0:00:02 > 0:00:04Behind me is the rather battered descendent of perhaps the most
0:00:04 > 0:00:07significant tree in English history. But where is it?
0:00:07 > 0:00:09Find out in a couple of moments.
0:00:29 > 0:00:31Today, we are helping a couple who first met in the air
0:00:31 > 0:00:34find their feet in the countryside.
0:00:34 > 0:00:37We have high hopes with our properties.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40Yeah, I could see myself in here, yes. Yeah.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42It is not a bad start, is it?
0:00:42 > 0:00:44And one house gets their spirits soaring.
0:00:44 > 0:00:47- It has got everything, hasn't it? - More than we could ask for.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50- Really lovely.- Yes. Am I dreaming? Pinch me.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Today, I'm in Shropshire, at Boscobel House,
0:00:55 > 0:00:58where in 1651, King Charles II,
0:00:58 > 0:01:01when fleeing Cromwell's Roundheads after losing
0:01:01 > 0:01:05the Battle of Worcester, hid from his pursuers in a nearby oak tree.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08With a £1,000 bounty on the king's head,
0:01:08 > 0:01:11the soldiers eagerly searched the surrounding woodland,
0:01:11 > 0:01:13never for a moment suspecting that their quarry was
0:01:13 > 0:01:17crouching above them, perched on the branches of a tree.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Now, so important was this moment in our history,
0:01:20 > 0:01:23the tree actually became a tourist attraction.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25And during the 17th and 18th centuries,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28people would come and visit and take away branches as souvenirs,
0:01:28 > 0:01:30which sadly, led to its demise.
0:01:30 > 0:01:36Today, this 200-year-old son of the original oak is all that remains.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39But the memory of the Royal Oak still lives on,
0:01:39 > 0:01:42adorning many of our pub signs across the country.
0:01:46 > 0:01:48The landlocked county of Shropshire
0:01:48 > 0:01:51sits in the West Midlands region of England
0:01:51 > 0:01:54and is bordered by Cheshire, Staffordshire and Worcestershire.
0:01:54 > 0:01:58The striking Shropshire Hills to the south of the county
0:01:58 > 0:02:01are designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04At its centre is the Long Mynd, or long mountain,
0:02:04 > 0:02:09a rising plateau with undulating heather-covered slopes.
0:02:09 > 0:02:10To the east of the hills,
0:02:10 > 0:02:14the historic town of Ludlow is a well-known gastro hotspot,
0:02:14 > 0:02:16home to a host of eateries and cafes
0:02:16 > 0:02:19serving a variety of locally grown produce.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23With over 500 listed buildings, Ludlow was described
0:02:23 > 0:02:28by poet John Benjamin as the loveliest town in England.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Away from the hills and pretty market towns, the flat and fertile
0:02:31 > 0:02:36landscape is shaped by the Severn, the country's longest river.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39With such a beautiful and varied geography,
0:02:39 > 0:02:40a wealth of historic architecture
0:02:40 > 0:02:44and some of the finest home-grown produce the nation has to offer,
0:02:44 > 0:02:48Shropshire delivers an authentic taste of country living.
0:02:50 > 0:02:51When it comes to houses,
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Shropshire really is a heritage hotspot
0:02:54 > 0:02:56with nearly 7,000 listed buildings,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59yet the average price of a detached house here
0:02:59 > 0:03:01comes in at just under £244,000.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05That's around £25,000 below the national figure.
0:03:05 > 0:03:06Pretty good value then
0:03:06 > 0:03:09when you consider we are surrounded by this beautiful rural countryside.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12And it is the love of the great outdoors
0:03:12 > 0:03:14that is at the heart of our buyers' search.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Let's me them.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19Jerry and Mandy live in a four-bedroom bungalow
0:03:19 > 0:03:22in the town of Bracknell, in Berkshire.
0:03:22 > 0:03:23Married now for two decades,
0:03:23 > 0:03:27their romance took off some 30,000 feet above the Atlantic Ocean.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29We were cabin crew.
0:03:29 > 0:03:33Ended up on the same flight together going to Barbados,
0:03:33 > 0:03:37which was a ten-day trip with one shuttle and nothing to do.
0:03:37 > 0:03:40So it was lovely. We have been together ever since.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42- Trolley dollies together. - Trolley dollies!
0:03:42 > 0:03:44THEY GIGGLE
0:03:44 > 0:03:48With two grown-up daughters leaving the family home for university,
0:03:48 > 0:03:50they are left with the dog.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53So Jerry and Mandy feel the time is right to move from Bracknell,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56where they have lived for 20 years.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59It is a good area if you need all the facilities.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03We are about 50 minutes' train journey to London.
0:04:03 > 0:04:06This has been a lovely area for the children to grow up.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09- It has provided everything we needed. - Absolutely.
0:04:09 > 0:04:14And good schools, things like that. And now it is just time to move on.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18But Jerry, who is Bracknell born and bred, has also seen a change.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22I've seen it gradually get a lot busier with traffic
0:04:22 > 0:04:27and places being built up, so the countryside is slowly disappearing.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30And both our buyers long for outside space
0:04:30 > 0:04:32away from the hustle and bustle.
0:04:32 > 0:04:34So they have set their sights on one of the most rural
0:04:34 > 0:04:38and sparsely populated counties in England.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41We have looked in the southern part of Shropshire.
0:04:41 > 0:04:43There is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47It is generally a lovely, unspoiled county.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50Jerry and Mandy eventually left the airline
0:04:50 > 0:04:52and started a gardening business together.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54But they are now hanging up their gloves for good
0:04:54 > 0:04:57and plan to run a holiday business from their new property.
0:04:57 > 0:05:01I think our background as cabin crew has also given us
0:05:01 > 0:05:04good customer service, so we know the kind of thing people
0:05:04 > 0:05:08would like and expect to receive when you buy a holiday.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12When he is not helping to run the holiday business,
0:05:12 > 0:05:16Jerry will be sprinting around Shropshire, which helps his health.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19I suffer from ankylosing spondylitis.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21It is a chronic form of arthritis,
0:05:21 > 0:05:24so the best thing is exercise along with medication.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27I find that running helps me.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31Not a lot of people can run with this condition,
0:05:31 > 0:05:32so I am very fortunate.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35And it is something I've done for a very long time.
0:05:35 > 0:05:37And Mandy, who trained as a designer,
0:05:37 > 0:05:40hopes to have a more time to master her love of art.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46I enjoy painting natural subjects - birds and flowers
0:05:46 > 0:05:49and anything to do with wildlife.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52There should be a lot of inspiration in the new place we move to,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54to take that up again.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57But ultimately, this move is about Jerry
0:05:57 > 0:06:01and Mandy investing time in each other in the great outdoors.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04I think we'll both be a lot more relaxed,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06I think, just being out in the countryside.
