contemporary, isn't it? What do you think?

0:22:410:22:43

-It is, yes. I like it better.

-Do you?

0:22:430:22:45

-Ah, I like the oak!

-Oh, do you?

0:22:450:22:47

Well, you're going to have different tastes, aren't you?

0:22:470:22:49

-Of course you are, yeah.

-You can just see the doorway

0:22:490:22:52

going out there to the garden.

0:22:520:22:53

-There's planning consent there for a conservatory.

-Ah-ha.

0:22:530:22:56

Which would make a great dining area and would also,

0:22:560:22:59

I mean, you've got another separate room off the kitchen.

0:22:590:23:01

First impressions, kitchen versus kitchen,

0:23:010:23:04

first house versus second house.

0:23:040:23:06

I love this one.

0:23:060:23:08

Yes, oh, definitely second house so far.

0:23:080:23:11

Good. OK.

0:23:110:23:12

-Let me squeeze past you here and I'll show you the living room.

-OK.

0:23:120:23:15

Very different again in here.

0:23:170:23:19

-Oh, yes!

-Very nice.

0:23:190:23:22

Now you know you've got separate living areas

0:23:220:23:24

with other bits going off it.

0:23:240:23:25

Is this more what you had in mind or...?

0:23:250:23:27

By a long way. A long, long way. It's lovely.

0:23:270:23:31

-It's more cosy, isn't it?

-Yeah.

0:23:310:23:32

I find that I love having a real fire.

0:23:320:23:35

And then you've got a spare bedroom.

0:23:350:23:37

-Right.

-Uh-huh.

0:23:370:23:39

En-suite. And you've got a downstairs office as well.

0:23:390:23:42

Oh, wonderful.

0:23:420:23:43

On that note, we should keep positive,

0:23:430:23:45

onward and upward to the bedrooms. Follow me.

0:23:450:23:47

I'm really pleased Kevin and Amanda seem to appreciate this

0:23:490:23:52

building's original character and despite the renovation, it

0:23:520:23:55

doesn't feel too modern for them.

0:23:550:23:57

In the sitting room, there's an open staircase leading to the

0:23:570:24:00

upstairs landing where there are three further bedrooms.

0:24:000:24:03

Let's start with the master.

0:24:030:24:05

You've got a cracking en-suite, separate bath and shower there.

0:24:050:24:08

-Oh, yes.

-Wonderful, yeah.

0:24:080:24:09

Now, I know you like a bit of storage space.

0:24:090:24:11

You've got plenty here, haven't you?

0:24:110:24:13

-Oh, you certainly have.

-You have. And it's got height.

0:24:130:24:17

You got three double bedrooms on this level.

0:24:170:24:20

The bedroom at the far end, that's en-suite as well.

0:24:200:24:24

So the middle bedroom has its own bathroom, essentially.

0:24:240:24:27

-Wow!

-Very good.

0:24:270:24:29

There's nothing to do here at the moment.

0:24:290:24:31

It's a canvas. You can put our stamp on it and, yeah,

0:24:310:24:34

I like to have a major works, so, yeah.

0:24:340:24:36

Well, I tell you what, let's go outside then.

0:24:360:24:38

Let's have a look at some of the projects you can get involved in

0:24:380:24:41

because, thankfully, it just means that this house stays the same.

0:24:410:24:44

-I think you know where I'm going with that.

-Absolutely, yeah.

0:24:440:24:47

And outside is where he can get his hands dirty. Follow me.

0:24:470:24:50

The exterior of the property really is a blank canvas too.

0:24:510:24:55

there's a large flat lawned garden, a paved patio for entertaining

0:24:550:24:59

and a decked area enjoying views of the surrounding open fields.

0:24:590:25:02

For Kevin and his cars, there's a large garage opening to a

0:25:040:25:07

covered barn and, of course, the all-important veggie patch.

0:25:070:25:12

OK, so let's look back at the house

0:25:120:25:13

and see what you might be able to do to it.

0:25:130:25:16

Project-wise, conservatory going,

0:25:160:25:18

well, from one gable end to the other.

0:25:180:25:20

-It's just asking for it, really.

