Essex Escape to the Country

Here, on Escape To The Country,

we get to visit some remarkable houses all over the UK,

but none of them are quite as unique as this one,

because up until 20 years ago,

this was one of the most secret properties in Britain.

But why and where? Well, join me in a moment and I will tell you.

On today's show, we're helping a young couple

move from the Big Smoke to a country retreat.

Sometimes you can't put your finger on why you like a place.

Sometimes it's nice and sometimes it isn't.

-This is it.

-This feels good.

-Yeah.

And a secret shower room sends them head-over-heels.

-Ah!

-Stunning. SHE LAUGHS

Oh, my God.

-Perfect.

-And it is for sale.

-SHE SQUEALS

Well, today we are in Essex,

just outside the small village of Kelvedon Hatch.

And this pretty average-looking post-war bungalow is, in fact,

the secret entrance to a Cold War nuclear bunker.

It was built in 1952 to house some 600 key government

and military personnel in the event of a nuclear war.

Now, of course, thankfully, it was never put to use.

But later on in the show, I will be back here finding out

what life would have been like 100 feet underground.

Stretching from Harwich in the north to the Thames Estuary in the south,

the Home County of Essex has over 350 miles of coastline,

the second longest in England after Cornwall.

One of the gems of the Essex coast is Frinton-on-Sea.

With its colourful array of Victorian style beach huts,

it retains an atmosphere from the 1920s

when it was a favourite retreat for the aristocracy.

As the sea breeze comes inland,

it is harnessed by the vast numbers of windmills

that are found throughout the countryside.

Indeed, despite its proximity to London,

three quarters of Essex is rural,

with rolling wheat fields and ancient woodland.

The north-east border is Constable country,

immortalised by the landscape painter

who fell in love with the area.

North-west Essex is home to Audley End House,

one of the finest Jacobean houses in England.

During the 18th century, the extensive formal gardens

and parkland surrounding the house were remodelled

by the landscape architect Capability Brown.

Its palatial rooms are now open to the public,

providing an insight into the upper echelons

of the Essex property market.

Although, with its wealth of charming thatches

and medieval timber-framed homes,

there is no shortage of stunning period properties in this county.

If you are thinking about escaping to one of the Home Counties,

then Essex is well worth a look because it is, by far, the cheapest.

The average cost of a detached property here is currently £326,000.

Now, to be fair, it is a lot of money,

but when you compare it to the other Home Counties,

such as Surrey, Kent, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire,

it does represent pretty good value for money.

All worth knowing because today's buyers are determined

that this part of the world should be their new home.

Michelle and Jamie live in North London

and have been together for four years.

-We had quite a fun first date, didn't we?

-Yeah. It was brilliant.

Seven hours... HE CHUCKLES ..it lasted for.

And I think at that point,

I knew that Michelle was going to be the one for a long time.

We went to the Southbank, which was really nice,

and I was putting my spoon in your food, wasn't I?

Oh, yes. She put her spoon in my soup and I thought that was quite cute.

And I think we knew pretty soon that

-we were on the same wavelength.

-Yes, definitely.

Michelle owns a property in West London,

and Jamie owns the one they share in Stamford Hill

in the north of the capital.

I have been in this particular property for just under eight years.

But time ticks on and you get tied to the city because your job is here.

I am keen to kind of break out of that and go somewhere,

otherwise I'll be here forever.

So, they are hoping to move east to Essex,

where Jamie is originally from.

We want to move to the countryside

because we want a better quality of life.

I would describe us as quite spiritual people

and think that kind of ties in with nature.

And we both love walking in nature, so being in the great outdoors

and beautiful scenery and waking up and seeing green fields

and things like that, that is something I really look forward to.

Michelle is a psychologist and works with young people,

and Jamie is a psychotherapist who works with adults.

They are hoping their new house will be more than just a home.

In the new property, I'd quite like to have a study where I could

also see clients for a one-to-one basis for therapy sessions.

And it would be, if possible, it would be a real luxury to have

some kind of room where people could come for group therapy.

And coming on the move with them will be Thea.

She is currently a house cat.

Also one of the reasons we wanted to move

was so that she could go outside and enjoy the great outdoors as well.

Yeah, we feel somewhat guilty about having her crammed up in the house.

Deprived, yeah.

-So, we are going to remedy that with a garden, hopefully.

-Yeah.

As they plan to continue working part-time in London,

moving out might be challenging.

I have not ever lived in the countryside before, no.

I think the worries and concerns about moving to Essex

is possibly the commute.

Because we haven't had to do that for some time.

But I think it could be overcome if we lived in the right property

and we were coming home to beautiful countryside and a beautiful home.

It would all be worthwhile.

So, with high hopes and with Jamie's house already on the market,

there is a lot riding on this relocation.

