Gloucestershire Escape to the Country

The owner of this handsome manor house lived by the motto,

"Let nothing perish."

So behind this impressive facade lies a rather unusual collection.

But where am I and whose hoard is it? Find out in just a few moments.

Today's buyers are looking for their very first home in the country.

-This is the dream, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Absolutely.

But they need somewhere for Dad to join them too.

-He would love this.

-Yes, he would.

It's getting better and better.

Welcome to Escape To The Country.

Today we are in Gloucestershire and this is Snowshill Manor.

Once owned by an eccentric collector called Charles Wade.

Over a period of 60 years, Wade amassed a huge collection of

more than 22,000 skilfully crafted objects from around the world.

But Wade's objects are only part of the story.

As it was Queen Mary herself who described him as,

"The most remarkable part of the collection."

Later in the programme, I'll be venturing inside to find out

more about his passion and what made this incredible man tick.

Gloucestershire lies in the southwest of England

and is surrounded by seven counties,

including Herefordshire, Oxfordshire, and Wiltshire.

Through the heart of the county run the world-famous Cotswolds,

the largest Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in England and Wales.

Within the rolling hills or wolds are historic honey-coloured

villages built from locally quarried stone.

For many, the epitome of English rural life.

One such picturesque idyll is Bourton-on-the-Water,

known as "the Venice of the Cotswolds" due to a series of

low-slung bridges that straddle the River Windrush.

To the west of the county flows the River Severn.

Majestically meandering through a vale of orchards and meadows.

In the centre of the county,

Cheltenham is the most complete Regency town in England.

Designed in the 18th and 19th centuries as a health

resort for wealthy visitors, it features many grand houses

with intricate iron work balconies and painted stucco facades.

With all that on offer, it'll probably come as no surprise

that homes in Gloucestershire are rather expensive.

In fact, the average price for a detached house here is

almost £30,000 more than the national figure.

Coming in at just over £308,000.

And if you want to live in one of the Cotswolds' idyllic honey stone

villages, you can expect to pay up to twice as much as a similar

property elsewhere in the county.

But what is it about this beautiful part of the world that so

appeals to today's buyers? Let's meet them and find out.

Claire and Simon both grew up in Sheffield.

But it wasn't until they moved away to study in Nottingham

that they met and fell in love.

We met 17 years ago.

We both come from the same city but met in a different city

at university, so that's ironic.

For the last decade they have lived in the town of Kidderminster,

in Worcestershire. Claire runs a training consultancy from home

while Simon faces a two-hour round trip commute to

his job at Cheltenham firm.

It's a set-up they are finding increasingly hectic.

I think Kidderminster, as a town,

has changed quite a bit in the last ten years.

There is a lot more development, there's new houses being built.

We have seen a real increase in the amount of traffic

and the amount of business in the town.

The house that we live in right now is on a very busy road.

Claire and Simon share a love of outdoor activities

from walking their dogs to running and cycling.

But with the lack of available time and nearby space to enjoy these,

they've decided it's time for a change of scene

to more rural surroundings.

A council house is basically where I grew up,

so a move to the countryside

is something, when I was younger, that I would always aspire to.

It's taken me a good couple of years to convince Simon that it actually

would give us a better lifestyle and that it was the right thing to do.

It's never seemed to be the right time and know everything just seems

to be falling into place

and I'm very much looking forward to our new life.

Their hearts are set on Gloucestershire which,

as well as giving them the countryside setting they crave,

will reduce Simon's journey time to work.

I currently travel probably an 80-mile round trip per day.

So a move to Gloucestershire would help me

with my commute to Cheltenham.

What I'm looking forward to with the move out to Gloucestershire

is the open space, being in a rural area,

those opportunities that you don't have when you live in a suburb.

Claire's father, Albert, currently lives a couple of streets away

and is also set to join them in their escape,

so the new home will have to suit all three of them.

Dad is now 87 years old. He still needs his own independence.

However, I would like to have him with us, just so that we know if

there is anything that happens, then we are there straightaway for him.

And there is a menagerie of cats, hens and dogs to be considered too.

It's difficult with the dogs because we have to take them

on busy streets before we get to an area where they can run freely.

