Anglesey Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country.

This rugged, vivid and scarred landscape

is, astonishingly, man-made, but by whom, where and why?

Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.

Today's house-buying couple's move is driven by their desire

to get a new lifestyle off the ground.

I think this would make a great terminal building.

THEY ALL LAUGH

And happily, our properties seem to hit the mark.

-It certainly is a proper living kitchen, this one.

-You've done it.

Well, today I'm on the island of Anglesey,

just off the coast of North Wales,

and this striking landscape is otherwise known as Parys Mountain.

It's the result of some pretty serious copper mining.

Now, copper has been known about here since the days of the Bronze Age,

but it was during the late 18th century

that production really reached its peak,

turning out some 3,000 tonnes of ore every year.

It was so successful they even produced their own coins,

some ten million pennies and half pennies.

By 1780, it was the biggest copper mine in Europe.

It is genuinely a very surreal, somewhat extraterrestrial landscape -

almost Martian - but it's all the more remarkable

when you consider that pretty much all of it was excavated by hand.

The Isle of Anglesey, or Ynys Mon in Welsh,

sits in the Irish Sea off the northwest coast of Wales,

separated from the mainland by the Menai Strait

and joined to the mainland by two bridges.

The island, which has views of Snowdonia at every turn,

is rich with fertile land, stunning coastlines

and rugged rock formations covered by swathes of wild gorse.

Whitewashed houses are surrounded by rural pasture,

and the Victorian facades of coastal villages

overlook beautiful beaches.

Anglesey's landscape is also home to numerous ancient monuments,

like the Lligwy Burial Chamber, dating back around 5,000 years.

In the historic town of Beaumaris

is the splendid and unfinished 13th-century Beaumaris Castle,

built by Edward I and now a World Heritage Site.

The islanders have a good sense of humour too,

with the village with the longest place name in Britain -

manufactured in the 19th century to attract tourists.

21st-century royalty has also been attracted to this fair isle.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

called Anglesey home for three years -

a royal seal of approval

that this is surely a splendid rural retreat.

Now, if you do fancy a slice of island life,

then Anglesey is well worth a look.

This is one of my favourite views, looking across the Menai Strait

to the mainland and of course that famous bridge.

And when it comes to house prices,

well, they too are worth more than a passing glance.

When you consider that the price of your average property in England

and Wales is currently £282,000,

well, here you could comfortably knock 100 grand off of that.

Now, of course, any property overlooking the water

is going to come with a premium attached,

but there's no getting away from the fact that your budget here

will go an awful long way, as indeed do the views.

So, let's meet today's buyers and find out what's attracted them

to one of my favourite parts of the UK.

Retired eye specialist Colleen

and her IT project manager husband Martin from Merseyside

had a little help from Cupid when they met

in the form of a dating agency.

Computer dating before the invention of computers to do it.

It was all a paper exercise.

Whenever we have any little tiff or anything like that,

Colleen will always remind me, "I didn't tick that box!"

THEY LAUGH

-We went out a few times.

-We did.

And then we started going out on a steady basis.

And that was 21 years ago.

And then we've been happy ever since...since then.

Both have grown-up children.

Colleen had two sons from a previous relationship,

and Martin a son and a daughter.

They moved to their current home 17 years ago.

We bought this house,

a huge old seven, eight-bedroom Victorian red brick house,

because it fitted us.

Four children, au pair and granny.

-We're entering a new stage of our lives now.

-Mm.

The children have grown up.

We want to move somewhere quieter.

Somewhere where there's not

so much traffic outside would be nice.

We both know as well that what we want

is a bit of an adventure as well.

And the sad loss of close family members

has added to their desire to move on with life.

We had an awful year.

Last year was the worst year ever.

Last January my youngest son George died

and a few months after that my mother died in June.

It's taken me a long while

to feel that there's anything to look forward to,

and this move is just what we need.

We need a new start, we need a fresh start.

Something to look forward to and get excited about.

After holidaying on Anglesey,

they've decided that the Welsh island

is the right place for them to retire to.

The things that we're going to be excited about

when we go over to Anglesey are the ability to go for walks

around the coast, being able to go fishing,

which is one of the things we both like.

I'm longing for a breath of fresh air

and some green fields and countryside.

Colleen and Martin have a whole host of hobbies

that their country property will need to accommodate.

I used to do a lot of sewing and I would like some space

where I can have my sewing machine out permanently.

And we both play the piano - not very well.

-Badly.

-THEY LAUGH

-So we want to try and continue that, don't we?

-We do.

