Shropshire Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country.

This pretty parish church, founded in the 11th century,

is one of two sites where a young Tudor prince was laid to rest.

But who was he and where are we?

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

Today's couple have spent the past few years

dreaming of a complete lifestyle change in the country,

so it's all hands on deck trying to find them their perfect place.

This has sort of blown me away, somewhat.

I didn't think we could get this sort of thing on our budget.

And we go all out in a bid to give them what they want.

-Not too shabby, is it, really?

-It's not too shabby, Jules, no!

Well, today, we are in Shropshire

and this is the parish church of St Laurence in lovely Ludlow,

one of two resting places of Prince Arthur, Henry VII's eldest son.

Now, aged just 15, Arthur came to live in Ludlow Castle

with his new wife, Catherine of Aragon, but just six months later,

he tragically died, paving the way for his brother, Henry VIII,

to ascend to the throne and marry his widow,

the first of Henry's notorious six wives.

Now, as for Arthur himself - his body was buried in Worcester,

but his heart was interred in a casket beneath the church itself,

giving Ludlow and this glorious county

a long-lasting royal connection.

Home to some 300,000 inhabitants,

the county of Shropshire is part of the West Midlands region,

with Worcestershire to the southeast

and the border with Wales to the west.

Shropshire covers some 1,300 square miles of rich and rugged countryside

and flowing through the county is England's longest river, the Severn.

Its most iconic crossing point is Thomas Telford's bridge,

constructed in 1779,

and the first of its kind to be built from cast iron.

It arcs across the river at the town which took its name, Ironbridge,

and was granted World Heritage status in the mid-1980s

because of its pivotal role in Britain's Industrial Revolution.

Travel further south and you'll traverse the Shropshire Hills,

a mass of sprawling peaks and valleys

that cover a quarter of the county.

Scattered across this area of outstanding natural beauty

are examples of diverse geology, such as the Stiperstones,

a wild ridge of quartzite that was formed around 500 million years ago.

Shropshire is also home to the medieval market town of Ludlow,

that began life in the 11th century.

Here, you'll find almost 500 listed buildings

and a dazzling mix of architecture,

including examples of Norman and Tudor design.

It's a county that doesn't disappoint

and it's an enticing area for those looking to swap a suburban existence

for an exciting adventure in the country.

So, just how deep do you think your pockets have to be

if you want to afford a slice of Shropshire life?

Well, the good news is, not that deep.

The average price of a detached property here is currently £247,000

and whilst, yes, it is nearly a quarter of a million,

it is, nonetheless, £35,000 below the national figure.

And, with one of the lowest population densities

anywhere in the UK, there is plenty of space for everyone to enjoy.

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

to this beautiful part of the country.

Lisa, a marketing consultant, and James, a web developer,

have been married for two years.

They met through mutual friends who live in Ludlow.

I'm on a camping trip with the same set of friends

and I was putting my tent up and out the corner of my eye,

I thought, "That is a very nice-looking man over there.

"I'm going to bounce across and say hello."

I thought he was Colin Firth out of Pride And Prejudice and I was gone.

-And that was it.

-We're very, very different people,

but we mesh, which means that, together, we come to a consensus

-and we work as a team very well.

-We're a good team, aren't we? Yeah.

They're based in the commuter town of Guildford in Surrey,

but after recently being gifted money from family,

they plan to relocate and live mortgage-free in Shropshire.

We want to expand ourselves and we want to change the way we live.

Living in suburbia doesn't really suit us very well.

Both of us have come to that realisation,

so moving to the countryside gives us the opportunity to do that.

They're passionate about their pastimes.

James loves motorbikes and Lisa practises yoga and meditation.

They'd like a property with enough land to create a campsite

offering yurts - a glamping experience

where paying guests can enjoy the outdoors in more comfort.

But that's not the only reason they're making this move.

The other half of the, sort of, lifetime plan

is to give back to the community and we're hoping that,

if we have the right house, we can put in for fostering.

Yeah, we can become foster parents.

And look after some kids that haven't been so lucky as us.

Our couple started the fostering process in Guildford,

but soon realised their rented home was not going to be big enough.

They looked into buying a bigger property,

but the prices were unaffordable

and they decided it was time for a change.

I really want to create a space

where a child will be able to pull up in the back of the car

and look outside and think, "Wow, this looks OK. I quite like this."

They clearly want a lot from their new home

and there's a lot riding on it.

It's really difficult, sometimes, to talk about it

because it's this dream come true and it is overwhelming.

It's overwhelming in a really beautiful way.

