0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Escape to the Country.
0:00:03 > 0:00:05This beautiful backdrop was the fictional home
0:00:05 > 0:00:08for a group of rabbits whose adventures have become
0:00:08 > 0:00:10a classic of modern British literature.
0:00:10 > 0:00:13They also made their author a household name.
0:00:13 > 0:00:17But who conjured this tale of country life and where was it set?
0:00:17 > 0:00:20Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you the story.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39On today's show, a well-travelled couple
0:00:39 > 0:00:42are buying their first home in the UK.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46And at the top of their wish list, a dose of classic British character.
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Oh, this is lovely. Look at the wood panelling.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50That's very nice, on the walls.
0:00:50 > 0:00:55And they also try to define their feelings on other striking features.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Now, I don't think I've ever seen a countertop quite like that one.
0:00:59 > 0:01:00Does it appeal to the artist?
0:01:00 > 0:01:03In an abstract, expressionist kind of a way.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10Well, today we are in the North Wessex Downs,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12and that is Watership Down.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16It was this landscape that inspired local author Richard Adams
0:01:16 > 0:01:18to pen his debut novel of the same name
0:01:18 > 0:01:21about a group of rabbits in search of a new home.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23Now, if you've read the book or indeed seen the film,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25you may recall that the rabbits, led by Hazel,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28discover that their existing warren is in grave danger.
0:01:28 > 0:01:32So they undertake a perilous journey to find a new place to live,
0:01:32 > 0:01:34which they do on those hills behind me.
0:01:34 > 0:01:37And let's be honest, on a day like today, with a view like that,
0:01:37 > 0:01:38who could blame them?
0:01:41 > 0:01:44The North Wessex Downs is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
0:01:44 > 0:01:46in the south of England
0:01:46 > 0:01:51and spans four counties including Wiltshire, Berkshire and Hampshire.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53Roughly the size of Greater London,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55the landscape is characterised by
0:01:55 > 0:01:58rolling, open downlands and ancient woodland.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01In 1972, it was designated a protected area
0:02:01 > 0:02:04due to a rich abundance of flora and fauna
0:02:04 > 0:02:07and an array of historic settlements.
0:02:07 > 0:02:09The region's bedrock is chalk.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12The white, earthy limestone has been used locally
0:02:12 > 0:02:13as both a building material,
0:02:13 > 0:02:16evident in the architecture found throughout its villages,
0:02:16 > 0:02:18and in numerous hill figures,
0:02:18 > 0:02:20including the White Horse at Uffington,
0:02:20 > 0:02:22which dates to the Bronze Age.
0:02:22 > 0:02:26Its elegant lines were first carved some 3,000 years ago.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Meandering its way through the region is the River Kennet,
0:02:29 > 0:02:33a tributary of the Thames, it's popular with anglers and birdlife
0:02:33 > 0:02:35and flows through the market town of Hungerford
0:02:35 > 0:02:38on its journey to meet the Thames at Reading.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42Further west lies the historic market town of Marlborough,
0:02:42 > 0:02:45with its wide high street flanked by some fine Georgian architecture
0:02:45 > 0:02:48and older 17th-century buildings.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52With its breathtaking countryside and sense of rural isolation,
0:02:52 > 0:02:56the North Wessex Downs is a place in which to get away from it all.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02Now, when you consider that the North Wessex Downs is made up of
0:03:02 > 0:03:04some of the most expensive counties in England,
0:03:04 > 0:03:06it probably comes as no great surprise to learn
0:03:06 > 0:03:09that buying a property here can be a pricey business,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12not least because of its great road and rail links
0:03:12 > 0:03:15not only to the rest of the country but also into London.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Broadly speaking, the further east you go, particularly into Berkshire,
0:03:18 > 0:03:20the more expensive it gets.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22So if you want a bit more bang for your buck,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25head west over towards Wiltshire, particularly around Devizes.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27You may be surprised at just what you can afford.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29But what about today's buyers?
0:03:29 > 0:03:32What's attracted them to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty?
0:03:32 > 0:03:34Well, let's meet them and find out.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Anthony and Morag currently live in Brussels, Belgium
0:03:39 > 0:03:41and have been married for 24 years.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45But they're now temporarily back in the UK to begin their house hunt.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48A well-travelled couple, Morag, who grew up in Scotland,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51first met Australian Anthony at university in Sydney,
0:03:51 > 0:03:54where they were both studying creative arts.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56I saw Morag on a bus.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58It was a sort of love-at-first-sight thing, really.
0:03:58 > 0:04:00I had sunglasses on. I was looking at him
0:04:00 > 0:04:02but I was pretending to look out the window.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04I noticed that he was staring at me.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06But then I got to know him and I thought he was very sweet.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09After living together in Australia for ten years,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Morag then secured a job working for the United Nations
0:04:12 > 0:04:14which took her all around the world
0:04:14 > 0:04:16before the couple finally settled in Brussels.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20But with Anthony landing a new job teaching art in London,
0:04:20 > 0:04:21change is on the horizon.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Each job was a little bit different,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26but it was always to do with governance or peace building.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28I worked a couple of times in Iraq,
0:04:28 > 0:04:30we went to Geneva for a couple of years.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Anthony got this new job with the International School in London.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36I decided I will leave my job,
0:04:36 > 0:04:38there was an early retirement offer on the table as well,
0:04:38 > 0:04:42so I thought I will take that and move back to the UK.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44Having left Scotland when she was just ten,
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Morag is keen to return to her UK roots
0:04:46 > 0:04:49and reconnect with long-lost family.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52We kept moving westwards towards the UK.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Our goal was to go to the UK eventually,
0:04:54 > 0:04:57and I've come back a few times and met my cousins again,
0:04:57 > 0:04:58which was really nice,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01and found new family members I didn't meet before.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Their current home is an Art Nouveau-style townhouse
0:05:04 > 0:05:06in central Brussels,
0:05:06 > 0:05:08and although they love the Belgian capital,
0:05:08 > 0:05:09they're now looking for more room
0:05:09 > 0:05:11than their inner-city living allows for.
0:05:11 > 0:05:14It's a city with a lot of hidden secrets.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16It's quite a beautiful place.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19And it can be quite gritty and a little bit noisy, etc,
0:05:19 > 0:05:21so what I've been looking forward to in relation to the move
0:05:21 > 0:05:26is being somewhere with a little bit more solitude and a lot more space.
0:05:26 > 0:05:29With their youngest of three grown-up daughters
0:05:29 > 0:05:31currently at university in Reading,
0:05:31 > 0:05:34the choice of the North Wessex area is partly for practical reasons.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38We were attracted to the North Wessex Downs area
0:05:38 > 0:05:41firstly for its beauty and the big skies
0:05:41 > 0:05:44and also for Anthony to being able to commute, you know,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47in a reasonable distance and time to London for his work.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49And for Australian Anthony,
0:05:49 > 0:05:53the English countryside offers a special kind of character.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56I think that the institution of the English pub, for example,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59is something that is unique
0:05:59 > 0:06:01and you won't find anywhere else in the world.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04That type of setting with, you know, the village, the pub,
0:06:04 > 0:06:07some of the beautiful waterways in England.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10I think England would be a unique and beautiful place to live.
