0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Escape To The Country.
0:00:03 > 0:00:07This pretty yet humble bridge was built back in 1907,
0:00:07 > 0:00:10but since then, it has become famous around the world.
0:00:10 > 0:00:14Every year, thousands of tourists love to visit it, but why?
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Well, here's a clue.
0:00:34 > 0:00:39'Today's property search starts out with a whirlwind romance.'
0:00:39 > 0:00:42- I like it. It's nice. This is a contender.- This is lovely.- Yeah.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46'So, can we find our house-hunters a happy ever after?'
0:00:46 > 0:00:50- Wow!- It's got character, hasn't it? - Look at the space.- Yeah.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52This is a master bedroom.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Well, today, we are in Sussex
0:00:56 > 0:00:59and this is Poohsticks Bridge in the Ashdown Forest.
0:00:59 > 0:01:00It was, of course,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04the writer AA Milne who penned the famous Winnie The Pooh stories,
0:01:04 > 0:01:07but it was his second book, The House At Pooh Corner,
0:01:07 > 0:01:10that immortalised Pooh Bear's favourite game
0:01:10 > 0:01:12and the idea was beautifully simple.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14He and his friends would drop a stick over the bridge
0:01:14 > 0:01:16into the water on this side
0:01:16 > 0:01:19and see which one came out first on the other.
0:01:20 > 0:01:23Located on the south coast of England,
0:01:23 > 0:01:25the boundaries of the historic county of Sussex
0:01:25 > 0:01:29more or less correspond to a 5th-century Anglo-Saxon kingdom,
0:01:29 > 0:01:34now divided into two administrative counties, East and West.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38It's a division that has its origins with the church which,
0:01:38 > 0:01:40since at least the 11th century,
0:01:40 > 0:01:43allotted the lands west of the River Adur to Chichester
0:01:43 > 0:01:45and those to the east to Lewes.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Running across both modern counties
0:01:48 > 0:01:51is the protected rural landscape of the South Downs
0:01:51 > 0:01:54where 70-mile long-distance path the South Downs Way
0:01:54 > 0:01:57follows the entire length of the hills,
0:01:57 > 0:01:59making it a popular route for enjoying
0:01:59 > 0:02:02some of the county's most stunning scenery.
0:02:02 > 0:02:05One of the most iconic views the path takes in
0:02:05 > 0:02:10is a series of undulating chalk cliffs known as the Seven Sisters.
0:02:10 > 0:02:12Significant reminders of the region's history
0:02:12 > 0:02:14are found in the county's buildings.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Situated on a headland above the mouth of the River Arun,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Arundel Castle combines 11th-century Norman beginnings
0:02:21 > 0:02:25with the tastes and requirements of successive generations.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28It was restored and extended in the 18th century
0:02:28 > 0:02:31to provide the then owner, the 11th Duke of Norfolk,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34with a large home in which to impress and entertain visitors.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38So, whether you're a duke looking to make your home
0:02:38 > 0:02:41in a renovated castle or someone seeking a more modest abode,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45it's clear the rich mix of landscape and history makes Sussex
0:02:45 > 0:02:48an excellent choice for a country escape.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Well, unfortunately, whichever way you try and cut it,
0:02:52 > 0:02:55house-buying in Sussex is an expensive business.
0:02:55 > 0:02:56In West Sussex,
0:02:56 > 0:03:02the average price of a detached property is currently £430,000.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05That's 150 grand above the national average
0:03:05 > 0:03:08and it's not a lot better over in East Sussex.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12There, the average price of a detached property is £360,000
0:03:12 > 0:03:15so you get the idea. If this part of the world is for you,
0:03:15 > 0:03:19you do need to have some fairly deep pockets and the reason is simple.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22For decades, it's been popular with commuters
0:03:22 > 0:03:25thanks to its excellent mainland links into London and, of course,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29the attraction of the south coast. So, what about today's buyers?
0:03:29 > 0:03:32What's attracted them to this part of the world?
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Well, let's meet them and find out.
0:03:35 > 0:03:38Businessman Keith from East Grinstead in West Sussex
0:03:38 > 0:03:42and retiree Jane from Hastings in East Sussex feel they've been given
0:03:42 > 0:03:44a second chance at happiness.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47They started dating one another just three months ago.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50We met through the power of the internet.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52It was lovely, actually.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55We met for afternoon tea and we just talked and talked
0:03:55 > 0:03:56and talked about everything.
0:03:56 > 0:04:00Since I lost my husband, I was stuck
0:04:00 > 0:04:04and now I feel I've got a new life.
0:04:04 > 0:04:06I know what I want to do in business,
0:04:06 > 0:04:09but just having it on your own is worthless.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12You've got to have somebody to share it with and we're blessed
0:04:12 > 0:04:14that we got that opportunity.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Well, things have moved on significantly
0:04:19 > 0:04:21since that first afternoon tea
0:04:21 > 0:04:23so they're each selling their separate houses
0:04:23 > 0:04:26in order to buy their first shared home together.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30It all feels very natural, actually.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33I'm just excited by the whole prospect.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Currently living an hour apart in different Sussex towns,
0:04:36 > 0:04:40they both feel that urban living is no longer for them.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43I think the roads are getting busier and busier.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47The town is certainly getting busier.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50You've got noise pollution, you've got car pollution.
0:04:50 > 0:04:51I live near Gatwick Airport
0:04:51 > 0:04:53so you have noise pollution from that as well.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56The dream property Jane and I are looking for
0:04:56 > 0:04:58is very much in a rural setting.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02I think it's that closeness to nature is what attracts us
0:05:02 > 0:05:04of, you know, escaping to the country.
0:05:04 > 0:05:06That's what it's all about.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09But it's not just Keith and Jane who'll be making the move.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14Jane's 19-year-old son Oscar will also be part of the new household.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17We are hoping to find somewhere with space for him
0:05:17 > 0:05:24so that as he's older, he can live independently if he chooses.
0:05:24 > 0:05:27And as for location, well, they're not planning on going that far.
0:05:27 > 0:05:29They want to stay in Sussex,
0:05:29 > 0:05:31but this time in a far more rural setting.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36It's beautiful in West Sussex and you do have the Downs
0:05:36 > 0:05:39and the coast's lovely, of course.
0:05:39 > 0:05:43So we're hoping to enjoy all that when we move.
