0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Escape To The Country.
0:00:03 > 0:00:05Now, this rather curious brick tower behind me was built
0:00:05 > 0:00:11nearly 100 years ago in anticipation of a proposed UK onshore oil boom.
0:00:11 > 0:00:14But where do you think this potentially lucrative discovery
0:00:14 > 0:00:15was going to be made?
0:00:15 > 0:00:17Well, stick around, and I'll tell you.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38Today, I'm helping a pair of university sweethearts
0:00:38 > 0:00:41who are hoping to trade in their commuter-belt home in Hampshire
0:00:41 > 0:00:45to begin a new chapter amongst the rolling hills of Somerset.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48We're on the hunt for flexible living space.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50You could have it as your dining room.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53Yeah, it starts the mind going as to what could go where.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55And with a selection of cracking properties,
0:00:55 > 0:00:57I'm hoping I can find them the perfect set-up.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02- It's also interconnected to the greenhouse.- Oh, right.
0:01:02 > 0:01:03- So I can keep my eye on him? - You can!
0:01:03 > 0:01:04THEY LAUGH
0:01:07 > 0:01:11Well, today we are in Somerset and the coastal village of Kilve.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14And this ruinous brick tower is all that remains of what could
0:01:14 > 0:01:17have been an early 20th century oil boom.
0:01:17 > 0:01:22In 1916, the shale beds that make up the spectacular rock formations
0:01:22 > 0:01:26on the nearby beach were found to contain huge amounts of oil.
0:01:26 > 0:01:31So, in 1924, a Scottish doctor by the name of William Forbes-Leslie
0:01:31 > 0:01:35formed the Shaline Company to take advantage of the new discovery.
0:01:38 > 0:01:41Over time, it was believed that the cliffs behind me
0:01:41 > 0:01:44contained millions of tons of oil-bearing rock.
0:01:44 > 0:01:49Some plans were drawn up to quarry seven miles of the coastline.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53But not long after Forbes-Leslie had built his brick tower up there,
0:01:53 > 0:01:56he realised the whole thing was going to be so uneconomic,
0:01:56 > 0:01:59he packed in the entire idea.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03His failure has meant that this fossil-rich Jurassic Coast
0:02:03 > 0:02:05has now been preserved for future generations
0:02:05 > 0:02:09and is now recognised as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11For me, it's just as well,
0:02:11 > 0:02:15because this really is one of the jewels in Somerset's crown.
0:02:17 > 0:02:20The county of Somerset in the West Country sits between the
0:02:20 > 0:02:25Bristol Channel to its north and the counties of Devon and Dorset.
0:02:25 > 0:02:30It's an area of dramatic coastline, rich history and stunning countryside.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33The Mendip Hills in the north of the county are the most southerly
0:02:33 > 0:02:37limestone upland in Britain, whilst further south,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41the Quantock hillsides cover over 60 square miles of
0:02:41 > 0:02:44exposed heathland, oak woods and farmland.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48In 1956, they were named as England's very first
0:02:48 > 0:02:51Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Further south, visitors who take
0:02:53 > 0:02:56to wandering the flat levels near Burrowbridge
0:02:56 > 0:02:58may catch sight of Burrow Mump,
0:02:58 > 0:03:02a natural hill topped by the romantic ruins of a medieval church.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Rising to a height of 24 metres, those who climb it can enjoy
0:03:05 > 0:03:10impressive views across the surrounding landscape of the Levels.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13The county also has a rich tradition of food production.
0:03:13 > 0:03:17As well as the famous Cheddar cheese, the mild climate
0:03:17 > 0:03:20and soil are particularly suited to the apple orchards
0:03:20 > 0:03:23that have long supplied the local cider industry.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26With so much on offer, it's no wonder that properties
0:03:26 > 0:03:29in the county are ever-popular with buyers of today.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36Well, I have to confess, I do love a good statistic.
0:03:36 > 0:03:37And according to a recent survey,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41some 86% of people who live in Somerset say
0:03:41 > 0:03:44they are more than satisfied with life here, which may go some way
0:03:44 > 0:03:48to explaining the high demand for properties, as do the prices.
0:03:48 > 0:03:54The cost of your average detached in this county is currently £277,000,
0:03:54 > 0:03:57a mere 7,000 above the national figure.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59But of course, in a county as big as this,
0:03:59 > 0:04:01there are going to be variations,
0:04:01 > 0:04:03particularly in the north, around the bright lights of
0:04:03 > 0:04:05Bath and Bristol.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09There, you could pay 10% more than you might elsewhere.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11So, time now to meet today's buyers
0:04:11 > 0:04:14and find out what's motivating their escape to the country.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Husband and wife Dave and Polly live in this six-bedroom house
0:04:19 > 0:04:23in Lindford, Hampshire, on the edge of London's commuter belt.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27They were brought together 40 years ago by their mutual love of music.
0:04:27 > 0:04:33- We met in university days. 1975, did we meet?- Four.- Four.
0:04:33 > 0:04:37- We've been married for 38 years. I'll get kicked again...- Next month!
0:04:37 > 0:04:41Yes, it was my best friend that introduced us.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43She's got a lot to answer for.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47We met through the university folk clubs.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Both of us were involved in folk music at the time, as a hobby.
0:04:49 > 0:04:51After we finished university,
0:04:51 > 0:04:53we formed a group with two other friends of ours
0:04:53 > 0:04:56and we went round the folk clubs in Hertfordshire for a few years.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59- And North London and Essex and Bedfordshire.- Yes.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01And anybody else who would have us.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05Dave is a recently retired director of a railway company
0:05:05 > 0:05:08and Polly still works part-time as a county cricket scorer
0:05:08 > 0:05:11for the Somerset Seconds.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14Now their two grown-up children have finally flown the nest,
0:05:14 > 0:05:17they feel it's time to move on from their much-loved family home.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20One of the reasons to want to move on now is that this house is
0:05:20 > 0:05:21really just too big for two people.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Sometimes we think, "Have we even been in that bedroom in the last
0:05:24 > 0:05:27three months? Should we go and check it's still there?" You know.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29It's also 1970s modern.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33It hasn't got any real character behind it.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35It's lacklustre in some ways.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39We've put as much of our personality on it as we can possibly do,
0:05:39 > 0:05:41but there comes a point you can't do any more.
0:05:41 > 0:05:45And although they will no longer need so many bedrooms,
0:05:45 > 0:05:48a new home will still require enough space to house their hobbies.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51I've always enjoyed craft work.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55Currently, I do a lot of embroidery, but even more lace work.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Polly is the busy one of the two of us
0:05:57 > 0:05:59and always has to be doing something.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01He's the opposite. He tends to be quieter,
0:06:01 > 0:06:05likes to have his head in a book. When he's not sitting down,
0:06:05 > 0:06:08he's encouraged to go into the garden and do some gardening.
