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Welcome to what promises to be a very sunny Escape to the Country. | 0:00:02 | 0:00:05 | |
Now, the story goes that, in 1767, King George III nearly came | 0:00:05 | 0:00:09 | |
a cropper right here when his coach nearly foundered in the river | 0:00:09 | 0:00:13 | |
when he was trying to cross it during a flood. | 0:00:13 | 0:00:15 | |
So he decreed that whoever built a bridge here could charge a toll | 0:00:15 | 0:00:19 | |
and it would be tax-free forever. | 0:00:19 | 0:00:21 | |
But who did build this beautiful structure? | 0:00:21 | 0:00:24 | |
Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you. | 0:00:24 | 0:00:26 | |
Today, our property-hungry pair are swapping | 0:00:44 | 0:00:47 | |
the slopes of Switzerland for the rolling hills of England | 0:00:47 | 0:00:50 | |
in what they hope will be their final move. | 0:00:50 | 0:00:53 | |
-Love it. -Books, books... -More books. | 0:00:53 | 0:00:55 | |
-Gill's library, it's really nice. -Yeah. | 0:00:55 | 0:00:58 | |
And their prospective homes might need a little lateral thinking. | 0:00:58 | 0:01:02 | |
It's a nice space. | 0:01:02 | 0:01:03 | |
And this is definitely more manageable. | 0:01:03 | 0:01:06 | |
Well, today we are in Oxfordshire. And this is Swinford Bridge, | 0:01:08 | 0:01:12 | |
which crosses the River Thames. | 0:01:12 | 0:01:14 | |
Following George III's decree, in 1769, | 0:01:14 | 0:01:17 | |
the bridge was built by the Earl of Abingdon. | 0:01:17 | 0:01:20 | |
What's more, it's governed by an Act of Parliament making it illegal | 0:01:20 | 0:01:24 | |
to build a bridge within three miles of here up or down stream. | 0:01:24 | 0:01:28 | |
Now, thankfully, the pedestrian toll was abolished in 1835, but they | 0:01:28 | 0:01:32 | |
still charge five tax-free pennies for every car that crosses it. | 0:01:32 | 0:01:37 | |
Not a bad little earner, really. | 0:01:37 | 0:01:39 | |
Situated in southern England, | 0:01:43 | 0:01:44 | |
land-locked Oxfordshire is bordered by six counties | 0:01:44 | 0:01:47 | |
including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Berkshire. | 0:01:47 | 0:01:51 | |
The Chiltern Hills make a striking appearance to the south of the | 0:01:51 | 0:01:54 | |
county and are a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, | 0:01:54 | 0:01:58 | |
covering 324 square miles, over four counties. | 0:01:58 | 0:02:02 | |
Here, lush fields give way to rolling hills, | 0:02:02 | 0:02:05 | |
while cattle graze amidst the verdant countryside. | 0:02:05 | 0:02:08 | |
One of the architectural gems of the Oxfordshire landscape | 0:02:10 | 0:02:13 | |
is Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock, in the centre of the county. | 0:02:13 | 0:02:17 | |
It's a striking example of early-18th-century Baroque | 0:02:17 | 0:02:20 | |
architecture and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. | 0:02:20 | 0:02:24 | |
The region is also home to charming towns like Burford, | 0:02:24 | 0:02:27 | |
with honey-coloured Cotswold stone buildings lining the streets, and | 0:02:27 | 0:02:31 | |
Wallingford, which has the tranquil River Thames running through it. | 0:02:31 | 0:02:35 | |
But that's not its only draw - the popular television series | 0:02:35 | 0:02:39 | |
Midsomer Murders is filmed in the area | 0:02:39 | 0:02:41 | |
and crime writer Agatha Christie once lived here too. | 0:02:41 | 0:02:45 | |
So for escapees from city life partial to a mix of stunning | 0:02:45 | 0:02:48 | |
scenery, classic culture and eye-catching architecture, | 0:02:48 | 0:02:52 | |
Oxfordshire could make a fitting place to call home. | 0:02:52 | 0:02:55 | |
Now, in 2015, a new rail-line is set to open between Oxford | 0:02:58 | 0:03:02 | |
and London, meaning that travellers here will have not one | 0:03:02 | 0:03:06 | |
but two mainline options to get them into the capital city. | 0:03:06 | 0:03:09 | |
And that combined with stunning countryside and some beautiful towns | 0:03:09 | 0:03:13 | |
and villages means that, as a whole, Oxfordshire is pretty expensive. | 0:03:13 | 0:03:17 | |
And to put that in context, | 0:03:17 | 0:03:19 | |
the cost of your average detached home here is currently £425,000. | 0:03:19 | 0:03:24 | |
Compare that to the national figure of £275,000 | 0:03:24 | 0:03:28 | |
and you get the idea that if you fancy a bit of Oxfordshire, | 0:03:28 | 0:03:31 | |
you are going to have to have some pretty deep pockets. | 0:03:31 | 0:03:34 | |
So, let's meet today's buyers and find out just how deep theirs are. | 0:03:34 | 0:03:37 | |
Gill and Bob have recently returned to the UK | 0:03:39 | 0:03:41 | |
after 13 years living and working in Switzerland. | 0:03:41 | 0:03:44 | |
They've been in this rented apartment in North West London, | 0:03:44 | 0:03:47 | |
which they're using as a base, whilst they search for a new home... | 0:03:47 | 0:03:51 | |
for eight months. | 0:03:51 | 0:03:52 | |
We love living in Hampstead because of the amenities here | 0:03:52 | 0:03:56 | |
and the bookshops and the cafe culture. | 0:03:56 | 0:03:58 | |
Hampstead is really beautiful, so we're getting spoilt. | 0:03:58 | 0:04:02 | |
We sort of love the city, but we don't want to live in the city. | 0:04:02 | 0:04:06 | |
Environmental engineer Bob is moving into semi-retirement. | 0:04:06 | 0:04:11 | |
He's spent much of his working life abroad and he | 0:04:11 | 0:04:13 | |
and Gill met in Derbyshire, where they both grew up, just before he | 0:04:13 | 0:04:17 | |
was due to set off to the other side of the world, | 0:04:17 | 0:04:19 | |
over three decades ago. | 0:04:19 | 0:04:21 | |
My first job was in South Africa. And I had a leaving party | 0:04:21 | 0:04:25 | |
and my next-door neighbour brought Gill down to the party, so... | 0:04:25 | 0:04:29 | |
that's where we met. | 0:04:29 | 0:04:31 | |
And fortunately, my departure to South Africa was delayed, | 0:04:31 | 0:04:35 | |
-so we had six months together, didn't we? -Yeah. | 0:04:35 | 0:04:37 | |
31 years ago, they tied the knot and they have two grown-up daughters. | 0:04:37 | 0:04:42 | |
Their family couldn't be happier that they're back on home soil | 0:04:42 | 0:04:45 | |
and Gill and Bob don't want to be too far from either | 0:04:45 | 0:04:48 | |
their daughters in London or other family members in Derbyshire. | 0:04:48 | 0:04:51 | |
We're looking forward to buying a house and settling | 0:04:51 | 0:04:55 | |
and putting down roots in the UK, specifically Oxfordshire. | 0:04:55 | 0:05:00 | |
Oxfordshire, for me, is easy access to family in Derbyshire and London. | 0:05:00 | 0:05:06 | |
It's countryside, it's beautiful in that area. | 0:05:06 | 0:05:10 | |
-And it has all the things... -It's a great... | 0:05:10 | 0:05:12 | |
..all the things that we want - culture, sporting activities, | 0:05:12 | 0:05:15 | |
golf and tennis... So even though we want to move to the country, | 0:05:15 | 0:05:19 | |
-we would want access to cultural and other things as well. -Yes. | 0:05:19 | 0:05:23 | |
We love beautiful scenery and long walks, hikes, | 0:05:23 | 0:05:26 | |
and it just gives us the scope and the space to do what we want to do. | 0:05:26 | 0:05:32 | |
We just prefer to be in more of a rural location than in the city. | 0:05:32 | 0:05:37 | |
So that's what we are both looking forward to. | 0:05:37 | 0:05:40 | |
After so long away from home, | 0:05:40 | 0:05:42 | |
the couple are also looking forward to staying put. | 0:05:42 | 0:05:45 | |
We've moved a lot of times. | 0:05:45 | 0:05:47 | |
Switzerland has been the most consistent, | 0:05:47 | 0:05:50 | |
-stable part of our living together. -We've been married for 30 years | 0:05:50 | 0:05:55 | |