0:05:43 > 0:05:45Although it seems we're not going far,
0:05:45 > 0:05:49I think the advantages are quite dramatic.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51But what they're most looking forward to
0:05:51 > 0:05:55is starting their shared life together all under the same roof.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57We're going to have more time together,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00which we don't have at the moment cos we're over an hour away
0:06:00 > 0:06:02from Hastings to East Grinstead.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04It just gives us more time, a better quality of life,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06a better balance and, most importantly,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08Jane and I will be together.
0:06:08 > 0:06:13It's big and scary to take such a big step at our age,
0:06:13 > 0:06:18but also very exciting and somehow liberating.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23Keith and Jane would like to concentrate their search
0:06:23 > 0:06:26in rural areas of Keith's half of Sussex,
0:06:26 > 0:06:30somewhere within commuting distance of his work base in Crawley.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34But before we start looking at houses, I want to find out more
0:06:34 > 0:06:37about the type of property they're hoping to find.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Well, guys, I thought we'd start here
0:06:40 > 0:06:43in the rather beautiful surroundings of Amberley Castle
0:06:43 > 0:06:44to launch your Escape To The Country.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46You live how far apart at the moment?
0:06:46 > 0:06:49- An hour's drive at the moment. - An hour's drive.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52- So, the aim is to combine your lives in one property, Jane.- Indeed.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Give us a picture of what it might look like
0:06:54 > 0:06:59- cos you haven't had long to agree on what might be.- Very true!
0:06:59 > 0:07:05Oh, just somewhere with some space, light and airy and views,
0:07:05 > 0:07:07beautiful views we want.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12Obviously Keith needs some space to work, so an office somewhere.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Four bedrooms - Jane's son Oscar is coming with us
0:07:14 > 0:07:16so we want him to have his own living space,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20whether an annexe or a few rooms put together.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22Obviously a nice master bedroom, en suite for us.
0:07:22 > 0:07:27- And what about kitchen space? - We do like kitchen/diners, don't we?
0:07:27 > 0:07:30So, in terms of style, is this an opportunity for you
0:07:30 > 0:07:33to get into something a little older with a bit more character in it?
0:07:33 > 0:07:35We haven't got strong feelings about that.
0:07:35 > 0:07:40We've got quite an open mind, really. I have, anyway!
0:07:40 > 0:07:42I think it's the facilities is one of the key things.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45Now, in pooling your lives and resources,
0:07:45 > 0:07:49how much money are you going to spend on this move, Keith?
0:07:49 > 0:07:53- £700,000.- Wow! It's a lot of money, isn't it?- It certainly is.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56Right, then. Let's go and spend a lot of your money, shall we?
0:07:56 > 0:07:57- Come on!- Thank you.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03So, for a maximum budget of £700,000,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06Jane and Keith are looking for a total of four bedrooms,
0:08:06 > 0:08:09which will provide space for a home office for Keith
0:08:09 > 0:08:12as well as accommodation for Jane's son Oscar,
0:08:12 > 0:08:14ideally in a self-contained annexe.
0:08:14 > 0:08:18The kitchen should be large, perhaps forming a kitchen/diner.
0:08:18 > 0:08:23They'd also like a modest garden and somewhere with countryside views.
0:08:23 > 0:08:26We've found three fantastic properties to tempt them with
0:08:26 > 0:08:29and, at each one, I'll be asking them to guess the price
0:08:29 > 0:08:31before I reveal it.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33The final one, of course, will be our Mystery House,
0:08:33 > 0:08:36which could offer them a sumptuous slice of splendour.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44We're kicking off our property search
0:08:44 > 0:08:46half an hour's drive south-east of Crawley.
0:08:46 > 0:08:50We're heading for the large West Sussex village of Storrington.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Known as a gateway to the South Downs,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57Storrington's name derives from the old English
0:08:57 > 0:08:59meaning "a place known for storks".
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Much of the village centre lies within a conservation area
0:09:02 > 0:09:04and offers a wide range of amenities,
0:09:04 > 0:09:08including pubs, a butcher's and restaurants.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11Our first house is situated along a gated leafy lane
0:09:11 > 0:09:14next to a National Trust forest on the fringes of the village.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18There we are. Come on in.
0:09:20 > 0:09:21Very nice. Lovely area.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25It's an awful phrase, I think, but kerb appeal, dare I say it.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27Oh, yes, it's lovely. It's very attractive.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31- And also, for Oscar, we've got Oscar his own bit.- Oh, excellent.
0:09:31 > 0:09:34Which is up there. You see those two skylights above the carport?
0:09:34 > 0:09:36There's a very nice studio up there.
0:09:36 > 0:09:38That's a big tick.
0:09:38 > 0:09:39So, I think we're catering for everybody
0:09:39 > 0:09:41that's going to make this move.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Come and have a look inside.
0:09:44 > 0:09:49Although only built in 2007, this attractive detached home
0:09:49 > 0:09:52borrows much from the local vernacular architecture.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54Its design includes a peg tile roof,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57oak weather boarding and dormer windows.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00Below its oak frame porch,
0:10:00 > 0:10:04the front door leads straight into the first of the reception areas.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08Right, come on in to, I guess,
0:10:08 > 0:10:12- what is effectively a sort of dining hall, if you will.- Mm, very nice.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15- Oh, yes.- It's coordinated, it works, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17It's warm, isn't it, the wood? It's lovely.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19It's light and airy, isn't it?
0:10:19 > 0:10:22Is this the sort of feel you are looking for?
0:10:22 > 0:10:26It feels good as you come in the place. Yeah, I think it works.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28- Yes, I do, too.- We'll deal with the kitchen in a minute,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31but have a look in here. This is the main living room.
0:10:31 > 0:10:32It is a working fireplace.
0:10:32 > 0:10:36You know, either for a wood-burner or indeed a working fire.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39- Yes, it's very nice. Nice neutral colours.- It is, yeah.
0:10:39 > 0:10:42There are smiles here, Jane, which is good.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45- It's got a nice feel about it. - It's very good.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48On the other side of the dining hallway,
0:10:48 > 0:10:52past a useful downstairs cloakroom, we find the large country kitchen.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Oh, that's very nice. Yeah.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58- Nice size. Very good. - It is, it's lovely.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Continuity with all the beams.
0:11:00 > 0:11:01Yeah, really nice, actually.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04And of course, designed with modern living very much in mind.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08But with this nice, you know, traditional touch. Who's the cook?
0:11:08 > 0:11:09Have you worked that out yet?
