Lincolnshire Escape to the Country

Here on Escape To The Country, we love a house with a history.

And during World War II this 19th-century manor house

behind me was home to arguably some of the most daring

airmen in British aviation history.

So who were they and where am I? Find out in just a moment.

Today's house hunting duo have sold their holiday home business in

France and are now looking for their piece of the English countryside.

I'll be doing everything I can to help them.

It just so happens that I'm actually

in the market for some French furniture.

-So there is a deal to be done here.

-Right.

-Right.

But I wonder how far they are willing to go.

-Is there a bus service?

-Come on!

-This is going to keep you young and fit and healthy.

-Absolutely.

This is great.

Today I'm in Lincolnshire.

Behind me is Petwood House which, during the Second World War,

was home to the brave officers of 617 Squadron.

Known to you and me, of course, as the Dam Busters.

In 1943, 133 airmen took part in probably one of the most unique

and bravest raids in military history.

And although unfortunately 53 of the airmen never returned home,

at the time, Operation Chastise was deemed not only a huge

military success but also a massive morale boost to Great Britain.

Set in England's east,

Lincolnshire shares its borders with eight other counties,

including Norfolk, Nottinghamshire and Cambridgeshire.

At just over 2,500 square miles,

Lincolnshire is the second-largest county in England.

And although thought of as flat,

much of its northern region is

an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty known as the Wolds,

whose gently rolling chalk hills

and verdant valleys are actually the highest lands in eastern England.

It is to the south and the Lincolnshire Fens

where the county's horizontal reputation is justified.

Here a picturesque crisscross of man-made waterways slowly

flow through the level landscape.

Alongside fertile farmlands that singlehandedly

produce 25% of the nation's vegetables.

The county town is Lincoln, whose stunning cathedral was

the tallest building in the world for almost 238 years.

Today, it may not hold that record but is still considered one of the

finest examples of English Gothic architecture in the United Kingdom.

So, for those in search of the rural good life,

it's easy to see why Lincolnshire makes a great place to call home.

The average price of a detached Lincolnshire home

comes in at around £175,000.

That's a whopping 107,000 - or 38% - below the national figure,

which currently stands at £282,000.

So a terrific county with, I can assure you, some terrific houses.

All I need now is some buyers to show them to.

Retirees Jacqueline and Brian have sold up their

busy holiday home business in France and

are looking forward to a slower pace of life in the English countryside.

Our home in France was in central Brittany. It was quite rural.

It was quite a large house. The main part of it we called the manor.

It could sleep up to 12 people. And then we had three other buildings.

In total, we could sleep 36 people.

So it kept us all really quite busy.

Especially on changeover day when I used to do 22 loads of washing.

We had five acres of grounds and a swimming pool.

So there was always a job to do.

For Jacqueline, the green, green grass of home

has always been at the back of her mind.

I was born and brought up in Lincolnshire.

We were just in a few minutes away from open countryside and fields.

When I was a child, my friend and I used to go cycling.

And we always used to go out and around the Lincolnshire Wolds.

I really fell in love with the area when I was a child

and it's always been somewhere that I've wanted to come back to.

And with a new granddaughter living in Lincoln,

there are plenty of reasons to return home. However, there is

a more immediate concern pulling our couple back from the Continent.

Jacqueline's father is approaching 90 and is increasingly frail.

We were pretty concerned about him and this is one of the reasons

why we've decided to come back to England. He needs looking after.

His house certainly needs a lot of work doing to it.

So we decided we'd stay with him for a while

whilst we're trying to find somewhere suitable for us to live

and also big enough for him to come and live with us.

However, moving back in with Albert has not been

plain sailing for our retirees.

Where we were before was very large and we had a lot of space.

Now we are in quite a small building

and we've got somebody else there all the time.

We've tried to get all our things and all my dad's things into one

space and it's quite challenging really.

So, with more reasons than ever to return home, Jacqueline and

Brian are definitely looking forward to the next stage in their lives.

From my point of view, it's a new chapter.

You know, we took up the challenge of going to France.

We can tick that off and say we did that.

And now we've got a new chapter to enjoy our retirement.

Pursue some interests. And also, just enjoy being with our families.

I think I'm looking forward to being back in England

and having a home that's not a house and not a business.

Just a home.

With Jacqueline and Brian wishing to move within a 30-minute drive

of Lincoln, to be close to friends and family

and in particular, their 18-month-old granddaughter, we are

concentrating our search within a 15-mile radius of the historic city.

I'm meeting up with them on Lincolnshire soil to go over

the details of their move.

