0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to Escape To The Country.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07Now, this remarkable structure behind me was built in 1875.
0:00:07 > 0:00:10It is a marvel of Victorian engineering,
0:00:10 > 0:00:13the first of its kind to be built anywhere in the world,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16but what was it for and where was it built?
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39Today's house-hunting couple are itching to embark on a new phase of their life
0:00:39 > 0:00:43and make the move to the countryside they've always dreamed of.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47And at first, there's a repeatedly positive reaction to our houses.
0:00:47 > 0:00:48Absolutely stunning.
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Stunning again. Yeah.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54This is stunning. Absolutely stunning.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58But later they change their tune and it's time for some straight talking.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00I'm afraid it doesn't do it for me. Right.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03I just don't like the set-out.
0:01:04 > 0:01:08Well, today we are in Cheshire and this astonishing structure is
0:01:08 > 0:01:10the Anderton Boat Lift.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13It was built to allow canal boats using the Trent and Mersey Canal,
0:01:13 > 0:01:18over there, to drop some 50 feet below me down to the River Weaver.
0:01:18 > 0:01:21Now, it was designed by Victorian engineer Edwin Clark.
0:01:21 > 0:01:28Back in 1875 it cost some ?48,000 - in today's money about ?4 million.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Now, later on in the show I'll be back here, learning more
0:01:30 > 0:01:35about its history and, importantly, finding out exactly how it works.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38But in the meantime, here's a little taster of what the rest of
0:01:38 > 0:01:40this fascinating county has to offer.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Located in the north-west of England, Cheshire
0:01:45 > 0:01:47has a population of just over a million.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51It stretches from its border with Wales in the west
0:01:51 > 0:01:55to the windswept moors of the Peak District in the east.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58The county may have a reputation as the playground of the rich
0:01:58 > 0:02:01and famous, as many high-profile footballers live in the region,
0:02:01 > 0:02:06but agriculture still plays a central role in the economy.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10More than two thirds of the land is farmed today, mainly for dairy.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14The expansive Cheshire Plain is home to market towns such as Nantwich,
0:02:14 > 0:02:17which has the largest number of historic buildings
0:02:17 > 0:02:20in the county outside of Chester.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23With beautifully preserved villages and towns giving way to
0:02:23 > 0:02:27undulating countryside, Cheshire provides fertile ground for
0:02:27 > 0:02:30property shoppers in search of a rural bolthole.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35Now, Cheshire is famous for many things but when it comes to property
0:02:35 > 0:02:38it is now perhaps notorious as the home of more than
0:02:38 > 0:02:41a handful of footballers' wives,
0:02:41 > 0:02:43living in multi-million-pound properties
0:02:43 > 0:02:45within the county's Golden Triangle,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48centred around Wilmslow, Knutsford and Alderley Edge.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51They, of course, have inflated local house prices.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Within the hot spot the average price of
0:02:53 > 0:02:56a detached property is currently double the national figure.
0:02:56 > 0:02:58But there is of course some good news -
0:02:58 > 0:03:00around the rest of the county as a whole,
0:03:00 > 0:03:02things are much more sensible.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05The average price of a detached property elsewhere is
0:03:05 > 0:03:10currently ?268,000, 15 grand below the national average,
0:03:10 > 0:03:12which means of course, in simple terms,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14you don't need to be a millionaire to live here.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17So let's now meet today's buyers and find out what
0:03:17 > 0:03:19has attracted them to this glorious county.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25Neil met Denise as teenagers on a blind date at the school dance
0:03:25 > 0:03:27in the 1970s.
0:03:27 > 0:03:33He's fun-loving, he's adventurous, I think, erm, a good sense of humour.
0:03:33 > 0:03:39Er, I'd describe Denise all those, but very organised.
0:03:39 > 0:03:42She organises my life!
0:03:42 > 0:03:45Married now for 40 years, they currently live in Milnrow on
0:03:45 > 0:03:48the outskirts of Rochdale in Lancashire.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52The reason we moved to Milnrow is we got a job at...
0:03:52 > 0:03:55At a working men's club. ...Milnrow Working Men's Club.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59Our first house cost us ?700. Yeah, ?700. Makes me feel ancient, that.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02Back-to-back house with a toilet. Yeah. Yeah.
0:04:02 > 0:04:03Yeah.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07Because they've lived here for as long as they've been married,
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Neil and Denise have extremely fond memories of where they began
0:04:10 > 0:04:11their lives together.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15However, over the decades the area has increasingly become part
0:04:15 > 0:04:18of the busy Greater Manchester suburbs.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22Years ago when we first moved here it was a little village. It was...
0:04:22 > 0:04:25They had a few estates but it wasn't a big community as such,
0:04:25 > 0:04:29and it's just a massive place now.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33Former telecoms engineer Neil and marketing consultant Denise
0:04:33 > 0:04:36bought their current home six years ago with the intention that
0:04:36 > 0:04:40it was to be their last but since then they've decided
0:04:40 > 0:04:43that the house no longer suits their needs.
0:04:43 > 0:04:44We bought this off plan.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47We knew the motorway was there but I think we...
0:04:47 > 0:04:50It was not until it was built and we moved in,
0:04:50 > 0:04:52you can hear the motorway all the time. Yeah.
0:04:52 > 0:04:53I think we want peaceful,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56is an important part of living in the country,
0:04:56 > 0:05:00and the noises of the country, not the noises of the towns.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04So that's why we want to go. That's... Yeah, exactly.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07Mindful that they don't want to be too far from their two daughters
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and four grandchildren who live locally,
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Denise and Neil have decided that rural Cheshire is the right
0:05:13 > 0:05:16place for them to put down roots for the long-term.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19We want that nice fresh air,
0:05:19 > 0:05:22that nice fresh smell of the countryside, you know.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25What I quite like about the Cheshire countryside
0:05:25 > 0:05:28is the countryside...just getting up, getting out and walking.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30I love open spaces.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34Neil's been lobbying for this move for the past three years but
0:05:34 > 0:05:37it's only since buying a caravan that Denise has been fully convinced
0:05:37 > 0:05:41that a move to the country could be just what she's been looking for.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44On the caravan sites you get the friendliness.
0:05:44 > 0:05:49Everybody helps each other. It's the best thing we've ever invested in.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52Now that Denise and Neil have both signed up to a rural move,
0:05:52 > 0:05:56they're excited that it marks a new chapter in their lives together.
0:05:56 > 0:05:58Think we're kind of ready for going back to where we were right
0:05:58 > 0:06:01at the beginning, when it's just the two of you.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03We've been from childhood sweethearts...