What we are looking for is where maybe

we have that on our doorstep and we can let them run in the garden,

but also within a short distance we are into open countryside.

Primarily they are seeking a sense of community

and a deeper connection to the place where they live.

I think we are both looking for a little village where we can

get to know individuals, feel part of a community.

I feel that currently where we are,

we are a small cog in a very big wheel.

I imagine village life to be very different.

Knowing everybody down a village street that you walk down,

I've never had that ever before in my life.

So that's something that I'm really looking forward to.

Simon and Claire have asked us to concentrate our house search

within a half-hour drive of Simon's work in Cheltenham.

I'm meeting up with them in the Gloucestershire

countryside to find out more about the home they are after.

Welcome to Gloucestershire, Claire and Simon.

What is it that so appeals?

I think there is a lot of nice areas, a lot of nice towns and villages.

It is known for its green spaces, its open land, its farming.

What does the dream property comprise of?

It will need an annexe basically. We do want my father to come with us.

His name is Albert, isn't it?

Yeah, he has always wanted to live in the countryside,

so he is very much looking forward to it.

What about the house itself?

We want a big kitchen, maybe a kitchen-living area.

I think we are looking at four bedrooms,

possibly three bedrooms if it has a separate study.

And we are looking for a good,

sizeable plot of land for the dogs and the chickens to run around.

Anything else that we want?

Well, I, and I think Claire also, would also like a separate entrance

or utility room that we could convert into a boot room for the dogs.

How much work are you prepared to do with this move?

I think finding the perfect annexe on the perfect house

within our budget is possibly going to be a tall order,

so I'm absolutely prepared to do some work.

Let's talk about your budget then for this move.

We've got up to £550,000 to spend.

The thing that's really going to throw it is

looking for the perfect annexe with this land.

So, realistic about that?

Yes. I think so.

We do have some splendid properties to show you.

So, the sun is shining, we are blessed so far.

-Shall we get started?

-Certainly.

-Fantastic. Thank you.

Simon and Claire have £550,000 to play with.

They need an annexe for Dad, Albert,

and would like a decent plot of land with countryside on the doorstep.

The home must have four bedrooms,

a good-sized open-plan kitchen with space to entertain,

and they are happy to consider somewhere that needs some work.

We've picked out three different properties to show them

but we won't be revealing the price until the end of each house tour.

The final offering is a mystery house that aims to challenge them

to consider their options from a whole new angle.

To start our search, we are heading to the west of Gloucestershire

and the village of Longhope.

Situated 11 miles from Gloucester in the Forest of Dean,

it's about a 35-minute drive from Cheltenham.

Lying along an enclosed valley, there is

a real sense of village life here,

with a choice of pubs, post offices and stores, bakehouse,

church and chapel.

Our first property is located in a cul-de-sac off a country road

outside the village.

Let me introduce you to your first house here in Gloucestershire.

Or should I say barn?

-Wow, it's quite impressive.

-Isn't it?

-Mmm.

-With the rolling hills on the one side as well.

-It's really nice from the outside.

-Wow.

-Good.

Let's try and escape a little bit of rain as it starts to come down.

-Yeah.

-OK.

-Start the tour.

This five-bedroom detached home was converted from a barn

a couple of decades ago

and combines modern comforts with some rustic charm

retained from the original structure.

I like starting off a tour with the kitchen when

-it looks a little bit like this.

-Wow.

-Yeah.

-It's nice.

-This is great.

-Very nice.

The first thing you see is the beams.

I like the work surfaces and the range.

-Yeah, yeah.

-Nice space for a cooker.

I like the idea that it's still the stone there.

Still keeping the character.

-And you've got your dining area right next door.

-This is great.

-Open-plan.

-This is really nice.

Just what I wanted.

If you look through the doorway just on your left,

that goes into a utility/boot room...

-OK.

-..with access outside, so perfect for the dogs.

Adjacent to the kitchen is an additional formal dining room

with exposed stone walls and a table seating 14.

So, through the glass doors into our sitting room.

-Big space.

-Yes.

Light, bright, open.

-This is a good size.

-Yeah.

-Really light and airy.

-It is very light.

-Wood burner.

