0:00:02 > 0:00:05This magnificent mansion played host to not one but two British kings
0:00:05 > 0:00:07and their royal mistresses.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11Find out where it is and who lodged here in just a moment.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Today, a couple with an empty nest
0:00:30 > 0:00:33are on the hunt for their slice of rural England.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35To me, this is an ideal country kitchen.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38It gives you that feel with the beams and everything else and so on.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41I think, yes, it gives you that country feeling.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44But will the idea of outdoors country living be a step too far?
0:00:44 > 0:00:46Are you keen to have chickens?
0:00:46 > 0:00:48- No.- So that could be another garden.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50THEY LAUGH
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Today I'm in Hampshire and this is Avington Park.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Back in the 17th century it passed into the hands of George Brydges,
0:00:58 > 0:01:02the groom of the bedchamber for Charles II.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05It's thought that Brydges made the house fit for visits
0:01:05 > 0:01:07from the King and his mistress Nell Gwyn,
0:01:07 > 0:01:12while he was waiting for his palace in Winchester to be finished.
0:01:12 > 0:01:16Around a century later, it also played host to George IV who
0:01:16 > 0:01:20came here with the catholic widow Maria Fitzherbert
0:01:20 > 0:01:24who he had married secretly and illegally in his 20s.
0:01:24 > 0:01:28These royal associations make sure that Avington earns its place
0:01:28 > 0:01:32in the pantheon of Hampshire's great historic architecture.
0:01:33 > 0:01:35Hampshire sits in the south of England,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38bordered by Surrey and West Sussex to the East,
0:01:38 > 0:01:42Wiltshire and Dorset to the West and Berkshire to the North.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45In the east of the county lie the South Downs,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48England's newest National Park.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52Covering over 600 square miles, an area the size of London,
0:01:52 > 0:01:56the Park spills over into West Sussex and beyond.
0:01:56 > 0:01:58Within its boundaries are rural villages
0:01:58 > 0:02:00such as East Meon,
0:02:00 > 0:02:02which counts the impressive Norman All Saint's Church
0:02:02 > 0:02:05amongst its treasures.
0:02:05 > 0:02:07It's the oldest building in the village
0:02:07 > 0:02:10and contains one of only seven black Tournai marble fonts
0:02:10 > 0:02:15in the country, gifted to the church in around 1150AD.
0:02:15 > 0:02:17and depicting the story of Adam and Eve.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Also in the Park is Butser Ancient Farm,
0:02:21 > 0:02:23an archaeological site which
0:02:23 > 0:02:26displays replicas of Iron Age buildings.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Together with Roman villas and Neolithic houses,
0:02:29 > 0:02:34the site spans a fascinating 11,000 years of ancient history.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Towards the centre of the county is the market town
0:02:38 > 0:02:41of Bishop's Waltham, providing a more recent step back in time.
0:02:41 > 0:02:45Old terracotta tiles top the roofs of artisan shops
0:02:45 > 0:02:49and eateries, including the 16th century coaching inn which
0:02:49 > 0:02:53provided lodging for up to 200 captured French and Spanish
0:02:53 > 0:02:56naval officers during the Napoleonic wars.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01With delightful towns and villages steeped in history and a rich
0:03:01 > 0:03:04and varied landscape, Hampshire presents an enticing
0:03:04 > 0:03:07choice for escapees in search of a country life.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14It's no secret that Hampshire is an expensive place to go
0:03:14 > 0:03:15property shopping.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19The average price for a detached house here is just under £400,000.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23That's £114,000 above the national figure.
0:03:23 > 0:03:27That's particularly true of coastal hotspots like the lovely Georgian
0:03:27 > 0:03:29Lymington or Buckler's Hard,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31but that's also because they're in the New Forest.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34A little further north, in the Test Valley,
0:03:34 > 0:03:37or around Andover, your money definitely goes a bit further.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41So which part of this lovely county are our buyers interested
0:03:41 > 0:03:43in looking at?
0:03:43 > 0:03:44Let's meet them and find out.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50Retired personnel manager, June, and her retired marketing manager
0:03:50 > 0:03:54husband, Malcolm, first met when they worked for the same company.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57That was almost half a century ago.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Malcolm's very much an extrovert and I'm an introvert
0:04:00 > 0:04:03and we balance each other out really.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07- Yeah, I suppose that's true, yeah. - And we don't agree on everything.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09But you compromise, don't you?
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Mm, yeah, we sometimes agree to disagree.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14So that's how it is, isn't it?
0:04:14 > 0:04:18They've lived in their five-bedroom detached house in Cheshire
0:04:18 > 0:04:21for the past 25 years, alone for 15.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23We have one daughter.
0:04:23 > 0:04:28She works in London now and basically that's why
0:04:28 > 0:04:31we want to move because we just want to be closer to her.
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Mm, cos we do quite miss her
0:04:33 > 0:04:37so what we've tried to do is to look for places near West London.
0:04:37 > 0:04:40Basically something within an hour, an hour and a half
0:04:40 > 0:04:44travelling distance which roughly equates with Hampshire.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46It's not a place that we know anything at all about.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48As a matter of fact, it's a blank canvas.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53It'll be a big change for our pair, relocating from North to South.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56And they're hoping for a quieter life when they get there.
0:04:56 > 0:04:58We currently live in Bramhall.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01It's a very nice place but quite busy
0:05:01 > 0:05:05and the traffic can be horrendous at certain times of the day.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08We just really want somewhere quieter.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11I love the countryside cos it's so peaceful.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15You just feel as though the air's been let out of you
0:05:15 > 0:05:18like a big balloon that's gone puff.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20And although they love their current home,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23they feel it's time to scale down their living space.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26What really we're looking for is something very similar to
0:05:26 > 0:05:30what we've got in terms of individual rooms but fewer of them.
0:05:30 > 0:05:33Because it's just far too large for just two people.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37- It's a family house.- It is a family house, you're right.- Mm.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40They're hoping their new home and environment will also give them
0:05:40 > 0:05:43a chance to indulge in their hobbies.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45I think we both are quite active in what we do.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48I like to take video film and edit it
0:05:48 > 0:05:50and produce actually small sort of films.
0:05:50 > 0:05:54Sometimes holiday films but other times they're documentary films.
0:05:54 > 0:05:59I like to garden. I enjoy sewing. I did a floristry course.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01I love flower arranging.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04- You enjoy cooking as well, don't you?- Yeah, I do, yes.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07With their house on the market, June and Malcolm are all set to
0:06:07 > 0:06:10up sticks and begin the search for a new home
0:06:10 > 0:06:12closer to their daughter.
0:06:12 > 0:06:14It's a challenge. It's an opportunity.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17And it's something that we really want to do.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20It's going to be an exciting experience.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22I think we're both ready for a change now, aren't we?