0:06:10 > 0:06:12With their Brussels townhouse already sold
0:06:12 > 0:06:14and Anthony's job starting imminently,
0:06:14 > 0:06:17the pressure is on to find a permanent home soon,
0:06:17 > 0:06:20and they're looking forward to the next chapter.
0:06:20 > 0:06:25For me, my children are all grown up, we're empty nesters now,
0:06:25 > 0:06:28- and I guess it's about following our dream.- Absolutely.
0:06:36 > 0:06:37Anthony would like to be within
0:06:37 > 0:06:39a one-and-a-half-hour commute of London,
0:06:39 > 0:06:43so our house search will factor in good rail links into the capital
0:06:43 > 0:06:44such as those from Swindon.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47I'm meeting up with our couple at their hotel
0:06:47 > 0:06:49in the North Wessex Downs
0:06:49 > 0:06:51to get the details of their property wish list.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Ah! Good morning, guys. How are you?
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Good morning. We're very well, thank you.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59What an eclectic life you've led.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03- From Australia, from Scotland.- Yes. - The United Nations.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07You've worked in Iraq, you're living in Brussels at the moment.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10Now, give us an idea of what your new home might ideally have.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13It should have character. The windows, the eyes of the house
0:07:13 > 0:07:17that kind of give it that kind of unusual feel.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19I don't like anything too bland.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21That's interesting - "The eyes of the house."
0:07:21 > 0:07:23I hear houses described in many ways, but I really like that.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25We might develop that a little further.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27Space is probably the most important thing for me.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Because I'm an oil painter,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33ideally, some sort of outbuilding would be ideal.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35In terms of space and accommodation,
0:07:35 > 0:07:37I mean, how many bedrooms and that sort of thing?
0:07:37 > 0:07:41Two is a minimum. Ideally three. But two would suffice.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44At least it's another bedroom for our daughter when she visits,
0:07:44 > 0:07:45or any of our daughters.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48We have two other daughters in Australia. Or friends.
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Downstairs, we really just want a large eat-in kitchen
0:07:52 > 0:07:53and a large living room.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55I have a few sofas to fit in.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57And gardening, Morag, I know that's of interest to you.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01I like gardening, but that's what I'm willing to sacrifice on.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04A small garden just to grow a few vegetables and have a few plants
0:08:04 > 0:08:06and not a huge amount of space.
0:08:06 > 0:08:08How much are you planning to spend on this?
0:08:08 > 0:08:10We'd like to spend £500,000.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13How much work would you put into a property to make it your own
0:08:13 > 0:08:16if it needed a new kitchen, a new bathroom or something like that?
0:08:16 > 0:08:18We don't mind, you know, taking my paintbrush up
0:08:18 > 0:08:21or putting in some extra storage. I don't mind that so much.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24Well, we've got three, I think, very interesting properties to show you
0:08:24 > 0:08:27within this rather unique area of the North Wessex Downs,
0:08:27 > 0:08:29- including, of course, our Mystery House.- Mm-hm.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32- Let's go.- OK.- OK.- Thank you.
0:08:36 > 0:08:41Cash buyers Anthony and Morag have a maximum of £500,000 to spend
0:08:41 > 0:08:42on their new country pad
0:08:42 > 0:08:45which would ideally have lots of character
0:08:45 > 0:08:48as well as a large living room and spacious kitchen-diner.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51They need three bedrooms for when their daughters come to stay
0:08:51 > 0:08:53as well as a manageable garden.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55And outside, they're also looking
0:08:55 > 0:08:56for a separate outbuilding
0:08:56 > 0:08:58for artist Anthony to paint in.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01We've an assortment of charming Wessex properties
0:09:01 > 0:09:02to tempt our buyers with,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05but I won't be revealing the price tag of each
0:09:05 > 0:09:06until the end of our tours.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09And our final property, the Mystery House,
0:09:09 > 0:09:13will definitely teach them a lesson or two about character.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18Presumably, the quiet life really is something
0:09:18 > 0:09:21- you're going to relish now? - Definitely. I will relish it,
0:09:21 > 0:09:23but at the same time, I like to keep busy.
0:09:23 > 0:09:29So I'm looking forward to following pursuits that I'm interested in.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32I really want to get out there within the community
0:09:32 > 0:09:35and do my gardening, join groups,
0:09:35 > 0:09:36maybe I'll grow some prize carrots
0:09:36 > 0:09:38- or something, or beetroots. - JULES CHUCKLES
0:09:38 > 0:09:41I just want to kind of really immerse myself in the country life
0:09:41 > 0:09:44and that includes the activities that comes with it.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Well, we've got a lot to show you and not a lot of time to do it in,
0:09:47 > 0:09:48so we're going to have to get a move on.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51But property number one is not that far away.
0:09:51 > 0:09:52Great.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57We're kicking off our house hunt in the small village of Horton,
0:09:57 > 0:10:00just outside the town of Devizes in Wiltshire.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Although, for Anthony, the closest railway station
0:10:02 > 0:10:05for London is Pewsey, a 15-minute drive away.
0:10:06 > 0:10:08Devizes is a vibrant market town
0:10:08 > 0:10:11with an extensive range of shops and eateries
0:10:11 > 0:10:14lining its handsome Georgian-fronted high street
0:10:14 > 0:10:16and owes its rich range of historic architecture
0:10:16 > 0:10:20to the textile industry which peaked here in the 18th century.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23One of the town's oldest surviving buildings
0:10:23 > 0:10:25is the timber-framed Great Porch House
0:10:25 > 0:10:28built for a prosperous wool merchant in the mid-15th century.
0:10:30 > 0:10:32A mile outside the town, back in Horton,
0:10:32 > 0:10:36our first house sits on the banks of the Kennet and Avon Canal.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39The village benefits from a traditional canal-side pub,
0:10:39 > 0:10:42something Anthony wanted to take advantage of.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Fortunately, the property is just a ten-minute walk away.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Right. Here we are.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53All the way from Brussels to Wiltshire.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55- What do you think of this one? - I like the entrance way
0:10:55 > 0:10:58with the climbing foliage.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00It's rather nice.
0:11:00 > 0:11:01It looks fresh on the outside, and
0:11:01 > 0:11:05there's still space here to create a bit more of a garden.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing what else is inside the house.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11The outside is a little bit plainer, I suppose.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14I think this is very much a property that we will appreciate
0:11:14 > 0:11:17- more on the inside than probably on the outside here.- OK.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19- Well, let's see what you think. - OK.- OK.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23The house dates back to the 1970s,
0:11:23 > 0:11:27but was derelict when the current owner moved in seven years ago.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30She set about completely renovating the property.