Our buyers would like to be within a half-hour drive

of historic Ludlow, where close friends live,

but rural enough for the lifestyle they have in mind.

Before we begin viewing properties,

I'm meeting up with James and Lisa in the county,

to get a better understanding of what it is they're looking for.

-Lisa, James, welcome to Shropshire.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-This is all very exciting, isn't it?

-Yes.

Now, you've brought to this search a big list of wants.

You're rubbing your hands together.

We really need to get to the bottom of what you're trying to achieve,

so just talk us through your ambitions,

because I think "ambition" is the word that really underwrites

what you're trying to do.

What we really want to do is change the way we live our lives.

We're coming to the countryside to have this wonderful life

and to fill it with foster children

and create a really nice, wonderful space for them to be

and for them to grow.

-But you've also got some additional ideas, haven't you?

-We're hoping...

-One or two!

-Come on, James, tell me.

We're hoping to get a little more income in,

through doing holiday let business, camping to begin with,

so we're hoping for a bit of land, maybe outbuildings,

that we can convert, that sort of thing.

We've considered yurts as well, because they're flexible structures.

I know you're very keen on having a workshop in which to tinker.

-Yes, definitely.

-Just a little bit.

And what are you going to do in this workshop?

My father rebuilds old British motorcycles.

I want to carry on that tradition from him.

I also want to be able to look after the holiday let,

look after the kids, build things for them, that sort of stuff.

The main thing is the family and the children.

That's the primary concern.

You've thought about this for a long time, but between you,

give us a quick rundown of what this property should look like.

What kind of style have you been dreaming about?

So, it's a family farmhouse, traditional.

We want it to be lived in

and we want something that maybe is a bit wonky,

something unusual and quirky. We're not run-of-the-mill people.

Little bit of kerb appeal would be good, the wow factor as we turn up.

So you want something that's worn around the edges, a bit quirky,

a bit eccentric. What don't you want?

A recent barn conversion, double height, all mod cons.

We want it to be nice and cosy.

Any minimalist stuff or things that we have to put away

so that it looks nice. It's not going to happen.

Money will be the key ingredient in trying to make this happen.

So, let's remind ourselves of the budget, James.

OK, our maximum budget - absolute maximum - is going to be £400,000.

-Yeah.

-We can certainly find you a house that can contain a family

and a growing family at that.

The business side of it, for the budget,

-is going to be difficult, to be honest.

-Right.

So, we've got three properties to show you.

-Shall we go hunting?

-Yes, please!

-Come on then.

£400,000 is a good budget,

but it is going to be a challenge fulfilling such big ambitions.

They want a characterful farmhouse

with scope to accommodate two to three foster children,

enough land to run a yurt camping business,

outbuildings for James to tinker in

and all this should be close to desirable Ludlow.

We've lined up a fine selection of properties

that I think will do the trick,

but James and Lisa won't find out the price

until the end of each house tour.

And, finally, I'll show them the Mystery House,

which may be a risky choice, given their style preferences,

but if they embrace it, could be the answer.

-It's going to be interesting to see how you...

-React.

Yeah, how you react,

how you unpack what these properties can offer you how and they will,

hopefully, begin to fulfil this huge list of really exciting ideas

-that you've brought to the process.

-Yeah. Or maybe cross some off.

Or maybe cross some off.

"Hang on a minute. "That was a good idea last week."

What are we going to cross off the list to make it more manageable?

"We've gone totally off that idea!"

Well, let's see what you make of our first property.

-Looking forward to this.

-Mmm.

We're starting our house-hunt in the village of Clunton,

which is a 15-minute drive from Bishops Castle,

a civil parish to the west of Shropshire,

close to the Welsh border.

Bishops Castle is a characterful medieval market town,

on the fringes of the spectacular Shropshire Hills.

It has a population of just over 1,600

and offers a wide selection of amenities.

Some may also visit the local brewery to sample the beer

from what is thought to be one of the oldest breweries in Britain.

Back in Clunton,

our first property is just a 25-minute drive away from Ludlow.

Right, let's see what we've got to start with, then.

Come down here cos this, I think,

is really where you get the best initial view of it. There you go.

-Ah...

-Wow! That's lovely.

You said you wanted something that was a bit wonky and wobbly.

Wonky in the right places, wonky in the right places.

-Now, that bit, up to the wisteria is 1650.

-OK.

That bit's 20 years old. You can just see...

-The tiles are a different colour.

-In the slates, yeah.

-Now you've pointed it out you can.

-Happy so far?

-Ooh, I'm excited!