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Oh, yeah, yeah. Now is the time. We've got to do it now.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27- If we don't do it now we never will. - No.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32BIRDS CHIRP
0:06:34 > 0:06:36Our buyers have asked us to concentrate our search
0:06:36 > 0:06:39around the northern half of Hampshire within
0:06:39 > 0:06:42an hour and a half's drive of the daughter's home in Chiswick
0:06:42 > 0:06:43in West London.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46And before we get the ball rolling, I'm meeting them
0:06:46 > 0:06:49in the county to discuss exactly what it is they're hoping for.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54- Good morning.- Good morning. - What a lovely day.- It's gorgeous.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57- It's gorgeous.- And a lovely spot. - Yep.- Welcome to Hampshire.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Is this the first time you've been here?
0:06:59 > 0:07:02We have made one or two sort of trips around just to find out
0:07:02 > 0:07:03- our geography, you know?- Yeah.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07It's quite a brave move to come from Cheshire, a beautiful county,
0:07:07 > 0:07:08down to a county you don't really know.
0:07:08 > 0:07:11What are you looking for? What would be your ideal property?
0:07:11 > 0:07:15We're looking for basically a minimum, say, of three bedrooms,
0:07:15 > 0:07:16but also we're looking for a study
0:07:16 > 0:07:19so I can carry on my hobby of film-making which I do.
0:07:19 > 0:07:24And we just want to make sure it's somewhere that's a reasonable
0:07:24 > 0:07:26- size but not too big.- No.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31But as everyone does, we like the large kitchen/diner
0:07:31 > 0:07:34and Malcolm wants a garage, at least one,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36possibly two if we can get it.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39The size of garden needs to be reasonable.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42We're not looking for acres of land.
0:07:42 > 0:07:43What about location?
0:07:43 > 0:07:46Obviously you want to be, sort of, within driving distance of Chiswick.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48But do you want to be in a town?
0:07:48 > 0:07:53- No, no. Ideally we want to really move to a village environment.- Yeah.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55We don't want to be remote, in the middle of nowhere
0:07:55 > 0:07:58and certainly we don't want to be on a very large housing estate,
0:07:58 > 0:08:00that sort of thing. OK.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03We've tended to live in more modern properties.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07I think when you walk into somewhere you know
0:08:07 > 0:08:09and that's what I'm looking for.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12If you had to compromise, for example, would you be interested
0:08:12 > 0:08:14in doing some development work?
0:08:14 > 0:08:15If you had to knock the property around,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17is that something you're interested in?
0:08:17 > 0:08:19- Yeah, provided it's not too substantial.- And you've got
0:08:19 > 0:08:22a good healthy budget. How much have you got to play with?
0:08:22 > 0:08:23700,000.
0:08:23 > 0:08:25So £700,000 is a whopping budget.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28- Unfortunately, Hampshire does squeeze that. BOTH:- Mm-hm.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30But we've got three lovely properties lined up,
0:08:30 > 0:08:33I hope one of them tickles your fancy if not all of them.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36- Me too.- Let's go and see. - Thank you.- OK. Good.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40For their budget of £700,000, June and Malcolm are open to the
0:08:40 > 0:08:44style of property they live in, but they do want a large kitchen/diner
0:08:44 > 0:08:48and they'd like four bedrooms, or three bedrooms and a study.
0:08:48 > 0:08:51They'd be happy with a manageable garden with a double garage
0:08:51 > 0:08:52and would like to be in a village
0:08:52 > 0:08:54or edge of village location.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58We've hand-picked a fantastic selection of properties
0:08:58 > 0:09:01for June and Malcolm to view, but only after they've reached
0:09:01 > 0:09:06the end of their tour of each will they be furnished with its price.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09And the third and final visit will be to our Mystery House which
0:09:09 > 0:09:13will offer them a priceless location and a home to match
0:09:13 > 0:09:16if they're willing to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25For our first stop, we're journeying to the hamlet of Lower Chute
0:09:25 > 0:09:27which is just an hour and 20 minutes' drive
0:09:27 > 0:09:30from June and Malcolm's daughter in West London.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33The Chutes are a collection of five hamlets sitting in the countryside
0:09:33 > 0:09:38of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40There's a real mix of architectural styles here,
0:09:40 > 0:09:44all set against a beautiful backdrop of rural scenery.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47Elevated Upper Chute boasts far reaching views
0:09:47 > 0:09:50along with quiet residential streets.
0:09:50 > 0:09:54While Chute Standen is home to a busy village hall which plays
0:09:54 > 0:09:58host to numerous clubs which unite the local community.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01I've stopped off with June and Malcolm en route to our first
0:10:01 > 0:10:03house because I would like them to get their bearings.
0:10:03 > 0:10:07We're right on the edge of the Hampshire-Wiltshire borders.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11- Uh-huh.- In fact that is Wiltshire and this is Hampshire.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14And this is the Chute Causeway.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17It's a Roman road and a boundary between the two counties.
0:10:17 > 0:10:20Over here we've got a little cluster of villages called the Chutes
0:10:20 > 0:10:22and that's where our house is.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- OK. So, let's go and visit. - Thank you.
0:10:25 > 0:10:29This very causeway is said to be haunted by Charles II after
0:10:29 > 0:10:33he died in the area of the bubonic plague in the 17th century.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36There's no sign of ghostly activity today though as we head to
0:10:36 > 0:10:40Lower Chute, which boasts a 13th century traditional dining pub,
0:10:40 > 0:10:44perfect for a night out and right on the doorstep of our first property.
0:10:44 > 0:10:50- Here we have it, house number one. - Wow.- Oh, right.- It's neat.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53It looks very nice. Yeah, it looks very... Yeah, I'm quite pleased
0:10:53 > 0:10:54- with it, yeah.- And double garage.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57- Yeah, there's a double garage as well, yeah.- And you've also got
0:10:57 > 0:10:59this plot here. There's a chicken run now but that could be
0:10:59 > 0:11:02- a veggie patch or something on the other side.- Mm-hm.- Mm-hm.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04- The land belongs to this house? - Yeah.- Oh, right.
0:11:04 > 0:11:06Have you ever had chickens before?
0:11:06 > 0:11:07- No.- No.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09- Are you keen to have chickens?- No.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11OK. So that could be another garden.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17- Shall we look inside?- Yeah, I'd love to.- Yeah, excellent, yeah.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20This detached chalet-style house dates back to the 1960s,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24but the extension to the right of the front door was completed
0:11:24 > 0:11:26just over ten years ago.