When I retire, one of the things I am looking forward to

is to getting back into my modelling.

Very much looking forward to having a little space

probably inside the house.

You need a big space, I think.

-Some of the plans I've got are for a big one, yes.

-Yes.

With their house on the market and a shared vision for their future,

Colleen and Martin are fully committed to this move

and can't wait to embrace island life.

It's going to make a huge change to our lives.

Last year was a terrible year and we're really looking forward

to finding something new and exciting to do in our lives.

The move is going to be the instigator for the whole thing.

Our buyers are more than ready to cross the water,

and they've asked us to concentrate our search

towards the east of Anglesey.

But before we begin our quest to find them their dream home,

I want to make sure I know exactly what it is

they're looking for.

Well, we're hoping this will be a new chapter for you.

-It will be for us.

-It's what we need.

Big change for us. That's what we're looking forward to.

So, why Anglesey?

It's close enough to home. It's only a couple of hours away.

We've got two grandsons there.

It's beautiful.

Now, your current home, as I understand it,

has eight-ish bedrooms, six reception rooms...

-That's right.

-..and a granny annexe.

Yes.

You are, I hope, downsizing with this move.

-Yes, please.

-OK.

So, just give us an idea of

what exactly your new property will comprise.

Ideally, it would have a lovely

big kitchen-dining-living room, but south-facing...

-Please, please, pretty please.

-Yeah.

..so that it's nice and warm and sunny and bright.

Yep.

We need somewhere for Martin to play with his aeroplanes.

-Yes, I was going to talk about those in a minute. Yep.

-Yes.

-Somewhere for our books.

-So, a sort of library space.

-Yes.

The piano is very important. Room to sew.

It's a very creative house, this, isn't it, really?

I love it. The sewing, the music, the books, the model aircraft.

How much space do you need for those?

Well, not too much space,

but a room on its own would be very nice.

And what about garden space? Are you keen gardeners?

Well, we are not keen gardeners,

but Colleen is very into her vegetables.

So, we've got quite a big garden at the moment.

I think we want to downsize from that,

but at least still have some space to be able to put some vegetables in

-and keep us busy during the summer months, you know.

-OK.

In terms of specific locations and access to amenities,

what are your thoughts on that?

I would like to be either in the heart of a village

or on the edge of a village.

I do like the views in the countryside.

Well, that all sounds fairly doable,

but the key ingredient of course is the money.

So, how much do you want to spend on all of this?

Our top money is 300,000

and for that it would have to be pretty near-perfect.

We don't want to spend over that.

Now, we have got three rather interesting properties to show you.

We'll start with property number one and see what you make of that.

-OK, fantastic.

-Come on then.

Colleen and Martin's top budget is a pretty healthy one for Anglesey.

They're open-minded about the type of property they live in,

but for them, a bright sunny kitchen

that doubles up as a dining and living space is key.

They don't have a minimum number of bedrooms,

but they do need enough rooms to accommodate their hobbies

and a garden where Colleen can grow vegetables.

And finally, they'd like to be in or on the edge of a village.

After digesting their requirements,

we've chosen three great and contrasting properties

which will each have something different to offer.

And the all-important price tag will only be revealed

after the house has been toured.

Our final visit will be to our Mystery House,

which has learned many a lesson in its lifetime,

but will it be a subject Colleen and Martin want to take on?

Now, this is a massive move.

I mean, how many days do you think you've spent on Anglesey

in terms of trying to understand and get a feel for it?

Very few.

We came for a long weekend this year to look at a few houses.

One of our options when we're looking was... We have a caravan.

-Yep.

-And I've always had an inkling to run a caravan site,

and the purpose for that would be, A,

for me to have something to do,

but also if we have that extra little bit of land,

it could be mowed, flattened, could become a nice little airfield,

which would be really good.

-Wow. Wouldn't that be the icing on the cake?

-That would be great.

We're starting our island tour in the east of Anglesey

in the hamlet of Tyn-y-Gongl,

which is just under a mile and a half from the resort town of Benllech.

Benllech overlooks the Irish Sea

and is equipped with a variety of shops and eateries.

The Anglesey Coastal Path crosses the beautiful stretch

of sandy beach here,

and just a five-minute drive takes us back to rural Tyn-y-Gongl

and our first offering - this handsome 18th-century cottage.

-There you go.

-That's lovely.

-My gosh.

-I love the stone.

-Yeah.

-Isn't it?

But this is what's on offer. It's about 250 years old.

In its past, it's been a tailors, a family home.

-It's been knocked about to create now one big property.