-Shall we have a look?

-Yes, please. Yes, please.

The original cottage was used as a stopover

for drovers who would herd livestock to market.

It was built from stone and slate with oak timbers.

Now, you might need to duck a little bit.

-I love the fireplace, absolutely love that.

-Wood burner in there.

-Lovely traditional inglenook.

-Nice and cosy, isn't it?

-Yeah.

For me, coming into a room like this,

and I'm short as well, I feel snugly and warm.

I could quite happily sit on this sofa

-and let the world go by already.

-Go through there.

-That's the dining room.

-OK.

-As you can see, it opens up a bit in here.

-Bit more height.

-I don't know where to look first -

the floor, the ceiling, the fireplace?

Out the windows, there's a little picket gate there

with some nice foliage. I'm just going to look round here

and there's another view out that one.

You are taking in every single detail.

Clearly working for you, in character.

That's the nice thing about it.

-Let's have a look at the kitchen. That's through here.

-OK.

When you get into here, it opens up yet again.

That's what's nice about this kitchen.

I know you have some reservations

about things that are uber-modern and uber-slick.

This is a modern kitchen, it has all mod cons,

everything's built-in and integrated,

but it's been done with a really nice contemporary country twist.

I have now realised that that's something we hadn't thought about.

Everything needs to work,

it needs to be easy to get to, you need lots of surfaces.

It can't, necessarily, do any harm to have modern in the kitchen.

Now, through here, we've got you one of the four bedrooms,

one of the three en suite bedrooms. So, ground-floor option there.

That room would, in itself, make a fabulous master bedroom,

but there is an even better one upstairs.

Come and have a look at this.

We're heading upstairs to the remaining bedrooms.

One is a small single with a built-in wardrobe

and then there are two further en suite doubles.

One is a light and airy dual-aspect with its own bright bathroom.

But I'm showing James and Lisa one with bags of character.

-There we are. Isn't this a treat?

-Oh, wow! I love the vaulted ceiling.

We wanted quirky and wonky and character and something unusual.

-It's also got an en suite. Have a look at this.

-Wow.

-Shower en suite as well.

-This has sort of blown me away somewhat.

I didn't think we could get this sort of thing on our budget.

Well, let's talk about the budget outside

and see if you can afford it,

whether or not there'll be any change.

-After you, madam.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

This house has a large lawned garden at the front of the property,

with mature borders, a pond stocked with fish

and a gravel patio for enjoying sunny afternoons.

At the back is a hard, landscaped cottage garden

with a varied selection of established plants and shrubs,

a further seating area, another fish pond

and a workshop adjacent to some land

that's prime for building on, subject to planning permission.

As you can see, you've got this nice little courtyard arrangement

-out the back of the property.

-Nice little sun trap, isn't it?

-It really is, actually.

-It is.

But, as you can see, landwise,

it doesn't have the acres that you were perhaps dreaming of

and that is one of the kind of issues with making your budget work.

-How do you feel about that?

-Confused a bit.

I'm beginning to notice, in my head,

those parameters are beginning to change.

Could we maybe get some land from somewhere else?

This is such a nice house,

could we compromise on the other parts of the business?

The kids would love it here. It's messing with my head a bit.

OK, so we've got you a very lovely house in a really nice spot.

You've got up to £400,000 to spend.

Now then, James, make us an offer on property number one.

I'm going to guess around 380.

I actually had 375 in mind...

-..hopefully.

-You wish!

Oh!

Look, all is not lost. You're not far away from it.

-This could be yours for 389.

-That's not a million miles away.

-Not far off.

-It's not a million miles away and it's open to offers,

so maybe your 375 isn't so far away. Go and have a look around.

The house is yours and I will catch up with you later on.

-Great stuff.

-Good stuff.

-Off you go. Enjoy.

This cottage has come in £11,000 under budget

and has quirky features that have excited Lisa and James.

There are four bedrooms, three of them en suite,

that would suit any future foster children,

and the property is located in a lovely rural setting,

less than half an hour from Ludlow.

-Oh.

-OK, that's a big bedroom. It's very modern, isn't it?

I didn't expect it to be quite so modern. What do you think?

I like it, as a bedroom,

but it is a bit over-modern for what I was expecting.

When we first arrived at the house, my gut reaction was,

"Oh, my goodness, this is really pretty. It's meeting the brief."

But as I moved through the house and saw the more modern areas,

I'm afraid it fell a bit flat and that's where I'm stuck a little bit.

I think the way the house blends the quirkiness,

old-fashioned eccentricities of when it was built

with the modern touches here and there works really well.