0:06:03 > 0:06:07Is it a case of putting up with each other now? Yeah, no.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Denise and Neil are looking forward to the open space
0:06:12 > 0:06:15that the Cheshire countryside can offer them.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18As long as they're within a quiet semirural location,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22they're up for settling pretty much anywhere within the county.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24I'm catching up with them to see just what it is they're after
0:06:24 > 0:06:26from their new home.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Right, guys, well, welcome to Escape To The Country,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Denise and Neil, and welcome to Cheshire, on a glorious day!
0:06:33 > 0:06:35Yeah, it's fantastic, isn't it? Yes.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37Now, give us an idea of the kind of key components
0:06:37 > 0:06:40that this new house has in your own mind, Denise.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44Erm, I want it to have a lovely big kitchen, erm,
0:06:44 > 0:06:49preferably with an island in it. We've got a caravan, so I want to...
0:06:49 > 0:06:52It would be a preference to have a drive, but it's not essential.
0:06:52 > 0:06:56And maybe a detached rather than semidetached. OK.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58Anything from you, Neil, to add to that list?
0:06:58 > 0:07:02I think she's filled everything, apart from I'd like a rather large workshop. OK, now, you...
0:07:02 > 0:07:04To escape away from everybody.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07So this is you pottering away in your retirement? Exactly, yeah.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09He has a shed which we call his studio.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14Now, in terms of style, do you have any kind of real view on what
0:07:14 > 0:07:16it should kind of feel and look like?
0:07:16 > 0:07:20I tend to go for more modern, Neil tends to go more for... Traditional.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Traditional.
0:07:22 > 0:07:23Now, I think congratulations are in order,
0:07:23 > 0:07:27because you've just celebrated your 40th wedding anniversary. Yes.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30How many times have you moved over that 40-year period?
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Erm, four times. Four times we've moved, yeah. Yeah.
0:07:33 > 0:07:38One, two, three, four. Yeah, our very first house, back in 1970s, was ?700.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42OK, 700 quid 40 years ago. Yeah. Yeah.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45How much are we going to spend 40 years later?
0:07:45 > 0:07:47And now 300,000 to 400,000.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50Well, it's 300,000 with a contingency to go to 400,000.
0:07:50 > 0:07:52Yeah, for the right property.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56Now, is all this dependent on you selling your current home,
0:07:56 > 0:07:58are you ready to go? No, we're ready to go. No.
0:07:58 > 0:08:00So we've got the money in the bank.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02We don't need the mortgage or anything. We're ready to buy. Wow.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Yes. Hot to trot. Yes. Hot to trot is the word.
0:08:05 > 0:08:07Is it burning a hole, Neil?
0:08:07 > 0:08:10It always burns a hole in Denise's pocket, never mine!
0:08:10 > 0:08:12Brilliant.
0:08:12 > 0:08:14Er, well, I think we've got some really interesting properties
0:08:14 > 0:08:16lined up for you this week.
0:08:16 > 0:08:20Might cost you a bit more than 700 quid, though. Yes! But that's how times have changed.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23Come on, let's have a look, and see what we can show you.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27With a budget of ?400,000,
0:08:27 > 0:08:31our buyers have drawn up a well-thought-through wish list.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33They're after a three-bedroom property with both
0:08:33 > 0:08:36traditional and modern features.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Ideally they'd also like a large kitchen with an island and
0:08:39 > 0:08:42a shed or studio for Neil to potter about in.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46We've found a selection of handsome properties which embrace the mix
0:08:46 > 0:08:51of old and new features that Neil and Denise have requested.
0:08:51 > 0:08:52After each house tour,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55I'll be asking them to put a price on each one.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Our final proposition will be our Mystery House,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01designed to challenge them to think beyond their original brief
0:09:01 > 0:09:05and open their minds to other surprising possibilities.
0:09:09 > 0:09:13We're starting our property search in the hamlet of Wettenhall
0:09:13 > 0:09:14in the heart of the county.
0:09:16 > 0:09:20Nearby Tarporley is one of the larger villages of central Cheshire,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23which flourished during the mid 18th century as
0:09:23 > 0:09:26a result of its position on the main route between London and Chester.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30It was used by traders dealing in salt mined in nearby Nantwich.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33The high street offers a post office, a pub,
0:09:33 > 0:09:37a butcher's and many independent shops and restaurants.
0:09:38 > 0:09:42And just six miles away back in Wettenhall is our first option.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46Right, chaps, here we are. Property number one.
0:09:46 > 0:09:51Set within this newly renovated complex of farm buildings and barns,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54it's this. Tucked away in the corner.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56You've got two floors, which is rather nice. Mm, very nice.
0:09:56 > 0:09:57I quite like it, yes.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00I've always quite fancied the idea of a barn conversion,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03and it does look like a big barn conversion in this corner.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05Bit of communal living to whet your appetite
0:10:05 > 0:10:07as far as property number one is concerned.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10I quite like that idea, actually.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12That's fine, get to know the neighbours, close-knit.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15Yeah, I quite like that. Yeah, lovely. Shall we go in? Yes.
0:10:15 > 0:10:16Yes, let's go.
0:10:17 > 0:10:21Renovated seven years ago, the five individual properties
0:10:21 > 0:10:24set within this complex are thought to date back to 1850.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26It's a solid start so far,
0:10:26 > 0:10:29so let's hope the interior also gets a positive reaction.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Right. Come on in. Wow. Thank you.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36What do you think?
0:10:36 > 0:10:39All done, isn't it? It is. Very nice. Very nice indeed.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Done to a very high spec. I don't know what you think.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45I like this, as the dining room,
0:10:45 > 0:10:48but it does kind of depend on the kitchen a little bit as well.
0:10:48 > 0:10:50Here we go. Well, yeah, the kitchen is through here.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53So it'll be interesting to see. It's not the biggest, to be honest,
0:10:53 > 0:10:56but it does all kind of flow through. Granite tops, all done.
0:10:56 > 0:11:00Oh, yeah. Oh, no, it's nice. Yeah, again, high spec.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03But what I like about this is...
0:11:03 > 0:11:06What we want to do is, if we're entertaining, that you can still
0:11:06 > 0:11:09speak to people while you're in the kitchen, and this therefore works.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12Yeah, with it being open-plan it flows. Yeah, it flows. Yeah.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15Back through the entrance hall lies the living room.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17There you go.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21Oh, now, this is cosy. Yeah. Yeah? That's a good word, that, cosy.
0:11:21 > 0:11:27Yeah. And I like the width of it. I also like the simplicity of it all.