-Made for it, isn't it?

0:25:210:25:24

Wants it, yeah, definitely.

0:25:240:25:25

And you'd have this stone wall on the inside which

0:25:250:25:28

I always think looks fabulous.

0:25:280:25:30

It would do. It'd look really good, love, it would.

0:25:300:25:32

So you tell me, how much do you

0:25:320:25:34

think this place is on the market for?

0:25:340:25:36

Very difficult. I really don't know.

0:25:360:25:39

-£600,000?

-Oh, right.

0:25:390:25:41

I was going to say about the same but I'll stick my neck out

0:25:410:25:45

and say £590,000.

0:25:450:25:48

Oh, you went the wrong way.

0:25:480:25:50

This place is on the market

0:25:500:25:51

for offers around £625,000.

0:25:510:25:53

-Right.

-OK.

0:25:530:25:54

-But it's got all the ingredients, hasn't it?

-It has.

0:25:540:25:56

-It has got all the ingredients.

-Well, it's spitting with rain,

0:25:560:25:59

so now is a good time to go back indoors.

0:25:590:26:01

Have a look at the other bedrooms, take your time and I'll see you

0:26:010:26:03

-whenever you're finished.

-OK.

-OK.

0:26:030:26:05

-See you in a bit.

-Thank you.

-OK. What's in there?

0:26:050:26:07

Have a look!

0:26:070:26:09

See. Now, they're coming from very different places.

0:26:100:26:13

They've never bought a house together

0:26:130:26:15

but the one thing they're agreeing on is everything that's

0:26:150:26:18

good about this place - the space and the style.

0:26:180:26:21

I'm really glad I brought them here.

0:26:210:26:23

At £25,000 under their top budget, this detached former school

0:26:230:26:27

building has the four bedrooms Kevin

0:26:270:26:29

and Amanda wanted as well as four

0:26:290:26:31

bathrooms and a modern kitchen, big

0:26:310:26:33

enough for them to cook together.

0:26:330:26:35

With a study, a number of separate

0:26:350:26:36

reception rooms and the

0:26:360:26:38

option of an extension, it could

0:26:380:26:39

make the perfect home to

0:26:390:26:41

start their married lives together.

0:26:410:26:43

Much more positive about this house than the last one.

0:26:430:26:47

It feels a lot more like a home, even though it's a

0:26:470:26:50

conversion, it still has a lot of character, both in and outside.

0:26:500:26:56

It's a lovely property. It's in a lovely area.

0:26:560:26:58

It's in the country.

0:26:580:27:00

It's got the veg plot, it's got the room to do the cars

0:27:000:27:05

and the general work bench.

0:27:050:27:06

You know, we love it.

0:27:060:27:08

I do have, yeah, a bit of a feeling about it, yeah.

0:27:080:27:12

-All done?

-Yeah.

0:27:150:27:17

Now, is this house a maybe?

0:27:170:27:20

-It's fantastic.

-It's, yes, very much a maybe.

0:27:200:27:22

That's all I want to hear. Let's go.

0:27:220:27:24

I'm on the property hunt with soon-to-be-married Kevin and Amanda.

0:27:330:27:37

With retirement looming, they're hoping their sizable budget of

0:27:370:27:40

£650,000 will get them a rural marital home to be proud of

0:27:400:27:45

in their homeland of North Yorkshire.

0:27:450:27:47

Still to come, my buyers feel at home in the mystery house.

0:27:470:27:51

Could you see yourself entertaining in this house?

0:27:510:27:54

-Yes.

-Oh, yes, Lord and Lady of the manor!

0:27:540:27:57

And I visit the widest property in Europe.

0:27:570:28:00

Oh!

0:28:000:28:02

Wow!

0:28:020:28:03

Well, I think we can be fairly confident that house number

0:28:050:28:07

two was the clear winner yesterday.

0:28:070:28:09

And today, another beautiful start to the day

0:28:090:28:11

and we're off to see the mystery house.

0:28:110:28:13

Now, Amanda reckons she likes the idea of character

0:28:130:28:16

and that often means your traditional period house.