-Good morning.

-Good morning.

-Ready for some house-hunting in Lincolnshire?

-Yes.

-Yes, absolutely.

It's a long way from France. Is that all done and dusted now?

Yes, it is. We completed in January.

And all our stuff is in a container now, somewhere in Lincolnshire.

Bad for you. Music to my ears.

-That means I've got committed purchasers on board.

-Absolutely.

-Yeah.

-Let's talk about the property itself.

You got your father on board. Albert.

I take it you are looking for a bit of space inside the house?

-How big has that got to be?

-Yes.

We'd like to have a downstairs bedroom

-and facilities for my dad so that he's not having to go upstairs.

-OK.

That would be ideal. A stairlift might be an option.

-A stairlift could be an option?

-Yeah.

-Good, OK.

So we could be looking at a standard two or three-bed house.

-Minimum three.

-Minimum three?

-BOTH:

-Yes.

All right, OK.

Now, would Albert require his own bathroom?

-Yes.

-OK.

So can we look for a house that maybe doesn't have the

-bathroom yet and you could put one in? Is that too much work?

-Yes, no.

-It's a possibility.

-We are into DIY.

-"We" are into DIY?

THEY LAUGH

-Hello. Is that a royal we?

-It is, yes. Oh, yes.

-OK.

-You make the tea, do you?

-No, I do the DIY. He makes the tea.

THEY LAUGH

Well, in my experience, there is probably a lot more

devil in the detail. You're probably best for that.

OK, do you want a separate dining room, open plan?

It would be nice to have a separate dining room

because we like to entertain. Jacqueline is a very good cook.

Enjoys doing dinner parties and that sort of thing.

So it would be nice to have that facility.

-But we need to be realistic.

-So, is a big kitchen on the shopping list?

-Please say no!

-Um... It doesn't have to be a big kitchen.

As long as it's reasonably sized.

Outside the house, do you want a garden?

-Yes, that would be lovely.

-Jacqueline enjoys gardening. I'm a good mower.

So what's the budget?

-£270,000.

-OK. You sound pretty sure on that.

And that's money to spend right now? You've got nothing to sell?

Absolutely nothing. I can write you a cheque now.

-Let's look at the houses first.

-OK.

-But I do like your confidence.

-Let's get going.

-OK.

With £270,000 to spend,

Jacqueline and Brian have a great budget for the area.

They are looking for a spacious property with

character that will enable them to accommodate Jacqueline's father.

Three bedrooms is a minimum.

They'd also love a good-sized kitchen,

a separate dining room and a manageable garden.

A village location in striking distance of Lincoln

is also essential.

We have a fine range of country houses for our couple to

feast their eyes upon.

But price tags will remain a closely guarded secret

until Jacqueline and Brian have completed their viewings.

Our last offering, the Mystery House,

will attempt to introduce them

to a different way of living whilst answering all of their prayers.

Did you enjoy yourselves over in France?

Yes, very good. It was very interesting.

Oh, yes, it was one of those experiences that I'm glad we did.

You moved away from your family and all those grandchildren,

how did you find that, Jacqueline?

-I found it very difficult actually.

-Did you?

-Yeah.

Missed out on so much.

So you are hoping to redress that with a move to Lincolnshire then?

Yes. Yes, I'm really looking forward to being more involved with

the family and...

And with our friends as well

because we've got a lot of friends in Lincolnshire.

We are kicking off our house hunt to the west of Lincolnshire, in the

small village of Brant Broughton, a 20-minute drive from Lincoln.

Its high street is lined with attractive red brick houses,

many of which date back to the 18th and 19th centuries.

Today, locals and visitors are well served,

with all the essential amenities,

including a village hall, a pub and a village shop.

Whilst its Grade I listed Gothic church is said to have the

most elegant spire in Lincolnshire.

Our first property lies within a conservation area.

And is tucked away from the heart of the village.

OK, so just off the main village road

we have this lane which leads us to a collection of houses,

including our first property we are going to have a look around.

-Right, OK.

-Right.

-It's very cute.

-Hmm.

-It's pretty.

-Pretty. Good, I'm glad you said that.

-It's pretty.

-I think it is.

-Yes.

What are your first impressions of the location, Jacqueline?

It was a surprise really. I was not expecting it to be up a little lane.

-OK. Let's go inside.

-OK.

-Lovely.

Dating back to the 1800s,

this attractive brick and pantile cottage started life as a barn.

But an extensive programme of renovations and refurbishments

through the years has created a versatile and characterful home.

-All right.