0:11:09 > 0:11:14We muddle through between us, actually. Take turns.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17- I mean, I think this is a very adaptable property.- It is, it is.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19And this might be interesting, we've got two staircases.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22- One there, in the main hallway.- Oh.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24And a separate staircase through here,
0:11:24 > 0:11:28- which would mean that Oscar would have his own wing.- Sounds very good.
0:11:28 > 0:11:30Come and have a look and see if it would work.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32Yeah, that sounds very interesting.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35We've had a good reaction to the space and style provided
0:11:35 > 0:11:39by the ground floor of this well-presented detached home.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42A corridor off the kitchen leads to that second set of stairs
0:11:42 > 0:11:44and takes us to the space above the carport
0:11:44 > 0:11:49and up to what could be Oscar's very own self-contained quarters.
0:11:50 > 0:11:55Now, if I were a 19-year-old, I'd be quite happy with this.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58But you tell me, what would Oscar think?
0:11:58 > 0:12:02- Oh, I think Oscar would be delighted.- Yeah?
0:12:02 > 0:12:05Yes, it's lovely. Very nice.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07It's a very good use of space, isn't it?
0:12:07 > 0:12:10- So, we've taken care of Oscar here. - Right, yes.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12Let's find a bedroom for you.
0:12:12 > 0:12:15As well as this sizeable bedroom, the carport below could also be
0:12:15 > 0:12:17converted, subject to permission,
0:12:17 > 0:12:21which could create an entire two-storey annexe for Oscar.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24Back in the dining hall of the main house,
0:12:24 > 0:12:27a set of stairs leads up to three further bedrooms.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30To the front of the house, the first of two smaller bedrooms
0:12:30 > 0:12:34is set under the eaves and the second is currently used as a study.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38These both make use of the family bathroom.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41Then, over the living room, the fourth largest of the bedrooms
0:12:41 > 0:12:44on offer is the master en suite.
0:12:46 > 0:12:48So, this is your one.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51You could easily incorporate a nice, sort of, dressing area
0:12:51 > 0:12:53- or indeed a sofa. - Yes, it's a very flexible space.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56It is and it goes the full width of the property.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59So, you've got this nice dual aspect, dormer window arrangement.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01- Mm.- Yeah. The light's great, isn't it?
0:13:01 > 0:13:03Yeah, and the beams are at the right height.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06- That's what you can do in a modern house, isn't it?- Very nice.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08- No, I like it. It's nice. - Very nice.
0:13:08 > 0:13:10Nice en suite, very good. This is a contender.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12- This is lovely.- Yeah. - Yeah.
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Well, let's see if the price matches up to your expectations.
0:13:15 > 0:13:20- Oh, right.- Ah!- Let's go out to the garden and talk about the numbers.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22No wonder Jane and Keith are impressed.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25This recently-built, traditional-style property not only
0:13:25 > 0:13:29offers a shared home for them, but there is also the added bonus of
0:13:29 > 0:13:31separate accommodation for Oscar.
0:13:31 > 0:13:33And outside, there's even more.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36A front garden includes a parking area for several cars
0:13:36 > 0:13:39and a Wendy house nestling amid mature shrubs and trees.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44Then the south-facing rear garden provides
0:13:44 > 0:13:46both a lawn and a paved patio.
0:13:48 > 0:13:51A very compact little back garden, but nice. Nicely laid out.
0:13:51 > 0:13:56It's enough to, sort of, sit out in the summer and enjoy,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58- but without being a chore. - So...
0:13:58 > 0:14:02- The moment of truth. - The moment of truth, Keith.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Yes, your 700 grand.
0:14:04 > 0:14:06Who's going to guess first then?
0:14:06 > 0:14:10I actually think it's bang on budget, so I'd say 699.
0:14:10 > 0:14:12699, Jane?
0:14:12 > 0:14:13685.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18I mean, both of those estimates are doable within your budget.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22- Yeah.- But if it was £650,000, that would make a real difference,
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- wouldn't it?- Oh! - Yeah, that's very good.
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Go and have a wander round.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29Go and have an explore and see what you get for 650,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32cos I think this is a really good start. Go on.
0:14:32 > 0:14:34- I will come and find you a little bit later.- OK, thanks.
0:14:34 > 0:14:35Brilliant.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39Coming in a significant £50,000 below budget,
0:14:39 > 0:14:43this traditional-style new build offers pretty much everything
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Keith and Jane have asked for.
0:14:45 > 0:14:47There are spacious reception rooms,
0:14:47 > 0:14:50along with a goods-sized kitchen-breakfast room.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53And the layout offers three-bedroom accommodation
0:14:53 > 0:14:56for themselves and a separate one bedroom wing for Jane's son Oscar.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00Outside provides an easy to manage garden and the house is situated
0:15:00 > 0:15:04along a peaceful lane, just a half hours' commute from Keith's work.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08The first property is a very pleasant surprise.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11Beautiful doors, oak flooring throughout,
0:15:12 > 0:15:17very rural, very peaceful, which is what Jane and I are looking for.
0:15:17 > 0:15:18We love the old,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21we liked the new and it married both of them in one property.
0:15:21 > 0:15:26I think it's done to a very high standard, very pleasing on the eye.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29It would be a good space, wouldn't it, for him?
0:15:29 > 0:15:32Bedroom there, put a shower room downstairs
0:15:32 > 0:15:35and it could all be done without inconvenience
0:15:35 > 0:15:37during the building work.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41It's very light and airy, which is one of the things I was looking for.
0:15:43 > 0:15:46And surrounded by the trees is just so beautiful.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49Not too far from Keith's work, so it's all good.
0:15:49 > 0:15:53I think there's going to be quite a challenge to come up with
0:15:53 > 0:15:56two others that match up to the first one, at the minute.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58I'm thinking, Oscar.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Or not.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Look, it's detached, it's got its own front door,
0:16:03 > 0:16:04it's got its own balcony.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07I mean, how many 19-year-olds have got their own pad?
0:16:07 > 0:16:09There's no en suite, won't work.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12There's always something, isn't there? Come on.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Relatively isolated by its geography of forests,
0:16:20 > 0:16:23sticky clays, marshes and coast,
0:16:23 > 0:16:27Sussex remained culturally distinct for centuries.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30It was the last Anglo-Saxon kingdom to become Christian.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34It retains many idiosyncratic traditions,
0:16:34 > 0:16:38but some local customs are a lot less ancient.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41In recent years, the autumn festival at Slindon has put
0:16:41 > 0:16:45the West Sussex village on the map as the pumpkin capital of England.