This is a highly important move for us

because I think the property we move to next is going to be

the one where kind of it really all happens.

And we will start thinking about the next chapter of our lives,

which may involve children.

I had a huge friendship group in London,

but gradually, as the years have passed on,

everyone has been getting married and moving away,

so I think it's our turn now just to leave.

Michelle and Jamie would like us to focus our house-hunt

in the north of Essex, which can offer them both a rural aspect

and a realistic commute into London via Liverpool Street station.

But to discuss the detail of their proposed big move,

I am off to meet them.

-Hello, Michelle.

-Hi.

-Hi, Jamie.

-Hiya.

-Nice to see you.

-And you. Pleasure.

Now, normally at this point in the show,

I like to share with our buyers a beautiful view of the region

and the county that they have chosen to live in.

You have to take my word for it, but out there in the gloom is Essex.

And the reason I know that is because

I was born about two miles from where we are sitting.

-Wow.

-So, take it from me, it is out there somewhere. It is very lovely.

But why do you want to move here?

Well, Jamie's family is from here, so that is one of the main reasons.

And also, it is quite close to London.

-Now, you're both self-employed.

-Yes.

You've got some quite interesting jobs. What are you trying to do?

Well, I have sort of put together my profession in a strange way.

I sort of qualified in three different types of psychotherapy

and I run workshops in London and one-to-one therapy,

so I am trying to hopefully take that out to the country

-so we can do rural retreats, perhaps.

-Wow.

But you're hoping to create a whole new business

in a place you have never operated before.

-That is quite daunting, isn't it?

-A little bit.

There is somewhat of an experiment involved.

JULES LAUGHS But we have faith.

You're quite young.

Are you looking for something modern and groovy, or old and characterful?

We would love to have a Victorian, Edwardian or Georgian

character property, but modern inside.

So, like, kind of newish.

-Renovated?

-Yes, that would be the dream.

-OK.

And how much are you planning to spend on all of this, then?

I think as a maximum budget, we'd be looking to spend £495,000.

Oh, that is very specific. Or less?

-Yes.

-Well, that would be great.

-Yeah.

Well, hopefully the weather will clear.

There is a hint of blue sky up there.

It's a long time since I've lived in this part of the world,

although it is where I grew up,

so for me, it is a bit of a trip down memory lane.

-We can show Essex off to you, these two Essex boys here.

-Yeah.

Hopefully find you a property.

We have got some great ones to choose from,

including, of course, our Mystery House,

so who knows what that is going to be?

-Shall we go?

-Yes.

-Come on.

-If we can find the car.

-MICHELLE CHUCKLES

Out there somewhere.

With their budget of £495,000, Michelle and Jamie are looking for

a period property with lots of rural charm,

but they want it fully refurbished inside.

It must have at least three bedrooms,

plus a therapy room where Jamie could see clients.

A garden with rural views is also on the list.

And, as they will sometimes commute,

they'd like a maximum journey time

of an hour and a half

into central London.

We have been scouring Essex for the right properties,

one of which could become

not only Michelle and Jamie's first joint home,

but also a beautiful psychotherapy practice.

Only after they have viewed each house will we reveal its price.

And we will also throw in the Mystery House.

This property will hopefully give them

something they didn't even know they wanted.

Our first property is in the village of Gestingthorpe,

halfway between the towns of Halsted in Essex and Sudbury in Suffolk.

There is a great pub and restaurant, although no primary school.

There is also a village hall

that Jamie could hire out for group therapy sessions.

Our first house is in the heart of the village.

There we are. What do you think of this one, then?

-It's beautiful.

-Fantastic.

-Nice, isn't it?

-Yeah, gorgeous.

It is an old farmhouse.

-It is detached.

-Yeah.

-So, we have ticked that box.

That is a big thing for me, yeah. Brilliant.

Now, since it was first built back in 1780, it has been extended,

in particular upstairs.

It has had the sort of wraparound extension put on it,

which gives you loads and loads of space.

-Are you convinced?

-Very much so. First impressions are fantastic.

-Excellent.

-Yeah. Can't wait to get inside.

'With its dolls' house frontage set inside a wraparound garden,

'I am not surprised this place has made a good first impression.

'And once inside, you walk straight into a very welcoming living room.'

-What do you reckon?

-Lovely.

-I love it.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-I love the beams. Yeah?

-Mm-hm.

I was worried you were going to say, "Oh, the ceilings are too low."

He is more about the ceilings.

But this doesn't feel wrong. HE CHUCKLES

-There's a nice feel about it.

-Yeah.

That little archway goes through to one of the extensions,

which gives you another dining room

and access out to the side of the garden.

-Lovely.

-Great.

-Your face is really beaming, isn't it?

-OK. What is going on?

-What is going on? I don't know.

It has got a good feel about it.