-Right, OK.

-Were you expecting this?

-No.

-I bet you weren't.

-No, not at all.

-Very, very interesting.

-Quite contemporary, isn't it, Jacqueline?

-It is, yes.

Very contemporary. Yes. That I wasn't expecting either.

-I was expecting it to be more traditional.

-Cottage-y?

-Yes.

-Mm.

-Right, let's keep looking through. Follow me.

-BOTH:

-OK.

As it stands, this... Well, it's clearly a dining room.

I'm not sure, in terms of sizes of rooms, it's a little bit small.

-Yeah.

-I mean, we've brought some furniture back from France

and our lounge in France was 45 foot long.

HE WHISTLES

-So we'd have to get rid of quite a lot of furniture.

-Right.

It just so happens I'm actually in the market for some French

-furniture. So there is a deal to be done here.

-Oh, right.

-OK.

-Right, OK.

Let's suck it and see. Let's go and take a look at the kitchen next.

Thank you very much.

So far, the contemporary living arrangements and dimensions of the

rooms downstairs don't seem to be winning any favours with our couple.

So I'm hoping the modern kitchen may convince them

of the merits of this property.

Just mind your step coming past the stairs here.

Jacqueline, you tell me you are a very keen cook.

-Yes.

-Talk to me about this kitchen.

-It seems quite small actually.

I love the combinations of woods and things in here. This is beautiful.

-It's very nice.

-It really is well done, isn't it?

But it feels more holiday cottage-y as opposed to a place to live in.

That's a fair point. What do you think, Jacqueline?

Yeah, I think that's actually a good description of it really.

Right, OK. Let's go and have a look at the upstairs accommodations.

-BOTH:

-OK.

-Brilliant.

Despite our couple's reservations,

Jacqueline's father is certainly well catered for downstairs.

With his own ground floor bedroom and bathroom.

Upstairs, the property has an additional two bedrooms

and a family bathroom.

Of the two bedrooms up here on the first floor,

certainly this is my favourite.

This is very nice. It's light and airy. Yeah. Yeah, it's good.

-It sounds like you are describing someone else's house.

-Mmm.

-Not a home you might consider purchasing.

-Mmm.

Do you know what I mean?

Even your tone is like, "Yeah, it's nice.

"It's this, it's that, it's the other."

What is it that make you think, "Oh, I'm not sure?"

-Cos that's what I'm thinking you're thinking.

-Well, space.

-Right.

I think it's probably. And the fact, you know,

our furniture definitely wouldn't fit in here.

Let's take a bit more of this house in.

In fact, let's go outside to the garden

-and start thinking about price, OK?

-Fine.

-Can I just squeeze through the middle there?

-Indeed.

-Thank you.

So, with the house thoroughly inspected and analysed,

it's time we moved downstairs to the garden.

OK, so, outside space.

It's a bit on the small side.

I was kind of hoping that there would have been a bigger garden.

It's starting to be the theme for the house for you guys, isn't it?

-Mmm.

-Yes. It's quite small.

All right, how much do you think this house is on the market for?

Who wants to go first?

-You go first.

-OK.

-Jacqueline clearly doesn't want to go first.

THEY LAUGH

I think that it's a very well presented property

-but on the small side. So I'm going to guess £265,000.

-OK.

That was exactly what I was going to suggest.

If you'd have been more gallant...

-I'll say 270.

-270? Well, the early bird catches the worm.

Cos it's on the market for £265,000. Well done.

I think I know where to go from here.

I think you should have a good look around the rest of the house.

Go and have a look around where your father would stay

and en suite bathroom there and the other bedroom because these

are the other bits that make our house hunt slightly different.

We are looking for ground-floor living and things like that.

Go have a goose around and I'll catch you later on.

-OK.

-All right.

-Speak to you in a bit.

-BOTH:

-Thank you.

For £5,000 below budget, this historic detached cottage certainly

offers Jacqueline and Brian all that they require in their new property.

Located close to Lincoln, the house squeezes in a lounge,

a kitchen, separate dining room and a garden.

And although not a huge amount of space, there is

enough room to accommodate Jacqueline's father

with his own downstairs bedroom and bathroom facilities.

-Hmm.

-OK, so this would be the room that my dad would have.

-Yeah, it's a nice room.

-It would need to have a single bed.

He wouldn't be able to have a double bed. There wouldn't be enough room.

No. No.

I think, to make this house work for us,

we probably would be needing to make an extension which,

because this property is getting near to the top of our budget,

that's probably not doable.

So I just don't think really it would work.

