0:00:02 > 0:00:04This 19th-century windmill is known locally as Jill
0:00:04 > 0:00:06and just behind the trees there is her partner, Jack.
0:00:06 > 0:00:09Together they stand proud over the local landscape.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12But where am I? Find out in just a moment.
0:00:31 > 0:00:35Today, a couple who crave quiet in the countryside,
0:00:35 > 0:00:37away from the noise of next door.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39We may have a tough job on our hands.
0:00:39 > 0:00:41- So what do you think? - I think it's great.
0:00:41 > 0:00:43- What do YOU think, Kim?- Yeah.
0:00:43 > 0:00:45I'd like to see a bit more, but yes.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48- Always a but.- Always a but.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51But at another house, we get it right.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Oh, this is lovely.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55I think this has got almost everything we want.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01Today we're in West Sussex and I'm in the village of Clayton,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04in the heart of the South Downs National Park.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07The village's two windmills are thought to have been named
0:01:07 > 0:01:11Jack and Jill by day-trippers to Brighton in the 1920s.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13Today, only Jill here is a working mill,
0:01:13 > 0:01:17lovingly cared for by a group of dedicated volunteers
0:01:17 > 0:01:20who have been meeting here every Saturday since 1978.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Thanks to their hard work, Jill has been fully restored,
0:01:23 > 0:01:26and occasionally, when the wind blows,
0:01:26 > 0:01:29is used to grind locally-grown wheat to make wholemeal flour,
0:01:29 > 0:01:33providing us with just a taste of what this county has to offer.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37West Sussex lies in the heart of the Southeast, tucked in
0:01:37 > 0:01:39between the English Channel and the counties of Hampshire,
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Surrey and East Sussex.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43Despite being just a short hop from the capital,
0:01:43 > 0:01:46parts of the county feel like a step back in time,
0:01:46 > 0:01:51with historic architectural delights and quiet country lanes aplenty.
0:01:51 > 0:01:55In the east, the rolling hills of The Weald, once an ancient forest,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57are interrupted by the Ouse Valley Viaduct,
0:01:57 > 0:01:59one of the country's finest,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02an imposing example of Victorian engineering.
0:02:02 > 0:02:04Stretching across the county from east to west
0:02:04 > 0:02:06is the South Downs National Park,
0:02:06 > 0:02:09which became a protected area in 2011.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11These chalk hills are considered
0:02:11 > 0:02:14one of the most important rural landscapes in southern England.
0:02:14 > 0:02:17Nearby, the charming market town of Arundel
0:02:17 > 0:02:19boasts a beautifully-preserved castle
0:02:19 > 0:02:21which dates back to the 11th century.
0:02:21 > 0:02:24Today it makes an impressive sight,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26towering above the banks of the River Arun.
0:02:27 > 0:02:30With its easy access to both the coast and capital,
0:02:30 > 0:02:32West Sussex is a much sought-after county
0:02:32 > 0:02:36for those after a not-too-remote slice of rural England.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42But property buyers beware -
0:02:42 > 0:02:45with its proximity to the capital and unspoiled countryside,
0:02:45 > 0:02:48houses in West Sussex don't come cheap.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52In fact, the average price of a detached property here
0:02:52 > 0:02:55is about 45% more than the national average,
0:02:55 > 0:02:58and would cost you around £400,000.
0:02:58 > 0:03:00Commuter territory always comes at a premium,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03but prices are more reasonable the further south you go
0:03:03 > 0:03:06away from the capital - apart from the coast, of course.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10So what are today's buyers hoping to find in this beautiful county?
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Well, let's meet them and find out.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15Ben and Kim have been married for almost 40 years
0:03:15 > 0:03:18and live in the Surrey town of Horley.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20For the last two decades, the family home
0:03:20 > 0:03:22has been this four-bedroom detached house,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25but with two grown-up children having flown the nest,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29they're not only looking to downsize but to find a quieter setting
0:03:29 > 0:03:32away from the town Ben has lived in most of his life.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36I've lived here for probably about 50 years now.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38When I moved here, it was fantastic.
0:03:38 > 0:03:40It was like countryside.
0:03:40 > 0:03:44Now there's a lot more housing, but they haven't sort of increased
0:03:44 > 0:03:47or improved the town to cope with it, really,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49and the roads have got very busy now.
0:03:49 > 0:03:50We like peace and quiet.
0:03:50 > 0:03:55Ben has worked in IT for 40 years and Kim is a school secretary.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57They're not giving up their jobs or their friends,
0:03:57 > 0:03:59so they've set their sights south,
0:03:59 > 0:04:02on the neighbouring county of West Sussex.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04We'd really like to move to West Sussex.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06We've got friends in that area.
0:04:06 > 0:04:11We'd really like to be kind of within 25 miles' radius of Horsham,
0:04:11 > 0:04:13because then we could carry on visiting our friends.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16We do see them quite a lot, you know, they come over for dinner,
0:04:16 > 0:04:20and if we're too far away that would take that away from us, you know,
0:04:20 > 0:04:22and we really do enjoy that type of thing.
0:04:23 > 0:04:27As well as entertaining, Ben and Kim hope to add to the family.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30What draws us really to the country life is the peace and quiet
0:04:30 > 0:04:33and the fact that, you know, when Kim gets her dog,
0:04:33 > 0:04:36finally gets her dog, which I promised her when we move,
0:04:36 > 0:04:38she'll just be able to walk out the house,
0:04:38 > 0:04:39down the country lane,
0:04:39 > 0:04:42there won't be traffic zooming past us all the time,
0:04:42 > 0:04:45we'll be able to let it off the lead and off it'll go.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47When they're not walking their new dog,
0:04:47 > 0:04:50Ben wants to hit the West Sussex roads in his classic car.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52The MG Midget that I've got in the garage,
0:04:52 > 0:04:56Kim and I bought that in 1979,
0:04:56 > 0:04:57and when we get into the countryside,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59I'm going to get it back on the road,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02drive it out to a little country pub with the hood down.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05I might even take Kim with me as well, if she's lucky.
0:05:05 > 0:05:09But it sounds like Kim will be more than occupied with her new garden.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11We'd like to have a smaller garden,
0:05:11 > 0:05:13not too small cos I do enjoy gardening,
0:05:13 > 0:05:15and I get very carried away at the garden centre,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18buying plants and shrubs and trees.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20But something that would be a bit easier to manage,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23hopefully with room for a small greenhouse.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25And after a busy day outside,
0:05:25 > 0:05:28what better way to relax than in front of the fire?
0:05:28 > 0:05:31I don't know why, I've always loved wood burners
0:05:31 > 0:05:33and everything that goes with them.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35It'd be really, really cold,
0:05:35 > 0:05:37and we'll light up the wood burner and get in front of it,
0:05:37 > 0:05:41nice glass of red wine, or white wine, Kim prefers.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44But although our buyers clearly yearn for rural rapture,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47the sociable couple have some fears about being too cut-off
0:05:47 > 0:05:49from the rest of the world.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51I think our main concern if we moved too far
0:05:51 > 0:05:53was we'd be moving away from our friends.
