0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to Escape To The Country. Now, if like me, you're a fan
0:00:04 > 0:00:06of the history of the Industrial Revolution
0:00:06 > 0:00:10and in particular our canals, this is a place you have to visit.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13The flight of locks behind me represents,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16arguably, one of the most impressive parts of the canal network
0:00:16 > 0:00:17anywhere in the UK.
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Find out where in just a moment.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40Today's house-hunting couple are heading to the countryside
0:00:40 > 0:00:42to be closer to their son,
0:00:42 > 0:00:45and they're not afraid of a property project...
0:00:45 > 0:00:49And I might even add a little utility room out there.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51..as long as we get the colour right.
0:00:51 > 0:00:52I don't like yellow houses.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55- THEY LAUGH Paint works, David.- I know.
0:00:58 > 0:00:59Well, today we are in Wiltshire
0:00:59 > 0:01:04and these are the Caen Hill Locks just outside Devizes,
0:01:04 > 0:01:08the jewel in the crown, if you like, of the Kennet and Avon Canal.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10Built some 200 years ago,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12they were the brainchild of one John Rennie.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Now, he was the man tasked with directing the canal
0:01:15 > 0:01:17over the shortest route possible,
0:01:17 > 0:01:20and here the solution was to send it uphill.
0:01:20 > 0:01:21And the way he did it -
0:01:21 > 0:01:25he built 16 locks in close succession to one another.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27But here's the really clever bit.
0:01:27 > 0:01:29In order to keep enough water in the system,
0:01:29 > 0:01:31he also built this series of ponds,
0:01:31 > 0:01:34each one of which contains the same amount of water
0:01:34 > 0:01:37as two Olympic-size swimming pools.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41It is a fantastic feat of industrial engineering.
0:01:41 > 0:01:42And just goes to remind us
0:01:42 > 0:01:45that Wiltshire is a county brimming with history.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Known as the gateway to the West Country,
0:01:50 > 0:01:53landlocked Wiltshire is bordered by six counties,
0:01:53 > 0:01:57including Somerset to the west and Berkshire and Hampshire to the east.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01It's a picturesque county of rolling, chalky downland.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04Historic attractions include Salisbury Cathedral,
0:02:04 > 0:02:07with its 13th century spire, the highest in England,
0:02:07 > 0:02:09and the world-famous Stonehenge.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Wiltshire's earliest inhabitants have left an extraordinary
0:02:14 > 0:02:17and sometimes mysterious archaeological footprint,
0:02:17 > 0:02:22from stone circles including Avebury to prehistoric burial mounds.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25The county is celebrated for its collections of white horses,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28which pepper the chalky hills.
0:02:28 > 0:02:32The majority, including this one at Westbury, are not ancient creations,
0:02:32 > 0:02:34but date to the 18th century.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Wiltshire also has its fair share of pretty villages
0:02:37 > 0:02:39and attractive market towns.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41Marlborough, with its wide high street,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45is lined with fine, old buildings that make it a property hotspot.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47With a wealth of awe-inspiring architecture
0:02:47 > 0:02:49set in a timeless landscape,
0:02:49 > 0:02:53it's easy to see why people are attracted to this rural county.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Well, Wiltshire clearly has an awful lot going for it.
0:02:57 > 0:02:59And whilst you may fancy living on the water,
0:02:59 > 0:03:01if bricks and mortar are your thing,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04well, here are the figures that really matter.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07The cost of your average detached property here
0:03:07 > 0:03:09is around about £300,000.
0:03:09 > 0:03:11That's some 15% above the national average.
0:03:11 > 0:03:13But don't despair.
0:03:13 > 0:03:16As with any county, there are, of course, variations.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19And here, over towards the west, towards Somerset,
0:03:19 > 0:03:21you will certainly get a little bit more for your money.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25But what is it about Wiltshire that's attracted today's buyers?
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Well, time now to meet them and find out.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31Jackie and David have been married for 30 years.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Jackie, who's originally from New Jersey in the US,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37met David when he was holidaying in Manhattan.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39It was because of the rain.
0:03:39 > 0:03:43Dave was in a place and didn't leave because of the rain
0:03:43 > 0:03:47and I ran in with friends of mine because it was raining.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51And we wound up talking, and the rest is history.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54They're currently living in a three-bedroom rented property
0:03:54 > 0:03:58in Oxfordshire, having recently sold their Canterbury town house
0:03:58 > 0:03:59of six years.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03We put the house on the market and it sold extremely quickly.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06The people who bought wanted to be in the house
0:04:06 > 0:04:08within five, six weeks of the offer,
0:04:08 > 0:04:13so we decided to go ahead with the sale and ended up in a rental house.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18For many years, David worked as a systems analyst in Brussels
0:04:18 > 0:04:20and commuted from Canterbury.
0:04:20 > 0:04:22Jackie was a primary school teacher.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24But having both recently retired,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26they're now free of work constraints.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29We've always wanted to be west of London.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32This is our opportunity to do it.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34The main reason for David and Jackie's move
0:04:34 > 0:04:38to the Wiltshire countryside is their 30-year-old son, Nicholas.
0:04:38 > 0:04:39He's a captain in the Signals
0:04:39 > 0:04:43and has recently returned from his second tour of duty in Afghanistan.
0:04:43 > 0:04:44He's in the military
0:04:44 > 0:04:48and he's going to be based out towards Salisbury Plain,
0:04:48 > 0:04:52and we didn't want to be that far away from him,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55so that we can see him and his partner.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59The garden is key in what they want from their new home.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03And Jackie must have somewhere to grow her own produce.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06I grew up in an Italian-American family
0:05:06 > 0:05:09and everybody gardened in the family.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11So, it was something that I grew up with.
0:05:11 > 0:05:16I'm happiest when I'm in the garden - digging, planting, cropping...
0:05:16 > 0:05:20And I enjoy the fact that I can grow something
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and then make a meal out of it.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25There's a lot of satisfaction in it.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29Dave's actually pretty good at salad-making
0:05:29 > 0:05:32and things of that sort, haven't you?
0:05:32 > 0:05:35I'm a pretty good sous chef, I think.
0:05:35 > 0:05:39As well as gardening, the Wiltshire countryside will give Jackie
0:05:39 > 0:05:42and David the opportunity to indulge their other hobbies.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47I enjoy sailing. I enjoy playing golf. I love folk music.
0:05:47 > 0:05:50The antiquity of it is what I love
0:05:50 > 0:05:53and the beauty of it. The gently rolling hills.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56It's the beauty of Wiltshire that I like.
0:05:56 > 0:06:00I think that we'll be out walking and enjoying the countryside
0:06:00 > 0:06:03a lot more than we were able to in Canterbury.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Yes, definitely. That would be nice.