and we've lived in 16 houses. | 0:05:55 | 0:05:56 | |
We don't have to be specifically somewhere for a job, | 0:05:56 | 0:05:59 | |
we don't have to be specific to anywhere for the girls' schools, | 0:05:59 | 0:06:02 | |
so it's an open book now. | 0:06:02 | 0:06:04 | |
It took Gill and Bob four years to find their house in Switzerland | 0:06:04 | 0:06:08 | |
and a lot of hard work to turn it into their dream home. | 0:06:08 | 0:06:11 | |
We totally renovated it. | 0:06:11 | 0:06:13 | |
-From top to bottom, yeah. -Transformed it. | 0:06:13 | 0:06:15 | |
We're not frightened of a project, big projects. | 0:06:15 | 0:06:19 | |
They're both excited about their new life back in the UK and they're | 0:06:19 | 0:06:23 | |
also excited about finding a home for all their belongings. | 0:06:23 | 0:06:26 | |
We've got lots of boxes we haven't unpacked from eight months ago. | 0:06:26 | 0:06:30 | |
It's frustrating and it's tiring. It's as if it's like camping. | 0:06:30 | 0:06:35 | |
I don't want to camp any more. | 0:06:35 | 0:06:37 | |
I want to find a new home for all of my things | 0:06:37 | 0:06:39 | |
as well as for us, you know. | 0:06:39 | 0:06:41 | |
Gill and Bob are happy to consider moving anywhere in Oxfordshire | 0:06:43 | 0:06:47 | |
so we have the freedom to cast our net far and wide. | 0:06:47 | 0:06:50 | |
But before we do, I'm meeting them in this green county to go | 0:06:50 | 0:06:54 | |
over the finer details of their proposed move. | 0:06:54 | 0:06:57 | |
So, why Oxfordshire, Bob? | 0:06:57 | 0:06:58 | |
It's a beautiful county and we want to be within striking distance | 0:06:58 | 0:07:02 | |
from London but also access to Derbyshire, where we have | 0:07:02 | 0:07:05 | |
family as well, so we think this is the right place. | 0:07:05 | 0:07:08 | |
So what is your perfect home going to look like? | 0:07:08 | 0:07:10 | |
Well, we like traditional. We like old buildings. | 0:07:10 | 0:07:12 | |
But we like to sort of renovate | 0:07:12 | 0:07:14 | |
for it to have a modern feel on the inside. | 0:07:14 | 0:07:16 | |
I want a fabulous kitchen - open plan. We want it to be the hub | 0:07:16 | 0:07:21 | |
of the house, and patio doors onto a fabulous terrace and great views. | 0:07:21 | 0:07:25 | |
-That's what I would ideally like. -So, what would be a real no-no? | 0:07:25 | 0:07:28 | |
-Beams and low ceilings. -Really low ceilings. | 0:07:30 | 0:07:32 | |
And obviously, you've come back to be closer to family. | 0:07:32 | 0:07:35 | |
They're going to come and stay, | 0:07:35 | 0:07:37 | |
so how many bedrooms do you think you need? | 0:07:37 | 0:07:39 | |
I think four, maybe five. Depending on if there's a study. | 0:07:39 | 0:07:43 | |
If there's a study, then we need fewer bedrooms. | 0:07:43 | 0:07:46 | |
You know, I'm hoping that this is the last time we're going to be moving | 0:07:46 | 0:07:49 | |
and so this is the final resting place. | 0:07:49 | 0:07:52 | |
This is where we're going to make our family home from now on. | 0:07:52 | 0:07:54 | |
And what about you, Bob? | 0:07:54 | 0:07:55 | |
I've done woodwork at stages in my life - earlier on at school - | 0:07:55 | 0:07:59 | |
and it's something I've really enjoyed, so if we could have a | 0:07:59 | 0:08:02 | |
workshop or something to escape to in the garden, | 0:08:02 | 0:08:05 | |
that would be fantastic. | 0:08:05 | 0:08:06 | |
I like where you're coming from. That's my kind of house too. | 0:08:06 | 0:08:09 | |
Now, give us an idea of how much you're going to spend on this. | 0:08:09 | 0:08:13 | |
We're aiming for 800,000, but we can go a little bit higher, | 0:08:13 | 0:08:17 | |
so up to a million if it's absolutely perfect | 0:08:17 | 0:08:20 | |
and we don't have much to spend or do on it after that. | 0:08:20 | 0:08:22 | |
So the kind of petty cash drawer has got £200,000 in it. | 0:08:22 | 0:08:26 | |
-Wow, what an opportunity! -Yes, it is. | 0:08:26 | 0:08:29 | |
All right, then. Generous budget. | 0:08:29 | 0:08:31 | |
The property market here is fabulous, as you probably know, | 0:08:31 | 0:08:34 | |
and we've got three properties to show you to get this move underway, | 0:08:34 | 0:08:38 | |
to find what you hope will be your final home. | 0:08:38 | 0:08:41 | |
-Shall we? -Yes. -Come on then. -Let's go. | 0:08:41 | 0:08:43 | |
Gill and Bob have a very generous budget, | 0:08:46 | 0:08:48 | |
but they have chosen one of the most costly regions in the UK to live in, | 0:08:48 | 0:08:52 | |
so I hope we can find them what they want. | 0:08:52 | 0:08:55 | |
They're not keen on cottages or beams, | 0:08:55 | 0:08:57 | |
but they're happy to take on a project, as they've | 0:08:57 | 0:08:59 | |
done in the past, and they're hoping for four or five bedrooms. | 0:08:59 | 0:09:03 | |
Gill would love a large kitchen-diner with doors | 0:09:03 | 0:09:05 | |
to the garden, which can become the hub of their home. | 0:09:05 | 0:09:08 | |
Bob is looking for a workshop to call his own. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:11 | |
And they would both be happy to be close to a centre with shops, | 0:09:11 | 0:09:14 | |
eateries and access to culture. | 0:09:14 | 0:09:16 | |
We've found three distinctive properties - | 0:09:16 | 0:09:19 | |
one of which could be Gill and Bob's 17th - and last - home together. | 0:09:19 | 0:09:23 | |
And once they've toured each one, we'll let them in on its price. | 0:09:23 | 0:09:27 | |
The last stop will be the mystery house. | 0:09:27 | 0:09:29 | |
And today, it will require a very good imagination. So if our couple | 0:09:29 | 0:09:33 | |
remain open-minded, this could be the home they've been dreaming of. | 0:09:33 | 0:09:37 | |
For our first offering, | 0:09:43 | 0:09:44 | |
we're heading slightly west of the centre of Oxfordshire | 0:09:44 | 0:09:47 | |
to the town of Witney, just under 12 miles west of Oxford. | 0:09:47 | 0:09:51 | |
Witney is a thriving market town providing locals with a great centre | 0:09:51 | 0:09:55 | |
packed with a variety of shops in its busy and attractive high street | 0:09:55 | 0:09:59 | |
of stone buildings. | 0:09:59 | 0:10:01 | |
Alongside food, book and interiors retailers is a great selection | 0:10:01 | 0:10:05 | |
of pubs and eateries - a home away from home for ex-city dwellers. | 0:10:05 | 0:10:09 | |
Just a ten-minute walk from the centre of town | 0:10:09 | 0:10:12 | |
is our first property - a grand, detached house | 0:10:12 | 0:10:15 | |
located in a quiet cul-de-sac. | 0:10:15 | 0:10:17 | |
-That is pretty. -Isn't it? -Yes, it's very nice. | 0:10:18 | 0:10:21 | |
-Very nice. -Yeah. | 0:10:21 | 0:10:22 | |
And this one really, I think, is all about location | 0:10:22 | 0:10:25 | |
and those transport links that you need to get into London | 0:10:25 | 0:10:28 | |
-and, of course, up to Derbyshire. -It looks lovely. | 0:10:28 | 0:10:31 | |
It's got a nice old feel to it - this classic, warm, | 0:10:31 | 0:10:33 | |
honey-coloured stone that this part of the world is famous for. | 0:10:33 | 0:10:36 | |
-Is it a new build? -It is, you see. | 0:10:36 | 0:10:39 | |
-Yeah, but it's got character. It's looking good. -Shall we? | 0:10:39 | 0:10:42 | |
-Yes. -Let's go. | 0:10:42 | 0:10:44 | |
This house was built from reconstituted stone | 0:10:44 | 0:10:46 | |
around 34 years ago | 0:10:46 | 0:10:48 | |
and extended in 2001 to create this bright, spacious home. | 0:10:48 | 0:10:52 | |
Through a large reception hall is a very large living room, | 0:10:52 | 0:10:55 | |
which opens onto the garden. | 0:10:55 | 0:10:57 | |
-Wow. This is nice. -Very nice. | 0:10:57 | 0:11:00 | |
But it does have a beam. | 0:11:00 | 0:11:01 | |