0:06:08 > 0:06:10As well as a change in property,
0:06:10 > 0:06:14they've also decided to swap the setting for something more scenic.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17We've been in this house for the last 18 years,
0:06:17 > 0:06:18and during the time we've been here,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21we've really seen the surroundings change from being the edge
0:06:21 > 0:06:24of the countryside, to being the middle of the commuter belt.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Loads of people around and yet we don't know anybody around here.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30It's got no heart, no beating heart to the community.
0:06:30 > 0:06:36With Polly currently facing a 120-mile commute for her work with the Somerset Seconds,
0:06:36 > 0:06:39a move to the West Country seems the obvious choice.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42The outdoor spaces are really beautiful
0:06:42 > 0:06:47from the Levels, but also the rolling hills.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49It's just a beautiful, rolling topography.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52And also, it's a much slower pace of life.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Yes, you've to exchange your life story with the baker
0:06:54 > 0:06:56before they'll give you a loaf of bread,
0:06:56 > 0:07:00whereas here, it's "Would you please use the automatic checkout because it's quicker for us."
0:07:00 > 0:07:03After so long in one place, it will certainly be a big upheaval.
0:07:03 > 0:07:06But when it comes to moving house, these two are seasoned pros,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08if a little out of practice.
0:07:08 > 0:07:12From the time that we were married until 20 years ago,
0:07:12 > 0:07:15- we had lived in...- Seven? - ..seven different houses.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19But then, over the last 20 years or so, we've only lived in two houses,
0:07:19 > 0:07:22- so no nerves in this move at all.- No.
0:07:22 > 0:07:25We're really excited about it.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28And it's an opportunity to be able to start all over again.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Polly needs to be within commuting distance of the city of Bath
0:07:35 > 0:07:39and the county town of Taunton, her two main places of work.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42And with their hearts set on the varied landscapes
0:07:42 > 0:07:44and outlook of the Quantocks and the Mendips, we're
0:07:44 > 0:07:47focusing our search on the surrounding villages
0:07:47 > 0:07:49and areas that would give them the best of both worlds.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52So, with the location sorted, all I need now
0:07:52 > 0:07:54is their property wish list.
0:07:56 > 0:07:59- Well, Polly, Dave. Welcome to Somerset.- BOTH: Thank you.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Now, how well do you know Somerset?
0:08:01 > 0:08:03You obviously work down here, Polly.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05Yes, because of the nature of my job I've got to know
0:08:05 > 0:08:07the county a little bit.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Now, I know the topography plays an important role
0:08:09 > 0:08:11in what you're looking for. What do you mean by that?
0:08:11 > 0:08:13It's the difference in levels,
0:08:13 > 0:08:17so that you've got hills as well as right down on the sea level, flat.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20So you don't want to be in the Levels, you want to be in the hills?
0:08:20 > 0:08:23- In the hills.- In the hills, absolutely.- Give us an idea of style.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26- Old, it's got to be old. - Beams and inglenooks are all good.
0:08:26 > 0:08:28Beams, inglenook, low ceilings...
0:08:28 > 0:08:31Well, any low ceilings are OK for me, but...
0:08:31 > 0:08:32THEY LAUGH
0:08:32 > 0:08:35- Yeah, not so much for you, David! - Yeah.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38But, you know, we need a house we can move into. We can do a bit of
0:08:38 > 0:08:41decorating or whatever, but we don't want a house that's a building project.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44And what are you looking for in your new home?
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Good kitchen, first of all. That, to me, will sell it.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49Well, we need three bedrooms to use as bedrooms.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53I need some study space because I'm still doing a bit of part-time work,
0:08:53 > 0:08:54and some gardening space.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56And how green-fingered are you, David?
0:08:56 > 0:08:59I would love to be more green-fingered, now I've got more time.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02I can look forward to doing more work in the garden.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04Now, aside from your passion for cricket,
0:09:04 > 0:09:07your craft work is your third love, next to David.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09"Ish", yes. THEY LAUGH
0:09:09 > 0:09:10Yes, it is.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Is this something that takes over your living space, David?
0:09:13 > 0:09:16Doesn't take over my living space, it takes over Polly's half of the living space.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18THEY LAUGH
0:09:18 > 0:09:20Just remind us of the budget for this project.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23Our top limit's around £450,000.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Now, as you'll know, Somerset is not the most expensive county
0:09:27 > 0:09:30in England, but of course, if you get into the hills, prices do go up.
0:09:30 > 0:09:31Yes, we realise that.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34We have three properties, including our mystery house.
0:09:34 > 0:09:36- Oh, yes.- Shall we go? - Yes, sir.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40Let's have a look and see what we can find you.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44So for a maximum budget of £450,000, top of Polly and Dave's
0:09:44 > 0:09:47wish list is a classic character cottage.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50They're after an old property, but would prefer it
0:09:50 > 0:09:52to be in perfect condition.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54They'd like a minimum of three bedrooms,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56a good-sized kitchen as well as a study area
0:09:56 > 0:09:59and somewhere for Polly's craft work.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02And a garden is also a must for green-fingered Dave.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06We've come up with three great period properties to show them.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08They may differ in style and layout,
0:10:08 > 0:10:12but all offer interesting options for the space Polly and Dave need.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15I'll be taking them on a tour of each one, although I won't be
0:10:15 > 0:10:18telling them the price until they've had a guess themselves.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21The final property will be my mystery house.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Something they might not be expecting to see, which could
0:10:24 > 0:10:26require them to think a little outside the box.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33We're starting our house search on the eastern tip of the Mendip Hills,
0:10:33 > 0:10:37four miles from the coastal resort of Weston-super-Mare,
0:10:37 > 0:10:39in the village of Bleadon.
0:10:39 > 0:10:40With all the usual amenities,
0:10:40 > 0:10:43the village also has a number of listed buildings,
0:10:43 > 0:10:47including the village well and a 14th-century church and cross.
0:10:47 > 0:10:51There's a thriving local community, with a monthly village market
0:10:51 > 0:10:54and numerous activities, including croquet and a bowls club,
0:10:54 > 0:10:59plus a horticultural society, which might appeal to keen gardener Dave.
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Our first property is in a central village
0:11:01 > 0:11:05location in front of the parish church.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07- Here we are.- Oh, wow!- Oh.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10- This is the first one.- Lovely. - That's really good.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Oh, I like the stonework. It's got character.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16- It used to be the village post office and shop.- OK.- Really?