0:11:30 > 0:11:31The entrance hall opens into
0:11:31 > 0:11:34a light and spacious dining-cum-living room.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38- So, starting in here, a bit of a dining space, as it were.- Yes.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41They've made it all open plan, and it sort of revolves around
0:11:41 > 0:11:44- this scarlet-coloured chimney breast.- OK.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47Giving you that rather funky, quite crisp wood burner in there.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50- Multi-fuel. - I like the space. I like the flow.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53- The flow is nice. I would create a library round there.- Ah!
0:11:53 > 0:11:56This is more the TV side of the living.
0:11:56 > 0:11:58- More sort of zoned.- Yes.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02- But certainly a lot of room to fit your sofas and...or our sofas.- Yes.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05And I think it's a good, sizable space.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07This is quite cool. Look at this.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09This is a great space.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11I might even use this as a dining room, actually.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14I'm impressed by the space, there's lots of light.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Certainly the view of that field is spectacular.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19I mean, I love the idea of a gate to a field beyond.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23- Well, that gate also gets you to the pub off-road.- The short cut.
0:12:23 > 0:12:25Exactly, that's the short cut.
0:12:25 > 0:12:26- Let's go and have a look at the kitchen.- OK.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30Cos this is quite quirky, actually. I like what they've done with it.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33As well as the sizable sunroom to the rear,
0:12:33 > 0:12:35there's an additional room to the side of the house
0:12:35 > 0:12:38currently used as a children's playroom.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Round at the front, just off the entrance hall,
0:12:41 > 0:12:45there's a small study space and a fully-tiled shower room.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48But we're weaving our way back across the open-plan living room
0:12:48 > 0:12:51to reveal a rather vibrant feature in the kitchen.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Now, I don't think I've ever seen a countertop
0:12:56 > 0:12:59quite like that one. THEY CHUCKLE
0:12:59 > 0:13:03- But it's certainly memorable. - Yes. I'm speechless.- It's granite.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06The current owner's very upfront about it, she loved it.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08She said, "You'll either love it or hate it."
0:13:08 > 0:13:10You've got the double gas hob there.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12- That's nice.- The whole thing is gas, mains gas.- Fantastic.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Could be a little bit of getting used to,
0:13:14 > 0:13:16that leopard print benchtop.
0:13:16 > 0:13:18Does it appeal to the artist?
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Er, in an abstract, expressionist kind of a way.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22THEY LAUGH
0:13:22 > 0:13:25But, no, I think in here you could tweak the tops, to be frank,
0:13:25 > 0:13:26you know, to kind of tone it down a bit.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30- Now, bedrooms, you said...two? BOTH:- Two or three.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32- Come and have a look upstairs.- OK.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37The kitchen also benefits from a separate utility room
0:13:37 > 0:13:39with space for the washing machine.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Upstairs, there are actually four bedrooms
0:13:41 > 0:13:43arranged off a central landing.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45They're all large enough to accommodate a double bed,
0:13:45 > 0:13:48so more than enough room for visiting family.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51There's also a fully tiled family bath and shower room.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54So that just leaves Anthony and Morag's master.
0:13:54 > 0:13:56Now, it's surprising, isn't it?
0:13:56 > 0:13:57When you look at this place from the outside
0:13:57 > 0:14:00- to find that it's got four bedrooms. - Yes, indeed.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03This is what's currently used as the master.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04None of them are en suite,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07but this one has the views out the back.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Lovely views. Nice square, well-proportioned rooms.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12Good light. Yeah, it's good.
0:14:13 > 0:14:15Well, they aren't giving much away,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18but my hunch is that although they're warming to this property,
0:14:18 > 0:14:21it hasn't quite hit the mark on character.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Outside, the south-facing garden extends to the rear
0:14:24 > 0:14:27and is mainly laid to lawn, with a timber garage outbuilding
0:14:27 > 0:14:31offering plenty of scope as Anthony's potential art studio.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33But the real selling point of the garden
0:14:33 > 0:14:36is that view across open countryside.
0:14:39 > 0:14:42There we are. It's not bad, is it, really?
0:14:42 > 0:14:44No, it's a lovely view from here.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47And you can see the Downs up there, the sheep sort of setting the scene.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49So, are you happy?
0:14:49 > 0:14:51- Pleasantly surprised, let's say. - Yeah.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54Well, it is the first of three. And it's our first price guess now.
0:14:54 > 0:14:56- Oh.- CHUCKLING: Yes.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59So, £500,000 is what you've given us to play with.
0:14:59 > 0:15:02Who's going to go first?
0:15:02 > 0:15:04- Would it be cruel to ask him to go first?- Go on.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Considering that the property has
0:15:06 > 0:15:09a lot more bedrooms than we were looking for,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12my guess would be about 485.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15485. Morag?
0:15:15 > 0:15:18The garden is not that large.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21All things considered, I would say 465,000.
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Not bad, actually.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25475.
0:15:25 > 0:15:27- Oh, right in the middle. - So, you straddled it, yeah.
0:15:27 > 0:15:30So, it's certainly affordable and I think would give you just
0:15:30 > 0:15:33enough left over to really play around with that studio space.
0:15:33 > 0:15:35- Absolutely. - Go and have a look at that,
0:15:35 > 0:15:37and I will come and find you a little bit later on.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39- OK, thanks, Jules.- Off you go. - Thank you.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Brilliant. Well, there we are, look.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43Sheep grazing, the Downs in the distance,
0:15:43 > 0:15:46and this is the gate to the pub.
0:15:48 > 0:15:49Just as well it's locked, isn't it?
0:15:51 > 0:15:54Under budget by £25,000,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57this recently renovated family home meets their brief.
0:15:57 > 0:16:00It provides our couple with bags of space,
0:16:00 > 0:16:03featuring a large, open-plan living and dining room,
0:16:03 > 0:16:06and a unique, well appointed kitchen.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09Upstairs, there are more bedrooms than our buyers asked for,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11and outside, there's a potential studio.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15What's more, its location provides access to market town amenities
0:16:15 > 0:16:18and a good train route into London.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22This house has a lot of good things going for it.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26It's got good light, and the flow downstairs works well.
0:16:26 > 0:16:28But I don't think it has the character
0:16:28 > 0:16:30that I think I'm looking for.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33I think it's a good-sized space.
0:16:33 > 0:16:36- Could almost turn this into a machinery workshop.- OK, that side.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39- And this side more for painting. - Where would you set up your easel?
0:16:39 > 0:16:41- On the other side? - Probably the other side.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43It's a good space.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47I was impressed with the studio space, and the outlook is stunning.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50It may not have the kind of charm that we're after
0:16:50 > 0:16:52in terms of some character features.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55However, in terms of its practical base,
0:16:55 > 0:16:58I think this is something worth thinking about.
0:17:00 > 0:17:04Well, can you believe it? Our first house is done already.
0:17:04 > 0:17:05Yeah. Good first start.