0:06:09 > 0:06:10Our buyers have mentioned Marlborough
0:06:10 > 0:06:12as a town they'd like to be close to,
0:06:12 > 0:06:16so we are concentrating our search with that in mind.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19I'm meeting up with them in the attractive village of All Cannings,
0:06:19 > 0:06:21around ten miles from Marlborough itself.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26- Well, David and Jackie, welcome to Wiltshire.- Well, thank you.
0:06:26 > 0:06:29- Very exciting to us. - It's a big adventure, yes.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31It is a big adventure. Well, it's a big county to explore, too.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34This is the village of All Cannings. Have you ever been here before?
0:06:34 > 0:06:36- We haven't been here before, no.- No.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Absolutely gorgeous. Right on the edge of Salisbury Plain.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41We'll probably hear them making a bit of a racket.
0:06:41 > 0:06:42Oh, it could be my son.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Well, it could be your son because he's in the Army, isn't he?
0:06:44 > 0:06:48- Yes, he is. Yes.- He's based out in Beaufort.- In Beaufort, yes.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51But, very excitingly, your search is off to a flying start
0:06:51 > 0:06:53because you sold your house in Canterbury in record time.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55How long does it take?
0:06:55 > 0:06:58Erm... Less than one day, actually.
0:06:58 > 0:06:59How many people watching this
0:06:59 > 0:07:01are wishing they could sell their house in a day?
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Well, it...it was a blessing,
0:07:03 > 0:07:07but it was tough work getting a place to stay.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10- So, the pressure is on to find you something...- Yes.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12- ..to get this dream under way. - Absolutely.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16Now, the budget it has given you is what?
0:07:16 > 0:07:18300,000 to 400,000, yeah.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21So, would you take on something that needs a bit of work,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24then, at the lower end of the 300s?
0:07:24 > 0:07:26- Yes.- We...we would love a project, yes.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31Yeah, we just finished doing our son's house up, so we're ready.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34Well, let's think about the kind of property that you are after.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Just describe it to me.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40Probably three bedrooms, a decent kitchen, a garden.
0:07:40 > 0:07:42The garden is the most important thing to me,
0:07:42 > 0:07:46and don't tell my husband, but chickens maybe, too.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48He's right here. What do you think about the chickens, mate?
0:07:48 > 0:07:50I'm...I'm not so keen on the chickens.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54We'd also be looking for a garage, if possible.
0:07:54 > 0:07:55Maybe, an outside workshop.
0:07:55 > 0:07:58But you're also very keen on securing somewhere
0:07:58 > 0:08:01with a real sense of community about it, aren't you?
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Yes. Very important to us to be in a very active type of village,
0:08:05 > 0:08:09so that we can be involved with our neighbours, yeah.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14Now, you have a view of what the quintessential English property
0:08:14 > 0:08:16and English village will be like.
0:08:16 > 0:08:18- Yes, of course!- Is this kind of it?
0:08:18 > 0:08:20This...is very, very it, yes.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22This is beautiful here.
0:08:22 > 0:08:23Well, here's the thing.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25We've got the properties to show you,
0:08:25 > 0:08:27but our first one...
0:08:27 > 0:08:29is just down the road.
0:08:29 > 0:08:31This could be your village green.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33- Oh!- It's beautiful.- Yeah? - It's gorgeous, this.
0:08:33 > 0:08:34Come and have a look at this.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38For a top budget of £400,000,
0:08:38 > 0:08:41David and Jackie are seeking a property with character,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43three bedrooms and a decent kitchen.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45They would happily take on a project
0:08:45 > 0:08:48and Jackie is after a garden with a vegetable patch
0:08:48 > 0:08:51while David would like a garage or workshop.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53They're keen to throw themselves into the local community
0:08:53 > 0:08:57and want to be positioned in or close to a dynamic village.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01We've uncovered an assortment of wonderful Wiltshire houses
0:09:01 > 0:09:03with which to woo our buyers,
0:09:03 > 0:09:06but I won't be revealing the price tags until the end of each tour.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10Our final offering, the mystery house, is awash with history,
0:09:10 > 0:09:12but does come with a big challenge.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18So, our first houses in the village of All Cannings.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20Lying at the base of the chalky Pewsey Downs,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23the award-winning village is centred on the Hall,
0:09:23 > 0:09:27which hosts a monthly garden club, something Jackie might like.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30Plus, there's also a community-run shop and post office.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33The Kennet and Avon Canal, which links Bristol with Reading,
0:09:33 > 0:09:35flows just north of All Cannings.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39It was restored in the 1990s and is fully open to canal craft.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Now, of course, every village needs its hub,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44and for many, it is the pub.
0:09:44 > 0:09:45- Oh, yes.- Of course.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47And this one is really exciting because it's the venue
0:09:47 > 0:09:52for an annual rock concert that's held in aid of cancer research.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54There's the pub. It's just down there.
0:09:54 > 0:09:55- Ah!- And this year's concert,
0:09:55 > 0:09:58just to whet your appetite should you move here,
0:09:58 > 0:10:00The Boomtown Rats are coming down...
0:10:00 > 0:10:05- Good grief!- Steve Harley, Cockney Rebel, you know, The Troggs.- Wow!
0:10:05 > 0:10:09- See, I always had you as a bit of a rock'n'roller.- Oh, yes!
0:10:09 > 0:10:13So, it may be the excuse you need to make All Cannings your new home.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16But first of all, let's check out the house.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19Our first property is just 100 metres from the pub,
0:10:19 > 0:10:22right in the centre of the village.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24This is what we want to tempt you with -
0:10:24 > 0:10:27our first offering in All Cannings. What do you think?
0:10:27 > 0:10:30- Oh, it's beautiful.- It's incredible. - Yeah?- It's nice. Yeah.
0:10:30 > 0:10:31Now, in terms of its style,
0:10:31 > 0:10:35it's built in 1912, very much in the Edwardian mode, I would suggest.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37Now, you don't get all of it.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40You get this bit with the blue door.
0:10:40 > 0:10:43- Now, in terms of workshop space, David, a garage here.- Uh-huh.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45- Yeah.- It's probably got your plans written all over it.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48I saw that first.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50To give you an idea of just how popular this village is,
0:10:50 > 0:10:52this has only just come on the market
0:10:52 > 0:10:55and they are considering two offers at the moment.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57- So, bear that in mind as you're going through it.- OK.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01But I think this could be an absolute dream.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04- I do too.- It looks very interesting. Yes.- Yeah?- I do. Yes.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07- So, let's see what you think of the inside.- OK.- Yeah?