0:28:160:28:20

But that can also be interpreted as quirky

0:28:200:28:22

and the mystery property is certainly that.

0:28:220:28:25

In fact, if they can get their heads around its rather unique location,

0:28:250:28:29

they could potentially be moving to a rather exclusive address.

0:28:290:28:33

We're concluding our property hunt further south and closer to

0:28:350:28:39

Amanda's current home in Leeds,

0:28:390:28:40

in the village of Beckwithshaw,

0:28:400:28:42

which is three miles outside the

0:28:420:28:44

sought-after spa town of Harrogate.

0:28:440:28:46

Originally a hamlet, the village grew when the nearby Moor

0:28:460:28:49

Park Estate was built in the 1800s.

0:28:490:28:52

Its cottages, farm and workshops meant the village was

0:28:520:28:55

developed to service the workings of the estate with additions of

0:28:550:28:57

a post office, chapel and school.

0:28:570:29:00

Our mystery property is on the Moor Park Estate, surrounded by

0:29:000:29:04

200 acres of farmland.

0:29:040:29:06

So, a pretty different kind of offering for our mystery house.

0:29:070:29:12

-Oh, my!

-It certainly is, isn't it?

0:29:120:29:14

-Very different.

-Very different.

0:29:140:29:16

Now, you've been pretty good at guessing their former uses.

0:29:160:29:19

Kevin, have a go at this.

0:29:190:29:21

Who knows?

0:29:210:29:23

Water tower?

0:29:240:29:25

THEY LAUGH

0:29:250:29:28

It's... Part of it was a dovecote.

0:29:280:29:31

-OK.

-And they've kept some of the original, well, some

0:29:310:29:35

of the original stonework that would have housed where the doves stayed.

0:29:350:29:38

Now, first of all, I think we have

0:29:380:29:40

to talk about where we are,

0:29:400:29:41

this estate.

0:29:410:29:42

Pretty different. What do you think?

0:29:420:29:44

It's quite different to anything I'd imagined.

0:29:440:29:48

I'm just intrigued.

0:29:480:29:49

I can't work it out, you know. It just seems very, very, very strange.

0:29:490:29:54

-Well, that makes it a true mystery house, doesn't it?

-It really is.

0:29:540:29:57

Yeah. You've certainly done the job.

0:29:570:29:58

-Let's look inside. Follow me.

-Sounds good to me.

0:29:580:30:01

Restored nearly 15 years ago, the estate, which was once owned

0:30:010:30:05

by a single family, now comprises 36 separate dwellings, including

0:30:050:30:09

the mansion house, which is divided into eight apartments and a

0:30:090:30:12

range of buildings originally built for the workers.

0:30:120:30:15

The Grade II-listed dovecot building is in the centre of the

0:30:150:30:18

estate, overlooking one of the main courtyards and its tiered fountains.

0:30:180:30:22

Now then, just want to briefly pause here

0:30:220:30:25

because I think it's worth doing so.

0:30:250:30:26

-It's quite impressive, isn't it?

-It is.

-It is.

0:30:260:30:28

This is the first room that your guests would come to.

0:30:280:30:31

Let's look at, well, where would you lead your guests?

0:30:310:30:34

Would you, let's say, come into the kitchen and have a drink

0:30:340:30:37

-or would you take them into the living room?

-Depends on the guest.

0:30:370:30:39

-What about me?

-The kitchen.

0:30:390:30:41

Come on then!

0:30:410:30:42

The vaulted ceilings and exposed stone wall create a feeling

0:30:440:30:48

of grandeur in this reception hall.

0:30:480:30:50

Inside, the property is part-furnished.

0:30:500:30:52

-Now then, this is not a dining kitchen.

-No.

0:30:540:30:57

So just for cooking sake, is this decent enough size for you?

0:30:570:31:01

It's workable. You've got lots of work surface and storage space.

0:31:010:31:05

But then, if this is just for cooking,

0:31:050:31:08

well, look at this for a dining room.

0:31:080:31:10

It's huge!

0:31:130:31:14

Pretty huge, pretty big. Wooden beams. Lovely.

0:31:140:31:16

Could you see yourself entertaining in this house?