The property has been done up really well.

They've made great use of the space that is available.

But there is not enough space for us.

Generally, I think this property is beautiful.

I think it's been done to a very high standard.

I think it would be lovely

for somebody else but it's just not right for us.

Are you happy you've seen everything you need to see?

-Yes, I think so. Thanks.

-I think so, yes.

-OK, on to the next one.

-OK.

The Lincolnshire Wolds are a stretch of low-lying chalk hills that

were formed 10,000 years ago during the last ice age.

The Wolds span 216 square miles and are home to many chalk streams,

which are internationally recognised as rare habitats.

Brian and Jacqueline have come along to meet Will Bartle

and Richard Osmond,

who are part of the Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Monitoring Group,

to find out more about these fragile waterways

and also discover how they can help their local environment.

We are wanting to move to Lincolnshire

and we particularly enjoy the Lincolnshire Wolds.

And we wondered if there is any opportunity to get

involved in any voluntary work?

Yeah, absolutely. Lots of opportunities to get involved,

especially with the Lincolnshire Chalk Streams Projects.

We have people coming to do work days.

But we also have people doing riverfly monitoring,

like Richard here.

Just tell them a little bit about what you do.

I live here at the Mill House.

We've got a lovely chalk stream here, which is the River Bain.

Once a month, I go and basically do a kick sample.

Look at the invertebrates.

Which is basically going to tell us how healthy the river is.

Would you like a go?

-Sounds really interesting. Yeah.

-We have some spare waders.

-Yes, we do.

Kick sampling involves the disturbing of a riverbed to

allow water-based life to be collected in nets.

Chalk streams contain rather unique ecosystems as their waters

are extremely pure and have a very stable temperature.

Home to many species, including the brown trout,

otter and kingfisher, it's the number of tiny invertebrates

samples collected in just three minutes that will give Will

and his team the best indication as to the health of a stream.

Not easy to walk in though, are they?

OK. If you just come round here.

Just pick your spot.

-Just one of your feet, whichever you feel more firm on.

-Yes.

Just roughly disturb the surface. Get your net in at the bottom.

That's it. Just keep going. That's it.

Once the allocated time for kick sampling is up,

the contents of the net are carefully tipped into a bucket

before being transferred to a tray for closer inspection.

I'm going to try and identify what's in here.

We've got our...

Technical equipment here. Turkey basters.

Will carefully sucks in one of the invertebrates

and checks which species it is using a reference chart.

We've got one here. Which one do we think we've got in our tray?

-It's got two tails.

-This one?

Yep, so we've got ourselves a stonefly. Number one.

Having got all this information and recorded,

where does it go to and what happens to it?

We put it into the Riverfly Partnership database.

We can see any fluctuations.

For example, if there is any real drop in numbers

we know that something has happened to this stream.

That might be pollution has happened further upstream.

It's vital information of the health of our streams.

And with just 12 out of the UK's 224 chalk streams being protected,

and 77% of them failing to meet a good status, it's vital Will

and his volunteers continue the monitoring of these beautiful

and unique systems.

For our second house on our property search, we are

heading 16 miles east to the village of Dorrington.

It has plenty to offer, including a butchers, a local pub,

and a village hall.

Along with a delightful, scenic pond, complete with ducks.

However, just two minutes down the road lies Ruskington,

whose busy high street easily caters for the needs of locals,

with its large variety of amenities and shops, including a supermarket.

But back on the edges of Dorrington, we have our second offering.

Now then.

What do we think?

-Option number two.

-Wow.

-First impressions, Jacqueline?

-I prefer it to the first one.

-Why so?

I don't really know. It looks bigger. It's just more attractive.

-It looks charming.

-Charming. That's a good way of describing it.

-Let's go inside. Come along.

-OK, great.

This delightful English cottage dates all the way back to the

1700s and has undergone some extensive refurbishment in its time.

With its current owner adding an extension just two years ago.

I'm hoping this will help provide that fine blend of space

and character that our couple desire.

-In we come.

-OK.

-Now then, separation of living areas.

-Yes. That's better.

-Good.

-I prefer that.

-There is much more usable space in here.

Now, follow me. I want to point something out on the way.

OK, let's just pause here for a moment.

-First of all, I know you wanted separate dining space.

-Yes.

-Hmm.

-Big enough, surely?

-Yes.

-This is great.

-Yeah, that's... Yeah.

-I like that.

-Hmm. And a piano.

-Well, a little birdie told me you had a piano.

-Absolutely.

-You don't have anything like a grand piano or anything?