0:11:27 > 0:11:29Yeah. I like that. That's nice. It's very uncluttered.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32You know exactly what you've got to play with. Yeah. Yeah.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35I think this is more Neil than me, because of the barn effect,
0:11:35 > 0:11:40but I do like the... It feels nice, the flow of it feels really nice.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Well, there is more of a sense of the barn upstairs. Right.
0:11:43 > 0:11:46Particularly in the master bedroom. Let's have a look up there.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49Yeah, that'd be interesting.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Just off the dining hall there's also a cloakroom.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56On the first floor, the historic features of the property have
0:11:56 > 0:11:58been retained throughout the three double bedrooms,
0:11:58 > 0:12:01all of which include exposed beams.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04There's also a bathroom tiled in neutral tones.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09And then this is the master. Oh, right.
0:12:09 > 0:12:12Oh, yeah, this is nice. This is obviously the biggest of the three.
0:12:12 > 0:12:13This is lovely. Yeah.
0:12:13 > 0:12:17I quite like the fact we've got the modern with this effect,
0:12:17 > 0:12:21so it fits both of us, and I like the beams. It's cosy, again.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24I keep bringing that word out, cosy. Yeah, cosy.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26And it's a warm feeling in here. Interesting.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29Well, let's go out to the garden and we'll talk about the price,
0:12:29 > 0:12:32because I think that's going to be another interesting thing for you
0:12:32 > 0:12:36to kind of take on board, as to how far your budget may or may not go.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38The outside space is mostly lawn
0:12:38 > 0:12:42with a Yorkstone sitting area overlooking open fields.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46It's pretty much a blank canvas for Neil and Denise to make their own.
0:12:49 > 0:12:54There we are. Oh, very nice. Lots of kind of alfresco opportunities here.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56Yeah.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59Your garden extends really to this post-and-rail fence and that gate.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03Yeah. That little paddock in there is communal. Right.
0:13:03 > 0:13:05And you access it from over there.
0:13:05 > 0:13:07That's your garage in the middle of that lot. Ah, right, yes. OK.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09Nice double-doored garage.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12Erm, so you could bring it in, your shed, as it were. Yeah.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Well, studio, come on. Studio, yes! It's going to be pukka, isn't it?
0:13:15 > 0:13:17I'm glad you've said that. Yeah, exactly.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20And you'd put it, like, in this corner here, wouldn't you?
0:13:20 > 0:13:22Tucked away. Well, let's think about the price, then.
0:13:22 > 0:13:28Well, I would say 350, 355. 355, yeah, OK. Neil?
0:13:28 > 0:13:32Well, I'm going higher, because it's a project that's finished,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35and with that in mind I'm going to go 375.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38If it were 299,950... Hmm?
0:13:40 > 0:13:43That... That would... That... That's an eye-opener. Yeah.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47I don't think it is going to be 299... It is. Is it? Is it, is it?
0:13:47 > 0:13:51It's 299,950. Very surprised. Very surprised. Yeah, so am I.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56I think we'd have to look into the definite studio thing as well,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59to make sure that is feasible, because that is important.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Cos I don't want Neil in the house all day.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04She's trying to say I'm under her feet.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06So go and have a wander round, get the feel of it, why not?
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Check it out, explore it, and I will come and find you a bit later.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Lovely. OK, thank you. OK, thanks.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16Below budget at just under ?300,000,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19this generous three-bedroom barn conversion
0:14:19 > 0:14:21has been renovated to an excellent standard.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25Outside, the garden gives way to views of open countryside.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Altogether an impressive package.
0:14:27 > 0:14:30The style of these barns, it appeals to me.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33This is what I've been looking for for quite a long time. Erm...
0:14:33 > 0:14:35So, yeah, as soon as we approached it I thought,
0:14:35 > 0:14:37"This will do for me."
0:14:37 > 0:14:40When I saw the kitchen, initially I thought,
0:14:40 > 0:14:43"This isn't the kitchen that I was dreaming about."
0:14:43 > 0:14:46But because of the openness of the dining room and then
0:14:46 > 0:14:51into the living room, it actually felt like a nice-sized kitchen.
0:14:51 > 0:14:54Quite liked outside. I quite liked the fact that it wasn't overlooked.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59You've got all these fields behind you, nicely set-out garden, lovely.
0:14:59 > 0:15:03For this property I feel that if I could move it into more of
0:15:03 > 0:15:09a semi or a detached, erm, it would be a definite contender.
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Good.
0:15:11 > 0:15:17Well, property number one. Mm. Erm, almost on target for you. Mm-hm.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Little bit wide of the mark for you. Mm-hm, yeah.
0:15:20 > 0:15:23So we need a direct hit, don't we, really? We do. Right, then.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26We'll see if we can achieve that with property number two. Come on.
0:15:26 > 0:15:27OK, fine.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Cheshire's historic canals stand testament to water being
0:15:37 > 0:15:41the lifeblood of the county's industrial activity.
0:15:41 > 0:15:43But as well as providing a transport network
0:15:43 > 0:15:47it also fuelled the growth of Cheshire's biggest industry.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51Water-powered textile mills thrived throughout the county and it
0:15:51 > 0:15:54was silk mills that really put Cheshire on the map.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58From the 1800s, Macclesfield was strategically placed
0:15:58 > 0:16:01on the textile trade route between Manchester and London.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05Over the next century it became one of the leading silk-producing
0:16:05 > 0:16:08centres in Europe and today its legacy is kept alive through
0:16:08 > 0:16:10museums and heritage centres.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Denise and Neil are keen to know more about the area's history
0:16:14 > 0:16:18so we arranged for them to visit Paradise Mill, one of the last
0:16:18 > 0:16:21remaining silk mills in Cheshire, to meet tour guide Mike Scott.
0:16:21 > 0:16:24Welcome to Paradise. Thank you, Mike, thank you.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28So, Mike, how old is the mill? It's approximately 140, 150 years old.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31The last company to actually use this mill as
0:16:31 > 0:16:36a working silk mill didn't close until 1981. Right.
0:16:36 > 0:16:39So why was silk produced in Macclesfield?
0:16:39 > 0:16:42They say that some of that silk came into Macclesfield for
0:16:42 > 0:16:45the purpose of covering buttons.
0:16:45 > 0:16:47Silk buttons were a status symbol.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50The more silk buttons you had, the more wealthy you were.
0:16:50 > 0:16:52Shall we go and have a look at the looms?
0:16:52 > 0:16:56Yeah, that would be lovely, Mike, thank you. Come this way.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01Silk had to be twisted through the water-powered machines before it
0:17:01 > 0:17:04could be used to cover buttons.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07It was this process that formed the beginnings of the silk trade
0:17:07 > 0:17:10in the UK, with mills in Macclesfield, Congleton, Stockport
0:17:10 > 0:17:13and Bollington becoming silk powerhouses.
