Oxfordshire Escape to the Country

Today, I'm in a county where a gift from an Indian prince

saved an English village from drought.

But where am I? Find out in just a moment.

Today's house-buying couple are moving on and up

as they search for their first family home.

-This is superb.

-A good size.

-This is lovely.

-Great size.

-Yeah, this is nice.

But emotions run high as the journey to a place of their own

doesn't always run smoothly.

I'm almost disappointed by how much I like this house

and the fact that it is attached to a neighbour.

I'm in the English county of Oxfordshire

and this is the Maharajah's Well.

The well was a gift from the Maharajah of Benares

to the villagers of Stoke Row.

Now, he wanted to thank their local squire,

Edward Reade, who helped provide a water supply to his village

back in 1831 in North India.

It cost nearly £400 to build and took nearly a year to construct.

It was dug by hand to a depth of nearly 368 feet.

That's around twice the height of Nelson's Column.

When it was opened in 1864,

it could produce around 700 gallons of water every single day

and continue to do so until it was closed in 1939.

And this well is just one of the many jewels in Oxfordshire's crown.

Sitting pretty in the southern part of England,

landlocked Oxfordshire is bordered by six counties,

including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Berkshire.

Nestled between the rolling Cotswolds and the Chiltern Hills,

the lush green region covers 1,000 square miles.

Picturesque villages lined with honey coloured stone houses

give way to winding waterways,

which offer great opportunities for family days out to explore the area.

Oxfordshire's home not only to archetypal English meadows and fields,

but also to the world-famous and prestigious Oxford University,

which attracts over 22,000 students from more than 140 countries.

30 graduates have gone on to become international leaders

and 26 British prime ministers.

To the south of the county

lies the prehistoric Uffington White Horse,

which, at over 100 metres long, dates back to the Iron Age

and is a bold landmark in the Oxfordshire landscape.

So, whether it's country walks, a dose of culture or day trips,

the region offers diverse country living

away from the hubbub of busy city life.

But this country life certainly comes at a premium.

The average price for a detached home here in Oxfordshire

is just under £406,000.

Now, that's a massive 41% above the national average

and with house prices in this county on the up,

now would be the time to buy.

But what is it that draws today's buyers

to the Oxfordshire countryside?

Well, let's meet them and find out.

Air pilot Nick and his cabin crew wife, Catherine,

have been married for four years

and have an 18-month-old daughter, Charlotte.

They were six miles up when they first laid eyes on each other.

Met on a flight to Houston I think it was, wasn't it?

-It was Houston, yes.

-Yeah.

I thought, "Hmm, pilot..."

But he turned out to be OK.

They've spent the last five years renting this detached house

in Horley, Surrey, close to Gatwick

and the estate is home to many other airport workers too.

Here, you're always getting the sound of aircraft flying overhead

at all hours of the day and night.

You've also got neighbours who are working shifts

so they're up and down all hours of the night as well.

It doesn't make for a very peaceful homecoming

after a long work trip away

and they're planning a move to the country for a quieter life.

Home's very much a haven

and when you've been up all night after a long-haul flight,

to actually come home and put your bag down

and just have a really comfortable lifestyle is nice.

Yes.

Space and peace and quiet, I think,

would be the two things that we'd need in a future house.

And it's toddler Charlotte who's the main consideration in their move.

Having Charlotte now makes it all the more important

to move on and get her settled in an area

rather than getting her comfortable here and then moving on...

-That's right.

-..years down the line.

-Set down roots.

Charlotte will gain a lot from this move.

I think she'll gain much more of an understanding of the countryside,

of being away from the noise.

I think there's a greater freedom for children in the country as well.

Nick and Catherine want their new home

to be no more than a two-hour commute from work

and have decided they want to call Oxfordshire home.

I've got family in Gloucestershire in the Cotswolds

and we've got friends Oxford way

and having driven through there quite a lot

and stopped at many villages en route,

it's just a lovely part of the world.

It's not completely detached from London

and everything that's going on in this country,

but it feels spacious enough.

-Yeah, and quite rural, isn't it?

-Feels like you've escaped the south-east corner.

I like the idea of living in a rural area

and I will be quite happy to live somewhere that is fairly remote,

but I do realise that for Catherine,

when I'm away on a trip maybe for nine days,

that may not be particularly fair.

So, I'm obviously willing to compromise on that

and perhaps move somewhere a little bit closer to civilisation.

Our buyers are both excited about the move

and are looking forward to having a place of their own.

It will be the first house we've bought together as well.

It'd be nice as well cos we've only lived in rented accommodation

to actually have a house that we can put our own stamp on.

So, they're dreaming of a tranquil life

that's not a million miles from work

and moving to the Oxfordshire countryside

along the M40 corridor works well for them.