0:06:06 > 0:06:08The girls have grown up here.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11They are off on a new path themselves,
0:06:11 > 0:06:13with a new life at university
0:06:13 > 0:06:15and their careers building.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18- So really, it is our opportunity, isn't it?- Absolutely, yes.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21To do something for ourselves for a change.
0:06:26 > 0:06:27Our buyers would like us
0:06:27 > 0:06:30to concentrate our search in the south of the county, which is
0:06:30 > 0:06:34where I am meeting up with them to go over there property wish list.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39Well, I thought I'd start off by meeting you somewhere
0:06:39 > 0:06:41where it's exactly where you want to be,
0:06:41 > 0:06:43- in the middle of this beautiful, lush countryside.- It is.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Fantastic.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48So, what is drawing you here specifically to Shropshire, then?
0:06:48 > 0:06:51Well, I think Shropshire is a bit of a hidden gem, isn't it?
0:06:51 > 0:06:53- Yeah. - I think you can easily miss it,
0:06:53 > 0:06:56and I'm glad people do because it is so quiet and peaceful.
0:06:56 > 0:07:01At the heart of this big move here to rural Shropshire,
0:07:01 > 0:07:05is the need for a sideline, another enterprise.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08We had an idea of a property, possibly a CL site,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12- a Certificate Location site for caravans.- Yeah.- Because...
0:07:12 > 0:07:15When our children were younger, we used to go caravanning a lot.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17It is the sort of thing we could do cos we can keep
0:07:17 > 0:07:21- the grounds looking nice. And possibly a holiday let.- Yeah.
0:07:21 > 0:07:23- That would be fantastic. - A cottage would be nice.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Now, talk to me about how much space you need.
0:07:26 > 0:07:28- Well, I think...- Enough to fit at least five caravans.
0:07:28 > 0:07:30Five caravans is your limit.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32OK, so we're not looking at swathes of land.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34- No, no.- All right, OK.
0:07:34 > 0:07:38- Now, you're keen gardeners, I take it you want a garden.- Oh, we do.
0:07:38 > 0:07:39Yeah, absolutely, yes.
0:07:39 > 0:07:43Maybe an area around the house would be nice to keep as we like it
0:07:43 > 0:07:46and put our own style of plants on.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48All we've talked about is the outside space, I imagine a house?
0:07:48 > 0:07:50THEY LAUGH
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Is that because the outside space is more important?
0:07:53 > 0:07:56We do spend most of our time outside, but it is still nice to have
0:07:56 > 0:07:59somewhere to come back to, somewhere with some character.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02- You know, an older style. We are not into new builds.- Not new builds, no.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05- Open fireplace, that would be lovely.- All right.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07Minimum number of bedrooms?
0:08:07 > 0:08:10Well, we've got to have rooms for the girls to come back to,
0:08:10 > 0:08:12so three bedrooms minimum.
0:08:12 > 0:08:13Do you want to be really rural,
0:08:13 > 0:08:15somewhere like this with not many people around you?
0:08:15 > 0:08:18- This is super.- This is fantastic. It is absolutely great.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21We wouldn't really like to be on the edge of the town as such.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24OK, so let's talk about the final budget, what have you settled on?
0:08:24 > 0:08:25- £550,000.- Yeah.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Well, 550, in my opinion, is a good budget,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30especially here in Shropshire.
0:08:30 > 0:08:32You are looking... It's not your average house, is it?
0:08:32 > 0:08:36Is a good-sized house with either a really good-sized garden or
0:08:36 > 0:08:38- potential holiday lets.- Yeah.
0:08:38 > 0:08:41I think, at the moment here, there is some room for negotiation,
0:08:41 > 0:08:43so we could perhaps look at stuff a bit above budget?
0:08:43 > 0:08:44- Yeah, fine.- That's a good idea.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47Try and make your money work as hard as it possibly can for you. Yeah?
0:08:47 > 0:08:49- Ready to go?- Yeah, ready to go. - Brilliant.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52- Thankfully, it is downhill now. - Thanks a lot.- Thank you.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54You probably want to go uphill, don't you?
0:08:57 > 0:09:00Armed with a budget of £550,000,
0:09:00 > 0:09:02Jerry and Mandy would like a characterful,
0:09:02 > 0:09:04older property with three bedrooms for
0:09:04 > 0:09:07when their undergraduate daughters come home in the holidays.
0:09:07 > 0:09:10But our focus should be on the outside space
0:09:10 > 0:09:12and the income potential of the property.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14They'd like some land for a caravan business or
0:09:14 > 0:09:16a separate holiday let,
0:09:16 > 0:09:18their own private garden and a rural
0:09:18 > 0:09:20or edge-of-village location.
0:09:20 > 0:09:24We have arranged house viewings at three sumptuous Shropshire
0:09:24 > 0:09:26properties, but I'll leave the all-important price of each
0:09:26 > 0:09:28until the end of the tours.
0:09:28 > 0:09:31Our final offering, the Mystery House, certainly
0:09:31 > 0:09:34delivers on views but might challenge our buyers
0:09:34 > 0:09:35in terms of space.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Our first choice is situated in the small Shropshire
0:09:42 > 0:09:45village of Great Ryton, just south of Shrewsbury.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Great Ryton's prettiness and proximity to the county capital
0:09:50 > 0:09:52is reflected in the house prices,
0:09:52 > 0:09:55and local agents refer to this area as a property hotspot.
0:09:55 > 0:09:58The popular village has a highly regarded traditional pub
0:09:58 > 0:10:03and nearby Condover has a general store and post office.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06Both villages are enveloped by beautiful, hilly countryside.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09House number one, found in the centre of Great Ryton,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11is a converted barn.
0:10:13 > 0:10:18- You see, it has got a nice stone drive. Well, a courtyard.- Right.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20- That is the main house.- Uh-huh.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23- It has got a lot of character. It is very attractive.- Good. Jerry?
0:10:23 > 0:10:27- It looks interesting, yes. - It was converted some 25 years ago.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30Parts of this date back at least to the 1700s,
0:10:30 > 0:10:33although some of the locals reckon it might go back even further.
0:10:33 > 0:10:34Mm-hm.
0:10:34 > 0:10:39Let's talk about what it hasn't got straightaway - acres of garden.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43- Think not caravans but holiday lets. - Holiday lets, yeah.
0:10:43 > 0:10:45Let's see how the house stacks up first
0:10:45 > 0:10:48and we can start talking about the business after that.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50- Let's go this way.- Thank you.