-No, no.

It would sit there lovely.

Could you get used to that, the ducking?

I could have a few feet chopped off my legs.

-But isn't it lovely?

-It's not a problem.

-What's not to love then?

-Yeah.

-The kitchen is pretty much new.

-Let's have a look at it.

-Right. OK.

So far, the house really seems to be delivering.

But will the kitchen live up to Jacqueline and Brian's expectations?

So, it's a breakfast kitchen.

It frees up that middle room, doesn't it,

if you've got room for dining here as well?

-That's great, yeah.

-Yes.

-This is a lovely kitchen.

-And it's very light as well.

-Yes. It needs to be.

Those windows and that return help, don't they?

-Yes.

-I know you have come from a huge property in France

to this, so do you think you could adapt to this size of property?

-I think so.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, I think so.

I mean, one of the things, one of the reasons we came

from France was the amount of work involved in running a large place.

-Running a place like this would be much easier.

-Yeah.

And as we get older, being realistic, it would suit us better.

-Very practical. Music to my ears.

-Mmm.

-Always is.

-Always is, is he?

Well, let's go upstairs

and have a look at at least one of the bedrooms, OK?

-Fine.

-Just mind your head. I'll come after you.

-OK.

Though the cottage doesn't have any ground floor living

arrangements for Jacqueline's father,

there is a good-sized staircase that will comfortably accommodate

a lift, allowing Albert access to the upstairs,

where we find three double bedrooms plus a single.

And there is a family bathroom.

I'm showing Jacqueline and Brian the largest of the bedrooms.

Righty-ho. Now...

As a bedroom for you guys, big enough?

-Yeah, it's a good size.

-Yeah, it is a good size. Nice room.

Behind that door is an en-suite shower room and loo.

-Lovely!

-Yeah. Fairly compact.

-Yes, but it works.

-It works.

But this is where I've got the conundrum for you guys, really.

Because is this a master then for you or for your dad?

This would work well and it could give him a nice sitting area

and so forth.

-A lovely window to sit in front of, read a book, listen to music.

-Mm.

Yeah.

So with the inside coming up with all the goods, it's time we headed

downstairs and outside, where I have one little surprise for our couple.

-This pathway leads us to even more garden.

-Really?

-Oh!

Up the 50m stretch of path lies a little secret.

But the long walk is definitely worth it.

-This is something you might not have expected.

-No!

-Are we still in Lincolnshire?

-THEY LAUGH

-It's a long path but it's your path. That's the most important thing.

-OK.

-That's amazing.

-Yeah.

-Wow.

This is a lovely garden. Is there a bus service?

Come on! This is going to keep you young and fit and healthy.

-Absolutely. This is great. Great for kids.

-Yes.

-Wonderful.

-Superb.

-Definitely has potential.

So how much would a place like this cost?

Oh.

-I would say 285.

-All right.

-I'm going to say 269.

-She's good!

-£269,950.

-Really?

-You are good!

That's amazing, yeah. Yeah.

Whilst you're up here, have a good scoot around the garden.

-Yeah, I'd like to do that.

-And when you're finished, I'll meet you...

-I'll come and find you. How's that?

-OK.

-OK.

-See you in a moment.

-That's lovely.

-Thank you.

Bang on budget,

this charming cottage goes a long way to give Jacqueline

and Brian everything they are

looking for in their new property.

With separate kitchen, living

and dining areas providing the style

of living they are more suited to,

it has the added benefit of space.

And although there may not be

a downstairs living

option for Jacqueline's dad,

with four bedrooms upstairs,

there are certainly plenty

of options available

to comfortably accommodate him.

This is a great space. It's not overlooked.

We could have some great parties up here. The kids could camp up here.

Yeah, it really gives a feeling of being in the country, doesn't it?

I love the house. I could certainly see myself living here.

It does present itself very, very well.

I'm a firm believer that you can make a house work for you.

Provided the basics are right.

And I think lots of the basics are right here.

When I walked into this house,

I liked it a lot but it just wasn't saying "Buy me."

Lovely cottage-y houses, whilst they are perhaps ideal for Brian

and I, we need to be very careful

when we are thinking about what's going to be suitable for my dad.

So we meet somewhere in the middle. How did you get on there?

-Very good. Yeah.

-Interesting.

-Mmm.

A totally new concept of the property that gives us.

-Buy one get one free, garden wise.

-That's right, yeah.

-Inside, something to think about?

-BOTH:

-Yes.

All right, you've got the time to do just that.

That's all we're seeing today so I'll take you back. Come on then.

