Oxfordshire Escape to the Country

Claiming to boast the finest view in England,

situated in one of the most beautiful estates in the country,

this property is in need of a new tenant who could actually live here rent-free.

Find out where I am in just a moment.

Having spent much of his adult life abroad,

today's buyer, who's house-hunting with his brother,

hopes to find a country pad he can finally call home.

And when it comes to the niceties of property shopping,

we're all in agreement.

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

-Oh.

-Nice and bright.

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

-Nice and bright.

-Nice and light.

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

-It is.

Decent-sized garden, isn't it?

Today I'm in Oxfordshire at the Woodstock manor house,

whose views were described as "the finest in England"

by Lady Randolph Churchill, mother of Sir Winston, who was born here

on the Blenheim Palace estate.

Now, the Manor house has a lease which is currently up for renewal,

free of charge, but with one caveat.

The property requires £3 million worth of refurbishment

and whoever takes the lease on must commit to those works.

But whoever does will be guaranteed splendid views

of the Oxfordshire countryside for at least 20 years.

Situated in southern England,

landlocked Oxfordshire is bordered by six counties,

including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Berkshire.

In the south of the county, the chalky Chiltern Hills reign supreme

as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,

covering some 300 square miles

and home to the once-endangered Red Kite.

The county's capital is Oxford, "the city of dreaming spires",

a phrase coined by the 19th-century poet Matthew Arnold

to describe the architecture of the university buildings,

many of which are around 700 years old.

Just outside the city, the honey-coloured market town of Woodstock

is popular with tourists who visit the nearby splendour of Blenheim Palace.

Pretty Oxfordshire villages include Islip, which was the

birthplace of Anglo-Saxon King Edward the Confessor and whose

death in 1066 sparked the infamous battle to succeed him at Hastings.

With it's City of Culture, classic English countryside and eye-catching

rural architecture, Oxfordshire is a county with something for everyone.

Oxfordshire's prime central location,

attractive property stock

and excellent transport links into London have pushed the average

price for a detached property here up to an eye-watering £446,000.

That's around 50% above the national figure.

But that's not to say the county is solely for those with money to burn.

There are more affordable areas if you know where to look for them,

such as the countryside around the towns of Banbury and Bicester,

which are, perhaps unsurprisingly,

located towards the north of the county, further away from London.

So what's attracting today's buyer this beautiful county?

Let's meet him and find out.

Today's buyer is Phil, who has asked his older

and slightly taller brother Rob to join him on his house-hunt.

After spending much of his adult working life abroad,

home is currently a rented apartment in Chineham,

a suburb of Basingstoke in Hampshire.

Living in Chineham has been OK, yeah,

but it's not where I wanted to end up.

And I think where I am presently, living in an apartment...

Like with all apartments, you're on a large modern development.

I don't want that sort of lifestyle.

I was brought up in a village-type atmosphere

and I'm now thinking I'd like to get back to that.

'Phil is originally from South Wales and until he retired'

he worked in the telecoms industry, spending long periods

living in both the Middle East and Southeast Asia

before finally returning to the UK two years ago.

I've travelled quite a lot, lived out of a suitcase for quite

a bit and lived in other people's homes...

-True.

-Even in Rob's!

-Yes!

-You know...

-Yeah.

Well, somebody's got to do the cleaning, hasn't he?

-So...

-We tried not to give him our address, but he always found us.

Yeah, yeah.

I think it was the food, wasn't it?

-The cooking.

-It was the food, yeah.

It wasn't the free drink, I know that!

HE LAUGHS

With his brother Rob living in nearby Milton Keynes,

a son moving to Bedfordshire in the near future

and a daughter in North Wales, the self-confessed globetrotter

is hoping to settle down within easy reach of all his relatives.

It's time to think about the next 10, 15, 20 years of my life

and where I want to be and where my friends will be

and where my family's going to be.

And the Oxfordshire countryside should also appeal to Phil's

interests and hobbies.

I am toying with the idea of buying a classic car.

Obviously, I need to have a double garage for that.

I play a lot of golf, there are some great golf courses around there.

-Now, there's something sadly lacking in Philip's golf...

-Talent!

-Talent.

Sadly lacking.

When it comes to choosing the perfect property, they'll put

any brotherly competition aside, for two minds are better than one.

I think because although we're brothers,

-we still look at things slightly differently, don't we?

-Mm.

Well, I think I'm more of a practical type person, I think.

-I think I'm going to be a bonus, an added bonus.

-Yes.

And he's free.