0:31:160:31:19

-Yes.

-Oh, yes, Lord and Lady of the manor!

0:31:190:31:23

One thing this house surprised me with was its proportions.

0:31:230:31:27

It does. It does. Suddenly there's more of it than what you realise.

0:31:270:31:30

You've got the hall there, kitchen, dining room

0:31:300:31:33

and that flows quite nicely into the living room.

0:31:330:31:35

Let's go and have a look now.

0:31:350:31:36

Now then, another decent size room.

0:31:380:31:41

-Yes.

-Yes.

0:31:410:31:43

But empty. This house has been rented out.

0:31:430:31:47

You don't sound massively enamoured with this place, but let me show

0:31:490:31:52

you the bedrooms before you either write this off or fall in love.

0:31:520:31:56

-I think you could be the former. Come with me.

-OK.

0:31:560:32:00

Unfurnished rooms do require buyers to use a bit of imagination,

0:32:000:32:04

but after such a great reaction to house number two yesterday,

0:32:040:32:07

I'm not getting the same vibe from Kevin and Amanda here today.

0:32:070:32:12

So you tell me what you think of this room.

0:32:120:32:14

-Oh, my!

-Wow!

0:32:140:32:16

That's quite...

0:32:160:32:17

It's like a cross between a medieval castle

0:32:170:32:20

and the Arabian Nights, isn't it?

0:32:200:32:22

Yes, it kind of is, isn't it?

0:32:220:32:24

-But look at the view out of the window.

-That's fantastic.

0:32:240:32:26

In the morning, that is great.

0:32:260:32:28

You've got a separate bathroom and two other bedrooms on this floor

0:32:280:32:32

and upstairs you've got, well, another bedroom or I think it'd make

0:32:320:32:36

a fantastic office or study cos that's the dovecot part of it.

0:32:360:32:41

-The eagles eyrie.

-Yeah, quite, yeah.

0:32:410:32:44

You seem to have come alive a bit more up here.

0:32:440:32:47

Yeah, it's an exciting room.

0:32:470:32:49

Yes, it's like nothing you've ever kind of seen before, so.

0:32:490:32:51

It never really occurred to have stone in a bedroom,

0:32:510:32:54

but, yes, it really works.

0:32:540:32:55

But, being so different probably makes it quite difficult to value.

0:32:550:32:59

It does.

0:33:000:33:01

Let's go back outside to one of the gardens.

0:33:010:33:03

We'll go to the back garden, the more private one.

0:33:030:33:06

And then I'll ask you to guess the price.

0:33:060:33:08

-OK.

-OK.

0:33:080:33:09

Outside, the property benefits from two allocated parking spaces

0:33:100:33:14

and a garage.

0:33:140:33:16

It shares the extensive and well-kept communal gardens for

0:33:160:33:19

which there's a service charge of around £135 a month.

0:33:190:33:23

But it also has separate private gardens.

0:33:230:33:25

So, Amanda, is this garden private enough for you?

0:33:270:33:29

-Oh, yes.

-Yeah?

0:33:310:33:33

Yes, yes, that's nice.

0:33:330:33:35

It's not massive. It's clearly the smallest we've seen so far.

0:33:350:33:38

I mean, where would you have your veggie patch, do you think?

0:33:380:33:41

In that corner or over there.

0:33:410:33:44

But how do you price it?

0:33:440:33:46

Ooh...

0:33:460:33:47

£540,000?

0:33:470:33:50

-Amanda?

-I'm thinking that this would be more,

0:33:500:33:52

near the top of our budget,

0:33:520:33:54

so I would say £650,000.

0:33:540:33:56

This place is on the market

0:33:560:33:58

for offers around £649,999.

0:33:580:34:01

-Well done.

-Well done.

-There you go.

0:34:010:34:03

As you valued it at £540,000, Kevin,

0:34:030:34:06

that sometimes reflects someone's opinion on the place.

0:34:060:34:09

I think you may have a grain of truth in that analysis, yes.

0:34:090:34:13

Yes, you're right.

0:34:130:34:14

Well, the mystery property's always a gamble.