Prices in this area are high,

but they're hoping that in Oxfordshire,

they'll find the right family home.

But first, I'm going to meet them

to hear more about their proposed country move.

So, here we are in Oxfordshire. Welcome.

Why the desire now to move?

I think now is the time to move her into the countryside

and to a nice location and have a family house.

So, what are you looking for with this move, Catherine?

I would like to find a nice village and be part of a community

cos Nick goes away quite a lot,

so, for me, it's finding somewhere for Charlotte and I to fit in.

So, in an ideal world, we're going to find you

that dream, perfect house, but quite close to work.

So, where's base for work?

Heathrow for myself and Gatwick for Catherine.

-So, it's got to be a sort of radius around there, has it?

-Yeah.

We can go a reasonable distance

cos we're not doing the commute on a daily basis so...

-A little bit of flexibility.

-Yes.

-That's right.

Now, this is the first time that you two will have bought a property together.

-Do you think you'll be united?

-Our dream property,

-we would be completely in agreement on.

-Yeah, very much so.

But compromise is something...going to be an interesting feature, shall we say?

If there is a compromise to be made, what's it going to be?

Space and size of the property.

Actually, yeah, size of the property would be my compromise as well.

-How many bedrooms?

-Four, preferably.

-Yeah, ideally.

-And obviously a nice garden.

-Nice, big garden, yeah.

-Yeah?

I'm going to ask you - livestock?

I would quite like to have animals at some stage if we have enough land.

-I've always fancied having a cow, for some reason.

-A cow?

-A cow.

Can we afford land with this property? That's the question.

-That's right. Exactly.

-Quite an expensive county.

-I know.

-We do, yes.

-Have you thought about that?

Yes, and I think, well, look, if it's not here,

then we know we've got to go further afield.

When we find you this home, what is it going to mean to you?

I think the biggest thing it's going to mean

is a solid family base for the future.

We've got one daughter now.

It would be nice to have another at some stage.

You really are sold on that country dream, aren't you?

-We are very much so.

-Wonderful. Let's hope we can deliver for you.

-What is your top budget?

-£500,000.

We do have three splendid properties lined up to show you.

One, of course, is going to be our mystery house.

-So, keen to get started?

-Yeah, certainly.

-Most definitely.

Nick and Catherine have a generous £500,000 to play with,

but they may be hard pushed to get everything they want for their budget.

They'd love a detached house with four bedrooms

to accommodate a growing family and visitors.

Nick has visions of owning land and livestock

and Catherine is imagining being part of a community.

For this young family, space is a priority

and it comes at a premium in Oxfordshire.

But we've chosen some striking and varied properties

which will give them a selection of attributes from their wish list

and they'll only learn the price of each after they've viewed the house.

The mystery property will ask them to think outside the box,

but will present some unexpected features

I hope will surprise and delight them.

So, you two have the most amazing,

or it seems to be, an amazing, jet-set life.

Does it feel like that?

-You spend a long time being tired sometimes.

-You do.

-Yeah.

I think it probably sounds more glamorous than it really is.

But that said, it's given us some lovely trips away.

-Certainly together, before we had Charlotte, didn't we?

-That's right, yeah.

And it affords you the opportunity to do things you wouldn't otherwise.

Where's the best place you've both been to?

-Maldives?

-Yeah, Maldives has got to rank up there.

-We then went...

We did a couple of Maldives trips together and...

So, how is Oxfordshire going to compare to the Maldives?

Very well, actually.

THEY LAUGH

-Bit cooler.

-It's where we want to settle.

-Maldives is great to visit, but...

-That's right, yeah.

..Oxfordshire is...I'd far rather live here.

We're kicking off today in the hamlet of Kiddington

13 miles north-west of Oxford

and about seven miles south-east of Chipping Norton.

The hamlet sits on the pretty River Glyme

and is home to a handful of attractive stone houses.

There's a local kindergarten in the heart of the community,

where 18-month-old Charlotte could feel at home.

Three miles away, the village of Wootton

offers a convenience store as well as a primary school,

an attractive church and a welcoming pub.

A five-minute drive takes us back to our first property,

a delightful 19th-century stone cottage,

extended and modernised to a very high standard.

What do you think?

It looks very attractive.

-Great surroundings.

-Yeah, it looks lovely.

-Yeah.

That does concern me slightly, being attached to the neighbours,

but that said, it is quite a long property

so we've got the distance there.

I like the look of the property. It's very Oxfordshire, isn't it?

I like the sandy colour of the stone and the blue windows and doors.

-Very nice-looking.

-Yeah, it's an attractive property.

It's a good start.

-Interested to see inside.

-Come on. Let's go.