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Well, great reactions to the location
0:11:10 > 0:11:12and appearance of our first property -
0:11:12 > 0:11:15an extended Edwardian semi-detached cottage,
0:11:15 > 0:11:17which is packed with character inside.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19Well, let's start with the main living area.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21- Oh!- There's good space.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24I love these high ceilings. I think that really makes it.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28- And these lovely big windows. Great big windowsills.- Yeah.
0:11:28 > 0:11:29Two fireplaces.
0:11:29 > 0:11:31They've taken out this wall to obviously extend it,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34but, yeah, you've got some really lovely features here.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36- The parquet floor. - Look at this floor!
0:11:36 > 0:11:38Parquet floor. Yeah, that's beautiful.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40And through here, we've got a study area
0:11:40 > 0:11:43- and a downstairs shower room as well.- Oh!
0:11:43 > 0:11:47- This is a really good size. It really is.- So far, I'm impressed.- Yeah.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50Good! Well, let's go through to the dining room and the kitchen.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52- See what you think of this. Just across the hallway.- OK.
0:11:54 > 0:11:55There you go.
0:11:55 > 0:11:56Ooh, OK.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59- Another great big, tall room, which I love.- Yes.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02- It's a good space.- Yeah. - Nice and bright, too.- Yeah.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Nice windows.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07- And is that a range I see? - It is indeed a range, yeah.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09Oil-fired range for you.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Alluding to the kitchen behind this wall.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14Now, the wall, itself, is obviously doing a job
0:12:14 > 0:12:16in supporting what's above it,
0:12:16 > 0:12:19but it wouldn't be a great job to remove that wall
0:12:19 > 0:12:22- and give you an enormous kitchen-diner.- Yes.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24- Family space.- I think so, yeah.
0:12:24 > 0:12:28- Can we...- Absolutely.- ..see around the wall?- You get the idea.- Yes.
0:12:28 > 0:12:30- So, there's your lovely range. Nice and warm today.- Oh, yeah!
0:12:30 > 0:12:34- Just as well.- It is, isn't it? - It's oil, I assume.- It's oil. Yeah.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Yeah, yeah. Oh, it is nice and warm, too.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38And then this is the kitchen.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Functional, not massive, but again, you get the idea.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43If that wall wasn't there...
0:12:43 > 0:12:45- How much...?- We could transform this.
0:12:45 > 0:12:46Could be beautiful.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50And I might even add a little utility room out there.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53But you could also pinch a bit of the garage.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55- Of course.- Erm... We'll have to talk about this.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58No, you couldn't! No, you couldn't! It's a workshop.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03I was just wondering to see if he was still with us. Yeah, good.
0:13:03 > 0:13:04Brilliant.
0:13:04 > 0:13:08So, we are OK on character and downstairs space
0:13:08 > 0:13:12and both David and Jackie can see the potential this property offers.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Upstairs, there's a period-style family bathroom
0:13:15 > 0:13:17with roll-top bath, four good-sized bedrooms,
0:13:17 > 0:13:21three of which could make excellent guest rooms.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23But we're heading to the master.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Oh, this is nice.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27I mean, we're calling this the master.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29I mean, to be honest, you could sort of take your pick, really,
0:13:29 > 0:13:31out of almost any of them.
0:13:31 > 0:13:35- But look at the view! Oh, it's beautiful.- Yeah.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38- A bit of rolling Wiltshire on the horizon.- Yeah!
0:13:38 > 0:13:40Oh and I love the wooden floors
0:13:40 > 0:13:43because most American houses have wooden floors.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45It's lovely. It really is.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48I think this is a really good, viable option for you.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51It is, of course, going to depend on two things.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56One, what you think of the garden and two, what you think it's worth.
0:13:56 > 0:14:00- Price, yes.- OK.- Let's go and find some outdoor space.- OK.
0:14:02 > 0:14:03So, the house gets a thumbs-up,
0:14:03 > 0:14:07but Jackie also wanted a garden she could make her own.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10This house gives her a front lawn and a good size, mature garden
0:14:10 > 0:14:14at the back of the property with lots of potential.
0:14:14 > 0:14:16Oh!
0:14:16 > 0:14:17Vegetable patch out there.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19That's what they've got at the moment.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22You've got these old hurdles here, which are kind of delineating that.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24The interesting thing is you also get a chunk
0:14:24 > 0:14:26of that red building over there,
0:14:26 > 0:14:28which is shared by these other properties,
0:14:28 > 0:14:31- but you get the first sort of third of it.- Oh!- OK.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33There is one final question I have to ask you,
0:14:33 > 0:14:36and that is, what do you think it's worth?
0:14:36 > 0:14:40- I'm thinking about 355.- Yeah.
0:14:40 > 0:14:41Erm...
0:14:41 > 0:14:44- I'm going to say about 360.- 360?
0:14:44 > 0:14:46Yeah, I'm going to say about 360.
0:14:46 > 0:14:51Well, I think 355, 360 would be fair enough,
0:14:51 > 0:14:55but the welcoming news is that this place is on the market
0:14:55 > 0:14:58for offers in excess of 3...
0:14:58 > 0:15:0025.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03- Wow!- Ooh!- Room to improve.- Oh, yeah!
0:15:03 > 0:15:05Can you see why we brought you here?
0:15:05 > 0:15:06Yes! Absolutely.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09- This one offers you lots to think about.- It sure does.- Yes.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11- It sure does.- It's interesting. Very interesting.
0:15:11 > 0:15:14And I'd like to see a little more of the garden if that's OK.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17- Go and explore. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:15:17 > 0:15:18But don't take too long.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21This place is going to be sold very, very quickly.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26Under their maximum budget by £75,000,
0:15:26 > 0:15:30this characterful, semidetached Edwardian property gives our buyers
0:15:30 > 0:15:33one more bedroom than they've asked for,
0:15:33 > 0:15:35a garage workshop for David
0:15:35 > 0:15:37and a garden for Jackie to put her stamp on
0:15:37 > 0:15:39and it's situated in the heart of a thriving
0:15:39 > 0:15:41and popular Wiltshire village.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Ah, look, Dave!
0:15:47 > 0:15:52- Got the oil tanks in there? - No. This is brill.
0:15:52 > 0:15:56I am very, very impressed actually with this house. Nice village.
0:15:56 > 0:15:57Any village with a pub
0:15:57 > 0:15:59that's having a rock festival can't be bad, can it?
0:15:59 > 0:16:01I like the size of the rooms.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05They're not too big and they have nice, high ceilings.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09And there are four bedrooms, which I didn't expect to get,
0:16:09 > 0:16:12so it would be a bonus with that.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14And of course, the garden. The garden needs me.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17I don't think there's a room that doesn't need some work,
0:16:17 > 0:16:22but I think we could be up to the challenge here. This is very nice.