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- That explains the postbox outside. - Exactly.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22And it closed as a post office in 2002.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25And then was renovated up until 2005...
0:11:25 > 0:11:27to produce a really interesting family home.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Great, this is what I'm liking to hear.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32So I'm hoping it's going to have all the space you are after, David.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34And it is pretty well connected to Taunton,
0:11:34 > 0:11:38- and it is not in the flat Levels. - No.- No, it's not.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41That you can say for definite, yes. THEY LAUGH
0:11:41 > 0:11:43- Should we have a look?- Absolutely.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46This character stone cottage dates back to the 1700s.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49And although it might look fairly modest from the outside,
0:11:49 > 0:11:54I think they might be surprised by the space offered on the inside.
0:11:54 > 0:11:58The entrance takes us straight into a large, open-plan sitting and dining room.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00There.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- This is a surprise, isn't it?- This is lovely.- Really nice.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06- Really big. Yes.- Yes, I like that.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08- It's not what you expect, is it?- No, it is not.
0:12:08 > 0:12:12- The mixture of the stone and the plaster walls, that's really nice, actually.- Yes.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15- Beams.- Beams, yes.- Yeah.
0:12:15 > 0:12:17And it is big enough to be able to entertain as well.
0:12:17 > 0:12:21- Kitchen is through here, as indeed is the rest of the house.- Oh, good.
0:12:24 > 0:12:25There, Polly.
0:12:25 > 0:12:27Oh, oh, yes,
0:12:27 > 0:12:29it's got a range.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33- That's what I wanted, really wanted. - Kitchen space is what you can see.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35- We've got the utility room... - Through there.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38I know that you want to cook and entertain at the same time, Polly.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41But I think with that door open and it all spilling through
0:12:41 > 0:12:44- next door, you've got that nice flow.- Absolutely, yes.
0:12:44 > 0:12:47Size-wise, it would be OK?
0:12:47 > 0:12:49- Yes, OK.- Mmm...
0:12:49 > 0:12:52Just...OK.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54That wasn't quite the reaction I was looking for.
0:12:54 > 0:12:58So hopefully they'll be more impressed by the spacious extension.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01You see, I think this is the most fantastic addition...
0:13:01 > 0:13:03- to the whole thing.- Oh, yes.
0:13:03 > 0:13:07- Oh, yes.- There's your inglenook. Of a kind.- Yes.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10Of a sort. I mean, it is brand-new, this.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12And made from reclaimed materials, the timber, the bricks.
0:13:12 > 0:13:17- But what a space.- Oh, it's lovely. I love the use of the wood. - It is green oak.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19And it is all weathering nicely, it is splitting and twisting
0:13:19 > 0:13:24and doing what green oak does. You could have it as your dining room.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26It's all doable, it is movable.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28It starts the mind going as to what could go where.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31- Could even be my craft room. - I was waiting for that to happen.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33THEY LAUGH
0:13:33 > 0:13:37- Next, I want to take you upstairs. - OK. Lead on.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41'The staircase leads directly off the kitchen area.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44'Upstairs, the bedrooms, all good-sized doubles,
0:13:44 > 0:13:48'are served by a family bathroom as well as an additional shower room.
0:13:48 > 0:13:53'There's also a fourth room currently set up a study, ideal for Dave.'
0:13:53 > 0:13:54And this is yours.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Although, to be fair, you can
0:13:56 > 0:14:00- interchange the master for any one of the other.- Yeah. This is really nice.
0:14:00 > 0:14:01Very nice indeed.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05My reading of this property is it can work for you, but am I right?
0:14:05 > 0:14:06Well, it gives us a space,
0:14:06 > 0:14:09but not necessarily in the order we first thought of.
0:14:09 > 0:14:11- JULES LAUGHS - Yes, this is quite an interesting sort of...
0:14:11 > 0:14:15- Thought processes beginning to go on.- So, spatially, it is OK.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19- Spatially, good. - Is it going to be OK financially?
0:14:19 > 0:14:21- That's the question.- Come on.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Heading outside, I'm glad to hear them being
0:14:25 > 0:14:27so open-minded about the layout of this property.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30The south-facing walled garden is accessed through
0:14:30 > 0:14:32the extension at the back of the house.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37I do love the way this room ties in the garden.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40Well, it flows through, you feel as though you're in the garden,
0:14:40 > 0:14:41in that room.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43I can imagine making this the decorative front garden,
0:14:43 > 0:14:46and the part at the front becoming the vegetable garden.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49- It is a nice idea, because this is very intimate.- Yes, exactly.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51- So what is it worth, Polly? - Oh, glory.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55- About 420.- 420.
0:14:55 > 0:14:56Yeah. David?
0:14:56 > 0:15:00I think I'm up to about 435, maybe, somewhere around there.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Well, it has just been reduced...
0:15:03 > 0:15:07- from 485 to 450.- Oh, wow.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10I don't think you were wildly off, you know, with your guesses.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12- No.- No, absolutely.- Go and have an explore,
0:15:12 > 0:15:14and I will catch up with you a little bit later.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17- OK.- Off you go.- Thank you very much. - Thanks.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20This first property is a great example of what David
0:15:20 > 0:15:22and Polly can get for their maximum budget.
0:15:22 > 0:15:26It combines the period charm they wanted with the contemporary
0:15:26 > 0:15:28convenience of open-plan living.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31It would be a definite downsize, but the flexible layout
0:15:31 > 0:15:34and extension offer space that could really work for them.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36It's got three bedrooms, a study
0:15:36 > 0:15:39and a garden to keep David busy.
0:15:39 > 0:15:44It's got the space we need, it's got the character we've been looking for.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47I'm not sure we would use it in the way the present owners are using it.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50You could actually have the dining table at that end,
0:15:50 > 0:15:53and then make that end into a kind of a snug area.
0:15:55 > 0:15:59- And then have the main living area out at the back.- Yes.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02The flexibility of the space is great.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05But we have got two others yet to see,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07so I want to keep an open mind.
0:16:09 > 0:16:13- Ah, I was just going to come and find you. All done?- All done, I think.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16- Yes, it's lovely. Lovely house. - I think this is a great start.
0:16:16 > 0:16:18It is, it is a very encouraging start.