-Right.

-I mean, it's got that very, very...

-It's got character.

..country, cottage-y type look about it.

-You know, definite character, as you say, hasn't it?

-Mm.

-Right then, well, let's see what you think of it.

-Yes.

-OK.

This stone cottage is fronted by a lawned garden

and the house's traditional exterior hides a superbly modernised interior.

Come on in.

-Wow!

-Oh, wow.

-Oh, lovely.

-Oh!

-A wood-burning stove.

-Wood-burning stove.

-That's so nice.

-That's lovely.

-Window at the back as well.

-Really nice little snug room, isn't it?

-It's beautiful.

-Well, there's another little snug room in there.

-Oh, yes?

-The reading room. Maybe the library.

-Or the piano.

-Or the piano.

-Would the piano go in there?

-Piano and the books.

-Happy?

-Yes!

-Is it appealing?

-Good start.

-Yes.

-Right.

Well, come through here cos it gets even lighter in the dining end of it.

-There, do you see what I mean?

-Yes.

-The light's flooding in here, isn't it?

-Yes, wow.

Probably not as open-plan as maybe what you've got at the moment.

-Mm-hm.

-But connected nonetheless.

And then this is the kitchen.

Oh, yes.

That's very nice.

And again, lovely and light.

One, two, three windows. Super-duper.

It's not a living kitchen,

but it's a very nice place to cook in.

Yes. I'm with you.

Moving upstairs, there's a family bathroom and three bedrooms -

a compact double, another sunny dual-aspect double

and then there's the master.

And then the last of the three is this one.

It is the master because

not only does it have lovely views out to Snowdonia today,

but also it's got this lovely new en suite shower room,

the new walk-in cubicle...

That's Martin's dream shower, that is.

It's all the rage. It works really well.

So, I'm hoping you're as excited about this property as...

-I'm liking it more and more.

-I am.

-Good.

Well, there is one more bit that you need to like,

-and that of course is the price.

-OK.

-Let's pop down to the garden...

-Yes.

-..and talk about that.

Yep. OK.

The garden is small but easy to maintain

and benefits from fantastic views.

There's a decked area, a dining patio,

plus an outbuilding which Martin could reinvent.

-There we are. The back.

-Yes.

Probably not as pretty as the front.

-It's not as pretty, but it shows the bigger size, doesn't it?

-Yes.

-What you have got out here is that concrete workshop-garage...

-Yeah.

..cos I'd be tempted to start again on the building

and go for a bespoke workshop.

-A hangar.

-Hangar.

-Hangar.

-For the aircraft.

-OK.

-JULES LAUGHS

-This is the perfect size for me.

-Is it?

-It is.

-OK!

JULES LAUGHS

As long as there's enough room to grow a few runner beans.

So, what is property number one on the market for?

You gave us £300,000.

Make us an offer on this one.

I'm thinking it's quite near the top of the budget.

Maybe 295?

295, yeah?

I'd probably agree with Colleen here. 295.

Very good. Well done, because this is on the market for £295,000.

Oh, goodness.

I would suggest you spend a little bit more time particularly upstairs,

-and I will catch up with you a little bit later on.

-OK.

-Right then, off you go.

-Right. Thank you.

This charming stone house

is £5,000 under Colleen and Martin's budget.

What's more, it's ready to move into.

It has three bedrooms plus a study, so plenty of options for hobby rooms.

Although the kitchen isn't the ideal living kitchen they're after,

it does have an adjoining dining room and it gives them brightness

which is non-negotiable.

What's more, outside offers them everything they're looking for.

-I really love this room.

-Yes.

I think what I like best is the way the windows go down so low.

It makes it feel almost more like a reception room than a bedroom.

I think this would suit Martin very well.

He would be very, very comfortable here.

It's got everything that he needs.

I think it's my needs it doesn't quite meet

with the living area.

When I first came into the property, I was quite surprised.

It's very modern.

It's very much of my style. It's very neutral.

And going around the building,

I find that that same neutrality is everywhere.

If you wanted to move into this property,

you could actually move in quite easily

but then actually finally put your own stamp on it as well.

How are you?

-Well, lovely, yes. That was great.

-Sorry to have kept you waiting.

Not at all! I've been admiring the garden.

Well, I think that was a pretty good start.

-So, let's have some lunch...

-That'd be nice.

-..and then we'll go and see property number two.

-Yes, that would be great.

Anglesey is surrounded by sea,

and the waters of the Menai Strait lay claim to a natural gem -

its salt.