I'm quietly optimistic because although I know Nick and Catherine

are disappointed this house isn't detached,

I think they'll be pleasantly surprised once we step inside.

So, come on through.

So, this is our first sort of reception room.

It gives you a flavour of being a cottage.

-Yeah, cracking fireplace.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Now, originally, this probably would have been the main cottage,

but one thing I will tell you, and you've probably spied it,

there's a little bit more to this than just this room.

This is quite a small room as a main living room.

It's cosy, isn't it? Yeah.

So, shall we see the rest?

-Yes, lead on.

-Yes.

A roomy hallway laid with stone flooring

leads to the heart of the home.

Now, how's this for an open-plan, wonderful room?

-Wow.

-It's lovely.

-It's fantastic, isn't it? Isn't that lovely?

Bit of a surprise from next door.

It is a huge surprise from next door.

Yeah, it's really nice. Yeah, this is really good.

That is a good-sized kitchen, isn't it?

Now, as you can imagine, this doesn't date back to 1844.

No, this was done in 2010.

So, everything is brand-new

and what they've done is they've made the maximum of that view.

When they put the extension in, you know,

they've added a beam to give it a little bit more character.

You've got the skylights making the most of the light.

This would be the main room of the house,

without a shadow of a doubt.

And it's nice because we like the kitchen

and we like the living room, so, actually,

to have them combined would just be brilliant.

-Keen to see upstairs now?

-Most definitely.

Stairs from the front reception room lead to the first floor

and we're heading past the bathroom to the back of the house.

So, I want to show you the master bedroom.

-Oh! Fantastic views.

-Probably would have been two bedrooms originally.

Yeah, it's lovely, isn't it?

-And it's dual aspect as well.

-That is just stunning.

-Really nice.

And it's actually not a bad size

-cos this wardrobe takes up quite a bit of space.

-Yeah.

Now, remind me, how many bedrooms were you after?

-Four, ideally.

-Four.

They've set it out - the owners at the moment -

having three bedrooms so you've got two good-sized doubles,

a really healthy single for a child.

If you were in a major city, that would be called a double.

But you've also got, next door to you, a study,

-which could be another single bedroom.

-Oh, fantastic.

-That's perfect.

-So, enough space upstairs?

-Yeah.

-It's quite deceiving, this cottage.

-It is, yes.

The frontal aspect doesn't give you any idea of how big this is.

Yeah, it's really good, isn't it?

But just standing here, do you have a concern about having a neighbour?

I do. Well, not having a neighbour, but being attached to them.

I'm almost disappointed by how much I like this house

and the fact that it is attached to a neighbour.

That is obviously going to be a compromise.

When they did the extension to this property,

they put soundproofing in

not just cos they didn't want to hear their neighbours,

but also they were very aware of being a young family,

they didn't want to annoy their neighbours.

And as you've walked round this property,

have you ever felt that you've got a neighbour next door?

-No.

-No. No, no.

-No, it's true, you haven't.

And it's only out the front.

I'd be interested to see how it is in the back garden,

whether you feel looked on.

Well, let's go outside and have a look at it

and while we're out there,

I'm also going to get you to start thinking about the price.

BOTH LAUGH

That's the serious bit!

Catherine is visibly torn between her love of this charming house

and the fact it's not detached.

But things could change again when we venture outside.

So, perhaps, in a way, this is the most important bit

because you have admitted that the countryside, the land,

-the space is the priority when you make this move.

-Yeah.

So, here we have our garden. It's been laid to lawn.

You've noticed the sheep behind us, got a paddock next door.

I mean, we are surrounded by pockets of land.

If you really wanted a cow or perhaps a pony for Charlotte,

-it would be possible to look into renting.

-Yeah.

And just lastly, I just want to give you an idea of where we are.

We're in the north of Oxfordshire

-so Oxford is going to be about 20, 25 minutes drive away.

-Yeah.

But crucially for you two, Heathrow and Gatwick -

Heathrow about an hour and 10,

-Gatwick about an hour 40 on a good day.

-That's brilliant, yeah.

Yeah. There's a price to be put on that view.

-That's what worries me.

-Come on, then.

On the spot, how much do you think?

I think it's definitely got to be at the top of our budget

so I would optimistically say £490,000.

Optimistically.

Whereas I think, because it's the end of terrace,

it'll be a bit cheaper so I hope, perhaps, £480,000.

Interesting.

Asking price is £499,950.

We're reflecting where we are. We are so close to Oxford.

That's it, isn't it? Yeah.

-Well, it gives us an idea of what it is we can achieve with that.

-Yes.

Well, now you know the price, why don't you go back

and just take it all in and look around you?

Because this is what you'd be buying into.

This, hopefully, could be your future.