0:17:15 > 0:17:17Erm, what type of looms are they?
0:17:17 > 0:17:21Er, they are jacquard looms, which means they can produce patterns.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24It was the first programmable machine in the world,
0:17:24 > 0:17:28whereby you could produce a set of punch cards,
0:17:28 > 0:17:31the machine will read the holes in those cards and select
0:17:31 > 0:17:36the warp threads to lift or to stay down. Very good.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40Right, very interesting. How much was made on one loom?
0:17:40 > 0:17:45It is a very slow process. Er, two yards. A day.
0:17:45 > 0:17:51Between 1743 and 1940, over 100 mill sites were built in
0:17:51 > 0:17:54Macclesfield, and by the 1830s nearly half of the town's
0:17:54 > 0:17:57population were working in the textile industry.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Would it be possible to have a demonstration? Yeah, certainly.
0:18:01 > 0:18:05And perhaps you could have a treadle or two yourself.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08Oh, that would be lovely. Thank you. Come this way.
0:18:08 > 0:18:13Down. Yeah. Back. Back. Across. This, the rhythm.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17I wonder if Denise will rise to the challenge.
0:18:17 > 0:18:19And down.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21That's it. That's it.
0:18:21 > 0:18:26From there to there, about that big. She's got a good rate.
0:18:26 > 0:18:27That's it, yeah.
0:18:28 > 0:18:32I'm waiting for the shuttle to fly out. So am I!
0:18:32 > 0:18:35I wouldn't like to do that for eight hours a day.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39Silk has always been more desirable than cotton for many reasons.
0:18:39 > 0:18:43Often it's down to its texture, lustre and draping ability,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46which made it a luxurious, almost exotic textile.
0:18:46 > 0:18:50It was also easier to dye into practically any colour.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54We're in a little part of the factory now
0:18:54 > 0:18:56where design was paramount.
0:18:56 > 0:19:00So how old, just as a matter of fact, would these samples be?
0:19:00 > 0:19:04These would... These would probably be up to the end of the '50s,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06something like that. Would they?
0:19:06 > 0:19:10So, er, why did the factory close, then? In '81.
0:19:10 > 0:19:16Silk was no longer the preserve of the very rich and it was also
0:19:16 > 0:19:19polyesters and viscose coming in as well,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21which made the whole thing cheaper.
0:19:21 > 0:19:26So costs went against them so they had to go and close. And...
0:19:26 > 0:19:28Shame, really. It is.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31Having stepped back into Cheshire's textile past,
0:19:31 > 0:19:35it's time for Denise and Neil to reflect on what they've seen so far.
0:19:45 > 0:19:50Retired childhood sweethearts Denise and Neil have up to ?400,000
0:19:50 > 0:19:54to spend on making a move from suburban life in Rochdale
0:19:54 > 0:19:56to the Cheshire countryside.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00They've been on the same page with the property they've seen so far
0:20:00 > 0:20:03but, coming up, our Mystery House causes conflict.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07I'm not with you on that one, I can't see that one. Right, fine.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09I can't see that at all.
0:20:10 > 0:20:14And I find out how one impressive Victorian structure
0:20:14 > 0:20:17revolutionised the way goods were transported on Cheshire's
0:20:17 > 0:20:19famous waterways.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23So we're now kind of isolated in our own kind of watery bath. Yes.
0:20:23 > 0:20:2650 feet above the river below us. Yeah.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32Well, when we started out with Neil and Denise they gave us such
0:20:32 > 0:20:36a broad brief I thought our task might be somewhat easier,
0:20:36 > 0:20:39but of course it is throwing up its own challenges.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42When you are on the hunt you do need to have some idea of what it is
0:20:42 > 0:20:44you're looking for.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47Initially they weren't that bothered about style or indeed
0:20:47 > 0:20:49location but Neil, it seems,
0:20:49 > 0:20:52does quite like a barn conversion and certainly responds to
0:20:52 > 0:20:55that cottagey feel, but Denise on the other hand, well,
0:20:55 > 0:20:58she is proving to be a much tougher nut to crack.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02So it's another day, our final day, with plenty more to see,
0:21:02 > 0:21:04including, of course, our Mystery House,
0:21:04 > 0:21:07which I hope in its own rather distinctive,
0:21:07 > 0:21:11crafty way may provide everything they're looking for.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16Before the Mystery House, we're heading to our penultimate
0:21:16 > 0:21:19property, which lies in the village of Warmingham.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22Here the River Wheelock runs around the outskirts of the centre,
0:21:22 > 0:21:25which is home to a pub.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Nearby is the busy town of Sandbach, where there are frequent food
0:21:28 > 0:21:31and craft markets held in the attractive cobbled square.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35There's also a post office and other handy amenities.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38Our next offering is just a five-mile drive away
0:21:38 > 0:21:40in rural seclusion.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Oh, wow. How about this? Was that a wow? Yeah. That was a wow.
0:21:44 > 0:21:48That's a wow. We've got the wow factor. So it should be.
0:21:48 > 0:21:52This is lovely. Bathed in sunlight. Yeah. Look at that. Yeah.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54Absolutely stunning. Yeah.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57It's beautiful. Well, that's definitely got the wow factor.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Well, wait till you get inside, because I'm going to put my
0:22:00 > 0:22:05head on the block and say I think this is you all over. OK.
0:22:05 > 0:22:08I'm not going to disagree with that. Well, let's see if I'm right.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10Come on, let's have a look inside. OK.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15Constructed in 1875 and formerly a dairy, this L-shaped barn was
0:22:15 > 0:22:18converted eight years ago into three properties.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22As they'll see, the renovations have been completed sympathetically
0:22:22 > 0:22:24and to a really high standard.
0:22:25 > 0:22:30You see? Yes. Come in. Oh... Oh, look at this.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34What do you think? Oh... Stunning, again. Yeah. Blown away. It's...
0:22:34 > 0:22:37It's beautiful. Nothing to do here at all.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40And I guess this gives us a natural kind of choice
0:22:40 > 0:22:41as to where we go first.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44To the right there is the living room. OK.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48But to the left is the kitchen, so where are we going to start, Denise?
0:22:48 > 0:22:51I think to the left. I thought you'd say that. Let's do the kitchen.
0:22:51 > 0:22:52Come and have a look.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Good choice, Denise. Oh... I thought this was where you'd want to start.
0:22:56 > 0:23:00This is stunning. Absolutely stunning. It's...