0:10:51 > 0:10:54There may not be acres of garden here for caravans,
0:10:54 > 0:10:56but there is potential for holiday lets,
0:10:56 > 0:10:58with an additional barn in need of some development.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01The main house has been tastefully renovated and I am confident
0:11:01 > 0:11:04it gives Jerry and Mandy the character they wanted.
0:11:06 > 0:11:08You see, you get a nice little reception area.
0:11:08 > 0:11:09You can start seeing some of
0:11:09 > 0:11:12the real old character of the barn, can't you?
0:11:12 > 0:11:15- Let's start with the kitchen.- Cosy. - Yeah, it is, it is cosy.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17- Character. I like the wood. - Yeah.- Big enough?
0:11:17 > 0:11:19This is the main kitchen dining area.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22- There isn't a separate dining room. - Uh-huh.- As yet.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25- OK.- It is quite adequate, really, for size.- It is quite nice.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27It has got a nice homely feel as well.
0:11:27 > 0:11:32- Oil-fired range there.- Right. - So over there, you've got a utility.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34- It's good.- It's good. - It is good.- All right.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36Let's see if the living room is even better than good.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39- All right.- Could it be a very good?
0:11:43 > 0:11:49Now, I think, size wise, this living room should be pretty OK.
0:11:49 > 0:11:54- This is nice, yeah.- And the fire. - The fire!- That's nice.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57- I like the beams.- They are lovely, yes. And it is not too low.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00The previous owners had that bit down there as a formal dining area.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- You have got room for a decent sized table.- You have.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06Now, you noticed a set of stairs there.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09They go up to a lovely reception room there as well,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13a second reception room, or study, or maybe somewhere for you to paint?
0:12:13 > 0:12:16- A studio?- An art room.- Good.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19All right, let's have a look at the bedrooms, which are back this way.
0:12:19 > 0:12:20Follow me.
0:12:22 > 0:12:25The bedrooms are accessed via a galleried staircase in the hallway
0:12:25 > 0:12:28and are nestled in the eaves of the property.
0:12:28 > 0:12:33They consist of a single and a small double, both with exposed timbers.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35There is also a small family bathroom.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37And finally, the master suite.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39Righty-ho.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43- Your master bedroom.- It has got that character, hasn't it?- Yes.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46Yeah, and I like the height of the ceiling.
0:12:46 > 0:12:49- Yes, a good height, yeah. - It is en suite.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53As any self-respecting master is these days. Now, views...
0:12:53 > 0:12:56- Look at that. Stunning, isn't it?- It is.- Beautiful.
0:12:56 > 0:13:01- Yeah, I could see myself in here. Yes.- It is not a bad start, is it?
0:13:01 > 0:13:04Let's go and have a look at some of the other accommodation where
0:13:04 > 0:13:06you might earn a bit of extra money.
0:13:06 > 0:13:07- Right.- Yeah?- OK.- Follow me.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11With a holiday business in mind,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14there is a second separate barn across the courtyard
0:13:14 > 0:13:16which offers a sitting room, a good-sized bedroom
0:13:16 > 0:13:19as well as a shower room and a kitchen
0:13:19 > 0:13:21but might benefit from some modernization.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24However, for a more immediate source of income, there is
0:13:24 > 0:13:28also an annex adjoining the main house, which has already been done.
0:13:29 > 0:13:35So, bolted on to the end, we have got a self-contained letting unit.
0:13:35 > 0:13:39- Excellent.- That's very handy. - Yeah. It is very nicely done as well.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42- It works well, doesn't it?- Yes. - So only a one-bedder.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45One double bedroom with a bathroom next door.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48- Nice space.- Yes, it is. I'd come and stay here myself.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51- You know what, you say that, I think that is the perfect test.- Yes.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55I think this is decent. This to me looks like four-star accommodation.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57And that is what you need to be aiming for.
0:13:57 > 0:13:58- Especially in this part of the world.- Yes.
0:13:58 > 0:14:00This is a good example of
0:14:00 > 0:14:03what the other apartment needs to get up to.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04That needs doing up.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07It does have planning consent to muck around with it as well.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08- Oh, it does?- Yes.- Good.
0:14:08 > 0:14:09So, two letting units.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13You're starting to get a bit of income now, aren't you?
0:14:13 > 0:14:16- That's right, yes. That is what we need.- Yes, that is.
0:14:16 > 0:14:17I don't think Mandy
0:14:17 > 0:14:20and Jerry would need a caravanning business with two holiday lets
0:14:20 > 0:14:24providing a steady income stream, but they also crave outdoor space.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27And here the walled courtyard garden, although pretty
0:14:27 > 0:14:31and secluded, is a case of what you see is what you get.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33Let's talk about this garden.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36This is all you are getting garden wise.
0:14:36 > 0:14:39It has got potential. THEY LAUGH
0:14:39 > 0:14:43- Has it?- You could just expand on the space that you've got.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46It is probably a planting project more than anything.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49How much, though, do you think this place is on the market for?
0:14:49 > 0:14:51- Hmm.- Hmm.
0:14:51 > 0:14:53I think about 599.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56- OK. What do you think, Jerry?- I think...
0:14:56 > 0:14:58585, possibly.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00HE SIGHS
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Good guesses. You are close, you two.
0:15:02 > 0:15:07- This place is on the market for offers around £595,000.- Right.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10It has been on the market for a few months now and the owner is looking
0:15:10 > 0:15:13down the barrel of this being for sale through the winter months.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16So when I say asking price, that is exactly what it is.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18- That is something to bear in mind. - Yes.- Right.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20I'd like you to have a look around this house.
0:15:20 > 0:15:22Definitely want you to look there. See what you could do with it.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24And I'll meet you whenever you finish.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27- Thank you very much.- Enjoy it. - Thank you.- See you in a mo.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Our first property, a barn conversion,
0:15:32 > 0:15:33is over budget by £45,000,
0:15:33 > 0:15:37but it is worth Jerry and Mandy negotiating with the owner.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39It gives them a potential income stream
0:15:39 > 0:15:41in the form of one completed adjoining annex
0:15:41 > 0:15:45and a separate barn with planning permission in place for an upgrade.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47The main barn is full of character
0:15:47 > 0:15:49and has the three bedrooms they wanted
0:15:49 > 0:15:53and the attractive walled garden is low maintenance.
0:15:54 > 0:15:56- Nice big space.- It is, yes.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59It is not in too bad a state to decorate either.
0:16:00 > 0:16:02No, it wouldn't take much at all, would it?
0:16:02 > 0:16:08It is a lovely looking property and it has a lovely, warm feeling inside.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12Just perhaps the outside space is not quite what we are looking for.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14There is no view, which we were hoping,
0:16:14 > 0:16:18and that kind of feeling of being able to breathe when you are outside.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21Not quite in the countryside enough.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24The property is fantastic. No problems with that at all.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26It is just the location, I feel.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30You are very near to properties like the farm next door to us.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37- So, you have had a good look around. - We have.- Inside and out.