But as well as being on hand to offer advice,

Rob is convinced that his brother is making the right decision

to finally put down roots in the Oxfordshire countryside.

He will be moving into an area which is unknown.

So he will have to start again to make new friends.

Phil is a very friendly chap, he makes friends very, very easily.

He can join in, he wants to do things.

So I think it is a big move for Phil,

but I think it's not a move that he will be afraid of.

And I think he'll do it very, very successfully, actually.

Phil would like to be within a 45-minute drive of his brother

Rob in Milton Keynes.

So we're concentrating our property search in

the northern half of the county.

I'm meeting up with him in Oxfordshire to hone in on Phil's property wish list.

-So, we're meeting by a babbling brook. You got the message?

-Yes.

-Beautiful here, isn't it?

-Lovely. Beautiful.

-Absolutely beautiful.

Absolutely gorgeous.

So, Rob, as his brother, how long has he been harping on about this move to the countryside?

-He's been harping on for many years. For many, many years.

-It's true.

-He's consistent!

-Yes.

So I wish that you'd hurry up and find him somewhere.

So how long have you been looking?

Probably in earnest, two years now, since I came back from overseas.

What exactly do you think you're looking for, then, Phil?

I like modern living,

-but I'd like to be in a house that's got some sort of character.

-OK.

-Light, airy, three bedrooms.

-Right. Three bedrooms, right.

-Double garage, preferably.

-Double garage? Right.

Yes, because you can put all your junk in there, you know.

-And he's got a lot of junk!

-I've got a lot of junk.

-So, decent-sized house.

-Yep.

-Garden?

-You've got a bit of time on your hands, haven't you?

-Yep.

And I like a bit of gardening, I like to do a bit of physical work.

What sort of gardening? Growing veg?

I haven't in the past, but I wouldn't mind having a go

-at doing a little bit.

-The village.

How big a village would you like it to be?

I always think about a village of 600 to 1,000 people.

But, you know, it doesn't need to be that.

I think he wants to have neighbours,

because Phil's quite a friendly, sociable fellow.

So if there's something happening in the village itself,

-Phil will take part in it.

-Yeah.

You know, things like am-dram, although he's never done that,

-but dancing, because you're learning ballroom dancing, aren't you, Phil?

-Yeah.

-You know, things like that.

-Twinkle toes?

-Yeah! You should see me dance!

-THEY LAUGH

-Clod hoppers!

-Yeah.

-You know?

The community spirit, that's what I'm looking for.

Well, it sounds like that's what you're after, which is brilliant.

-Let's talk price, Phil.

-Uh-huh.

-What's the budget?

The budget is about £675,000.

-Which I think is a fair budget for What I want.

-Yeah.

Well, after looking for a couple of years,

I think you've got a good idea, generally, of what you want.

These next couple of days are more about the specifics.

What works for you and what doesn't.

That is very true.

I think it's going to be a great challenge for you guys

to find me a place and I'm really looking forward to it.

I think we're both looking forward to it.

I hope you do find something for him,

because then we can go to different

subject after two years of...boring us about it!

I'll do my best! Come on. Been boring you, has he?

-LAUGHING:

-Yes! Absolutely.

With a budget of £675,000,

our buyer would like a house of character

with a modern and light feel inside.

It must have three bedrooms to accommodate visiting family

and a double garage to store all the belongings

he's collected on his travels along with the planned classic car.

The garden should be of a decent size, with room for a vegetable patch

and he'd like to live within a village community.

We've lined up an appealing selection of Oxfordshire homes

for Phil and Rob to investigate.

But I won't be revealing the price details

until the end of each house tour.

Our final offering, the Mystery House,

could challenge Phil to streamline his collectables.

Our first house is in the village of Kirtlington,

six miles north of Oxford.

A small village with a population of just under 1,000,

many of the older buildings are constructed using the

golden-coloured limestone, commonly found throughout the area.

Amenities include a post office with convenience store,

a gastro pub and a 13th-century church.

More importantly for Phil, there's an 18-hole golf course

with driving range to help him improve his swing.

And hopefully property number one will come up to par,

as it's located on the edge of the popular village.

Option number one, here we go.

-What do we think?

-Yeah.

Well, outwardly, it looks quite nice, actually.

Nice and modern, nice light, plenty of windows.

-It was completed in 2010.

-Right.

Now, what do you think of this edge-of-village location

-for your brother here, Rob?

-I think it's ideal.

It's not far from the local shops and post office and the pub.

-Most importantly.

-Yeah. Quick walk, within five minutes.

-Half-hour back from the pub, though.