0:16:18 > 0:16:20And it is giving me a clear idea of what's going to work.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23- It is giving us a clear idea as well. - THEY LAUGH
0:16:23 > 0:16:25- Right then, fancy some lunch? - Absolutely.- Good plan.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Situated at the foot of the dramatic Quantock Hills is Crowcombe,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37one of Somerset's 400-plus villages.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Dating back to 854, Crowcombe is immersed in history and custom.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47One such tradition is that of folklore and folk music,
0:16:47 > 0:16:50and the latter has been a method of entertaining the masses over
0:16:50 > 0:16:51hundreds of years.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55Just outside the village is former stately home Halsway Manor,
0:16:55 > 0:16:59and its purpose nowadays might just appeal to the musician in both
0:16:59 > 0:17:02David and Polly. We've arranged for them to meet
0:17:02 > 0:17:04chief executive Paul James.
0:17:04 > 0:17:08Welcome to Halsway Manor. This is England's only residential folk centre.
0:17:08 > 0:17:11So how long has Halsway Manor been a folk centre?
0:17:11 > 0:17:13Bill Rutter started this place 50 years ago
0:17:13 > 0:17:16when he got a group of folk enthusiasts together to buy it.
0:17:16 > 0:17:19And ever since then, we've been putting on courses
0:17:19 > 0:17:21and concerts and dances and all kinds of things.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24We met through folk music, but our knowledge of the history
0:17:24 > 0:17:26has a few gaps in it, so maybe you can fill us in.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30Folk music, in a way, is the popular music of days gone by.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33People realised at the end of the 19th century that it was starting
0:17:33 > 0:17:38to die out, so people such as Cecil Sharp realised they needed to collect
0:17:38 > 0:17:42this stuff and write it down, and so there was a big movement at the end of the 19th century,
0:17:42 > 0:17:45beginning of the 20th century, to collect all this.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48So, does Somerset have a role to play in the traditions of folk music?
0:17:48 > 0:17:50Yeah, very much so.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52In fact, it was in Somerset that Cecil Sharp,
0:17:52 > 0:17:57his first experience of hearing it was in Somerset,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00when he heard the gardener John England singing a song called
0:18:00 > 0:18:03The Seeds Of Love, and that sparked his entire interest.
0:18:03 > 0:18:04So if it wasn't for Somerset...
0:18:04 > 0:18:07- It wouldn't...- ..maybe there wouldn't have been a folk revival.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09So, things are written down, are they?
0:18:09 > 0:18:12We have a lot of books and recordings of music
0:18:12 > 0:18:14and dance in our lovely library.
0:18:14 > 0:18:15And I'll show you now.
0:18:18 > 0:18:21The works at Halsway Manor are housed in the Kennedy Grant Library, named
0:18:21 > 0:18:25after Peter Kennedy and Margaret Grant, two passionate collectors
0:18:25 > 0:18:29of folk material, who donated their collections to the manor's society.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32With folk lovers continuing to donate to this day,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Halsway now boasts the second biggest collection of folk music,
0:18:35 > 0:18:37books and recordings in the UK.
0:18:37 > 0:18:41Open to the public, it attracts 4,000 visitors a year.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Well, this is an impressive collection.
0:18:43 > 0:18:47- How many papers have you got here? - There are about 10,000
0:18:47 > 0:18:51books and recordings, folk music and dance and folklore here.
0:18:51 > 0:18:53For example, I mean, this is the classic,
0:18:53 > 0:18:56John Playford's English Dancing Master.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59- Wow!- In 1651, he published a
0:18:59 > 0:19:02collection of popular tunes and dances,
0:19:02 > 0:19:06- so, look, here's a lovely tune. Nonsuch.- Nonsuch, yes.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08"A longways dance for eight people."
0:19:08 > 0:19:11So it has got the music there.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15It's got all the dance instructions, so... "Lead up forwards and back,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18"that again, set and turn single, that again."
0:19:18 > 0:19:21So it is all the instructions for people to learn how to do
0:19:21 > 0:19:23- country dancing.- Yeah.- Fantastic.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26That's why I thought we might have a go at playing this together.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28- This could be interesting.- OK.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31There are countless theories behind the roots of folk music.
0:19:31 > 0:19:34Although there is evidence that the songs and dances are written down,
0:19:34 > 0:19:37it's largely an oral tradition.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Country people learnt songs from each other by word of mouth,
0:19:39 > 0:19:43and passed them down generation to generation.
0:19:43 > 0:19:46Fortunately for Dave and Polly, today they have skilled
0:19:46 > 0:19:50cittern player Gavin Davenport and a music sheet to guide them.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52FOLK MUSIC
0:19:55 > 0:19:58Folk music has existed for hundreds of years.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01But it has only been termed as such since around 1900.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04Before then it was just the popular music of the day.
0:20:04 > 0:20:08With its roots in rural life, the music migrated to towns during
0:20:08 > 0:20:12the Industrial Revolution, and today it is enjoyed by all walks of life.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22Travelling east across the Mendips, our next property
0:20:22 > 0:20:26is 12 miles south-west of Bath, in the village of Chilcompton.
0:20:26 > 0:20:28Positioned alongside the River Somer,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31and with a number of footpaths running through the village,
0:20:31 > 0:20:33it's a popular spot with walkers.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36With the church and a good local pub at its heart,
0:20:36 > 0:20:40the village hosts a number of events, including a popular yearly fete.
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Our second offering is a 17th-century stone
0:20:43 > 0:20:45cottage in a quiet, narrow road.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48With the original grand entrance at the front no longer in use,
0:20:48 > 0:20:52the main access is from the side of the property.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55- So what have we got for you here, then?- What, indeed?- Oh, wow.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58- This looks interesting. - It is different.- Yes.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02This, believe it or not, dates from about 1650...
0:21:02 > 0:21:04- Really?- ..when it was a maltster's cottage,
0:21:04 > 0:21:06they were brewing beer for Downside Abbey.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09- And monks, of course, need their beer.- Absolutely.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11And over the last 12 months, it's had a huge amount of work done to
0:21:11 > 0:21:14really modernise it and bring it up to spec.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16The house itself is quite different,
0:21:16 > 0:21:19- in that it is arranged over three levels.- OK.- OK.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21- So it is quite unconventional.- Good.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24Unconventional we do. JULES LAUGHS
0:21:24 > 0:21:25We do quirky.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Let's have a look at the inside and see if you can fit into it.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33I'm hoping this unusual layout might be right up our buyers' street.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36Technically, the house has four bedrooms, although they are split
0:21:36 > 0:21:40across different floors, with two currently used as reception rooms.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44So let's get the topography right in our minds.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48You've got a sort of lower ground floor there, which has a media room in it.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51- OK.- Right.- And a study.- Yes.- Up here...