-OK.

-OK, thank you.

It's the second day of our property search in Lincolnshire.

And armed with a budget of £270,000, we are hoping to find

returning expats Jacqueline and Brian a perfect country pad.

Coming up, I'm hoping our Mystery House can perform

a combination of miracles.

The Holy Trinity, if you like.

Very good. Very good. THEY LAUGH

Good.

I'll be taking a futuristic machine for a spin.

There's a lot of screens here. I mean, this looks like a spaceship.

Two really strong properties yesterday.

Whilst the first house may have been a tad on the small side,

the second property really struck a chord with Brian,

who was even talking about putting his piano in there.

Although on reflection, I can't help

but feel that Jacqueline was maybe dragging her feet.

And I think this has something to do with the fact that, well,

they have moved from a massive house in France

and she is maybe struggling to get her head around the whole

downsizing thing, which is why I am really looking forward to

showing them both the Mystery House.

I reckon we have to be practical about this.

Yes, they have got a good budget for Lincolnshire,

but it will eventually buy them a modest sized house.

But it needs to give them both a sense of space.

And I think the mystery property today gives them just that.

Let's see what happens.

For our last house, we are heading to the small,

rural village of Branston Booths, 15 minutes from the centre

of Lincoln and three miles from the lively village of Heighington.

Lying within a shallow valley,

the village of Heighington is characterised by its golden

limestone houses that cluster around the high street

of the old village. Along with a local hall,

a supermarket and a post office, Heighington boasts two pubs,

one of which - the Butcher & Beast - is rather unique,

as it is the only pub in the whole of the UK with that name.

However, leaving the pub behind and heading back to Branston Booths,

we have our next property to explore.

-Right then, the Mystery House is this Wesleyan Chapel.

-BOTH:

-Oh, wow!

-That's amazing.

-Wow!

Well, I think this could give you that fine

-balance between practicality, that space you have inside...

-Yes.

..and the certain style and character you are after.

And right at the top the list, I know that your dad, Albert,

has to be catered for.

So I think this gives us all those three.

-OK.

-All right.

-The Holy Trinity, if you like.

-Oh, very good, very good!

Good. Let's have a look inside. Let's go at it this way.

-Come with me.

-OK, brilliant.

-OK.

The Methodist chapel and schoolroom was built in 1911 and remained

a place of worship until became derelict in 2002.

It's current owner completely renovated it six years ago.

And while the outside oozes curb appeal,

I'm praying there's enough going on inside to convince Jacqueline

and Brian of the benefits of this property.

In you come.

Now then.

Oh, wow!

-This is amazing.

-Wow!

-It's...it's surprising, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-I was not expecting a space like this.

-What a difference!

Goodness me, this is superb.

Now, kitchen. If this isn't big enough, I am retiring.

-It is pretty large.

-Stunning kitchen. Lovely floors. Wow. Yeah.

-What do you think? This is all open-plan.

-Hm.

-I like it.

I don't know whether I'd like to live in it.

Keep an open mind, Jacqueline, this house could work for you guys,

it really could.

-OK.

-All right? Come with me.

Up these little steps. Now, great living space.

-You could very easily separate this from the kitchen.

-Yes.

But come upstairs, let me show you the master.

It is absolutely smashing.

Now, if you're not keen on open-plan dining and kitchen,

you might think this is a bridge too far,

but look at it. I absolutely love it.

-It is beautiful.

-Yeah, it is.

-Now, en suite.

-You have got your separate shower, loo and basin.

-Oh, really?

-All right.

-Just in there.

-Oh, good.

-And you could, if you wanted, just carry this straight on up.

-Yes.

-Very easily. So it is not open-plan.

-Hm.

Jacqueline... What does that face mean?

I know what you are saying, I just feel that if you were to do

all of that, you would lose the character of the place.

I honestly don't think you'd lose any of the character

if you did something as simple as just put a stud partition up here.

I mean, this could just be a guest bedroom if you liked.

Couldn't it? And then you could live downstairs.

Well, we haven't seen the whole of the downstairs yet.

Let me show you.

So with just the one bedroom on the mezzanine,

the majority of the living accommodation in this

converted chapel lies on the ground floor -

an ideal set-up for Jacqueline's father,

consisting of two additional double bedrooms,

a modern tiled family bathroom, a study room

and a fully functional utility, perfect for all Albert's needs.

So a pretty good-sized double bedroom.

-Suitable for you or your dad.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, definitely.

With one next-door as well. Where would you want to sleep yourselves?