-Crawl back.

-Crawl back.

Now, this is south-facing.

-I think you get the best first impressions from here.

-Right.

But your everyday entrance will be round the back, up its own drive.

-This house tries to make the most of the sun, both ways.

-Yeah.

-Let's go inside.

-OK.

Although the location seems to suit Phil, I don't seem to be

getting an overwhelming first reaction to the property itself.

But at just five years old,

I'm hoping the modern interior will appeal to his taste.

In we come, gentlemen.

You told me, Phil, you liked open-plan and light and spacious.

-Yeah.

-If you come and stand right in here...

-All right.

..you get an idea of what's what and where's where.

Yeah, looks nice, actually. As you said, it's open. Nice size.

-Nice...

-It's light and airy.

-Yeah.

-Which is exactly what you said you wanted!

Yeah. It does flow very well, actually.

-And certainly the kitchen, let me show you.

-OK.

So...open-plan.

Overall, very nice. I like the high ceilings.

I like the featured windows. It's a nice-sized kitchen, not too big.

-Well, yeah...

-Lots of light.

-I'd like to try the tap.

-Try the tap?

Yes.

I like to see that these things work.

Oh, yeah. Water works, Phil.

PHIL LAUGHS

-I'm just worried, Rob, how're you going to clean those windows for me?

-Er...

-Are you happy with those taps now?

-I'm quite happy with those taps.

I want to know they work because, otherwise, what would Phil do?

Yeah, I know.

He'd be coming over to my place to wash his dishes!

-It's a good job you're here, Rob!

-I wouldn't say that.

-I have my uses!

Well, Rob did say he was practical

and I'm sure the water pressure's equally as strong

in the utility room, which lies just off the kitchen.

The ground floor also features a generous study room.

Upstairs, there are two large bedrooms, both in the eaves and

one with dormer windows overlooking the front and rear gardens.

Both rooms make use of the family bathroom.

But the master is back downstairs on the ground floor.

The current owner uses this bedroom as his master,

because it's actually the biggest room, biggest bedroom, rather,

and obviously, it's got an en suite.

It's not huge, but it's OK.

-You don't sound like you're you jumping for joy here, I've got to say.

-Er...

I would expect for the master bedroom to be a little bit

bigger and probably have a bit more areas for storage.

It's OK, but it's not a "wow".

Let's go outside.

Look at the garden there and start getting your head around

-how much this house might be for sale.

-All right.

-Look forward to it.

-OK.

So, the size of the master has let the side down a little,

even though Phil has two further bedrooms to choose from upstairs.

Outside, the tidy lawned garden extends to the rear

and is bordered on one side by mature trees.

Although there's no vegetable patch at the moment,

Phil could utilise the village allotment, which borders

the front of the property, although there is a waiting list.

OK, then.

So this is the north-facing garden.

What's missing from this equation?

-Garage.

-Yes.

But you can see where you're going to put it.

I mean, they owner's had conversations with a planning officer and they said, in principle,

they'd have no objection, but you would have to make formal enquiries.

-Right.

-Your own.

-Nice-sized garden.

-Definitely sort of the garden size that I'm looking for.

-Is it?

-Yeah.

-OK.

-Yeah. Put some runner beans along the fence...

-There you go.

So, guess the price.

Well, I'm going to say...649.

I think it's lower than that.

I think it's about 600,000.

Rob, you're on the money.

This place is on the market for £600,000.

Yes!

THEY LAUGH

Go back into the house, have a good look around

and then I'll catch you later on.

-OK.

-All right, off you go. Go right in.

Under budget by £75,000, our first property,

a modern, chalet-style house, offers Phil the contemporary interior

he wanted, along with three bedrooms and a manageable garden.

Situated on the edge of a popular village, it gives Phil

a community on his doorstep

and although the property lacks a double garage at the moment,

there's money left over to build one, subject to planning permission.

My initial reaction was what a lovely setting this was.

Certainly looking at the outside of the house,

it looked nice, it was nice and clean lines.

It was, you know, well maintained.

When I first saw the property, I thought it was a little small.

As Jonnie brought us into the property,

I felt it was nice, light and airy.

As far as the character's concerned,

I don't think it matched Phil's expectations.

So...

-All done inside?

-Yep, yep. Good start. It really is.

-Good start, but it sounds like... Could Do Better.

-Not there.

-Not there?

-Not there yet.

-No, it's not right for him, I don't think. He's not happy with it.

-Well, onward and upward, then. Follow me.

-OK.

-On we go.