-Sometimes you can't put your finger on why you like a place.

-Yeah.

-Sometimes it is nice and sometimes it isn't, and this feels good.

-Yeah.

-Look at this. Right, come on.

-Yeah, your smile.

So, this is your kitchen.

Mmm. Yeah, this is fine.

-It's nice.

-Fine?

-Fine. No, as in like...

-THEY LAUGH

-..it's workable.

It is certainly workable.

You have got loads of preparation space, nice finish.

You have got the wooden floor.

-That little archway leads through to a utility area.

-Great.

-Back door out to the garden as well.

-I really like it.

There is also a shelf-lined study on the ground floor and a cloakroom.

One of the features I love about this property is the landing.

You have got your four bedrooms that kind of emanate off of it.

It is dominated by this lovely thing, which is the chimney breast

coming up from the lovely fireplace down below.

There is a nice guest room over there, double.

Another double through there.

Really big family bathroom in there, which I know is important.

And then another double through there, which could be your study.

-And then last but not least, this is yours.

-Wow.

-Wow.

-Wow. That is lovely.

-Yeah?

-This is nice.

They really have made this deliberately the master, obviously.

They have knocked through, essentially, to create this space.

Loads of room, really light.

And a little dressing area with walk-in wardrobe, etc.

-Awesome.

-Very impressed. Lovely.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Smiles are continuing.

-Yeah!

-It is a good sign.

-It's a very good sign!

All that is left now is to take a look outside.

There is a pleasant garden with a raised decking area,

plus there is room for four parked cars.

-Didn't you want some decking?

-Yes.

Come down here, then.

So, Jamie, how do you feel about this one?

I mean, you and the therapy, is it going to work here?

Certainly for the one-to-one stuff, probably not for the group.

But I think maybe that has always been a tall order.

-All right, then. So...

-MICHELLE CHUCKLES

How much is it on the market for, Michelle?

The all-important question.

-I am going to hazard a guess at £480,000.

-£480,000.

-Hmm. I am thinking £450,000.

-Are you? Why are you thinking that?

Just because I know that we're getting closer to Sudbury

and as you move away from London, you'd think the prices would go down.

-That logic doesn't always match up with reality!

-It really doesn't.

-But on this occasion, it does.

-Ah!

-You are absolutely right, sir.

-It is on the market at £450,000.

-Ahh.

-Excellent.

It has only been on for two months or so, just over.

-I think it's had a fair bit of interest, not surprisingly.

-Mm.

People have reacted to it in the way you have.

-Have another look around.

-OK.

-I will catch you later.

-OK, lovely.

-Thank you.

-Off you go.

A generous £45,000 under budget,

this four-bedroom property

has been lovingly extended,

retaining heaps of period charm.

There are four bedrooms, a study,

a separate kitchen, dining room

and lounge,

and it is all set within a

wraparound garden with a large deck.

What's more, the commute to London

would be about an hour and a half.

When I first saw the property, I thought, "Wow."

It was like a little chocolate box house

and I really couldn't wait to get inside.

It's got a really warm feel to the house. It's got really good flow.

You could really see family coming over here, couldn't you?

Entertaining, Christmas.

-Christmas tree there.

-Yep.

I do feel a little bit remote here, to be honest, because I don't drive.

But my first thought was,

"I'm going to have to get my driving lessons and my driving test

"done soon if I want to move here, because it is a must."

Yeah, I could see Michelle and I living in this house,

as long as a few other factors fell into place

in terms of transport and schools and so forth.

So, we'd have to explore that concept and get to know the area.

But the house itself is stunning.

-That was a nice property.

-Yeah, I enjoyed that.

Well, I thought you would.

-It is certainly one you should consider.

-Definitely.

-But we haven't exhausted all the possibilities.

-No.

-Nor have we quite spent all of your budget, have we?

-MICHELLE LAUGHS

Come on.

Throughout British history, Essex has been an affluent area

due to its prime location close to the continent and the River Thames.

In the 16th century,

one of the ways that prosperous residents showed off their wealth

was by decorating the exterior of their homes with pargetting.

This is the traditional practice of creating raised designs

using ornate plaster work.

Over the centuries, it has gone in and out of fashion,

but has remained popular in Essex and East Anglia.

So, we have arranged for Jamie and Michelle to meet Bill Sargent,

a third-generation pargetter.

-Hello.

-I'm Michelle.

-I'm Bill.

-Hello, Bill.

-Hello, I'm Jamie.

-Hi, Jamie.

-Nice to meet you.

-So, is this a typical design?

-It is typical to a building of this age.

We always try and work the design into the age of the building.

This house was built in the 17th century, late 1600s,

so the design is of that period as well.

-So, where does the name come from?

-The name comes from the French.

To parge is to throw,

because years ago they used to throw the plaster on.