It does have a beam. | 0:11:01 | 0:11:03 | |
This place is awash with oak | 0:11:03 | 0:11:05 | |
and when they set about renovating this property | 0:11:05 | 0:11:07 | |
and extending it back in 2001, they sourced it all from France. | 0:11:07 | 0:11:12 | |
Wow, it's lovely. Got a nice open feel. I like this. | 0:11:12 | 0:11:14 | |
Behind you, | 0:11:14 | 0:11:16 | |
you've got what the current owners use as their sort of winter snug. | 0:11:16 | 0:11:19 | |
Yes. Nice. Snug. | 0:11:19 | 0:11:20 | |
I mean, I get the feeling that this is the sort of style | 0:11:20 | 0:11:23 | |
-that would appeal. -Yes, it is. -It is nice. It is very nice. | 0:11:23 | 0:11:26 | |
It is. Yeah. Even though the room perhaps isn't huge, | 0:11:26 | 0:11:29 | |
but it has an airiness to it which I like. | 0:11:29 | 0:11:32 | |
Also on the ground floor, there's a room which would be | 0:11:32 | 0:11:35 | |
perfect as a study. And at the back of the house is a large | 0:11:35 | 0:11:38 | |
kitchen-diner, also with access to the garden. | 0:11:38 | 0:11:41 | |
-This is nice. -It is nice. -Yeah? | 0:11:41 | 0:11:43 | |
Yeah. I could... Yeah, I could hack this. | 0:11:43 | 0:11:46 | |
Come and have a look at this - it's huge. | 0:11:46 | 0:11:48 | |
It goes on round this corner. | 0:11:48 | 0:11:51 | |
You've got the central island, as it were. | 0:11:51 | 0:11:53 | |
No, this is lovely. Really nice. | 0:11:53 | 0:11:56 | |
-Bright. -Yeah, like it. Yeah. | 0:11:56 | 0:11:58 | |
-It's just super. -No, but the bones of it, it's nicely done. | 0:11:58 | 0:12:01 | |
And I really like the window - the feature there. | 0:12:01 | 0:12:03 | |
-That's beautiful. -It does look really good. | 0:12:03 | 0:12:06 | |
Yeah? There's a great smile here, Bob. | 0:12:06 | 0:12:08 | |
It's a good looking space. It's a lovely living space. | 0:12:08 | 0:12:11 | |
Off the kitchen is a larder and next to that there's a utility room | 0:12:11 | 0:12:14 | |
and also a cloakroom. | 0:12:14 | 0:12:16 | |
Moving upstairs, there are five bedrooms | 0:12:16 | 0:12:19 | |
including two large doubles, both flooded with light, | 0:12:19 | 0:12:22 | |
and there're also two comfortable single bedrooms - | 0:12:22 | 0:12:25 | |
one currently a bright study - | 0:12:25 | 0:12:27 | |
plus there are two good-sized bathrooms. | 0:12:27 | 0:12:31 | |
And then this is yours. | 0:12:31 | 0:12:33 | |
-Yeah. -Nice. | 0:12:35 | 0:12:36 | |
Good feeling of space. | 0:12:36 | 0:12:37 | |
Yes. Yeah, like it. | 0:12:37 | 0:12:39 | |
It also has that rather special little en-suite - | 0:12:39 | 0:12:41 | |
go and have a little look at that. | 0:12:41 | 0:12:43 | |
-Yep. Like it. -Yeah? -Yeah. | 0:12:43 | 0:12:45 | |
There's sort of a European flair to this. | 0:12:45 | 0:12:48 | |
And also, we have a giant bed, so that's important to us | 0:12:48 | 0:12:51 | |
because our bed's been with us for 30 years, so it has to... | 0:12:51 | 0:12:54 | |
-Time for a new one. -No, no, it's not. | 0:12:54 | 0:12:56 | |
-Bed with history. -Bed with... THEY LAUGH | 0:12:56 | 0:12:59 | |
Come on. | 0:12:59 | 0:13:01 | |
Well, Gill and Bob definitely seem taken with this property, | 0:13:01 | 0:13:04 | |
I'm just not sure quite how much. | 0:13:04 | 0:13:06 | |
I love the double aspect there. | 0:13:06 | 0:13:08 | |
That's what this is all about. | 0:13:08 | 0:13:10 | |
As we move outside to the pretty garden with its sun terrace, | 0:13:10 | 0:13:13 | |
plus two small outbuildings - one of which could be transformed into | 0:13:13 | 0:13:17 | |
a workshop for Bob - they can really take in the property from the back. | 0:13:17 | 0:13:21 | |
That's the garden. Is it big enough? | 0:13:21 | 0:13:22 | |
-Yes. -Yeah, it's definitely big enough. -Yes, it is. | 0:13:22 | 0:13:25 | |
It's nice and secluded, nice and private. | 0:13:25 | 0:13:26 | |
And I think this aspect of the property is lovely. | 0:13:26 | 0:13:29 | |
You can see where it's all been sort of added to | 0:13:29 | 0:13:31 | |
and how it's grown over the years. | 0:13:31 | 0:13:33 | |
Everything's been done sympathetically | 0:13:33 | 0:13:36 | |
and it's still interesting. | 0:13:36 | 0:13:37 | |
Even though it's quite a new house, it's still interesting. | 0:13:37 | 0:13:40 | |
It's definitely a really liveable space. | 0:13:40 | 0:13:42 | |
So, in terms of the price, you've got 800 to a million to spend - | 0:13:42 | 0:13:47 | |
where does this one come on the scale of things? | 0:13:47 | 0:13:49 | |
Well, for me, I would say 825,000. | 0:13:49 | 0:13:55 | |
Hmmm, yeah. Bob? | 0:13:55 | 0:13:56 | |
I would say a little bit more than that. I would say 849. | 0:13:56 | 0:14:00 | |
849! That's very precise. | 0:14:00 | 0:14:03 | |
OK. The thing about this one is that this is under 800,000. | 0:14:03 | 0:14:07 | |
-Wow. -It's on at 775. | 0:14:07 | 0:14:09 | |
-Right. -It's pleasing. | 0:14:09 | 0:14:11 | |
Go and have a look around. Go and explore upstairs, why not? | 0:14:11 | 0:14:14 | |
-Yeah. -And see how those bedrooms would work for you | 0:14:14 | 0:14:17 | |
and just enjoy it, you know. Take your time. | 0:14:17 | 0:14:19 | |
-OK. -Off you go. -Right. -Thank you. | 0:14:19 | 0:14:21 | |
This fantastic detached stone house is surprisingly £25,000 | 0:14:25 | 0:14:29 | |
under the bottom end of Gill and Bob's budget - | 0:14:29 | 0:14:33 | |
so coupled with the fact that the house barely needs anything | 0:14:33 | 0:14:35 | |
doing to it, it would leave them a great amount of cash to | 0:14:35 | 0:14:38 | |
enjoy in Bob's spare time as he moves into semi-retirement. | 0:14:38 | 0:14:43 | |
It's got the number of bedrooms they were hoping for plus a study | 0:14:43 | 0:14:46 | |
and the inside space is bright and airy, with a kitchen-diner | 0:14:46 | 0:14:49 | |
ideal to take on the role of heart of the home. | 0:14:49 | 0:14:52 | |
There are also not one but two rooms opening onto the garden | 0:14:52 | 0:14:56 | |
and there's even scope to give Bob his workshop. | 0:14:56 | 0:14:59 | |
When I first saw the house, I was impressed. | 0:15:00 | 0:15:03 | |
It has a traditional look to it, but it has a new feel. | 0:15:03 | 0:15:07 | |
Traditional, new. So it suits, it suits what we like. | 0:15:07 | 0:15:11 | |
The house definitely lends itself to having family | 0:15:11 | 0:15:15 | |
and friends, especially the kitchen. I love the triple aspect to it. | 0:15:15 | 0:15:20 | |
Light and airy and a great space | 0:15:20 | 0:15:23 | |
because everybody tends to gravitate to the kitchen whatever happens. | 0:15:23 | 0:15:27 | |
I think coming into the house, it comes into its own. | 0:15:27 | 0:15:30 | |
It's a really bright space. It's very, very liveable. | 0:15:30 | 0:15:34 | |
I think it's homely and I could live here. | 0:15:34 | 0:15:39 | |
Good. Well, that's it. Our first house tour is done and dusted. | 0:15:41 | 0:15:46 | |
Have we spoilt you? | 0:15:46 | 0:15:48 | |
Yes, you have. Great start. | 0:15:48 | 0:15:50 | |
But also comfortably under budget. | 0:15:50 | 0:15:53 | |
A lot lower than expected. I thought it was going to be higher. | 0:15:53 | 0:15:55 | |
I think we'll spend it all by the end of the week. | 0:15:55 | 0:15:58 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:15:58 | 0:16:00 | |
Gill and Bob are keen sailors and love being on the water, | 0:16:04 | 0:16:08 | |
and as Oxford is synonymous with punting, we've arranged for them | 0:16:08 | 0:16:11 | |
to visit The Cherwell Boathouse - an Edwardian punt hire station - | 0:16:11 | 0:16:15 | |
to see how these boats are created | 0:16:15 | 0:16:17 | |
and have a go on the water themselves. | 0:16:17 | 0:16:19 | |
Carpenter Bob Dowling has been crafting these boats | 0:16:19 | 0:16:22 | |