0:17:05 > 0:17:07Good first start. Now it's lunchtime.
0:17:07 > 0:17:10- And hopefully time for a pint. - You see.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12MORAG CHUCKLES I knew it was coming. Let's go.
0:17:18 > 0:17:20The undulating North Wessex Downs
0:17:20 > 0:17:23is known for its rolling chalk-laden hills
0:17:23 > 0:17:27on which man has made his mark for the past 5,000 years.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Along with this chalk bedrock,
0:17:29 > 0:17:32another defining geological feature of the Downs are sarsen stones,
0:17:32 > 0:17:36used as building blocks since Neolithic times.
0:17:36 > 0:17:39Today they can be spotted at prehistoric stone circles
0:17:39 > 0:17:40such as the one at Avebury
0:17:40 > 0:17:43and in the foundations of historic buildings,
0:17:43 > 0:17:46including nearby Avebury Manor, which dates to the 16th century.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51Since Anthony's keen to immerse himself in British heritage
0:17:51 > 0:17:55and Morag hopes to get more involved in the community by volunteering,
0:17:55 > 0:17:58we sent them to Avebury Manor which relies heavily on local help
0:17:58 > 0:18:00to keep the property open to the public.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04They're meeting National Trust museum curator Dr Ros Cleal.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Welcome to Avebury Manor and Gardens.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11Well, thank you for having us here. It's a very impressive building.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14Can you tell us a little bit about the history of the place?
0:18:14 > 0:18:17Well, it goes back to the 1500s,
0:18:17 > 0:18:21and the part that's in front of us was probably built in the 1550s.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24And it's mostly finished by about 1600.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26And so what happened to the house after it was built?
0:18:26 > 0:18:29Did it remain just in one family's hands?
0:18:29 > 0:18:31No, it didn't. No, quite the opposite, in fact.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35So, it changed hands lots and lots of times over the centuries.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38How has the building been maintained over all these years?
0:18:38 > 0:18:41In 1991, the National Trust bought the house
0:18:41 > 0:18:44and quite a major restoration of the house took place,
0:18:44 > 0:18:49and each room was presented as a different historical period,
0:18:49 > 0:18:52partly because that's so much part of the house's history,
0:18:52 > 0:18:56that it's had this changing history of ownership.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00Today, the manor house and its attractive walled garden
0:19:00 > 0:19:02with lavender-lined lawns and topiary
0:19:02 > 0:19:04are open for much of the year
0:19:04 > 0:19:08and attract around 140,000 visitors annually.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11Ros has arranged for our couple to meet volunteer Richard Bradshaw,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14who today has the job of getting the house ready
0:19:14 > 0:19:17before it opens to the public in the morning.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19Inside the manor, the refurbished rooms
0:19:19 > 0:19:21reflect different historic periods
0:19:21 > 0:19:25and includes a Tudor parlour right through to a 1940s reception room
0:19:25 > 0:19:28and country house kitchen dating to 1912.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32But one of the most popular rooms is an 18th-century dining room.
0:19:33 > 0:19:36Wow, what a beautiful room this is, Richard.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Yes, it is a nice room.
0:19:38 > 0:19:41It's Adam and Anna Williamson's room, the Georgian period.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44But our job now is... I've already opened up the curtains.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46We want to set the scene out, prep it up for the visitors
0:19:46 > 0:19:48coming in at 11 o'clock.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50- So, are you happy to give me a hand on that?- Absolutely.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52So, Richard, is there many volunteers
0:19:52 > 0:19:54working here at Avebury Manor?
0:19:54 > 0:19:58We have anywhere between 200 and 300 at any particular time.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01- Wow, that's a lot. - They don't all work in the manor.
0:20:02 > 0:20:04Volunteers have a range of duties,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07from cleaning to working in the gift shop.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10But the majority, like Richard, are tasked with presenting
0:20:10 > 0:20:13the story of the house to the general public.
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Here at Avebury, visitors are encouraged to interact
0:20:15 > 0:20:17with the furniture and objects,
0:20:17 > 0:20:20and one such piece has caught Anthony's eye -
0:20:20 > 0:20:22a Georgian exercise chair.
0:20:23 > 0:20:25So, how old is this chair?
0:20:25 > 0:20:30Oh, wow, this would go back to the 18th century.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32- Maybe slightly before that.- OK.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35- This is a copy of one of them. - Oh, wow. Right.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37- It's extraordinary. - What does it feel like?
0:20:37 > 0:20:40- It's like being on a rickshaw. - THEY CHUCKLE
0:20:40 > 0:20:42It's very unusual.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Another object the public are encouraged to explore
0:20:45 > 0:20:47can be found upstairs in the Tudor bedchamber.
0:20:49 > 0:20:51This is called a truckle bed
0:20:51 > 0:20:53and this can be moved in or out underneath the bed.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56So, if you have a visitor stay, they could stay on here
0:20:56 > 0:20:59or if, for instance, you felt like you wanted
0:20:59 > 0:21:01a cup of tea in the middle of the night,
0:21:01 > 0:21:03you'd get your servant to sleep on there
0:21:03 > 0:21:05and they would make you a cup of tea when you wanted it.
0:21:05 > 0:21:08You've heard the phrase of good night, sleep tight.
0:21:08 > 0:21:09- Yeah.- And this is it.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11If the ropes are tight, you do get a good night's sleep.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13If they're slack, you do not.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15- That's interesting, isn't it? - That's important.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Make sure the ropes are tight and that the mattress is comfy
0:21:18 > 0:21:20and you will have a good night's sleep.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22It's great to know where these sayings come from.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25- Fantastic.- It is, isn't it? Yeah.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28So having had a glimpse inside one of the region's historic properties,
0:21:28 > 0:21:32we're turning our attention back to finding Anthony and Morag
0:21:32 > 0:21:34the characterful country home of their own.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42For our second offering, we're venturing north-east
0:21:42 > 0:21:45to the highly sought-after village of Aldbourne,
0:21:45 > 0:21:47around nine miles from Swindon
0:21:47 > 0:21:50which has regular rail services into London.
0:21:50 > 0:21:51Set in the Marlborough Downs,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54this delightful village has many amenities
0:21:54 > 0:21:56and an active local community.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59Village life is centred on a pretty green
0:21:59 > 0:22:01which is bordered by rows of characterful cottages.
0:22:01 > 0:22:05Well, guys, on your travels, have you ever been here before?
0:22:05 > 0:22:06- No, we haven't.- Never.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09You wanted a slice of quintessential English country life.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13- This is Aldbourne. Look at that. - It's gorgeous.- Absolutely beautiful.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15This little green is surrounded by
0:22:15 > 0:22:17some of the prettiest houses I think Wiltshire has to offer.
0:22:17 > 0:22:21It also has a fabulous local pub which I can personally vouch for.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23And the whole thing is overlooked by that church.