Salt has been a part of everyday life as far back as 6000BC

and no kitchen larder would be complete without it.

At times, it's been worth more than gold,

and historically has even been used as currency.

In fact, it's where the word salary derives from.

Keen cooks Colleen and Martin have come to meet David Lea-Wilson

in Brynsiencyn, in the south of the island.

He helped put salt back on Anglesey's map 17 years ago

when he started making the most of the waters around him.

-Hello there.

-Hello.

-Hello.

How have you been doing out there today?

Well, I haven't been fishing, actually.

I've been testing this,

-which is something called a refractometer.

-OK.

All I'm doing is checking how much salt there is

in the seawater.

Right, OK. And how much is there in the water there?

Well, there's just under 4%.

This is nice and salty seawater,

and this Gulf Stream that is bringing in this clean seawater...

-Yeah.

-..I want to be absolutely certain, A, that it's clean,

B, that it's got enough salt in.

To produce edible salt from the sea here,

David needs at least 3.5% salt content

in the water, so the readings he takes are crucial.

The more it rains, the less saline the seawater is.

I take the average of three and then I'll say,

"Yes, we can pump, we can make sea salt today, boys."

OK.

It was an unusual path that led David into salt production.

He and his wife Alison used to run an aquarium here,

and when their seahorses,

who are notoriously fussy about their water, began breeding,

they knew the seawater here had qualities worth investigating.

-I had to teach myself completely.

-Really? Nobody to show you the way?

So, I walked down here with a saucepan

and I literally put the saucepan in

and walked back and put it on a hob to see what would happen.

And then when the water boiled away, you were left with the sea salt?

Well, I could see the salt.

It formed a mushy mess, but it did taste salty.

And from those humble beginnings,

David now produces about a quarter of a million packets

of salt every year.

Unlike some manufacturers, he doesn't need to bleach it.

David's salt is naturally pure white.

It has also been given

Protected Designation of Origin status

from the European Commission,

which puts it in good company with the likes of Cornish clotted cream

and Jersey Royal potatoes.

David has brought Colleen and Martin to his crystallizing room

where the magic happens.

The seawater travels directly from the Menai Strait

up to the salt cote via a pump and a pipe.

Here it boils at a low temperature,

and after about four days it turns into a salty brine.

We're at the final stage of making salt,

where it ceases to be a liquid and becomes a solid in this room.

Ahead of us we've got 12 of these large crystallizers.

You can actually see a sort of level of crystals.

Yeah, the crystals are forming on the surface,

and when they get too big,

they drop down and then we harvest them

at the same time every morning.

23 people work here to produce and package this product,

and it goes on to be sold in top-class stores around Britain

and to over 20 countries around the world.

This is the final product,

the result of having been through that two-week process

from tide to table.

-Would you like to try and taste it?

-Yes, I'd love to.

So, just let it dissolve on your tongue

or on the sides of your mouth.

What a lot of the chefs say

-is that our salt actually has a slight sweet taste with it.

-Mm.

But you've also got that added crunch as well.

David also produces flavoured salt.

There's salt smoked over Welsh oak,

and that's one of the less unusual flavours.

This is actually dried local shiitake mushroom.

Now, we're always looking for new flavours.

How about coming up with some of the research

into some of our new flavours?

Colleen and Martin can combine any ingredients in front of them

to produce a brand-new taste.

I would definitely want...

I can smell that from here.

And I think I would try that with the plain sea salt

rather than smoked.

I'm going to try some of this shiitake mushroom,

a little bit of the oak-smoked.

-Just have a bit of a crushing process here...

-Yep.

..to get it mixed up.

Right, when you've both been stirring away there,

I'm looking at this and I'm really interested in this one

with the local garlic.

-Oh.

-It does smell delicious, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

Spring garlic.

I like that one.

-Mmm.

-Now, let's just go to the smoked.

That is divine.

It's a really interesting aroma, mushrooms.

-And...

-They're both very earthy and...

Mm. That's earthy. You could have something there.

Can I suggest that we bag up a sample of each of that?

I have to say, David, it's been absolutely wonderful.

All the best in your house hunting. Make sure the kitchen is big enough.

Thank you very much, David. It's been wonderful.

For our second property,

we're travelling just over seven miles north to the small village

of Pen-y-sarn, which is just over two miles southeast

of the coastal town of Amlwch.

Amlwch is the most northerly town on Anglesey

and has a neoclassical style 19th-century church

whose clock is wound once a week by the local butcher.

There's also a beautiful coastline,

an attractive port with a history of shipping copper worldwide,

and it's also a great spot for fishing.