In the heart of the county lies the city of Oxford -

a university town but also and economic hub for the surrounding countryside,

relying on its transport network to ferry people in and out of the busy city.

Typically the student staple is the handy bicycle,

whilst for other residents, the bus remains a favoured form of transit.

In 1967, a group of enthusiasts established a syndicate to

preserve the city's buses for future generations.

And today the Oxford Bus Museum just outside Woodstock

houses a classic collection of vehicles with over 30 models on display.

Since Phil is interested in vintage automobiles, we sent him and Rob

to meet museum trustee Chris Butterfield.

-Pleased to meet you.

-Welcome to the museum.

Here we're in one of the principal exhibition halls.

Behind us there is an example of a 1913 bus,

because in 1913 the very first buses came to Oxford.

The first bus in Oxford followed straight on from horse trams.

Oxford was rather unusual in not having any electric trams.

So, in 1913, when most cities had electric trams,

Oxford still had the horse and some people were really sick of it,

so William Morris, the man who built the cars in Oxford,

he actually operated the very first buses in Oxford

and what we see here is typical of the bus.

Seating a mere 36 people and limited to a speed of just 12mph,

the first motorised buses to hit Oxford were still a big

improvement on the horse-drawn tram and made commuting a lot easier.

So, Chris, what was the cost of the typical fare at that time?

-Well, a penny or two pence, old money, of course, not new money.

-Yes.

There's a song called Polly Perkins Of Paddington Green that you might remember here?

Before my time, maybe Rob.

Perhaps before your time, but it does end up with somebody who loses the love of his life,

who goes off with a bow-legged conductor of a twopenny bus,

so that was a twopenny fare on that particular bus,

-so a penny, two pence was quite typical.

-Oh, right.

Over the decades that followed, the shape and size of buses changed dramatically.

One of the biggest advances was in engine design,

which had a positive impact on passenger comfort

and saved the bus company some money as well.

Well, here we are in one of the running sheds,

which is where we keep the running members of the fleet.

We've got two single-decker buses here, which illustrate between them

very well the development of the bus between the 1950s and the 1960s.

What has happened over those few years is they've taken

the engine from the front of the bus,

we can see it standing there vertically at the front,

they've turned it sideways, horizontally,

and put it underneath the floor of the bus, a little bit further back.

And that means that the passengers can now get on at the front

and pay the driver as they do so.

You've saved the conductor's wages

and we're getting towards the kind of bus that we know nowadays.

Eventually engines were moved right to the back of the bus,

allowing even easier passenger access to the front.

The low-floored double-decker being the most recognisable design today.

But we're staying in the 1960s with one of the last front-engined models -

an AEC Renown.

Phil has been offered a chance to take the wheel.

He fires up the 9.6 litre diesel engine.

Start switch on... And start.

ENGINE STARTS

-OK. Sounds nice.

-It's all right, is this, it's OK.

-Steady.

-Rich and throaty, they say.

-THEY LAUGH

All right, then, Phil. Shall we go off?

-Yes, as long as you've got your tickets.

-We have our tickets.

-Shall we get on board?

-We'll get on board.

-Come along, then.

30 feet in length and weighing seven tonnes,

it's thought there are only 20 of these vehicles still in existence.

All right, well, here we are, you can ring the bell. He can go.

BELL RINGS TWICE

It's just a short drive along the museum's forecourt,

but Phil has got the hang of it.

So, it's time we put our foot down to find him the home of his dreams.

For our second offering,

we're travelling north to the village of Upper Heyford

about six miles north west of Bicester

and around a 45-minute drive from Rob in Milton Keynes.

The village's mix of architecture includes a long row

of Cotswold stone cottages covered by one continuous thatched roof.

Amenities include a public house and a former Victorian reading room,

restored by the community and now used by local clubs and societies.

Running through Upper Heyford is the Oxford Canal which

opened in the late 18th century to ship coal from the Coventry Coalfields

to Oxford, where it connects with the River Thames.

The village is surrounded by farmland, a mixture of arable and livestock.

House number two is located in the heart of this sought-after village.

-Now, then. The second offering is a bit older...

-I see that.

..by a couple of hundred years.

This is late 18th century.

So, you feel a bit more like you're in the heart of the village.

-Nice rural setting.

-Yeah.

-Looks really nice.

-It does, actually, yes.

I'm really keen to look inside to see what it's got going for it.

-Good. Well, that's why we're here. Let's go have a look.

-OK.

-OK.

Built of Cotswold stone, the present owners have completely renovated

this end of terrace three-storey property

and it combines characterful charm with modern conveniences.