0:21:51 > 0:21:53is your main living accommodation.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59So this is sort of first-floor level, shall we say?
0:21:59 > 0:22:01And we've got the kitchen.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04- Got the range cooker.- Oh, yes. - I know what you're thinking.- Mm-hm?
0:22:04 > 0:22:08- It's not as big as property one's kitchen.- Agreed, yes.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12I can feel the doubt filling the air around us.
0:22:12 > 0:22:14- But don't worry.- A big cloud. - Well, there shouldn't be a cloud,
0:22:14 > 0:22:17because I think we can shed some light on it, literally
0:22:17 > 0:22:20and metaphorically, if we were to remove that wall.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23- Yeah.- You will see what I mean when we get through here.
0:22:23 > 0:22:24Have a look at this.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29So you've got this huge living space.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31- Oh, yes.- Yes. Absolutely.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34So if that wall were to disappear...
0:22:34 > 0:22:38And you were to make all of that into a kitchen. That would work.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41- That would work better, wouldn't it? - This would be your main living room. - Yes.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44It is a case of, obviously there would be a bit of a project to make
0:22:44 > 0:22:48it suit us, and then we are down to price and all those things as well.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52What of that view? That is unbelievable.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55- That is a view to die for.- It is.- It really is.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58- It is not a no, but I need to see the rest of it.- Yes.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02I can see this is now going to be a hard sell.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05They were so wonderfully open-minded at the last property,
0:23:05 > 0:23:10but perhaps this topsy-turvy design may have been a step too far.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13So the top floor is up these five steps...
0:23:13 > 0:23:17- ..which gives you family bathroom, shower room.- OK.
0:23:17 > 0:23:19- Really good double in here.- Right.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22But a very similar size to this.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26- Now this one we are describing as the master.- OK.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29It is a very similar size to what is next door.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32I guess this one benefits, really, from the dual aspect and the views.
0:23:32 > 0:23:34Yes, it's a good size room.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36So you've got an idea of the layout and so forth.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- I can see that there is an issue over the kitchen.- Yeah.
0:23:39 > 0:23:43But there is always, I guess, some...
0:23:43 > 0:23:45- compromise.- Of course, yes.
0:23:45 > 0:23:46Yeah.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49Whether or not you're going to go for it is another question, Polly.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51Absolutely. THEY LAUGH
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Right, come on, let's go outside and talk about the price,
0:23:54 > 0:23:55because that may swing it.
0:23:55 > 0:23:57Yes, hope so.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01Outside, the garage has also benefited from a recent conversion.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Currently in use as a dog grooming parlour,
0:24:03 > 0:24:08it might be more valuable to Dave and Polly as a craft room or study.
0:24:08 > 0:24:12The cottage-style gardens surround the property.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14There. More view.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18- More view.- Oh, it's lovely. You could drink in that view all day.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22- You could.- Or you could just look at it and have a drink.- Well...
0:24:22 > 0:24:25- That's what the table is there for, isn't it?- Exactly.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29- I mean, those doors have made a vital addition...- Yes, yes.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32..to how this property works. Now, the garden stops here.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34- OK.- OK.
0:24:34 > 0:24:36- Which is not massive.- No.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40But we are assured that the neighbour who owns this field
0:24:40 > 0:24:43is thinking about selling some of it off.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47- That would...- That would make it very interesting, yes.- OK.
0:24:47 > 0:24:50So what's it worth, then, what are the scores on the doors?
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Probably 415.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55415. Polly?
0:24:55 > 0:24:59- I'm going to be very rude and say 385.- 385.
0:24:59 > 0:25:02Wow. It is on at 435...
0:25:02 > 0:25:05- OK.- ..thousand.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08Which does reflect its close proximity to centres
0:25:08 > 0:25:09such as Bath and Bristol,
0:25:09 > 0:25:13and the work that has been put into it over the last 12 months.
0:25:13 > 0:25:14- Yes.- I'm not giving up on it yet,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17- and there are couple of options you haven't seen yet.- OK.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19- Let's take a look at those, shall we?- Go on, then. Off you go.
0:25:22 > 0:25:24Under budget by £15,000,
0:25:24 > 0:25:28this converted cottage has bags of period charm as well as a touch of
0:25:28 > 0:25:32the unconventional that I hoped would appeal to Dave and Polly.
0:25:32 > 0:25:33It has three bedrooms,
0:25:33 > 0:25:37flexible living space on multiple levels and the benefit
0:25:37 > 0:25:40of a converted garage space, that would make a great craft room.
0:25:42 > 0:25:43POLLY CHUCKLES
0:25:43 > 0:25:48Yes, I think this dog grooming pit would have to go, but...
0:25:48 > 0:25:51It would certainly work as a craft room, or maybe this would
0:25:51 > 0:25:53work as an office and the other one work as a craft room.
0:25:53 > 0:25:57I love the view, absolutely love the view. It is great.
0:25:57 > 0:26:01The idea that we could buy some of the field, perhaps, to increase
0:26:01 > 0:26:04the garden size, that is also a possibility.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07The kitchen really isn't what we were looking for.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09We do want something a bit bigger than that.
0:26:09 > 0:26:13I think the kitchen would be a project too far for us.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16It's a lovely house but I don't think we could make it work.
0:26:16 > 0:26:18- Hey, Polly.- Hi.
0:26:18 > 0:26:23- How are we doing, David?- I think we're done.- Yes, you probably are.
0:26:23 > 0:26:28- Absolutely.- But every house does inform the other.- Exactly.
0:26:28 > 0:26:32- Negatives are positive as well. - I like what you're saying, and we've got one more to come tomorrow.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36- Absolutely, that's exciting. - Let's hope it is.- Yeah.
0:26:36 > 0:26:38- Supper time, come on.- Right.
0:26:45 > 0:26:49Husband and wife Dave and Polly are downsizing from their long-term
0:26:49 > 0:26:51family home in Hampshire in search
0:26:51 > 0:26:53of a slower pace of life in Somerset.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57They have a budget of £450,000 and are looking for a place that
0:26:57 > 0:26:59works for their changing needs.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02Coming up, it looks like I've finally found the space Polly
0:27:02 > 0:27:05- is looking for.- This would make a wonderful craft room.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08You need somewhere to sleep, Polly!
0:27:09 > 0:27:12And I witness first-hand the destruction
0:27:12 > 0:27:15caused by the recent flooding of the Levels.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18It is honestly just like hell.
0:27:20 > 0:27:24Well, as we head into our final day of house-hunting with Polly
0:27:24 > 0:27:26and David, one thing has become clear.