A five-minute drive and we're back in Pen-y-sarn,

where there's a post office and general store,

both just a few minutes walk from house number two,

which sits in the shadow of nearby Parys Mountain.

So, here we are, then.

Wow.

-Property number two.

-What have you brought us to?

Well, I guess I describe it as a small...

-..small holding.

-Yeah.

-Because what we've got you is the property up there...

-Yes.

..but it has with it an acre.

An acre of land! Oh, wow.

Complete with those outbuildings and the static caravan.

Yes.

And I'm thinking about what you said to me in the car, Martin,

about your, you know, little retirement income

coming from a few caravans.

Yes. A much larger house. Going to be very interesting to see this one.

Well, let's get inside and see what you make of it.

This house has good solid proportions on the outside,

and inside provides the generous living areas our couple are after.

We're starting the tour in the most important room in the house

for Colleen and Martin - the kitchen -

and I don't think they'll be disappointed.

-Right. Colleen, come on in.

-Here we are.

Ah! This is palatial.

This is a living kitchen.

-And it's very stylish, isn't it?

-Good.

Right, then, well, let's continue. Have a look at the living room.

OK.

So, when you've had enough of living in the living kitchen,

you can come into the living living room.

-I like this.

-And with a wood-burning stove.

-Yeah.

Yes. It's lovely.

But it has a lot of light as well in here. A lot of light.

-Well, that really helps.

-Gorgeous.

-The garden room.

-Yeah.

-You were very enthusiastic about our first property.

-That's right.

But I get the feeling that

you are leading the charge on this one, Colleen.

I think this house is more to my taste,

but I also see it as being that much bigger

and needing more work which will fall to Martin rather than to me.

How do you feel about that?

Well, there's always two sides to this.

You know, I've always had this view about having a caravan site.

It's something we've seriously got to think about,

weighed against the fact that

we are looking for a low-maintenance,

so we've got to be very careful about how we balance this one up.

It's clear our couple have a lot to consider with this place,

and there is plenty more upstairs.

-Let's start, unusually...

-Uh-huh.

-..with this room.

-Oh, that's fabulous.

-Yeah.

-Oh, wow.

-It's fun, isn't it?

On this floor, there are also four bedrooms.

There is a twin with fabulous views, then a sunny single

and another decent-sized double, but we are heading to the biggest.

So, this is the master bedroom itself.

-Yes.

-Yes?

-Oh, yes.

-Yes.

But it does have this tiny kind of loo arrangement.

-Oh! Great.

-And sink.

-That's fine.

-Yeah.

-But I think we should get back outside.

-OK.

Have a look at what might become Anglesey's international

model airport.

-I say.

-Yeah? Come on, let's go and have a look.

-Food for thought.

-Let's do that.

The grounds here offer endless possibilities with expansive

lawns, the paddock, two storage sheds and of course a static caravan.

Here we are.

Come on in.

-Oh, this is really nice, isn't it?

-Oh.

-It is, isn't it?

-Yes.

We don't normally get to talk about the money

in such salubrious surroundings.

This static caravan has a double bed at the far end.

Separate shower room and separate bathroom.

And of course, kitchen area down there, a sort of galley kitchen.

The caravan owners use it for family, really.

But they reckon that the market here would

-sustain about £500 a week for this.

-Yes.

-OK.

So, what is property number two on the market for?

I have to say 350 at least.

Um, I was hoping a little bit less.

325?

This is on the market, as it is,

for offers in the region of £290,000.

-Yay.

-Wow. That is surprising.

-There is a lot to talk about, isn't there?

Yeah, I think there is.

I think this would make a great terminal building.

THEY LAUGH

This could be the new centre for the local flying club.

Well, who knows? There is so much going on here.

I'm going to leave you to it.

-Do have a look around the rest of the caravan.

-Yes.

The house is yours to explore, at your leisure.

And I will find you somewhere. Maybe out there on the runway.

Maybe out there.

Good stuff, guys.

This house plus its land and outbuildings

comes in at £10,000 under Colleen and Martin's budget.

And with its static caravan, it also has the potential to earn them

a nice little income.

The bright and spacious kitchen-diner is just what Colleen is looking for.

And there are living quarters aplenty.

Plus with four bedrooms, they could allocate a room for each hobby.

The acre of land gives Colleen bags of space to get green fingered

and Martin ample scope for his air-traffic control antics.

-So the kitchen here.

-This is a lovely appointed kitchen, isn't it?

My dream kitchen would be this sort of space,

devoid of any fittings.