The house greets you with this part-panelled dining room,

but backing onto that is a modern extension.

-Oh!

-Loads of space, loads of options.

I want us first to settle in this room, cos I think we'll like it.

-Oh, very nice.

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

-Oh.

-Absolutely.

-This is a nice size room, isn't it?

-Nice and bright.

It's one of those relaxing places you can just get your newspaper,

sit down here and just chill out.

-And spend hours reading his paper.

-Well...

-This is completely different to your first reactions in the first property.

-Yes.

Automatically you're saying, "I can see myself sitting here," doing what you love.

But I wanted you to see this room first, because I think this is

a really nice partner with the main living room.

-Let me show you.

-Right.

-Right.

OK.

-So, what do you think about this room, then?

-Oh, this is nice.

-This is lovely, isn't it?

-Lovely fireplace as well.

-Yes.

-England oak type fireplace, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-So, tell me, Rob.

-Yes.

-Have you seen your brother react like this to many houses before?

-No.

I think he quite likes this one.

The thing is, this is not a detached house,

-but it's of a size...

-Yeah.

You know. And it feels warm, actually.

You know, it feels comfortable and cosy.

And of an age where the walls will be quite thick anyway.

Look at that window. The depths of those walls.

So, you're thinking of your neighbours.

If they have the same thickness.

Well, I don't think there'd be neighbours quite as thick as you two, but it'll be...

-Well, you never know.

-THEY LAUGH

That's coming from me, the thickest of them all.

THEY LAUGH

-That's true.

-Mmm.

-Let's go to the kitchen.

-Right.

-OK.

The kitchen.

More work being done in here.

Oh, this is nice, isn't it?

It's very nice and bright, isn't it?

-Yes.

-I like the centre.

Very nice.

-Right. May I try the taps?

-JONNIE LAUGHS

-Yeah, go on.

-I can try the taps, can I?

-Try the taps, it's all part of this viewing process.

-Okey cokey.

-WATER RUNS

-Yeah, good flow on that.

-Taps are OK, Phil.

-Yeah.

-They're safe.

I like the modern basin, you know.

-Well, I must say, from where I'm stood, so far so good.

-I think so.

-It's really good, I really like this house.

-Good.

Upstairs next.

So, a big thumbs up from both Phil and Rob

to the ground floor layout and finish.

Upstairs there are four bedrooms spread over two floors.

Up on the second floor, nestled in the eaves, are two smaller bedrooms

with skylight windows, although one is presently used as a study.

Then on the first floor are two larger bedrooms including a guest

double with built-in wardrobes and there's a fully tiled family bathroom,

which just leaves the master suite.

Now, this master bedroom has a small walk-in wardrobe through that

-door and then an en-suite as well.

-OK.

This is a nice size room.

-It is a nice size room, isn't it?

-Plenty of space here.

This is perfect. A nice chair, you can sit there.

-Yes.

-Read your paper.

-Read the paper. Yeah.

-That's right.

-Yeah.

-ROB LAUGHS

-Rob, are we looking potentially at a future new home?

-For my brother?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

JONNIE LAUGHS

-Well, now what you've got to do is try and price it.

-OK.

-OK.

-Start thinking. You're 1-0 down.

-I know I am.

With the interior scoring highly, let's hope the garden is on target.

It extends to the rear and is mainly lawn.

Fully enclosed and secluded, there's also a paved patio area,

handy for entertaining.

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

-It is.

Decent sized garden, isn't it?

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-Really nice.

-Just...

-Yes.

-Just the right size.

And then you've got a garage.

Which is one of three.

And then there's some planning consent to build a new garage

-if you want just beyond it.

-OK.

So, Rob, would you like to see your brother living in this house?

-It's a bit close to where I live, but, yes, OK. I'll acquiesce.

-There you go.

-Well, that's a good start, isn't it? That's not bad.

-All right.

Let's guess the price.

Now, I think it's slightly above the price that he asked originally,

so I'm going for 680.

OK.

I'll say...

665.

This house, believe it or not,

-is on the market for offers around £625,000.

-Ooh.

-Gosh. That's pretty good.

-That is.

-Isn't it?

-That is.

That's well below my budget and gives me a bit of money to...

-Spend on the person helping you find it.

-I wouldn't say that!

-I would.

-THEY LAUGH

I thought it was more expensive and

I was being kind to let my brother win.

JONNIE LAUGHS

-Call it what you want.

-That's very kind of you to do that.

-Well, it's one all, so well done.