Take your time and give me a shout when you're ready.

-Will do.

-See you in a minute.

Just £50 under budget, this extended 19th-century cottage

offers our buyers the space and rural setting

that are so important to them in their new family home.

And although it's not detached, thanks to great soundproofing,

there's no sign of the neighbours once you've crossed the threshold.

-This is good, isn't it?

-Charlotte's room.

-Charlotte would like this.

-It's lovely.

-No, really nice. It's good.

When I originally saw the house,

my gut feeling was one of disappointment

because you could see it was attached,

but as soon as you started walking from one room to the next,

you were like, "Ooh, actually, this is quite nice."

-That's a nice-sized bathroom.

-Yeah, it's perfect, isn't it?

-Oh, look at the view!

-Yeah, it's great, isn't it?

I think it's a great start to looking at houses

and it just goes to show that what it looks like on the outside

could be very different when you get inside.

For me, this property, it's a real contender as it is.

I think I'll go away from it

and keep thinking about it in a positive light.

How are we getting on? Have you seen enough?

-Really good start.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-And this is only our first property.

-I've got more to show you.

-Good.

-Good. Come on.

Nick and Catherine's dreams of a home with land and animals

is getting closer to becoming a reality

and to show them how they could make the most of their new rural life,

we've sent them to meet Oxfordshire local Mark Cooper on his farm.

He had the same idea five years ago

when his young family welcomed five rare breed pigs into the fold.

These pigs are Oxford Sandy and Black pigs.

These pigs are well known as a very good starter pig.

You'll properly get them when they're about eight weeks old.

They'll all be injected.

There shouldn't be much to do, except, twice a day,

you've got to feed them with pignuts

and make sure they've got fresh drinking water.

At eight weeks old, the piglets cost £50

and can prove to be a good investment.

To keep pigs, you need to apply for a holding number from the government

so that the animals can always be traced.

So, how much space do you need to keep pigs?

We can have quite a few pigs in a relatively small area.

You'll need some ground, which is going to get sort of damaged,

but it may do a job of work for you.

They main root over the ground

and get it ready for the vegetables to be planted.

You'll need some reasonably good fencing, you'll need some shelter,

somewhere, hopefully, they can get a little bit of shade in the summer.

When it gets especially hot, they like a little mud bath.

This is perfect. You can move out with the pigs!

What started as a hobby is now a thriving business

and Mark has around 150 pigs on his land.

So, how big would these chaps get in relation to Mum?

-She's about fully grown.

-How old is Mum?

-Four years old.

These are about three weeks old.

So, another three or four weeks, we'll wean them away from Mum.

So, how do pigs fit in with the family and the children?

I've got two daughters.

I try to involve them as much as I can

and bring them with me and they'll come out feeding.

I think it's good for the youngsters to come out...

And learn some responsibility.

..put their overalls on, learn some responsibilities.

We've got quite a few other pigs over in the woodland.

We'll go and see them and you'll see the pigs in a natural environment.

Pigs are a great choice for someone like Nick

who has aspirations of keeping a few animals on a small plot of land.

They need less than half the space that cows would require

and this breed of pig's good temperament

makes them particularly child-friendly.

Welcome to the woods.

This is where we keep the majority of our pigs.

Right, well, they're hungry.

When they're five or six months old,

around 80% of Mark's herd are sold as meat at farmers' markets.

Mark gets approximately £350 per animal,

so not a bad return.

Henry's come in to feed now. This is one of our four boars.

-And how old is he?

-He's about three-and-a-bit years old now.

He's in here to make sure these are in pig.

Once we're satisfied that these have been in here long enough

and are in pig, these will come out

and then we bring the next batch of sows in.

It's Henry's job to woo the ladies in the woods

two at a time and get them pregnant.

When the job's done, the next pair arrives.

Well, I hope what I've done is inspired you

into possibly keeping a couple.

I don't think Nick would take much inspiration

to want a couple of pigs.

I'd love a couple of pigs, but I'm not sure my wife would let me.

I would take a little bit more.

Do they sit and snuggle up in front of the television?

If you'll allow them to, yes!

Moving to the northern tip of Oxfordshire,

our second property is in the hamlet of Williamscot,

10 minutes drive from the market town of Banbury.

Although Williamscot is pretty remote itself,

the neighbouring village of Cropredy offers local amenities,

including a primary school,

an impressive and well utilised canal,

as well as a taste of local history

where the 1644 Battle of Cropredy Bridge

is still remembered.

A 10-minute stroll brings us to our second house.

-It's really pretty.

-I like this lots.

-Yeah, isn't that a lovely-looking house?

-The house itself...

Relatively modern, by the looks, isn't it?

Absolutely right. 20 years old.

-Oh, wow.