0:05:53 > 0:05:56We know we've got to do it, we've got to get away,
0:05:56 > 0:05:58but, you know, when you're so familiar with something,
0:05:58 > 0:06:00it is just going to be...
0:06:00 > 0:06:03It is going to be a big shock but we desperately want to do it.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08Ben and Kim want us to concentrate our property search
0:06:08 > 0:06:12within a 25-mile radius of Horsham so Kim can continue working
0:06:12 > 0:06:15and so they're not too far from their friends in Surrey.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17I'm meeting up with our buyers in West Sussex
0:06:17 > 0:06:20to find out more about their plan to move.
0:06:20 > 0:06:21Ben and Kim, lovely to meet you both.
0:06:21 > 0:06:22Thank you.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Now, this is why you want to move to West Sussex, isn't it?
0:06:25 > 0:06:27The peace and quiet.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29It is indeed. It's just amazing here, isn't it?
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Tell us about the house that you're looking for.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35Well, ideally three bedrooms - we're downsizing a bit.
0:06:35 > 0:06:39- Kim would like an en suite, wouldn't you?- Yes.- Yes.- Yeah.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42Don't mind about the style or the age particularly,
0:06:42 > 0:06:46- probably not too old. - No, we don't want a project.- No.
0:06:46 > 0:06:48- So something fairly ready to move into.- Yes.- Yes.
0:06:48 > 0:06:50- Modern would be great, wouldn't it?- Yes.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53You know, cos I do a lot of work round the house,
0:06:53 > 0:06:55a lot of central heating stuff, electrics, but, you know,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58I'd like to put that behind me and have it all done for me, really.
0:06:58 > 0:07:01Anything else that's really important for you both?
0:07:01 > 0:07:03Ben would like a wood burner or be able to put one in.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05I've got to have a wood burner, yes.
0:07:05 > 0:07:09So if it doesn't have one in, you'll be doing that job, won't you?
0:07:09 > 0:07:11I would be doing that job, that's fine. Yeah, that would be good.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13What are the big no-nos for you?
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Neighbours is a really, really big no-no.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19We want to be somewhere where, whatever the neighbour's doing,
0:07:19 > 0:07:21they're not going to affect us,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23and whatever we do, we won't affect them.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25Remind us of your budget.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27The budget is 625,000.
0:07:27 > 0:07:30OK. Now, most parts of the country that would be a fantastic budget,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33but you know how popular West Sussex is, don't you?
0:07:33 > 0:07:34Yes, we do know, yes.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37So it might be difficult to get absolutely everything
0:07:37 > 0:07:39- on your wish list.- Yes.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41But we've got some great properties lined up.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43- Fantastic.- Hopefully you'll find something in them
0:07:43 > 0:07:45that you're looking for. Looking forward to it, let's go.
0:07:45 > 0:07:47- Really looking forward to it. - Thank you.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53Ben and Kim have an ambitious wish list for their £625,000,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56but we hope to find them a detached property
0:07:56 > 0:08:00with a minimum of three bedrooms and at least one en suite bathroom.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03They're not too concerned about a particular age or style
0:08:03 > 0:08:06but would like a wood burner or the potential to install one
0:08:06 > 0:08:08and a manageable garden.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10But of greatest importance is the position.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13They don't want to be disturbed by neighbouring properties.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18We've lined up a worthy selection of West Sussex wonders
0:08:18 > 0:08:20for Ben and Kim to ponder, but I won't be revealing
0:08:20 > 0:08:24the price tag of their potential purchase until the end of the tour.
0:08:24 > 0:08:29Our Mystery House challenges our buyers to embrace shared living.
0:08:33 > 0:08:36Our first property offering is in the village of West Chiltington,
0:08:36 > 0:08:3812 miles from Horsham.
0:08:38 > 0:08:42Situated on the South Downs, the tranquil village is characterised
0:08:42 > 0:08:46by windy lanes with rows of idyllic cottages, some with hung tiles,
0:08:46 > 0:08:50and a village shop which doubles up as a post office.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52The church, dating back to the 12th century,
0:08:52 > 0:08:55features an oak-shingled spire and is tiled in Horsham stone,
0:08:55 > 0:08:59a traditional roofing material found throughout the region.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Positioned on a quiet road on the edge of the village,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05the first property sits in a peaceful secluded garden,
0:09:05 > 0:09:07offering a high degree of natural privacy.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11What do you think of the chalet?
0:09:11 > 0:09:13- I like it.- Yeah, I like it as well.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15It was built in the 1950s,
0:09:15 > 0:09:20so in that sense very similar age to your current property,
0:09:20 > 0:09:21- which you say you love.- We do.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24- It's really about moving away from the area.- Yes.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27It looks very promising, yes.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29And on a very quiet road.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32Yeah, which is good. Cos we wanted quiet, yes.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34I see you've still got neighbours, but hey.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37- Not too near.- Shall we go inside?
0:09:37 > 0:09:40- Yes, please. - Let's get out of this rain.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44'Built in the 1950s, it's a classic chalet-style home.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47'I just hope Ben can leave his fears about proximity
0:09:47 > 0:09:50'to neighbouring houses at the front door as we embark on our tour.'
0:09:50 > 0:09:52We'll go into the living room first.
0:09:56 > 0:09:58- Oh, this is lovely. - It is, isn't it?
0:09:58 > 0:10:01- Big windows.- Yes. - Triple aspect.- Yeah.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03That's why it is so light. And big -
0:10:03 > 0:10:07there's a enough size for a sizeable dining table just over there.
0:10:07 > 0:10:08- Yes.- Yeah, it's good.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11And there's a fireplace.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14There is a fireplace, but that's not a real fire.
0:10:14 > 0:10:16But you can take that out...
0:10:16 > 0:10:18- Really? - ..and put in a real fireplace.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20- There's a chimney up there, is it? - There is, exactly.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23- Oh, that's fantastic. - So we can put wood burner in.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25So you will have to do a little bit of work if you move in.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27I don't mind. So we can just move straight in.
0:10:27 > 0:10:28In fact, we might not go home.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30THEY CHUCKLE
0:10:30 > 0:10:32- Perfect.- Yes. - Everyone's happy, then.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35- So far.- So far.- Yes.- Yes.
0:10:35 > 0:10:36- One room down...- Yes.
0:10:36 > 0:10:37..a few more to go.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40'Because in this property,
0:10:40 > 0:10:42'the master bedroom is on the ground floor.'
0:10:46 > 0:10:48- It's lovely.- It is nice, yeah.
0:10:48 > 0:10:51- It really is. It's a good-sized room.- It is.
0:10:51 > 0:10:52Lots of wardrobe space.
0:10:52 > 0:10:54- Yes.- And an en suite. - And an en suite.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57Kim really wanted an en suite, yes.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59I think this has got almost everything we want.
0:10:59 > 0:11:02So would it bother you to have the master on the ground floor?
0:11:02 > 0:11:04- No.- No, not at all.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07- I really like this.- Yeah, I like it. I just feel comfortable in here.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09It just feels like home from home.