Historically, this is an area that the Huguenots come to

during the persecutions, and they brought the craft with them

from the Highlands, Holland, Belgium, France.

And how many pargetters are there?

20 years ago, I suppose there was four or five of us.

But now, it is well in excess of 40, I'd say.

-Ah.

-It is quite an art form, then?

Yes, it is, but it's not that hard to pick up really, you know.

I'm doing the small wall plaque round the corner,

so maybe I can let you have a go on that,

-or rub it out and do something simple for you?

-Yeah.

-And you can have a go, eh?

-Awesome.

-Come on, then.

-Thanks.

Although today Bill is working on a private home,

he has also worked on the cathedral at Bury St Edmunds

and even Westminster Abbey.

This is going to be a permanent feature here. It is a plaque.

We're going to put the name of the farmhouse in it, maybe tomorrow.

But today, the owner's asked if I can do him

a running hare in an old style.

This whole area is full of hares,

they're always getting in his garden.

So, we'll quickly draw one out.

-So, it is not ordinary plaster, then?

-No, no, no.

Just a mixture of lime and sand together.

This is exactly the same mix

as they would have used 500 or 600 years ago.

What you have to remember with this kind of work is

it's following lines, so everything...

The arch round, up, bring him down.

Slight raise there, bring him up.

So, you can see how it flows. And the leg does, obviously, like that.

Today, Bill is using a pretty basic mixture on this farmhouse,

but in the past, other ingredients were often added

to create a better texture,

including hair, horse urine, tallow, blood and salt.

Just get a handful of the material,

hold the trowel at an angle and just start to build him up.

And then we can work from that.

So, it is just a matter of...

building him up.

And...

OK, Jamie, I'll pass the small trowel and the glove over to you

and you can have a go at building it up, eh?

-Yeah.

-Here's the goggles first.

-Thank you.

That's right.

It's not actually as hard as I thought it was going to be.

Yes, that is looking a bit too good now.

I don't need any more competition around these ways!

HE LAUGHS

Once Jamie's design is dry, it can be painted.

-I think... I think that's me done.

-That's the base to start from now.

We'll leave that for an hour, let it dry in a bit and do some more.

-But that was really good. Well done.

-Thanks.

You've done better than most on their first attempt.

Thank you so much for that, Bill.

-That's been really interesting.

-My pleasure.

-It's been nice to meet you both.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Hope you find what you're looking for.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

It is the second day of our house-hunt

and with a budget of just under £500,000,

psychologist Michelle and psychotherapist Jamie

are hoping to trade in their London maisonette

for a serene and spacious rural retreat in north-west Essex.

Still to come are two more houses, including the Mystery House,

which leaves our buyers speechless, but not in the way I would like.

What do you reckon?

-It's quite cold in here.

-Yeah.

And I am also having shivers as I explore a secret nuclear bunker.

Now, this is quite chilling, isn't it?

That was the whole raison d'etre of this bunker.

Well, so far, the Essex countryside does seem to be wooing

Jamie and Michelle, but I am not entirely convinced

we have found them a property just yet.

So, today, it is all to play for.

We're heading next to the village of Great Horkesley,

three miles north of Colchester.

All essential facilities can be found in the village,

including a shop and post office, as well as some luxuries too

by way of a great pub and even a wine boutique.

There are also a good variety of primary schools to choose from

within a five-mile radius.

Down a lane just off the main road is our next property,

a picture-perfect cottage.

-Now, what about this, then?

-Wow.

-Wow.

-That's amazing.

-That is something, isn't it?

-Yes.

-It is like in a fairytale.

-Isn't it?

-Yeah.

-The real McCoy.

It really is the real McCoy. This was built, we think, about 1620.

Classic thatch. Not surprisingly, it is listed, Grade II.

But that shouldn't concern you because the whole thing

has been beautifully - and I mean beautifully - renovated.

-It is fabulous.

-We wouldn't want to change it.

That's what we were looking for - old on the outside, new on the inside.

In terms of the future, schools - Colchester is awash with them.

The thatch is something you have to keep an eye on.

That is just part of the fun of having a listed building.

-OK.

-Can't wait.

-Can't wait to have a look.

-Yeah.

Look at you two. Come on.

'Something else to be excited about is that this location

'has the shortest commute into London

'of all the properties we are showing our buyers.

'And when they get inside, I don't think they will ever want to leave.'

-Come on then.

-Wow.

-Gosh.

Oh, gosh. This is lovely.

I mean, as period cottages go, to use the local lingo,

-it's pukka.

-THEY LAUGH

-Yes?

-Yeah.

-Gorgeous. Wood burner over there.

The oak floors run throughout.

The bones of the building have been exposed during the renovation,

-as you can see, these lovely beams.

-Yeah.