0:11:26 > 0:11:28We're heading through the hall straight to the kitchen-diner
0:11:28 > 0:11:30at the back of the house.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33The kitchen side was extended when the work to the house was done.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38It's a little bit smaller than what we had hoped.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41You've got all the white goods and everything back there.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43- You've got a utility room. - Right.- Yeah, yeah.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46So you could knock that through and make this whole area bigger
0:11:46 > 0:11:48- if you wanted. - Oh, there's a thought, yeah.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50The good thing about this property is downstairs you have
0:11:50 > 0:11:53lots of rooms to play around with.
0:11:53 > 0:11:54This room at the end here, through the door,
0:11:54 > 0:11:56is currently a very nice study.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59- It has French windows out into the garden also.- Mm-hm.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01But at the front of the house you've got a dining room
0:12:01 > 0:12:03- and a sitting room.- Oh!
0:12:03 > 0:12:06So you could, technically, knock that wall through
0:12:06 > 0:12:09and make the kitchen-dining room a very big space with two French doors.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Oh, yeah, that would be good. Certainly that's workable
0:12:12 > 0:12:14and probably it gives even more than what we've got now.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17It's very difficult also because you haven't seen the rest of the house.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20- No.- So let's continue the tour. - Sure.- Yeah, I'd love to.
0:12:20 > 0:12:21I wasn't joking about this floor.
0:12:21 > 0:12:25It's a maze of rooms and I've saved the biggest till last,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28another reception room.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31It's quite a reasonable width. It's very comfortable, yeah.
0:12:31 > 0:12:34- Are you feeling the vibe of the house?- Yeah, I like it.
0:12:34 > 0:12:35Yeah, quite like it.
0:12:35 > 0:12:37The first time we came in, I thought,
0:12:37 > 0:12:40"Oh, it's going to be a little bit small."
0:12:40 > 0:12:42Then suddenly it seemed to expand.
0:12:42 > 0:12:44It's like a TARDIS. It seems to, sort of, get bigger as you come in.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48There's also a cloakroom on the ground floor.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51And as we move upstairs through the hall-cum-library,
0:12:51 > 0:12:56the first-floor landing connects the old side of the house with the new.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00This is the master suite which was added into the eaves
0:13:00 > 0:13:02as an extension over the house.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05- Then you've got a walk-in shower in the en-suite room.- Oh, good.
0:13:05 > 0:13:08- Oh, that's nice. - Are you looking for an en-suite?
0:13:08 > 0:13:09- Yes, we are.- Yes, yes, we are.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12At the moment we've got two ensuites so we're very lucky.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15- But then we are supposed to be downsizing.- Downsizing, yes.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18That's the thing about downsizing, you do have to let go of things.
0:13:18 > 0:13:19Yes, you do. You do, don't you?
0:13:19 > 0:13:23- The thing is, the only thing I can see is the wardrobe space.- Yes, yes.
0:13:23 > 0:13:24It seems to be...
0:13:24 > 0:13:27- Yeah, because of the sloping ceilings.- Cos of the ceiling.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29- I have a lot of clothes. - SHE CHUCKLES
0:13:29 > 0:13:32- Have you thought of downsizing your clothes?- Could do.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Could you take one of the bedrooms and make it a dressing room?
0:13:35 > 0:13:38- Good idea.- That's not... Yeah, yeah.
0:13:38 > 0:13:41Well, there are two more bedrooms to choose from on the other side
0:13:41 > 0:13:44of the Hall. One on the other side of the house with views across
0:13:44 > 0:13:47fields and one at the back, overlooking the garden,
0:13:47 > 0:13:51already set up as a sewing room for June.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54They're separated by a white family bathroom.
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Back downstairs there's plenty of access to the garden
0:13:57 > 0:14:00which wraps around three sides of the house.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04A patio leads to the lawn which is dotted with flowerbeds,
0:14:04 > 0:14:08shrubs, hedges and plenty of nooks and crannies.
0:14:08 > 0:14:09I'd be interested to hear
0:14:09 > 0:14:11whether you think this is big enough as a garden.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14- Oh, yes, yes, definitely.- Yes, yes. - Ideal.
0:14:14 > 0:14:15This is big enough to enjoy.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18For privacy, you know, you've got the back here.
0:14:18 > 0:14:19No, it's great.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22So I feel your enthusiasm for the property is rising
0:14:22 > 0:14:24- as we go around. - It is. It's surprising.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27We thought it looked a bit small.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30We're comparing what we've currently got instead of comparing it
0:14:30 > 0:14:33- with what we actually want... - Yes.- ..which is the main thing.
0:14:33 > 0:14:35We've just got to make that step, haven't we?
0:14:35 > 0:14:39- Yeah. And what we want, I think, is contained in there.- Yeah.
0:14:39 > 0:14:44It all depends on how much it is and what we can afford.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46Well, since you bring that subject up,
0:14:46 > 0:14:48how much do you think it's on the market for?
0:14:48 > 0:14:51Oh, it's difficult to say.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55I'm going to go for 630.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00No, I think it's on the market for 650.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Well, to be honest, if you split the difference you'd be spot on.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06- This is on the market for £640,000. - Right.- Right.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08I'm going to let you go back inside and then I will see you out
0:15:08 > 0:15:10- the front when you're done. - OK. Thank you.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13This extended chalet-style house
0:15:13 > 0:15:15has rung in at £60,000
0:15:15 > 0:15:17below June and Malcolm's budget.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19It's managed to come up trumps
0:15:19 > 0:15:20offering everything
0:15:20 > 0:15:21they've asked for.
0:15:21 > 0:15:22There's a study for Malcolm
0:15:22 > 0:15:24along with just the number
0:15:24 > 0:15:25of bedrooms they want,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27plus a perfect-sized landscaped
0:15:27 > 0:15:30garden and a double garage.
0:15:30 > 0:15:32Yeah, I think it has good possibilities.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36There's a lot of work I would want to do to it to obviously
0:15:36 > 0:15:41put our own stamp on to get it to work the way we would want it to.
0:15:41 > 0:15:44But I think it's a very good start.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47I think this would be the storage room, yeah.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50- For all my clothes, darling. - HE CHUCKLES
0:15:50 > 0:15:54Basically what we would like to do would be to extend
0:15:54 > 0:15:57the kitchen-dining area and make it a sitting area at the end.
0:15:57 > 0:16:01So we have kitchen-dining and then a sitting area, which is
0:16:01 > 0:16:05basically what we have at the moment and we'd like to replicate that.
0:16:05 > 0:16:06You all done?
0:16:06 > 0:16:11- Yes.- Excellent. - Er... Yeah, it's grown on us.- Good.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14- Let's see if the second house grows on you too.- Jolly good.- Thank you.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23Food production has always been a part of Hampshire's identity
0:16:23 > 0:16:27and much of the county's home-grown produce is on offer in the
0:16:27 > 0:16:31cathedral city of Winchester at the largest farmers' market in Europe.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35June and Malcolm have come to Laverstoke Park Farm in Overton
0:16:35 > 0:16:37to meet owner Jody Scheckter.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39He used to race cars for a living
0:16:39 > 0:16:42and has a Formula One title to his name.