0:16:22 > 0:16:27I think David's feelings are pretty close to my feelings about the house.
0:16:27 > 0:16:28I probably like it a little bit more.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33Right. Out you come.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35- Allow me, madam. There we are. - Thank you.
0:16:35 > 0:16:37Well, I think that was rather exciting.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39- It really was. - It was very interesting.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41- You've really taken to this house and the village.- Yes.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43- The village is beautiful.- Hm.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46- Good. Well, let's go and find some lunch in that pub.- OK.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48I'll give you the full experience.
0:16:54 > 0:16:56Traditionally an agricultural county,
0:16:56 > 0:17:00one of Wiltshire's most important industries is pig farming.
0:17:00 > 0:17:01In the 18th century,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03the county was the centre of Britain's bacon industry
0:17:03 > 0:17:06when drovers would stop off here on their way to London
0:17:06 > 0:17:08with pigs from Ireland.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10But it wasn't just for the savoury palate.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13One of the area's favourite sweet treats
0:17:13 > 0:17:16takes its key ingredient from a somewhat surprising cut.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Since Jackie is interested in Wiltshire's heritage,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23we've sent her and David to the village of Pewsy,
0:17:23 > 0:17:24the home of a bakery
0:17:24 > 0:17:27which celebrates a local pig-related culinary speciality -
0:17:27 > 0:17:28the lardy cake.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31They're meeting baker Richard Marshall.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35So, what is in a lardy cake?
0:17:35 > 0:17:37A lardy cake is made of dough.
0:17:37 > 0:17:41It uses lard, sugar and fruit. Normally currants and sultanas.
0:17:41 > 0:17:42Why the lard?
0:17:42 > 0:17:43Well, back in the olden days,
0:17:43 > 0:17:46people would try to use as much of the pig as they could,
0:17:46 > 0:17:49so the lard going into a lardy cake was an ideal product
0:17:49 > 0:17:53and it's actually got less saturated fat in it than butter.
0:17:53 > 0:17:54- So, it's healthy.- Good!
0:17:57 > 0:18:00David and Jackie are going to attempt to bake a lardy cake.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04The exact origins of which are difficult to pinpoint.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06Other pig farming regions across the south of England
0:18:06 > 0:18:07have their own variations,
0:18:07 > 0:18:09but it's Wiltshire that is widely accepted
0:18:09 > 0:18:13as being the home of the original recipe.
0:18:13 > 0:18:17The first step is to roll bread dough into a pizza shape.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19How long has your family been doing this, then?
0:18:19 > 0:18:22The bakery was started by my great grandad
0:18:22 > 0:18:24back in the...late 1800s,
0:18:24 > 0:18:29and we know that he was making lardy cakes from early on
0:18:29 > 0:18:33and we've been making them ever since to the same recipe.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36- So, how many do you make a week, then?- Approximately 600.
0:18:36 > 0:18:37Wow!
0:18:37 > 0:18:41Then a mixture of lard and sugar is spread over the dough,
0:18:41 > 0:18:44followed by a sprinkle of dried fruit and spices.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48Then, comes the key stage in the process, the folding.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50Fold it towards...towards the middle.
0:18:50 > 0:18:53- Yeah. Uh-huh.- And then...- This side? - The other side, yeah. Over the top.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56- And then...- This one?- ..bring that overtop, yeah.- OK.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59- And press it down.- To there?- OK.
0:18:59 > 0:19:02- And then?- Yes.- This one goes here? - Yeah, that one's the middle.
0:19:02 > 0:19:06- OK, yeah. Just press it down with your hand.- OK. The whole hand?
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Yes, that's it. Yeah. That's perfect.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10So, we'd just like to leave that
0:19:10 > 0:19:12for ten minutes now before we roll again.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14The dough is then folded again,
0:19:14 > 0:19:16which gives the cake it's layered texture.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19You want to take him on as a Saturday helper?
0:19:19 > 0:19:21Yeah, I think he's got some promise here.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26It's then baked in the oven.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29Historically, lardy cake was made for special celebrations
0:19:29 > 0:19:33as sugar, spices and dried fruit were considered luxuries.
0:19:33 > 0:19:3720 minutes later, the cake is ready to taste.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40- Do I just break it?- Yeah, just break it.- Oh, all right.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46- Ooh!- Right. The rest is mine, then. - No, that's not fair.
0:19:47 > 0:19:49OK. I didn't get very much.
0:19:51 > 0:19:55- Mm. It's beautiful.- It's fantastic!
0:19:55 > 0:19:57- Can I have another piece, please? - Help yourself.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09For our second property, we're travelling around 30 miles south
0:20:09 > 0:20:13to the village of Winterslow in the southern half of the county.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15About nine miles from Salisbury,
0:20:15 > 0:20:20Winterslow is a substantial village with a population of around 2,000
0:20:20 > 0:20:23that benefits from a range of different housing styles.
0:20:23 > 0:20:28There's also a village hall, a busy shop, two pubs and an allotment.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30House number two is situated on a country lane
0:20:30 > 0:20:33on the boundary of the village.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36- Oh, wow!- That's property number two. - That's amazing.
0:20:36 > 0:20:37Every American's dream.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40THEY LAUGH Oh, wow!
0:20:40 > 0:20:44This bit is about late 1600s, early 1700s.
0:20:44 > 0:20:45That's a newer extension.
0:20:45 > 0:20:46I say extension loosely
0:20:46 > 0:20:49because really it's doubled the size of the thing.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51And that was done in the '70s, but as you can see,
0:20:51 > 0:20:53- very sympathetically with another thatched roof...- Beautiful.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55- ..as well.- If you'd have told me
0:20:55 > 0:20:58I was coming to see a yellow, thatched house, I would've said,
0:20:58 > 0:21:00"No, I don't want to go and see a yellow, thatched house,"
0:21:00 > 0:21:02but this is absolutely gorgeous.
0:21:02 > 0:21:03Why would you say no?
0:21:03 > 0:21:06I...I don't like yellow houses.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09This is...this is gorgeous.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11- Paint works, David.- I know. This is gorgeous.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13It's only paint.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15I have to see inside, yes.
0:21:15 > 0:21:17- All right, then.- Oh, good.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Our second property is an altogether different proposition
0:21:22 > 0:21:25for David and Jackie as this 300-year-old thatched cottage
0:21:25 > 0:21:30is the finished article, having been completely remodelled inside.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33Step down into here. We'll start with the dining room.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35It's beautiful. Look at that fireplace!