The house offers many things.

And it offers things which I have thought about for many years,

about the desire to have a small caravan site.

The question is, am I really up for it?

And I need to decide

whether I'm really going to put my money where my mouth is.

Ah, you see? I can just see it now. What do you think? Would it work?

Wonderful!

-Am I flying in the right direction?

-A wonderful job.

I love it.

This is a very, very different kind of house, though, isn't it?

This one is. This is completely unusual.

And it has become a different sort of search now

because I am over houses, I am looking for air strips.

-Because it is now...

-It sounds like a brilliant idea.

-..the end of the day.

-The sun is going over the yardarm.

-That way, sir.

-OK.

-Thank you.

Come on, have a go through here.

Nyooow!

It is the second day of our house hunt on the Welsh isle of Anglesey.

And armed with a £300,000 budget,

we have got the challenge of finding Colleen and Martin,

from Merseyside, a new island home that fulfils all of their wishes.

The Mystery House is still to be revealed.

You can see the old walls that originally separated...

-I love the walls.

-..the girls from the boys.

And I will be stepping back in time,

learning what heavy metal meant over 4,000 years ago.

Just blow down it. Don't inhale it.

THEY LAUGH

Well, every house tour does of course have its twists and its turns,

but this week it has been pretty extreme.

We set out yesterday looking for a simple house for two,

but by the end of the day, we were planning a caravan park with

the skies above it filled with the noise of model aircraft.

And this for a couple who were hoping to retire.

So before we all get completely carried away, I think

we shouldn't lose sight of the original brief,

particularly Colleen's wish for something that is light, airy,

with an air of relaxation about it.

And of course, with that all-important kitchen at its centre.

So our Mystery House, I think, is absolutely gorgeous.

But it should still give Martin plenty to do.

For our mystery proposition, we are

travelling just over 3.5 miles south to the rural hamlet

of Llandyfrydog,

which is just under three miles east

of the small village of Llannerch-y-medd.

Here, there is a doctor's surgery, shops, a post office and a church.

A seven-minute drive takes us

back to the tranquil countryside setting of Llandyfrydog itself.

Well, guys, we have got a real treat for you today. Look at that.

-The sunlit church.

-Beautiful.

-And over here, our mystery property.

-There you are.

-Wow!

-This is the old schoolhouse.

-Yes.

-It was once allied to the church.

-Right.

-Now, at its core, that bit is 1815.

So it is 200 years old this year.

And then it was extended to the left here to create

a headmaster's accommodation.

Over on the right there, you have now got a modern study area.

They have also raised the roof.

And then in the 1870s, it had another extension,

a modern extension, shall we say, that pushed it all backwards to

create a really sublime, light living space.

It is just very, very quirky. This is a classic Mystery House.

-Can we look?

-Absolutely!

Our mystery schoolhouse is Grade II listed.

It last had the sound of school bells ringing through it in 1917.

Right then, what do you make of this? Come up the steps.

Join me up here on this sort of staging area.

-Wow. That is amazing.

-Gosh.

Now, this is a proper living kitchen.

It certainly is a proper living kitchen, this one.

-You've done it.

-I think we have done it. Is this you?

-Oh, this is me.

This is definitely Colleen's type of living kitchen, there's

-no questions about it.

-The living space is here, down this staging.

-It's fabulous.

-It is.

-And look at this.

-All that sunlight flooding in there, yeah.

-Yeah.

-It's lovely.

On one side of this amazing space is the study.

And on the other...

-Oh, this is a nice snug, isn't it?

-It is.

This one has the addition of a downstairs shower room

-and cloakroom on this level. So if you wanted this as a bedroom...

-Yeah.

-So maybe the snug with a bed/sofa.

-A sofa bed.

-Yeah.

It reminds me of a shipmaster's room.

-Harbour master's room or something like that.

-Think more headmaster.

THEY LAUGH

-Let's try the spiral, come on.

-OK.

The wooden stairway here leads to a delightful twin or double bedroom.

And back in the centre of the house, the spiral stairway offers

another route upstairs, where there is a fabulous galleried landing.

-There, look at that.

-Oh.

-Yes, this is a lovely space.

Yeah, isn't it?

Also on this floor, there is a bright family bathroom.

And lastly, we'll explore the master.

It is not en suite, but it is next-door to the family bathroom.

-Yes.

-Got a bit of storage, as you can see. A nice little view.

Yes, lovely.

-Across there.

-Roomy enough.

-It is roomy enough.

This mystery schoolhouse conversion is unique.