0:16:45 > 0:16:49Keen to get stuck into rural Sussex life, we've sent Jane and Keith
0:16:49 > 0:16:53to meet Robin Upton, the son of the man who started it all,
0:16:53 > 0:16:57to find out more and see if they can get involved.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59What's the purpose of the festival, Robin?
0:16:59 > 0:17:02It all started back in '68.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04My father had to grow some pumpkins for a party.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07The following year, several people wanted pumpkins for parties.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09Over the next ten years,
0:17:09 > 0:17:11pumpkin and squashes were everywhere round here.
0:17:11 > 0:17:15In the late '80s, he started doing designs up on the sheds.
0:17:15 > 0:17:18Everybody wanted to see it again next year. They keep coming back.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21- Great.- If you want to know more about this place,
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Mark will tell you. He's just up there.
0:17:23 > 0:17:26The festival centres on a colourful display of the gourd family.
0:17:26 > 0:17:30Originally placed on shed roofs, health and safety concerns
0:17:30 > 0:17:33about the weighty potential of some of the pumpkins means
0:17:33 > 0:17:35they are now supported by a scaffold
0:17:35 > 0:17:38with stakes holding them firmly in place.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43This year's centrepiece of 1,300 gourds, celebrates 150 years
0:17:43 > 0:17:48of the Shoreham lifeboat and was designed by local artist Mark Ward.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51How important is this festival to the village and village life?
0:17:51 > 0:17:54It's very important. It's really good for local businesses.
0:17:54 > 0:17:56As you can see, there's a lot of people here today
0:17:56 > 0:17:59- and it's only, sort of, ten o'clock in the morning.- Great.
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Is there anything we can do to be involved? It sounds really good.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06There is. We carve out a lot ready for Halloween,
0:18:06 > 0:18:08so maybe you'd like to join me and do that.
0:18:09 > 0:18:13Maori people were making lanterns from gourds over 700 years ago,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16but the Halloween tradition is thought to have started in Ireland,
0:18:16 > 0:18:19when turnips were turned into grotesque faces
0:18:19 > 0:18:24for a Gaelic festival in order to ward off the dark spirits of winter.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26Now, whether or not there any malevolent forces
0:18:26 > 0:18:30that need to be startled by this year's display in Slindon,
0:18:30 > 0:18:34Mark has some top tips for creating a perfect jack-o'-lantern.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39A lot of people, they carve out the top where the stock's been
0:18:39 > 0:18:41- and then they try and put a candle in.- Right.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45You can burn your hand, so it's actually safer
0:18:45 > 0:18:49and keeps the fruit longer if you cut the bottom out.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52Now it's time for creative expression.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54First, marking out a face with a pen
0:18:54 > 0:18:56and then using a knife to carve it out.
0:18:56 > 0:18:58When you've done your cutting, it's much easier, rather than
0:18:58 > 0:19:02trying to push it in, to put your hand inside and just pop them out.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06- Wow, look at that.- Not too bad.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08Meow! That's great.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Yeah, self-portrait.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Shall we go put these on the display?
0:19:13 > 0:19:15- Yeah, good idea.- Fantastic. - Good idea.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17It looks like Jane and Keith's pumpkins
0:19:17 > 0:19:20face some stiff competition this year.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23But it's back to carving out their own piece of Sussex's rural life,
0:19:23 > 0:19:25as their property search continues.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33Our next house is across the border, located in
0:19:33 > 0:19:36the small East Sussex hamlet of Easons Green,
0:19:36 > 0:19:38a 45-minute drive from Crawley
0:19:38 > 0:19:42and a six-minute drive from East Hoathly village.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Lying along the long-distance Weald Way footpath,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48East Hoathly offers a selection of services,
0:19:48 > 0:19:50both essential and luxury,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54as well as country pubs and a weekly artisan pizza van.
0:19:54 > 0:19:55Three centuries ago,
0:19:55 > 0:19:59the village was home to the diarist and shopkeeper Thomas Turner.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02It's still possible to read the 11-year record of
0:20:02 > 0:20:05his 18th-century daily life as a resident here.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08He is buried in the graveyard of the local church,
0:20:08 > 0:20:11which is just a couple of miles away from our second house,
0:20:11 > 0:20:14which also has a rather fascinating history of its own.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Right then.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20This is number two on our list of properties this week.
0:20:20 > 0:20:22- Yeah, very nice. - What do you think of that?
0:20:22 > 0:20:25- I like it.- Yeah? - Yes, I do.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28And I'm seeing the view over there. That looks fantastic.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30Yeah, look at that. That's beautiful. Yeah.
0:20:30 > 0:20:34Yeah, you've got a lovely view and you can see where
0:20:34 > 0:20:37our property gets its architectural inspiration from,
0:20:37 > 0:20:41because at its heart, this is 17th-century,
0:20:41 > 0:20:44but it has been extended left and right of that central area
0:20:44 > 0:20:49to give you a self-contained, one-bedroom annexe on this end.
0:20:49 > 0:20:53Wow. It looks lovely, actually, doesn't it?
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Really nice, really attractive.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59This detached period property originally provided
0:20:59 > 0:21:01a cottage for a pig farmer.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05The entrance porch on the oldest part of the house leads us straight
0:21:05 > 0:21:09through into a spacious reception room with a large feature fireplace.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12- That's excellent.- Yeah? - Yeah.- It is.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15Yeah, that's perfect.
0:21:15 > 0:21:19And this is where the earlier origins of this building
0:21:19 > 0:21:22really reveal themselves with that lovely brick built...
0:21:22 > 0:21:25- Yeah, that's beautiful. - It's a very nice room, isn't it?
0:21:25 > 0:21:28- With the sunlight shining. - Yeah, and it's a big room as well.
0:21:28 > 0:21:31That area there, if you didn't have a piano,
0:21:31 > 0:21:34is crying out for study space perhaps.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36- Yeah.- Yeah. That could be used for a number of things.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39It's perfect. It looks very good. Love the stonework there,
0:21:39 > 0:21:41- the floors. Beautiful. - Yes, very nice.
0:21:41 > 0:21:45Well, the stonework leads us nicely through to the dining room.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48So, this is one of the two extensions.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51- These nice, new oak beams you can see.- Oh, that's nice.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53They've got it set up as a dining room,
0:21:53 > 0:21:55- cos it flows nicely through to the kitchen.- Yeah.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57But you could have it as another reception room.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Well, it's lovely with all the windows, isn't it?