0:16:42 > 0:16:46But for the past 12 years he's been farming organic food.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49We follow nature very strictly. We have two main keys.
0:16:49 > 0:16:52One, slow-growing animals and plants are generally healthier
0:16:52 > 0:16:53- and taste better.- Yeah.
0:16:53 > 0:16:56- And biodiversity is a key to healthy, natural environment.- Yeah.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58Start in the soil, in the grass, in the animals.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02We look at every element of it from the soil right through to the plate.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04- Soil is 90% of farming.- Yeah.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Why is the soil so important to your product?
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Well, everything comes from the soil.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12Your grass comes from the soil and animals eat your grass.
0:17:12 > 0:17:16I have a saying, it's healthy soil, healthy grass, healthy animals,
0:17:16 > 0:17:17healthy meat and milk and healthy people,
0:17:17 > 0:17:19and it can't be anything different.
0:17:19 > 0:17:21But soil is very, very complex.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23If you think a handful of good soil will have more living things
0:17:23 > 0:17:25- than people on Earth.- Really?
0:17:25 > 0:17:28And the biology in the soil is a very complex biology.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31When you first took on the farm, did you have an awful lot to do
0:17:31 > 0:17:33to get the soil into the right condition for you?
0:17:33 > 0:17:38Yeah, well, basically I concentrated everything on getting the soil right
0:17:38 > 0:17:39- at the beginning.- Mm-hm.- Compost,
0:17:39 > 0:17:42animals on the field seem to be a very, very good
0:17:42 > 0:17:44way of building up the soils as well.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46What animals do you have on the farm?
0:17:46 > 0:17:48Lots and lots, so why don't you come and have a look?
0:17:48 > 0:17:49Ooh, lovely.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53Jody's livestock doesn't just eat grass,
0:17:53 > 0:17:57his herds feast on a mixed salad of over 30 different herbs,
0:17:57 > 0:18:02clovers and grasses providing them with a variety of nutrients.
0:18:02 > 0:18:07There are 4,500 acres here, home to a variety of rare
0:18:07 > 0:18:10and traditional breeds, including sheep, pigs, wild boar,
0:18:10 > 0:18:14Angus cows, the rarest breeding England,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16and some new arrivals, baby water buffalo,
0:18:16 > 0:18:18just three weeks old.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22How many buffalo do you have on the farm?
0:18:22 > 0:18:24Well, we have about 300 here,
0:18:24 > 0:18:27but then we have about 2,000 altogether on six other farms.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30- And two other farms milking for us. - Really? Wow.- Oh, really?
0:18:30 > 0:18:32What makes buffalo good for dairy?
0:18:32 > 0:18:35Well, it's the ultimate undeveloped bovine,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38- so it produces half the milk which is not very positive.- No.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41But the milk has got twice as much of most things in,
0:18:41 > 0:18:42so lovely, lovely milk.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47With his herds' yield, Jody produces around 100 tonnes
0:18:47 > 0:18:53of buffalo mozzarella a year, which is sold in shops all over the UK.
0:18:53 > 0:18:55- Morning!- Hello, good morning. Nice to meet you.- Welcome, welcome.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57- Nice to see you.- Thank you.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01In the cheese processing dairy, dairy manager Margarita Hermann
0:19:01 > 0:19:03is going to show June and Malcolm how it's made.
0:19:03 > 0:19:07She's taken last night's milk which has turned into curd.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11It's being closely watched and when the curd reaches the correct pH,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14it's time to take the stretch test.
0:19:14 > 0:19:19So if you take a piece of curd and just pull it apart
0:19:19 > 0:19:23- and just crumble it in here. - Oh, I see.- That's it.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26Margarita adds hot water to the curd which melts it
0:19:26 > 0:19:30so that it can be tested for its elasticity.
0:19:30 > 0:19:31There we go. See?
0:19:33 > 0:19:37So my Italian master told me that if I can see my hands or my hair.
0:19:37 > 0:19:38Hands through it. Yeah.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42But I don't have any hair on my hands.
0:19:42 > 0:19:44- He had very black hair on his hands. - THEY LAUGH
0:19:44 > 0:19:46Once the mozzarella has passed the test,
0:19:46 > 0:19:48it's put through the stretching machine,
0:19:48 > 0:19:51where it's also shredded before being moulded into the balls
0:19:51 > 0:19:54we recognise from the supermarket.
0:19:54 > 0:19:57But how does this carefully created buffalo mozzarella taste?
0:19:57 > 0:20:00June and Malcolm are about to find out.
0:20:00 > 0:20:03Jody's waiting for them in the farm's walled garden.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Is this very healthy for you?
0:20:05 > 0:20:07I think it's healthy because it's very natural.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09There's no other ingredients except milk really.
0:20:09 > 0:20:13You'll feel it's a little firmer than you're probably used to,
0:20:13 > 0:20:16but it'll also have a fresher milkier flavour.
0:20:17 > 0:20:22- You just get, sort of, a fresh, sort of, feeling on your tongue.- Mm.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Well, Jody, thanks very much indeed.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27- Really enjoyed it and thank you very, very much.- It's a pleasure.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35For our second offering, we're travelling to the hamlet of
0:20:35 > 0:20:38Great Shoddesden, which is an hour and 20 minutes'
0:20:38 > 0:20:40drive from West London.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44Just five minutes away and across the border into Wiltshire
0:20:44 > 0:20:46is the town of Ludgershall.
0:20:46 > 0:20:49Here, all the necessities can be found alongside a 16th-century
0:20:49 > 0:20:53dining pub and the ruins of a medieval fortress,
0:20:53 > 0:20:54the late 11th-century
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Ludgershall Castle.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59Less than two miles south and we're in Great Shoddesden,
0:20:59 > 0:21:04rural and rather wet, and where we find our next house.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08I'll wheel you around here, because this is our second property.
0:21:08 > 0:21:13Oh, nice size. I quite like it. I like the size.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15- Malcolm, you're pulling a face. - Don't like it.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18- You don't like it?- No? No?- It's a fairly good-sized house.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21It just doesn't do anything for me. It doesn't have any kerb appeal.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24- But you're quite taken by the style. - Yeah, I quite like it.
0:21:24 > 0:21:28- Oh! There you are.- Yeah, but we're often different.
0:21:28 > 0:21:30It's actually quite a classic Hampshire cottage
0:21:30 > 0:21:33in the sort of the use of the brick and the flint.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35Oh, yes, I accept that. It just doesn't...