-Absolutely. Obligatory when you move to the country.

-The floorboards are a lovely as well, aren't they?

-Yeah.

Had you ever considered living in a barn, Simon?

-Not seriously.

-No?

No. But I am now.

This section off the ground floor also features an en-suite bedroom

plus there is an additional wing leading off from here,

containing two further bedrooms and a bathroom with a walk-in shower.

By converting one of the bedrooms to a kitchenette with seating area,

this entire wing of the home could readily be adapted to provide

an independent annexe for Claire's father.

We are very aware that he has got to feel like he has got a home

-here as well.

-He would love this.

-Yeah, he would.

It's getting better and better.

There is quite a lot of space in this house.

-BOTH:

-There is.

Not quite so much space upstairs though. Let's have a look.

Upstairs there are two further bedrooms,

including a good-sized master en suite.

Upstairs is a little different from downstairs.

As you can see, we are in the eaves of the barn.

Absolutely, yes. It's really nice.

-Plenty of character.

-Yes, very spacious.

-I like everything I've seen so far.

-Good.

Let's step outside and we can talk about the garden, the layout,

where we are.

-OK.

-Simon, if you wouldn't mind leading the way, please.

Thank you.

Outside there is a courtyard garden that leads from patio doors off the

sitting room, plus a yard that offers parking spaces

for around six cars.

But the grassed areas here are limited, so I wonder if they can be

persuaded that there is enough space to meet the needs of their dogs,

hens and dreams of rural living.

The garden, as you've probably guessed,

-isn't the two acres that you you've set your heart on.

-No.

-OK.

There is enough room for the chickens.

-But you might need to make a few adjustments.

-Yes, yes.

But there is a public footpath just behind our property

and it leads right up onto those fields.

-Oh, wow. Perfect.

-OK.

Behind us, you have a stable block. That could be ripe for conversion.

You could make that into the annexe.

Equally, you could actually take it back

and then you would actually get quite a large garden here.

So how much do you think this converted barn is on the market for?

I'm thinking around 525.

I think higher. There is a lot of building. There are a lot of rooms.

And I would say maybe 545.

It is under your budget by £55,000.

The asking price is 495.

-HE GASPS

-Wow, that's great.

That gives us money to play around with to make the outside

exactly what we would want.

Fancy going and having another look around?

-Absolutely.

-Yes, please.

-I think you should start off with the annexe.

-BOTH:

-Thank you.

-See you in a minute. Thank you.

So, a great start with our first property. This converted barn.

It does have the annexe. It needs a little bit of a tweak for Daddy,

but you also have all of this behind me,

this wonderful stable block, which you could utilise, you could keep.

Me, my money, I'd take it back and make this a fantastic garden.

£55,000 under budget,

this rustic but modern detached barn conversion has five bedrooms

and a layout that gives potential

for creating a self-contained annexe.

Although the land is less than Claire and Simon hoped for, there is

a very versatile stable block and the property is

surrounded by rolling fields and miles of footpaths.

I really, really like this house.

I think it's got a lot of what we are looking for in a property.

I think what it's missing for Dad is the kitchen area.

So we would have to think about either rejigging the internal

space or build a little bit more on.

We could turn this into a sitting room and a kitchen for Dad,

couldn't we?

It's a stud wall.

-Yeah, cos the bedroom is quite big, isn't it?

-Mmm.

We always said when we were looking for the next house that it

had to have a lot of land. And this house doesn't have a lot of land.

But I think with the access to fields and the room to make changes,

the land is less of an issue with this house than it could be

with other houses.

So there we have it.

-A strong start.

-Yes.

-A very strong start.

-Good. And more to show you. Come on.

Orchards have been part of the Gloucestershire landscape

since Roman times. And by the 18th-century,

the county was one of the top three

fruit liquor producers in the country.

We are sending Claire and Simon to meet some potential new neighbours

who are keeping alive the great Gloucestershire

tradition of perry brewing.

Perry is an alcoholic beverage

prepared exclusively from perry pears.

Nick Bull has been making it as a hobby since the 1950s

and now runs a family business producing this centuries-old drink.

-Good to meet you both.

-Nice to meet you too.