0:21:59 > 0:22:02- Beautiful. - It's saying study to me.
0:22:02 > 0:22:03Study?
0:22:03 > 0:22:07- It would be quite some study, Keith. - Yeah.- I'll say.
0:22:07 > 0:22:09But have a look the kitchen, cos it does
0:22:09 > 0:22:11all rather work as a dining room.
0:22:13 > 0:22:15- Very nice.- That's good. Galley-style, I like it.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18- It's nice.- Yeah, I like it. - Very practical. Plenty of room.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21- Yeah, I like it.- It is nice. - Very nice.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24It feels much more rural than the last one.
0:22:24 > 0:22:27And it certainly has much more of a genuine farmhouse feel to it.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30- Yes, it has.- In the way that it's fitted and finished and so on.
0:22:30 > 0:22:32It's just got a nice warm feel.
0:22:32 > 0:22:34You know, it is an interesting building.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37It can accommodate you, but of course, it can accommodate Oscar.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40- Oscar.- Because the annexe is right through here.- Yeah.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46This is the annexe.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48- Come on in.- Ooh, right.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52- It's a good size, isn't it? - Oh, that's good, yeah.
0:22:52 > 0:22:55- Little kitchenette.- Yeah, you've got a little kitchenette round there.
0:22:55 > 0:22:56So it's completely self-contained.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59- His own door, which is great. - That's really good.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02- Would Oscar go for this? - Oh, I think so.
0:23:02 > 0:23:04Yeah, it's good.
0:23:04 > 0:23:06So let's wander back through the old bit,
0:23:06 > 0:23:10use the original staircase, and find a bedroom for you.
0:23:12 > 0:23:15The annexe also comes with a bathroom on the ground floor,
0:23:15 > 0:23:17plus a staircase in the living area,
0:23:17 > 0:23:20leading up to its own double bedroom.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23There's the additional option here of accessing this annexe
0:23:23 > 0:23:25via a Jack and Jill shower room on the upper floor,
0:23:25 > 0:23:29which also serves two of the three bedrooms in the main house.
0:23:29 > 0:23:32Both of these smaller bedrooms are located
0:23:32 > 0:23:34to the front of the property.
0:23:34 > 0:23:35Following the current owners,
0:23:35 > 0:23:39Keith could opt to use the second as his study.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Then, over the dining room extension,
0:23:41 > 0:23:42and enjoying a triple aspect,
0:23:42 > 0:23:46is the fourth and largest of the bedrooms, reserved for our buyers.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50This is the master.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54- Oh, yes, I really like it. - Very nice.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57It's a very nice room, wow.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59- It's got character, hasn't it? - Look at the space.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Yeah, this is a master bedroom.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03En suite through there.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05Nice, new, oak floors.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08Yeah, really like it. REALLY like it.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11- This is the best room in the house. Beautiful.- Yeah, it's interesting...
0:24:11 > 0:24:13And the doors as well.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Well, they go out to a little veranda/balcony,
0:24:16 > 0:24:18which allows you to enjoy the views
0:24:18 > 0:24:21- over the garden and the countryside. - Very nice.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23I like that very much.
0:24:23 > 0:24:25- Do we like this property?- Yes.- Yes.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27We do like this property.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29Good, I'm glad you like it, there's a lot to recommend it.
0:24:29 > 0:24:33- There's one more bit to see, though, and that's the garden.- Oh, good.
0:24:36 > 0:24:40So, resounding approval for this detached character cottage.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42Outside, it's surrounded by farmland,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45giving beautiful countryside views.
0:24:45 > 0:24:47To the front, there's a large, gravel driveway,
0:24:47 > 0:24:51with a dedicated parking space just for the annexe.
0:24:51 > 0:24:53And to the rear of the main property,
0:24:53 > 0:24:57there's a patio for alfresco dining, a large area of lawn,
0:24:57 > 0:24:58a pond,
0:24:58 > 0:24:59an apple tree,
0:24:59 > 0:25:03and a spacious and really versatile log cabin.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07Oh, you've just found my new office. I'm now back in the garden.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10You nearly had the dining room, we then got him upstairs,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12now he's out there. It's not a bad solution, Jane?
0:25:12 > 0:25:15I think it's an excellent solution, actually!
0:25:15 > 0:25:20So, let's have a think about the price of this one, shall we?
0:25:20 > 0:25:22- Oh, it's too difficult.- Go on, Jane.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25- Off you go?- It's too nice.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28- How nice?- Erm, 695.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30- 695?- Yeah.- Yeah? Keith?
0:25:32 > 0:25:36- My guess is 645.- 645?- 645.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38I love your optimism.
0:25:38 > 0:25:42But I'm afraid it's not 695, nor indeed 645 -
0:25:42 > 0:25:46this is 715.
0:25:46 > 0:25:49- Right.- However, open to offers.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51It is very lovely.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Yeah, we don't need to put anything extra in here,
0:25:54 > 0:25:55it's all here already.
0:25:55 > 0:25:58I suggest you have a good look around before we go,
0:25:58 > 0:26:00and I will come find you before it gets dark.
0:26:00 > 0:26:01- Thank you.- Off you go.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09This historic 17th-century cottage will require all of Keith and
0:26:09 > 0:26:12Jane's budget, but it could provide everything they've asked for
0:26:12 > 0:26:14from the moment they move in.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16The main house has plenty of country character,
0:26:16 > 0:26:20from featured wooden beams to exposed brick fireplace.
0:26:20 > 0:26:21As well as three bedrooms,
0:26:21 > 0:26:25including that triple-aspect master en suite.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28And what's more, Oscar would get his own, separate,
0:26:28 > 0:26:30two-storey annexe and parking space.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33Plus, Keith has the option of that timber office in the garden,
0:26:33 > 0:26:37from which there are peaceful countryside views.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39- It's a nice space.- Yeah, very good.
0:26:41 > 0:26:45- I like it.- Yeah. It's totally self contained, beautiful.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48I'm sure Oscar would really like it.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50I really liked property number two.
0:26:50 > 0:26:54I was so surprised, actually, how much I liked it.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56It just felt so lovely.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59I think it's the old-fashioned farmhouse feel about it.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03The high point for me of this property was the master bedroom.
0:27:03 > 0:27:04It had everything.
0:27:04 > 0:27:08Triple aspect, balcony, large room, beams, en suite -
0:27:08 > 0:27:11I don't think you could have a better master bedroom than that.
0:27:11 > 0:27:13Absolutely spot on.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15A contender? Don't rule it out.