0:21:35 > 0:21:36It's not ringing your bell.
0:21:36 > 0:21:37No, it's not. I'm sorry.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40It's not ringing your bells at all, is it?
0:21:40 > 0:21:42- I want to be honest, you know. - Yeah, absolutely.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45I mean, inside it might be gorgeous. And maybe that might change.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47- Let's look inside.- OK, sure.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51Mixed reactions for property number two.
0:21:51 > 0:21:54This brick and flint house has grown from humble beginnings,
0:21:54 > 0:21:57with the oldest part dating back to the 1800s,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00when it would have been a two-up, two-down.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02But there have been several later additions.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05We're walking through the dining room, which is
0:22:05 > 0:22:07in the original part of the house, to the
0:22:07 > 0:22:10kitchen/breakfast room in one of the extensions.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12- Oh, it's a good size, isn't it? - Good-sized kitchen.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15- Is this more what you were thinking of?- No, it's nice.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17Yeah, it's a nice size. I like this.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19To me, this is an ideal country kitchen.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Gives you that feel with the beams and everything else,
0:22:22 > 0:22:25and the way that they've done the butler sink and so on.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27I think, yes, it gives you that country feeling.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29Seriously, this is the most modern bit.
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- Let's go back in time and look at the oldest part.- OK.- Uh-huh.
0:22:32 > 0:22:33Back through the dining room
0:22:33 > 0:22:37and across a small hallway is the sitting room.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39This one goes back to about 1800, they think.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42You can see the great big beams with all the hooks
0:22:42 > 0:22:45- hanging from the ceiling.- I love the fireplace.- It's very cosy.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48We've never had a house as old as this before, have we?
0:22:48 > 0:22:53- No, we haven't.- I quite like it, but I don't think it's Malcolm's thing.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56It's very nice as it is, but we'd prefer something a little
0:22:56 > 0:22:57larger than this.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00Unlike the last property where they had a lot of space downstairs,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02this one has quite a lot of space upstairs
0:23:02 > 0:23:03because there's four bedrooms.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05- Shall we have a look at that? - Yeah, sure.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Also downstairs in a further extension, there's
0:23:07 > 0:23:11a cloakroom and a study, which would be perfect for Malcolm.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Then moving upstairs,
0:23:13 > 0:23:16there's a contemporary family bathroom for three of the bedrooms.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19There's a particularly large double in the extension over
0:23:19 > 0:23:22the kitchen. Then in the original side of the house, there's
0:23:22 > 0:23:25a smaller single and an even more compact room, which could
0:23:25 > 0:23:28easily double up as a dressing room.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30That just leaves a room for June and Malcolm.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34- This one is the master bedroom with an en suite.- Oh, lovely.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Oh, that's a bonus. I like this room very much.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41And it's, you know, nice and light with the two windows.
0:23:41 > 0:23:42I like this very much.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45- Good, let's go into the garden and talk about price.- Yes.- OK.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49Well, it's true that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover,
0:23:49 > 0:23:53as Malcolm has begun to warm up after his very cool reception
0:23:53 > 0:23:54when he first arrived.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57Here the entire garden sits at the front of the property
0:23:57 > 0:24:01and makes for a pretty spot, despite the dreadful weather.
0:24:01 > 0:24:02So, the rain has set in,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05but if we stick ourselves here, we can get a view of the house.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07You can see the new extension there.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10The extension's been sympathetically done, hasn't it?
0:24:10 > 0:24:15- Matches it very well.- You've also got two sheds and a double garage.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17- Uh-huh.- And the size of the garden? - Yeah.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19It could do with a little bit of trimming back,
0:24:19 > 0:24:21but nevertheless, as far as size is
0:24:21 > 0:24:23- concerned, it's fine.- That's just our...
0:24:23 > 0:24:26OK, so what do you think the price of this property is?
0:24:26 > 0:24:28I think it will be 625.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33I think it will be more because it's been very sympathetically
0:24:33 > 0:24:36extended, and it is an older property.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39I think it will be 670.
0:24:39 > 0:24:44That's interesting because this is actually on the market for £595,000.
0:24:44 > 0:24:45Oh, really?
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Why don't you get back inside into the dry and have a little
0:24:48 > 0:24:51- mosey around and I'll see you at the front when you're done.- OK.- Lovely.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53- Thank you, Alistair.- Thank you.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56This attractive home is priced
0:24:56 > 0:24:58£105,000 below
0:24:58 > 0:24:59June and Malcolm's budget,
0:24:59 > 0:25:00and it does pretty well
0:25:00 > 0:25:02meeting their requirements.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04There's a generous-sized
0:25:04 > 0:25:06kitchen/diner and a study for Malcolm.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08Here they get one more bedroom than
0:25:08 > 0:25:10required and, outside, there's
0:25:10 > 0:25:12both a manageable garden
0:25:12 > 0:25:13and a double garage.
0:25:13 > 0:25:18This property, I quite like. I like the size of the kitchen.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20I particularly like the dining room,
0:25:20 > 0:25:23but I don't think I'd ever get Malcolm to live here.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28- Oh, it's a nice room. I can see this being my study.- I know.
0:25:28 > 0:25:32- It'd be a good study for you. - I'll put a reserve on this one.- OK.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35I didn't care for the appearance of the building,
0:25:35 > 0:25:37but inside there were a lot of things that
0:25:37 > 0:25:38I think were quite appealing.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42But overall, I'm afraid it didn't really do it for me.
0:25:42 > 0:25:44- Here you go. Your brolly awaits, madam.- Thank you.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Let's find somewhere dry
0:25:46 > 0:25:48- where we can digest what we've seen today.- OK.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57It's the second day of our journey round Hampshire,
0:25:57 > 0:26:00hunting down a new home to bring June and Malcolm from
0:26:00 > 0:26:04Bramhall in Cheshire closer to their daughter in West London,
0:26:04 > 0:26:08but in a rural country location well away from the city.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10And with a budget of £700,000,
0:26:10 > 0:26:14we're looking for a property with room for guests and hobbies.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16We've still got our Mystery House,
0:26:16 > 0:26:18with a rather special outlook, to come.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22- I think it looks sweet. - I do like the location.- Good.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24It's...that's spot on.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28And I'll be seeing how some spectacular furniture is created.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31This really shows off the handmade nature of the work.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33- It pushes the other one up.- Yeah.
0:26:36 > 0:26:39Today's going to be an interesting day for June and Malcolm
0:26:39 > 0:26:41because what became apparent yesterday is that Malcolm,
0:26:41 > 0:26:45in particular, is very strongly opinionated about his houses.