I think it's definitely a contender.

-Here we go. All done?

-Yeah.

-Good start?

-Good start, yeah.

-Very good start.

-Are you going to buy it?

-Let's see the others, I think.

-Come on then.

Part of James and Lisa's business plans

are to offer yurts as a glamping experience,

so we've sent them to meet up with Henry and Mary Dowell,

experts when it comes to these portable structures.

-Hi, welcome.

-Hi.

-Welcome to our home

-and our yurt-making business.

-Hi, I'm Henry.

Henry's education in yurt-making started over ten years ago

when he travelled around Mongolia, a country synonymous with yurts,

and lived in these semi-permanent dwellings along the way.

Where did your passion for yurt-making come from?

The passion for yurts has come from living in yurts

and travelling with yurts.

They're such amazing structures that you can take down

and fit in the back of a van and transport,

set up home in a comfortable, cosy way,

without leaving a footprint on the ground at all.

When you're gone, you're gone.

There's no trace of where you've been living.

I'd like to know about maintenance and how you look after your yurts.

We always say that a yurt which is lived in

is a yurt that is looked after.

If you put your yurt up and you use it and you light a fire

and you clean leaves and bird droppings off the canvas

and reproof it every year or so, then it will keep looking lovely.

It takes up to a month to make all the components

for a medium-sized yurt which has a 20-foot diameter.

Henry's showing Lisa and James how certain parts of the yurt are made.

He's starting with the rafters and uses locally sourced ash.

We use ash because it is a very strong timber,

it's very straight-grained and it is really springy.

Also, it's quite lightweight, so for a portable yurt, that is perfect.

And what we do is we use steam

to make a straight bit of wood bent, like so.

So we need the curve at the bottom to be kind on the canvas

and to add extra head height inside the yurt.

It takes roughly one hour per inch in the steam box

to saturate the wood and make it malleable.

There we go. We've got about ten seconds to get this,

whilst it's still hot.

That's it. If you can just grab a tie from down there by your feet.

That's it. Lovely. We'll tie that off. Lovely.

Next, Henry's showing them how to fix the rafters into the crown,

which acts like its roof.

We need a square hole in the crown,

so that the rafters don't slip and slide when they go in.

With a copper brand, we'll sear through the wood,

so the action of the heat seals the wood, makes it stronger

and it also gives us our nice square hole.

Push that through, see.

If Lisa and James do decide to move forward

with their glamping business,

they'd have a variety of yurt sizes to chose from.

The most popular yurt size the Dowells make

sleeps four to six people and costs around £7,000.

However, these structures can be built on a really large scale.

One that provides enough space to host a large wedding

comes with a price tag of around £27,000.

They're rigging a 16-foot diameter yurt,

which should take about an hour.

The team are starting with the main entrance

from which the trellis sides of the structure are attached

and then joined together using rope.

The next part is the tension band,

like a belt which holds the whole thing together.

Henry holds the crown in position,

so the rafters can be fixed into the square holes.

James and Lisa could expect to fetch up to £700 a week in high season

for a family-friendly yurt.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

The rafters are then tied to the trellis to secure the roof.

Lisa and James should bear in mind

that they would need planning permission

to erect yurts permanently on their land for commercial purposes.

-So, you make a loop like that.

-Ah, OK.

-It's like a half-hitch.

The canvas is split into four sections -

a roof, two separate wall covers and a cap that goes over the crown.

The door is in the right place

-and the wheel at the top is in the right place.

-I've got it.

James then sorts out the yurt's central heating system-cum-cooker.

Rigging this yurt seems to have given our buyers

a new-found confidence.

Once we've done a couple of tries,

these are going to be really easy to take up and put down again.

-It's a lot easier than I thought it would be.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

And they're now fully prepared

for what their potential glamping business might entail.

-Good luck with your house-hunt.

-Thank you.

So, armed with this new-found knowledge,

James and Lisa are a step closer

to getting their own yurts off the ground.

Back to our house-hunt and we've made a bold decision.

James and Lisa have big goals

for the first home they're buying together.

They want a mix of internal space and outside land,

so we've crossed the border into Wales to the county of Powys,

where you can get a bit more for your money.

The property is next to a village called Abermule,

which is a ten-minute drive to the historic market town of Montgomery.

It's an area well-known for its castle,

a Norman ruin that sits on top of the hill,

overlooking the market town.

Other local landmarks include the Georgian town hall

that dates back to 1748.

And there's also a helpful array of local amenities

that James, Lisa and their potential family could make use of.