-I think so.

-Go back inside, fellas. I'll see you later on.

-Thank you.

-OK, see you later.

Well, they said themselves, "pleasantly surprised",

under budget, what's not to like?

Leaving Phil £50,000 to spare, our second option is a Cotswold

stone cottage dating back to the late 1700s.

With a modern interior making use of some striking

original features, it offers Phil character with a contemporary feel.

It comes with one more basement than he asked for

and a manageable garden.

There's already a single garage with options to build a second

and the house is situated in the centre of a popular village.

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

-Yeah, it's not bad.

A bit limited height, but then again, I'm short anyway.

-Nice views over the country as well.

-Yeah, I think it's...

Can't fault it.

The inside of this house was really good.

It's modern.

It's very fashionable.

It has all the bits that I was looking for in a house.

You could move into it straightaway.

When we arrived outside the house, I must admit, my first thoughts,

I was a little disappointed.

Because I was expecting to see a drive,

maybe a front and what have you.

But once we walked through the front door, it was just light,

airy, well decorated, I was surprised.

This house clearly fits the bill that Philip is looking for

and I think that he would enjoy being in this home.

-Happy?

-Very happy.

-Seen enough of this quite large house?

Yes, I think it's nice, it ticks all the boxes, I think.

This is ideal, what Phil is looking for.

But it's more than that, isn't it?

It's more than just ticking boxes,

it's what you feel about a house, so tonight, your homework is this.

A couple of pints and discuss this as a potential new home,

how does that sound?

-That sounds good.

-Let's go.

-Sounds great.

It's the second day of our property search with

Phil from Basingstoke in Hampshire and his brother Rob.

With a £675,000 budget, he's looking to put down roots

in the Oxfordshire countryside after many years working abroad.

Coming up, Rob's thinking practically again.

-You can get round with a vacuum cleaner pretty quick in here, Phil.

-Hmm.

-And your feather duster.

-And the feather duster!

-PHIL LAUGHS

And it's all aboard as I discover how the Victorians used to unwind.

After showing both Phil and Rob around those properties yesterday,

I'm starting to realise that maybe Phil hasn't found the right

house after looking for two years,

because he's looked at properties through a tick list formula

rather than properties that might take his breath away.

And that's what the mystery house is all about.

It'll give Phil the two most important things -

light, open spaces inside and that quirky character.

But the property itself, it comes in a package that he hasn't

necessarily asked for, but we think he might rather like.

Let's see how we go.

-So far, you've looked for so long now, a couple of years.

-Yep.

And you haven't defined...

..a specific type of house, have you?

No, and there is a reason for that, because I think if you get too

definitive, then it limits your search patterns perhaps too much.

You keep your sights so wide.

-One day you're going to have to make a decision, aren't you?

-That is true.

For our mystery property, we're heading into southern Oxfordshire

to the village of Kingston Blount,

right next door to the Buckinghamshire border.

A mile down the road is the larger village of Chinnor,

which has a range of amenities and an old post mill.

It has recently been rebuilt by the local community after

the original mill was bulldozed in the 1960s to make way for housing.

Chinnor is also home to a heritage railway line which runs

historic diesel and steam engines to Thame around three miles away.

Our mystery house is in the centre of Kingston Blount,

a smaller village with its own pub and ideally located

with transport links between London and Oxford.

Part of a complex of six properties,

the mystery house gives Phil the character and community he wanted

but will challenge him to give up some of his keepsakes

as the storage space is somewhat limited.

It's a barn conversion.

What do we think?

-A nice development here, isn't it?

-You like it, do you?

It's quite mature, yeah.

Converted 17 years ago, the property, the barn,

dates back 1794.

It would've been a grain barn. Can you see that old funnel?

That would have aired the grain inside the barn and this barn

would service that lovely manor house or farmhouse right next door.

I can see there's quite a lot of parking, is there a garage?

That is one of the compromises of the mystery house.

There is no garage.

There is a farm just up the road and you can rent some space there

but there is no garage to speak of.

You will need something to keep your tractor in, Phil?

-Get into the country spirit.

-Yeah.

Is that a... Would that put you off a house? Without a garage?

It doesn't help the situation, I must admit.

-But, having said that, let's go and see what's inside.

-Come on.

A measured response to our mystery barn conversion.

Clearly, the lack of an on-site garage is a concern.

I'm hoping Phil keeps an open mind as we explore the property.

Righty-oh.

So, Phil, you were in here first.

Hit me with it, what do you think?

It's a nice size. It's nice and light.

So far, so good.