0:16:37 > 0:16:38- Inside and out.- Yes.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41A bit of work to be done next door, but it could be a good holiday let.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43- It could certainly be, yes. - All right.
0:16:43 > 0:16:45- Good first house, wasn't it? - Very good.- Very good.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48- Thank you for showing us that. - My pleasure. Let's keep going.
0:16:48 > 0:16:49Thank you.
0:16:55 > 0:16:58Set within the quiet Shropshire countryside is
0:16:58 > 0:17:02one of the country's most important military air bases - RAF Cosford.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04A centre for training,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07the airfield is also home to a museum with a world-class
0:17:07 > 0:17:10collection of aircraft, including transport carrier
0:17:10 > 0:17:14the Hercules and reconnaissance plane the Nimrod.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17The Royal Air Force is close to the hearts of both our buyers.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Mandy's father was in the RAF and Jerry,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23before his cabin crew job, served as a tornado engineer.
0:17:23 > 0:17:27So we are sending them on a flight of nostalgia to the RAF museum,
0:17:27 > 0:17:30where they are meeting curator Al McLean.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33So, when did the museum actually open?
0:17:33 > 0:17:36The museum here opened in 1979, although the idea for
0:17:36 > 0:17:39an RAF museum goes back to the First World War.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43There was a collection of training aircraft that had accumulated
0:17:43 > 0:17:45at various stations around the Air Force.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47Very strange, unusual aircraft.
0:17:47 > 0:17:52And it was from that nucleus that the museum collection started.
0:17:52 > 0:17:54My father was a Boy Entrant back in the '50s.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57He joined when he was 15. And he was here at Cosford.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00- What, in the training school actually at Cosford?- He was, yes.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03My word, it comes round, doesn't it?
0:18:03 > 0:18:05How do you get the aircraft here?
0:18:05 > 0:18:09The Hercules actually flew in, but the majority of them come by road.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11For the bigger ones, like the Nimrod,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14getting it through the lanes on the back of a low loader
0:18:14 > 0:18:15was quite an exciting experience.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19A chap rolled out of the pub as it came down the high street,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22looked at it and said, "This is better than Carnival!"
0:18:22 > 0:18:24THEY LAUGH
0:18:24 > 0:18:28As well as exhibiting around 70 examples from aviation history,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31the museum also has an active conservation workshop,
0:18:31 > 0:18:35where rescued aircraft are preserved and prepared for display.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38Current projects include the World War II British bomber,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40the Handley Page Hampden.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44But the most exciting is the German Luftwaffe's Dornier bomber,
0:18:44 > 0:18:48salvaged from a watery grave and the only surviving example of its kind.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51It has been through some damage there, I think, at some point,
0:18:51 > 0:18:52- hasn't it?- Ah, well, yes.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54This one was actually shot down in the Battle of Britain.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57It was actually on the Goodwin Sands, off Ramsgate,
0:18:57 > 0:19:01in Kent, under the water, in the Channel for about the last 74 years.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04- Amazing.- Did the aircraft hold together when you lifted it?
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Astonishingly, yes, it did.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09The propellers dropped off. But apart from that, we got both
0:19:09 > 0:19:14engines and, amazingly, some of the fuel lines still held pressure.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16There was fuel in them.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19Nicknamed the Flying Pencil because of its narrow fuselage,
0:19:19 > 0:19:22the Dornier's bombs devastated large parts of London
0:19:22 > 0:19:25and Coventry in the early stages of the Battle of Britain.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27After it was raised from the seabed,
0:19:27 > 0:19:31conservatives set about stabilizing the fragile fuselage and preventing
0:19:31 > 0:19:35further corrosion by spraying it with a citric acid solution.
0:19:35 > 0:19:38The conservation work relies strongly on the help
0:19:38 > 0:19:39from trained volunteers.
0:19:40 > 0:19:41Keen to lend their support,
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Jerry and Mandy are going to work on some of the smaller
0:19:44 > 0:19:45components from the aircraft -
0:19:45 > 0:19:49part of the bomb release mechanism and an old fire extinguisher -
0:19:49 > 0:19:52but need to protect their clothes from the rust.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54They are being guided by volunteer George Hewson,
0:19:54 > 0:19:57who is showing them how to remove the sea deposits from the metal.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Use the hammer over there as well.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06- Now, the idea is just to tap onto it so it flakes off.- Yeah.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10So I guess this is going to take
0:20:10 > 0:20:12many years to get to the end of all the pieces.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Well, I hope not. We are all retired and getting on a bit.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Do you think you will see the end in person?
0:20:17 > 0:20:19We are hoping early next year
0:20:19 > 0:20:22that there will be enough to open it to the public.
0:20:24 > 0:20:28It is meticulous, pain-staking work, but soon this rare German bomber,
0:20:28 > 0:20:31salvaged from the sea off Kent and conserved in Shropshire,
0:20:31 > 0:20:35will join other aviation giants on display in the RAF Museum.
0:20:38 > 0:20:41For our second offering, we are heading southeast
0:20:41 > 0:20:43to the hamlet of Neenton.
0:20:43 > 0:20:44Protected as a conservation area,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47the centre contains many historic buildings,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50including the Victorian Church of All Saints.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52There is a strong sense of community in Neenton.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55And recently, the locals got together to buy and refurbish
0:20:55 > 0:20:57the old pub, which closed in 2006
0:20:57 > 0:21:01and is due to start serving pints again later this year.
0:21:01 > 0:21:04Our second house is situated on a quiet country lane
0:21:04 > 0:21:07a short walk from the centre of the hamlet.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12We have gone from a converted barn to the farm building itself,
0:21:12 > 0:21:14the farmhouse if you like.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16- Lovely.- Built in 1763.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19Fantastic. Yeah, a lot of character.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23As regards to earning some extra income,
0:21:23 > 0:21:26look to the left of the farmhouse, that is an annex.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28- Believe it or not, that was built around the 1960s.- Oh, was that?
0:21:28 > 0:21:31With that weatherboarding, I think it fits in really well, doesn't it?
0:21:31 > 0:21:35- It does, yes.- Yes, it does. - Let's go inside.- Lovely.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40Built during the reign of King George III, this wonderful
0:21:40 > 0:21:4418th-century farmhouse has a wealth of character features throughout
0:21:44 > 0:21:46and plenty of business options.
0:21:47 > 0:21:49We have got a formal dining room through there.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Got some lovely details.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54But I wanted to stop here cos I think this is a real...
0:21:54 > 0:21:56a real warm, cosy-feeling family room.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00- Yes, definitely.- This is lovely. - Very nice.- Super fireplace.