0:11:09 > 0:11:12It does feel like home from home, actually.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15'As well as the master, the ground floor features another bedroom
0:11:15 > 0:11:18'the current owners use as a study, as well as a family bathroom.'
0:11:21 > 0:11:25What's lovely about the kitchen is really that view of the garden.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27- Yeah.- That's lovely. - That is great.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31I can see myself standing at that sink, washing up,
0:11:31 > 0:11:32looking out into the garden.
0:11:32 > 0:11:36Yep. Kim would be sitting out there with the wine, I expect.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- Watching you wash up. - Watching me wash up.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41- The view the other way. - Yeah.- How's the size for you?
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Yeah, no, cos we are downsizing, you know, so this will be...
0:11:44 > 0:11:47- It's a nice-sized kitchen.- It is a nice-sized kitchen, isn't it?
0:11:47 > 0:11:48- I like the units.- Yeah.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50It's that breakfast room that gives it that feeling of space.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52- Yeah.- Lovely and light.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56- Cos is a big kitchen if you count that.- Yes, it is.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59'Great reactions to the practical set-up of the ground floor.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02'Upstairs, there are two further bedrooms, both doubles,
0:12:02 > 0:12:06'as well as a smaller box room and a cloakroom with washbasin.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09'Outside, the lawned garden wraps itself around the house
0:12:09 > 0:12:11'and amounts to about a third of an acre.'
0:12:13 > 0:12:16I think this garden is a wonderful space for entertaining.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Yes, it is, isn't it? Yeah.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20Barbecues, summer parties.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22- Yes.- Possible wedding for one of your children.
0:12:22 > 0:12:23No!
0:12:23 > 0:12:26- Grandkids running around.- Yeah.
0:12:26 > 0:12:29- It's the forever home, isn't it? - It is, yeah.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Let's talk about the elephant in the room.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35The neighbours. Are they still bothering you as much?
0:12:35 > 0:12:37Yes, they are bothering me just as much.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Really? Even after seeing what's effectively your dream home -
0:12:41 > 0:12:43you haven't really had a negative about the house,
0:12:43 > 0:12:45unless you're holding back.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48The only holding back I've been doing is about the neighbours.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50- Nice high hedge.- Yeah.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52- Dense hedge. They're not too close. - No.
0:12:52 > 0:12:54You can't even really see that one.
0:12:54 > 0:12:56This is part of her persuasion campaign.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58It is part of it, definitely, yeah.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00Shall we guess the price...
0:13:00 > 0:13:04- Yes.- Yeah.- ..and then maybe that might add to your campaign?
0:13:04 > 0:13:09I'm going to go 5,000 above my range.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12- 630.- 630, you think? - Yeah, 630.- Kim?
0:13:12 > 0:13:14And I would say 650.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17It's actually on the market for £600,000.
0:13:17 > 0:13:19- Wow.- Oh, that is good. - Well within your budget.
0:13:19 > 0:13:21That is excellent. How can it be?
0:13:21 > 0:13:24How do you feel about those neighbours now?
0:13:24 > 0:13:25HE SIGHS
0:13:25 > 0:13:27I'll have to have a little ponder about that, yeah.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30- Do you think you can persuade him, Kim?- I might, yes.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Yeah, I think we're on the right track.
0:13:32 > 0:13:36I think tonight we'll get a bottle of champagne out, you know,
0:13:36 > 0:13:38get it chilled down and have a good think about that.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40I think you should have another look around.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43- What do you think? - Yeah, definitely.- I want to. Yeah.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45- Go ahead.- Thank you very much.
0:13:45 > 0:13:46- I'll see you soon.- Thank you.
0:13:48 > 0:13:50Come on!
0:13:50 > 0:13:53It's the dream house, within budget.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56Kim needs to put the hard work in now and persuade Ben.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Under budget by £25,000,
0:14:01 > 0:14:05this 1950s detached chalet home has hit the nail on the head
0:14:05 > 0:14:07in terms of style and layout.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10It gives Ben and Kim one more bedroom than they asked for,
0:14:10 > 0:14:12a working fireplace to house a wood burner,
0:14:12 > 0:14:17and a manageable garden offering the seclusion and privacy they wanted.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19I absolutely love this house.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21I can't believe that we've actually found something
0:14:21 > 0:14:23that I like as much as I do. It's just...
0:14:23 > 0:14:26It's like home from home, it's really nice.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30I love the location, garden's perfect...
0:14:30 > 0:14:32Everything about it is just wonderful.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35Love the kitchen, the lounge is just like ours at home,
0:14:35 > 0:14:38and the log burner, of course, will go down very well with Ben.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41Yeah, when we came up the drive I got out the car and I listened
0:14:41 > 0:14:43and it was just so peaceful.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46I looked at the house and I thought, "Yeah, this is a really nice house."
0:14:46 > 0:14:50My only slight reservation is the neighbours,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53as there is neighbours all around, and, you know,
0:14:53 > 0:14:56although it's peaceful in the garden at the moment,
0:14:56 > 0:15:00if you had a noisy family out there, that could be a disturbance.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03But apart from that, you know, it is great.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06I know Ben's concerned about the neighbours,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09but from what I can see the neighbours here aren't that close.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13It's very quiet. We've been out in the garden
0:15:13 > 0:15:14and it's very, very quiet here.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16They've got a greenhouse,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18so hopefully they're maybe retired like us,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21and it will be nice and quiet and peaceful.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Smiles all round. It's made for you, isn't it?
0:15:25 > 0:15:27It is, it's really perfect.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29- Love it.- Perfect.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32It is very, very, very nearly perfect.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34Which means you can't let it go, Ben.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37I think you're probably right, yeah.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39THAT is music to my ears.
0:15:39 > 0:15:43It's been a long day, lots of action, exciting action.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45Let's go and get a glass of wine and chill.
0:15:45 > 0:15:46That sounds perfect.
0:15:54 > 0:15:58With its rich rural landscape, it's easy to forget that West Sussex
0:15:58 > 0:16:02is only a 30-mile drive from the suburbs of Greater London.
0:16:02 > 0:16:05Just south of Horsham is the Knepp Castle Estate,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07which dates back to the Middle Ages
0:16:07 > 0:16:09and was one of King John's hunting parks.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12For the last 200 years, it's been owned by the Burrell family,
0:16:12 > 0:16:16who until recently managed it as agricultural land.
0:16:16 > 0:16:19But, 15 years ago, they embarked on a visionary project
0:16:19 > 0:16:21to return the land to its natural state
0:16:21 > 0:16:24by introducing a variety of grazing animals,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27a process known as re-wilding.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Since both Kim and Ben are keen to embrace the countryside
0:16:29 > 0:16:31and all it has to offer,
0:16:31 > 0:16:33we sent them to find out more from the current landowner,
0:16:33 > 0:16:35Sir Charlie Burrell.
0:16:35 > 0:16:36Hi there.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38It's an amazing place, it really is.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40What is the history behind it?