-That's no bad thing.

-Excellent. We like that, yes.

Anything else you notice about this property?

-Detached.

-It's detached.

-Detached. Oh, yeah.

Do you know this area at all?

-I have been to the village down the road as a child.

-Cropredy?

-Yeah.

-Have you?

-We went on a narrow boat holiday with the family.

-So, yeah, I've been through it. It's lovely.

-We are further north,

but the great thing is, very close to the M40,

-so, easy for commuting to work.

-Excellent.

-Brilliant.

So, let's talk about the house, then.

-What's going through your minds?

-It looks very impressive.

-Yeah.

It's very big, very spacious, by the looks of it.

-It looks lovely and private from here as well.

-Yeah.

It does look good from the outside.

-Shall we take a look inside, see what you think?

-Yeah.

This house has already got off on the right foot

and we haven't even stepped inside.

The very fact that it's detached has won it points and I can't wait

until Nick and Catherine see what else is on offer.

-Pretty large hallway.

-It is a fantastic hallway!

Look at all these bookshelves. I like it immediately.

Let's start off...

..with the kitchen.

-Fantastic.

-Lovely sized kitchen, isn't it?

-Loads of storage space.

-Yeah. We like that.

-His and her sinks.

-Very nice, isn't it?

-SHE LAUGHS.

-Well spotted. Yes!

I don't think there's anything I'd change.

Well, on that note, we're going to keep going.

So just off the hallway you've got a big utility room and cloakroom

but here, good-sized dining area.

It's good, isn't it? Yeah.

In a way it's like a walk-through but you can close it off.

You've got these doors here

and then after these doors you've got this huge sitting room.

-It is a huge sitting room.

-Fantastic isn't it? This is superb.

-Good size.

-This is lovely.

-Great size.

Yeah, this is nice.

Excellent. Open, huge fireplace and they've kept the character.

They've given it a little bit of charm

even though it's a modern house.

Plus, patio doors leading to your garden there

but you've also got another set there.

-Can you imagine yourselves living here?

-Certainly.

-Yes, very much so.

I'd like to go and see upstairs and see what there is there.

Come on, then. Let's have a look.

The first floor of this house has four bedrooms

including three good-sized rooms for a growing family

and a bright bathroom.

-The master bedroom.

-Wow, it's lovely, isn't it? What a size.

-This is good.

-With an ensuite.

-Yes.

And also, just take a step over there.

Your own dressing-room.

-Ah, dressing-room. That's good.

-Wonderful.

There is lots of space here, isn't there? This is fantastic.

The house is very modern. How do you feel about that?

-Absolutely fine, doesn't worry me in the least.

-Not a problem.

-Good.

-Less work.

-Yeah, that's right.

Especially spending a lot of time away,

I don't get that much time to do stuff like DIY

and it'd be lovely to move into a place that needs nothing doing.

-Couldn't ask for more.

-Yeah.

-It's lovely.

Well, let's go downstairs.

So far so good. The house hasn't put a foot wrong.

I just hope it keeps up the good work when we move outside.

The garden is what will really make or break it for Nick and Catherine.

Here you've got about a third of an acre.

Now, it does slant down

so if you were looking at perhaps growing vegetables,

you might actually want to do something down the bottom.

So it's not got the fantastic views but it is really lovely garden.

Journey time is going to be an hour and 10 to Heathrow

and be about an hour 40 to Gatwick.

That's well within the realms of possibilities.

That's right, yes. That's not an issue whatsoever.

How much do you think it's on the market for?

I reckon £515,000.

I would have gone for more, £525,000.

Is that a price that you'd be happy to pay for this house?

Um...

I think so.

Certainly under consideration, we could think about it.

The asking price for our second property is...

..£500,000.

-Oh!

-Wow, yeah, that is a good price.

Bang on budget.

-Bang on budget.

-That is good news.

-That is good.

-That is excellent.

-Are you surprised?

-Yeah, I am extremely surprised.

I honestly thought we'd get to the end of this

and think we are going to have to move further afield.

-This is great news.

-Very good.

-And there is room to expand in this house, isn't there?

-Yes.

So, off you go. Have another look around.

-Catch up with you in a minute.

-Thank you.

-Will do, thanks.

This large stone house may be fairly new but it has bags of character.

It might not leave Nick and Catherine

with any change from their budget

but it offers them everything they were hoping for.

It has the rural but not too remote location

at the top of their wish list

and a garden big enough for daughter Charlotte to run around.

Well, I think it's got a bit to do with the garden

but certainly manageable, isn't it?

This house is at the top of the list so far.

It gives us everything we've wanted, it gives us space,

the ruralness of it, lovely location.

It's exactly what we're looking for

and there's a nice space for Charlotte to go and play.