0:34:140:34:16

This one doesn't look like it's paid off,

0:34:160:34:18

although you must have a look at that dovecot room because it's

0:34:180:34:21

pretty cool and I'll meet you whenever you're finished, all right?

0:34:210:34:24

-OK.

-OK.

-Enjoy it.

-Thank you.

-See you in a bit.

0:34:240:34:26

Just short of their maximum budget, this unique house is in a

0:34:270:34:30

sought-after location and would

0:34:300:34:32

offer Kevin and Amanda a very

0:34:320:34:34

different lifestyle to our

0:34:340:34:35

first two properties.

0:34:350:34:37

It does have the four bedrooms on

0:34:370:34:38

their wish list, living

0:34:380:34:40

accommodation including a separate

0:34:400:34:42

kitchen and a study and it's

0:34:420:34:43

bursting with quirky

0:34:430:34:44

character features.

0:34:440:34:46

The garden is smaller than at our

0:34:460:34:48

first two houses, but there's

0:34:480:34:49

enough space for a veggie patch and

0:34:490:34:51

they'd also have access to

0:34:510:34:52

well-kept communal gardens.

0:34:520:34:54

-Wow!

-Wow!

0:34:540:34:57

That's a bit different!

0:34:570:34:58

-That certainly is a bit different, isn't it?

-I love that window, yeah.

0:34:580:35:01

-Lovely light area.

-Isn't it?

0:35:010:35:03

I think you could make a bedroom out of it,

0:35:030:35:06

but I think it's probably better as an 'our space', you know.

0:35:060:35:11

Yes. Well, this is a really, really different house.

0:35:110:35:15

I mean, we asked for character

0:35:150:35:17

and there's certainly a lot of character.

0:35:170:35:20

It's got lots of interesting rooms. It's totally off the wall.

0:35:200:35:25

The dovecot room at the top of the house was absolutely fantastic.

0:35:250:35:28

That was really the best room in the house.

0:35:280:35:30

I don't think we, really, are the type of people to live here.

0:35:300:35:33

We're not the Lord and Lady of the manor type.

0:35:330:35:35

So I don't think we'd feel comfortable in this setting.

0:35:350:35:39

But it was very interesting to have seen it.

0:35:390:35:41

Now, you tell me, did this live up

0:35:430:35:45

to the expectations of a mystery house?

0:35:450:35:47

Very much so. Certainly a mystery.

0:35:470:35:49

So let's find you somewhere to have a bit of a conflab

0:35:490:35:51

-and then we'll meet up later on.

-OK.

-Sounds good.

0:35:510:35:54

Tucked away in the rural outskirts of Rotherham is a little-known

0:36:030:36:06

family home with a large legacy.

0:36:060:36:09

Wentworth Woodhouse stands in grounds covering some 85

0:36:090:36:12

acres and boasts the longest country house facade in Europe, at 615 feet.

0:36:120:36:18

It's believed that when Thomas Watson Wentworth, the Marquis

0:36:180:36:21

of Rockingham, had it built in the 18th century, the grand scale

0:36:210:36:24

of the property was all for show, an attempt to impress local

0:36:240:36:28

aristocrats and increase his chances of becoming a Member of Parliament.

0:36:280:36:33

After generations in the family, the cost of running the property

0:36:330:36:36

after the Second World War became so costly that the house slowly

0:36:360:36:39

went into decline.

0:36:390:36:41

Tenanted for years and eventually sold, architect Clifford

0:36:410:36:45

Newbold has been restoring it for the last 15 years.

0:36:450:36:49

I'm meeting Estate Manager Tom McWilliams to find out the

0:36:490:36:52

plans for this magnificent property.

0:36:520:36:54

-Tom, good morning. How are you?

-Hello, Jon. Thank you.

0:36:540:36:57

What an amazing building.

0:36:570:36:59

I'm told this is the widest facade of a residential building in Europe.

0:36:590:37:03

-In Europe.

-That's quite some accolade, isn't it?

0:37:030:37:05

Yeah. This actually is the back of the house.

0:37:050:37:08

The other side, the Baroque side is all built of brick.

0:37:080:37:10

totally, totally different.