0:16:40 > 0:16:44Well, this castle is a modern one, it was built in 1806,
0:16:44 > 0:16:47but it's sort of on a ground which is a bit more interesting than that.
0:16:47 > 0:16:49We've enclosed large areas of the estate,
0:16:49 > 0:16:53about 1,000 hectares, in large enclosures,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57and we then released a whole load of free-roaming animals
0:16:57 > 0:16:58into those areas.
0:16:58 > 0:17:02So we've got Exmoor ponies, longhorn cattle and three species of deer
0:17:02 > 0:17:05roaming freely in these large enclosures.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08And that can kind of control the land, can it?
0:17:08 > 0:17:12Well, these are considered drivers for biodiversity.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15The way they eat and the way they behave and the way they damage
0:17:15 > 0:17:19and rootle and all the things they do naturally,
0:17:19 > 0:17:22that is considered to be a driver of a system,
0:17:22 > 0:17:23so we're creating the right habitat
0:17:23 > 0:17:25for lots of different species of animals.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28And what we've had is huge success with lots of difference species.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31We've got 2% of the nightingale population in the UK here,
0:17:31 > 0:17:34we have one of the biggest populations of purple emperors,
0:17:34 > 0:17:36which is a butterfly which is quite rare,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38we've got interesting bat species.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40We've got a whole load of things going on,
0:17:40 > 0:17:43which have been because of what we've done and how we've done it,
0:17:43 > 0:17:45have come back to this land.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48The best way to explore Knepp's range of grazing animals
0:17:48 > 0:17:52and the role they play in re-wilding the land is to take a safari trip.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55- Hi there. Lovely to meet you. Would you like to get on?- Thank you.
0:17:56 > 0:17:59Today's guide is ecologist Amy Nightingale,
0:17:59 > 0:18:01and it's not long before they come across
0:18:01 > 0:18:03some of the estate's resident roamers.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06So these are our longhorn cattle.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09They've been brought onto the estate to browse and graze
0:18:09 > 0:18:12and manage the habitat themselves naturally.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14- They're amazing.- What's a browser?
0:18:14 > 0:18:18So browsing means instead of just eating grass, which is a grazer,
0:18:18 > 0:18:20they're actually going up into the bushes
0:18:20 > 0:18:22and eating through the hedgerows.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24They're eating all the sort of thorny scrub
0:18:24 > 0:18:26that we've got on the estate here.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30So will they keep the grass down or do you have to manage it as well?
0:18:30 > 0:18:33There's no management on the estate at all.
0:18:33 > 0:18:34No land management whatsoever.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37The animals manage to do it themselves.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40Other animals with the right to roam include fallow deer,
0:18:40 > 0:18:45who make fantastic grazers and enjoy foraging in open grassland.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48The herd here are considered to be among the top six in Europe.
0:18:48 > 0:18:51The estate is also home to the rarer red deer,
0:18:51 > 0:18:54although they're proving elusive on this morning's safari.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56So we've been driving around for 20 minutes or so now
0:18:56 > 0:18:58and we haven't seen any of the red deer,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02but what've got over here at the moment is the deer rutting season.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04And as you can see, there's two males fighting up ahead.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Oh, God, yeah.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09So during this time of year, sort of end of October,
0:19:09 > 0:19:11the males will all sort of, um...
0:19:11 > 0:19:13They'll start fighting for territories now.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17And as you can see, these two are having a really good battle.
0:19:17 > 0:19:21As well as creating new habitats for important species,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23the grazing animals at Knepp generate an income
0:19:23 > 0:19:26as some are sold for their meat, which also helps to control
0:19:26 > 0:19:29the population in the absence of predators.
0:19:29 > 0:19:32The project has been so successful there are plans to extend it
0:19:32 > 0:19:34across the rest of the estate,
0:19:34 > 0:19:37returning this beautiful part of the West Sussex landscape
0:19:37 > 0:19:39to the way nature intended it.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50It's the second day of our property search in West Sussex
0:19:50 > 0:19:53and, armed with a budget of £625,000,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56we're helping Ben and Kim from Horley in Surrey
0:19:56 > 0:20:00find a quiet countryside property out of sight and out of sound
0:20:00 > 0:20:02from neighbouring homes.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03Coming up, two more properties,
0:20:03 > 0:20:07including a Mystery House of seemingly stately proportions.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10You weren't expecting this for the Mystery House, were you?
0:20:10 > 0:20:13- We weren't, no.- Not at all. - Let's take the grand tour.
0:20:13 > 0:20:14And it's full steam ahead
0:20:14 > 0:20:17at one of the oldest heritage lines in the country.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19WHISTLE TOOTS
0:20:20 > 0:20:24It's become very clear that having neighbours is a big problem for Ben,
0:20:24 > 0:20:26so I'm hoping the property I'm showing them this morning
0:20:26 > 0:20:28is rural enough for him.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30Then comes the Mystery House, though,
0:20:30 > 0:20:32which is a very grand proposition.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34But will Ben be willing to share it?
0:20:39 > 0:20:42For our next offering, we're heading south towards the coast
0:20:42 > 0:20:46to the village of Angmering, around 20 miles from Horsham.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49The village is home to a number of historic properties,
0:20:49 > 0:20:54some dating to the 1600s, and retains a quaint rural charm.
0:20:54 > 0:20:57At its centre is a well-preserved village square,
0:20:57 > 0:21:00hosting a range of useful shops and services.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Our next property is on the edge of the village,
0:21:02 > 0:21:05on a quiet country lane surrounded by farmland
0:21:05 > 0:21:08and out of sight of the nearest neighbour.
0:21:08 > 0:21:12- Can't see any neighbours. - No, can't see any neighbours here.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15You might have come up trumps this time.
0:21:15 > 0:21:16It's big. It's huge.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18It's a big property.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20It's not a semi, is it?
0:21:20 > 0:21:23- Absolutely not a semi. - Oh, that's good. That looks lovely.
0:21:23 > 0:21:25I love the style of it, the wood.
0:21:25 > 0:21:26This is very modern.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29So there's been a house here for a long time,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32but basically this is a complete rebuild...
0:21:32 > 0:21:34- Oh, that's good. - ..just two years ago.- Yeah.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36First impressions - great.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39- So far so good, definitely. - Let's get in.- Thank you.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42'So it's a thumbs up from Ben on location,
0:21:42 > 0:21:46'and I'm sure he'll appreciate the modern touches inside.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49'But, for Kim, it will need to better yesterday's Chalet house.'
0:21:50 > 0:21:52You've got to see the kitchen first.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54That's one kind of fun kitchen, isn't it?
0:21:54 > 0:21:56- Yeah.- That really is a kitchen.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00Real open-plan living, with those bifold doors
0:22:00 > 0:22:03that look out onto their wonderful views.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06That is a wonderful view.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09The other thing this kitchen has is a utility room that runs all the way
0:22:09 > 0:22:12alongside the side of the house, with a door that goes outside,
0:22:12 > 0:22:13- so great for a dog.- That's good.