What makes Gloucestershire particularly good for perry?

Really...it's climatic.

The Gulf Stream coming up the River Severn

gives an ameliorating climate.

Therefore we don't get such harsh winters as you do further inland.

At one time, there were over 100 local varieties of perry

pears in the county.

But changing tastes have seen this number go into steep decline.

Now it's up to growers like Nick to preserve this historic local fruit.

There is a lot of different varieties peculiar to this area.

Is this variety of pear specific to Gloucestershire?

This variety is specific to this parish.

It's Blakeney Red. It's a very reliable cropper.

-You wouldn't eat it.

-No.

-Why don't you have a go at one?

-Thank you.

-It is quite tart, isn't it?

-Yes, it is.

But the tartness gives the character to the drink.

If you are thinking of planting some,

you are going to need about 15 years of lead time.

-OK.

-The old saying is, you plant pears for your heirs.

The pears are ripe for picking around September

when they are shaken from the tree and gathered by hand.

Then it's over to the cider house where Nick's son, Tom,

is on hand to explain the perry making process.

What we are going to do is we are going to mill them,

which basically means smash them up into a pulp.

And then we will take them from the mill and we will push them

under the press and squeeze all the juice out of them.

During the pressing process the pears are layered

and squeezed between special nylon cloths called cheeses.

Presses were once operated by hand

but now work with hydraulic equipment.

How much liquid would you get out of one of these presses?

We get somewhere between 80 and 100 litres per pressing.

Once we've pressed it, it goes into these tanks

and vats that you can see around us.

We might add a little bit of sulphur dioxide just to help stop

spoiling organisms. And then once it's finished fermenting,

we transfer it into a clean tank or vat

and let it mature until the spring when it's ready to drink.

-Fantastic.

-That sounds great!

We've got some that's ready now that we made last year,

so we can go and try some if you like.

-That would be great.

-Fantastic.

A selection of single variety and blended perries are made here.

Claire and Simon are tasting a carbonated blend

made mainly from last year's Blakeney Red crop.

Do you only serve the perry in bottles?

No, we do it still, straight out of the barrel as well.

The stuff that we've pressed today,

that will be ready about Easter time.

Perry is best with delicate foods

because it is quite a delicate taste.

Things like chicken, fish, perhaps a single Gloucester cheese.

These pears here, they are actually perry pears

and they've been poached in perry,

so they'll be fantastic as a dessert.

The alcoholic strength of the perry varies somewhere between 5% and 8%,

depending on sugar levels in the fruit.

Unlike cider apples, perry pears often contain sorbitol, a sugar

that does not ferment, leaving a residual sweetness to the drink.

Shall we start by having a little drink?

-That would be very nice.

-OK.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

-ALL:

-Cheers.

-Mmm.

-Wow, that is lovely! That is really fruity and very, very clean.

-I really like that.

-Yeah. Really, really nice.

Cheers, yeah, it's really refreshing, isn't it?

-So you think you might be moving out to this area?

-Yep.

-Yeah.

If it comes off you must come and see us, keep in touch.

Definitely will. Thank you very much.

Around six miles south from our first property,

our next house lies in the village of Newnham on Severn.

12 miles southwest from Gloucester

and around half an hour's drive from Cheltenham.

But as well as a plethora of picturesque riverside visitors,

it offers a number of facilities, including places to eat

and drink, local shops and medical services,

such as a doctors' surgery and pharmacy.

The property I'm showing them

is a few minutes' walk from these along a quiet lane.

So this time we are really close to the River Severn...

-It's just down the hill.

-Yep.

-..to show you our second property.

-That's very pretty!

-It's got a lot of character. It looks nice.

It's semidetached?

-Well, I'll explain as we go along.

-OK.

Let's see what you make of the inside. Come on.

This 18th-century former warehouse was built when Newnham

was a thriving market town, transporting goods via the river.

It was converted to a four-bedroom home around 60 years ago.

You've got a small hallway there. Straight into the sitting room.

-This is nice.

-This is a nice sitting room.

-Yeah.

-Love the beams.

-We have a theme going with beams, don't we?

-Absolutely.

-The height is nice with the beams.