0:37:100:37:12

So why have you got two different styles,

0:37:120:37:14

the front and the back, Baroque and Palladian style?

0:37:140:37:16

Well, the Baroque style was built by one of the Earls

0:37:160:37:19

and when he died, he hadn't finished it, the next Earl decided he would

0:37:190:37:23

build, put his stamp on it, if you like, and decided to build something

0:37:230:37:26

grander, and that's when he put this style on it, the Palladian style.

0:37:260:37:30

So taking over from their forbears,

0:37:300:37:32

he just decided to completely change it, really build it back to front.

0:37:320:37:35

-Yeah, that's right.

-Well, I'm dying to get inside.

0:37:350:37:37

-Can we go have a look?

-Yeah, sure.

-Lead the way, sir.

0:37:370:37:40

In the mid 18th century, the Marquis employed over 100

0:37:400:37:43

servants and staff to run the house alone.

0:37:430:37:46

There are a staggering 365 rooms,

0:37:460:37:49

one for each day of the year, as well as 1,000 feet of corridors,

0:37:490:37:53

some so vast they could be considered rooms in their own right.

0:37:530:37:57

Ooh!

0:37:570:37:58

Wow! What do you call this room?

0:38:000:38:02

-Marble Saloon.

-The Marble Saloon.

0:38:020:38:05

-This is majorly impressive, isn't it?

-Grand, isn't it?

0:38:050:38:08

-So this is where you'd receive guests for maybe...

-Yes, that's it.

0:38:080:38:11

-..a ball or something like that.

-Ballroom.

0:38:110:38:13

Yes, we used to hold balls here, yeah.

0:38:130:38:14

-It looks in a remarkably good shape here.

-It is.

0:38:140:38:17

-Has it been renovated at all?

-No. This is originally as it was.

0:38:170:38:20

It's not been touched at all.

0:38:200:38:21

What about its ownership over the years?

0:38:210:38:24

It's not always been in family hands.

0:38:240:38:25

During the war, the army did take over the house.

0:38:250:38:28

I think in the early '60s and '70s

0:38:280:38:30

the council took it over as a teacher training college

0:38:300:38:33

for girls and actually this room was covered over in wood, so

0:38:330:38:38

it wasn't seen, this floor.

0:38:380:38:39

The girls used to play badminton in here.

0:38:390:38:41

With such a huge building,

0:38:410:38:42

I imagine there's projects that you've done that are going on.

0:38:420:38:45

Have you completed anything that you're particularly happy with?

0:38:450:38:48

We've done one big room, the Long Gallery,

0:38:480:38:50

which has taken two years to do one room.

0:38:500:38:53

In the early 1900s, the Watsons, who had over the generations

0:38:530:38:56

become the Fitzwilliams, were thought to be the 6th

0:38:560:38:58

wealthiest landowners in the country.

0:38:580:39:01

They had a room for everything - one for the family barber, an

0:39:010:39:04

upholstery room, a bakery, and even a room for candles.

0:39:040:39:08

They also played host to some rather notable guests. In 1912,

0:39:080:39:12

King George V and Queen Mary came to stay, requiring rooms for

0:39:120:39:15

their total of 76 guests.

0:39:150:39:19

If they were invited for a pre-dinner drink, they would

0:39:190:39:21

have gathered in the Long Gallery.

0:39:210:39:24

This is beautiful. How long is it?

0:39:240:39:28

-165 feet long.

-Goodness me! Really?

0:39:280:39:32

I mean, these rooms back in the day, they were for sort of walking

0:39:320:39:37

up and down, weren't they? Parading up and down?

0:39:370:39:39

Yeah, everybody used to meet in the Long Room Gallery.

0:39:390:39:41

They'd sit here during the day.

0:39:410:39:43

You think two years in one room, that's a long time, but this is...

0:39:430:39:47

It's a row of terraced houses.

0:39:470:39:48

Well, yeah, got to say, this is a row of terraced houses!

0:39:480:39:51

It's a good way of looking at it. Yeah, it's massive.

0:39:510:39:53

The floor had to be re-sanded.

0:39:530:39:56

It was black with the wax over the years.