0:22:23 > 0:22:24Take a good look at that,
0:22:24 > 0:22:28because we may see something similar to it very shortly.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32Because if you like all of this, you're going to love property two.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34It's really intriguing. Come and have a look.
0:22:36 > 0:22:38Our second house choice is situated
0:22:38 > 0:22:41on a quiet country lane in an elevated position,
0:22:41 > 0:22:43and I'm hoping it'll offer Anthony and Morag
0:22:43 > 0:22:45the external character they've wanted.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50Right then. Here we are.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52- Property number two.- Oh, wow.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54What do you reckon? What do you think it is?
0:22:54 > 0:22:56It looks like either a Victorian or Edwardian cottage.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58You could be mistaken.
0:22:58 > 0:23:03- This is 1947. So it's post-war. - It's post-war.- Just post-war.- Just.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06It was built by the current owner's grandfather,
0:23:06 > 0:23:09and this is the first time that it's ever been on the open market.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11- Wow.- I do love some of the details.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14These lovely Crittall-framed windows with the lead work inside.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16Yes, the eyes of the house are very nice.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18You talked about eyes of the house when we met.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20- This one has eyebrows, doesn't it? - Yes.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22I like the character from the outside. It's lovely.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25It's got a lot of interesting features, the lead windows.
0:23:25 > 0:23:27I think it's got a lot of quirky elements to it.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29- Come and have a look inside.- OK.
0:23:31 > 0:23:33Fortunately, there's quite an upbeat reaction
0:23:33 > 0:23:37to this redbrick detached property built back in the 1940s.
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Since that time, this unique home
0:23:39 > 0:23:43has been in the care of the same family for nearly 70 years.
0:23:43 > 0:23:44OK, Morag...
0:23:47 > 0:23:50- There we go.- Oh, this is lovely. Look at the wood panelling.
0:23:50 > 0:23:52That's very nice, on the walls.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54It's a room, I think, with a lot of character.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56- It lets a lot of light in.- Yeah.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58- I think you could fit all your sofas in here.- Yeah.
0:23:58 > 0:23:59With this window, this window,
0:23:59 > 0:24:02and it looks like another window over in the corner there.
0:24:02 > 0:24:04Now, have a think about this door here.
0:24:04 > 0:24:05It's a full-length door, obviously,
0:24:05 > 0:24:08but I think we can do something similar next-door in the kitchen...
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- OK.- ..which would help kind of connect it
0:24:11 > 0:24:12to the rest of the garden.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14- You'll see what I mean.- All right.
0:24:14 > 0:24:18All the rooms on the ground floor lead off a central hallway
0:24:18 > 0:24:21and include a downstairs washroom as well as a conservatory
0:24:21 > 0:24:24which has been built onto the back of the house.
0:24:24 > 0:24:29This is the kitchen-cum...sort of, well, sitting room at the moment,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32- but clearly is begging to be kitchen-diner.- Yes.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35Or one big room where you have your dining table
0:24:35 > 0:24:38- at this end of the kitchen...- Yeah. - ..leading to outdoor dining area.
0:24:38 > 0:24:42Exactly. Now, if we could replicate that door that's next-door
0:24:42 > 0:24:45to give you French doors to mirror the look of what's already here.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Yeah, knock out the lower part of that window, you'd have
0:24:48 > 0:24:50a great way of moving straight out onto the terrace beyond.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52- And you could make this much wider. - Yes.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55You know, take this out, perhaps. To give you the sort of
0:24:55 > 0:24:58classic kitchen-diner that you've been talking about.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00Perfect. That would be a great way to look at this room.
0:25:02 > 0:25:03I'm delighted our buyers seem receptive
0:25:03 > 0:25:06to adapting the living space to suit them.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Upstairs, there are three decent-sized bedrooms
0:25:09 > 0:25:12including a double-aspect guest room and a smaller single.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18They're served by a family bathroom and a separate WC.
0:25:18 > 0:25:21There's also a smaller windowless room off the landing
0:25:21 > 0:25:23which the current owner has made into a walk-in wardrobe
0:25:23 > 0:25:25as it's next to the master.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30And then finally this one
0:25:30 > 0:25:33which is probably just bigger than bedroom two, I would think.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35It's small, but it will do us, I guess.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37The best part of the room, really, is the fact that
0:25:37 > 0:25:40you have a beautiful outlook to the garden which is very private.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42This window is one of those two dormers
0:25:42 > 0:25:45with those lovely eyebrows that we saw when we first arrived.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48- So we're in the eyebrows of the house.- Exactly.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51I noticed another window over there, which is nice.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54- I was concerned that up here was a bit more limited.- It's tight.
0:25:54 > 0:25:58- It's cosy, which you might need on a winter's night, anyway.- Sure.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01Wahey! Well, we'll leave that conversation there, shall we?
0:26:01 > 0:26:03Let's get out and cool off in the garden.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04- Come on.- OK.- After you guys.
0:26:07 > 0:26:09Well, despite the smaller layout upstairs,
0:26:09 > 0:26:11they do seem right at home in this house.
0:26:12 > 0:26:17Outside, the gardens wrap around three sides of the property.
0:26:17 > 0:26:20At the rear, there's a low-maintenance area laid to slate
0:26:20 > 0:26:24with steps down to a small gravelled area and storage shed.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26There's an additional timber shed
0:26:26 > 0:26:28which could be replaced with a larger structure
0:26:28 > 0:26:31for Anthony's art studio subject to planning permission.
0:26:31 > 0:26:35But the front garden is the real focal point of the outside space.
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Here there's a paved patio
0:26:37 > 0:26:40and steps leading up to a charming, raised seating area
0:26:40 > 0:26:43as well as an incredibly eye-catching centrepiece.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47Now, I said this garden was fun.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49MORAG CHUCKLES
0:26:49 > 0:26:52- My goodness.- What about it? - Oh, my God.
0:26:52 > 0:26:54- It's the church from down the street.- Exactly.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56This is St Michael's Church, Aldbourne.
0:26:56 > 0:26:58It's a real folly, isn't it?
0:26:58 > 0:27:00He obviously had plenty of time to study the original.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03- Is this the original owner of the house who's done this?- Yeah.
0:27:03 > 0:27:04Look, let's get back to business.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08There it is. A house with eyes and eyebrows.
0:27:08 > 0:27:101947, very unique. What do you think?
0:27:10 > 0:27:13I would put it at slightly more than the last property.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18At £485,000.
0:27:18 > 0:27:19485. Anthony?
0:27:19 > 0:27:22Very close to my estimation, actually.
0:27:22 > 0:27:25I was thinking somewhere in the vicinity of about 490.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28Well, here's the thing. This is also on the market
0:27:28 > 0:27:31for £475,000.
0:27:31 > 0:27:32Oh, it's the same. OK.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Excellent. Well, I'm glad you've enjoyed seeing this one.
0:27:35 > 0:27:38It's a very different proposition to our first property.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40It's well worth you taking another look at, I think.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42And while you do it, I'm going to see
0:27:42 > 0:27:44what else I can find in the garden.