The next home I'm showing them is situated in the hills of Abermule

but is further away from Ludlow.

-I should probably start by saying, "Welcome to Wales."

-Thank you.

-Look at that! Absolutely gorgeous!

-Wow!

-And it is designed to make the best use of this.

-I'm stunned.

And this, as you can probably tell,

is a property very much of two halves.

1700 there, little cottage with a seven-year-old addition here.

-Wow.

-It's quite a contrast.

This gives you the best of both worlds, cos we know...

THEY LAUGH

..we know now, don't we, from the kitchen in property one

that, actually, a bit of modern's OK.

So, this combines some very slick modern with some very old old.

-What do you think of it, James?

-It's beautiful.

-Lisa?

-I don't know.

-I'm not convinced.

-Really?

-Really?

Initially, for kerb appeal, for me,

I don't want to run up and give it a big cuddle.

Let's see if it gives you a cuddle from the inside.

-I think it will.

-Oh, good.

-And it does make the best of those views.

Come and have a look around.

I was hoping that Lisa might find

the quirky nature of this house exciting,

but it's not wowed her from the outside.

However, she'll see the property does deliver generously inside,

and in different styles of decor.

Through the mahogany-clad entrance hall is the kitchen,

which really makes a modern statement.

-Whoa, OK.

-That's a modern kitchen!

-That's a modern kitchen!

-Wow!

-Not too shabby, is it really?

-It's not too shabby, Jules, no.

THEY LAUGH

-Um, I really like the wood.

-Yeah.

-I really like the cooker there.

-Yeah.

But I'm being very practical and if the cooker's there,

there's no work surface outside the cooker.

Come and look at the rest of it, look.

You've got this whole preparation area here.

Double sink and so on. Mood wall.

I'm really confused because there's loads of work surface

-and there's load of cupboards.

-Just start to take it in

because this is a property that really does reveal itself

and it's absolutely made by the new bit that you're not so sure about.

But my hunch is that you may, may eat those words.

Come and have a look through here.

We're leaving behind the older part of the house,

which also provides a cosy snug

and a spacious downstairs mahogany-panelled family bathroom.

Next, we're making our way to the modern extension,

that has a well-appointed utility and downstairs cloakroom,

as well as separate dining and living rooms.

Now, that's the design element, right. Come over here.

Hmm, I totally get how this is all opened up to the view

and I think that's outstanding, I really do.

Well, if you like the views from here, wait till you get upstairs,

because up there is your master bedroom and this is quite special.

There are four bedrooms in total up here.

The old part of the property has a characterful double

that could make a good guest room

and a dual-aspect, currently being used as a hobby room.

On top of this, a landing space has been used as an office.

Upstairs, in the modern part of the property,

is a light twin bedroom, a separate, stylish shower room

and rather spectacular sleeping quarters for them.

This is the master suite. And there's the view.

-Ha-ha, ha-ha.

-Now, that's a view!

There's definitely.... You are smiling all over your face.

I am seeing it, I'm just not feeling it.

I'm not giving up just yet. Come on, we're going out there.

-You'll have to work a bit harder.

-Yeah.

This property comes with half an acre of land.

There is also a terraced area at the front of the house,

designed to enjoy those amazing views.

The gardens that wrap around this home

give it that real sense of rural seclusion.

The sloped lawns are framed by established shrubs

and also an impressive area of woodland.

Opposite the house is a separate parcel of land.

It's made up of raised beds

and is currently being used for growing fruit and veg.

There's also a state-of-the-art double garage block

that could be perfect for James's bike-building projects.

The property is also surrounded by farmland

whose owners might be prepared to lease fields

for our couple's yurt camping plans.

To be honest, I'm not going to try

and sell that land to you as a business.

I'm not sure there's the space to develop your glamping idea,

but as an overall package for you as a family, a growing family,

I think it is quite interesting.

You've got the man cave, a house of two halves.

-What do you think of it?

-It definitely gets us thinking.

Let's keep our eyes on the prize then.

How much do you think property number two is worth, madam?

-382.

-382?! Where did the 2 come from?

-Random.

-Random - I should say so. James?

-I'm going to go for 375.

-375.

That's what you said, Lisa, last time, isn't it?

This is on the market at £395,000. It's all negotiable. Off you go.

-Go and explore and I'll catch up with you a bit later.

-Thank you.

£5,000 under budget, I thought this fabulous family home

might have the eccentricity and space our couple would appreciate.

But it's divided James and Lisa's opinions.

It provides a kitchen with all mod cons

and the four bedrooms that offer space and seclusion

for any foster children.