0:22:00 > 0:22:01It just feels more cosy, doesn't it?
0:22:01 > 0:22:04I just feel like I can lounge out here and be quite happy.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07- But nice high-up beams.- Yeah. Funny enough,
0:22:07 > 0:22:09you will see, the ceilings are quite tall,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11yet the doorways are quite short.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13- Yes.- So there is still opportunity for head injuries.
0:22:13 > 0:22:17- THEY LAUGH - These are good first reactions.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19And I think I'll get even better from you guys in the kitchen.
0:22:19 > 0:22:21- So let's have a look.- Wonderful.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26So a very good-sized kitchen for you.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31- Ah, yes.- This is nice.- That is the old bread oven there.- Yeah.
0:22:31 > 0:22:32- Solid fuel range.- Mm-hm.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34Just through the door, you have got a utility.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37And then there is another dining area or breakfast room there,
0:22:37 > 0:22:40- looking out the back which is really nice.- Super.- Yeah, this is nice.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43- Yeah.- Let us just pop our heads into another room down here
0:22:43 > 0:22:44which I think you might like.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55Now, Mandy, surely, this is just ready for you, isn't it?
0:22:55 > 0:22:57- Absolutely.- Very good.
0:22:57 > 0:22:59- There is so much light. - Yeah, excellent.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02So, we have got a ready-made studio for you here.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05Of course, that means you will have to take up painting.
0:23:05 > 0:23:06There is nowhere to hide.
0:23:06 > 0:23:08- Sorted.- Let's go and have a look at the bedrooms.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10I think you will be equally impressed.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13- Let me just squeeze through here. - Thank you.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Good reactions to the ground-floor tour.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19Upstairs, there are four bedrooms spread over two floors.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22Three of those bedrooms are accessed from the main landing
0:23:22 > 0:23:25and include a first-floor room next to a family bathroom.
0:23:25 > 0:23:29And then in the second floor attic space, two double bedrooms -
0:23:29 > 0:23:34somewhere for the girls to stay when they come home for the holidays.
0:23:34 > 0:23:36But the master is accessed from a separate stone
0:23:36 > 0:23:37staircase in the kitchen
0:23:37 > 0:23:41and is adjacent to another bathroom which serves as its en suite.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Now, the master bedroom, they have kept the timbers exposed.
0:23:46 > 0:23:50- And I am glad they have.- Excellent. - That's a good size.- Isn't it?
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- I love these floors. Very nice.- Good.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55- A big surprise.- It is, yeah.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58But also a big difference in your reactions to this place
0:23:58 > 0:23:59to the first house.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01- Yeah.- I think it is cos you have seen some garden.
0:24:01 > 0:24:04- Yes.- On the way in. It has put you in a good mood.- Yeah.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06Let's go outside and show you
0:24:06 > 0:24:08what you've got here because the outside space,
0:24:08 > 0:24:10by the size of it, is just as important if not more.
0:24:10 > 0:24:14- Yes, it is.- Let me just squeeze through here.
0:24:14 > 0:24:17But also important is the holiday let business,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20and this property comes with not one but two annexes.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25The first is this weatherboarded 1960s extension,
0:24:25 > 0:24:28which has a downstairs living room, a fully functional kitchen
0:24:28 > 0:24:33and adjoining garden room, as well as a bedroom and bathroom upstairs.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36It lets out for up to £600 a week at peak season.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38But separate to the main house,
0:24:38 > 0:24:42there is also a one-storey barn which comprises a large lounge,
0:24:42 > 0:24:46a double bedroom, a kitchen and a wonderful games room.
0:24:46 > 0:24:49This isn't a holiday let at the moment,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52but approval has already been granted.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54And then the outside space.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58The plot amounts to around 4.5 acres and includes a large mature garden
0:24:58 > 0:24:59and two paddocks,
0:24:59 > 0:25:01plenty of space if Jerry
0:25:01 > 0:25:03and Mandy wanted to apply for caravanning rights.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07- It has got everything, hasn't it? - What more can you ask for?
0:25:07 > 0:25:10- Really lovely.- Yes. Am I dreaming? Pinch me.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14- Come on then, guess the price. - Oh, gosh!- Go on, you go.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17I think this has got to be over our budget.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19Um... Do you want to go first this time?
0:25:19 > 0:25:23OK. Yeah, I also think it will be over budget, so I'll go.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27- It has got to be 650.- Think so? - I think about 650.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30I was going to say 625.
0:25:30 > 0:25:33This place, with the 4.5 acres of land,
0:25:33 > 0:25:38is on the market for offers over £580,000.
0:25:38 > 0:25:43- Oh!- Goodness.- I beat you.- Yes, you did, again.- Well done.- Right.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45Which I know sends you over budget,
0:25:45 > 0:25:49but I defend this tactic in the fact that you've got
0:25:49 > 0:25:53not one but two annexes.
0:25:53 > 0:25:58Could you justify the extra price with added income?
0:25:58 > 0:26:00I think you could, in this case, couldn't you?
0:26:00 > 0:26:01Because the house is so lovely.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04And you don't need to do anything inside there at all.
0:26:04 > 0:26:06Have a look around the house and I will meet up with you
0:26:06 > 0:26:08- whenever you're ready. OK?- OK. Thank you so much.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12- All right, see you in a bit. - Fantastic.- Good luck.- Thank you.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Creeping over budget by £30,000,
0:26:14 > 0:26:16this 18th-century farmhouse
0:26:16 > 0:26:18gives Jerry and Mandy pretty much
0:26:18 > 0:26:20everything they asked for.
0:26:20 > 0:26:21Completely refurbished
0:26:21 > 0:26:22by the current owners,
0:26:22 > 0:26:24there are four bedrooms
0:26:24 > 0:26:25in the main house and it comes
0:26:25 > 0:26:26with two annexes,
0:26:26 > 0:26:28one of which is already
0:26:28 > 0:26:29an up-and-running holiday let.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31The land is plentiful and could suit
0:26:31 > 0:26:33a caravanning business
0:26:33 > 0:26:35subject to planning consent.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37- Right, yes.- Everything here. - Yeah, lovely.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40- Just what you need for a holiday. - Yeah.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43The end bits of the place seem lovely.
0:26:43 > 0:26:45You've got the farmhouse feel about it,
0:26:45 > 0:26:47but you feel you are out in the open a lot more.
0:26:47 > 0:26:48A lot more space around you.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51I've never seen a place that has been so nicely done out inside.