-Is this you?

-Yes.

-Yeah. We were so open.

We just wanted wow factor, didn't we? And this has got it.

-Yeah.

-Definitely.

-There's a little music room through there, cum study.

-Yeah.

-That will become apparent a little bit later on.

-Mm-hm.

But suffice to say, it is all like this. It is lovely throughout.

The only concern I might have, as far as you're concerned,

from what you've said before, is the head height.

Oh, it is outdone by charm, though, isn't it? HE CHUCKLES

It is outdone by charm. Right answer. Come on, let's continue.

-This is the dining room.

-Oh, wow.

-Oh, it is lovely.

-Stunning. Stunning.

-Yeah.

Perfect. Love it.

-JULES LAUGHS

-It is gorgeous, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-You've got an open fire there, which is rather nice too.

-Yeah.

-Where do I sign?

-Oh! Well...

I know Michelle and Jamie are also going to be smitten

by the bedrooms here.

There is an en-suite on this floor,

and the two bedrooms upstairs are both spacious double aspect

and each have their own staircase

and share a bathroom on the ground floor,

which is next to the heart of the home.

-Here we are, guys.

-Oh, my God!

-Ah, yes.

-Oh, this is amazing.

-Amazing. That range.

-This is so beautiful.

-Yeah.

Classic oil-fired range there. On at the moment, which is rather nice.

But in the heat of the summer, you can turn that off and use

the hob that's in the counter over there with the oven underneath.

-JAMIE CHUCKLES

-This is so cool. This is my favourite by far.

What would your friends think of this?

As long as they're under six foot, they can come.

I think they'll be quite jealous.

It is just lovely. Come and have a look down here.

The whole thing opens up into this conservatory area,

which they've got as another dining area.

Of course, you've got the dining room next door as well,

so you could just fill it full of sofas and use it to relax in.

-Yeah.

-I quite like it like that, the way they've got it.

-I like it.

-Yeah, it's perfect.

-The two options.

-Still want to buy it?

-Yeah!

-So far, so good. JULES CHUCKLES

Now, here you have got family bathroom with his-and-hers sinks,

bath and shower.

-But this...bedroom three,

-SHE GASPS

is what I think would make a brilliant master for you.

Although the current owners use one of the bedrooms upstairs

as their room, this is the only one with an en-suite.

-Oh!

-Wow.

-So nice.

Looks... There's a hidden door.

-No, no, that bathroom there.

-Oh.

-No!

-Oh?

-No, no. This one.

-Wow!

-Wow.

-Yeah?

-SHE SQUEALS Stunning.

-Oh, my God!

-This is the most perfect bathroom ever.

-Wow.

-Wow.

-You wanted a wet room, didn't you?

-Yes!

-Absolutely.

-Wow.

-We definitely wanted a really nice shower

-and that is amazing.

-Yeah.

And remember that music room and study I talked about

-on the way in?

-Yeah.

There it is. The whole thing sort of flows round on itself.

If you didn't want it as a study,

-you could have it as a separate dressing room.

-Yeah.

-Perfect.

-And it is for sale.

SHE SQUEALS Which helps.

-JULES LAUGHS

-But how much is it for sale for?

-Oh, well...

-Come on.

'The large garden can be accessed through the kitchen,

'but we're heading back through the front entrance.'

Oh, and it's sunny. Look at this!

'And there is also a terrace, garage and drive for off-street parking.'

It is quite tempting, isn't it?

The only other thing to point out, really, is that garage,

which you might want to think about turning into

something more useful for you,

-maybe office, garden office, consulting room.

-Yeah.

-Maybe.

-Totally.

-What is it worth, then?

All right, well...

I don't think you'd be too evil to give us something

way over our asking price.

But I think it is going to have to be slightly.

So, our maximum was £495,000. I am going to go for £499...

950.

-£499,950.

-Or bang on the nose, £500,000.

-OK.

I am going to go for £495,000, top end of budget.

Right.

If it were £499,950, could you find the best part of five grand?

Yeah, there are ways and means, yeah.

It is on at £499,995.

-Oh, wow!

-JULES LAUGHS

Now, saying that, it has only been on the market for six weeks.

The owners have got their eye on something else down the road,

so I suspect, given your 495, there is a conversation to be had.

Well, go back, have another look around.

In particular, check out those two bedrooms upstairs

and I'll catch up with you a little bit later.

-OK.

-Thanks, Jules.

-Off you go.

Creeping over budget by just under £5,000,

this three-bedroom property has won our couple over

with its 17th-century charm and stunning modern restoration.

There is a stand-out kitchen conservatory

and a potential home office.

Just four miles from Colchester, its location is perfect too,

providing our shortest commute to London

of just an hour and ten minutes.

As soon as I came in, I was like, "This is where I want to live."