James did see real potential with the land,

views and, of course, that double garage,

where he could rev his engines to his heart's content.

I really like house number two.

The lack of land, it's not, necessarily,

the highest thing on our list.

We don't have to have it as part of the house,

so the fact that there's these rolling fields outside -

literally, right outside the front door - if the farmer's of a mind

to rent them out to us, then that's the business taken care of really.

The old and the new mixed, for me, was too contrasting.

I didn't get the sense of it being a family house.

I got the sense of it being an adult house.

It's designed and it's very thoughtful and clever,

but I can't make sense of it.

-Oh, madam.

-Hello.

-How are we then?

-Good. Still confused.

-I'm still confused.

-Somehow, I was expecting that.

Don't worry about it. Our work, today, is done.

You've got some time, this evening,

to think about everything we have shown you

and then, tomorrow morning, guess what happens.

-My favourite bit!

-It's the Mystery House, yes!

-Oh!

-Right, come on.

It's day two of our property search in Shropshire,

and with a maximum budget of £400,000,

married couple Lisa and James are ready

to move on from their life in Guildford, Surrey,

and seek out their dream home in the countryside.

Coming up, they'll finally see the Mystery House,

which I hoped would enlighten their property preconceptions.

-I'm liking this.

-The kitchen's great.

And I visit a very special vessel

that's being renovated to its former glory.

-Right, OK, I'll earn my keep today.

-Thank you.

As you can see, our final day of house-hunting

has dawned bright and sunny

and it is traditional, at this point in the show,

for me to offer you some in-depth analysis

as to where our house-hunt is going.

But on this occasion, with Lisa and James, to be perfectly honest,

I don't think I've really got a clue.

It's perfectly clear that, so far,

our first two properties haven't pressed every button

on their extensive wish list, but then, to be honest,

I'm not sure that THEY know which buttons they should press either.

So, for our Mystery House, I'm going to take a little bit of a gamble.

This is a property I don't think they'd have looked at on paper,

but if my hunch is right, it might just work.

So, let's put that theory to the test

and make tracks to our mystery proposition.

We're heading back to Shropshire

where our destination is the small village of Milson,

just a 20-minute drive from Ludlow.

Even closer, at five miles away,

is the delightful town of Tenbury Wells.

Located on the south bank of the River Teme,

its high street is lined with a good range

of luxury and essential amenities.

And when it come to the mystery option, back in Milson,

we've managed to find an authentic characterful farm building,

but not necessarily in the package our buyers envisaged.

There we are, at last. Our Mystery House. What do you make of that?

Wow, it's very pretty, isn't it?

But it is, of course, a converted barn.

And there was a sense that, maybe, converted barns weren't for you,

so I've taken a bit of a risk on this one.

It doesn't look like a huge, great, echoey barn conversion

and it looks like it's been very sensitively done.

It doesn't look like a barn.

As we've gone through this week and our properties...

..we have tried to help you redefine what it is you're looking for.

Yeah, the idea of the yurts was always secondary.

As we're looking at the properties,

we're focussing more on the children, more on the needs...

How are we going to use the house? How's it going to best fit them?

This is a really interesting proposition

because it's got huge amounts of living space downstairs,

but I think, also, enough space

that you can have your degrees of separation, should you need it.

-That's the idea.

-That's exciting.

That's the hunch I've been working on.

-Ooh!

-Let's see if I'm right. Come on.

-Cool.

The barn was sympathetically renovated into a home in 1987

and it's one of four properties

in this small development of converted outbuildings.

Let's start in here, with the kitchen.

Everybody wants a square kitchen and this is what you've got.

-I'm liking this.

-The kitchen's great.

-Isn't it?

This is exactly the sort of kitchen we were thinking of,

-with the table in the middle.

-And it's very lived in.

-Yes.

Which is what I said. Nice and worn round the edges, lived in,

something that we could have a few kids around

and they could knock the edges and it really wouldn't be a disaster.

I really like it. It feels really nice.

-It also benefits from a laundry room through there...

-Excellent.

..which also leads through to one on the four bedrooms

that this property offers you.

But in reception areas, this place, I think, spoils you.

It's really, really good. Come and look at this.

This is the way to the living room.

We're making our way through the hall,

past a convenient downstairs cloakroom

and a spacious study with exposed beams,

to access the reception rooms at the far end of the house.

This is the room that I think really helps to sell this property.

-Is it cuddling you?

-It's giving...

Yes, and I did say that, didn't I, that I would like...

I do feel that this house is giving me a big cuddle, you're right.