0:21:35 > 0:21:37It's your classic inglenook fireplace.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39- It is, isn't it? It's beautiful. - Yeah.
0:21:39 > 0:21:41- And you get the idea about the finishing here.- Yeah.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44And of course, we are not far from Salisbury,
0:21:44 > 0:21:46so, you know, you've got a great, great city on your doorstep.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48Oh, yes. I need to see more.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50Well, the kitchen is right through here,
0:21:50 > 0:21:54- and it sort of pops out through that little bar area.- Oh, OK.
0:21:54 > 0:21:55There you are.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57- Oh, this is good.- Oh, this is nice.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Ah! There's another fireplace.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01- With a fridge in it.- With a fridge. Well, that's OK.
0:22:01 > 0:22:03That's OK. Yeah, it's good.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05Doesn't have the range.
0:22:05 > 0:22:06But it's got a nice butler sink.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09Good cupboards. They look good and...
0:22:09 > 0:22:11I'm just taking it all in.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13It is very good...
0:22:13 > 0:22:16- It doesn't look like it needs any work at the moment.- No. Not really.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20- No.- This is the late 1600s, early 1700s chunk,
0:22:20 > 0:22:25but the rest of it is all through there, in the modern extension.
0:22:25 > 0:22:28- OK, let's go.- I say modern, you know? It's all relative.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32As well as the kitchen and dining room,
0:22:32 > 0:22:34there's a spacious reception hall
0:22:34 > 0:22:36in the more modern wing of the property.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38This is your living room.
0:22:38 > 0:22:39I wasn't expecting this.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42- Oh, this is very pretty. - This is really nice.- Yeah.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46- And another fireplace, yeah.- Lovely wood burner in there. Really cosy.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49And even though it's new, we've got beams here.
0:22:49 > 0:22:52Yeah, exactly, I mean, it's well spotted that,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55because back in the '70s, not everybody was into using old stuff,
0:22:55 > 0:22:58but they've brought that in from somewhere, reclaimed.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01And it's really just helped give it a sense of pedigree,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03to join the whole property together.
0:23:03 > 0:23:08And beautiful view outside both ways, because you're looking at a garden.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11We'll get to the garden a bit later, but first,
0:23:11 > 0:23:13I want Jackie and David to see the upstairs,
0:23:13 > 0:23:16which benefits from that modern extension,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18where there are three decent sized bedrooms.
0:23:18 > 0:23:21One of the doubles would make a nice guest room
0:23:21 > 0:23:23and another is being used as a study.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26There's also a large family bathroom.
0:23:26 > 0:23:29And the master is back in the older wing of the house.
0:23:30 > 0:23:32And then this is yours, we think.
0:23:32 > 0:23:36- Oh, this is very nice.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:23:36 > 0:23:37- Very nice.- It's really nice.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40Well, we've step back into the late 1600s, early 1700s
0:23:40 > 0:23:42at this end of the house. This is the old bit.
0:23:42 > 0:23:46So far, there's not much I would really want to change about this one.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49So...it's ready-made for us.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52We're halfway through. It's quite good to have a quandary.
0:23:52 > 0:23:55- You're supposed to be making this easy for us.- No. No.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58No, it's never easy. It's never easy, but it is fun.
0:23:58 > 0:24:00Yeah, definitely. Yeah.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03- Come on let's finish off in the garden.- See the rest of it, OK.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07The only thing that might be a challenge in this property
0:24:07 > 0:24:09is the outside space.
0:24:09 > 0:24:11Jackie wants a sizable garden
0:24:11 > 0:24:13and although this one is nicely arranged,
0:24:13 > 0:24:16there aren't many options for growing vegetables.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20Well, Jackie, this is the bit that I've been sort of dreading
0:24:20 > 0:24:23because the garden is not as big as we had in property one.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25The whole plot probably isn't far off it,
0:24:25 > 0:24:27but a lot of it is laid to patio over there.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30And of course, you've got the wood store and the workshop.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Right. Yeah.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35But what we have identified are the village allotments,
0:24:35 > 0:24:39- which are just a couple hundred yards that way.- OK.- Oh!
0:24:39 > 0:24:44- And a very vibrant village horticultural society.- Oh!
0:24:44 > 0:24:48And we are assured that an allotment would be available shortly.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Oh, that's good.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54- So, that's the compromise. - Yeah.- I guess.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58So, what do you think property number two is on the market for?
0:24:58 > 0:25:00I think it's going to be upper end.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04I think it's going to be closer to four.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06- David?- Everything is really well done in there.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10- I think 425.- 425?- Yes.
0:25:10 > 0:25:12Wow!
0:25:12 > 0:25:13He's right.
0:25:13 > 0:25:15THEY LAUGH
0:25:15 > 0:25:18That doesn't happen very often.
0:25:18 > 0:25:19He is absolutely on the money.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24425,000, but they're aware of your budget and they want to sell.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26I'd like to see a little bit more of it if that's OK.
0:25:26 > 0:25:28- The house is yours. Off you go. - Great. Thank you.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30- Take your time.- OK.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32Over budget by £25,000,
0:25:32 > 0:25:36the owners of this beautiful thatched cottage are open to offers
0:25:36 > 0:25:39and it's the finished article.
0:25:39 > 0:25:42The house offers David and Jackie the character they wanted,
0:25:42 > 0:25:45three bedrooms and the village location.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47And although the garden doesn't have a vegetable plot,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49there is a nearby allotment.
0:25:50 > 0:25:54- Oh, the kitchen looks even prettier from here.- Yes.- Look at that.- Yeah.
0:25:54 > 0:25:57And that's useful because easier for clean-up and serving and everything.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59Yeah.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01So, very different proposition, isn't it?
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Yeah, I like it though.
0:26:03 > 0:26:05SHE LAUGHS
0:26:05 > 0:26:09It's got a lot of character, has a lot of charm.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12My concern...the garden.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15The garden, it would have to more or less remain a lawn
0:26:15 > 0:26:18with some shrubs surrounding it.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22So, it wouldn't be a productive garden for me.
0:26:22 > 0:26:25It is a cottage and the rooms are smaller.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29I think the most important thing is the living room is a nice size
0:26:29 > 0:26:33and this dining-kitchen area is quite functional.
0:26:33 > 0:26:37I know I criticised the yellow colour, but it's very well done.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39Here we are, David. Well done.
0:26:39 > 0:26:40Well done, Jackie.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42So, how are we all feeling then
0:26:42 > 0:26:45about our first day of house-hunting?
0:26:45 > 0:26:47- Confused.- Really?- Yes.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50- I don't think it's fair.- Why?