0:27:44 > 0:27:47- OK.- Off you go. - Thank you, Jules.- Thank you.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52The price of our second property, a characterful 1940s house,
0:27:52 > 0:27:54leaves Anthony and Morag with
0:27:54 > 0:27:56£25,000 to spare to put
0:27:56 > 0:27:58their stamp on it.
0:27:58 > 0:27:59It provides them with the
0:27:59 > 0:28:01generous living room they wanted and
0:28:01 > 0:28:02with a bit of work, the potential
0:28:02 > 0:28:05for an open-plan kitchen-diner.
0:28:05 > 0:28:06Upstairs, there are three
0:28:06 > 0:28:08decent-sized bedrooms,
0:28:08 > 0:28:09and the quirky character continues
0:28:09 > 0:28:11into the garden with that
0:28:11 > 0:28:13astonishing model church.
0:28:13 > 0:28:14And the house is situated in the
0:28:14 > 0:28:17middle of a sought-after village.
0:28:17 > 0:28:18The thing that really worked for us
0:28:18 > 0:28:21was its location to a beautiful village.
0:28:21 > 0:28:23And when we came to the front of the property,
0:28:23 > 0:28:26we both thought it had bags of character
0:28:26 > 0:28:28and we could see ourselves here.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30There's just something holding me back on this property.
0:28:30 > 0:28:31I don't really know what it is.
0:28:31 > 0:28:35But maybe I'm baulking at the work of the renovations,
0:28:35 > 0:28:38cos it does require some modernisation of the kitchen.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40This is a great space for a studio, Anthony.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Yeah, the existing shed's obviously a bit too small.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45But you could almost fill this whole space.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47Have the front door of the studio almost at the top of the steps.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49Absolutely.
0:28:49 > 0:28:52I think that there's a big jump from what we've seen in the first house
0:28:52 > 0:28:57to this property and I could certainly see myself living here,
0:28:57 > 0:29:01in a place with this type of character and features.
0:29:01 > 0:29:03This is a place of great fun.
0:29:03 > 0:29:07- Have you enjoyed it? - I have enjoyed it. It's interesting.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10- Do you fancy a quick look at the church before we go?- Which church?
0:29:10 > 0:29:12The real one. Come on. THEY LAUGH
0:29:17 > 0:29:19It's the second day of our property search
0:29:19 > 0:29:23across the North Wessex Downs with Anthony and Scottish-born Morag
0:29:23 > 0:29:25who currently live in Brussels.
0:29:25 > 0:29:27With their £500,000 budget,
0:29:27 > 0:29:30they're looking for a characterful British home
0:29:30 > 0:29:32after many years living abroad.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36Coming up, the Mystery House is an education in history.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40- Wow.- Wow.- Look at that. - This space is just incredible.
0:29:40 > 0:29:44And I explore one of the region's time-honoured traditions.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46Pull it down quite firmly. All the way down.
0:29:46 > 0:29:48BELL RINGS Oh, that's fabulous.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50The hammers on the bell. That's amazing.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56Well, yesterday was a good day
0:29:56 > 0:29:59made even more memorable by that astonishing model church
0:29:59 > 0:30:01in the garden of property number two.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04I can't wait to get home and start building one of my own.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06But of course I can't rush off just yet
0:30:06 > 0:30:09because we have our Mystery House to show our buyers.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12Now, this also has a unique architectural twist
0:30:12 > 0:30:14which I hope they'll really enjoy.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18The Mystery House is just a five-minute drive
0:30:18 > 0:30:20from our previous property.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22It's situated in the village of Ramsbury,
0:30:22 > 0:30:25and the most convenient rail station for London
0:30:25 > 0:30:27is Swindon around 12 miles away.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30Ramsbury is nestled in the pretty Kennett Valley
0:30:30 > 0:30:32and is steeped in history.
0:30:32 > 0:30:33Dating back to Saxon times,
0:30:33 > 0:30:36the village is home to a thriving community
0:30:36 > 0:30:37with many clubs and societies
0:30:37 > 0:30:42including a choir, local WI and a horticultural group.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44Amenities include a post office and two pubs,
0:30:44 > 0:30:48one of which is a 300-year-old former coaching inn.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51The Mystery House is just a short distance from the village centre
0:30:51 > 0:30:53and pushes character to the max.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56But Anthony and Morag may have to compromise on size
0:30:56 > 0:30:59to get the kind of traditional property they're after.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05Well, at last. Here it is. Our Mystery House.
0:31:05 > 0:31:06- Is it a church?- Wow.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09It looks like a church, but then it doesn't at the same time.
0:31:09 > 0:31:13It's an old Victorian schoolhouse. It is technically a semi.
0:31:13 > 0:31:14OK. So it's joined at one end.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16Yeah, it's joined at one end, at that end.
0:31:16 > 0:31:18But you get this bit, the sort of lion's share of it.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20Now, I have to be up front about this.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23It doesn't have studio space. OK?
0:31:23 > 0:31:27So we would have to think about finding you something elsewhere...
0:31:27 > 0:31:28- To rent maybe.- ..to rent.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31- But maybe you'd end up with something bigger.- Yeah.
0:31:31 > 0:31:33Where you could make even more mess. THEY CHUCKLE
0:31:33 > 0:31:35And go nuts with it.
0:31:35 > 0:31:36But that's the one big drawback.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39But in terms of village location and getting you into
0:31:39 > 0:31:42a beautiful community, I think this one works a treat.
0:31:42 > 0:31:43- Come and have a look.- OK.
0:31:45 > 0:31:47This former Victorian school built from brick and flint
0:31:47 > 0:31:51was converted into a family home in the 1990s.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54And whilst it may now require a bit of updating,
0:31:54 > 0:31:59it does retain many of its original features including leaded windows.
0:31:59 > 0:32:03The entrance hall takes us straight into a dining kitchen.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06Come in then. Back to school, as it were.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08We'll start with the kitchen.
0:32:08 > 0:32:10- It's square. - MORAG CHUCKLES
0:32:10 > 0:32:13- It's nice proportions.- Exactly. - It does need a bit of work.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17But if it were redone, would it work for the cook?
0:32:17 > 0:32:20I think it would. As Morag says, it's got the right proportions.
0:32:20 > 0:32:22Nice floor. I would certainly keep that the way it is.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24- Yeah, it's good fun.- No tiles.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27Definitely could work. Depends on the rest of it.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30- Yeah, well, the real selling point is through here.- OK.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33- There you go.- Wow.- Wow. - Look at that.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35- A bit more character than the others.- Yes.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37This space is just incredible.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41It's roomy enough. It certainly will fit our sofas.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43It certainly will.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45I like the fireplace. It's got lots of character.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47Those beams are really magnificent.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50I think there's still a bit of work here because there's...
0:32:50 > 0:32:52I can see the ceiling over there has...