0:26:45 > 0:26:47And today the Mystery House is,
0:26:47 > 0:26:49well, it's a bit of a challenge on that front,
0:26:49 > 0:26:53because it's a beautiful property and it could be a dream home,
0:26:53 > 0:26:57but they need quite a lot of vision and quite a lot of thinking through,
0:26:57 > 0:26:59and we'll have to see whether those are forthcoming.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05For our Mystery House, we are journeying to the
0:27:05 > 0:27:07hamlet of Monkwood, which is
0:27:07 > 0:27:09an hour and a quarter's drive from
0:27:09 > 0:27:11June and Malcolm's daughter in West London.
0:27:11 > 0:27:15Just under three miles away, is the larger village of Ropley.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19Here, quiet lanes are flanked by character cottages, sheltered by
0:27:19 > 0:27:24blooms and hedges, with classic brick and flint a recurrent theme.
0:27:24 > 0:27:26There's a village shop, a post office
0:27:26 > 0:27:29and a village hall offering various events for locals.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34The 800-year-old Grade II listed St Peter's Church was almost
0:27:34 > 0:27:39completely destroyed by a fire which ripped through it in 2014.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43It's currently at the beginning of a long process to restore it.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Six minutes' drive from the centre of the village
0:27:45 > 0:27:49and we're in rural Monkwood, at our third and final house,
0:27:49 > 0:27:53a larger undertaking, perhaps, than June and Malcolm would choose,
0:27:53 > 0:27:55but I think it's a trade-off that's more than worth it.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59We are starting off at the back of this character cottage.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Here we have it. Now, hold your horses, especially you, Malcolm.
0:28:03 > 0:28:07This is the Mystery House. I know that you are big on kerb appeal.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09But what are your first impressions?
0:28:09 > 0:28:13I think it looks sweet. Yeah. I really do. It's very nice.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16- It's not to my taste.- Oh!
0:28:16 > 0:28:18- But I do like the location.- Good.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21- It's...that's spot on. - This is the Mystery House.
0:28:21 > 0:28:25This is all different rules here because this is a very special spot.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Over there, on the other side of that lane, that is
0:28:28 > 0:28:30- the South Downs National Park. - Really?
0:28:30 > 0:28:35- You can't build on that view ever. - Oh, wow.- It's all protected.
0:28:35 > 0:28:38This side of the road is not the South Downs National Park,
0:28:38 > 0:28:43and that means that you can extend this cottage, June.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46- Are you with me on this?- Yeah, I'm with you.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48I want to see inside.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50- Let's go in and see inside.- Come on.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54Our single-storey Mystery House dates back to the 19th century
0:28:54 > 0:28:56and will really test our buyers
0:28:56 > 0:28:59on their mission to downsize.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02It's already been extended, not by the current owners, but they do
0:29:02 > 0:29:07have planning permission to expand it even more by going up and out.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11The back door leads straight into a long kitchen which runs
0:29:11 > 0:29:13from the front to the back of the house,
0:29:13 > 0:29:14with the sitting room to the left.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16Quite open-plan L-shaped kitchen.
0:29:16 > 0:29:20You've got one kitchen on that side,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22- and then a sort of second kitchen here.- Uh-huh.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26What are you thinking? June.
0:29:26 > 0:29:31Well, I'm trying to think just what I would do and what it would cost.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34Personally, I can't see the point of having a kitchen area there
0:29:34 > 0:29:35and a kitchen area here.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38And I think make this as the living space
0:29:38 > 0:29:41- because you've then got the view over there.- Yes, I would.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45And take this out of here and make the kitchen area over there.
0:29:45 > 0:29:48- Yeah.- Yeah, for me, I'd like to see it as an empty space.
0:29:48 > 0:29:54- Could you imagine living here as it is?- No.- No?- Not as it is, no.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Could you not do it as a very short-termism,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00- whilst you're working on the rest of it?- Yes, I suppose I could.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03As a short-term you could move here,
0:30:03 > 0:30:04we could still live in this area here.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07- And bit by bit, you could move things around.- Yes.
0:30:07 > 0:30:09So let's continue the tour,
0:30:09 > 0:30:11and I'll show you a bit more of the house, OK?
0:30:11 > 0:30:14June and Malcolm have definitely got their own take on our houses.
0:30:14 > 0:30:16I just hope they have the vision to see the possibility
0:30:16 > 0:30:18the Mystery House offers.
0:30:18 > 0:30:20We're heading to the other side of the chimney breast.
0:30:22 > 0:30:25This room is a bit of a through-room, but it could be a
0:30:25 > 0:30:27dining room because you've got a fireplace.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30But the reason I wanted to stop here is because, in the plans,
0:30:30 > 0:30:34this bedroom here becomes the keystone entrance and this would be
0:30:34 > 0:30:36the hallway and the staircase would go up,
0:30:36 > 0:30:37and then you would go upstairs.
0:30:37 > 0:30:40Because the thing about upstairs is that it's got amazing views.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42And they've got plans for five bedrooms,
0:30:42 > 0:30:46- but you could do anything you like with the upstairs space.- Yeah.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48This cottage has loads of potential.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52Currently, there's just one bathroom here that serves two bedrooms.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55And we're heading to the second, the master, in an extension
0:30:55 > 0:30:57just on the other side of the
0:30:57 > 0:30:59through-room-cum-dining room.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02Through there, you expect there's an en suite
0:31:02 > 0:31:03but actually it's a utility room.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06But it would be crying out to turn that into an en suite.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08- Yes, it would.- Yeah, yeah.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11Is it the sort of place you could imagine sleeping?
0:31:11 > 0:31:16I would still want to see it as an empty blank canvas,
0:31:16 > 0:31:20speak to an architect and see what could be done with the space.
0:31:20 > 0:31:25I'm quite happy to put in new kitchens and en suites and
0:31:25 > 0:31:31bathrooms, but to take on a whole house project at our time of life...
0:31:31 > 0:31:34I'd like to just think about how much it's going to cost.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38What the timescale would be.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42And then, sort of decide because, to be honest with you,
0:31:42 > 0:31:45- the view is absolutely fantastic. - It is. The location is perfect.
0:31:45 > 0:31:48And that's the thing that's pulling me towards it.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Well, let's go and look at the view and talk about the price.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54There's a big step here, so mind yourself.
0:31:54 > 0:31:55This pair might know what they want
0:31:55 > 0:31:58but it doesn't seem to be the same thing.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00Outside, the grounds are at the side
0:32:00 > 0:32:03and rear of the property, with a gravelled seating area,
0:32:03 > 0:32:06perfect to soak in the views. Along with a veggie patch,
0:32:06 > 0:32:09greenhouse and, at the front, a garage.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13- OK, so what do you think this is on the market for?- Well, I think...
0:32:13 > 0:32:15- 390,000.- I'll go...
0:32:16 > 0:32:19- ..420.- 420.- And we're going to be miles out, I know.