And if the interior wasn't eclectic enough,

the outside is just as magical.

But is it enough to take our Mystery House

to the top of the class?

-This was the girls' playground.

-OK.

You can see the old walls that originally separated...

-I love the walls.

-..the girls from the boys. That is the old privy.

All right? Down by the brook. THEY CHUCKLE

-Through here is the boys' garden.

-Right.

Again, with its privy there.

And there, of course, our lovely schoolhouse.

-It is a lovely picture of the house...

-It is.

..from this side, with that window.

-Can you imagine getting your teeth into this sort of?

-I can just about.

Let's talk about the pricing, shall we? Who is going to go first?

Me. I think maybe 280?

280. Martin?

I think... 260 to 270 is what I think it would be.

I am afraid you are both wrong.

-Oh.

-On this occasion.

-Our Mystery House comes with a price tag of £299,000.

-Oh, wow. OK.

Now, of course, like everything, it is open to offers.

Right then, the house is yours for the next hour or so.

-Go and explore it.

-Lovely.

-And I will catch up with you a little bit later on.

-Thanks.

-OK, thank you.

Our 19th-century mystery conversion still gives Colleen

and Martin £1,000 change from their budget.

And it does come equipped with Colleen's dream,

sun-filled living kitchen.

There are only two upstairs bedrooms, but the two extra rooms downstairs

could serve as multipurpose guest and hobby rooms.

The outside space extends to around a third of an acre,

plenty of room for Colleen to grow her vegetables in and allowing them

to keep busy into their retirement.

-Oh, this is lovely.

-Oh, yes. This is a nice room, isn't it?

Lovely and bright and airy.

I love the fact that the house has got the character.

And the fact that it was a school makes it so charming.

When we first walked through the front door, it was a lovely

feeling, actually, because the living kitchen

we were looking for was there.

Not necessarily exactly right, but I could see potential in that.

I would like to be in a village.

That may swing the choice once we know a little bit

more about the location.

-Come on then, you two.

-Hello.

-Ah!

-Had a good explore?

-Yes, thank you.

-A good look around.

-Well, that is it.

You'll be pleased to know that school is now over.

-THEY LAUGH So...

-What's our homework?

Well, homework is to think about everything we have shown you.

-I think we have spoilt you for choice in terms of options.

-Yes.

-What is this new life going to look like in the future?

-I don't know.

But have you got some chalk?

We've got lots of slate to write on.

Come on, let's go.

Anglesey is famous for its well-preserved prehistoric ruins,

which give us a clue to how life was

before history books were even written.

This subject has long fascinated me,

so I have come to meet Adele Thackray,

from the Welsh Government's historic environment service,

at Barclodiad y Gawres Burial Chamber at Table Bay,

on the west coast of the island, to learn more.

Well, Adele, this is a real treat for me.

I haven't been here for 25 years,

since I was a young archaeology student

trying to make sense of prehistoric Wales and prehistoric Anglesey.

-It is just gorgeous, isn't it?

-It is a beautiful Neolithic tomb.

As I understand it, is it the biggest tomb of its kind in Wales?

It is the largest and best preserved tomb of its kind in Wales.

And England and Scotland as well.

The Neolithic period, otherwise known as the New Stone Age,

lasted from around 4000 to 2500BC.

It was the time when people started settling and farming.

The business of tomb-building, is something that I think

really defines the Neolithic.

It is the first big building that kind of happens in our recorded

human history in many respects.

Somebody has taken a lot of care to make sure that it is structurally

sound and also that it is quite beautifully decorated as well.

An excavation in the 1950s unearthed this tomb,

which was then reconstructed.

It is a real treat to get back inside and see once again

our ancestors' handiwork.

It hasn't changed much in 25 years.

It hasn't changed much in a few thousand years!

Well, that is true enough.

The roof above is a more recent addition to protect this

fascinating slice of history.

In this area, there was, in the excavation,

-two cremated males found.

-Right.

And a lot of work went into making sure those two men were buried

somewhere fitting.

Now, this is arguably the most famous bit of rock art.

What do we think this symbolised?

A lot of people think this symbolises the mother goddess.

You think, what, 4,000 years ago somebody did that?

-It's amazing, isn't it?

-I mean, that really is touching the past.

-It is, yeah, definitely.

-Absolutely fascinating.

If only they could tell us what was going on.

-Come on then, let's continue our tour of Anglesey.

-OK.

Well, these statuesque stones can't talk,

but four miles away in Llynnon, someone who can tell us

a bit more about times gone by is Dave Chapman.

He is a reconstructional archaeologist.