0:32:52 > 0:32:54Yeah, I think a lot of that, actually,
0:32:54 > 0:32:56is probably original lath and plaster
0:32:56 > 0:32:58and that's what those cracks are revealing.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01Let's go upstairs and see what you think of the bedroom.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03Next to the main living area on the ground floor
0:33:03 > 0:33:07is one of the two bedrooms the Mystery Property offers.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10And the only bathroom in the house is also on this level,
0:33:10 > 0:33:12just off the entrance hall.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Upstairs, there are two rooms at either end of the living space.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17One is a gallery at mezzanine level
0:33:17 > 0:33:19which the current owners use as their dining room.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22At the other end, accessed by another staircase
0:33:22 > 0:33:24is the second bedroom.
0:33:24 > 0:33:26This is currently the master, as described.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29Although the bedroom downstairs is pretty big too.
0:33:29 > 0:33:32I think I'd like this as a master, actually. I think this is sweeter
0:33:32 > 0:33:35and it's got some of the beams within the make-up of the room.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38- I love the windows.- Yeah. - They are quite beautiful, actually.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40- This is a lovely window. - A lot of light comes in from this.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43Clearly, there are some compromises with this one.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46- But then every house has an element of that. Let's be honest.- Mm-hm.
0:33:46 > 0:33:51- But I don't know, maybe the price... - OK.- ..might persuade you.
0:33:51 > 0:33:53- Let's talk about that outside. - Sounds interesting.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55Clearly Anthony and Morag are captivated by
0:33:55 > 0:33:58the school's unique character, but I wonder
0:33:58 > 0:34:00whether the practicalities of modern-day living here
0:34:00 > 0:34:03are creeping into their thoughts as we venture outside again.
0:34:04 > 0:34:06The garden is private and enclosed.
0:34:06 > 0:34:09Mainly lawn, it's certainly manageable
0:34:09 > 0:34:11and also has a patio area.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13In addition, they'd also have use of
0:34:13 > 0:34:16a larger communal garden to the rear.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19The compromise of our characterful Mystery House is that it currently
0:34:19 > 0:34:22doesn't offer an outbuilding for Anthony's art studio.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24But perhaps there'll be money left over to rent one.
0:34:24 > 0:34:25So, there we are.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29Our lovely old Victorian schoolhouse in the heart of Ramsbury.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31- Very pretty house. - Any idea what it's worth, then?
0:34:31 > 0:34:34- 415.- 415. Yeah.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36I would say 395,000.
0:34:36 > 0:34:39It's actually on at £430,000.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42It's been reduced to that. It's been on for about 18 months.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44So I suspect there is a deal to be done,
0:34:44 > 0:34:48which, if successful, would leave you with a fair bit of change.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51It's an interesting proposition. I'm not sure if it's a step too far
0:34:51 > 0:34:53for us in terms of the work that needs to be done.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55But it's an interesting building nonetheless.
0:34:55 > 0:34:57It is. It's certainly something to think about.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59- Go on. It's all yours.- OK.
0:35:03 > 0:35:05£70,000 under budget,
0:35:05 > 0:35:06our Mystery Property is
0:35:06 > 0:35:08a former Victorian school
0:35:08 > 0:35:10packed with characterful features,
0:35:10 > 0:35:11leaving them plenty of change
0:35:11 > 0:35:13to put their stamp on it.
0:35:13 > 0:35:14Despite being compact,
0:35:14 > 0:35:16it offers Anthony and Morag
0:35:16 > 0:35:18a large high-ceilinged living space
0:35:18 > 0:35:20and an eat-in kitchen.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22There are two good-sized bedrooms,
0:35:22 > 0:35:24and the garden is more than manageable.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26And despite the fact there's
0:35:26 > 0:35:27no art studio space for Anthony,
0:35:27 > 0:35:29the village location gives him
0:35:29 > 0:35:31rental options nearby.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35From the outside, I thought, "Yay! This is my house."
0:35:35 > 0:35:38I had a different feel inside, I have to say.
0:35:38 > 0:35:39I was a bit disappointed when I came in
0:35:39 > 0:35:41cos there was so much work to do.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44It has to have a completely new kitchen. It's very old and dated.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47And the bathroom probably needs to be updated as well.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50What I liked about the Mystery House was its features.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52The exterior is extremely pretty.
0:35:52 > 0:35:56The lead in the windows, the high ceilings were impressive.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00I think what doesn't work for us is that there's a lot of work to do
0:36:00 > 0:36:03to get this place the way we would like it.
0:36:06 > 0:36:07Well, I think we've given you
0:36:07 > 0:36:10a really interesting mix of properties this week.
0:36:10 > 0:36:12So, it's now time to go away and think about them
0:36:12 > 0:36:15because, let's face it, this move has got to happen sometime soon.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17- Certainly. - Right then. After you.- OK.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25In the heart of the North Wessex Downs,
0:36:25 > 0:36:29the market town of Hungerford, with its pretty Georgian streetscape,
0:36:29 > 0:36:33has a long-established reputation as a centre for antiques.
0:36:33 > 0:36:36Today the town is home to over 100 specialist dealers
0:36:36 > 0:36:41selling anything from furniture and curios to rare books and clocks.
0:36:41 > 0:36:43One such dealer is the town's clockmaker
0:36:43 > 0:36:48who not only sells but also restores and repairs historic timepieces.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52I've come to the shop and studio to meet clockmaker Chris Bessent,
0:36:52 > 0:36:55who's been tinkering with clocks since the 1970s.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00- Chris, nice to see you.- Hi, Jules. How are you?- This is beautiful.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03If you are a clock aficionado, this is a real Aladdin's cave.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05How long have you been a clockmaker for?
0:37:05 > 0:37:08I've been clockmaking for the last 36 years.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10Never had a boring day yet.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12And what got you into it in the first place?
0:37:12 > 0:37:15Really just taking apart clocks,
0:37:15 > 0:37:17bits and pieces, anything I could find
0:37:17 > 0:37:19and seeing if I can get it back together.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22Fortunately now, I've mastered the process.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24But how difficult is it to master
0:37:24 > 0:37:27the range of movements that need repaired?
0:37:27 > 0:37:29The first 20 years was probably the most difficult.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37Making a handcrafted clock from scratch
0:37:37 > 0:37:40is a time-consuming and costly process,
0:37:40 > 0:37:44so most of the clocks for sale in the shop are refurbished antiques.
0:37:44 > 0:37:46Chris spends the majority of his time servicing clocks
0:37:46 > 0:37:48brought in by the public.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52Upstairs in the workshop, he's just finished restoring a bracket clock
0:37:52 > 0:37:54dating to the early 18th century,
0:37:54 > 0:37:57so called because it could be mounted on a wall bracket
0:37:57 > 0:37:58or positioned on a tabletop.
0:37:59 > 0:38:03- That's a lovely old patina, isn't it?- It is gorgeous, yeah.