Yeah. I guess in a way, it was love at first sight.

This is exactly how we'd have our kitchen if we could choose, right?

-You wouldn't change anything?

-No, I wouldn't.

I love it so much. I really want to move in.

-HE CHUCKLES

-Seriously.

-Come on.

-Can't miss out.

You can see they've already got a small family living here already,

so that is sort of where we are at our life stage,

so you could see at least for the next ten years,

this could be perfect.

I think we are both very keen, so fingers crossed we can get the house.

-How are we doing, then?

-Oh, brilliant.

-Could this be the one?

-Yes.

-Very much so.

-I think so.

-It is certainly your favourite of the lot so far?

-Definitely.

-Definitely our favourite.

-Hold that thought. Come on.

Well, our Mystery House certainly has a lot to live up to now.

So, I am taking a gamble. My plan is to offer them a bit of a project.

Our final property has an incredibly historic shell,

but if they were to get the planning permission needed,

they could give it a fabulous interior precisely to their tastes.

To find out if they will embrace this challenge,

we're heading to the village of Ridgewell,

14 miles north of Braintree.

In the centre of Ridgewell is a village green

surrounded by listed buildings,

and a large proportion of the village is in a conservation area.

There are also some pubs and a beautiful 14th-century church.

The mystery property is in the heart of the village.

Right, chaps, well, here is...

-..our Mystery House.

-Yep.

It is the yellow bit.

You can probably just make out

-that little carving that says 1585.

-Oh, yeah.

It is the oldest one of the lot we have been able to show you.

Similar style as well. Timber-frame classic for this part of the world.

It is technically a semi, as you can see.

-But it's got loads and loads of features in it.

-OK.

So, it is really nice.

-If you like the old, which you did with our last property...

-Loved it.

..this, again, is more of the same, but even older.

-What do you think?

-Nice.

Not so sure about the road, but let's go and have a look inside.

Keep an open mind. Let's have a look.

The house is also Grade II listed.

The front entrance is through an original timber door,

although today we're using the back entrance

into the recently renovated kitchen.

Right.

I know what you're going to say,

and your face has already said it, Michelle.

"It is a bit small, Jules." Yes, it is.

-But this doesn't have to be the kitchen.

-OK.

This might become a utility or a boot room,

or maybe even a study, if you wanted it to be.

-Ticthy.

-Mm?

-SHE SNIGGERS

Hmm.

Bear with me. Think about it - 1585, it is oozing with history.

And a reasonable amount of space. This is currently the living room.

-OK.

-Higher ceilings.

-Oh, yeah.

-Yeah.

-Lots of lovely beams.

That door there takes you through to the corridor,

which is the front door. Again, all original.

-The layout is beautifully original, actually.

-Mm-hm.

You've got that lovely pukka fireplace over there

with the wood burner and all the rest of it. Classic inglenook.

In terms of space and feel, what do you reckon?

Erm...

Oh. SHE LAUGHS

-It is quite cold in here.

-Yeah.

It is currently unused, unlived in at the moment.

So, it has got a slightly damp air

because it has not been used regularly.

-Think of this as living room.

-Mm-hm.

Think of this room as kitchen. Have a look at this.

They've got it as a dining area at the moment.

There's another lovely fireplace in there with a wood burner.

-Again, awash with beams.

-Yep.

How about this as a kitchen, with doors out to the garden?

Yeah, I could see that working.

This will give you an opportunity to do something quite exciting.

The kitchen that's here, let's face it, it is not big enough,

-it's not going to work for you two.

-No.

But bearing in mind, we all like the kitchen

to be the heart of our homes these days,

-I think you could have some fun in here.

-Mm.

Michelle is so not convinced!

There is a twist to this one, which is why it is our Mystery House.

-OK.

-That will become apparent.

'This property has four bedrooms

'accessed from two different stairways,

'but we're heading straight to the master.'

Up you come. Look at these floors. I love it. Elm boards.

Now, this is what we are thinking about for you.

-It is certainly the biggest of the lot.

-Mm-hm.

It does feel a little unloved

because it is effectively, really, unfurnished, it is unused.

Not a bad size.

No, it has got the square footage.

And we're on somewhat of a slope.

It is often the way.

These timber-frame buildings do move over time.

They were built using what was called green oak,

so freshly cut oak.

And of course, once it is put together,

it then shrinks a bit and contracts and it twists and it moves,

and that is why you get these lovely odd shapes.

When you're looking at what is essentially an empty shell,

it is hard to make that work, I think.

At least in my mind.

Shall we just get it over and done with and talk about the price?

-OK.

-Come on, then.

'I do think it is a shame that Michelle and Jamie

'haven't warmed to this home, because it is unique.

'In this part of the house is a shower room,

'as well as stairs up to the second bedroom on the floor above.