Cos sometimes you have to compromise. Intrigued.

Yeah, yeah, definitely want to see more.

-Is it calling you in?

-It is. It's dragging us in, isn't it?

That's a good sign.

You've got your kitchen with a dining area here as well.

-OK.

-Ah.

-It's a nice kitchen.

-Yeah.

A little smaller than I would envisage for entertaining.

But you have a major dining area through there.

And I'm thinking you could open it up.

I think we probably would open it up. Does it have any outside access?

No. That doesn't.

-OK.

-Looking for your boot room, aren't you?

As this house is set up at the moment for the current owner,

-there isn't a boot room.

-OK.

The downstairs also features a wine cellar

and storage room whilst two further floors upstairs

provide four good-sized bedrooms, all with exposed timbers,

two of which have en suite bathrooms.

There is also a half-tiled family bathroom and a spacious study.

This is your house but we've got to see what's next door,

possibly, for your dad.

Attached and included with the main house is a second smaller cottage

that could provide completely independent living for

Claire's father right on their doorstep.

We have found you a self-contained two-bedroom

-cottage for your father right next door.

-Oh, my goodness!

This is great.

He has his own parking space, you can fit two cars in.

But in actual fact, he wouldn't need to drive anywhere

because everything that he needs day-to-day,

including a doctors' surgery, is at the end of this road.

Yeah, yeah. That's fantastic.

The downstairs here also features a sitting area,

bathroom and lower ground floor den, whilst upstairs has two bedrooms.

Plenty of storage, self-contained,

this has actually been rented out for many, many years.

-He'd love it.

-He'd be really happy.

-Definitely something of interest, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Let's go back outside, look at the garden, the options.

Talk about the surrounding area.

Outside there is a mature garden and double garage for the main home.

-Just over this fence is Albert's cottage.

-Yeah.

So you are attached but two separate properties.

And this is your garden.

Think I might be pushing it a little bit with your chickens.

The one thing I can mention is there is a public footpath

just across the road. Let's discuss the financial side.

Do you think this house is under, on or over your budget

-with its asking price?

-You can go first.

Well, given the proximity to Newnham, the two buildings,

I think this is over budget and I would say 575.

I think it's bang on at 550.

Oh, very good!

-Because I can give you £1 change.

-Right.

£549,999.

OK. I think you get a lot of house for that amount of money.

Take another look around, discuss it between you as well

because I know there's a few things that you might have question

marks on but it does represent fantastic value for money,

getting two properties in one.

Bang on budget, this home has the four bedrooms

they have asked for plus an attached two-bedroom cottage providing

ready-made separate living spaces they could move straight into.

Once again, the lack of land is a compromise here

but the location does boast all the amenities of the village

within walking distance and plenty of countryside for them

and the dogs to explore.

-This is a nice study, isn't it?

-Yep.

Another big bedroom. Oh, my goodness.

And with en suite.

This house is a lovely house.

Whether it's a lovely house for us, I'm not sure.

Because of the multi-generational living, because of the dogs

and because of the lifestyle that we want for ourselves.

For Dad, he could move in tomorrow and live there.

I think in the way the house is laid out at the moment, for us,

we would need to alter the inside to make it more open-plan.

We would need to consider the implications of what

we'd have to do to it.

I think we might have slightly confused you two, haven't we?

Just a little bit. Two very different properties.

Yeah. And guess what.

We've got a third one to throw into the mix tomorrow

because it will be our mystery house. Let's go.

It's day two of our search for a home for Claire and Simon,

who plan to move from the busy town of Kidderminster

to the peaceful surroundings of rural Gloucestershire.

With £550,000 to spend,

they are looking for somewhere that will give them space to enjoy

life with their animals and for Claire's dad, Albert, to join them.

I still have the mystery house to surprise them with.

This is something that you won't often see,

the bookcase is removable.

There is a secret flight of stairs and it has its own room at the top.

-No!

-Yeah.

And I'll be exploring the extraordinary collection

of an English eccentric who lived right here in Gloucestershire.

-This is a doorbell?

-It is, yes.

If you'd like to have a go, then you just need to turn this handle

-gently at first.

-OK.

-MUSIC PLAYS

-Ah!