It's a nice entertaining room this, isn't it? Easy to upkeep, as well.

You can get round with a vacuum cleaner pretty quick in here, Phil.

-And your feather duster.

-And the feather duster!

HE CHUCKLES

I don't even want to go there. Come into the kitchen.

Aside from this large 24-foot living room, there are only two other rooms

on this ground floor - a utility and washroom, as well as the kitchen.

So what do you think of this kitchen?

A nice size, good aspect with the windows.

It is a nice size, isn't it? It's adequate.

What aren't you seeing in this house, that you'd like to see?

That you might have seen before, then?

I probably would have liked to have seen one more room

-downstairs, I think.

-Mm.

-We've got to see the rest of the house.

-Keep an open mind

and see what the rest of the house is.

As we said, it's all about compromise.

-You know, you can't have it all.

-Is it?

You say the words, "It's all about compromise."

Will you be able to make the compromise for the right house?

I don't think you want to compromise. Which is fair enough.

If you're paying a certain amount of money,

you'd like to try to get as close to what fits the bill.

I'm feeling we've almost gone a bit flat downstairs.

-Let's see if upstairs impresses you more.

-OK.

On this occasion, the mystery has kitchen didn't even warrant

Rob's tap test.

I'm feeling the pressure as we head upstairs.

The first floor is divided up into four decent-sized bedrooms.

All benefiting from high ceilings,

there are two singles at one end of the barn,

as well as a light, spacious guest double

and a shower room that services this level.

This is your master.

-What do you think?

-Right.

An en-suite next door, as you can save us.

This is a nice room, isn't it?

Yes, I like the high ceiling and it's a good space.

Storage probably could be a little bit more.

I think one of the stumbling blocks is the garage, lack of garage.

There is cos it's surprising how much stuff you accumulate over time

and I've certainly got some. I know I've got to get rid of a lot.

But there does look to be a bit of a lack of outside storage.

-That's fair enough. Let's outside and start thinking about price.

-OK.

Despite giving him that practical character he was looking for,

the mystery barn conversion isn't striking a chord with Phil,

or Rob for that matter.

So it's back outside to check out the garden,

which is laid to the front and essentially hard landscaped

with raised, timber decking,

making it as low-maintenance as possible.

What do you think of the house overall?

It hasn't got the "wow" factor.

No, that's something you have been consistent on, isn't it?

I don't think it suits Phil.

OK, let's guess the price.

-Who's going first?

-Phil will go first.

I think so, yes.

Er, I think it's about 575,000.

All right, Rob?

Not as high as Phil, I think it will be 565,000.

OK.

Phil, you win.

This house is on the market for offers around £635,000.

Never?

It is a good part of the world. You are paying for location here, gents.

If it was cheaper, if you could get it cheaper,

would it be worth making any changes to this to make it right for you?

This is the time to find out.

-Go back inside and have a good look around.

-OK.

-See you in a mo.

Under budget by £40,000,

the mystery barn conversion is the most expensive option

we've shown Phil and Rob.

With an open plan layout downstairs

and four bedrooms upstairs,

it gives Phil the modern interior

he wanted but he would have

to store his memorabilia elsewhere in the village.

The property is ideally located

for access to both Oxford and London.

When we came inside,

initially, I thought it was about the right size

but I would probably like to have seen another room,

a separate room added on

to give that sort of, just another dimension to the house.

As far as the garage is concerned, I think it is a deal-breaker.

I think he would like the garage to be on-site or easy accessible

because he can keep his tools in there, or workings or whatever.

Keep his golf clubs and things like that.

Yes, I think that is a deal-breaker.

So all done inside here?

-I think so.

-Yeah, well, no more houses, I'm afraid.

It's now time for you guys to sit down, have a confab,

have a polite argument and I'll catch up with you after that.

-How's that?

-Look forward to it.

-Come on, then.

-Sounds good.

Carving its way through the southern half of the county,

the River Thames is one of the country's much loved waterways.

The inspiration for classic tales, such as The Wind In The Willows and

Three Men In A Boat, its 215 mile course passes through some

beautiful countryside, as well as the city of Oxford.

With the rise of tourism in the 19th century,

the Thames became a popular destination for Victorian

day-trippers and canny boat builders turned their attention to the

growing leisure industry.

One such firm is Salter's, based at Folly Bridge in Oxford,

a family run business that's been operating pleasure

cruises on the Thames for the last 150 years.

I've come to meet fifth and sixth generation father and son John

and Paul Salter.

-Ahoy, gentlemen! How are we?