0:32:21 > 0:32:24- Yes, you're miles out.- Yes, I thought it might be.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27This is on the market for £575,000.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30- THEY GASP - Yeah.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32So why don't you go and have a look around, and I will pick you up,
0:32:32 > 0:32:35and then we can go and find somewhere to mull it all over.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37- Thank you.- Thank you, Alistair.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40Our Mystery House may be priced
0:32:40 > 0:32:42above their guess, but it's still
0:32:42 > 0:32:44£125,000 below June and Malcolm's
0:32:44 > 0:32:46budget, meaning plenty of cash
0:32:46 > 0:32:48spare if they're willing to take
0:32:48 > 0:32:50on a project and make it their own.
0:32:50 > 0:32:52It's got open-plan living quarters
0:32:52 > 0:32:54and the remaining rooms offer
0:32:54 > 0:32:56flexibility.
0:32:56 > 0:32:57Outside, the garden - with its views
0:32:57 > 0:32:59across the National Park -
0:32:59 > 0:33:01gives our buyers a chance to live
0:33:01 > 0:33:03in a very sought-after location,
0:33:03 > 0:33:04but only if they're up
0:33:04 > 0:33:06for the challenge.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09This house, initially, I really liked it.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12I liked the view, I liked the open aspect of it,
0:33:12 > 0:33:15it was a very sweet country cottage.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18I was not a fan of this house from the first impression,
0:33:18 > 0:33:22but I do think the location is perfect.
0:33:22 > 0:33:26I think Malcolm has more vision as to what could be done with
0:33:26 > 0:33:30the house than possibly I do. I see the practical side of it.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33But I think Malcolm, if he had enough money,
0:33:33 > 0:33:37would like to take this project on.
0:33:37 > 0:33:39It wanted an awful lot of work doing to it.
0:33:39 > 0:33:41It needed a lot of reconstruction,
0:33:41 > 0:33:45and it needed an additional layer which would put the cost up.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53OK, Mystery House done, all three houses done, in fact.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Time to find a place to reflect upon them, OK?
0:34:04 > 0:34:06Amongst the wealth of beautiful properties found throughout
0:34:06 > 0:34:10Hampshire is one sitting high on a ridge overlooking
0:34:10 > 0:34:12yew and beech woodland.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15This cottage was once home to the celebrated British furniture
0:34:15 > 0:34:18designer and maker Edward Barnsley.
0:34:18 > 0:34:21It survives, not only as a cottage designed during
0:34:21 > 0:34:24the Arts and Crafts movement, but within its walls,
0:34:24 > 0:34:28it also keeps alive the legacy of the influential late 19th
0:34:28 > 0:34:33and early 20th century design principles of the movement.
0:34:33 > 0:34:37Traditional skills and ideals were employed to produce high-quality
0:34:37 > 0:34:41handmade products as a protest against mass industrialisation.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44I've come to the cottage in Froxfield
0:34:44 > 0:34:47in the South Downs to meet the workshop manager here,
0:34:47 > 0:34:49furniture designer James Ryan.
0:34:50 > 0:34:55Edward Barnsley was the son of Sidney Barnsley, and Sidney Barnsley
0:34:55 > 0:34:58and his brother Ernest and their friend Ernest Gimson,
0:34:58 > 0:35:00they were kind of the Arts and Crafts pioneers.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02So they actually left their city life,
0:35:02 > 0:35:06they went off to the countryside, and they made things.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08Edward was born in 1900.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11He came down here for the very first time in 1919.
0:35:11 > 0:35:14And he worked with a chap called Geoffrey Lupton.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16Geoffrey Lupton had built this cottage.
0:35:16 > 0:35:21So, aged just 19, Edward Barnsley trained with Geoffrey Lupton
0:35:21 > 0:35:23and learned the skill that would make him his name.
0:35:23 > 0:35:27He then worked as an Arts and Craft architect and cabinet-maker here
0:35:27 > 0:35:33in Hampshire and, aged just 23, he took over the workshop from Lupton.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35So what characterises the idea behind the
0:35:35 > 0:35:37Arts and Craft movement at that time?
0:35:37 > 0:35:39It was about kind of going back to basics.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42It was about truthfulness of materials,
0:35:42 > 0:35:44so the Arts and Crafts furniture is using things like oak
0:35:44 > 0:35:48and walnut and just showing it in its natural form.
0:35:49 > 0:35:54Edward Barnsley lovingly created over 7,000 pieces of furniture
0:35:54 > 0:35:58that he hoped would be pleasing to the eye and give real joy in use.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01Up in the cottage are examples of some of the beautiful
0:36:01 > 0:36:05handcrafted pieces of furniture made here by James,
0:36:05 > 0:36:07and also a special item by Barnsley.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09This is a really important piece.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11It was designed by Edward in 1976.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14It's a writing bureau in English walnut,
0:36:14 > 0:36:17and it has some really nice features.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20These panels, these are actually called feather walnut panels,
0:36:20 > 0:36:23and they come from the main trunk of the tree where it
0:36:23 > 0:36:25splits off into two branches.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28That crotch, that double back figure you get there,
0:36:28 > 0:36:31that's used to a particular effect here, a decorative effect.
0:36:31 > 0:36:34- And can we open it up?- Absolutely.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36And then we've got...these open.
0:36:36 > 0:36:37Oh, they open so beautifully.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40And they support the front flap.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42What are the things that fascinate you about it?
0:36:42 > 0:36:45I think it's the refinement and sophistication of it.
0:36:45 > 0:36:48Things like these little divisions here, you know, you can see they're
0:36:48 > 0:36:51very thin and it takes a lot of confidence
0:36:51 > 0:36:53to just design it to be that thin.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55You know, it doesn't need to be any thicker than that.
0:36:55 > 0:36:58How long would it have taken to make something like this?
0:36:58 > 0:37:00About 900 hours of work.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02And to put that into context,
0:37:02 > 0:37:08most of our craftsmen here will do about 1,100, 1,200 productive hours
0:37:08 > 0:37:10a year, so it's almost a whole year's worth of work.
0:37:10 > 0:37:13You are now kind of the head designer.
0:37:13 > 0:37:17Have we got a piece of yours that we can compare and contrast?
0:37:17 > 0:37:18I'll bring this over.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21So, this is a piece I designed a couple of years ago.
0:37:21 > 0:37:22It's a little jewellery box.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24You will see this kind of curved chamfering
0:37:24 > 0:37:26on a lot of Arts and Crafts pieces.
0:37:26 > 0:37:29And here I've kind of reworked it a little bit by incorporating
0:37:29 > 0:37:32another wood underneath the chamfer.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36So you move the feet and the lid pops up.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38And then inside you've got a
0:37:38 > 0:37:42ripple sycamore interior and this really shows off the handmade
0:37:42 > 0:37:43nature of the work.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46- And it pushes the other one up? - Yeah.