'Bedrooms three and four on the other side of the house

'are both unfurnished and shared a bathroom.

Looking at the outside of this building, it's absolutely all there.

It's in really, really good condition,

-so it is just a cosmetic fix.

-Yes.

-It is.

-But that in itself could be quite costly.

I know you'd redo the kitchen, that would cost some money.

And I'd say if you allowed £15,000 for that, you'd be comfortably off.

-For the kitchen?

-Yeah, with a very, very nice kitchen.

But of course, it is all very well, but it does depend on the price.

-Yes.

-So, Michelle...

-Yeah.

-HE LAUGHS

-Start with me.

-You have got £495,000 to spend.

-Yeah.

What is a Grade II village home worth, then?

I don't want to, like, offend the owners,

but I would think about £395,000.

-£395,000.

-I would probably say about...

-I'd go with £400,000.

-That would be quite cheap.

-That would save an awful lot of your £495,000.

-Yes. Mm.

-You said you didn't really want to offend them.

-No.

-You haven't.

-Oh, good.

-You've probably put a smile on their faces,

because this is on the market at £350,000.

-Wow!

-OK.

-OK.

-Which is the twist.

-This is why it is our Mystery House.

-That makes sense.

We thought we would save you the best part of £150,000,

which means you could do what you like in there.

-You could cover the whole thing in gold leaf if you wanted to.

-Yeah.

-That changes things completely.

-I'll bet it does.

-Yeah.

Yes. I think you should have a good look around

-before you say anything else.

-Yeah.

-OK, cool.

-And I will come and find you later on.

Well, Michelle and Jamie may seem a bit daunted,

but a £145,000 under budget, this is

one well worth thinking about.

The Grade II listed property

has four bedrooms

with a generously-sized

sitting room and dining room,

as well as potential to create

a large kitchen diner.

And to get back to the capital would

take about an hour and a half.

So, what do you think?

It kind of scares me a bit, if I'm honest.

-I don't think it is really the project for us, is it?

-No.

I think you have definitely found us a house here in Essex,

but unfortunately, it is not this house.

If this property had been done up

to the style of the thatched property,

it may have made the decision a bit more difficult.

However, having said that,

I actually preferred the location of the earlier property.

-Here we go.

-HE CHUCKLES

-Still smiling?

Oh, come on! It's not been that bad.

-We've shown you some really good properties this week.

-You have.

-Yeah.

-Time now to go and think about everything

we have had the chance to tempt you with.

-Yeah.

-See what the future holds.

-Yay!

-Come on, then.

Mainly rural, Essex has its historic capital in Colchester.

Back in the first century AD, Camulodunum, as it was then called,

was the capital of the whole of Roman Britain.

But in the 1950s,

Essex could once again have become a centre of government.

With tensions between the United States

and the Soviet Union high post-World War II,

the Cold War raged

and the government wanted to be prepared for anything.

They decided to build a vast secret bunker that could become

an underground command centre in the event of a nuclear war.

They chose this farm near the village of Kelvedon Hatch

because of its proximity to London,

and bought 25 acres of land from farmer Mike Parish's grandfather.

-Mike.

-Jules, how do you do?

-Very nice to see you, sir.

-Nice to meet you too.

Now, this is going to be a house with a difference.

Well, it is certainly the biggest unsecret secret in the world.

-Come on, then.

-It is different.

-Show me around.

I like that. The biggest unsecret secret.

The entrance to the secret bunker is though the guardhouse,

which was designed to look like a post-war bungalow.

In the 1990s, once tensions between East and West had subsided

and the Cold War was over, the bunker was no longer needed.

Mike's family bought it back and turned it into a fascinating museum.

I am astonished, Mike, that this could have remained a secret,

given how many people were involved in its construction.

Well, in those days, the village of Kelvedon Hatch

was only a mere 150-odd souls, not the metropolis that it is now.

We didn't have radios, Facebook, instant communication,

so it was much easier to keep something quiet than nowadays.

But you lived above it, so you knew.

We knew it was here, correct. Watched it being built.

So, they basically dug an enormous hole,

-built a huge concrete bunker and then covered it up again.

-That's it.

Ten-foot thick walls, nice, square.

Because thickness is what keeps radiation out.

People associate it with lead, cos it's dense.

But of course, you get the same thing

if you put wodges of concrete and dirt.

The object of a bunker, obviously, is to keep radiation out,

-which of course is...

-Are these Geiger metres?

These are Geiger counters, yes. They would have detected radiation.

You can't see it, smell it, feel it, hear it,

and so you definitely needed something that would tell you

that it was there, or it would get you if you went outside.

These are the blast doors.

Once they are shut, the 600-odd people would be in here

for three months, or until they ran out of food.

The doors are made of steel, each one weighing about a tonne.