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Quite honestly, I'm very impressed with all the rooms.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57And over the moon about it, really.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00I think this is a really lovely property.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03It is our sort of character.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06It has got the business we need, it's got the land we need,
0:27:06 > 0:27:10it's got the rooms for the girls to come home to, a nice kitchen for me
0:27:10 > 0:27:11and a studio as well.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15So really, it has got everything that we have been looking for.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21- There is a lot of property to see, isn't there?- Oh, there is.- Yes.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24- Did you see it all?- Yes.- Yeah, it is lovely.- Who won the snooker?
0:27:24 > 0:27:27- THEY LAUGH - You were long enough.
0:27:27 > 0:27:29OK, that is all we are seeing today. Let me take you back.
0:27:29 > 0:27:30- BOTH:- Thank you.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42It's day two of our property search.
0:27:42 > 0:27:46With a budget of £550,000, we are helping Jerry and Mandy
0:27:46 > 0:27:51from Bracknell, in Berkshire, find new rural life in Shropshire.
0:27:51 > 0:27:54Coming up, is there enough on the table at the Mystery House?
0:27:54 > 0:27:57We are used to cooking a full Christmas dinner in a caravan.
0:27:57 > 0:28:02- Yeah.- Put like that, I feel you've got too much space here.
0:28:02 > 0:28:03And for last orders,
0:28:03 > 0:28:07I find out what is brewing as I help bring home the harvest.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11One of those will make a pint of beer.
0:28:11 > 0:28:13So, you can see, just in our hands...
0:28:13 > 0:28:15I have got a couple of great nights out, haven't I?
0:28:15 > 0:28:16We've got a few pints of beer.
0:28:20 > 0:28:24Right from the very outset, Mandy and Jerry said this outside space
0:28:24 > 0:28:26was most important.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28And looking around, it's not hard to see why.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31And for today's mystery property, I think it gives them
0:28:31 > 0:28:33a real opportunity to breathe in
0:28:33 > 0:28:35this beautiful Shropshire countryside.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38On top of that, the enterprise element, I think,
0:28:38 > 0:28:41is probably the best that I've seen so far.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44But in order to get hold of this dream proposition,
0:28:44 > 0:28:46if you like, guess what, there is a compromise.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49Let's face it, it is the Mystery House.
0:28:49 > 0:28:50For our final house, we are
0:28:50 > 0:28:54heading towards the border with Wales to the hamlet of Clunton.
0:28:54 > 0:28:55Nestled in the Shropshire Hills,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,
0:28:58 > 0:29:01the closest small town for amenities is Clunton,
0:29:01 > 0:29:04described as one of the quietest places under the sun
0:29:04 > 0:29:07in the collection of poems A Shropshire Lad by AE Housman.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10Taking its name from the river on whose banks it stands,
0:29:10 > 0:29:14the town is connected by a 15th-century stone packhorse bridge
0:29:14 > 0:29:18and overlooked by an imposing, if ruinous, Norman castle.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Our Mystery House is a ten-minute drive away from Clunton,
0:29:21 > 0:29:23situated higher up in the Shropshire Hills,
0:29:23 > 0:29:27in a secluded spot surrounded by farmland.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29Our Mystery House certainly delivers on views.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33But as for actual space, both inside and out,
0:29:33 > 0:29:35Jerry and Mandy will need to give some ground.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39Do you remember you said you'd want to move up here to
0:29:39 > 0:29:42sort of brief in the Shropshire countryside?
0:29:42 > 0:29:44Yes!
0:29:44 > 0:29:45Well...
0:29:45 > 0:29:49- This is where you do it.- Ah! - Absolutely stunning.- Gosh, yes.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51- Absolutely gorgeous.- You can certainly breathe here.- You can.
0:29:51 > 0:29:54- That's beautiful. - This is lovely, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56This is really perfect.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59These are some of the nicer views I've seen from a house, I must say.
0:29:59 > 0:30:02- Oh, yes.- Now, if you are going to paint, paint that.
0:30:02 > 0:30:04So much choice, isn't there?
0:30:04 > 0:30:07And you can have your own slice of this panorama
0:30:07 > 0:30:09if you bought that house.
0:30:09 > 0:30:11Dating back to the 1700s.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15- It looks sweet.- Sweet!- Yes! - Very neat.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18It is different to what we have seen before,
0:30:18 > 0:30:19and I think this is perfect for you two.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22- It really does look it.- It does, yes. - I want to see inside.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25- Well, OK, I'll show you then. - OK.- Thank you.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30This stunning farmhouse is packed with character.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34But our buyers will have to think laterally about the layout inside.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37Now, being the Mystery House,
0:30:37 > 0:30:39you know there is going to be a compromise.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41Let me introduce you to the compromise.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44- Ah-ha.- Squeeze in.- All right.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46It is a lot smaller, isn't it?
0:30:46 > 0:30:47Cosy!
0:30:47 > 0:30:51Could you live with something this size? Be honest, come on.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54- There's only two of us. - There's only two of us, yeah.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57- I'm used to cooking a full Christmas dinner in a caravan.- Yeah.
0:30:57 > 0:31:01Put like that, I feel you've got too much space here.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04There is an idea that I had been walking around here,
0:31:04 > 0:31:06- I'll talk you through now if you like.- Yeah, sure.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10Let me just squeeze through. Thank you very much.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12Now, coming back past the front door,
0:31:12 > 0:31:15you've got a ground-floor loo and shower, OK?
0:31:15 > 0:31:18Now, at the moment, this is just dining space,
0:31:18 > 0:31:20or another reception room.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23If in time you did think the kitchen was a bit small
0:31:23 > 0:31:27and you didn't want to build on, you could put a kitchen in here.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29- You could.- It's feasible.- Yes.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32- That is quite a good space then, isn't it?- It is, yes.
0:31:32 > 0:31:34And then, that kitchen we've just been in would become
0:31:34 > 0:31:37- a really handy utility. - Yes, it would be.- Yeah.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40Now, reception room, I think you will leave it as is.
0:31:40 > 0:31:41It is rather nice. Follow me.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50- Righty-ho. Much bigger. Isn't it?- BOTH:- It is, yes.
0:31:50 > 0:31:53- Nice surprise.- Yes, it is. The fireplace is gorgeous, isn't it?
0:31:53 > 0:31:56You're not going to get a studio like we had before,
0:31:56 > 0:31:59- but again, look out every room. - Every window.- You've got the views.
0:31:59 > 0:32:05- Yeah. Lovely.- Could you see yourself spending cold winters in this room?
0:32:05 > 0:32:09Definitely, yes. Wouldn't be cold with the fire going, would they?
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Upstairs, Jerry and Mandy get the three bedrooms they wanted
0:32:12 > 0:32:15but not in a conventional arrangement.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Off a large central landing space is one smaller bedroom.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21But the second bedroom, a double, leads on to the master.
0:32:23 > 0:32:28Now, as you can see, you walk through the second bedroom.