This is a nice sized room, isn't it?

Yeah, this is great actually for a single room.

I think Charlotte would like this.

I can see her living here without any problems.

The house is a great size, it's an absolutely perfect family home.

The kitchen, wonderful

and the living room is just something else.

Well, that went really well.

I thought this house might be a little too far north of the county

for them, it's also very modern but that doesn't seem to be the case.

How are you feeling, you two?

-Great, we've just been childproofing the garden.

-Have you really?

That's right. Making room for Charlotte.

-You've practically moved in.

-We have.

-It's a good way to end our day, isn't it?

-Isn't it just?

-Come on.

It is the second day of our Oxfordshire house hunt

and with a budget of £500,000,

we are hoping to find Nick and Catherine

from the town of Horley, Surrey,

a spacious family home in a peaceful rural setting

that is still part of a local community.

And we've still got the mystery house to reveal.

-This is completely different, isn't it?

-Yes!

It could also be very hazardous to my health.

And I'll be stepping back in time in a fabulous country pile.

A remarkable man and very courageous.

Catherine and Nick came to Oxfordshire

with their fingers crossed but their eyes wide open

hoping to find that perfect property in what is a rather pricey region.

Now, yesterday, I think we got rather close,

especially with our second home, in realising their aspirations.

Today, we are going to show them

a mystery property that hopefully will give them that country idyll

but there may be a few compromises along the way.

So, did you two go to bed last night

dreaming of property here in Oxfordshire?

I woke up thinking about that second property.

-Did you?

-Yeah.

-In a good or a bad way?

-No, in a good way.

Wondering what we could do with the house

and what the implications of moving there would be.

You see, my trouble was I was trying to work out

how I'd mow the lawn with that big drop on it.

With that big, yes, slope.

So, with the memories of yesterday still fresh in their minds,

it's onto our third and final property.

We are heading to the west of the county, to Swerford,

a classic Oxfordshire village close to the Cotswolds.

Winding lanes are flanked by elegant houses

and there is a real sense of community here

with a village hall and an award-winning gastropub

to bring locals together.

The village's two oldest attractions

are the footprint of the 12th century motte and bailey castle

and the magnificent 13th century St Mary's Church

which is a stone's throw away from our mystery house.

It may be smaller than our buyers were hoping for

but I am confident they will be won over by its character.

This is your mystery house.

I am wondering what the catch is because it looks lovely.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?

-Isn't it just?

Any ideas why it's the mystery?

We've got to share it with the existing owner?

No, no. The good news is it would be all yours if you chose to buy it.

The reason it's the mystery,

there is a small compromise

and that's the space.

But it's whether the beauty and its old quirkiness

can overcome that.

-So shall we step inside?

-Yeah, why not.

This detached cottage sits in a conservation area

and dates back to 1741 with a recent extension.

It offers three bedrooms

and overlooks the delightful village green and church.

So, as you walk through, you've got a small reception area there/study,

and then it leads to the heart of the property

right in the centre.

-This is completely different, isn't it?

-Yes.

It could also be very hazardous to my health!

Well, that is the thing, if you live in an old property with beams,

you get used to it and you know when to bend

without even thinking about it.

But we like with our mystery house to stretch you.

I want to show you different styles of property,

different periods of property.

It's good because we wouldn't normally look at a house like this.

It's a fantastic opportunity to go and have a look around.

-It'd be such a cosy living room.

-Yeah.

-With the wood burner.

Could you imagine yourself living here?

I'm not sure I've seen enough yet to make a decision on that.

-I love the room.

-But...

-It is very nice.

-And it is cosy.

And sitting here, using this as a living room would be fantastic

but then thinking practically, where does everything else go?

-Space.

-That's it.

-I'm not sure I fit down into there yet.

-Let's see if you fit.

Let's see. Do you mind your head.

So, through here is your kitchen.

This has been extended.

-It's quite a nice little kitchen, actually.

-Yeah.

-I love the butler sink.

-It's not a bad size.

As kittens go this is actually quite usable.

I am kind of trying to find the space to squeeze it in

because it is just so beautiful.

Are you trying to make it work for you, Catherine?

I'm trying to make it work because it is that lovely.

You've got a terrace outside and the sun rises, actually,

in that direction which is wonderful.

Now, I know you've got your reservations

about the space downstairs,

let's see if I can change your mind

with what we're going to show you upstairs.

Nick and Catherine seem taken with this 18th-century cottage

but they are definitely worried

about its ability to serve as a family home.

On the next two floors are three bedrooms,

one in the eaves and a family bathroom.

Now is my chance to try and convince them

that the house's beauty outweighs its size.

This is the master overlooking...

-Look at the view.

-It's very light and airy, isn't it, I have to say.