I'm loving it. I'm loving the fireplace, the beams.

-Yeah.

-It's huge. There's lots of room for everything to happen.

And this isn't it, because through there,

we've got you a gorgeous garden room/ dining room,

with a huge table in it which I think really sets the scene

for those family meals that may happen in the future.

Come and have a look.

-Do you see what I mean?

-This is a great space, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Really light.

-The views are gorgeous.

-Oh, wow.

The key thing is how can we accommodate everybody upstairs?

But we're going to really spoil you with the master bedroom.

Come and have a look at this.

Up on the first floor are three further bedrooms.

Two are compact doubles with exposed beams

that share a tastefully decorated family bathroom.

And then there's the main event - the master.

-You're searching for words.

-It just feels nice.

I really feel calm and collected in this house.

-It's giving ME a cuddle as well.

-Hey, brilliant!

I think we've managed to make an emotional connection here,

but this bedroom also delivers practically.

There is a huge dressing room, with plenty of built-in wardrobe space

and a spacious en suite with walk-in shower.

So, out of ten, then, how did we do on our Mystery House?

-So far, it's an eight.

-Ooh.

-I think it's getting nearer nine for me.

OK, eight to nine.

Let's see if we can bump the numbers up a bit further.

We'll go outside, look at the garden.

I think the views might get us a ten from you.

-You're a view man, aren't you?

-Definitely.

At the back of the property is a garage-cum-workshop

for James's motors and a pathway that leads to the main garden

that has a patio area and around 100 feet of lawn

that slopes down at the end,

creating the effect of infinite vistas

over Shropshire's countryside.

There you go, James. It's not bad, is it, really?

-It's a magnificent view!

-Absolutely lovely,

at the end of this quite narrow,

but I think rather private, rather cosy garden.

Have we gone above a nine?

-I think the view makes it nine and a half, ten.

-There you go.

-I'm on a nine now, with...

-Yes!

-I'm coming round to the view cos it makes him really happy.

-You see!

So, the price, is going to be the final mitigating factor, isn't it?

You've come out here with £400,000 to play with.

-Go on then, James.

-I'm going to go...385.

385, mmm-hmm.

I would say 397.

It's on at...

-£395,000.

-D'oh!

-395.

THEY LAUGH

-Are you happy?

-Yes, very, very happy.

And the primary aim now, the fostering,

-the house being all-important.

-Yeah.

The yurt thing, the holiday lets, we can let that gestate a bit,

see if there's some land to rent nearby

-and maybe do it as a remote business.

-Yeah.

Go on, off you go, enjoy yourselves. I'll find you, as ever, a bit later.

There we are, our Mystery House may well have done it again.

They have redefined their priorities.

That, in my experience, is the key to a successful house-hunt.

Hopefully, now, our hunt is over and it's a result.

So, our mystery property has served its purpose

and got them on board with barn conversions.

£5,000 under their budget, it got a fantastically positive response.

The kitchen got the thumbs up,

with bags of space for potential foster children

and incredible rural views

and it's less than a 20-minute drive from Ludlow.

-What a lovely room! Really good size, isn't it?

-Yeah.

I like the fact that it's close to the master bedroom,

-so that we can keep an eye on the kids.

-Yeah.

This house, to me, means home and family.

It's going to be one of the houses

that I'm going to be championing and fighting for.

The next stage for us, for this house, is to come back,

have a visit and see what's going on in the local area

and see what comes up with those investigations.

-Ah, how are we?

-Very good, thank you.

Chequebooks at the ready then? Who knows?

-Now, we have given you all of the options this week.

-Mmm.

It's now time to go and think about everything we've shown you

and see if we can find a solution to your future plans.

-Happy?

-Yeah, very happy, thank you.

-Good. Come on then.

The Ironbridge Gorge World Heritage site is just a short distance

from Blists Hill Victorian Town,

where an important restoration project is in progress.

Curator Georgina Grant and her team

have been restoring a unique river vessel

that once helped the region thrive. I'm keen to find out more.

This is a Severn trow and this is called Spry

and she's about 70 foot long.

Severn trows were used as cargo boats

in the 18th and 19th centuries.

They were a fundamental part

of the Industrial Revolution's infrastructure

before the introduction of trains.

Trows were distinctive for two reasons.

Firstly, they had deep, open holds

to maximise the space for freight and goods and secondly,

they had flat hulls to navigate parts of the shallow River Severn.

How many would there have been on the river?

Hundreds going up and down the River Severn.