0:22:13 > 0:22:18- They've really thought about the way you live as well, I think.- Yeah.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21'I think Ben is sold on the modern feel and practical layout
0:22:21 > 0:22:23'of the ranch house.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27'That contemporary ambience continues in the living room.'
0:22:27 > 0:22:30So the kitchen really connects with the living room.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32It does, doesn't it? Yeah. Yeah.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36- Wood burner.- And a wood burner.- Oh.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39That also heats the hot water and the underfloor heating.
0:22:39 > 0:22:40That is an excellent idea.
0:22:40 > 0:22:44Kim, you haven't said as much as Ben about this house.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47I like the... I just really like the other house.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50It was more like our house we've got at the moment.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Um, that's...
0:22:52 > 0:22:55- But Ben didn't like the neighbours. - I know.
0:22:55 > 0:22:57I know. I really like that kitchen, you know.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00It'll be a fight whether we keep that or not, actually,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02because I do like that, and I like this room too.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05We can make this house like the other house if we wanted to,
0:23:05 > 0:23:07but we can never make the other house like this house
0:23:07 > 0:23:09cos we can't move away the neighbours.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Yeah, you two have got some chatting to do, haven't you?
0:23:12 > 0:23:14- Yeah, we have. - Let's go and see the bedrooms.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16- OK.- Thank you.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20'So differing opinions on our new-build ranch house.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22'It seems we're yet to win over Kim.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25'Also on the ground floor, a long, spacious study,
0:23:25 > 0:23:27'a large family bath and shower room,
0:23:27 > 0:23:30'and two of the five bedrooms in the property,
0:23:30 > 0:23:32'including a single and a larger double
0:23:32 > 0:23:34'which is currently used as the master.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37'Upstairs, accessed from a large landing
0:23:37 > 0:23:38'are three further bedrooms,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41'including two that can be made into one large one
0:23:41 > 0:23:44'by opening a partition, and another sizeable double.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47'There's also another spacious family bathroom up there.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50'But we're continuing our tour with the ground floor master.'
0:23:55 > 0:23:58So the master bedroom is actually on the ground floor.
0:23:58 > 0:23:59Uh-huh.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01But of course you don't have to use this as the master,
0:24:01 > 0:24:04but I think the couple that live here just like the views.
0:24:04 > 0:24:06It's no problem for me, being on the ground floor, at all.
0:24:06 > 0:24:08It's lovely, being out open onto the garden.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11It is. Yeah, just walk straight out there.
0:24:11 > 0:24:12There are two family bathrooms -
0:24:12 > 0:24:14we just passed one on the ground floor,
0:24:14 > 0:24:16there's one upstairs.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18So there's no en suite,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21- but there is a walk-in wardrobe.- Oh!
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Don't know if that's your thing, Ben or Kim.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- For all my clothes. - That is good, isn't it?
0:24:27 > 0:24:29- So what do you think? - I think it's great.
0:24:29 > 0:24:30What do you think, Kim?
0:24:30 > 0:24:33Yeah, I'd like to see a bit more, but yes.
0:24:33 > 0:24:34But promising.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37- Always a but.- Always a but.
0:24:37 > 0:24:41I really want to show you the land around property.
0:24:41 > 0:24:42- Yeah, OK.- So let's do that.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44- Let's go back into the kitchen. - Thank you.- Thanks.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48'Outside, the gardens are to the front and rear.
0:24:48 > 0:24:51'At the front, there's space for parking and a garage.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53'At the back, the garden is mainly lawn,
0:24:53 > 0:24:56'but there are options to lease further garden space
0:24:56 > 0:24:58'from the neighbouring stable owners.'
0:25:00 > 0:25:03So the garden that comes with this property just goes to this fence.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07- OK.- So the bit beyond that, with the vegetable patches,
0:25:07 > 0:25:11is rented from the stable owners next door for next to nothing.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13I think we'd definitely want to rent that bit as well,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16- and take down the fence. - Grow some vegetables.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19Exactly, you can have your own vegetable garden.
0:25:19 > 0:25:20Dog needs a bit more space.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22Depends on the price of the house, really.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25Which is something we absolutely should talk about.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28- Yes.- Who'd like to guess the price of the house first?
0:25:28 > 0:25:30I will.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32I think it's going to be the top end of our budget,
0:25:32 > 0:25:34so I would say 650.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36OK.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39I'm going to be wildly different to that, Kim,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41because there's not a lot of land.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43I know we've got the advantage of a lot of land,
0:25:43 > 0:25:45but there's not much land.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47And looking around,
0:25:47 > 0:25:49I'm going to go for 595.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51You're almost spot on.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55It is on for 599,950.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58- So just shy of £600,000.- Yeah.
0:25:58 > 0:26:01- That's good.- Does that make you like the house a little bit more,
0:26:01 > 0:26:03- that price?- Yeah, definitely.
0:26:03 > 0:26:06I love it. I do, I love it, Kim.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08- You loved it before you knew the price.- I did.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11- Why don't you both have a chat as you look around...- Mm-hm.
0:26:11 > 0:26:15..because Kim's not so keen on this house as much as you, yes.
0:26:15 > 0:26:20- Yeah.- So I think you two need to go off and have a natter.
0:26:20 > 0:26:21- OK.- OK. - And I'll meet you out front.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23- Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:26:26 > 0:26:27Well, I think this is a case of
0:26:27 > 0:26:29who is going to be the one to compromise,
0:26:29 > 0:26:31because Kim really likes the chalet house
0:26:31 > 0:26:33and Ben really likes this house. So...
0:26:34 > 0:26:36..it's about who will win over who,
0:26:36 > 0:26:40but I have a feeling Ben is going to win the battle.
0:26:40 > 0:26:42£25,000 below budget,
0:26:42 > 0:26:44this modern ranch-style property
0:26:44 > 0:26:46impresses Ben thanks to the lack of
0:26:46 > 0:26:48immediate neighbouring houses,
0:26:48 > 0:26:49but its contemporary feel
0:26:49 > 0:26:51isn't Kim's cup of tea.
0:26:51 > 0:26:53It gives them a large kitchen/diner,
0:26:53 > 0:26:55two more bedrooms than they asked for
0:26:55 > 0:26:58and a stylish and practical wood burner.
0:26:58 > 0:26:59I love this house, I really do.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02The location is perfect.
0:27:03 > 0:27:05As perfect as you can get, it really is.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10We want to be rural and it's almost like exciting again.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13You know, it's such a young, vibrant house, really.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15I don't think Kim is going to be quite so enthusiastic as me
0:27:15 > 0:27:18but I think I can bring her round, probably.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20I hope we're on the same page
0:27:20 > 0:27:22but sometimes I think we're not even in the same book.
0:27:22 > 0:27:26The other house, as soon as we walked in, I felt at home.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28Really liked it.
0:27:28 > 0:27:31This one, I'm just not so sure, really.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Something about it isn't quite me.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36The kitchen area I would definitely want to change,
0:27:36 > 0:27:38and that might persuade me.
0:27:38 > 0:27:42I guess if Ben really likes it, then we'll probably go for it.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45I know you've both got mixed feelings about this house,
0:27:45 > 0:27:50and I'm going to confuse the issue further with the Mystery House.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52- Let's go.- Thank you.