0:23:00 > 0:23:03Is that not the kitchen you were looking for? It is.
0:23:03 > 0:23:05Oh-ho, the island in the middle. Yeah.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09I think it's absolutely perfect. The beauty about this kitchen, Jules,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13is when we're in our kitchen at home we're under each other's feet.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Not here. No. Not here. You can stand there.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18LAUGHTER And I'll stand here.
0:23:18 > 0:23:22But what I like is actually the extra room for sitting and dining.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Yeah, yeah, it's... It's big, it's spacious...
0:23:24 > 0:23:27But it's done to our taste. This is something that I would choose.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30You've found the right one here. Yeah, the handles, everything.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33It's beautiful. It's just lovely. Even the handles!
0:23:33 > 0:23:36No-one's ever said that before. Yeah. I love the detail. Good.
0:23:36 > 0:23:38We're getting there. We are finding our way, aren't we?
0:23:38 > 0:23:40Oh, yeah. I think you've got there at the moment.
0:23:40 > 0:23:44Well, let's nip across the hallway, look at the living room. Yes. OK.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48So all good so far, but I wonder if Neil and Denise would have been
0:23:48 > 0:23:52just as thrilled if they'd taken a right turn at the entrance hall.
0:23:52 > 0:23:53Time to find out.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56There you go.
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Oh...
0:23:58 > 0:24:03Yes. This is... I'm going to use the word again, Jules. It's stunning.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05I need to think of some more words that relate to stunning.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Stunning's good. I'd leave it at stunning.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09Again, wouldn't change anything.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12So do you want to buy the whole lot with everything in it?
0:24:12 > 0:24:15We don't need to look upstairs.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Oh, yes, you do, believe you me. It is well worth seeing.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21I tell you what's interesting about this one, cos it's not massive,
0:24:21 > 0:24:25but it does feel big enough to give you both your own space.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27Oh, of course. Without a doubt, yeah. Yeah.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30I've already put Neil down there on the settee there, and I'm there.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Managed him in the kitchen, so... She's put me near the remote.
0:24:33 > 0:24:36Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can see what's coming. Yeah. Good.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40It's... It's beautiful. It's the bee's knees. Yeah. It's beautiful.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42OK. Well, let's have a look upstairs.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45It will not let you down, I can assure you.
0:24:45 > 0:24:49There are four bedrooms in total, three generous doubles,
0:24:49 > 0:24:52with one currently laid out as a study benefiting from
0:24:52 > 0:24:55a fitted wardrobe and one single used for storage.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59There's also a family bathroom with a Jacuzzi bath.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01This is your master bedroom.
0:25:02 > 0:25:05Oh-ho! Ho-ho-ho-ho!
0:25:05 > 0:25:08JULES LAUGHS This is... Absolutely beautiful.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10Yeah. Yeah? Original beams.
0:25:10 > 0:25:14Yeah, original beams. Yeah. Yeah. And...
0:25:14 > 0:25:18You've got the bonus of your shower en suite. Oh, right. Oh, gosh.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22All done. I love the shower. Look at the shower. Massive walk-in shower.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Walk-in. Yeah. Lovely, lovely. High quality.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28Told you it wouldn't disappoint you. It certainly hasn't.
0:25:28 > 0:25:33No, definitely not. No. No. I can't find any...anything. Can't fault it.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36No. No, no. You've done your homework today. Yes.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39Phew!
0:25:39 > 0:25:44But it's not over yet! No? No? Garden. Mm! OK. It's beautiful.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46Come and have a look.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49Outside, there is a large and immaculate lawn and
0:25:49 > 0:25:51a flagstone patio.
0:25:51 > 0:25:53It also has a greenhouse and a shed,
0:25:53 > 0:25:57so Neil and Denise can potter to their heart's content.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00Plus, it also benefits from a double garage.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06There we are. That's it. The whole package is now complete. It is.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09Couldn't wish for anything better. Now, let's think about your studio.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12OK. Mm. Can you see what the neighbours have done? I can, yeah.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14That's the type of thing I'd like.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17So let's think about the price of this property, then,
0:26:17 > 0:26:19because I think it appeals, Denise, doesn't it?
0:26:19 > 0:26:21So, madam, make me an offer.
0:26:21 > 0:26:28Yes, well, cos I really love it, I'm going to guess at 385,
0:26:28 > 0:26:32but I think it's more than that, but I want it to be 385.
0:26:32 > 0:26:34You want it to be? I want it to be 385. OK.
0:26:34 > 0:26:40I'm going to go way over budget here and say 425. 425. Mm.
0:26:40 > 0:26:45Well, here's the thing. You're both wrong. Right. But in a good way. Oh.
0:26:45 > 0:26:51This is on the market for 389,950.
0:26:52 > 0:26:57So that should put a smile on your face. Oh, it went...bang! Good. Yes.
0:26:57 > 0:27:00Yeah. Well, you've surprised me with that, with that price.
0:27:00 > 0:27:01I really thought it was well over budget. Good.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05Well, look, I think you should have a better look around upstairs,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08because it really is sumptuous up there, er,
0:27:08 > 0:27:10and I will come and find you a little bit later on.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14Lovely, thank you. Okey doke. Thanks, Jules. Off you go.
0:27:14 > 0:27:16Making plans to move in, I think.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23So still within their maximum budget, this converted dairy
0:27:23 > 0:27:27with its four bedrooms is beautifully presented throughout.
0:27:27 > 0:27:30The huge kitchen with its island was an obvious hit with Denise
0:27:30 > 0:27:33and the studio options open to Neil
0:27:33 > 0:27:36seem to have made this property a genuine contender.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39When we went into the kitchen,
0:27:39 > 0:27:44I just couldn't see anything wrong with it in any way, shape or form.
0:27:44 > 0:27:45That had my name on it.
0:27:45 > 0:27:48The style of the house, for me, is everything.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52It's got that rustic farmyard feel about it. Love it.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55The sitting room's another one, it was just nice and cosy,
0:27:55 > 0:27:57the right size what we're looking for.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00I could see me and Denise sat in there without a problem.
0:28:00 > 0:28:06The downstairs, the size of it, the feel of it, everything was perfect.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08How I would sum up this particular property
0:28:08 > 0:28:13is stunning, stunning, stunning, perfect.
0:28:13 > 0:28:16How are we doing, then? Really good, Jules.
0:28:16 > 0:28:20Splendid. Well, I think things are hotting up in more ways than one.
0:28:20 > 0:28:22They are. They certainly are. They certainly are.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26I'm all of a flush. Do you want to see the Mystery House?
0:28:26 > 0:28:29Let's go for it. Erm, oh... Do I now, Jules, really?