0:27:26 > 0:27:31Although they are downsizing to some extent, they do still want plenty
0:27:31 > 0:27:34of space, and I think David really is itching to have a garden he can
0:27:34 > 0:27:39really sink his teeth into while Polly is off enjoying the cricket.
0:27:39 > 0:27:41So, for our final offering, our mystery house, we are
0:27:41 > 0:27:44going for space and going for garden.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47But it is going to require a little bit of imagination from our
0:27:47 > 0:27:51buyers to turn it into everything they are hoping it could be.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54I'm confident it could work, but as ever, the choice is up to them.
0:27:59 > 0:28:00Our mystery house is in Winscombe,
0:28:00 > 0:28:04just over four miles from the historic village of Cheddar.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06There is a range of cafes, restaurants
0:28:06 > 0:28:08and boutique shops for locals.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11Nestled in the hills, it is surrounded by lovely countryside
0:28:11 > 0:28:15and there is a number of popular walking paths and cycle routes.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17The mystery house is located
0:28:17 > 0:28:20within the Mendip Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
0:28:20 > 0:28:22and is a mile from the village centre.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25This is it, our final roll of the dice, our mystery house.
0:28:25 > 0:28:29- What do you think? - That looks pretty. I love the stone.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32- That is great.- And you get that fabulous garden studio.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35Gosh! My mind is starting to race.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38With the living roof, the sedum roof,
0:28:38 > 0:28:40and you get the greenhouse, David.
0:28:40 > 0:28:46- I could hide in there for hours! - It's 1867 and it's Victorian.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49So, not a tiny cottage.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53Would you have looked at this one if you had seen it on the internet?
0:28:53 > 0:28:57- Probably not.- Probably not, no. - But definitely worth looking at now.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00- Come on, then. Let's have a look. - Yes.
0:29:00 > 0:29:04Laid out over three floors, this rather grand Victorian home
0:29:04 > 0:29:07isn't quite the character cottage Polly had in mind,
0:29:07 > 0:29:11but it has lots of potential, plus a more traditional layout.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15- Let's start with the living room. This is a good space.- It is.
0:29:15 > 0:29:21- I like these shelves as well. - This is the main living room?- No.- OK!
0:29:21 > 0:29:23You've got the family room through there.
0:29:23 > 0:29:28- Which leads on to the gardens. - OK, music room perhaps?- It could be. Could be exactly that, yes.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30But that's the thing about this place,
0:29:30 > 0:29:33- it is the proportions that really define it.- Yeah.
0:29:33 > 0:29:37You could bring a bit more of the Victorian back into this room.
0:29:37 > 0:29:39It's got the wood burner in there.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42You could have something that would feel much more traditional,
0:29:42 > 0:29:46- more open fire, if you wanted to. - Yes, very nice indeed.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50- You've gone a bit quiet!- There is something I can't quantify yet.
0:29:50 > 0:29:54- My mind is still working, though. - In a good way?- I hope so.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56So do I! Come on.
0:29:59 > 0:30:04- Now, what about this?- This is lovely. Oh, and there is a range.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06This is a really lovely kitchen.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10One thing I like here is the height of this, this is my height.
0:30:10 > 0:30:14- This, I can cope with.- Is it big enough, though?- Yes, I think it is.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16It's not your classic kitchen/diner,
0:30:16 > 0:30:21but it does lead onto this space, which I think makes it work.
0:30:21 > 0:30:26- This is the family garden room.- OK. - This is a recent extension, is it?
0:30:26 > 0:30:28- It is.- Very interesting.
0:30:28 > 0:30:33It also has this, which might be of interest for your study, perhaps.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36- Oh, yes.- Yes, hidden around the corner.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40But that's good, it's light, because it's got the skylight, even though it's tucked away.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42This is his study.
0:30:42 > 0:30:46- Study, craft room, we can mix and match.- Fight over it!- Absolutely.
0:30:46 > 0:30:51Good, so how are we doing on living space with our mystery house?
0:30:51 > 0:30:54It's looking very good, yes.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57Is our mystery house creeping to the top of your preferred list?
0:30:57 > 0:30:59- Creeping up.- Very slowly. We'll see.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02You never give too much away, do you?
0:31:02 > 0:31:04- Right, let's have a look upstairs, come on.- Right.
0:31:04 > 0:31:08Now, Polly might not be fully on board yet, but there is no denying
0:31:08 > 0:31:13the space offered by this Victorian property could really work for them.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16The first floor comprises of a family bathroom, as well
0:31:16 > 0:31:20as the sizeable master bedroom, complete with its own dressing room.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23So, is this going to be big enough for the pair of you two?
0:31:23 > 0:31:25Ooh, I should think so!
0:31:25 > 0:31:28- Yes, it's good.- It is a very good size room, isn't it?
0:31:28 > 0:31:32- And it's a lovely aspect as well. - It is.- And light as well.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34- This is the joy of Victorian.- Yes.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38Some people don't want them, but you can't fault them on space.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40- No, that's right.- This would make a wonderful craft room.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43You need somewhere to sleep, Polly!
0:31:43 > 0:31:45THEY LAUGH
0:31:45 > 0:31:47Beautifully light, is what I was thinking.
0:31:47 > 0:31:49Yes, well, I think we should go
0:31:49 > 0:31:51and have a look at that bespoke garden room with the sedum roof.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53Come on.
0:31:53 > 0:31:57On the top floor are two more good size bedrooms.
0:31:57 > 0:32:00But it's outside where I think the real selling points are,
0:32:00 > 0:32:03and I'm not talking about the garden.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06Now, Polly, I think we are spoiling you with this place.
0:32:06 > 0:32:11- Oh, this is super. This is really good.- This is definitely my office!
0:32:11 > 0:32:14Yeah, you got your bit! Look at this, you've got the skylight.
0:32:14 > 0:32:16- Absolutely.- Beautiful.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20There is a really lovely downstairs shower room through there, en suite.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24- OK.- This could be a master bedroom, actually.- Yes, almost another house!
0:32:24 > 0:32:28- This would work.- You can imagine lace pillows and spinning wheels in here.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31It's also interconnected to the greenhouse, actually.
0:32:31 > 0:32:35- So, I can keep my eye on him. - You can!- Oh, no!
0:32:35 > 0:32:41- Right then, let's go outside and think about the money.- Right.
0:32:41 > 0:32:45I've got a feeling that if the price is right on this one,
0:32:45 > 0:32:47it might just be a possibility.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51There we are, then. Our mystery house and all that it contains.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54- It's nice.- The garden really is all about you, David.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56As you can see, it's nice and mature,
0:32:56 > 0:32:59and of course, this lovely greenhouse.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02I think, David, really, that is an extension of your domain, really.