0:32:28 > 0:32:34- Now, you have got an en suite there...to the master.- Nice.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37That's a good size. That's unexpected, actually.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39I thought it would be really tiny.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42Yeah, I like the windows being low down as well. It's nice looking out.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room, if you like.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46Three-bedroom house.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49The second bedroom you walk through to get here.
0:32:49 > 0:32:51You can go out that door, but not so nice in the winter.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53What do you think?
0:32:53 > 0:32:56Oh, for the amount of time that there would be more than us
0:32:56 > 0:32:59in the house, then I think that is liveable, isn't it?
0:32:59 > 0:33:01Yeah.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04So, Jerry and Mandy are not adverse to the upstairs bedroom arrangement.
0:33:04 > 0:33:08And as they say, their daughters are only home in the holidays.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12The income potential is nicely positioned away from the main house.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15It is an up-and-running holiday let with a galleried bedroom
0:33:15 > 0:33:16and open-plan living area.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20- Completely self-contained.- Yes. - Completely finished.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23- That's very nice.- It's lovely, isn't it?- Very tastefully done.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26People love this place. You know, you read the visitor book
0:33:26 > 0:33:28and people come here year on year on year.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31Which means, from a business point of view, you have got repeat trade.
0:33:31 > 0:33:37- Yes.- The owner charges around £85 per night.- Right. That's good.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39- That's good, very good.- Yeah.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42If you projected a straight line, the owner reckons
0:33:42 > 0:33:45you should be able to get around £15,000 a year in for this place.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50With the holiday let cash cow set out to graze,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53Jerry and Mandy will be able to concentrate on their garden.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56In terms of space, there is less here than at our second house -
0:33:56 > 0:33:59only a third of an acre - but the views make it feel much
0:33:59 > 0:34:01larger, stretching for 20 miles in some directions.
0:34:01 > 0:34:05How would you landscape this garden, then? What would you do with it?
0:34:05 > 0:34:09- It is already lovely.- It is.- It is a super position, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:34:09 > 0:34:11- So how much do you think it is?- Ugh.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13That is a difficult one.
0:34:13 > 0:34:19I will go very close to the first one, I think, at 599.
0:34:19 > 0:34:23- OK. Jerry?- It's a tough one.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26I would guess close to you - 585.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29- That is almost piggy backing. - Yes.- I like it.
0:34:29 > 0:34:35This, our Mystery House, is on the market for offers around £499,500.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38- Goodness!- Oh, gosh. Ooph.- Wow.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40Now, according to the owner,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42she was advised to put it on at 550, but she thought,
0:34:42 > 0:34:47"No, we are keen to sell," which is a good idea, "let's keep it below
0:34:47 > 0:34:49"that £500,000 stamp duty threshold,"
0:34:49 > 0:34:51- which is important to you. - That is a good idea.- Yeah.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55Think about how works for you. Walk the grounds, do whatever you want.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58- Yep.- Mm-hm.- Enjoy the weather, but most of all, enjoy the views.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01- Thank you.- Catch you in a moment. - Thank you very much.- Marvellous.
0:35:01 > 0:35:02- See you in a bit.- Thank you.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05Below budget by £50,000, our mystery property is
0:35:05 > 0:35:08a 300-year-old stone farmhouse
0:35:08 > 0:35:09with a separate up-and-running
0:35:09 > 0:35:12holiday let. Although the kitchen
0:35:12 > 0:35:13in the main house is small,
0:35:13 > 0:35:15there are the three bedrooms
0:35:15 > 0:35:16Jerry and Mandy wanted.
0:35:16 > 0:35:18In terms of outside space, there
0:35:18 > 0:35:20is one third of an acre of garden,
0:35:20 > 0:35:21but that is more than made up for
0:35:21 > 0:35:23by the stunning panoramic views
0:35:23 > 0:35:25of the Shropshire countryside.
0:35:25 > 0:35:29Definitely got the room to breathe here.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32You can just feel that countryside around you.
0:35:32 > 0:35:34It is just what we had wanted.
0:35:34 > 0:35:39The house is smaller than I thought it might be, but it is workable.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43I know we wanted some land, but with all this around you, you don't
0:35:43 > 0:35:45really need the land.
0:35:45 > 0:35:50But it has the character, it has the business and it has the views.
0:35:50 > 0:35:54The price is very generous, I thought, and took me by surprise.
0:35:54 > 0:35:59That has really made me think about this property completely, I love it.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01Honestly, you can't ask for more.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06I suppose you could tell me what all these plants are, couldn't you?
0:36:06 > 0:36:08But I don't think we've got time.
0:36:08 > 0:36:13- What do you think of this amazing house?- It's lovely, isn't it?
0:36:13 > 0:36:17- So much character. But it is so nicely done.- Yeah, fabulous.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19You were waxing lyrical about property number two yesterday,
0:36:19 > 0:36:21so let's find somewhere to have a chinwag
0:36:21 > 0:36:24- and we will catch up later on. OK?- Thank you.- Let's go.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33The valleys of Shropshire are home to one of the key
0:36:33 > 0:36:36ingredients of the great British beverage - beer.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38The hop is more traditionally associated with
0:36:38 > 0:36:41the County of Kent, but today, the hop yards of the West Midlands
0:36:41 > 0:36:45produce more than half of the crop grown in the UK.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48The hops flower contains an essential oil which is very
0:36:48 > 0:36:50bitter in flavour and, when added to beer,
0:36:50 > 0:36:54helps to balance out the sweet flavour of the malt.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57It is harvest time at one of the key hop-growing farms in the area.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00I have come to meet local farmer Mark Andrews. How are you?
0:37:00 > 0:37:02- I'm good, thanks, really good. - Beautiful.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05How long have you been growing hops here, on this farm?
0:37:05 > 0:37:09- Well, my grandparents moved here in the early '30s.- Yeah.
0:37:09 > 0:37:11But we know there has actually been hops grown on this farm
0:37:11 > 0:37:13for at least 250 years.
0:37:13 > 0:37:15So now we are here at harvest time.
0:37:15 > 0:37:18I can see all the tractors going back and forth.
0:37:18 > 0:37:20Talk me through what they are doing.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23So, at the moment, they are cutting the vines and they are being
0:37:23 > 0:37:26pulled off the wire and into the trailer at the back.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29- Right, OK.- There is a chap at the back picking up
0:37:29 > 0:37:32the bits that fall on the floor. And then there is another chap -
0:37:32 > 0:37:35cos pieces get left on the wire - and he's cutting those down.
0:37:35 > 0:37:36No hop gets left behind.
0:37:36 > 0:37:39- Well...- You want to make the most of everything here.
0:37:39 > 0:37:40We've got to get them home.
0:37:40 > 0:37:42- Let's give them a hand then, shall we?- Yeah.