0:28:29 > 0:28:32It might put a spanner in the works. I know.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35That's the fear factor, yeah. Come on. But we will, let's go for it.
0:28:35 > 0:28:37Come on, tough it out.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47For our final offering we're heading 20 miles north to Frodsham,
0:28:47 > 0:28:50where the River Weaver and the Mersey meet.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52With good access to the coast,
0:28:52 > 0:28:55Frodsham today is a lively market town.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59The high street, with its two pubs and handful of independent stores,
0:28:59 > 0:29:01is interspersed with pretty houses.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04And just three miles outside of the town
0:29:04 > 0:29:07is our rather imposing Mystery House.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Well...
0:29:11 > 0:29:14at last I can reveal our Mystery House.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16What do you reckon?
0:29:16 > 0:29:18Pretty large.
0:29:18 > 0:29:19Yes!
0:29:19 > 0:29:22It used to be the Crossley Sanatorium,
0:29:22 > 0:29:26or Crossley Hospital, but what we've got for you isn't an apartment,
0:29:26 > 0:29:27you'll be pleased to hear. Good.
0:29:27 > 0:29:31Right, let's go for a wander and find your Mystery House. OK.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36Built in the early 1920s, this Grade II listed building was
0:29:36 > 0:29:39initially a hospital for TB patients.
0:29:39 > 0:29:43Having also spent its former years as a nursing home and a school,
0:29:43 > 0:29:45it was completely and sympathetically developed
0:29:45 > 0:29:4625 years ago.
0:29:48 > 0:29:51See, you get away from the main building, out here,
0:29:51 > 0:29:55and it's like walking through a very quiet, leafy suburb. Yeah. Stunning.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Well, that's the Mystery House.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59I like the way it's laid out, I like all this architecture on the roof.
0:29:59 > 0:30:04I'm not as keen, I'm not keen on the pebble dash, I have to say.
0:30:04 > 0:30:05Erm...
0:30:05 > 0:30:08And I'm not overly...
0:30:08 > 0:30:12enamoured about living near what was a sanatorium.
0:30:12 > 0:30:13JULES LAUGHS
0:30:13 > 0:30:16There's no more TB, that's all long gone. I know, I know. It worked!
0:30:16 > 0:30:18THEY LAUGH
0:30:18 > 0:30:22It did. Erm, but I'm keen to look inside.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24Good. Yes. Right, come on, then. OK.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29Our Mystery House is located in a private gated development,
0:30:29 > 0:30:32with a community of its own, which may offer Neil and Denise
0:30:32 > 0:30:35an alternative to living near a village.
0:30:35 > 0:30:39Through the entrance hall, our first stop is the dining room.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41Let's start in here, then, guys.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44Well, this is nice. Yeah? Yes.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46Nice size. Nice dining room. Yeah, it's a good size, this.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49It would make a very nice living room, actually, but you've got one next door.
0:30:49 > 0:30:51Well, I think we need to look at the other rooms as well,
0:30:51 > 0:30:53because to me this could also be the living room.
0:30:53 > 0:30:56I'm delighted you're giving it its due! Yes. This is all good. Yes.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58Let's look at the living room. This is lovely. OK.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01This is a really good family space.
0:31:01 > 0:31:04There. Oh, right. This is lovely.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07But it's contemporary, as well. Nice size. It's very contemporary.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10It's a lot bigger than I thought.
0:31:10 > 0:31:14You see, but I would make this, maybe, the dining room.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16You could, couldn't you? You've got a lot of room, here. Yeah.
0:31:16 > 0:31:20It would work quite nicely, because with the dining table there, the kitchen is through that door...
0:31:20 > 0:31:22Right. Well, if that was the case, if you wanted, then,
0:31:22 > 0:31:26you could knock through... Mmm. ..and have a huge lounge.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28Look at you with the creative knocking about. There you go.
0:31:28 > 0:31:29JULES LAUGHS
0:31:29 > 0:31:33I thought I better put ten penneth in. Yeah, yeah, you've done more than that! Let's call it ten quid!
0:31:33 > 0:31:35That was very good, very good.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38Right, come and have a look at the kitchen. Yeah. That's really...
0:31:38 > 0:31:42'Well, Denise does seem to have warmed a little since coming inside,
0:31:42 > 0:31:46'although I suspect a lot will hinge on the all-important kitchen.'
0:31:46 > 0:31:49There you go. Oh, that's nice. Very straightforward.
0:31:49 > 0:31:52Very simple, really, actually. Yeah.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55And I'm afraid it doesn't do it for me. Right. Because...?
0:31:55 > 0:31:59It's just the set-out, really. Yeah. I just don't like the set-out.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02I don't mind the kitchen, actually, I really don't.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04That's interesting, actually. Yeah.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06That's cos she's seen the wine rack in the corner.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08THEY LAUGH
0:32:08 > 0:32:11That's kind of almost full, too. Yeah. OK, OK.
0:32:11 > 0:32:14But upstairs is also pretty expansive. Right. Oh, yeah?
0:32:14 > 0:32:16Let's try the upstairs. Let's have a look.
0:32:16 > 0:32:20You've got an extra floor with this one. Oh!
0:32:20 > 0:32:22Back through the entrance hall, we're heading upstairs,
0:32:22 > 0:32:26where there are three bedrooms laid out over two levels.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29On the first floor, there's a large single bedroom with its own
0:32:29 > 0:32:33modern en-suite shower room, as well as a simple family bathroom.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37In the eaves, there is a further newly-decorated double bedroom.
0:32:37 > 0:32:41But we're stopping off at the bedroom I've earmarked for them.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46So, this is yours, we think.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48Right. The master, yeah.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50The only thing that I would say is that I would have preferred
0:32:50 > 0:32:53the bed up there and the wardrobes here,
0:32:53 > 0:32:55because it feels strange having the bed
0:32:55 > 0:32:57to the back of the door.
0:32:57 > 0:33:01I'm...not with you on that one. I can't see that one. Right, fine(!)
0:33:01 > 0:33:03JULES LAUGHS I can't see that at all.
0:33:03 > 0:33:07You've had the problem with the kitchen... You've got the problem with the bedroom.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10I've got the problem with this bedroom. As long as everybody's got a problem... Yeah.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12..that's a problem. THEY LAUGH
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Right, come on, let's go out and get some fresh air. Yeah.
0:33:15 > 0:33:17OK. After you. Maybe that's what we need.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21The garden here is deceptively large,
0:33:21 > 0:33:23extending through a small area of woodland
0:33:23 > 0:33:25and backing onto open fields.