0:38:03 > 0:38:08- And it's got a date on it too. - This is round about 1710, 1720.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10That's astonishing. I mean, you know,
0:38:10 > 0:38:12- not long after the English Civil War.- Oh, absolutely, yeah.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14Can we have a look at the back and see
0:38:14 > 0:38:17what all these bits and pieces will look like when they're together?
0:38:17 > 0:38:19And I can show you how it works if you'd like to see.
0:38:19 > 0:38:21Yeah, let's see it operate.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25When these were made, they didn't have very good artificial light,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28so to know what the time was, they needed to pull a cord
0:38:28 > 0:38:30and it would give them the nearest quarter.
0:38:30 > 0:38:31Pull it down quite firmly.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34- All the way down. - MACHINERY CLUNKS
0:38:34 > 0:38:35I can just hear it winding up.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38Oh, that's fabulous. The hammers on the bell.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41And, presumably, each clock could have its own signature tune?
0:38:41 > 0:38:42They followed patterns.
0:38:42 > 0:38:47- But if you had a specific request, you could have that.- That's amazing.
0:38:47 > 0:38:50So, it would give you a fairly clear indication
0:38:50 > 0:38:52of what time it was in the middle of the night
0:38:52 > 0:38:54just so you knew what was happening.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57We didn't really worry about minutes and seconds in those days.
0:38:57 > 0:38:59The nearest quarter was adequate.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04Having seen the finished article,
0:39:04 > 0:39:07I'm keen to get a sense of the myriad of components
0:39:07 > 0:39:09that make up a bracket clock.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11Chris is working on another 18th-century example,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14and he's about to reassemble the mechanism.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17You basically start off with the centre wheel,
0:39:17 > 0:39:18which we'll plop in there.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20And you just know that that's where it goes?
0:39:20 > 0:39:22It's experience. And it's experience that tells you.
0:39:22 > 0:39:25After that, you have a little crown wheel.
0:39:25 > 0:39:27- Can I use these? - Yeah, help yourself.
0:39:29 > 0:39:30I mean, that is fabulous.
0:39:30 > 0:39:34How long would it take you to make that now with modern machine tools?
0:39:34 > 0:39:37- That would take me about two days to make.- Two days.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40And to make an entire clock like this from scratch?
0:39:40 > 0:39:42You're talking about months and months of work.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44It is absolutely fascinating.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47Restoring a clock is clearly complex.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49- Have you ever tried to build one? - I've made a number of clocks.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53I'm actually currently making one at the moment. I'll show you it.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55Beautiful. What kind of a clock is this one?
0:39:55 > 0:39:58So, this is a drop dial clock. It's a fusee.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00It's a clock that I'm making for my granddaughter.
0:40:00 > 0:40:02I started it when she was born.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04She's going to be eight this month.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06So it's taking quite a while, then.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08Well, the trouble is I'm so busy with repairs
0:40:08 > 0:40:11and restorations that I don't get a lot of time.
0:40:11 > 0:40:12It doesn't take that long,
0:40:12 > 0:40:14it doesn't take eight years to build a clock,
0:40:14 > 0:40:17but it does take a long time to get to do it.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Chris, thank you very much indeed. I wish you all the best of luck.
0:40:20 > 0:40:21She'll be very pleased, I'm sure,
0:40:21 > 0:40:25- when she finally takes delivery of that.- Thank you, Jules.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27CLOCKS TICK
0:40:30 > 0:40:32Well, there is no underestimating the urgency
0:40:32 > 0:40:35that surrounds Morag and Anthony's move,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38but have we done enough this week to help them finally get it under way?
0:40:38 > 0:40:39I wonder.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48Well, look at this. Is that for me?
0:40:48 > 0:40:50- Yes. - JULES SIGHS
0:40:50 > 0:40:53Well, guys, here we are at the end of our house search.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56- It flies by, doesn't it?- It has.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59So, how close did we get, Anthony? We gave you three to consider.
0:40:59 > 0:41:00What about property number one?
0:41:00 > 0:41:03Property number one, I think, had a fantastic workshop.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05In terms of the house, it had plenty of room,
0:41:05 > 0:41:08but probably lacked the character that we were looking for.
0:41:08 > 0:41:09What about property two, then?
0:41:09 > 0:41:11I think property two was a real contender.
0:41:11 > 0:41:13I guess it was our favourite.
0:41:13 > 0:41:14It had a beautiful facade,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17some of the rooms were very nice, characterful.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21I could see where we could make the changes to make it work for us.
0:41:21 > 0:41:22But I think, at the end of the day,
0:41:22 > 0:41:24it was the kitchen that was a breaker,
0:41:24 > 0:41:26because it really needed a complete new kitchen.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29I think it just didn't grab me enough
0:41:29 > 0:41:32for me to put my £500,000 on the table for it.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Interesting. So number two was your favourite.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38Our Mystery House, we tried to up the ante on character
0:41:38 > 0:41:41whilst still giving you a sort of heart-of-village location.
0:41:41 > 0:41:45But I think we all agreed it was probably a little bit small.
0:41:45 > 0:41:46It was the smallest.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49I think also it didn't really have a true living area.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51I don't really particularly like staircases
0:41:51 > 0:41:53leading into a main living area.
0:41:53 > 0:41:54Where do we go from here?
0:41:54 > 0:41:56Well, we've actually fallen in love with the area.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00The Wessex Downs, the villages that we looked at on the way through,
0:42:00 > 0:42:01just absolutely stunning,
0:42:01 > 0:42:06and we're very keen to keep looking and focus on this particular area.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08So watch this space.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10Well, guys, I am sad that we haven't been able to
0:42:10 > 0:42:11find a solution for you this week,
0:42:11 > 0:42:13but we wish you all the very best of luck.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15- Thank you, Jules.- Pleasure.
0:42:18 > 0:42:21Well, this may have been a frustrating week of house-hunting,
0:42:21 > 0:42:24but it doesn't always follow that it's been a bad one.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26Let's be honest, exploring this part of the world
0:42:26 > 0:42:28is never a great hardship.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31And although we haven't quite sold Morag and Anthony a new home,
0:42:31 > 0:42:34we have sold them on the North Wessex Downs.
0:42:34 > 0:42:37And let's be honest, when you look around you on a day like today,
0:42:37 > 0:42:38whoever decided that this should be
0:42:38 > 0:42:41an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty,
0:42:41 > 0:42:43well, they really did know what they were talking about.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45I'll see you next time.
0:42:46 > 0:42:48Morag and Anthony revisited some of the areas
0:42:48 > 0:42:51they were introduced to on our search
0:42:51 > 0:42:53and have since bought a property near Malmesbury
0:42:53 > 0:42:55which they'll be moving into shortly.
0:42:55 > 0:42:57If you'd like to escape to the country
0:42:57 > 0:42:59in England, Wales, Northern Ireland or Scotland
0:42:59 > 0:43:02and would like our help, then please apply online at...