It's a new day here in Gloucestershire.

And yesterday we learned something quite interesting about Claire

and Simon's property search.

They started off with a strong list of requirements

but we discovered if we find them a great home with a really good

annexe for their father Albert in a prime location, well,

they are more than happy to forfeit most of that land.

Today we are going to introduce them to our mystery house.

This time they will need a little bit more imagination when they look

at it, especially when we are talking about Albert's part

of the property.

And how will all three of them feel about having a river as a neighbour?

We are about to find out.

How are you feeling about today?

I'm really looking forward to it.

I think anybody that knows us know that we wouldn't necessarily

just buy something that was run-of-the-mill.

What I am hoping to see is some wide-open spaces...

So you'd like that, would you? Maybe a little bit more remote?

Yeah, just some room for the dogs, maybe the chickens.

-Getting back to that livestock dream.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Yes, I think so.

You can probably feel the road is a little bit bumpier here.

-Yeah.

-Hmm. I'm getting excited.

-I know.

-This is good.

So this isn't putting you off

because we are on our way to our mystery house?

-Absolutely not.

-No.

-I like the look of this already.

-Definitely.

We are heading into the depths of rural life with our mystery

house, set in seclusion but within walking distance

of the village of Maisemore, three miles northwest of Gloucester.

The White Hart in Maisemore could become Claire and Simon's local.

There is also a village hall and church here,

whilst nearby Hartpury has a post office and stores

and is just an eight-minute drive from our property.

Wow.

Here we have our mystery house. Little bit different.

And just to our right...

-THEY LAUGH

-..is the River Severn.

-Wow.

-Fantastic!

-I think. Flooding.

-THEY LAUGH

This house did flood in 2007 but they've taken preventative measures.

You can see there is like a ring around the property

-and it didn't flood in 2014.

-OK.

-But something you have to weigh up, isn't it?

-Yeah, yeah.

The reason we picked it as the mystery house is

it is a project.

Because behind us is a double garage

and that possibly could be the annexe for your dad.

-OK.

-Hmm.

-OK.

This is the dream, isn't it?

-It is. Absolutely.

-Yeah.

-Let's go in.

This detached five-bedroom former quarry master's cottage

dates back to 1810.

But has been modified and extended several times over the years.

So, come on in. Starting off with the kitchen.

-Oh.

-It's nice.

-This is nice.

-Yeah. Very nice.

-Yeah, that's quite spacious and it's open.

-Really impressed.

And then, if you can just look at the end, what do you spy down there?

-What room?

-Utility room?

-The utility/boot/dog room.

-Brilliant.

There is another door leading out. Perfect for the animals.

-You don't need to bring them in this door.

-That's excellent.

And when I'm fishing the dogs out of the river,

I need somewhere to dry them off.

To make it worse, you've even got your own little jetty.

-So they can launch themselves.

-Yeah.

Bet you are keen to see a bit more, aren't you?

There is also a large conservatory, added by the current owners,

that is currently used as a dining room and runs off

a spacious sitting room.

-Oh.

-Oh, my word!

That's what you call a fireplace.

Isn't it. It's amazing. It's gorgeous, isn't it?

It's so unusual. And the way it's been made.

But you've got a seating area around it,

so it's creating a snug over there.

But the rest of the room actually benefits from the heat.

This is a room and a half, isn't it?

THEY LAUGH

This is something that you won't often see.

The book case is removable and there is a secret flight of stairs

-and it has its own room at the top.

-No!

-Yeah.

-That's amazing.

-Let's see what you make of upstairs.

I'll let them investigate the secret stairs behind the bookcase later.

First, I'm taking them up the main route to the upper floors.

Up here we have the master bedroom.

-Very good size.

-It's a lovely room.

-Yeah, really like it.

-Very light and airy. Fantastic views.

-Yeah.

There is a further en suite bedroom with study area on this floor

and a second floor with three further bedrooms,

including one more en suite and an office.

There is currently no family bathroom.

-Really like it.

-Simon?

-I'm liking this more and more.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

Let's go outside, let's talk about the land, talk about the position,

but most importantly, about Albert's accommodation as well.