0:33:26 > 0:33:30Now, when we were discussing things in the living room,
0:33:30 > 0:33:32it was all much bigger than you'd expected. Yes.
0:33:32 > 0:33:36What about the garden? Yes, bigger. It is, isn't it? It is. Mm.
0:33:36 > 0:33:38So, it is surprising, this one, isn't it? It is. It is.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40It is a surprising one. It's erm... Yes.
0:33:40 > 0:33:43And I also actually don't mind the pebble dash on the back of
0:33:43 > 0:33:45the house...for some reason.
0:33:45 > 0:33:49It fits with the back. Got a result, there, Jules!
0:33:49 > 0:33:51DENISE LAUGHS Well, have we, though?
0:33:51 > 0:33:53Have we, though? Because there is one more bit to come, which is...
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Neil? Make us an offer on our Mystery House.
0:33:56 > 0:33:59I've thought about it, and I've put a price on at 360.
0:33:59 > 0:34:03Actually, I think...I'm going to match you. Yeah, 360.
0:34:03 > 0:34:06This is on the market for ?385,000.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08Oh, right. Right. OK.
0:34:08 > 0:34:12Yeah, I can understand why it's kind of at that price.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15Yeah. Good. Mmm.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17Well, that's it. House tours are over. Yeah.
0:34:17 > 0:34:18Go and have a wander round,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21and we'll catch up with you a little bit later on.
0:34:21 > 0:34:23OK, thank you. Thanks, Jules. Off you go.
0:34:28 > 0:34:31?15,000 under their top budget,
0:34:31 > 0:34:32our Mystery House delivers
0:34:32 > 0:34:34generously, with three bedrooms and
0:34:34 > 0:34:36smart decor throughout.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38It has a large, secluded garden,
0:34:38 > 0:34:40but will the origins and setting
0:34:40 > 0:34:41of this private development
0:34:41 > 0:34:43sit easily with our buyers?
0:34:43 > 0:34:46Initially, I wasn't overly keen on the outside.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49But I like the feel of the house.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52The lounge was superb, absolutely superb.
0:34:52 > 0:34:57Lovely wood fire, nice view into the garden.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59I quite like that, and the neutral taste, as well.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02I was pleasantly surprised at the size,
0:35:02 > 0:35:06and it's contemporary, which I love.
0:35:06 > 0:35:08But at the end of the day, I think
0:35:08 > 0:35:12the hospital bit has really put me off.
0:35:12 > 0:35:16I didn't like the impression of the kitchen at all. It threw me.
0:35:16 > 0:35:19The very large handles on all the units, and...
0:35:19 > 0:35:23It just threw in my face, and I just didn't like that look at all.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25All in all, it wasn't the best of them.
0:35:26 > 0:35:29Ah. Well, you took a bit longer than I thought you might. Yes.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31Is it a grower, I wonder.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33Ah, well, pleasantly surprised, to be honest with you.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35Pleasantly surprised.
0:35:35 > 0:35:37You've definitely given us plenty to think about, Jules. Yeah.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40I think we've given you bags to think about. You have that.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43Some very tempting options. Yep. Right, then.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Let's go and sit you down somewhere nice and quiet,
0:35:45 > 0:35:46and you can mull it all over.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48OK. Lovely. Come on. Thank you.
0:35:56 > 0:35:59Built in 1875 and designed by Edwin Clark,
0:35:59 > 0:36:03Cheshire's Anderton Boat Lift was one of the most ambitious feats of
0:36:03 > 0:36:06Victorian engineering on Britain's waterways.
0:36:06 > 0:36:09It was designed to use two enormous tanks of water
0:36:09 > 0:36:13as counterweights, each weighing over 200 tons when full,
0:36:13 > 0:36:16to lift cargo boats 50ft between the River Weaver
0:36:16 > 0:36:18and the Trent and Mersey Canal.
0:36:18 > 0:36:22This hydraulic method was a far quicker way of transporting goods,
0:36:22 > 0:36:25avoiding the time-consuming and difficult job
0:36:25 > 0:36:29of unloading cargo by hand between the two waterways.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32As a huge fan of the Industrial Revolution,
0:36:32 > 0:36:35I want to learn more about this architectural icon
0:36:35 > 0:36:36of our canal network.
0:36:36 > 0:36:38So, I've come to meet Graham Wood,
0:36:38 > 0:36:40from the from the Canal and River Trust.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44Wonderful! What a great way to get a glimpse of this fantastic structure.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46It is remarkable, isn't it? It is, it's amazing.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48But why was it built here?
0:36:48 > 0:36:51This is the closest point that the Trent and Mersey Canal comes
0:36:51 > 0:36:54to the River Weaver, so it was an obvious place to put it.
0:36:54 > 0:36:57Northwich and surrounding areas were massive salt producers in their day.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Yeah. And Stoke On Trent, of course, famous for its pottery,
0:37:00 > 0:37:02so to get things from one level to the other
0:37:02 > 0:37:05so that we could move them onto the Manchester Ship Canal
0:37:05 > 0:37:07and move them all over the country and all over the world,
0:37:07 > 0:37:08this was the obvious place to do it.
0:37:08 > 0:37:10Now, I would love to take a closer look.
0:37:10 > 0:37:12Is it possible to get on top of it? Yeah, no problem.
0:37:12 > 0:37:16We can get right up onto the top deck. Come on, then. Wonderful.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20The lift remained in service for over 100 years before
0:37:20 > 0:37:24structural faults were found, and it closed in 1983.
0:37:24 > 0:37:2720 years later, a seven-year renovation project
0:37:27 > 0:37:30was undertaken to bring the lift back to life,
0:37:30 > 0:37:33and today it's used by both commercial and leisure boats alike.
0:37:35 > 0:37:36Wow! Ha-ha-ha!
0:37:36 > 0:37:39I mean, I got a glimpse of these from down below,
0:37:39 > 0:37:43but I had no idea just how big these cogs were. How many are there?
0:37:43 > 0:37:45There's 72, altogether. And when do these date from?
0:37:45 > 0:37:49These date from 1908, when it became an electronically driven lift.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52It's because the salt content in the water
0:37:52 > 0:37:54was corroding the hydraulic mechanism.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57So, it begins life as a hydraulic lift,
0:37:57 > 0:37:59it then has its electric phase.
0:37:59 > 0:38:01Now, during your subsequent renovations you've decided to
0:38:01 > 0:38:03take it back to a hydraulic lift. Why?
0:38:03 > 0:38:06It's more economic to run it hydraulically,
0:38:06 > 0:38:08and it returns it back to its original roots.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10Well, it's been a real treat to get a sense of it,
0:38:10 > 0:38:12but any chance of a ride?