in the workshop here for 20 years. | 0:16:22 | 0:16:24 | |
-Hello there. -Hello, nice to meet you. | 0:16:26 | 0:16:28 | |
-Hello, Bob. Good to meet you. -And you. | 0:16:28 | 0:16:30 | |
What wood do you use to build the punts? | 0:16:30 | 0:16:32 | |
Um, the sides are African mahogany, bottom's marine ply | 0:16:32 | 0:16:37 | |
and some lumps of iroko for the treads and ends. | 0:16:37 | 0:16:41 | |
How much does the whole punt weigh? | 0:16:41 | 0:16:44 | |
Hmmm, it's not that heavy at all. It's 200 kilos, maybe a bit less. | 0:16:44 | 0:16:48 | |
Are the punts predominantly built by hand or do you have...? | 0:16:48 | 0:16:51 | |
Um, pretty much, yeah. Obviously, you know, I don't saw the planks | 0:16:51 | 0:16:55 | |
out of the log myself, there's a big machine that does that for me. | 0:16:55 | 0:16:59 | |
Some boats have a shaped bottom - or hull - | 0:16:59 | 0:17:02 | |
and a pointed front - or bow - | 0:17:02 | 0:17:04 | |
but these beauties have features that set them apart from others. | 0:17:04 | 0:17:08 | |
Why exactly does the boat have a flat bottom? | 0:17:08 | 0:17:11 | |
Does that... To make it more stable? | 0:17:11 | 0:17:13 | |
Shallow rivers is the main thing, and it's evolved from a | 0:17:13 | 0:17:17 | |
cargo-carrying thing and it's easy to put stuff on a flat bottom. | 0:17:17 | 0:17:22 | |
How long does it take to build the boat? | 0:17:22 | 0:17:24 | |
The woodwork takes about a month and then the painting | 0:17:24 | 0:17:27 | |
and varnishing takes about another month. | 0:17:27 | 0:17:29 | |
There are more than 80 beautifully constructed punts afloat | 0:17:29 | 0:17:32 | |
here on the River Cherwell and, now they've seen where | 0:17:32 | 0:17:35 | |
they stem from, Gill and Bob are going to experience a trip in one. | 0:17:35 | 0:17:39 | |
Roger Forster has run the boat hire side of the business | 0:17:39 | 0:17:42 | |
here for 23 years and sees around 6,000 students, | 0:17:42 | 0:17:46 | |
locals and tourists a year enjoy taking the punts out on the river. | 0:17:46 | 0:17:49 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:17:49 | 0:17:52 | |
I'm not sure I was expecting that. | 0:17:52 | 0:17:54 | |
Whoa. | 0:17:54 | 0:17:56 | |
Today, Ray has the job of the chauffeur. | 0:17:58 | 0:18:01 | |
This peaceful way of travelling the river is seen as a very | 0:18:01 | 0:18:04 | |
English activity, but Oxford isn't the only university city | 0:18:04 | 0:18:07 | |
famous for its punting trips - arch rival Cambridge is too. | 0:18:07 | 0:18:11 | |
Is punting specific to Oxford | 0:18:11 | 0:18:14 | |
and Cambridge or do you find it elsewhere in the UK? | 0:18:14 | 0:18:16 | |
-There's a few other places - Stratford, Bath. -Oh, OK. | 0:18:16 | 0:18:20 | |
But I think it's most popular in Oxford and Cambridge because | 0:18:20 | 0:18:23 | |
of the abundance of students and the tradition that they've made it. | 0:18:23 | 0:18:27 | |
How does the British punt compare to the Italian gondola? | 0:18:27 | 0:18:31 | |
Well, they're very, very different. | 0:18:31 | 0:18:33 | |
I think the important difference is that you will always be | 0:18:33 | 0:18:36 | |
chauffeured in a gondola. | 0:18:36 | 0:18:38 | |
There will always be the gondolier doing the paddling for you. | 0:18:38 | 0:18:42 | |
The big difference is that when you go punting in Oxford, | 0:18:42 | 0:18:45 | |
you'll do it yourself. | 0:18:45 | 0:18:47 | |
-So what makes a good punter? -Practice. | 0:18:47 | 0:18:50 | |
-Twice a week, we recommend. -THEY CHUCKLE | 0:18:50 | 0:18:53 | |
In years gone by, punting was reserved for the wealthy, | 0:18:54 | 0:18:57 | |
but today, it's an affordable, accessible pastime. | 0:18:57 | 0:19:00 | |
Gill and Bob have returned to dry land to pick up some | 0:19:00 | 0:19:03 | |
obligatory refreshments before hopping back on board | 0:19:03 | 0:19:06 | |
and taking to the helm themselves. | 0:19:06 | 0:19:08 | |
A little more to the right, darling. | 0:19:08 | 0:19:10 | |
Oh, wait a minute, that way. | 0:19:10 | 0:19:13 | |
Oh, yeah. | 0:19:13 | 0:19:14 | |
-I'll direct. -There we go. | 0:19:14 | 0:19:16 | |
I just knew that you would be a good punter. | 0:19:16 | 0:19:18 | |
And you're going to have a try in a minute. | 0:19:18 | 0:19:21 | |
-SHE LAUGHS -Gill, do you want a go at this? | 0:19:21 | 0:19:24 | |
-Er, no, thank you. -No, I think you should. | 0:19:24 | 0:19:26 | |
I don't think this is a good idea. | 0:19:26 | 0:19:29 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:19:29 | 0:19:32 | |
Oh, no. | 0:19:33 | 0:19:35 | |
I really do not want to get wet. | 0:19:35 | 0:19:37 | |
Oh, this is so easy. | 0:19:38 | 0:19:41 | |
-Cheers, Gill. -Cheers, Bob. | 0:19:41 | 0:19:44 | |
And what better way to take in the stunning Oxfordshire scenery, | 0:19:44 | 0:19:48 | |
soon to be their new home. | 0:19:48 | 0:19:50 | |
Do you need some help? | 0:19:50 | 0:19:51 | |
Back on course. | 0:19:53 | 0:19:54 | |
For our second property, | 0:19:58 | 0:20:00 | |
we're journeying nine miles west, to the village of Fulbrook. | 0:20:00 | 0:20:03 | |
It's just over 20 miles west of the centre of Oxford | 0:20:03 | 0:20:06 | |
and just a mile north of the picturesque town of Burford. | 0:20:06 | 0:20:10 | |
The main street of Burford sits on a steep hill with | 0:20:10 | 0:20:13 | |
beautiful views of the Oxfordshire countryside from the top. | 0:20:13 | 0:20:16 | |
Cotswold stone buildings line the streets with a delightful | 0:20:16 | 0:20:19 | |
mix of artisan shops, restaurants and pubs. | 0:20:19 | 0:20:23 | |
A six-minute drive, or 15-minute walk, | 0:20:23 | 0:20:26 | |
takes us from bustling Burford to our second house. | 0:20:26 | 0:20:29 | |
This period property is perfectly situated | 0:20:29 | 0:20:31 | |
within minutes of open countryside. | 0:20:31 | 0:20:33 | |
All right then, Gill and Bob. | 0:20:35 | 0:20:36 | |
Here we are, this is it, property number two. | 0:20:36 | 0:20:40 | |
What do you think? | 0:20:40 | 0:20:41 | |
-Yeah. -SHE CHUCKLES | 0:20:41 | 0:20:44 | |
That's a very quiet laugh. | 0:20:44 | 0:20:46 | |
-It's old, it's definitely old. -It's interesting. | 0:20:46 | 0:20:48 | |
It really is old. A lot older than our first property. | 0:20:48 | 0:20:51 | |
It is effectively a barn conversion, but to be perfectly honest, | 0:20:51 | 0:20:55 | |
it's unlike almost any other I have seen | 0:20:55 | 0:20:57 | |
because you've got the outside wings of the barn | 0:20:57 | 0:21:00 | |
and then the central bit has been removed to create this courtyard. | 0:21:00 | 0:21:04 | |
Doesn't look like a barn conversion at all. | 0:21:04 | 0:21:08 | |
This unusual barn, built from Cotswold stone, | 0:21:08 | 0:21:11 | |
dates back to the 17th century - on the outside - | 0:21:11 | 0:21:14 | |
but was converted to a family home in 1982. | 0:21:14 | 0:21:17 | |
And off the entrance hall is a sitting room. | 0:21:17 | 0:21:20 | |
-Oh. -Yes? | 0:21:22 | 0:21:24 | |
It's cottage-y. | 0:21:24 | 0:21:26 | |
I wouldn't have described it as cottage-y, more barn-y. | 0:21:26 | 0:21:29 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:21:29 | 0:21:31 | |
-I'm struggling. -It's got beams. | 0:21:31 | 0:21:33 | |
Yeah, no, it's cottage-y. | 0:21:33 | 0:21:36 | |
-This is not your principle living room. -OK. | 0:21:36 | 0:21:38 | |
So don't worry about space. | 0:21:38 | 0:21:40 | |
This is but one of four reception rooms you've got to play with. | 0:21:40 | 0:21:44 | |
-The main event is through here. Have a look at this. -OK. -OK. | 0:21:44 | 0:21:47 | |
On the other side of the hallway and down a few stairs | 0:21:47 | 0:21:50 | |
is another huge reception room. | 0:21:50 | 0:21:52 | |