0:26:50 > 0:26:53Because you've shown us two beautiful houses in one day.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56That's what you've let yourself in for on Escape To The Country.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58Good, well, a bit of confusion is all right.
0:26:58 > 0:27:01And we've got one more to come tomorrow, the mystery house.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03Ah...I know! I don't think I'm going to sleep tonight.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06- Glass of wine will see that right. Come on.- OK.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17It's the second day of our property hunt in Wiltshire
0:27:17 > 0:27:20and with a maximum budget of £400,000,
0:27:20 > 0:27:24we're helping David and Jackie from the city of Canterbury, Kent,
0:27:24 > 0:27:27find a country home close to their son, who's in the army.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Coming up, the mystery house calls for some drastic measures.
0:27:30 > 0:27:31What would you do with it?
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Slash and burn first.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38And I meet the farmer who's reviving a prehistoric tradition
0:27:38 > 0:27:40in his Wiltshire field.
0:27:40 > 0:27:43What gave you the idea to create a long barrow?
0:27:43 > 0:27:45One of those pub conversations.
0:27:45 > 0:27:46"Wouldn't it be lovely
0:27:46 > 0:27:50"if we could rebuild somewhere where we could put our remains?"
0:27:50 > 0:27:53Yesterday left David and Jackie in a bit of a quandary.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55They loved the potential of house number one
0:27:55 > 0:27:57and they certainly responded to the fact
0:27:57 > 0:28:00that house number two was kind of all done,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03but of course, it didn't have that all-important garden.
0:28:03 > 0:28:05But one thing, I think, is becoming clear,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08they are prepared to pay a bit less for a property
0:28:08 > 0:28:10provided they can do some work on it
0:28:10 > 0:28:12and make it exactly what they want it to be.
0:28:12 > 0:28:14So, that's what we're going with our mystery house.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16But when it comes to garden projects,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19well, this one really is at the top of the list.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Well, we had two very different propositions for yesterday.
0:28:24 > 0:28:25- Yes.- Yes.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27But you responded rather well,
0:28:27 > 0:28:30I thought, to the doer-upper, number one.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33- That would be my choice. - What about you, David?
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Erm, it would also be my main contender.
0:28:35 > 0:28:39You are genuinely up for putting some graft into a property
0:28:39 > 0:28:42if it gets you what you ultimately want.
0:28:42 > 0:28:43- That's very true.- Yes.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Well, for our mystery house, we are going to continue that theme.
0:28:48 > 0:28:49For our final offering,
0:28:49 > 0:28:52we're travelling to the village of Teffont in the south of the county.
0:28:54 > 0:28:58A spring-fed stream winds its way through the heart of the village,
0:28:58 > 0:29:00and this freshwater supply has attracted people
0:29:00 > 0:29:02for thousands of years -
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Neolithic tools were discovered in the nearby woods.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08Four-times winner of the Best Kept Village In Wiltshire Award,
0:29:08 > 0:29:11Teffont has a strong sense of community.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15There's a gardening club for Jackie as well as an annual village show.
0:29:15 > 0:29:18And gardening is the theme of our mystery house.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20Jackie wanted to get her hands dirty,
0:29:20 > 0:29:23but I'm keen to discover just how far she's willing to go.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28Here we are. Our mystery house in the lovely village of Teffont.
0:29:28 > 0:29:33- Wow.- Wow.- Oh, that's beautiful! Interesting.- It's very interesting.
0:29:33 > 0:29:34- It's really interesting.- Yes.
0:29:34 > 0:29:37- I think we've all spotted the windows.- Yes.
0:29:37 > 0:29:41And probably some of the work that might need to be done here.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45- But I also notice stone-mullion windows.- Beautiful.- So, yeah.
0:29:45 > 0:29:49Now, you can probably just also make out above that window,
0:29:49 > 0:29:53a little inscription that says 1773, I think.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56- That puts us just before the American War of Independence.- Yes!
0:29:56 > 0:30:00- Yeah.- So, this is one that does need some work. All right?- OK.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03- OK, we're not afraid. - Not least in the garden.
0:30:03 > 0:30:06So, I think we're going to break the tradition and start there.
0:30:06 > 0:30:10- Brilliant!- Yeah?- I can see a lot of green, so...- Let's go.- OK.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15This 18th century period cottage built of local weathered stone
0:30:15 > 0:30:17has been extended by the current owner.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19The sloping garden is to the rear
0:30:19 > 0:30:22and offers an excellent view of the surrounding village.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26Just sort of how much of a garden project were you after?
0:30:26 > 0:30:29- This is good.- Yeah? - This is good, yeah.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31- It goes up really to where those trees are up there.- Really?
0:30:31 > 0:30:36- And overlooks the churchyard next-door.- Which is fine by me.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39- Yeah.- I like those kind of neighbours.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42Now, you know, lots to do, but I think you'd make it your own.
0:30:42 > 0:30:43Me and my fork.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47- No, we could do it, yeah. - What would you do with it?
0:30:47 > 0:30:50Slash and burn first.
0:30:50 > 0:30:54The old, you know, Native American way of getting rid of everything
0:30:54 > 0:30:58cos then, of course, you could use the ashes and then do some digging
0:30:58 > 0:30:59and some lifting out.
0:30:59 > 0:31:01- Let's have a look inside.- OK.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04Jackie can't wait to roll up her sleeves,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07but first we need to see inside, which is packed with history.
0:31:07 > 0:31:08- Come in, come in.- OK.
0:31:10 > 0:31:13This is a great point to really assess the layout of it.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16And I love this one because I think it really flows
0:31:16 > 0:31:19off of this central dining hall, as it were.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21The kitchen is up there. Up those steps.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24It's got a nice feel to it...when you walk in.
0:31:24 > 0:31:27It's a lot better inside than out, yes.
0:31:27 > 0:31:31- Do you remember yesterday we talked about the beam in that...?- Yes.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34Because this one came from Salisbury Cathedral.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38- Really?- Yeah. How about that? - That's incredible, isn't it?
0:31:38 > 0:31:39Can we see some more, please?
0:31:39 > 0:31:42Yeah, let's have a look in here. This is the living room,
0:31:42 > 0:31:47- with a whopping great inglenook fireplace.- Oh! I didn't expect that.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51- Oh! And another beam.- Yes.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53That's not from the cathedral.
0:31:53 > 0:31:54Oh, dear!
0:31:54 > 0:31:56I'm starting to notice a pattern.
0:31:56 > 0:31:58I think so. Yeah. Yeah, on the roof.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00This is offering more opportunity for us
0:32:00 > 0:32:03because it has a lot more character.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07I just wonder what happens when the cathedral wants their beam back.
0:32:07 > 0:32:11- Just don't tell them it's here. - That's it!- We're on television.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13- That's it.- Doh!