0:27:57 > 0:28:01Our final house choice is located close to the village of Duncton
0:28:01 > 0:28:05in the heart of the South Downs and around 20 miles from Horsham.
0:28:05 > 0:28:08Nearby Petworth, a ten-minute drive away,
0:28:08 > 0:28:10offers the best range of local services.
0:28:10 > 0:28:13The pretty market town has a strong reputation
0:28:13 > 0:28:17as a leading antiques centre and an abundance of cafes and eateries
0:28:17 > 0:28:19line its attractive cobbled streets,
0:28:19 > 0:28:23with the parish church of St Mary dominating the skyline.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Our Mystery House is truly one-of-a-kind,
0:28:25 > 0:28:29set in parkland not far from the village of Duncton.
0:28:29 > 0:28:31The stately driveway should give Ben and Kim a clue
0:28:31 > 0:28:33to the property's pedigree.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36Ben said he didn't want close neighbours -
0:28:36 > 0:28:40he gets them here, but not in the way he probably imagined.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43That's amazing. It really is.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Now, you both actually could live in a house like this.
0:28:46 > 0:28:47I'd love to live in house like this.
0:28:47 > 0:28:49I'd love to own a house like this.
0:28:49 > 0:28:51Well, you can own a part of a house like this.
0:28:51 > 0:28:53- That'd probably do. - Have a wing each.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Yeah, a wing each. Yeah, OK.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58This is a Grade I listed Georgian mansion,
0:28:58 > 0:29:01and inside there are apartments.
0:29:01 > 0:29:04And one of them is up for sale.
0:29:04 > 0:29:06With our name on it. How many apartments are there here?
0:29:06 > 0:29:11There are nine apartments, but most of them are people's second homes,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14people that are only here for weekends or every month.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17This is not a noisy building.
0:29:17 > 0:29:21You're not going to have screaming kids with footballs
0:29:21 > 0:29:25annoying you night and day, which I know is your big bugbear.
0:29:25 > 0:29:26It is, yes.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29Kim, how do you feel about this style of accommodation?
0:29:29 > 0:29:31I'd certainly give it a thought.
0:29:31 > 0:29:34I think it's just amazing - the grounds are just wonderful.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36Let's have a look, see what happens.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38You weren't expecting this for the Mystery House, were you?
0:29:38 > 0:29:40- We weren't, no.- Not at all, no.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43- Let's take the grand tour. - OK.- Thank you.
0:29:43 > 0:29:46This magnificent Georgian Grade I listed manor house
0:29:46 > 0:29:49was built in the 1830s as a private residence
0:29:49 > 0:29:51and later became a girls school
0:29:51 > 0:29:54before being converted into luxury apartments.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57For an annual service charge of £5,000, cleaners will take care
0:29:57 > 0:30:00of communal areas such as the grand hallway
0:30:00 > 0:30:03and gardeners will tend to the landscaped gardens,
0:30:03 > 0:30:05as well as the 140 acres of parkland.
0:30:07 > 0:30:11Kim and Ben's apartment is a garden flat arranged over two floors
0:30:11 > 0:30:13and accessed by its own private entrance
0:30:13 > 0:30:15through a two-tiered patio space.
0:30:15 > 0:30:19We're starting our tour on the lower ground level.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23So you come straight into the kitchen, really, in this apartment.
0:30:23 > 0:30:26This is a great apartment, yeah. It is.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29- I like the kitchen. - I love this ultramodern.
0:30:29 > 0:30:31- Good size as well.- Stunning.- It is.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33- It's not a small, pokey kitchen, is it?- It isn't.- It's not.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36I thought it could have been smaller than this but it is amazing.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38- Let's go to the living room.- OK.
0:30:40 > 0:30:41'As far as mod cons go,
0:30:41 > 0:30:45'nothing has been spared in this stylishly modern apartment,
0:30:45 > 0:30:46'from underfloor heating
0:30:46 > 0:30:48'to top-of-the-range kitchen appliances.'
0:30:50 > 0:30:54So the owners decided to go with a Moroccan theme for this room,
0:30:54 > 0:30:58but all of that is very cosmetic, so easily changed.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01It's just the soft furnishings, really.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03This apartment is over two floors
0:31:03 > 0:31:06and all of this is the lower ground bit.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09And this is what they use as their main living room.
0:31:09 > 0:31:12But that wall is actually a stud wall and next door is a room
0:31:12 > 0:31:15that they haven't really decided what to do with.
0:31:15 > 0:31:17It has all the plumbing to be a bathroom,
0:31:17 > 0:31:19it's bigger than this space, but what you could do
0:31:19 > 0:31:24is just knock it all through and have one lovely big living room.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26You still need more? You need to see more?
0:31:26 > 0:31:27- Yes.- Yeah, I need to see more.
0:31:27 > 0:31:30- You're not saying much, are you? - No, it's very small.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33- Do you feel?- Yes, and no window.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35- Good point, yeah. - This part of the house doesn't.
0:31:35 > 0:31:39- Let's go to the bedroom, where there are windows.- OK.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43'The subterranean living space darkens the mood a little,
0:31:43 > 0:31:46'but I'm hopeful the sunlit master will lift the spirits.'
0:31:49 > 0:31:51You can see why the couple uses this as the master bedroom.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54This is lovely. Really like that.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56- Very light and airy.- It is, lovely.
0:31:56 > 0:31:59Doors straight out onto their terrace/patio area.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01- Little courtyard garden.- Mm.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03- This is just what you like, isn't it?- Yes.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07- Really clean. - Nice, clean lines, yeah.- Yeah.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10This is lovely. This is more my sort of house.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12Yeah, it is, yes, definitely.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14After seeing the bedroom.
0:32:14 > 0:32:17Now, there's no en suite, but there's a lovely shower room
0:32:17 > 0:32:19just on the other side of the kitchen.
0:32:19 > 0:32:21So that's what the couple use.
0:32:21 > 0:32:22How many bedrooms has it got?
0:32:22 > 0:32:24So it's a two-bedroom apartment.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27The other bedroom is being used as a study,
0:32:27 > 0:32:30and that's on the ground floor, so the level above this.
0:32:30 > 0:32:33- So you've seen a lot of the apartment now.- Yes.- Mm-hmm.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37Is now the time to ask you whether it would ever be a realistic option?
0:32:37 > 0:32:39I think it's lovely.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41I'm not sure about whether I could live here.
0:32:41 > 0:32:43For me, it is a fantastic place.
0:32:43 > 0:32:46As a second house, it would be amazing.
0:32:46 > 0:32:48But I honestly think I'd be bored here.
0:32:48 > 0:32:50The countryside around looks amazing.
0:32:50 > 0:32:53The thought of getting up in the morning to that view,
0:32:53 > 0:32:56taking the dog for a walk, yes, I could definitely be tempted by that.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59Well, I am going to try and tempt you with that.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02I haven't given up. Let's go out into the garden.
0:33:02 > 0:33:03- OK.- OK.