This one has a sloped ceiling and skylights | 0:21:52 | 0:21:54 | |
as well as doors to the garden. | 0:21:54 | 0:21:56 | |
Now, to me, this doesn't feel that cottage-y. | 0:21:56 | 0:21:59 | |
No, it doesn't. | 0:21:59 | 0:22:01 | |
-This definitely feels more barn-like. -Yeah. | 0:22:01 | 0:22:04 | |
Yes, I like this. I love the wooden floor. | 0:22:04 | 0:22:07 | |
It's a great space. It's a lovely living space. | 0:22:07 | 0:22:10 | |
It's a mixture of garden room, living room, dining room. | 0:22:10 | 0:22:13 | |
It's light and airy, but there's a certain elegance to it | 0:22:13 | 0:22:16 | |
which I quite like. | 0:22:16 | 0:22:17 | |
Thankfully, this fabulous, bright room has got | 0:22:17 | 0:22:20 | |
Gill and Bob back on side. | 0:22:20 | 0:22:21 | |
And just next door to it is a farmhouse-style kitchen, | 0:22:21 | 0:22:24 | |
but is it good enough to be the heart of Gill's home? | 0:22:24 | 0:22:27 | |
-No. It's not doing it for me. -No! -No. | 0:22:27 | 0:22:30 | |
I thought we'd turned a corner for a moment then... | 0:22:30 | 0:22:33 | |
-No. No. -Bob? Where are we? What's happened? | 0:22:33 | 0:22:36 | |
Well, I think... | 0:22:36 | 0:22:37 | |
-If we could knock that wall out... -Open, but erm... | 0:22:37 | 0:22:40 | |
Because I like to be far more connected to the living space | 0:22:40 | 0:22:45 | |
-when I'm cooking. -Yes. OK. What if you put the kitchen next door? | 0:22:45 | 0:22:48 | |
That is a thought. Yeah. | 0:22:48 | 0:22:51 | |
See, it's really interesting, I had really high hopes for this one. | 0:22:51 | 0:22:54 | |
I thought of all of our properties, | 0:22:54 | 0:22:56 | |
this is the one you were going to love. | 0:22:56 | 0:22:58 | |
I must admit, I love that space and I like the olde-worlde aspect to it. | 0:22:58 | 0:23:01 | |
-You're pretty connected. -Hmmm... | 0:23:01 | 0:23:03 | |
-It's worth thinking about. -A little bit of time, it'll grow... | 0:23:05 | 0:23:08 | |
-We've got to see, I think, the rest. -You see, he's being an optimist. | 0:23:08 | 0:23:12 | |
I'm the realist. | 0:23:13 | 0:23:14 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:23:14 | 0:23:17 | |
Also on the ground floor, there's a utility room, a cloakroom, | 0:23:17 | 0:23:20 | |
a snug and a garage-cum-workshop. | 0:23:20 | 0:23:23 | |
Upstairs, the unique layout continues | 0:23:23 | 0:23:25 | |
with a long landing linking the two | 0:23:25 | 0:23:27 | |
ends of the barn, leading to another living area - this time a library. | 0:23:27 | 0:23:32 | |
-I love it. -Books, books. | 0:23:33 | 0:23:35 | |
More books. | 0:23:35 | 0:23:36 | |
-Gill's library. It's really nice. -Yeah. | 0:23:36 | 0:23:39 | |
It's unexpected - huge space, this. | 0:23:39 | 0:23:41 | |
I mean, it could be a bedroom, it doesn't have to be, but I love it. | 0:23:41 | 0:23:44 | |
No, I like this. | 0:23:44 | 0:23:46 | |
Also on this floor, there's a family bathroom, a character double | 0:23:47 | 0:23:51 | |
bedroom and a quirky single, both linked by a dressing area. | 0:23:51 | 0:23:54 | |
And above on the second floor are two bedrooms in the eaves. | 0:23:54 | 0:23:59 | |
But back on the first floor... | 0:23:59 | 0:24:01 | |
Across this lovely gallery is the main bedroom. | 0:24:01 | 0:24:04 | |
Wow. Interesting. | 0:24:04 | 0:24:07 | |
-That's the story of this house. -Yes, it is. | 0:24:07 | 0:24:09 | |
You know. It's all interesting. | 0:24:09 | 0:24:10 | |
You've got an upstairs mezzanine which gives you a dressing area. | 0:24:10 | 0:24:14 | |
This is the master because it's got the en-suite. | 0:24:14 | 0:24:18 | |
Is this still a grower, Bob? | 0:24:18 | 0:24:20 | |
Yeah, it's growing. I love the landing that connects everywhere. | 0:24:20 | 0:24:23 | |
I'm glad you're keeping an open-mind because I think this is a really | 0:24:23 | 0:24:27 | |
fun proposition for you because of the space that it offers. | 0:24:27 | 0:24:30 | |
And a place that you could grow into, | 0:24:30 | 0:24:32 | |
bearing in mind you don't want to move again. | 0:24:32 | 0:24:34 | |
This house has certainly got Gill and Bob thinking, | 0:24:34 | 0:24:38 | |
so let's see what they'll make of the outside space - | 0:24:38 | 0:24:40 | |
an attractive terrace and garden laden with fruit trees and flowers. | 0:24:40 | 0:24:45 | |
And as would be fitting with such an unusual house, | 0:24:45 | 0:24:48 | |
the garden is also fairly unusual in its layout, | 0:24:48 | 0:24:51 | |
because nothing here is conventional - | 0:24:51 | 0:24:53 | |
-long and thin but with a slightly exotic feel over here. -Yes. | 0:24:53 | 0:24:57 | |
And a very Cotswolds feel over there. | 0:24:57 | 0:25:00 | |
-Yeah. -Yeah. | 0:25:00 | 0:25:01 | |
So the price? | 0:25:01 | 0:25:03 | |
For me, about 850,000. | 0:25:03 | 0:25:06 | |
850. Bob? | 0:25:06 | 0:25:08 | |
I would say a bit higher. 870. | 0:25:08 | 0:25:11 | |
870. 850. | 0:25:11 | 0:25:13 | |
You are right to be higher, but I'm afraid for this one, you're | 0:25:13 | 0:25:16 | |
going to have to go a lot higher. | 0:25:16 | 0:25:18 | |
It's Burford, it's a big house and it's the Cotswolds. | 0:25:18 | 0:25:22 | |
It's £950,000. | 0:25:22 | 0:25:24 | |
-Whoa. -OK. | 0:25:24 | 0:25:26 | |
Go and have a wander around. | 0:25:26 | 0:25:28 | |
There's a lot to take in with this one. | 0:25:28 | 0:25:30 | |
-Go on, then - off you go. -Right. -OK. | 0:25:30 | 0:25:31 | |
You ramble that way and I shall ramble this way. | 0:25:31 | 0:25:34 | |
This 17th-century barn conversion may be on the costly side, | 0:25:36 | 0:25:40 | |
but it is £50,000 below the top end of Gill and Bob's budget. | 0:25:40 | 0:25:45 | |
The slightly hefty price-tag comes with its hugely desirable | 0:25:45 | 0:25:48 | |
Cotswolds location. | 0:25:48 | 0:25:50 | |
But it is a great space for entertaining, | 0:25:50 | 0:25:52 | |
with its various reception rooms, | 0:25:52 | 0:25:54 | |
and it's got the five bedrooms they're after. | 0:25:54 | 0:25:56 | |
It's also got a great garage, | 0:25:56 | 0:25:58 | |
providing an ideal work space for Bob. | 0:25:58 | 0:26:00 | |
And it's got the advantage of being close to stunning countryside, | 0:26:00 | 0:26:04 | |
but it's also got great access to the transport links, shops, | 0:26:04 | 0:26:07 | |
eateries and culture Gill and Bob are after. | 0:26:07 | 0:26:10 | |
I really like this space. The landing. | 0:26:11 | 0:26:14 | |
I like the rambling-ness of the different stairways. | 0:26:14 | 0:26:18 | |
I think it's like a Pandora's box. | 0:26:18 | 0:26:21 | |
You see it from the outside, and it's very attractive. | 0:26:21 | 0:26:24 | |
It's got a lot of character. And you come inside, | 0:26:24 | 0:26:26 | |
and then there's a lot to explore. And I think the main living area - | 0:26:26 | 0:26:30 | |
this - and the kitchen and the garden as well are very special. | 0:26:30 | 0:26:33 | |
It's a big space. | 0:26:33 | 0:26:35 | |
I do feel as if I would need a lot of money to do this | 0:26:35 | 0:26:38 | |
place justice really, I think. It's a fabulous house - I love it. | 0:26:38 | 0:26:43 | |
I love the space and the quirkiness of it, | 0:26:43 | 0:26:47 | |
but I do have reservations about whether it's for us or not. | 0:26:47 | 0:26:51 | |
Now, I wonder if these are in any way ready. | 0:26:52 | 0:26:55 | |
To my surprise, they really are. Absolutely delicious. | 0:26:58 | 0:27:02 | |
Tastes like grape juice. | 0:27:02 | 0:27:03 | |
This is another reason why you should buy this house, | 0:27:03 | 0:27:06 | |
shouldn't you, Gill? | 0:27:06 | 0:27:07 | |
Well I'd...it's a fabulous house. | 0:27:07 | 0:27:10 | |
I just wish my best friend lived here. | 0:27:10 | 0:27:13 | |