And one of his specialist areas is the time around 2500BC,

when the locals lived in houses like this.

I am meeting him at the Centre For Rural Life in Anglesey,

which includes this reconstructed Iron Age farmstead.

-Dave, I presume these are all your own work.

-Yes, sir.

These are early Iron Age, late Bronze Age houses.

And how long did it take you to build each one of these?

They took about five months to build each.

By the Bronze and then the Iron Age,

man had moved on from relying on stone

and flint to make tools and had developed the use of metal.

And inside one of these roundhouses, David's colleague, Colin, is

making copper using the process that would've been used 4,500 years ago.

We are actually turning malachite into metal.

That is beautiful. That is a very familiar thing to me.

-A classic Stone Age axe.

-Yeah.

But we go from that to...that.

-To bronze.

-Yes.

-What a difference!

-Is an incredible technological difference.

It is astonishing that a worthless looking piece of rock could be

transformed into majestic looking copper.

-Basically, we crush the ore.

-You can see that green in it, can't you?

-The copper coming out of it.

-Yeah.

And then we can take that ore and we can add that to the furnace.

-It is so simple, isn't it?

-We take it over here.

-This, of course, being just half the process of creating bronze.

-Yes.

We take that copper, we melt it and mix it with tin,

and then that is poured into moulds. Then we have got artefacts -

we've got our bronze axes and our daggers and our tools.

So, where are we in the process now? Is it nearly ready to go?

We are not far off finish,

just got a little bit of malachite to put in.

-Fabulous green colour. Chuck it on?

-Yeah, chuck it on.

-Good work, Colin.

-You can give him a hand yourself -

-we have got an elder blow pipe for you.

-Is there a hole in there?

-Yep, yep.

-Just what, blow?

Just blow down it like that.

Don't inhale it.

THEY LAUGH

It takes around eight hours to produce the pure copper needed

to make tools.

-There we have it. Copper metal.

-Wow.

-Wow.

Now, it doesn't look like the shiny copper we are all used to seeing.

That needs to be crushed and then put back into the furnace

over and over again for about five or six times.

And then we'll end up with beadlets of copper that you can melt down

and make into metal tools.

And then somebody figured out that if you added tin, you got bronze.

I still am staggered by that moment in time.

That, to me, is far more exciting than computers and the space race.

That transforms humankind, human society and our evolution

in many respects more than any other kind of achievement.

It does indeed.

Without this very first metallurgy,

none of the technological world that we have around us would exist.

Well, and thanks to you too,

and Adele, for a nice trip down memory lane for me

with the prehistory of Anglesey.

And, Dave, for showing me something new

but also something incredibly old.

-That is just brilliant.

-Thank you.

-Cheers, mate.

Well, it is often said that the best things come in threes.

And perhaps this week's properties are no exception.

But is there a best as far as Martin and Colleen are concerned?

Well, we have given them plenty of time to think about it,

so let's go and see what the answer is.

-Look at you, enjoying the last rays of the day's sunshine.

-Yes.

We have given you three properties. You can, of course, choose only one.

Have we managed to get you something that looks like the future?

-I've got a favourite.

-Oh.

-And I have a favourite.

Now I am automatically thinking that they are probably not one

and the same thing.

-OK, what is your favourite?

-Number one.

-Number one?!

That is very interesting. Why?

If we could just open up that dining room and make the kitchen

a part of it, that could be a very liveable space for me.

So your favourite, Martin, let me think. Oh, is it the campsite?

-Surprise, surprise! It is number one.

-Is it?!

Ah, you led me on there. Very good. So there is agreement, I was wrong.

-Yes.

-There is agreement. The only fly in the ointment is the location.

And its distance from the village.

Right, so we found the right house but in slightly the wrong place.

But at least it has demonstrated to you that properties that

-fit your bill are here for the right money...

-Absolutely.

-..on Anglesey.

-Oh, yes.

And hopefully, you have now got

a much clearer idea of what to look for.

It has been a real pleasure, guys. I never need an excuse to come up here.

I love this part of the world.

-But best of luck. Here's to you.

-We've loved it. Cheers.

-Cheers.

Well, it is often rightly said that properties come in

all sorts of shapes and sizes, but so too, of course, do islands.

As Britons, we are all, by definition, islanders,

but life on an island like Anglesey is a much more immediate experience.

I have always found this to be an extremely magical place.

Now, of course, Martin and Colleen's search will continue.

But I suspect, just like the mainland there across the water,

a successful conclusion isn't going to be too far away.

I'll see you next time.

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