0:33:05 > 0:33:08'As well as Ben and Kim's private patio area,
0:33:08 > 0:33:10'they also have access to the communal grounds,
0:33:10 > 0:33:13'which include a stunning formal landscaped garden.'
0:33:14 > 0:33:17So this Georgian manor house
0:33:17 > 0:33:22comes with 140 acres of gardens.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26- Lots of room for my dog.- You don't even seem surprised any more.
0:33:26 > 0:33:29It's just so... You can't grasp it, can you?
0:33:29 > 0:33:31No. It's a little bit unreal, isn't it?
0:33:31 > 0:33:33It is, yeah, it's just so amazing.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37- Your own medieval church, tennis courts...- Yeah.
0:33:37 > 0:33:38How much would it cost you?
0:33:38 > 0:33:40Who'd like to go first?
0:33:41 > 0:33:42600,000.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44She's gone straight in there.
0:33:44 > 0:33:45She has, hasn't she? Yeah.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48It's just such a hard house to gauge, this one.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51I think 619,000.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54OK, that's a very precise 19 there.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57You're trying to win this game, aren't you?
0:33:57 > 0:33:59I want to win, yes.
0:33:59 > 0:34:00This time, the winner is Kim.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02- She's closer.- Oh!
0:34:02 > 0:34:05- That's good. - It's on for £595,000.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08- That is surprising, isn't it? - Yeah, it is.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10You don't want to miss out on these stunning gardens.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12Have a look around, go back and see the apartment,
0:34:12 > 0:34:15and then we'll get a cup of tea and have a chat.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17- That sounds fantastic. - See you soon.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24Under budget by £30,000,
0:34:24 > 0:34:26our stately Mystery House offers
0:34:26 > 0:34:27Ben and Kim a share of
0:34:27 > 0:34:29a splendid Georgian manor.
0:34:29 > 0:34:30Stylishly kitted out
0:34:30 > 0:34:32with modern facilities,
0:34:32 > 0:34:34it features a top-of-the-range kitchen,
0:34:34 > 0:34:35a cavernous living space
0:34:35 > 0:34:37and two bedrooms.
0:34:37 > 0:34:38But the real selling point
0:34:38 > 0:34:39is the grounds -
0:34:39 > 0:34:42140 acres of communal parkland,
0:34:42 > 0:34:45including formal landscaped gardens.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49When we came down the long drive
0:34:49 > 0:34:52and saw the front of the building with the sun on it, I just thought,
0:34:52 > 0:34:55you know, it's got to be almost a joke.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58It's like a film set. It's like a film star's house.
0:34:58 > 0:35:00But I don't think it's for me
0:35:00 > 0:35:02because I don't know what I'd do all day.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05I've got a garage, I've got an old car I'm restoring,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07I've got all my computers.
0:35:07 > 0:35:09I wouldn't be able to have any of that here.
0:35:09 > 0:35:12I think the house would make a lovely second home.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15If we won the lottery and could afford it, that would be perfect,
0:35:15 > 0:35:18but as a main home, it's just too small for us.
0:35:20 > 0:35:23You've both got a lot to think about, haven't you?
0:35:23 > 0:35:24We have, but not about this one.
0:35:24 > 0:35:27No, that's your second home. I mean about your primary residence.
0:35:27 > 0:35:29- Ah, yes. - Let's go get a cup of tea.
0:35:33 > 0:35:35With its cottages and village greens,
0:35:35 > 0:35:38there's something of an old England feel about Sussex,
0:35:38 > 0:35:41and carving its way through the landscape here
0:35:41 > 0:35:43is another reminder of a bygone era.
0:35:43 > 0:35:47The Bluebell Line is the UK's first preserved standard gauge
0:35:47 > 0:35:50heritage steam railway, which reopened part of the old
0:35:50 > 0:35:54Lewes to East Grinstead track in 1960.
0:35:54 > 0:35:55Since then, it's developed
0:35:55 > 0:35:58into one of the largest tourist attractions in Sussex,
0:35:58 > 0:36:01mainly run by a dedicated team of volunteers.
0:36:01 > 0:36:05And I'm hopping on to meet one of the longest serving, Mick Blackburn.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09- Hi, Mick.- Hi, Sonali. - Nice to meet you.- Nice to meet you.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12So, Mick, tell us how the Bluebell Railway came about.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14It was opened in 1882
0:36:14 > 0:36:16by The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway,
0:36:16 > 0:36:18but it closed in 1958.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21And a group of students, four students, thought
0:36:21 > 0:36:24"We don't want this to close," so in 1959 they formed
0:36:24 > 0:36:27the Bluebell Railway Preservation Society
0:36:27 > 0:36:29and the line reopened again in August 1960.
0:36:29 > 0:36:33So really it's here because of a group of train enthusiasts.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35It was four students, train enthusiasts,
0:36:35 > 0:36:37who really didn't want to see it closed.
0:36:37 > 0:36:38And when did you start volunteering?
0:36:38 > 0:36:42I came here in 1960, when I was a schoolboy.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44I couldn't afford the five shillings to join.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46I was here on opening day,
0:36:46 > 0:36:48I helped on the station, I helped in the car park.
0:36:48 > 0:36:51In March 1961, I managed to find five shillings
0:36:51 > 0:36:53and I joined the railway.
0:36:53 > 0:36:55It's quite a sweet name, the Bluebell.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57- Yeah.- Why is it called the Bluebell Railway?
0:36:57 > 0:37:00The press really dubbed it the Bluebell Railway before it closed
0:37:00 > 0:37:02because there used to be lots of bluebells,
0:37:02 > 0:37:04and still is along the line side,
0:37:04 > 0:37:07and they used to say that trains ran so slow that you could get out
0:37:07 > 0:37:10and pick them and get back in again, which of course wasn't true,
0:37:10 > 0:37:12and that's how the Bluebell Railway got its name.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14'Mick has worked his way up the food chain
0:37:14 > 0:37:17'to driving trains on the Bluebell Line.
0:37:17 > 0:37:20'The society has seven working steam engines
0:37:20 > 0:37:23'and runs a daily service from March through to October.
0:37:23 > 0:37:26'But old engines need some TLC to keep them going,
0:37:26 > 0:37:28'and that's where the maintenance team
0:37:28 > 0:37:29'based at Sheffield Park step in.
0:37:29 > 0:37:32'I'm meeting engineer Andy Sabin,
0:37:32 > 0:37:35'who's currently warming up a restored 323 engine
0:37:35 > 0:37:37'which was built in 1910.'
0:37:37 > 0:37:39- So what are we going to do here? - What we're going to do,
0:37:39 > 0:37:41- we're going to give a warming-up fire.- OK.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43- This is because the engine's out tomorrow...- OK.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45..we need to be kind to the boiler.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48So, the first thing, most important thing we need to do
0:37:48 > 0:37:51- is just make sure that we've got water in the boiler.- OK.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53So what we're going to do now is, if I give you this stick...
0:37:53 > 0:37:55- OK.- Right?
0:37:55 > 0:37:58We need a rag, and that's covered in paraffin.