-There's no planes, there's no noise.

-It's lovely.

If you follow me, this might be the master

but look at this.

At the moment it is a beautiful modern dressing-room.

It's lovely.

It could be a nursery if you needed it to.

If you had a little one in here

and you've got an ensuite with all mod cons.

-I love it.

-I've still got that garden to show you.

-OK.

Outside is full of surprises

and just across from the pretty terrace is a large walled patio.

Now, at the moment it has been done in quite a basic style.

It's practical and in summer you can imagine

it's full of blooms and blossom.

Absolutely fantastic, isn't it?

So it's an added bonus. You weren't expecting this, were you?

-No.

-No, definitely not.

You've got your greenhouse

but there is one other little gem I'm going to show you.

Round to the side of the house is my last opportunity to persuade

Nick and Catherine that this could be their country retreat.

This is the final part of the garden and just look at that.

-The view is fantastic, isn't it?

-Isn't it gorgeous?

Because that is what you could be waking up to every morning.

So how much do you think this wonderful property

is on the market for?

Well, I think it's going to be over budget, looking at £510,000.

-OK.

-I think I might be doing it a disservice

by putting it at £480,000.

Asking price is...

..£525,000.

Apologies.

Well, reflected, we are right on the Cotswolds border.

Now, in case you got carried away with the mystery house,

we did speak to the people and say what your top budget was

and they would be happy to have a conversation with you

if the house was right.

So, with that in mind, why don't you go and have another look.

Off you go. Through the gate. I'll catch you later.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Our mystery house is on the market for £25,000 over budget.

But if Nick and Catherine thought it a serious contender,

there is room for manoeuvre.

The attractive cottage may be lacking the fourth bedroom

and space they'd like but it is overflowing with period appeal

and the quirky gardens would be ideal

for little Charlotte to explore.

-It is quite small, isn't it?

-Lovely.

When I first walked up I just thought

this is just picture perfect,

the location is absolutely beautiful.

-Mind your head.

-Oh, there's not that much room up here, is there?

The big thing that stuck out for me, literally, were the beams.

Being 6'1", having to duck down everywhere

walking around the house would be an absolute nightmare.

When we walked into the main living room I was wowed by it

but I was also disappointed

because you just know this beautiful room and house is not big enough,

it's not going to be practical.

So you are searching immediately, all right, how can I make this work?

Where can my things go? But you just know it's not going to happen.

This is a truly beautiful mystery house.

I don't think it's right for them. Have we seen enough?

We have, my head's had enough, I think.

-Have you been knocking it on those beams?

-I have, a couple of times.

They were quite low but changed your minds?

I don't think so.

-It is beautiful but...

-It's not the house for us.

Well, let's go somewhere, let's have a chat

and find out what your next move is going to be.

OK.

Oxfordshire is home to a wealth of history and historic buildings

and one of the most majestic is Blenheim Palace,

a stunning example of early 18th century baroque architecture.

Built with funds gifted from Queen Anne

to the first Duke of Marlborough,

it is situated in the Georgian town of Woodstock.

200 years into the palace's story,

in 1914, the First World War struck

and Blenheim quickly transformed from a stately home

to a vehicle of war

and no one in this grand house was unaffected.

To tell the story of that period,

an exhibition has been curated

which offers an insight into the life of those at Blenheim

who served during the First World War.

I am meeting Karen Wisemen who researched and set up this tribute.

As I explored I realised you could tell the story of the First World War

through this family and the people who lived and worked on the estate.

And who would those people have been?

Well, right from the very top we have the ninth Duke who was at the front

all the way down to the boot boy in the palace.

So the ninth Duke of Marlborough, what part did he pay?

-Did he see active service?

-He did but he was actually a messenger boy.

He carried messages from the War Office to the front

and then dispatches back to the War Office.

But it wasn't just the family and staff who got involved.

The estate itself was put to producing as much food

as was humanly possible for the war effort.

So, for example, around the palace, the flower borders were dug up

and they grew carrots instead.

And then the palace became a hospital.

Karen's exhibition tells the amazing stories

of the people connected to Blenheim

and paints a picture of what life would have been like

in wartime Oxfordshire.

Who's the Flying Cousin?

Well, the Flying Cousin is Oscar Guest

and he's the first cousin of the ninth Duke.

What happened to him?

He was up with another pilot

and a Fokker aeroplane attacked them.

He was shot four times and he began to lose consciousness

so he cut the engine and the plane landed itself

fortunately in a ploughed field so they survived.

-He survived being shot four times?

-Very, very fortunate.

So for all the tales of woe, the war did have some happy endings.

Another uplifting story is that of one of the palace's tenant farmers.

So, Karen, who's this fine gentleman?