This property also has the most generous

plot of land of our three houses, as it is surrounded on all

sides by garden, with a footprint of a little over half an acre.

We are giving you your own river. You actually have rights.

I think the boundary is halfway across the river.

So, in all honesty, is there enough land

do you think here to make it work for the two of you

plus your dogs, the chickens and everything else that you want to do?

I think so. I think there is.

With a bit of fencing and security for the dogs, it would be perfect.

If you look behind us you've got a double garage.

That could be ripe for conversion. It's large, it's dry.

You've got an additional room to the side which they use as a games room.

You could actually connect the two up. Bit of a job.

How would you feel about that?

That's not a problem.

The house is big enough to house Dad in the meantime,

for three months, six months, so, yeah.

-To get the work done.

-Mm. Definitely.

I look forward to that challenge.

And he would love to live out here, would he?

Oh, absolutely! This would be his dream.

It's looking very good, our mystery house.

So, for the final time, we've got to put a price on our property.

What do you think?

I think it's going to be around about... 565.

I'm hoping, ever the eternal optimist, that it is under budget.

But, like Claire, I think it's over. And I'd say 575,000.

Claire is closest.

Under your budget.

-OK.

-£545,000.

-Wow.

-Oh.

-OK.

That's exciting.

Would you like to have another look around?

-Yes, please.

-Be my guest, I'll see you later.

-BOTH:

-Thank you.

This detached period property leaves Claire and Simon

£5,000 change and in its current configuration

gives them one more bedroom than the asked for.

The generous kitchen is perfect for entertaining.

And surrounded by a plot of half an acre,

there is room for hens and dogs.

Plus they could make additional conversions to the garage

to create an annexe for Dad, Albert.

Look at this!

-Wow!

-SHE LAUGHS

This is great!

Look at this.

-I like that.

-Nice?

-I'd like to keep it as a games room.

SHE LAUGHS

I think this house definitely is a contender.

There is the opportunity for my dad in a conversion of a garage,

but would it end up being quite a good size for him.

Really, really lovely house. It's got the boot room for the dogs.

It's got a bright, airy, open kitchen.

There is the opportunity for the development for an annexe.

And it ticks most of the boxes.

This is such a beautiful spot. It truly is.

Right, how have you done?

Have you managed to see everything that you needed to see?

-I think so.

-Yeah, I think so.

-It's a lot to take in, isn't it?

-It is.

-So, you've seen all three of our properties.

Let's go somewhere, have a cup of tea

and a proper catch up about what your next step is going to be.

Fantastic.

Claire and Simon may be on the hunt for one of Gloucestershire's

many beautiful homes to live in,

but I'm taking time out to visit a spectacular example

bought to house the extraordinary collection of a true English

eccentric - Charles Wade. Charles left Snowshill Manor

and its contents to the National Trust in 1951,

just five years before his death.

House guide Sue Denison has agreed to show me

a few of the many artefacts on display.

Sue, this is such an impressive collection

and I'm only in the first room.

How did it all start for Charles Wade?

Actually, it all began with this cabinet here.

This is a Cantonese cabinet that belonged to his grandmother.

I think Charles just really loved it

and I think that really sparked something off in him.

Yes, ignited his imagination.

Then what we see inside, there is quite a variety of things in here.

Most of these things are just family knick-knacks.

A little donkey paperweight that belonged to his grandmother.

There is a little angel that would have been on a Christmas tree.

They are just the sort of family things that I think most

people actually collect.

Charles was just seven

when his passion was started by his gran's cabinet.

By the age of 30,

he was to inherit a vast sugar plantation fortune from his father,

enabling him to buy the much grander surroundings of Snowshill Manor,

where he filled the 22 rooms with around 22,000 eclectic acquisitions,

including bicycles, musical instruments, toys,

and an entire 26-strong army of samurai warriors.

They are so impressive. It's a work of art.

But why did he start collecting them?

That's a good question, but I think the answer to that we'd

probably find here in this diary, or notebook, that Charles Wade kept.

In this entry, he describes how he wanted a washer for a tap and

he decided to go into Cheltenham and called in to this very small shop.

He explains, there standing by the counter was a set of samurai armour.