0:37:44 > 0:37:47It takes three years for a hop plant to reach full production,
0:37:47 > 0:37:51when it is then harvested during a ten-day window in the autumn.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54They are pretty adaptable plants but tend to fare better
0:37:54 > 0:37:57in soils which are clay and silty and retain water.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00These hop vines around five metres tall.
0:38:01 > 0:38:02The saying goes,
0:38:02 > 0:38:06they need the depth of soil that you can bury an elephant in.
0:38:06 > 0:38:08Right, OK!
0:38:08 > 0:38:12Have you worked out how much that is worth or its relevance with
0:38:12 > 0:38:14the end product?
0:38:14 > 0:38:17One of those will make a pint of beer.
0:38:17 > 0:38:18So you can see...
0:38:18 > 0:38:21I have got a couple of great nights out, haven't I?
0:38:21 > 0:38:22We've got a few pints of beer.
0:38:24 > 0:38:26There are many different named varieties of hops,
0:38:26 > 0:38:29each producing its own distinctive flavour, from the minty
0:38:29 > 0:38:33and floral aroma of the venerable Fuggle to the hop being
0:38:33 > 0:38:36harvested here - the citrusy classic Cascade.
0:38:36 > 0:38:40Once harvested, the hop flowers are cut from the vines and taken to
0:38:40 > 0:38:44the oast house, where they're laid out in a kiln and dried
0:38:44 > 0:38:45at 60 degrees Celsius.
0:38:45 > 0:38:50What are we looking at here? What is essentially used to get this beer?
0:38:50 > 0:38:53So we're looking at a hop cone.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56So if you open up the cone, you can see that yellow substance there.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59- That is the little glands of oil. - Yeah.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02- If you rub it, it is quite sticky. - Yes, it is.- Yeah.
0:39:02 > 0:39:07And that is the part that gives the flavour to the beer.
0:39:07 > 0:39:10They start off at 80% moisture and we are trying to get them
0:39:10 > 0:39:12down to 10%.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14Once dried, they are baled and then either sold to local
0:39:14 > 0:39:17breweries or exported internationally.
0:39:17 > 0:39:21In the brewing process, hops are boiled with the sugary liquid
0:39:21 > 0:39:24produced from malt, called wort, before the yeast is added.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28I have come to one of the Shropshire breweries to sample an ale
0:39:28 > 0:39:30produced from the locally grown Cascade hop.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33I am meeting brewer Gary Walters.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36It was certainly very interesting learning about the process,
0:39:36 > 0:39:41but surely the most important thing about this education is the taste.
0:39:41 > 0:39:44- Yes.- So I think we should at least taste it, shouldn't we?- Yep.
0:39:44 > 0:39:45Cheers.
0:39:48 > 0:39:51It initially tastes creamy, as you expect from a bitter,
0:39:51 > 0:39:54but towards the end, you almost get a different finish.
0:39:54 > 0:39:59- It tastes citrusy.- You get a lovely sweet malt taste to start off.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02And again, you get the smoothness of the malt.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04- Then you get that nice hop bitter kick.- Yes.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Which is from the local hops.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10It is great to see hop shires doing so well,
0:40:10 > 0:40:12and I've certainly enjoyed seeing both ends of the spectrum.
0:40:12 > 0:40:15I would normally leave now, but I've never left a pint at
0:40:15 > 0:40:19the bar. So let's just have a bit, five minutes, shall we?
0:40:19 > 0:40:21- Cheers.- Cheers.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29Well, property two yesterday may have got Jerry and Mandy cooing,
0:40:29 > 0:40:32but I think it is the Mystery House, or rather its views, that's really
0:40:32 > 0:40:34stolen their hearts.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37Time to catch up with them both and find out what their plans are.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44Well, I have got a fair idea that your favourite property is
0:40:44 > 0:40:46the Mystery House.
0:40:46 > 0:40:49But how much do you both like it?
0:40:49 > 0:40:51- I think we like it a lot, don't we? - We do, yes.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53What, if anything, has changed
0:40:53 > 0:40:55since you started looking over these past couple of days?
0:40:55 > 0:40:59The land was always not necessarily a priority
0:40:59 > 0:41:03but it was something we wanted.
0:41:03 > 0:41:04But seeing the last property,
0:41:04 > 0:41:08we could maybe forfeit that for that beautiful view.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11- Not only that, it was marvellous to make a good income.- It was.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13You loved the second property yesterday afternoon.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15- We did.- There is lots of it.
0:41:15 > 0:41:16The second property was lovely.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18I mean, the interior was fantastic.
0:41:18 > 0:41:20The holiday lets were great. Wonderful.
0:41:20 > 0:41:23But I think the Mystery House just had that, as you said,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26that breathing, that space around it.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29- The views, you couldn't buy. - No.- Views, you can't buy.
0:41:29 > 0:41:30Although, you can.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34- So, when are you going back? - This weekend.- Very soon.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36Whoa! Excellent news.
0:41:36 > 0:41:40Have a look at the surrounding areas to see if there are walks
0:41:40 > 0:41:41and trails and things.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Well, whatever you do, when you go back to this property
0:41:44 > 0:41:47and have another look, please, let us know what you decide, won't you?
0:41:47 > 0:41:49- Definitely.- We certainly will. - We will do, yes.
0:41:49 > 0:41:52- I wish you the very best of luck. - Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Well, I must say, it makes a refreshing change for our buyers
0:41:57 > 0:42:01to go for the smallest of all three houses that we've showed them.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03But when you think about it, the mystery property gave Jerry
0:42:03 > 0:42:07and Mandy exactly the right size accommodation for their needs.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09They are downsizing, after all.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11I'm sure there was a bit of a compromise to be
0:42:11 > 0:42:13made in regards to the size of the kitchen,
0:42:13 > 0:42:15but it also had the one thing
0:42:15 > 0:42:17that was integral to their entire relocation -
0:42:17 > 0:42:20a house in a beautiful rural location.
0:42:20 > 0:42:21So it's no surprise then -
0:42:21 > 0:42:24they're going back there for a second viewing.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26I wish them both the very best of luck.
0:42:26 > 0:42:27And to quote Jerry,
0:42:27 > 0:42:31"What price do you put on a house with amazing views like that?"
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Well, just under £500,000, actually.
0:42:33 > 0:42:35See you next time.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40Jerry and Mandy returned to our Mystery House for a second viewing.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43And I am glad to say, they still love it and intend to make an offer
0:42:43 > 0:42:47just as soon as they have exchanged contracts on their Bracknell home.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49We are keeping our fingers crossed.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51If you'd like to escape to
0:42:51 > 0:42:54the country in either England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland
0:42:54 > 0:42:57and would like our help, then please apply online at...