0:39:560:39:59

So it all had to be stripped down.

0:39:590:40:00

It's a Grade I-listed house and we have to work with English Heritage,

0:40:000:40:05

even down to the colours, has to be done traditional with the brush.

0:40:050:40:08

English Heritage have to oversee it.

0:40:080:40:11

Well, hopefully with this amazing work going on here, Tom, the public

0:40:110:40:14

will get to enjoy it and it will become more popular as years go by.

0:40:140:40:17

-I wish you the best of luck, Tom. Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

0:40:170:40:20

The renovation of the property is currently on hold due to subsidence.

0:40:210:40:25

But with work hopefully resuming soon, plans include a museum

0:40:250:40:29

and a hotel in the South Wing.

0:40:290:40:31

It's a colossal task but Newbold and his team are determined not

0:40:310:40:35

only to make it a viable home again, but to make it accessible for

0:40:350:40:38

the local community, letting visitors share in its beauty.

0:40:380:40:42

Well, I'm pretty sure that house number two is the only

0:40:460:40:48

property still in the running, but is it good enough to become

0:40:480:40:51

Kevin and Amanda's first marital home?

0:40:510:40:54

Let's find out.

0:40:540:40:55

We've had a good time here, haven't we?

0:40:590:41:01

-We have.

-We have.

0:41:010:41:02

And I'm pretty confident I know your favourite house.

0:41:020:41:05

The second property, right?

0:41:050:41:06

-Correct, yes.

-But how much do you like it?

0:41:060:41:08

Quite a lot.

0:41:080:41:10

I think we'd like to have a second look.

0:41:100:41:12

What do you hope to accomplish at the second viewing?

0:41:120:41:14

Well, we want to find out a bit more about the planning permissions

0:41:140:41:19

for the conservatory, maybe find out how much that might cost.

0:41:190:41:24

We just need to have another little look, another poke around.

0:41:240:41:28

You've embarked on an amazing journey, haven't you?

0:41:280:41:30

You're finally getting together properly.

0:41:300:41:32

You're buying your first house together.

0:41:320:41:34

How will this house fit into that?

0:41:340:41:36

I mean, could house number two be that house that you do all this in?

0:41:360:41:39

It's possible.

0:41:390:41:40

-It would be good if it could.

-Wouldn't it just?

0:41:400:41:43

Yeah. One step at a time, we'll get there.

0:41:430:41:45

Hopefully it'll be dotting I's and crossing T's,

0:41:450:41:47

but whatever happens, make sure you tell me.

0:41:470:41:49

-We will.

-Let us know, won't you?

0:41:490:41:51

-We will, definitely.

-We will do, definitely.

0:41:510:41:53

Good luck in your retirement, your wedding and your new house.

0:41:530:41:55

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very, very much. Thank you.

0:41:550:41:58

Well, I note a bit of caution creeping in there,

0:42:040:42:07

but it's understandable, isn't it?

0:42:070:42:08

Let's face it, it's a lot of money

0:42:080:42:10

and it's the first house that Kevin and Amanda are buying together.

0:42:100:42:14

But the good news is they want to go back for a second

0:42:140:42:16

viewing at property number two.

0:42:160:42:18

And in a year that they're not only looking to retire,

0:42:180:42:20

but they're also looking to get married,

0:42:200:42:23

well, buying a property here amongst this beautiful Yorkshire

0:42:230:42:26

countryside literally could be the cherry on top of the wedding cake.

0:42:260:42:30

See you next time.

0:42:300:42:32

Kevin and Amanda went back for another visit to property two,

0:42:320:42:36

but still undecided, they resolved to keep looking.

0:42:360:42:39

However, with Kevin now retired, he's moved in with Amanda.

0:42:390:42:42

Finally sharing a home, they're at least one step closer to

0:42:420:42:46

starting their new lives together.

0:42:460:42:48

I hope the perfect property is just around the corner.

0:42:480:42:51

If you'd like to Escape to the Country in Wales, Scotland, Northern

0:42:510:42:55

Ireland, England, or perhaps further afield to the Continent, and

0:42:550:42:58

need our help, please apply online at -

0:42:580:43:04

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