-It is amazing when you think about it.

-In Cheltenham.

-Yes, yes.

And he hadn't even gone looking for armour.

And he explains how the owner of the shop said that he actually had

six more sets out in the yard. Charles Wade purchased them.

-And that was it, that was the challenge. He had to have them.

-Yes.

Charles' motto was "Let nothing perish."

And he would spend hours in his workshop lovingly restoring

the items he had bought.

It's all about the craftsmanship and the design.

That was what he was interested in.

If you think about the time that he was collecting, we are

talking about the 1930s, things weren't being made by hand anymore.

They were being manufactured and Charles was really

part of a movement who believed in the craftsman.

In keeping with his love of skilled craftsmanship,

Charles' favourite piece was a Japanese figure carved

out of a single piece of wood and, like many of his purchases,

of unknown date and origin.

But Charles also turned his hand to making his own pieces,

including an ingenious music box designed to sit above his front

door and play every time a visitor arrived.

-This is a doorbell?

-It is, yes.

I think it is pretty typical of Charles Wade that it is

a very individual doorbell.

It's incredibly intricate and detailed.

And it's very theatrical but also very practical.

Is it in working order now, Sue?

It is. If you would like to have a go

-then you just need to turn this handled gently at first.

-OK.

There we go. MUSIC PLAYS

Ah! How wonderful!

What do you think the significance is of this house?

I think it's quite a rare house in this country in that it is a

whole collection of one man left, as he left it, for the nation to enjoy.

And we certainly do. And his legacy continues to this day and forward.

-It certainly does.

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you, Nicki.

We have shown Simon and Claire what is achievable

on their budget here in Gloucestershire.

I think we've done a pretty fine job.

But have we got an out-and-out winner with one of our properties?

Let's find out.

Claire and Simon, finding a home for yourselves

is always quite difficult and stressful.

But finding a home for three people, including your father,

it does put it in a different sort of remit, doesn't it?

I wonder how we've done.

-I think you've done very well.

-Have we?

Yeah. We've seen three lovely homes.

And homes that maybe we wouldn't have looked at ourselves.

There's a couple of the properties are definitely considerations.

Potentially, you may well have found one of the properties.

Put me out of my misery, which of out of the three?

For us, property number one and the mystery house.

Ah! So you like the idea of living right by the River Severn, do you?

Absolutely.

How committed are you both to those two properties?

We have actually booked a second viewing to the barn.

-Have you?

-Yes.

There is no messing with you two at all.

The mystery house is going to get a second viewing too?

We will be going back to see the mystery house as well.

And the final sign off has to be Albert, of course.

I wonder which property might shine through.

I love the mystery house.

I think my reservations lie in how much it's going to cost to

convert the garage into what Dad would like.

If we get answers and we can get planning permission,

then absolutely, the mystery house is lovely.

Wow. Could be very exciting times ahead.

-Yeah.

-So we've got to talk about Albert.

What do you think he's going to say?

-He will love the mystery house.

-Really?

-Yes.

For the outside space, where it's located.

If all your questions get answered on that mystery house,

do you think you'll still continue looking?

No, I don't think I'd keep looking.

I don't think I need to look anymore.

I think we need to see the barn again, just to know.

I think we do need to see the barn again.

But absolutely, the mystery house is a very, very serious contender.

I'm going to keep everything crossed.

I'm going to keep everything crossed.

Let's hope Albert loves it as much as you two

because that's the number one thing to get over, isn't it?

-Thank you so much.

-Thank you.

We really enjoyed showing you Gloucestershire.

I hope all three of you make the move very soon cos I'm

sure you're going to be very happy together. So thank you.

-Thank you very much. It's been great.

-Thank you.

The fact that Claire and Simon are on their way right now

to take another look at our first property, the converted barn,

but are also desperate to introduce Albert to the mystery house,

for me, that makes it a pretty successful week.

It just remains to be seen which

home the three of them decide to go for.

I'll see you again on Escape To The Country.

After revisiting, Claire and Simon decided the barn conversion

didn't have the outside space they wanted.

Claire also had second thoughts about the proximity to

water at the mystery house.

Their search for a home in Gloucestershire continues.

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