0:32:13 > 0:32:17I'm glad David and Jackie can see the potential of this property.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21The possibilities continue in the kitchen at the back of the house,
0:32:21 > 0:32:23as there's planning permission already in place
0:32:23 > 0:32:26to extend this upwards and outwards into the garden.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30On the first floor, there's a family bathroom and three bedrooms.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33One of the doubles has a lovely stripped wooden floor.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37And there's a smaller single as well as the master.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39- Oh, this is a nice room.- Isn't it?
0:32:39 > 0:32:40It's a good size. It really is.
0:32:40 > 0:32:42- It's great. It's really light.- Yeah!
0:32:42 > 0:32:45- A surprisingly high ceiling, actually.- It's beautiful.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48- I love the big windows, the ledges, the sills.- Yeah.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51And I could probably put a chair in this room.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53It's large enough to have a little chair in the room.
0:32:53 > 0:32:57Absolutely, yeah. So, this is the biggest project of the lot.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01But now you've seen the inside, how are you feeling about it?
0:33:01 > 0:33:03I really like this place.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07- Let's go downstairs and talk about the price, shall we?- Price... Oh!
0:33:07 > 0:33:09- OK.- This is going to be really interesting, isn't it?
0:33:09 > 0:33:12- Yeah.- It is.- Follow me.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Well, our mystery house has worked its magic again,
0:33:15 > 0:33:18but it will require some cash to make those alterations.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21So, will there be enough left in the kitty?
0:33:21 > 0:33:24So, here we are, then, back where we started. We've explored the garden.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27We've shown you what this property has to offer,
0:33:27 > 0:33:30but is it one that you would want to take on?
0:33:30 > 0:33:33What price is it worth to you two, I wonder?
0:33:33 > 0:33:38It has work, but it has potential. And I'm going to guess 310.
0:33:38 > 0:33:41- 310, yeah, David?- I think I'm going to have to go a little higher.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44I think we're looking at around 325 for this.
0:33:44 > 0:33:45Well, I think you're in the right territory
0:33:45 > 0:33:50because this is on the market for offers around £330,000.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53Now, saying that, it's been reduced to that figure,
0:33:53 > 0:33:56they're keen to sell and this isn't going to be for everybody.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59So, I think, you know, you're in the right area.
0:33:59 > 0:34:02- It's a definite, I think. - We are going to look at the maths.
0:34:02 > 0:34:06- Do the maths and get creative.- Yes. - Go on, then. Off you go.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08I will catch you later.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10Well, that is very, very interesting.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12We often do get buyers on Escape To The Country
0:34:12 > 0:34:14who say they're up for project,
0:34:14 > 0:34:17but in truth, it can frighten many people off.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19But this one, I think, is really viable.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22And I think they are really into it.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25Under their top budget by £70,000
0:34:25 > 0:34:27and with the owner also open to offers,
0:34:27 > 0:34:31this detached period cottage gives David and Jackie
0:34:31 > 0:34:34a character property in the heart of a popular village.
0:34:34 > 0:34:37A spacious hallway-cum-dining room, three bedrooms,
0:34:37 > 0:34:42a challenging garden project and the chance to put their stamp on a home.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45So, just think, some sort of A frame,
0:34:45 > 0:34:47big window there, overlooking the garden.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49No, I want a door.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52This is a very interesting house. Lots of potential.
0:34:52 > 0:34:55Lots of ideas flowing around my mind about what we could
0:34:55 > 0:34:56and couldn't do with this.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58We've already looked around
0:34:58 > 0:35:00and thought of two or three different ways
0:35:00 > 0:35:06that we could make this property slightly larger and slightly better.
0:35:06 > 0:35:10Rebuild the garage backwards, utility room here,
0:35:10 > 0:35:13- this would be the kitchen... - Shower room, too.- And shower room.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15Yeah, I have to put a shower room in there.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19I could see us making an offer on this house.
0:35:19 > 0:35:23Right. Time to go. If they're all done.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25- Hello!- Hi.- Out you come.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28- I'm going to drag you away from our mystery house.- Oh!
0:35:28 > 0:35:30It's been very exciting.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34I think this has perhaps put the cat among the pigeons, has it?
0:35:34 > 0:35:36It has.
0:35:36 > 0:35:40- Lots of food for thought.- Lots of redesigning going on.- Lots of work.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42I think it's really exciting, then. That's the key thing.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44So, we've given you three options.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47Time to make your considerations and your deliberations.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50- I'm ready.- Come on then.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59Of the many prehistoric monuments in Wiltshire,
0:35:59 > 0:36:02there are none as numerous as the various burial mounds,
0:36:02 > 0:36:04which scatter the chalky hills.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07One of the best preserved is the West Kennet Long Barrow,
0:36:07 > 0:36:10built around 1,000 years before Stonehenge
0:36:10 > 0:36:14and which, at one time, contained the remains of up to 50 people.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Mass burial may have fallen out of favour for a while,
0:36:17 > 0:36:21but now one Wiltshire farmer is building the first new long barrow
0:36:21 > 0:36:22for thousands of years.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26I've come to the farm on the Marlborough Downs
0:36:26 > 0:36:30to meet owner Tim Daw to find out more about his tomb with a view.
0:36:32 > 0:36:36What gave you the idea to create a long barrow
0:36:36 > 0:36:384,000 years after the last one was probably built?
0:36:38 > 0:36:40One of those pub conversations.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44"Wouldn't it be lovely if we could rebuild something Neolithic
0:36:44 > 0:36:46"and somewhere where we could put our remains?"
0:36:46 > 0:36:48And what is it about Wiltshire, Tim,
0:36:48 > 0:36:51that's left us with this fantastic legacy of prehistoric archaeology?
0:36:51 > 0:36:53A lot of the land has not been touched.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56A lot of the original downland hasn't been ploughed up
0:36:56 > 0:36:59and it's been protected for various reasons.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01Now, one of the great things about the sighting
0:37:01 > 0:37:04of many prehistoric monuments is their close relationship
0:37:04 > 0:37:06to the passage of the moon and the sun.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09Is yours aligned in any particular direction?
0:37:09 > 0:37:12Absolutely. That's why...one of the reasons I chose this point.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15The passageway, the first gleam of the midwinter sunrise,
0:37:15 > 0:37:16on December 21st,
0:37:16 > 0:37:20will shine right across the valley, right through the passageway,
0:37:20 > 0:37:23to the end chamber. So, nearly 11 miles to the horizon over there.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25Well, I can hear the Masons in there working away.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28- Can we go inside and see where they're up to?- Absolutely. Let's go.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32The design of Tim's long barrow is similar to the Neolithic tomb
0:37:32 > 0:37:36at West Kennet and is in the early stages of construction.