Really, that's an interesting way of putting it. | 0:27:13 | 0:27:15 | |
Not sure it's for me. | 0:27:15 | 0:27:17 | |
Ooh, very cryptic, Bob. | 0:27:17 | 0:27:19 | |
I liked it. It grew on me the whole time. | 0:27:19 | 0:27:21 | |
I love the space and the interesting...different | 0:27:21 | 0:27:24 | |
-parts of the house. -Well you've got tonight to work on Gill, to persuade | 0:27:24 | 0:27:28 | |
her that maybe this could work, but, of course, | 0:27:28 | 0:27:30 | |
we have got our mystery house tomorrow to show you. | 0:27:30 | 0:27:32 | |
Come on then. Let's have a drink. | 0:27:32 | 0:27:34 | |
It's the second day of our Oxfordshire trip, looking | 0:27:43 | 0:27:46 | |
for a new home for Gill and Bob from Hampstead, northwest London, | 0:27:46 | 0:27:50 | |
now they've returned to the UK after 13 years abroad. | 0:27:50 | 0:27:54 | |
They've got a very healthy budget of between £800,000 and a million | 0:27:54 | 0:27:57 | |
to spend and they're looking for somewhere | 0:27:57 | 0:28:00 | |
they can put their own stamp on. | 0:28:00 | 0:28:01 | |
Coming up, our mystery house is going to require | 0:28:01 | 0:28:04 | |
Gill and Bob to think big! | 0:28:04 | 0:28:06 | |
I don't know if I could do anything with it, but I love it! | 0:28:06 | 0:28:08 | |
And I'll be getting ahead with a very British accessory. | 0:28:08 | 0:28:12 | |
There you have your initial shape and your hat. | 0:28:12 | 0:28:15 | |
Look at that! My hat really is taking shape. | 0:28:15 | 0:28:18 | |
Well, yesterday, I thought, went rather well, but I do get this | 0:28:19 | 0:28:22 | |
sense there is a bit of a conundrum going on between Gill and Bob. | 0:28:22 | 0:28:26 | |
She, I think, prefers property number one | 0:28:26 | 0:28:28 | |
and he, I think, prefers property number two. | 0:28:28 | 0:28:31 | |
So what can we come up with for our mystery house? | 0:28:31 | 0:28:34 | |
Well, on Escape To The Country, as you well know, | 0:28:34 | 0:28:37 | |
we do like to thrill our buyers with our final property and, often as | 0:28:37 | 0:28:41 | |
not, we use all kinds of superlatives | 0:28:41 | 0:28:43 | |
to describe our mystery houses. | 0:28:43 | 0:28:45 | |
But on this occasion, to be honest, I'm lost for words. | 0:28:45 | 0:28:49 | |
For our third and final property, we're travelling 37 miles | 0:28:51 | 0:28:54 | |
southeast to the hamlet of Nuffield. | 0:28:54 | 0:28:57 | |
It's just over 17.5 miles from Oxford | 0:28:57 | 0:29:00 | |
and is the closest of our three houses to London. | 0:29:00 | 0:29:02 | |
It sits in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. | 0:29:02 | 0:29:06 | |
Less than two miles away is the village of Nettlebed, | 0:29:06 | 0:29:09 | |
which has all the essentials on offer in its pretty streets, | 0:29:09 | 0:29:12 | |
including a deli and pub. | 0:29:12 | 0:29:14 | |
In the middle of the village, there's a statuesque | 0:29:14 | 0:29:16 | |
old pottery kiln built in the late 17th or early 18th century, | 0:29:16 | 0:29:20 | |
remembering a time when the area was well-known for brick making. | 0:29:20 | 0:29:24 | |
Just a four-minute drive and we're on the edge of Nuffield | 0:29:24 | 0:29:27 | |
at our last offering - and it won't take long for Gill and Bob to | 0:29:27 | 0:29:31 | |
realise why it's earned itself the title of our mystery house. | 0:29:31 | 0:29:36 | |
Well, Bob and Gill... | 0:29:36 | 0:29:38 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:29:38 | 0:29:41 | |
It's a lot of roof. | 0:29:41 | 0:29:42 | |
-It's a lot of barn. -A lot of barn. | 0:29:42 | 0:29:45 | |
Why have we brought you here? | 0:29:45 | 0:29:46 | |
You're probably wondering. | 0:29:46 | 0:29:48 | |
With our mystery houses, we like to give ourselves a little | 0:29:48 | 0:29:51 | |
bit of latitude in terms of what we offer you. | 0:29:51 | 0:29:54 | |
But I know that you have done some major renovations in your time, | 0:29:54 | 0:29:58 | |
-and that's what this needs. -Yes. | 0:29:58 | 0:30:00 | |
And to find a property like this on the market | 0:30:00 | 0:30:03 | |
this close to London is a rarity. | 0:30:03 | 0:30:06 | |
It is an opportunity to turn a beautiful, medieval barn... | 0:30:06 | 0:30:11 | |
-Medieval... -Positively medieval. -THEY LAUGH | 0:30:11 | 0:30:15 | |
..into a stunning home. | 0:30:15 | 0:30:17 | |
Let's see what you think of the inside. | 0:30:17 | 0:30:19 | |
This striking period barn is Grade II listed and is | 0:30:21 | 0:30:24 | |
built from brick and flint with a steeply pitched clay tile roof. | 0:30:24 | 0:30:28 | |
It's attached, but it's so large that the majority of the property | 0:30:28 | 0:30:31 | |
sits away from the party wall. | 0:30:31 | 0:30:33 | |
The most recent resident here was a bespoke antiques business. | 0:30:33 | 0:30:37 | |
Whoa! | 0:30:40 | 0:30:42 | |
I love it. BOB LAUGHS | 0:30:42 | 0:30:44 | |
-I love it! -You see? | 0:30:44 | 0:30:46 | |
I don't know if I could do anything with it, but I love it. | 0:30:46 | 0:30:49 | |
-It's got a few beams. -Wow! | 0:30:49 | 0:30:50 | |
Yeah, it has got lots of beams. THEY LAUGH | 0:30:50 | 0:30:54 | |
I mean, it's er...it's a real gem, this. | 0:30:54 | 0:30:56 | |
Oh, I love that. | 0:30:56 | 0:30:58 | |
-Yeah? -Mmm. | 0:30:58 | 0:30:59 | |
It has planning permission - that's why we're here - | 0:30:59 | 0:31:01 | |
because it's good to go in terms of being developed further. | 0:31:01 | 0:31:05 | |
So one could imagine other floor levels in here, | 0:31:05 | 0:31:08 | |
four to five bedrooms, living space. Well, wow, where do you start? | 0:31:08 | 0:31:13 | |
In the early 20th century, the interior of this superb barn | 0:31:13 | 0:31:18 | |
was remodelled following the Arts and Crafts Movement - | 0:31:18 | 0:31:21 | |
a style which was a la mode, using traditional craftsmanship | 0:31:21 | 0:31:24 | |
and led by textile designer William Morris. | 0:31:24 | 0:31:27 | |
I love the floor. | 0:31:27 | 0:31:29 | |
-Now, this is also Arts and Crafts. -Yeah, I love it. | 0:31:29 | 0:31:31 | |
As are these lovely windows. | 0:31:31 | 0:31:33 | |
So it's a mixture of periods, if you like. | 0:31:33 | 0:31:35 | |
The fireplace was Arts and Crafts. | 0:31:35 | 0:31:37 | |
Obviously, it wouldn't have had a fireplace originally. | 0:31:37 | 0:31:40 | |
That's a wow. I love that. | 0:31:40 | 0:31:42 | |
It's not a space that's totally overwhelming. It's still doable. | 0:31:42 | 0:31:46 | |
It's stunning as a conversion project. | 0:31:46 | 0:31:48 | |
-It's an open book, isn't it, really? -Yeah. | 0:31:48 | 0:31:50 | |
And you can see why we thought this was worth you seeing, | 0:31:50 | 0:31:53 | |
because it's so rare to find something like this in its raw | 0:31:53 | 0:31:56 | |
state, but nonetheless, in a condition that's really ready to go. | 0:31:56 | 0:32:00 | |
But this huge empty shell isn't all there is to see here. | 0:32:00 | 0:32:04 | |
From its days as an antiques merchants, there's a small kitchen, | 0:32:04 | 0:32:07 | |
cloakroom and upstairs, there's an office. | 0:32:07 | 0:32:10 | |
But back on the ground floor, | 0:32:10 | 0:32:12 | |
there's yet another room hidden from view. | 0:32:12 | 0:32:14 | |
So walking through the living room or whatever, | 0:32:14 | 0:32:18 | |
but do have in mind as we go through here that blocked up doorway there. | 0:32:18 | 0:32:22 | |
-Right. -That will make sense. | 0:32:22 | 0:32:24 | |
Right, Gill, this, I think, would make a fabulous kitchen. | 0:32:28 | 0:32:32 | |
-Wow. -It's a nice space. | 0:32:34 | 0:32:36 | |
And this is definitely even more manageable. | 0:32:36 | 0:32:39 | |
-Absolutely. That's the door that goes through to the main barn. -OK. | 0:32:39 | 0:32:43 | |