-Very well, thank you.

-Very well, thank you.

-How are you doing?

Now, I understand this is an old business,

so how long has this been in the family hands?

We started in 1858 as boat builders on the other side of the river

-there.

-Oh, right. OK. And what sort of boats were you building then?

Boats for the colleges mostly.

-Racing eights, fours, sculling boats.

-Right.

And then we progressed to doing sort of heavier boat building,

sort of punts and rowing boats and that sort of thing.

Now, pleasure boating, this really took off in Victorian times.

Just at the turn of the century.

Our first boat was a boat called Alaska

and we started the Oxford to Abington Services then.

We forged associations with the British Railways,

as they were then,

and they'd bring train loads of visitors on daytrips from Wales

and all over the country and we used to take them for a daytrip

and then they'd be sent home again.

And of course, there wasn't a lot for people to do.

There was no theme parks, so a boat ride...

It's very special now, but it was even more special in those days.

Built in 1913, the Wargrave was originally steam operated

and converted to diesel power in the 1940s.

At 84.5ft long, it can accommodate almost 200 passengers.

During her 100 year long life,

the vessel has entertained esteemed guests, including King George V,

who came on board when he opened the Royal Albert Dock extension in 1921.

Today, we have the boat to ourselves,

and as we cut through Christ Church Meadow on our way downstream,

I'm getting a lesson in pleasure boat skippering and river etiquette

from 25-year-old son Paul,

who is soon to take over the running of the business from his dad.

-Talk me through it then.

-Right then.

So, you've got the steering wheel here,

got the throttle cable just here. Just behind you. Erm...

If you'd like to keep that in forward...

Now, which side of the river should I go on?

You stick to the right-hand side of the river, but just off central.

If we make sure we don't go too close to the bank,

just because it gets quite shallow.

Automatically, I'm seeing there's a lot of traffic.

-Yeah, it's a very, very busy stretch of the river.

-Right.

There's quite a lot to look out for.

There's a lot of boaters, which are moored up,

which have got people living on.

You've got the rowing eights as well,

coming up and down with the canoes.

-So, what's the speed limit?

-Eight knots.

Eight knots.

So the future of this family business, six generations on,

lies with your son here.

-It certainly does.

-Feeling the pressure?

-Not really, at the moment.

At the moment!

That's good you're preparing yourself for the unexpected.

Look, it's a great tradition

and it's great to see it's still in rude health.

I wish you the best of luck for the future.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you very much. Thank you.

With a number of heritage pleasure boating companies operating along

the Thames, it's clear that messing about on the river remains

a popular way to unwind.

Not least after some serious house hunting.

Well, it's pretty clear to me that with Rob's counsel,

if you like, Phil favours house number two, but has it done

enough to call to an end Phil's two year hunt for the right property?

Let's find out.

Now then, gents. You've not fallen out, have you?

-Absolutely not.

-So...

-Still brothers.

Still brothers. You'll always be brothers.

-You've got a favourite house. House number two?

-That's true.

What's next?

Well, I think what's next for me is to go back again,

have another view, get a better understanding of the garage,

what's there, what planning has been approved.

And then, talk to the estate agents and just see, you know,

a bit more about the history of the house.

How about from your point of view, Rob?

Do you think that house is suitable?

I think it is suitable. It's got a wonderful sun room.

You could spend most of the time in there.

Yeah, it's a nice relaxing area.

It's like for me, but if I get visitors or something, you can

go in the other main lounge.

Of course, after looking for property for a couple of years

now, are you going to find it hard to finally pull the trigger?

Yes, I am.

But these opportunities don't come very often

and I think I need to move very quickly on it.

I am one for procrastination on decision making,

which frustrates others. And myself.

And now I think I've really got to think about this more quickly

and come to a decision.

Well, it sounds like we're on the road, aren't we?

-What do you think, Rob?

-I think so.

At long last, after two very, very long years.

But it's an ideal location for him.

It's, as we were saying, 30 miles from where I live.

Do me one favour, won't you?

-Let me know how you get on at this house.

-Yes, I will do.

I certainly will and I really appreciate the work that

you've done on our behalf.

And I look forward to keeping in touch with you

and letting you know the outcome.

-Do so, please. Thank you very much.

-Thanks.

-Thank you.

I've got to say, I've had a lot of fun showing Phil

and Rob round these three houses and it's great news that Phil

wants to go back to house number two for a second viewing.

But is he finally ready to commit to a purchase after all this

time looking for a house? Well, I hope so.

And I bet his brother does too. See you next time.

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