I would choose to be not next-door to my father-in-law.

THEY LAUGH

I know exactly what you mean.

-We don't need to say any more about that, do we?

-No.

Yeah, this is a lovely room, isn't it?

Come on, Jacqueline, you have got to love this.

Yeah, it is really nice, I'll give you that.

You'll give me... Good, good.

You are holding something back, I know you are.

All right, well, let's go outside to reflect

but also start thinking about price.

-Let me just squeeze through the middle there.

-Yeah, absolutely.

So, while Brian is clearly very excited about this property,

Jacqueline needs a bit more convincing.

So I'm just hoping there's enough garden outside here to win her over.

Now, I think the outside space is probably your biggest

-compromise here, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Could you do something with this?

-Maybe.

-Maybe?

-Maybe, yeah.

Is this keeping one's cards close to the chest again, Jacqueline?

I'm sorry.

Well, maybe I get to gauge your opinion of this place

with your guessing the price.

I think 275.

Brian, any advance?

Well, that is exactly the figure I was going to say.

-Oh, come on, you always say that.

-But I am going to say...

No, it is truthfully the case. I am going to say 270.

You have pulled it back.

This beautifully converted chapel is on the market for offers

-above 250,000.

-Oh, really?

And in speaking to him, I think he expects to settle a bit over 270.

-Hm.

-It is one of those few conversions that really,

-really does work.

-Yes.

But it also works for you, for your ground-floor living

aspect of your search, which is quite something.

I think, go back inside this chapel,

have a good look around and I'll meet you whenever you're done.

-BOTH:

-OK. Thank you.

Comfortably falling within

Jacqueline and Brian's budget,

this chapel conversion

undoubtedly provides a fresh

and modern living experience

for our couple. And although

its open-plan arrangement

may not quite hit the mark, there is

plenty of scope to change this.

Plus with lots of downstairs living

space, this property certainly has

enough room to easily accommodate

the needs of Jacqueline's father.

So what do you think?

Well, it's...it's amazing, actually. I can't...

It is quite breathtaking when you walk in here.

-This space is magnificent, really, isn't it?

-Oh, it is.

I don't think I have ever seen as good a chapel conversion as this.

No. It's really good.

It was quite a surprise when we walked into this space

just how lovely it is and how well it has been done.

And even though open-plan is not really my thing,

I do appreciate that it is a really lovely space.

Well, when we arrived outside, I thought, "Oh, a chapel."

And I thought, "Well, this looks pretty good."

And then we came inside, I was...I was staggered, actually.

It is, you know, quite breathtaking when you walk in.

Now then, all done inside?

-Yes, thank you.

-Yes.

-Still smiling?

-Yes.

-Very much.

Does this chapel make the shortlist? That's all I want to know.

-BOTH:

-Yes.

-Good. Now is the time to sit and chat everything through.

-OK.

-Let's go.

-OK.

The Lincolnshire Fens lie to the south of the county

and originally consisted of fresh and saltwater wetlands that

have been artificially drained by man for hundreds of years.

The retreating waters have left behind a rich

mixture of minerals and salts,

creating some of the best soils for farming the UK has to offer.

Today, I am meeting with Julian Perowne, of Jack Buck Farms,

to find out about what he produces.

-Morning, Julian.

-Morning.

-How are we doing?

-All right.

-Very well, good to see you.

-You too. Now, beautiful day.

In modern-day terms, it is Lincolnshire that is

-the Garden of England, isn't it?

-Without a doubt.

We've got the best soils in the country.

How much farmland have you got here?

-Well, we are farming about 1,700 acres.

-Goodness me!

-We are probably best known for celeriac.

-Which is this here.

Here it is.

-I mean...

-Not the most beautiful vegetable in the world.

-It's ugly!

-Yeah, it is ugly, yeah.

-It is a root vegetable.

-Yeah.

This is all cleaned off.

-I mean...

-There it is in the dirty form.

-You've got a lot here.

I mean, how much of the celeriac that is eaten and used in the UK

-have you got here, do you think?

-We grow about 90% of the UK's, yeah.

-So pretty much all of it here.

-Six million heads of celeriac.

And how do you store them? How to keep them fresh, then?

There is a lot of refrigeration there to keep them fresh.

-So these are chilled, these master units?

-Yeah, yeah.

All summer.

It is a beautiful day. I can hear all the machinery whirring

-and banging away, what can we get up to?

-We can do sugar beet drilling.

-Can we?

-Yeah.

-Does that involve big tractors?

-It does.

-Excellent! Let's go.

-Let's go.