I'm imagining a huge range down there, | 0:32:43 | 0:32:46 | |
kitchen either side - dining-living space. | 0:32:46 | 0:32:50 | |
We could look at making this a self-contained area | 0:32:50 | 0:32:54 | |
for when the girls come to visit. | 0:32:54 | 0:32:56 | |
-Or a workshop. -Or a workshop! | 0:32:56 | 0:32:58 | |
Ah, yes! I hadn't thought of that. Yeah. | 0:32:58 | 0:33:01 | |
Neither had I. | 0:33:01 | 0:33:03 | |
I love the way you've grasped this one - not everybody would. | 0:33:03 | 0:33:06 | |
But you could probably tell, this is the sort of project I relish. | 0:33:06 | 0:33:10 | |
And I think you probably would too if you want to do it. | 0:33:10 | 0:33:12 | |
If it's for the right money. | 0:33:12 | 0:33:14 | |
The cavernous interior isn't all that's on offer here either, | 0:33:14 | 0:33:18 | |
there are beautiful gardens both front and back. | 0:33:18 | 0:33:21 | |
A walled garden. | 0:33:21 | 0:33:22 | |
Now what's lovely about this is that you do get | 0:33:22 | 0:33:25 | |
effectively two gardens, which is rather nice, actually. | 0:33:25 | 0:33:29 | |
This lovely kind of enclosed veranda area | 0:33:29 | 0:33:31 | |
and this walled garden. It's quite exciting, isn't it? | 0:33:31 | 0:33:35 | |
-It is. -It's pretty. It's very pretty. | 0:33:35 | 0:33:37 | |
And you get the evening sun onto the veranda. | 0:33:37 | 0:33:39 | |
I think Bob's quite excited about this one. | 0:33:39 | 0:33:41 | |
I am. I think it's a real... | 0:33:41 | 0:33:43 | |
It's a real opportunity. | 0:33:43 | 0:33:45 | |
It's got great potential. | 0:33:45 | 0:33:47 | |
Well, let's talk about its value then because, let's face it, | 0:33:47 | 0:33:50 | |
we can't move this forward without knowing what it costs. So, madam? | 0:33:50 | 0:33:54 | |
I think around 900,000. | 0:33:54 | 0:33:56 | |
-£900,000. -Yep. Bob? | 0:33:56 | 0:33:59 | |
I'm going to be optimistic and say 800,000. | 0:34:00 | 0:34:03 | |
You're laughing, aren't you? | 0:34:04 | 0:34:06 | |
I don't think so. | 0:34:06 | 0:34:08 | |
-He's right. -He's right! | 0:34:08 | 0:34:09 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:34:09 | 0:34:11 | |
-Wow. -£800,000. | 0:34:11 | 0:34:14 | |
Go back inside, let your imaginations go wild | 0:34:14 | 0:34:17 | |
and I will come and find you a little bit later on. | 0:34:17 | 0:34:19 | |
All right. Thanks, Jules. | 0:34:19 | 0:34:21 | |
I don't think you'll get lost somehow. | 0:34:21 | 0:34:23 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:34:23 | 0:34:24 | |
Brilliant. Well, you know, every now and then on Escape To The Country, | 0:34:24 | 0:34:28 | |
a real gem comes along, a gem among gems. | 0:34:28 | 0:34:30 | |
And for me, this really is one of them. | 0:34:30 | 0:34:33 | |
It is an exceptional property and when it's done | 0:34:33 | 0:34:35 | |
and finished - wow, what a place it'll be. | 0:34:35 | 0:34:39 | |
Gill and Bob have said they'd be happy with a project, | 0:34:40 | 0:34:43 | |
but they weren't expecting one quite as big as this - | 0:34:43 | 0:34:46 | |
but that's what you get with the mystery house. | 0:34:46 | 0:34:49 | |
This spectacular medieval listed barn which comes with | 0:34:49 | 0:34:52 | |
planning permission is £200,000 under their top budget, | 0:34:52 | 0:34:55 | |
meaning they would have a very healthy kitty to convert | 0:34:55 | 0:34:58 | |
this 4,000-square-foot blank canvas into the home of their dreams. | 0:34:58 | 0:35:02 | |
What's going through my mind at the moment is whether this is a | 0:35:02 | 0:35:05 | |
real goer, whether it's a feasible project for us to be able to afford. | 0:35:05 | 0:35:10 | |
-Love it. -It's huge. | 0:35:10 | 0:35:11 | |
Just a huge project and you've got to be really brave to | 0:35:11 | 0:35:14 | |
take on something like this, but it could be fantastic. | 0:35:14 | 0:35:17 | |
I think it's got so much potential and I think we can do it. | 0:35:17 | 0:35:22 | |
Maybe we're mad enough to take it on. Maybe. | 0:35:22 | 0:35:25 | |
-It's exciting. -It is. | 0:35:25 | 0:35:27 | |
The main thing is getting more light. It needs light. | 0:35:27 | 0:35:30 | |
How could we do that? | 0:35:30 | 0:35:31 | |
Well, I thought glass here, coming in through there, | 0:35:31 | 0:35:34 | |
-just beaming light in. -It would match the glass on both sides? -Yeah. | 0:35:34 | 0:35:38 | |
I like the way you're thinking. This is all good. | 0:35:38 | 0:35:41 | |
I knew you'd be creative with this one, and you haven't let me down. | 0:35:41 | 0:35:44 | |
It's a building that's crying out for somebody to take it on. | 0:35:44 | 0:35:48 | |
-To love it. -Absolutely, yeah. | 0:35:48 | 0:35:50 | |
But will it be you? | 0:35:50 | 0:35:51 | |
We've given you three to choose from - you've got a lot to consider. | 0:35:51 | 0:35:55 | |
-Yeah. -OK. | 0:35:55 | 0:35:56 | |
Come on then. After you, Bob. | 0:35:56 | 0:35:58 | |
Let's go. What a place. | 0:35:58 | 0:36:00 | |
Back in Witney, in the heart of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds, | 0:36:06 | 0:36:09 | |
one business has been producing a very British head attire | 0:36:09 | 0:36:12 | |
for over 240 years. | 0:36:12 | 0:36:15 | |
One of the oldest hat manufacturers in the UK, the company has | 0:36:15 | 0:36:18 | |
passed through eight generations of the Christy family before being sold | 0:36:18 | 0:36:23 | |
on in the 1960s. It's now owned by a London-based department store. | 0:36:23 | 0:36:27 | |
It makes head gear for not only your man and woman in the street | 0:36:27 | 0:36:30 | |
but also the rich and famous - and even royalty. | 0:36:30 | 0:36:34 | |
At its peak, there would have been up to 3,000 workers | 0:36:34 | 0:36:37 | |
on the production floor. Today, there are just 20. And | 0:36:37 | 0:36:40 | |
managing director Steve Clarke has worked here for just over two years. | 0:36:40 | 0:36:44 | |
Look at this, a hatter's paradise. | 0:36:44 | 0:36:46 | |
Absolutely, that old playground. | 0:36:46 | 0:36:48 | |
The range of styles here is extraordinary - | 0:36:48 | 0:36:50 | |
everything from classic country to very much man or woman about town. | 0:36:50 | 0:36:55 | |
And I notice over here, even the police get a look in. | 0:36:55 | 0:36:58 | |
Indeed, yeah. We have the national contract for making police helmets. | 0:36:58 | 0:37:01 | |
-That's a lot of helmets. -That's a lot of helmets, yeah. | 0:37:01 | 0:37:03 | |
Now, over the years, presumably the great | 0:37:03 | 0:37:06 | |
-and the good have also worn Christy's hats? -Indeed. | 0:37:06 | 0:37:08 | |
-Any highlights? -Yeah, a few. | 0:37:08 | 0:37:10 | |
I mean, Prince Albert and Queen Victoria were both, you know, | 0:37:10 | 0:37:13 | |
ardent wearers and Churchill with his Homburg, | 0:37:13 | 0:37:15 | |
Marlon Brando - The Godfather - with his Homburg. | 0:37:15 | 0:37:18 | |
We also - Indiana Jones - so the classic hats, I guess, are ours. | 0:37:18 | 0:37:22 | |
Now it's hard for us to imagine these days, | 0:37:22 | 0:37:24 | |
but there was a time when a man or a woman was considered | 0:37:24 | 0:37:28 | |
not dressed correctly if they weren't wearing a hat. | 0:37:28 | 0:37:30 | |
Yes, the owner of the manor wore the top hat, | 0:37:30 | 0:37:32 | |
the head gardener wore the bowler | 0:37:32 | 0:37:34 | |
and all of the rest of the gardening team wore flat-caps, so the whole | 0:37:34 | 0:37:37 | |
household in the 19th century were all wearing some form of headwear. | 0:37:37 | 0:37:40 | |
So, in a way, you could distinguish where somebody | 0:37:40 | 0:37:42 | |
was in the class pecking order by the hat they were wearing? | 0:37:42 | 0:37:45 | |
Indeed, yeah. Absolutely. | 0:37:45 | 0:37:46 | |