0:33:02 > 0:33:06- I think so. I get that bit. - Absolutely, you get that bit!
0:33:06 > 0:33:10- Sounds good.- Well, what is the price going to sound like, I wonder?
0:33:10 > 0:33:14I'd say probably about 470,000.
0:33:14 > 0:33:19- 470?- I think it's got to be somewhere near that, so, yes, 475.
0:33:19 > 0:33:24- Here's the good news. It's not 475 and it's not over budget.- Really?
0:33:24 > 0:33:28- It's £445,000.- So, just about on budget.
0:33:28 > 0:33:30Yes. That's very interesting.
0:33:30 > 0:33:35Right, mate, we've got a bit of time, go explore that greenhouse.
0:33:35 > 0:33:37- We will do that.- And I will catch up with you a little bit later.- OK.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39- Off you go.- Thanks.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44Coming in at £5,000 under budget, this unique property may not
0:33:44 > 0:33:47be the classic cottage Polly had her heart set on,
0:33:47 > 0:33:51but with three good bedrooms, two substantial living spaces,
0:33:51 > 0:33:55as well as the separate annexe, it offers an array of options
0:33:55 > 0:33:58for the study area and of course, Polly's all-important craft room.
0:33:58 > 0:34:01Plus, with the added extra of a large greenhouse,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03Dave would be in his element, too.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08- Oh, this is a good space. It's a good size.- Yeah.
0:34:08 > 0:34:09You can stand up in here!
0:34:09 > 0:34:13Yes, very nicely done, lots of hard work gone into it.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15- Lots of imagination.- Yeah.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17This was a complete surprise.
0:34:17 > 0:34:22And it has given us a completely different idea
0:34:22 > 0:34:27as to whether we want the space versus the "olde worlde" look.
0:34:27 > 0:34:29What we envisaged was a little old stone cottage,
0:34:29 > 0:34:32maybe a thatched cottage, with low beams and an inglenook
0:34:32 > 0:34:34fireplace, and clearly this is not what this place is.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37This is a bit of an eye-opener, really, because it's not
0:34:37 > 0:34:40at all the kind of house we would have chosen to come and look at.
0:34:40 > 0:34:43At the moment, my heart and head are telling me
0:34:43 > 0:34:46very different things, which is why I am confused.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49Well, I'm very pleased with the way our house tours have ended up.
0:34:49 > 0:34:54- Yes, lots to think about. Yeah. - Food for thought.- I would say so.
0:34:54 > 0:34:57Time for tea and cake, then! Come on.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05The area between the Quantock and the Mendip Hills is known as
0:35:05 > 0:35:09the Somerset Levels, a unique flat landscape
0:35:09 > 0:35:12that extends to about 170,000 acres.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16Following the wettest winter on record, in early 2014,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19the Levels experienced widespread flooding.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23With water covering an estimated 40 square miles, villages were
0:35:23 > 0:35:28isolated and around 6,500 homes and businesses were flooded.
0:35:28 > 0:35:32A huge number of families were forced to leave their homes.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34I'm meeting up with local building surveyor
0:35:34 > 0:35:37Jeremy Gainsford in Moorland near Burrowbridge, to find out
0:35:37 > 0:35:40how it's affected the county and its property market.
0:35:40 > 0:35:44- What was it like here, back in the winter?- It just didn't stop raining.
0:35:44 > 0:35:48I think with the geography here, we've got ground below sea level,
0:35:48 > 0:35:51a combination of the tides and the endless rain, the water just
0:35:51 > 0:35:55inundated the village in a way that it really hadn't done before.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57Many people do want to move to the Somerset Levels.
0:35:57 > 0:36:00Should they be put off from the Levels?
0:36:00 > 0:36:03No, I don't think so. I think as long as they take the right advice
0:36:03 > 0:36:05before they decide to purchase.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08There are various companies who do sort of flood risk assessments.
0:36:08 > 0:36:10You send them a location plan, they'll give you
0:36:10 > 0:36:13an idea of the risks so you really know what you're taking on.
0:36:13 > 0:36:16How has the flooding here affected house prices?
0:36:16 > 0:36:19Well, it has put some people perhaps off buying in the area,
0:36:19 > 0:36:22but the actual percentage level of price reduction is difficult
0:36:22 > 0:36:25to evaluate, really, because it depends on the level of risk,
0:36:25 > 0:36:26so if you can get a mortgage,
0:36:26 > 0:36:29the value is probably much the same as anywhere else.
0:36:29 > 0:36:30If you can't,
0:36:30 > 0:36:33then of course it will dramatically reduce the value of the property.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36'The village of Moorland was one of the worst affected areas.
0:36:36 > 0:36:40'Over 80 houses had to be evacuated, including that of long-time
0:36:40 > 0:36:43'local resident Bryony and her young family.'
0:36:43 > 0:36:45- Hello.- Hi, Jules, lovely to meet you!
0:36:45 > 0:36:47Lovely to meet you too, but, in a way,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50I'm sorry to see you because the story that's engulfed you
0:36:50 > 0:36:53and your family, and what looks like a beautiful family home,
0:36:53 > 0:36:56is just heartbreaking. How long have you lived here?
0:36:56 > 0:36:58We've been here for 12 years, nearly, to the day.
0:36:58 > 0:37:02You have put your heart and soul into renovating it once already.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05Yeah, we've done every single room. We've rewired, we've re-plumbed.
0:37:05 > 0:37:09- And now because of the floods, you've got to do it all again?- Yeah.
0:37:09 > 0:37:13- Can we have a look at what you're doing here?- Absolutely, come on in.
0:37:13 > 0:37:17'After 12 years of steadily creating their dream home,
0:37:17 > 0:37:21'Bryony had just finished decorating in time for Christmas 2013.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24'But less than two months later, on the 6th of February,
0:37:24 > 0:37:26'the family were evacuated.
0:37:26 > 0:37:28'They were given just three hours' notice,
0:37:28 > 0:37:32'with warnings of a metre surge of water heading their way.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34'But it was another three days before the water took over
0:37:34 > 0:37:37'the inside of the property.'
0:37:37 > 0:37:39How deep was it in here at its worst?
0:37:39 > 0:37:41- About two feet.- Really?
0:37:41 > 0:37:44- So up to our knees? - Yeah, up to shin height.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48- And this was your kitchen?- Yeah. And it will be my kitchen.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52You're now renovating this once again, but also, I imagine,
0:37:52 > 0:37:55having the chance to make several improvements to it.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58- I think making it more flood resilient is...- Come on.