This family farm was established nearly 150 years ago,

and today, it produces a wide variety of crops including fennel,

daffodils and sugar beet, which is planted

by drilling seeds into ploughed soils.

I am hoping to help in this process by lending my hand to

a bit of cultivating using some rather modern technology.

Now, I've got to say, this looks like a proper bit of kit.

-This is modern farming.

-This is modern farming, yeah.

What we have got here - class tractor, about 180 horsepower,

double wheels to reduce the soil compaction in the spring.

And we have got satellite steering,

so it will steer itself each pass across the field.

How much is this?

I think we would be looking at about 105,000 now.

-I would like to get into a £105,000 tractor if I may.

-You certainly can.

Great stuff.

Inside, it is another world.

I was going to say, there are a lot of screens here.

-I mean, this looks like a spaceship.

-Certainly.

So how'd I start this thing? I see a key.

Push the clutch, so it knows it is out of gear.

Start it up, just like a car. And it will start. And off we go.

Satellite navigation combined with self-steer technology

enables fields to be cultivated

and planted with an accuracy unattainable by man alone.

All with the push of a button.

Press D, that's it. And it is steering.

-The tractor is steering itself.

-It just feels so alien.

I've got no foot on the clutch, the break, the throttle.

The key to effective cultivating is to reduce to a minimum

the amount of times the land is worked twice.

-How much are we overlapping by?

-About two inches.

-That is amazing!

This is about making it much more efficient as a business, isn't it?

-You are saving money on...

-It's making the operation more efficient.

-Yeah.

-And we are saving money on inputs.

This is technology which keeps our production costs low,

keeps us efficient, keeps us competitive in the world market,

which is where we have got to be.

I have absolutely loved that.

I was really looking forward to today, but it has been really

interesting but obviously a lot of fun, so thank you very, very much.

My pleasure.

Well, as far as Brian is concerned,

I reckon he has two firm favourites

out of the three houses we have shown them.

But then when it comes to Jacqueline, I've got no idea

where she is at,

as all through this process she has kept her cards pretty close

to her chest.

So let's catch up with them and find out their thoughts.

-Well, you have had a bit of time to think things through.

-Mm-hm.

What are your current thoughts? Favourite house?

Favourite house, without a doubt, was the Mystery House.

As you walked around that property, internally, you seemed to

maybe like the mystery property more and more, is that right, Jacqueline?

Yes. I think that is probably true.

Why so?

Well, as we talked about what the possibilities were,

then the open-plan issues started to diminish.

When I first went in there, it really did stun me in terms of...

-I was just so surprised...

-I could tell you liked it.

..how good inside it was.

Run me through the next step for you guys, then.

In regards to the Mystery House.

-Well, I'd like to have another look at it.

-OK, good.

I think we need to have a look at the area,

because it is an area of Lincolnshire that I don't know.

So see what's around, find out how long it is going to take us

to get into Lincoln, because that is quite important to

how we think that things are going to be in the future.

As it is at the moment, I don't think it is quite right.

But we'll just have a think about it and see

if we think we can make it work.

What do you think your father, Albert, would make

of the Mystery Property?

He said, as long as he has got a chair and somewhere to sleep,

-he will be happy.

-Well, he is easy to please.

Should have gone looking for houses with him!

-THEY LAUGH

-I could've shown him anything!

-Yeah. Yes.

-Well, that is pretty good.

I mean, are you looking forward to this next step?

You are a step closer to, you know, getting your dad under one roof, you

know, living together as a family but obviously with your own space.

Well, the more important issue for me is Jacqueline

and I finding our next home to live the next chapter of our lives.

Well, all that is left for me

to do now is wish you the very best of luck.

-Let me know what happens next, won't you?

-We will.

-Good.

-Been a cracking couple of days, hasn't it?

-It certainly has.

It has been very good, thank you.

You know, I think Brian and Jacqueline have learned

a valuable lesson these past couple of days.

They're gone from perhaps dismissing a house

because it wasn't perfect to looking at a property and saying,

"Yes, we like it, but how can we make it work for us?"

And I think that is an approach we can all adopt when

looking at houses, especially when you have something specific on

your shopping list like ground-floor living for an elderly relative.

So with that in mind, I hope they do go back to the Mystery House

and they can find ways of making that property work for them

as an entire family.

I look forward to finding out what happens next for them.

I will see you soon.

Jacqueline and Brian did return to the Mystery House.

And though they thought it could work for them,

both felt that its location wasn't quite right.

So their search continues with a few viewings already

booked in the diary.

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