Well, not to be left out, I've got a taste for my own bespoke hat. | 0:37:46 | 0:37:50 | |
Now what would a smart man about the country have adorning his head? | 0:37:50 | 0:37:54 | |
An Epsom hat, apparently! | 0:37:54 | 0:37:56 | |
So, Jules, this is the start point, this is the fur-felt hood. | 0:37:56 | 0:37:59 | |
It's made from rabbit fur. It's felted in Portugal. | 0:37:59 | 0:38:02 | |
It's a by-product so everything is used from the animal. | 0:38:02 | 0:38:05 | |
And a chemical addition enables it to felt so it effectively locks, | 0:38:05 | 0:38:08 | |
so the material then locks as it is steamed around a cone | 0:38:08 | 0:38:12 | |
and that creates a beautiful, very strong and resilient finish. | 0:38:12 | 0:38:15 | |
It has the natural properties obviously of the rabbit, | 0:38:15 | 0:38:17 | |
for a fairly waterproof and beautiful feel. | 0:38:17 | 0:38:20 | |
-So that's how my Epsom is going to start? -That's how it starts. | 0:38:20 | 0:38:23 | |
But by the end, it'll be a beautiful Epsom for your head. | 0:38:23 | 0:38:25 | |
And Kevin's the guy who is going to take you through | 0:38:25 | 0:38:27 | |
and show you how it's done. | 0:38:27 | 0:38:29 | |
Kevin has been working in the factory for 34 years | 0:38:29 | 0:38:32 | |
and it's his job to hand-make felt hats from the original blocks. | 0:38:32 | 0:38:36 | |
Over 50,000 are made here every year. | 0:38:36 | 0:38:40 | |
Well first job we do, Jules, is put it into this clamp. | 0:38:40 | 0:38:43 | |
Clamp the brim down. The next thing we do is, | 0:38:44 | 0:38:47 | |
we give it some steam so we can stretch that brim. | 0:38:47 | 0:38:51 | |
You're almost cooking it, aren't you? I love it. | 0:38:51 | 0:38:54 | |
-It does get very hot in there. -I bet it does. | 0:38:54 | 0:38:56 | |
This machine is over a century old | 0:38:56 | 0:38:58 | |
and Kevin is making my hat just like they did all those years ago. | 0:38:58 | 0:39:02 | |
The felt absorbs the moisture | 0:39:02 | 0:39:04 | |
and, as it gets softer, the brim can be stretched. | 0:39:04 | 0:39:07 | |
Then a wooden sizing block is placed in the crown of the hat, | 0:39:07 | 0:39:10 | |
which will make it the perfect size for me. | 0:39:10 | 0:39:13 | |
Push it down, bring this clamp out. You just pull that down, the lever. | 0:39:13 | 0:39:17 | |
-And that's going to force the block into the felt. -Yeah. | 0:39:17 | 0:39:19 | |
-So if it's not big enough, it's my fault. -Yeah, that's right. | 0:39:19 | 0:39:22 | |
Next, the hat is cooled and dried. | 0:39:23 | 0:39:25 | |
It then goes into a press which sets the crown | 0:39:25 | 0:39:28 | |
and gives it the Epsom's distinctive characteristics. | 0:39:28 | 0:39:31 | |
There you have your initial shape of your hat. | 0:39:31 | 0:39:34 | |
Look at that. My hat really is taking shape. | 0:39:34 | 0:39:37 | |
What an unbelievable labour of love to produce my tailor-made hat! | 0:39:37 | 0:39:42 | |
It goes through 45 processes in total that include shaving, | 0:39:42 | 0:39:46 | |
waxing, and curling before it has a quick turn on the rounder again, | 0:39:46 | 0:39:50 | |
a buff and a brush and a blast of steam and I think we may be done! | 0:39:50 | 0:39:54 | |
There we are, Jules, that's your finished hat. | 0:39:54 | 0:39:57 | |
Thank you very much indeed. But there is one final thing | 0:39:57 | 0:39:59 | |
that seems to be missing, and that's the little band. | 0:39:59 | 0:40:02 | |
You'll have to go upstairs and have the girls finish it off for you. | 0:40:02 | 0:40:05 | |
A sweatband is stitched to the inside and the ribbon's | 0:40:05 | 0:40:09 | |
attached to the outside and after it's lined, I'm good to go! | 0:40:09 | 0:40:13 | |
Well, the famous box. Is it all done? | 0:40:13 | 0:40:16 | |
There you are, Jules. Yep. | 0:40:16 | 0:40:17 | |
Thank you very much indeed. | 0:40:17 | 0:40:20 | |
As the song says - wherever I lay my hat, that's my home. | 0:40:20 | 0:40:24 | |
I just wonder if Gill and Bob have decided where to lay theirs! | 0:40:24 | 0:40:28 | |
Well, it's been a fantastic week with some fabulous properties in it, | 0:40:28 | 0:40:32 | |
but despite Bob and Gill's generous budget, they can of course | 0:40:32 | 0:40:35 | |
afford to buy only one of them, so which one is it likely to be? | 0:40:35 | 0:40:39 | |
Well, they're just over there, let's go and ask them. | 0:40:39 | 0:40:42 | |
Well, you two, are you still convinced that this is | 0:40:45 | 0:40:48 | |
a county that's for you? | 0:40:48 | 0:40:49 | |
It's reaffirmed for us that's it's a great place to make | 0:40:49 | 0:40:53 | |
this as a base for our new home. | 0:40:53 | 0:40:54 | |
But have we managed to find you a home here that you can look | 0:40:54 | 0:40:58 | |
forward to the future in? | 0:40:58 | 0:41:00 | |
Well, I think we want to explore the possibility of putting | 0:41:00 | 0:41:05 | |
in an offer on the mystery house. | 0:41:05 | 0:41:07 | |
-Do you? -Yes. | 0:41:07 | 0:41:09 | |
Oh, OK. | 0:41:09 | 0:41:10 | |
A bit of research needs to be done and just explore the area as well. | 0:41:10 | 0:41:13 | |
Our mystery house - full of beams - | 0:41:13 | 0:41:16 | |
more than you could shake a stick at. | 0:41:16 | 0:41:18 | |
And a project to boot. | 0:41:18 | 0:41:19 | |
Well, I think that's the key word, it's a project. | 0:41:19 | 0:41:22 | |
We do fancy a project and that certainly would offer scope. | 0:41:22 | 0:41:25 | |
If you can get it bright and airy on the inside, | 0:41:25 | 0:41:28 | |
then I think it could be a fabulous place. | 0:41:28 | 0:41:30 | |
Well, you've both travelled the world, you've lived in some | 0:41:30 | 0:41:33 | |
fabulous countries and destinations over the years. | 0:41:33 | 0:41:38 | |
You're a lot of fun, you've got bags of energy | 0:41:38 | 0:41:40 | |
and I think the mystery house is absolutely crying out for that | 0:41:40 | 0:41:44 | |
injection of fun and energy and imagination. | 0:41:44 | 0:41:46 | |
And I can't think of anyone better to take it on. | 0:41:46 | 0:41:49 | |
So, is an offer on the cards then? | 0:41:49 | 0:41:51 | |
I think perhaps a cheeky offer might be on the cards. | 0:41:51 | 0:41:54 | |
-To start with. -To start with. | 0:41:54 | 0:41:56 | |
-But it's a really exciting proposition, isn't it? -It is. | 0:41:56 | 0:42:00 | |
Well, I wish you all the very best of luck | 0:42:00 | 0:42:02 | |
and let us know how you get on. | 0:42:02 | 0:42:04 | |
-Absolutely, we will. -We will. | 0:42:04 | 0:42:06 | |
What a place to revisit in a few years' time. | 0:42:06 | 0:42:08 | |
Thank you, Jules. It's been great and a lot of fun. | 0:42:08 | 0:42:11 | |
Well, hopefully, Bob and Gill are now well on their way to | 0:42:13 | 0:42:17 | |
finding their new home and I have got some very welcome new headgear. | 0:42:17 | 0:42:21 | |
But I suppose, in some respects, looking for a house is a bit | 0:42:21 | 0:42:24 | |
like looking for a hat - how do you know if you've got the right one? | 0:42:24 | 0:42:28 | |
Well, in my experience, if it fits...wear it. | 0:42:28 | 0:42:32 | |
I'll see you next time. | 0:42:32 | 0:42:33 | |
Gill and Bob didn't revisit the mystery house | 0:42:34 | 0:42:36 | |
because, although they loved it, | 0:42:36 | 0:42:38 | |
they concluded it was too big a project | 0:42:38 | 0:42:40 | |
and too big for their needs. | 0:42:40 | 0:42:42 | |
So, they're continuing their search in Oxfordshire | 0:42:42 | 0:42:44 | |
and we wish them the very best of luck. | 0:42:44 | 0:42:47 | |
If you would like to Escape To The Country in Northern Ireland, | 0:42:47 | 0:42:50 | |
Scotland, Wales or England | 0:42:50 | 0:42:52 | |
and would like our help, then please apply online at... | 0:42:52 | 0:42:55 |