We like to say it was like the M6 of its day,

so you've got all these vessels going up and down

and trading along the river.

Where does the name "trow" come from?

It comes from the name "trough"

and that describes the large, open hold in the middle.

Different freight loads were carried by trows,

including iron and limestone,

but coal was the main cargo.

How did they operate? How were they powered?

You would have had one captain and about three crewmen.

Going downriver, they would have sailed down,

but coming upriver, against the current,

you would have had gangs of men called bow haulers

and, using a rope tied to the mast,

these men would haul the trow up the river.

That's a massive job. This is not a small vessel at all!

No, they were very hardy men and not particularly liked, actually.

Were they a bit rough round the edges?

They were a bit like pirates of the day, maybe.

'Keen to get a closer look,

'we're heading to an elevated gantry to get a better view.

'Spry was built in 1894 by shipwright William Hurd in Chepstow,

'and would have been at her busiest in the year 1900.'

That is a gorgeous view, isn't it?

It gives us a real idea of the anatomy of this vessel.

You get a real sense of her size from up here. It's a great view.

Can you give us the vital statistics?

She's about 18-foot wide and then would have carried about 56 tons.

It's thought Spry was one of the last

and largest trows to be built,

but she now had to compete with the rise of the railway network

and the growth of motor vehicles,

which were increasingly phasing out reliance on Britain's waterways.

I'd just like to point out to you one of the original timbers here.

You have the registration number here

and then the registered tonnage which was 36 tons.

And there it is, all carved in, beautifully, actually. I love it.

How big a story is this, in terms of Shropshire?

When people talk about the trow, it has a real resonance, doesn't it?

Yeah, it's got a lovely history.

When she was brought to Blists Hill, we sent out a request for trees

to be donated to help build her and, in the end, we had 83 trees donated.

So, she really is a Shropshire gem. People know about this vessel.

And they love to come and see her,

as they have their own connection with her now.

After her heyday in the early 1900s, Spry fell into a dilapidated state,

but the team here has spent the last six years

getting her shipshape once again.

Right, OK, I'll earn my keep today.

George, thank you very much

for a very exclusive look around this wonderful boat

but, my goodness me, you've got plenty to do!

-I'll give you a hand.

-Thank you.

'It's wonderful that the museum and residents of Shropshire

'have come together to restore Spry,

'a workhorse of the Industrial Revolution

'and an important piece of the county's heritage.'

As you've probably gathered,

Lisa and James have not only challenged ME this week,

but also themselves. So, have we managed to find a solution

to their new-found dream of a life in the countryside.

Well, let's go and ask them.

The weather in Shropshire's rubbish, isn't it?!

Why would anybody want to live here?

Well, guys, how's it been this week?

We've really had our eyes opened as to what's out here,

what can be got for the money and what we're looking for, really.

Ah, now then, this is the nub of it, isn't it? What ARE you looking for?

A functional space -

somewhere that I can have a vision of what it would be like

to run the household and have my family around me

and how that would work. That's what I'm looking for.

That's the core thing that's come out of this week for me.

We gave you three properties to choose from.

Has any one of them become the thing that you think you are looking for?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, the Mystery House.

-Ah-ha, the Mystery House.

What was it about the Mystery House that really worked for you?

For a barn conversion, it was really great.

It looked like a country farmhouse,

so the aesthetics were really pleasing to me.

The Mystery House enabled me to visualise having a family there,

what it would be like on a day-to-day basis,

how the house would work,

and clarified some things that I hadn't thought about,

like having the bedrooms close to the master bedroom

and having a nice, big, square kitchen and workshop for James.

I could really see what it would be like to live there.

So why aren't you buying it?

We need to do more research around the location.

We're not so familiar with the location.

That's the next step for us before we go off in any direction,

is to find out what's around there.

I hope, whatever you buy,

it is exactly what you want it to be, to fit the new life

and the future that you can envisage for yourselves

-and those children that you're going to take on.

-Thank you so much.

-Best of luck.

-Thank you.

Well, it has been said many times before on this show -

knowing what you're after really is half the battle

in any successful house-hunt.

That is a lesson that James and Lisa have most definitely learned,

but in fairness to them, that was part of the challenge they gave us -

trying to figure out what it is they ARE after.

Well, their search will continue out there, across Shropshire,

and possibly over the border into Wales.

But one thing they have remained true to

is their wish to foster children in need,

to give youngsters a better chance for the future,

and in that, we all wish them the very best of luck.

I'll see you next time.

If you'd like to escape to the country in England, Scotland, Wales

or Northern Ireland and would like our help, please apply online.