0:37:36 > 0:37:40The entrance of the barrow is built partly from local sarsen stones,
0:37:40 > 0:37:43similar to the ones used at Stonehenge and Avebury.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48Once finished, the barrow will contain several circular chambers
0:37:48 > 0:37:51lined with niches for the storing of pots of ashes.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54The chambers are being constructed
0:37:54 > 0:37:57using traditional dry stonewalling techniques.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01Geraint Davies is the head stonemason.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03- Geraint, nice to see you. - Hello there.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05How's life in the Neolithic, then?
0:38:05 > 0:38:07Quite exciting, yes. Yes, quite exciting.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10This is extraordinary. So, this is one of the chambers.
0:38:10 > 0:38:11How many are you making here?
0:38:11 > 0:38:14We're going to have seven chambers off the central passageway.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16This is three down this side, three down that side
0:38:16 > 0:38:19and one at the far end, where that little post is over there.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21But what have been the real challenges with this?
0:38:21 > 0:38:25Erm, well, just to make it work in
0:38:25 > 0:38:27naturally bedded stone.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31Maybe, it's not exactly the same as what they'd have done,
0:38:31 > 0:38:34but it's just nodding to their...
0:38:34 > 0:38:37what they had to work with and everything else, really.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40The thing to remember, I suppose, is when you come in here,
0:38:40 > 0:38:42when it's done, it will be like coming into a cave.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44Absolutely. It's going to be all dark.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46All this beautiful work is going to be very hard to see except
0:38:46 > 0:38:47for by candlelight.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50And how many people have signed up already
0:38:50 > 0:38:52to have their remains interred here?
0:38:52 > 0:38:54A couple dozen people have actually bought niches
0:38:54 > 0:38:56and are all very, very interested in it.
0:38:56 > 0:38:58And where's yours going to be?
0:38:58 > 0:39:00I've bagged the one in the far chamber,
0:39:00 > 0:39:02which is at the end of the corridor.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04So, hopefully, the sun will shine on my niche.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06Well, I wish you all the very best of luck.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08If it keeps shining like it is now, it'll be a fantastic day
0:39:08 > 0:39:10when you're first midwinter occurs here
0:39:10 > 0:39:15and the whole thing is finished in, we hope, what, six months or so?
0:39:15 > 0:39:20It's thought that most Neolithic barrows were traditionally reserved
0:39:20 > 0:39:22for royalty and the social elite.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24But Tim's long barrow is open to anyone
0:39:24 > 0:39:28and, when full, will house the remains of up to 2,000 people
0:39:28 > 0:39:31in this peaceful setting in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside.
0:39:35 > 0:39:39Well, it seems our properties have tied David and Jackie
0:39:39 > 0:39:40in a series of knots,
0:39:40 > 0:39:44but the question is, have they been able to unravel the conundrum
0:39:44 > 0:39:46and come up with some sort of a conclusion for their future?
0:39:46 > 0:39:50Well, of course, there is, as ever, only one way to find out,
0:39:50 > 0:39:51and that's to go and ask them.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Here we are at the end of the process. How are you feeling?
0:39:57 > 0:40:00- Tired.- Happy, though.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02- Good. Well, let's go with the happy. - OK.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04What have you really taken away from it?
0:40:04 > 0:40:06We've seen three very, very good houses.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10- The last one we think was pretty exciting.- The mystery house?
0:40:10 > 0:40:12- The mystery house.- OK.- Yes.
0:40:12 > 0:40:14Lots of potential there
0:40:14 > 0:40:17and we've spent a lot of time talking about it.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21- The first one...- Yes.- ..in that amazing village of All Cannings,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24which just had such a vibrancy about it.
0:40:24 > 0:40:28Why did that fall from grace at the top of your list?
0:40:28 > 0:40:30Because the mystery house...
0:40:30 > 0:40:34The size of the rooms and the potential for what we really want
0:40:34 > 0:40:39was more there in that house than in the house in All Cannings.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42Now, for our second property, we gave you something
0:40:42 > 0:40:44that really didn't need a lot of work doing to it at all.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46Well, the house was finished to a very high standard.
0:40:46 > 0:40:50We liked it a lot, but it didn't have the flow that we wanted.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53- The master bedroom was a little bit too small for us.- Yeah.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57And it was somebody else's house. There was not much to do.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00When we got to the mystery house, I was really excited about it.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Now, in many instances, that would have been a very, very hard sell.
0:41:03 > 0:41:08- Yes.- You absolutely pick up the ball and ran with it straightaway.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11I did because it's a blank canvas to me.
0:41:11 > 0:41:16If we do get this house, I plan on making terraces
0:41:16 > 0:41:20and doing something with the borders and something with the stone.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23Wow! Wow! Really ambitious plans.
0:41:23 > 0:41:26Yeah, we could see the potential there.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28It sounds like you've bought it.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30THEY LAUGH
0:41:30 > 0:41:33- But not yet.- No, we have to do our homework on it.
0:41:33 > 0:41:36So, are we going to hopefully hear that you might have put an offer in?
0:41:36 > 0:41:38- That's quite possible.- Yes.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41Erm, because we're probably going to go in
0:41:41 > 0:41:44and do some talking to people today.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48- Really?- Yes. Yeah.- Well, we better not keep you here any longer.- No.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51No, we have work to do.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54- And a deal to be struck.- Yeah. - Well, this is very exciting.
0:41:54 > 0:41:56Well, it's been a real pleasure, both of you,
0:41:56 > 0:41:58having you on Escape To The Country.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00We wish you all the very best of luck.
0:42:00 > 0:42:04Thank you, Jules, it's been a real pleasure for us, too. It really has.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07- It's been fantastic. Thanks a lot. - Here's to you. Best of luck.
0:42:10 > 0:42:12Well, throughout this house search,
0:42:12 > 0:42:15I don't think David or Jackie have really shied away
0:42:15 > 0:42:18from the challenges that they've given us.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20Yes, we had a very generous £400,000,
0:42:20 > 0:42:24but we were pitching it into a not inexpensive
0:42:24 > 0:42:27and very popular local housing market.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30But I think they found that in taking the long view
0:42:30 > 0:42:33and deciding to renovate by spending that little bit less,
0:42:33 > 0:42:36they will ultimately get an awful lot more -
0:42:36 > 0:42:39a home they can really make their own.
0:42:39 > 0:42:40I'll see you next time.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45If you'd like to Escape To The Country in England, Wales, Scotland
0:42:45 > 0:42:49or Northern Ireland and would like our help, why not apply online at...