0:37:58 > 0:38:01- ..is the words of the moment! - Give me the tour.
0:38:01 > 0:38:05This was the formal dining room when we had guests to stay.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07And what's this? Cos that's the first thing
0:38:07 > 0:38:09that really catches your eye.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11That's my new fancy bubble wrap.
0:38:11 > 0:38:13Erm, no, it's because we're made of something called
0:38:13 > 0:38:17Bridgewater bricks round here, and they are just a standard brick,
0:38:17 > 0:38:18but they have got 20 holes in them,
0:38:18 > 0:38:21and because the house sat in water for three weeks,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24it's absorbed the water, and now the water can't get back out,
0:38:24 > 0:38:28so we're having this as tanking, which allows the bricks to breathe
0:38:28 > 0:38:32outwards, so that we can plaster and plasterboard to actually get home.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36But, you know, the rest of the house has had to be backfilled with
0:38:36 > 0:38:40concrete because we had joists and floorboards and air bricks.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42So if we kind of overtop them
0:38:42 > 0:38:45with the concrete, then that's another flood resilient...
0:38:45 > 0:38:48You're being very positive about the scale of what has
0:38:48 > 0:38:52happened to you, and the difficulties it's caused.
0:38:52 > 0:38:53How hard has it been?
0:38:53 > 0:38:57Watching the water come was like being tortured,
0:38:57 > 0:39:00cos you just see it coming every day, and every day,
0:39:00 > 0:39:03and every day, and you never expect it to have happened.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06And, obviously, now, we're on the other side of it, you know,
0:39:06 > 0:39:08insurance battles and builders' battles,
0:39:08 > 0:39:12and, you know, it is honestly just like hell.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15But we've been here for 12 years, and, you know, there's
0:39:15 > 0:39:20photos of me digging out the floor seven months pregnant and taking the
0:39:20 > 0:39:24tiles off the bath, and we want to go back exactly the way we came out.
0:39:24 > 0:39:26It is home, it will always be home,
0:39:26 > 0:39:30it doesn't look like home at the moment but it will be.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33'Fortunately, Bryony and her family are not alone in their plight
0:39:33 > 0:39:35'to protect their property.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39'In March 2014, work started to dredge a four-mile stretch
0:39:39 > 0:39:43'of water where the rivers Tone and Parrett meet at Burrowbridge.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45'By the end of the year, the Environment Agency hopes to
0:39:45 > 0:39:50'have removed over 400,000 tonnes of material from the river.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53'The dredging is part of a 20-year flood action plan
0:39:53 > 0:39:57'put in place by the government at a cost of around £100 million,
0:39:57 > 0:39:59'to prevent this kind of extreme flooding
0:39:59 > 0:40:01'from happening in the future.'
0:40:01 > 0:40:04How confident are you about the work that's going on
0:40:04 > 0:40:06outside in the Levels as a whole?
0:40:06 > 0:40:09Something had to change policy, and change government,
0:40:09 > 0:40:12how they look at doing the dredging and how it all works.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15But, you know, going on from that...
0:40:15 > 0:40:17you've got to be positive,
0:40:17 > 0:40:19you've got to look at it as a long-term thing,
0:40:19 > 0:40:21cos I want to stay here for the next 20 years.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24This is my children's home, and our home, and we love it.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29'After renovating their home at a cost of over £200,000
0:40:29 > 0:40:32'the first time round, Bryony estimates that by the time
0:40:32 > 0:40:34'they move back in,
0:40:34 > 0:40:37'they will have spent the same again in a nine-month period to fix
0:40:37 > 0:40:39'the damage caused by the flooding.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41'But with work currently running to schedule,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44'they hope to be back in their home in another eight weeks.
0:40:44 > 0:40:47'I sincerely hope they'll never be forced to leave it again.'
0:40:51 > 0:40:54Now, of course, Polly and David are committing everything to this move,
0:40:54 > 0:40:57but I suspect there is a difficult debate going on
0:40:57 > 0:41:01between their heads on the one hand and their hearts on the other.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04It is a difficult thing to make sense of,
0:41:04 > 0:41:05but make sense of it they must.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12- Hello, Polly, hello, David. - Hi, there.- Hello!
0:41:12 > 0:41:14- We have had quite an interesting week, I think.- Yeah.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16It's been incredible, yes.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19You've certainly shown us that we are going to move down to Somerset,
0:41:19 > 0:41:21there's no doubt of that at all.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23- You love the county, David? - We do, yes, yeah.
0:41:23 > 0:41:28We started with a lovely double- bay-fronted old post office.
0:41:28 > 0:41:32Yes, and that one, the house was pretty much everything we wanted.
0:41:32 > 0:41:34It had lots of space,
0:41:34 > 0:41:37lots of flexibility in how we could use the space, but there were some
0:41:37 > 0:41:42misgivings about things like access and parking, and details like that.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45Well, this morning, I was very anxious about this search
0:41:45 > 0:41:48as we headed off to our final property, our mystery house.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52- Something that you weren't expecting to see.- Yes, it was.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54That was quite an eye-opener.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57Lots of space and lots of different options about how we could
0:41:57 > 0:42:00use that space, so, yeah, very interesting indeed, that one.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03Are you minded to think that it's worth a second look?
0:42:03 > 0:42:06Yeah, we will be back there to have another look
0:42:06 > 0:42:08and meet the owners and have a chat about that one.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11Well, I'm delighted that we have managed to find at least
0:42:11 > 0:42:14one that will suit you, and we wish you all the best of luck,
0:42:14 > 0:42:18- and, as always, let us know how you get on.- Will do.- Yeah, we will do.
0:42:18 > 0:42:19- Thank you very much indeed. - Thank you.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26Well, once again, thankfully, the property market here in Somerset
0:42:26 > 0:42:28has lived up to all of our expectations,
0:42:28 > 0:42:30and I'm reminded of that survey
0:42:30 > 0:42:33we spoke about at the beginning of this show that claimed that
0:42:33 > 0:42:37some 86% of people who live in this county are more than happy
0:42:37 > 0:42:39with the life that it offers.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42So, hopefully, if Polly and David can move soon,
0:42:42 > 0:42:44that number may rise yet further.
0:42:44 > 0:42:47So, all in all, it's turned out rather well.
0:42:47 > 0:42:48I'll see you next time.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51If you would like to Escape To The Country,
0:42:51 > 0:42:54in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, England,
0:42:54 > 0:42:56or perhaps even further afield to the continent,
0:42:56 > 0:42:59and would like our help, then please apply online at...