0:37:46 > 0:37:49And that is the difference between a few plane shavings
0:37:49 > 0:37:52and it wouldn't do that.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54James's beautifully crafted treasure chest is
0:37:54 > 0:37:58priced at £7,500, and some items sculpted here have
0:37:58 > 0:37:59even higher price tags,
0:37:59 > 0:38:04like this beautiful scorched oak rocking chair at £25,000.
0:38:05 > 0:38:08Before he died in 1987, Edward Barnsley made
0:38:08 > 0:38:13sure his workshop would continue to nurture new talent, which it does.
0:38:13 > 0:38:17As a charitable trust, it offers apprenticeships in furniture
0:38:17 > 0:38:21design and craftsmanship, which is how James became involved here.
0:38:21 > 0:38:25It's taken him over 20 years to reach his level of excellence,
0:38:25 > 0:38:28and today there are four apprentices in the workshop
0:38:28 > 0:38:32under the wing of craftsman-tutor Stephen Rock.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34They learn about staying true to those
0:38:34 > 0:38:36Arts and Crafts principles,
0:38:36 > 0:38:38but gear them towards the modern-day market.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42Sam is at the end of his year-long apprenticeship.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45- Hi, Alistair.- Hey, hello, nice to see you.- This is Sam.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47Sam, what are you making?
0:38:47 > 0:38:50I'm making an occasional table with a drawer.
0:38:50 > 0:38:54- So far, I've spent about 70 hours. - 70 hours? Right.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56Can you give us a tour? What has it got involved?
0:38:56 > 0:39:01- Most of the work is in this.- Put together well. It's a good sign.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Yes, yeah, they shouldn't come off too easily.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09Basically, you've got... it's made up of this carcass.
0:39:09 > 0:39:14- Beautiful veneer, this.- You can see it best looking at it like this.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18These curves, they're straight inside, curved on the outside.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21Then you've got a veneered top.
0:39:21 > 0:39:23So what's your relationship with this?
0:39:23 > 0:39:26If you spent 70 hours making this, I mean, is this like your baby?
0:39:26 > 0:39:28I mean, do you kind of dream about it?
0:39:28 > 0:39:31Yeah, it's a bit hard seeing it go, but it's what we're here for.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34- Yeah.- We make furniture for clients.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37All the apprentices come to the workshop with an existing
0:39:37 > 0:39:41interest in furniture-making, plus some experience under their belts.
0:39:41 > 0:39:45When they join the workshop, what we ask them to do is to go back to
0:39:45 > 0:39:49basics to make the first, perhaps, half dozen pieces entirely by hand.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Who's your client base? Who buys this stuff?
0:39:52 > 0:39:54We have quite a few clients who are local to us.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56We also have quite a few clients from London.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59So, Sam, do you know how much your table is going to sell for?
0:39:59 > 0:40:00Between 2,000 and 3,000.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04Well, all the best. I hope it goes well,
0:40:04 > 0:40:06- from strength to strength. - Cheers, thank you.
0:40:06 > 0:40:09Thanks for showing me round. I feel very relaxed.
0:40:09 > 0:40:13It's comforting to know these skilled artisans are upholding the
0:40:13 > 0:40:14Arts and Crafts mantle
0:40:14 > 0:40:17almost a century after Barnsley first arrived here.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23For a whole array of reasons, I think
0:40:23 > 0:40:26we can probably rule property two and three out of the running.
0:40:26 > 0:40:30But it will be interesting to see whether June and Malcolm
0:40:30 > 0:40:34are still enamoured of Hampshire, and whether house number one
0:40:34 > 0:40:35could be a contender.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41- Good afternoon.- Good afternoon.
0:40:41 > 0:40:47- How are you feeling after all your house-hunting?- Um...- Confused.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51But, nevertheless, I think we have a path forward.
0:40:51 > 0:40:54- Guys, it's been an eventful week. - Uh-huh.
0:40:54 > 0:40:55Are any of the houses contenders?
0:40:55 > 0:40:57The only one that, in my opinion, could be
0:40:57 > 0:40:59a contender is the first house that we saw.
0:40:59 > 0:41:04It did actually fulfil a lot of our requirements without any
0:41:04 > 0:41:08alterations. And with minor alterations,
0:41:08 > 0:41:10of course, it could actually be improved.
0:41:10 > 0:41:14- We need to look more at the location of that one, don't we?- Yeah.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17But also to cost out some of the alterations that we think
0:41:17 > 0:41:21we would like to make, see how that fits into our overall budget.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24It's been a good learning curve for us,
0:41:24 > 0:41:29and I think it's brought it home to us exactly what downsizing means.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32We've got to think more of what our requirements will be,
0:41:32 > 0:41:34and then make sure we keep to them.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36What are you going back to Cheshire thinking?
0:41:36 > 0:41:43I'd like to revisit the location of the first house and I would
0:41:43 > 0:41:48like to search, in a lot more depth, the location of the last house.
0:41:48 > 0:41:53And also, try to get some sort of pricing for alterations.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56What would it cost to do this?
0:41:56 > 0:41:58That will then determine as to what the price
0:41:58 > 0:42:00we can actually pay for a property.
0:42:00 > 0:42:02Well, I hope you find somewhere. I hope this week hasn't
0:42:02 > 0:42:05put you off moving to Hampshire with its high prices.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08No, I'm sure we will find something that
0:42:08 > 0:42:09meets our requirements.
0:42:09 > 0:42:13But it might take longer than we initially thought.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15No, I think it's been a really, really good exercise.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19To be honest, we are very grateful because, without it, I think
0:42:19 > 0:42:22we would have been lost in where we were going.
0:42:22 > 0:42:23We would never have bought anything.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26But I think there's a very, very good chance now that we can
0:42:26 > 0:42:30then move and find somewhere that we really like.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34- Thank you very much indeed.- Thank you.- Our pleasure.- Thanks a lot.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40Downsizing is a tricky business, particularly
0:42:40 > 0:42:43if you're moving from one county to a more expensive one,
0:42:43 > 0:42:45so it ends up that you have a smaller house
0:42:45 > 0:42:46for the same amount of money.
0:42:46 > 0:42:51But I think that Malcolm and June rose to the challenge magnificently.
0:42:51 > 0:42:53And even if they don't buy one of our houses
0:42:53 > 0:42:56here in Hampshire, I hope that they will move to the county soon.
0:42:56 > 0:43:00And I hope that you join us next time for more Escape To The Country.
0:43:01 > 0:43:04If you would like to escape to the country in Northern Ireland,
0:43:04 > 0:43:08Scotland, Wales or England and need our help, please apply online at...