0:38:12 > 0:38:15No problem at all. If you'd like to go on the boat, we'll go now.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19Boats come off the canal and into the aqueduct
0:38:19 > 0:38:21through a series of gates.
0:38:21 > 0:38:24The lift works by a counter-balance method,
0:38:24 > 0:38:26whereby one boat travels up to the canal
0:38:26 > 0:38:28as the other travels down to the river.
0:38:29 > 0:38:34So, here we are actually coming into the lift itself. Ha!
0:38:34 > 0:38:36Is that the gate? Yes, that's the gate. That's the gate.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38JULES LAUGHS Incredible.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44Once we're in, they drop the gates behind us.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46Yeah. Brilliant.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48Are we going to see another boat coming up alongside us now?
0:38:48 > 0:38:51Yes, there'll be boats coming up alongside us.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53The lift operates in balance the majority of the day.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55There can be 32 boats a day.
0:38:59 > 0:39:01Now, that sounds like someone's just pulled the plug out.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04That's right, that's the last of the water disappearing down the drain.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07Between the gates and the... Yeah. ..aqueduct?
0:39:07 > 0:39:09Between the two sets of gates.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12So, we're now kind of isolated in our own kind of watery bath... Yes.
0:39:12 > 0:39:1550ft above the river. Yeah.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18JULES LAUGHS
0:39:18 > 0:39:21Today, the hydraulic system may be computerised,
0:39:21 > 0:39:23but the speed at which the lift moves
0:39:23 > 0:39:25evokes the pace of a bygone era -
0:39:25 > 0:39:28a gentle 9ft per minute.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32So, at last, we're dropping. That's right.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34I say dropping. I mean, thankfully, it's very controlled.
0:39:34 > 0:39:35THEY LAUGH
0:39:35 > 0:39:37Yeah, it's a lovely smooth movement.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39I can certainly see how it's got that name,
0:39:39 > 0:39:42"The Cathedral of the Canals", it's absolutely brilliant.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44Absolutely brilliant.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47Do you think Edwin Clark thought of it as "The Cathedral of the Canals"
0:39:47 > 0:39:51when he designed it? Maybe he did. Maybe he had a soft side.
0:39:51 > 0:39:54I'd like to think he had a sense of the romantic about him.
0:39:54 > 0:39:56Revolutionary in its time. Yeah.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00And yet here we are, it's still working in all of its glory.
0:40:00 > 0:40:03Well, I am delighted to see this working,
0:40:03 > 0:40:06I am delighted that it has survived all of those years,
0:40:06 > 0:40:10and with any luck, Graham, it should continue well into the future.
0:40:12 > 0:40:16Now, the conversation that we have to conclude any house tour
0:40:16 > 0:40:18is always a chat that I look forward to.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21Now, some weeks it's pretty hard to tell which way it's going to go,
0:40:21 > 0:40:24but this week, well, I've got no worries.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31Ready to go, look at that. Is that for me? It is. Fabulous, guys.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33Thank you very much indeed.
0:40:33 > 0:40:36Well. It all seems like quite a long time since we started this,
0:40:36 > 0:40:37doesn't it? It does. It does that.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39When you started this process,
0:40:39 > 0:40:42how optimistic were you about finding a home that would work?
0:40:42 > 0:40:45I was more pessimistic than optimistic.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49But, you've turned it around for me. Denise?
0:40:49 > 0:40:53I think because of the brief we gave you, a little bit like Neil,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56I didn't know whether you'd get the right property for us. OK.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58Let's cut to the chase.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02I suspect there is one that's really out in front.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05Yes. A lovely barn conversion. Yes.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08What was it about that property that really sold it to you, Neil.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12When we walked round the corner and you showed us the expanse of this
0:41:12 > 0:41:16barn conversion, it blew me away, and I didn't know what to expect.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19I was getting excited, thinking, "I can't wait to get inside
0:41:19 > 0:41:21"and have a look". Mmm.
0:41:21 > 0:41:23Beautiful. When you opened that front door and let us in,
0:41:23 > 0:41:26and I saw this entrance hall....
0:41:26 > 0:41:28Excellent. Excellent. Yes.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30That did it for me. Mmm.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33The minute I walked into the kitchen - it had everything,
0:41:33 > 0:41:36and the island in the middle. It just was everything we'd asked for.
0:41:36 > 0:41:38What happens next?
0:41:38 > 0:41:39Well, I'd like to look at the amenities,
0:41:39 > 0:41:41so at the weekend I want to come back and have
0:41:41 > 0:41:45a good look around the area, and then once we've done that
0:41:45 > 0:41:47I think we'll ask for a second viewing.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49I think there'll be no stopping her.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51Do you need a second viewing? I don't.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53JULES LAUGHS
0:41:53 > 0:41:55It's one of those times where my hand will go in the wallet.
0:41:55 > 0:41:57Well, guys, it's been a real treat.
0:41:57 > 0:41:58I've really enjoyed your company.
0:41:58 > 0:42:01I've thoroughly enjoyed being back in Cheshire.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05So, well, let us know what happens. BOTH: We will. Here's to you!
0:42:05 > 0:42:09Thank you. Thanks, Jules. And your new life. Thank you. Cheers.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15Well, our work here is pretty much done.
0:42:15 > 0:42:19The sun is beginning to set over Cheshire's glorious countryside,
0:42:19 > 0:42:20and the whole landscape is now bathed
0:42:20 > 0:42:23in this wonderful rich, warm glow.
0:42:23 > 0:42:26Our house search is over, but with any luck,
0:42:26 > 0:42:30Neil and Denise's new life is just about to begin.
0:42:30 > 0:42:32I'll see you next time.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34Well, the hot news is,
0:42:34 > 0:42:37Denise and Neil have had a major change of heart.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40In an enormous U-turn, they've decided to stay put
0:42:40 > 0:42:44in Rochdale and buy a holiday home in Portugal instead.
0:42:44 > 0:42:49But they do intend to revisit their country move in a few years' time.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51If you'd like to escape to the country
0:42:51 > 0:42:53in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland,
0:42:53 > 0:42:56and would like our help, then please apply online at...
0:43:32 > 0:43:33I expect you'll want to become a schoolmaster?
0:43:33 > 0:43:35That's what most of the gentlemen does that get sent down for
0:43:35 > 0:43:38indecent behaviour. Evelyn Waugh's classic novel.
0:43:38 > 0:43:41Have you ever been in love, Mr Pennyfeather? No, not yet.
0:43:41 > 0:43:43The fire escape is very dangerous and never to be used,