0:37:58 > 0:37:59You can probably smell that, can you?
0:37:59 > 0:38:01Yeah, definitely.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04- Lighter.- Essential tool.
0:38:04 > 0:38:05- Essential.- OK.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07What we're going to do is light the rag,
0:38:07 > 0:38:09and you throw it in on the wood in there.
0:38:09 > 0:38:10- Can you see the wood?- Yeah.- Right.
0:38:12 > 0:38:13There you go.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16- That's it.- Yeah.- Do you see the fire in there burning?
0:38:16 > 0:38:17We will add coal to it now.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20- OK.- When we add coal to it, the coal will burn through
0:38:20 > 0:38:22and it will take a few hours,
0:38:22 > 0:38:24and then, overnight, it will just sit there by itself,
0:38:24 > 0:38:26it won't create any steam,
0:38:26 > 0:38:28and that will be it ready for them in the morning.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30'But engines are only half the story.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33'Old rolling stock also needs to be maintained,
0:38:33 > 0:38:36'but more importantly, protected from the elements.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38'The Society is hoping to raise money to put
0:38:38 > 0:38:40'the most at risk carriages under shelter
0:38:40 > 0:38:43'at their depot in Horsted Keynes.'
0:38:44 > 0:38:46Where did you get all your carriages from, Mick?
0:38:46 > 0:38:49Various places. British Railways, people's seaside bungalows,
0:38:49 > 0:38:51all that sort of thing. People used to buy them,
0:38:51 > 0:38:54- put a roof over them and live in them, yes.- Oh, wow.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56You've got so many here, though. How many have you got?
0:38:56 > 0:38:58So many. I haven't counted for a long time.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00Probably 50 or 60, something like that,
0:39:00 > 0:39:02- all awaiting restoration. - That's a lot of restoration.
0:39:02 > 0:39:04That's a lot of restoration, a lot of work.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07The problem we've got, we spend lots of time, money, energy
0:39:07 > 0:39:09doing them all up and stand them back out in the open again.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12- Yes.- They start to deteriorate straight away.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14- The best of luck with the campaign. - Thank you very much.
0:39:14 > 0:39:15I hope you get the money you need.
0:39:15 > 0:39:17Thank you for showing me around today.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20That's quite all right. Jolly good. Thank you.
0:39:20 > 0:39:22'The Bluebell Railway and Preservation Society
0:39:22 > 0:39:26'has been operating this heritage line for over 50 years,
0:39:26 > 0:39:29'and with the passion and dedication of volunteers like Mick,
0:39:29 > 0:39:32'thankfully it seems there's little sign of it running out of steam.'
0:39:35 > 0:39:38Ben and Kim were in total agreement about the Mystery House,
0:39:38 > 0:39:41but that hasn't necessarily been the case with all the properties.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43On their budget, it is unrealistic
0:39:43 > 0:39:46to get everything on their wish list,
0:39:46 > 0:39:48so which one of them is willing to make the compromise?
0:39:54 > 0:39:58So, Kim and Ben, what are you both going to do next?
0:39:58 > 0:40:02I'd like to go and have a second look at the chalet house,
0:40:02 > 0:40:06have a look round the neighbourhood, see what it's like,
0:40:06 > 0:40:09how close the neighbours really are, get a feel for it there,
0:40:09 > 0:40:11cos I really loved that house.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14- What about you, Ben?- I would like to go and have a second look
0:40:14 > 0:40:18at the wooden house/ranch cos I really like that.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20What are we going to do, really?
0:40:20 > 0:40:22Because you both like different houses.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26- Kim, if you want to go back and look at the chalet...- Mm-hmm.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28..Ben, would you be willing to compromise on the neighbour issue?
0:40:28 > 0:40:32I know that's the reason you came into this process,
0:40:32 > 0:40:35but it is Kim's dream home.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38I can see that Kim just loved that house and, you know,
0:40:38 > 0:40:41don't get me wrong, I loved the house as well and, yeah,
0:40:41 > 0:40:44maybe the neighbours are not going to be a problem,
0:40:44 > 0:40:48but we started back in April, house-hunting,
0:40:48 > 0:40:50and the number one priority
0:40:50 > 0:40:53was we would not have any neighbours.
0:40:53 > 0:40:57So I could make that compromise,
0:40:57 > 0:40:59and I wouldn't mind making that compromise,
0:40:59 > 0:41:03but I just feel as though it's not what we really both want.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06I mean, it sounded like a no, the answer to my question -
0:41:06 > 0:41:08would you be wanting to make a compromise?
0:41:08 > 0:41:09It did sound like a no.
0:41:09 > 0:41:11Yes, I was like a politician, wasn't I?
0:41:11 > 0:41:13The answer is a no.
0:41:13 > 0:41:14Is it really a no?
0:41:14 > 0:41:17- It is really a no. - So therefore there's no point, Kim,
0:41:17 > 0:41:19going back for a second viewing, is there?
0:41:19 > 0:41:20I suppose not, really, no.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24How do feel about that, Kim?
0:41:24 > 0:41:25Disappointed.
0:41:25 > 0:41:26Really?
0:41:27 > 0:41:32Yes. And I can't really see me living in the ranch house.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36I actually do think that, you know, if we keep looking,
0:41:36 > 0:41:40we will find something that we both really like.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42I think that's the crux of the matter,
0:41:42 > 0:41:44we've both got to really love it.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46So are you both OK about not going to see
0:41:46 > 0:41:49your favourite houses, really, again?
0:41:49 > 0:41:50Yeah, you know.
0:41:50 > 0:41:55I think Kim has made a bigger sacrifice than I have, actually,
0:41:55 > 0:42:01cos I think she loved that house more than I loved the wooden house.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03So at least you know exactly what you're looking for.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05I feel I know exactly what you're looking for -
0:42:05 > 0:42:08it's the chalet house on the land of the ranch house, isn't it?
0:42:08 > 0:42:10- Yes.- You've got it. Yes, exactly.
0:42:10 > 0:42:14- So you just need to go out and find that now.- Yes, yes.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Well, thank you for taking me along on your search.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19- It's been fun. - Thank you for guiding us.
0:42:19 > 0:42:22- It has been wonderful, it really has.- Really enjoyed it.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24- Good luck, and let us know how you get on.- Thank you.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27- You must call me. - We will, definitely. Thank you.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34Well, it turns out neither Ben nor Kim were willing to compromise
0:42:34 > 0:42:38in order to secure one of the two houses so right for each of them,
0:42:38 > 0:42:39so their search continues.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43They believe the perfect property for the both of them is out there
0:42:43 > 0:42:46and within budget. Let's hope they're right,
0:42:46 > 0:42:49because it would be lovely to see them both starting their new life
0:42:49 > 0:42:52in the country sooner rather than later.
0:42:52 > 0:42:53See you next time.
0:42:54 > 0:42:57If you'd like to escape to the country in either England, Wales,
0:42:57 > 0:42:59Northern Ireland or Scotland and would like our help,
0:42:59 > 0:43:02then please apply online at...