The bunker is 100-foot deep and set out over three levels,

covering 35,000 square feet.

On the middle floor, there was a space for a representative

from every department of government.

Now, this is quite chilling, isn't it?

"Availability and allocation of surviving resources."

You don't tend to think of it like that,

but that's, I suppose, the dub of it.

That was the whole raison d'etre of this bunker

was to be allocating surviving resources

to those of us that had survived.

'Down we go to the bottom level,

'where we're now 100 feet underground.'

It just goes on and on.

Well, this is the plotting floor.

That's where all the information would have been fed

so that they would know where a bomb had gone off

and where the radiation was spreading.

The red ones are the ground bursts.

They're the worst because they pick up the dust.

That's what goes in the atmosphere

and that's what carries the radiation.

The green ones are air bursts.

You don't get so much radiation because it produces a triangle,

but you get far more collateral damage.

And then the people down here,

they would have plotted this on here, got the direction of the wind

and they'd then be trying to move us,

the population, out of the way of that radiation.

We are heading back up to the top level

of this rather amazing construction.

Up here is where the living accommodation would have been,

including the sickbay.

This is when you realise how deep 100 foot is.

JULES LAUGHS

And you have walked up it more than most.

It's a very brutal business

to try and manage the effects of a nuclear attack.

I think that's right.

The commissioner here, who would have been a cabinet minister,

would have had a horrible job.

You have got to somehow maintain law and order,

in a limited way, because you are in here, safe,

without any problems - in inverted commas -

and they're out there that you have got to try and protect.

Thankfully, we never needed it.

But do you think it would still work today if it were needed?

Yes, it would work.

The filters are still downstairs, we're under positive pressure,

which keeps the stuff outside rather than it coming in.

So, I think, yes, it has got a pretty good chance of surviving.

So, if it does all go wrong, you're the man to come and see.

Absolutely. I've got the keys! JULES LAUGHS

Well, don't lose those, for goodness' sake.

Well, for our final chat with Jamie and Michelle,

I thought I'd give them a little bit of a treat.

I have brought them to one of my favourite spots

along the border with Essex and Suffolk.

These are the gorgeous grounds of Castle Hedingham.

They are over there. I think we have given them plenty of time.

-Hello again.

-Hello to you, sir. Hello, madam.

-Hello.

-How are we doing?

-Good, thanks.

-Very good.

-You have been thinking?

-Mm-hm.

-Very good.

Have you come up with a solution to the conundrum we have given you

with all of those wonderful houses we were able to show you?

I think so.

Some you have clearly loved, some you have not loved quite as much.

But let's talk about the one that you absolutely seem to adore.

I don't think it will be any surprise

to anyone watching this show,

but our thatched property has rather taken your hearts away.

-It has.

-I think it is a bit of a no-brainer with this one.

-Yeah.

I've always said to Michelle that wherever we move to,

I'm not going to spend that amount of money

-unless I am excited to go there. And we did feel that.

-Yeah.

It would be a move that

-we'd feel excited about moving to this house.

-Yeah.

It gave you that contemporary feel

-in the older building.

-Yeah.

-Absolutely.

It's just to our taste. Wouldn't change a thing.

It is a gorgeous property.

And in terms of location, it is on the northern side of Colchester.

It is - what? - ten minutes to the mainline station into Colchester.

-It is the best part of town to be in.

-Yeah.

And, of course, you have got access northward to Suffolk

-and all the fun that that offers you as well.

-Exactly.

Exactly. That's why it's so good for us, because it's in between both.

Get the best of both worlds.

Did you think you would find something

when you started this process?

-We hoped.

-Yeah, we had hoped.

We kept an open mind and I did have faith that we would find something,

but not quite as amazing as what we did find.

I'm delighted that our thatched property has stolen your hearts.

So, what happens next?

Because I suspect it is not going to be on the market that long.

-Mm.

-Yes, well.

The other thing is, we have got to sell our property first,

so I think a tentative offer might be the next move

and then just have to keep ringing my estate agent

and get him to pull his finger out! THEY BOTH LAUGH

-Guys, it has been an absolute pleasure.

-Thanks.

-Jamie, thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you.

-Michelle, all the best to you.

-Thank you.

-I'm glad you like Essex.

-Yes, I do.

-It's all right, isn't it?

Not a bad gaff. THEY ALL LAUGH

Well, I have had a lot of fun this week

revisiting the villages and the countryside that I once grew up in.

As we finish up here, overlooked by the lovely keep at Hedingham,

I am reminded of that old phrase

that every Englishman's home is his castle.

This was Aubrey de Vere II's version of it, which he began back in 1140.

He certainly knew what he wanted, and now hopefully,

Michelle and Jamie have got what they wanted.

It may not be a castle, but it is a gorgeous home.

I will see you next time.

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