0:27:15 > 0:27:17This is the real deal.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21This is genuinely Escape To The Country.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25Good! Well, how was that for a first day of house-hunting?
0:27:25 > 0:27:27- Great.- Excellent.
0:27:27 > 0:27:28For your new home together.
0:27:28 > 0:27:30- It's really exciting this, isn't it?- It is.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32- And two real contenders. - Two real contenders.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35One more to come tomorrow, of course, our Mystery House.
0:27:35 > 0:27:41But, in between then and now, we've probably got time for a drink.
0:27:41 > 0:27:43- Or two?- Or three!
0:27:43 > 0:27:44Come on.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59We're helping new couple Jane and Keith swap their separate houses
0:27:59 > 0:28:03in Sussex towns for a home together in the Sussex countryside,
0:28:03 > 0:28:06which they'll share with Jane's teenage son, Oscar.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10With a budget of £700,000,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13we've already shown them two great properties, but there's still
0:28:13 > 0:28:17the Mystery House to come, which is a rather grand proposal.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19What do you think, Jane?
0:28:19 > 0:28:21I think it's very different.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24And I'm hoping my attempt at a traditional Sussex craft
0:28:24 > 0:28:27doesn't go to hell in a handbasket.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29This is trug heaven, isn't it?
0:28:31 > 0:28:33Well, I think it's perfectly obvious that, so far,
0:28:33 > 0:28:37our house search here in Sussex with Keith and Jane has gone pretty well.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40And their overwhelmingly positive response to our first two
0:28:40 > 0:28:43properties means we can afford to take a bit of a gamble
0:28:43 > 0:28:46with our final offering, our Mystery House.
0:28:46 > 0:28:48Now, they clearly love a sense of space.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51What we're about to show them has loads of that.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54But it's unlike anything we've shown them thus far.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56Of course, famously,
0:28:56 > 0:28:58our Mystery Houses do like to challenge our buyers,
0:28:58 > 0:29:02so, at the end of the day, well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
0:29:07 > 0:29:11We've had a very good house-hunt so far - two very strong properties
0:29:11 > 0:29:14which, I'm delighted, are of interest.
0:29:14 > 0:29:17So what could we possibly come up with for our final offering,
0:29:17 > 0:29:18our Mystery House?
0:29:18 > 0:29:21It would be nice to think, Jane, you would end up with something
0:29:21 > 0:29:24rather grand and opulent, what do you think about that?
0:29:24 > 0:29:27- I like the sound of that.- Yeah!
0:29:27 > 0:29:29Any ideas what it might be then?
0:29:29 > 0:29:32No clue, actually!
0:29:32 > 0:29:34It could be the wing of a country house.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36- Oh, yes!- Ah!
0:29:36 > 0:29:38How would you feel about that?
0:29:38 > 0:29:40Oh, well...
0:29:40 > 0:29:42Fascinated, I should think.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44- Well, there we are... - It sounds good, it sounds good.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47There's the clue, let's see what you think.
0:29:50 > 0:29:53Our Mystery House is located 12 miles southeast of Crawley,
0:29:53 > 0:29:56in the West Sussex village of Sharpthorne.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00On the heritage Bluebell Railway line,
0:30:00 > 0:30:04facilities here include places to eat and drink, and a post office.
0:30:04 > 0:30:06The Church of St Margaret's
0:30:06 > 0:30:08has foundations dating back over 900 years,
0:30:08 > 0:30:12laid when a Norman baron ordered a place of worship to be built here.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16A few hundred years later, in the 17th century,
0:30:16 > 0:30:18the manor house served as a dower building,
0:30:18 > 0:30:23providing a lifetime's home for the widow of the local estate owner.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25Just a short walk away,
0:30:25 > 0:30:30our final property also started life as a rather grand country house.
0:30:33 > 0:30:37Well, chaps, here is our mystery property.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39Needless to say, you don't get all of it,
0:30:39 > 0:30:40which is probably a bit of a relief.
0:30:40 > 0:30:46What we are brokering is the upstairs of what you can see there.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48What do you think, Jane?
0:30:48 > 0:30:50I think it's very different.
0:30:50 > 0:30:51It's really different.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54I mean, it's completely different to anything we've shown you so far.
0:30:54 > 0:30:58And it does give you this rather grand setting.
0:30:58 > 0:31:02But within a slice of the property which is that bit more manageable.
0:31:02 > 0:31:05- Would this appeal, Keith? - Well, we'll have a look inside.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07- I'm dying to have a look. - It's intriguing.
0:31:07 > 0:31:08Come on, let's have a look.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14Originally built in 1820,
0:31:14 > 0:31:17this Victorian country house was used during the Second World War
0:31:17 > 0:31:20to station members of the Canadian Air Force.
0:31:20 > 0:31:23It was later a hospital, and then a school,
0:31:23 > 0:31:26but is now divided into sizeable residential apartments.
0:31:27 > 0:31:31We're entering the mystery proposition via its own front door,
0:31:31 > 0:31:33leading into a private entrance hall.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38So, this is the only downstairs bit.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40The hallway. It's sweet, isn't it?
0:31:40 > 0:31:43- Big, isn't it?- Yeah. Oh, yeah, it gets bigger.
0:31:43 > 0:31:44- The height.- Come upstairs.
0:31:46 > 0:31:50The stairs take us up to the very spacious five-bedroom apartment,
0:31:50 > 0:31:53starting in a reception room and conservatory.
0:31:53 > 0:31:56This is the first thing that greets you, is the conservatory,
0:31:56 > 0:31:59with the views, of course. Little terrace out there.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02I think it could be lovely, actually.
0:32:02 > 0:32:04And this, I suppose, I'd class as
0:32:04 > 0:32:08- a family-room-cum-dining-room, really.- Yes.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11- And I can see this being used a lot. - Yes, good space.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13I like the fact that we're upstairs.
0:32:13 > 0:32:17That's the nice thing about it, it's very much upside down, in a way.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23- It's a rambler, this one. - It is, yes.- Come on, let's ramble.
0:32:23 > 0:32:25It's just very different.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27Have a look in here, this is the kitchen.
0:32:31 > 0:32:32Oh, I like this.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35Mmm, impressive size, isn't it?
0:32:35 > 0:32:37Well, you've got these lovely Victorian proportions,
0:32:37 > 0:32:39that's the joy of it.