This is George Woodford who went to war in 1914

with the Queen's Own Oxfordshire Hussars as a captain.

He was responsible for bringing supplies up to the front

and your first thought might be that that was a safe occupation

but it actually they shelled the communication trenches

just as much as the front-line trenches

so bringing up supplies to the men was incredibly dangerous

and he was exceptionally good at his job

and he was given the Military Cross by the King at the end of the war.

-For his service?

-For his outstanding valour under extreme fire.

-And he came back safely?

-He did. Very safely.

And what do we know about him as a person?

One of the lovely things we know

is that he married the head dairy maid here at Blenheim

and we have his wedding photograph here.

And this is George on his wedding day to Christina McDuff

with a fantastic bouquet of flowers.

George, I think, was one of the lucky ones.

He had a large family, he had a lovely wife waiting for him

when he came home and he was determined to live life to the full.

A remarkable man and very courageous.

Very, very. Exceptionally so.

And just as remarkable were the deep muddy trenches

soldiers lived in on the front line.

Hiding from the enemy whilst waiting to come aboveground to fight.

Conditions were tough, wet, cold and often rat infested.

Is this the proportions of a trench? Is this how it would have been?

This one is a very straight trench because it is very short

but of course the trenches zigzagged deliberately

so that if the enemy got into the trench,

they didn't have a clear shot all the way down

so if it zigzagged they could only shoot a very short distance.

Would they have eaten, slept, everything, here?

Everything, yes, indeed.

And as the war progressed, they brought in beds and tables

so that they could actually try and live, odd as it seems,

a very normal life.

The trenches were a long way

from the safety of Oxfordshire's splendid palace

which became a refuge to the wounded heroes of the conflict.

In the Long Library at the palace they set up a hospital.

It was a convalescent hospital.

What sort of casualties would we have seen here?

Oh, all sorts.

There were men who had lost limbs,

there were men who were suffering from gunshot wounds,

there were men who were suffering from shell-shock.

What could they provide?

Was it medicine, equipment or was it mainly love?

The nurses there, they were led by the wonderful Sister Munn.

She believed if you were going to get their bodies healed

you had to heal their mind as well and what was going on in their heads

so she insisted on practical things like lots of fresh air.

She chucked them outside for long walks

or long pushes in the wheelchair. She was a good woman.

So, Blenheim, as an estate,

was so involved during the First World War, wasn't it?

Yes, every aspect of the war somebody was either in the air,

in the trenches or at sea

and the women were busy either nursing or setting up hospitals.

You've shown us just small snippet of this exhibition.

Thank you so much.

It did have a profound effect, not just on Blenheim

but everyone, the whole of Oxfordshire as well, didn't it?

-Thank you very much.

-You're welcome.

Well, we've had a great few days with Nick and Catherine

and we've shown them some super properties

but have we found them their future home?

Let's find out.

So, Nick and Catherine, we started this search with...

Well, you were a little bit uncertain

whether your budget would stretch to Oxfordshire

but you had your wish list, you remained hopeful.

-How did we get on?

-Yeah, very well.

-Did we?

-I am very hopeful.

That second property, especially.

You got very close, I reckon.

For me, I think it virtually did hit the mark.

I think for Nick it's going to be the slope in the garden

that is the deal-breaker if there is one.

Yeah, it's the garden that's limiting the property for myself.

If we have found you that house in that country location

within a decent time to work for the commute,

surely a sloping garden is the compromise to be made.

It's a compromise I need to work out myself,

if that is a compromise too far.

Everything else about the house seemed really good.

-Is it worth a second viewing?

-Oh, definitely.

What have you learnt though over the last few days?

I think I've learnt not to be too narrow-minded

on what a property looks like on the internet or brochure.

I wouldn't have looked at any of those properties

yet that second one, oh, just wonderful.

You were so together with this search. Are you surprised?

Because it is the first time you'll have bought together.

At the end of the day we want the same thing,

we want a house for the future for our family to grow up in.

And for us to probably get old and go grey in.

So, to sum up, you're going to look at that property again.

-I'd like to, yes.

-A little bit of work on Nick.

Take a gardener with you, that'll sort that.

I think that the top of that garden can be levelled out nicely

and I think it'll be perfectly sufficient.

Well, we've got an amazing spread here to celebrate the last few days.

-It has been our pleasure.

-And thank you very much.

So, although we didn't quite achieve a house sale

with Nick and Catherine,

they are definitely game for another viewing of our second property

and I think what the last few days has shown them

is with a bit of research and an open mind,

they can find that wonderful family home here in the countryside

most importantly on their budget.

I just hope they get their skates on

and they don't let this wonderful opportunity fly away.

I'll see you again. Bye-bye.

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