0:32:39 > 0:32:42I think we're both used to smaller, more conventional places.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44This takes a bit of getting used to.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46- It is a big, spacious property. - It is.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49And these double doors here lead nicely through into
0:32:49 > 0:32:53the living room, which, I think, perhaps has got more of a cosy feel
0:32:53 > 0:32:55that you're searching for. Have a look.
0:32:58 > 0:32:59There, Keith.
0:33:00 > 0:33:04Yeah, very nice. It's got a nice feel to it.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07- Certainly cosier, isn't it? - Yes, yes.- It's a lovely room.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10We're into the heart of the property now. This is where you'd live.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12I like these two rooms very much.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Now, there's plenty of room for Oscar through here.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18Plus, also, of course, your master bedroom.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20And study, and bathrooms and...
0:33:20 > 0:33:22Oh, come and have a look.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Well, a somewhat bemused response to the grandeur and layout of
0:33:27 > 0:33:29our mystery Victorian apartment.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34A spine corridor runs the length of the five-bedroom,
0:33:34 > 0:33:36three-bathroom accommodation.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39The two smallest bedrooms are at either end of this hallway
0:33:39 > 0:33:42one of which has a bay window.
0:33:42 > 0:33:43Then there are two larger bedrooms,
0:33:43 > 0:33:47including one that currently doubles as a study.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50The apartment also benefits from a total of three bathrooms,
0:33:50 > 0:33:55including the original Victorian washroom and a compact shower room.
0:33:55 > 0:33:58Finally, bedroom number five is the largest on offer.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04This is, clearly, the master.
0:34:05 > 0:34:09- It's a big room, isn't it? - Yeah, it's nice.
0:34:09 > 0:34:12- Nice room.- Yeah? - Bags of space.- Yeah.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15- Is it too much, Jane?- Erm, maybe.
0:34:15 > 0:34:16I think, for me, it would be
0:34:16 > 0:34:20too daunting to take on somewhere as big.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23I think what's indicated to me is that, as big and grand as it is,
0:34:23 > 0:34:29I just feel more comfortable in the smaller, cosier-type place.
0:34:29 > 0:34:30I think that's very honest.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32But I thought this was absolutely worth showing you...
0:34:32 > 0:34:35- Oh, definitely, yeah. - ..because it is very different.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38It's great to see this, to actually clarify your thinking.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40Let's go outside and talk about the price,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42because it's worth knowing what it's worth.
0:34:42 > 0:34:44And, you never know.
0:34:44 > 0:34:45Lots of ideas here.
0:34:47 > 0:34:49Despite appreciating the incredible amount of
0:34:49 > 0:34:53elegantly proportioned accommodation within our Mystery House,
0:34:53 > 0:34:57it's clear Keith and Jane just aren't feeling entirely at home.
0:34:57 > 0:34:59Outside, there are far-reaching views
0:34:59 > 0:35:01over the South and North Downs,
0:35:01 > 0:35:04from three acres of shared grounds, which are maintained
0:35:04 > 0:35:09under the annual management fee of around £2,200 per year.
0:35:10 > 0:35:14You know all there is to know, let's get down to the price then, Jane,
0:35:14 > 0:35:15your final guess of the week.
0:35:15 > 0:35:19What do you think our mystery apartment is on the market for?
0:35:19 > 0:35:20OK, I'll say...
0:35:20 > 0:35:23- 650.- 650, yeah? Keith?
0:35:23 > 0:35:25These type of things come at a bit of a premium,
0:35:25 > 0:35:28with this sort of setting and the room. I'd say 690.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30690, your instincts are very good, sir.
0:35:30 > 0:35:33- This is on at 695.- Oh.
0:35:33 > 0:35:40Yeah, 695 for a slice of opulent, former-Victorian country life.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43- Grandeur.- Grandeur!
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Despite the weather.
0:35:45 > 0:35:47Right, come on, let's go.
0:35:47 > 0:35:48You can have another look around.
0:35:50 > 0:35:53Slightly below budget, this very spacious Victorian
0:35:53 > 0:35:55country house apartment
0:35:55 > 0:35:57could provide a taste of elegant splendour,
0:35:57 > 0:36:01along with many of the requirements on Keith and Jane's wish list.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03Although there's no separate annexe,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06the five bedrooms and three bathrooms could readily
0:36:06 > 0:36:09be divided to provide more than ample accommodation
0:36:09 > 0:36:11for themselves and Jane's son, Oscar.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14There's a large conservatory and generous shared grounds
0:36:14 > 0:36:16that are regularly maintained.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19Plus, there are far-reaching vistas over the South Downs
0:36:19 > 0:36:22that can be enjoyed from both inside and out.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25If I'm honest, it's not really my cup of tea.
0:36:25 > 0:36:30It's just enormous to me, and I wouldn't know where to start.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35I'm delighted that we've come to this place as the Mystery House,
0:36:35 > 0:36:38because it's always been the type of place I've liked myself.
0:36:38 > 0:36:43As nice as it is, I don't think it fits our particular requirements.
0:36:43 > 0:36:45Well, we've giving you plenty to think about,
0:36:45 > 0:36:46and some really good options.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49It may not be this one, but we've got two to choose from
0:36:49 > 0:36:52from yesterday. Let's get you somewhere warm and out of
0:36:52 > 0:36:55this weather where we can think about it all. Come on.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03West Sussex is the second-most wooded county in the country,
0:37:03 > 0:37:07with almost a fifth of the land here blanketed by woodland.
0:37:07 > 0:37:10One cottage craft taking advantage of the abundance of trees
0:37:10 > 0:37:12is trug making.
0:37:12 > 0:37:15These versatile carrying receptacles have been made in Sussex
0:37:15 > 0:37:19since the 1500s, but were popularised by maker Thomas Smith,
0:37:19 > 0:37:23who showed some of his handiwork at the Great Exhibition of 1851,
0:37:23 > 0:37:28and was subsequently rewarded with a large order from Queen Victoria.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31Smith's business is now owned and run by Robin Tuppen,
0:37:31 > 0:37:34who's keeping this local industry alive,
0:37:34 > 0:37:37along with a number of fellow Sussex trug makers.
0:37:38 > 0:37:40- Robin!- Jules.
0:37:40 > 0:37:41Hello, mate.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43Very nice to see you.
0:37:43 > 0:37:48- This is trug heaven, isn't it? - Yeah!- What a fabulous workshop.
0:37:48 > 0:37:49You know, as a keen gardener,
0:37:49 > 0:37:51I've long had a soft spot for the trug.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54I mean, there's something classic about this form of,
0:37:54 > 0:37:57dare I say it, gardenalia, which every garden should have.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01No plastic in sight, good old-fashioned, honest materials.
0:38:01 > 0:38:03I mean, there will be other trug makers around the country,
0:38:03 > 0:38:06but it's not a real trug unless it's made in Sussex.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10No, and, hopefully, shortly, we're going to be receiving
0:38:10 > 0:38:12EU protection for the term "Sussex trug".
0:38:12 > 0:38:14They are incredibly rigid.
0:38:14 > 0:38:16- I mean, that's not going anywhere. - It's very strong.
0:38:16 > 0:38:20And we've weight-tested it with a 56lb, 25kg weight.
0:38:20 > 0:38:22Well, I love to make things,
0:38:22 > 0:38:25- and I would love to see how you go about this.- OK.
0:38:25 > 0:38:26So where do we start?
0:38:26 > 0:38:28- Cleaving, outside.- Right then.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34Robin and his three employees turn out around 6,500 trugs
0:38:34 > 0:38:36from this workshop every year.
0:38:36 > 0:38:41The first stage in creating each one is to make the rims and handles.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43Under the guidance of Michael Church, I'm using
0:38:43 > 0:38:48a cleaving axe to split poles of locally grown sweet chestnut.
0:38:48 > 0:38:50It's got a nice, straight grain, so it should,
0:38:50 > 0:38:54if you just twist it to one side, it should split right down the middle.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57Oh, there it goes. It's such a satisfying feeling, isn't it?
0:39:01 > 0:39:04- Wahey!- There you go, a perfect split.- There we go.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06If I say so myself, that was a bit of luck!
0:39:09 > 0:39:12Next, we're getting our draw knives out on the shave horses,
0:39:12 > 0:39:16working the cleaved wood down to a more precise width.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18You want it slightly thicker in the middle,
0:39:18 > 0:39:21and then tapering away to either end.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24Then it's into the steamer for about 15 minutes,
0:39:24 > 0:39:26until the wood is supple enough to work with.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29If those frames could tell a story,
0:39:29 > 0:39:32they'd tell a fairly good one, I reckon.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36As the assessment of the shape is done by eye,
0:39:36 > 0:39:38experience is important.
0:39:38 > 0:39:40Robin's keen to keep the skills alive,
0:39:40 > 0:39:45and has taken on apprentice Caleb, who's helping me complete my trug.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47The boards are sourced from the offcuts of
0:39:47 > 0:39:49a Sussex cricket bat maker.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Whilst the imperfections in the willow may have made it
0:39:52 > 0:39:56unsuitable for the bats themselves, it's perfect for trugs.
0:39:56 > 0:39:58Boiled to make them wet and flexible,
0:39:58 > 0:40:02it calls for a combination of brute force and careful craftsmanship
0:40:02 > 0:40:06to push the boards into position and fix them in place with copper tacks.
0:40:06 > 0:40:08What do you think so far?
0:40:08 > 0:40:10I think it's very impressive, so far.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14I do love the sense that if it looks right, it is right.
0:40:14 > 0:40:18Finally, the excess willow is trimmed with a sharp knife...
0:40:18 > 0:40:21and my trug is ready for use.
0:40:21 > 0:40:23Guys, thank you very much indeed.
0:40:23 > 0:40:25Yours are much better than this, Caleb, I know.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28So, best of luck with the rest of your apprenticeship.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31And, Robin, thank you for helping to keep the Sussex trug alive.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34Because, let's face it, no garden would be complete without one.
0:40:34 > 0:40:38- Thank you, sir.- And I know exactly where this one's going.
0:40:42 > 0:40:46Well, for a couple who live an hour apart, the challenge this week
0:40:46 > 0:40:49was fairly straightforward - could we manage to find them
0:40:49 > 0:40:52a home in which they could combine their lives together?
0:40:52 > 0:40:54Well, we've giving them plenty to think about,
0:40:54 > 0:40:55let's see if we've done it.
0:40:59 > 0:41:02Well, guys, this is it - the end of the process.
0:41:02 > 0:41:05Have you managed to picture yourself in any one of the properties
0:41:05 > 0:41:08- that we've show you? - I think so.- Yes.
0:41:08 > 0:41:11Well, we gave you three to choose from,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14armed with a very generous £700,000 budget.
0:41:14 > 0:41:15Where are we, Jane?
0:41:15 > 0:41:19- I could see us definitely in the first one.- Ah, interesting.- Yeah.
0:41:19 > 0:41:21That property would just be fine for us.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24It wasn't too big, wouldn't be rattling around in it.
0:41:24 > 0:41:28I think the first property had the long-term potential
0:41:28 > 0:41:29that we're looking for.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32So, what happens next with property number one?
0:41:32 > 0:41:36I think we discuss it with Oscar, go through all the details with him.
0:41:36 > 0:41:39We've got a bit more research to do.
0:41:39 > 0:41:41But, certainly, if everything stacks up,
0:41:41 > 0:41:43we'd be looking to probably move further on number one. Wow.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46Well, it was fairly obvious during the tour that you felt
0:41:46 > 0:41:48very much at home in our first property,
0:41:48 > 0:41:50and I'm delighted that we've given you
0:41:50 > 0:41:54such an interesting range of options, which, I think,
0:41:54 > 0:41:56have reassured you that, if you can do it,
0:41:56 > 0:41:58property one is the right one.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02And I'm very excited that you can now see a future together,
0:42:02 > 0:42:05under the same roof! Your faces say at all.
0:42:06 > 0:42:09I wish you all the very, very best of luck for your future together.
0:42:09 > 0:42:11- Thank you.- Best of luck.
0:42:14 > 0:42:15Well, all in all,
0:42:15 > 0:42:18I think this week in Sussex has been pretty successful.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20Every year, I meet many buyers who are looking for
0:42:20 > 0:42:23a change of lifestyle in the countryside.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25But, on this occasion, we were given the challenge
0:42:25 > 0:42:28of trying to find Keith and Jane the opportunity
0:42:28 > 0:42:32to find a new life together, at last, under one roof.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34And given the options we've been able to show them, I think they're
0:42:34 > 0:42:39that bit closer to finally realising their dream of a home together.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43All in all, it's turned out pretty well, despite the rain.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45I'll see you next time.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50If you'd like to escape to the country in Northern Ireland,
0:42:50 > 0:42:52Scotland, Wales or England and would like our help,
0:42:52 > 0:42:54then please apply online at...