West Sussex Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country.

This pretty yet humble bridge was built back in 1907,

but since then, it has become famous around the world.

Every year, thousands of tourists love to visit it, but why?

Well, here's a clue.

'Today's property search starts out with a whirlwind romance.'

-I like it. It's nice. This is a contender.

-This is lovely.

-Yeah.

'So, can we find our house-hunters a happy ever after?'

-Wow!

-It's got character, hasn't it?

-Look at the space.

-Yeah.

This is a master bedroom.

Well, today, we are in Sussex

and this is Poohsticks Bridge in the Ashdown Forest.

It was, of course,

the writer AA Milne who penned the famous Winnie The Pooh stories,

but it was his second book, The House At Pooh Corner,

that immortalised Pooh Bear's favourite game

and the idea was beautifully simple.

He and his friends would drop a stick over the bridge

into the water on this side

and see which one came out first on the other.

Located on the south coast of England,

the boundaries of the historic county of Sussex

more or less correspond to a 5th-century Anglo-Saxon kingdom,

now divided into two administrative counties, East and West.

It's a division that has its origins with the church which,

since at least the 11th century,

allotted the lands west of the River Adur to Chichester

and those to the east to Lewes.

Running across both modern counties

is the protected rural landscape of the South Downs

where 70-mile long-distance path the South Downs Way

follows the entire length of the hills,

making it a popular route for enjoying

some of the county's most stunning scenery.

One of the most iconic views the path takes in

is a series of undulating chalk cliffs known as the Seven Sisters.

Significant reminders of the region's history

are found in the county's buildings.

Situated on a headland above the mouth of the River Arun,

Arundel Castle combines 11th-century Norman beginnings

with the tastes and requirements of successive generations.

It was restored and extended in the 18th century

to provide the then owner, the 11th Duke of Norfolk,

with a large home in which to impress and entertain visitors.

So, whether you're a duke looking to make your home

in a renovated castle or someone seeking a more modest abode,

it's clear the rich mix of landscape and history makes Sussex

an excellent choice for a country escape.

Well, unfortunately, whichever way you try and cut it,

house-buying in Sussex is an expensive business.

In West Sussex,

the average price of a detached property is currently £430,000.

That's 150 grand above the national average

and it's not a lot better over in East Sussex.

There, the average price of a detached property is £360,000

so you get the idea. If this part of the world is for you,

you do need to have some fairly deep pockets and the reason is simple.

For decades, it's been popular with commuters

thanks to its excellent mainland links into London and, of course,

the attraction of the south coast. So, what about today's buyers?

What's attracted them to this part of the world?

Well, let's meet them and find out.

Businessman Keith from East Grinstead in West Sussex

and retiree Jane from Hastings in East Sussex feel they've been given

a second chance at happiness.

They started dating one another just three months ago.

We met through the power of the internet.

It was lovely, actually.

We met for afternoon tea and we just talked and talked

and talked about everything.

Since I lost my husband, I was stuck

and now I feel I've got a new life.

I know what I want to do in business,

but just having it on your own is worthless.

You've got to have somebody to share it with and we're blessed

that we got that opportunity.

Well, things have moved on significantly

since that first afternoon tea

so they're each selling their separate houses

in order to buy their first shared home together.

It all feels very natural, actually.

I'm just excited by the whole prospect.

Currently living an hour apart in different Sussex towns,

they both feel that urban living is no longer for them.

I think the roads are getting busier and busier.

The town is certainly getting busier.

You've got noise pollution, you've got car pollution.

I live near Gatwick Airport

so you have noise pollution from that as well.

The dream property Jane and I are looking for

is very much in a rural setting.

I think it's that closeness to nature is what attracts us

of, you know, escaping to the country.

That's what it's all about.

But it's not just Keith and Jane who'll be making the move.

Jane's 19-year-old son Oscar will also be part of the new household.

We are hoping to find somewhere with space for him

so that as he's older, he can live independently if he chooses.

And as for location, well, they're not planning on going that far.

They want to stay in Sussex,

but this time in a far more rural setting.

It's beautiful in West Sussex and you do have the Downs

and the coast's lovely, of course.

So we're hoping to enjoy all that when we move.

Although it seems we're not going far,

I think the advantages are quite dramatic.

But what they're most looking forward to

is starting their shared life together all under the same roof.

We're going to have more time together,

which we don't have at the moment cos we're over an hour away

from Hastings to East Grinstead.

It just gives us more time, a better quality of life,

a better balance and, most importantly,

Jane and I will be together.

It's big and scary to take such a big step at our age,

but also very exciting and somehow liberating.

Keith and Jane would like to concentrate their search

in rural areas of Keith's half of Sussex,

somewhere within commuting distance of his work base in Crawley.

But before we start looking at houses, I want to find out more

about the type of property they're hoping to find.

Well, guys, I thought we'd start here

in the rather beautiful surroundings of Amberley Castle

to launch your Escape To The Country.

You live how far apart at the moment?

-An hour's drive at the moment.

-An hour's drive.

-So, the aim is to combine your lives in one property, Jane.

-Indeed.

Give us a picture of what it might look like

-cos you haven't had long to agree on what might be.

-Very true!

Oh, just somewhere with some space, light and airy and views,

beautiful views we want.

Obviously Keith needs some space to work, so an office somewhere.

Four bedrooms - Jane's son Oscar is coming with us

so we want him to have his own living space,

whether an annexe or a few rooms put together.

Obviously a nice master bedroom, en suite for us.

-And what about kitchen space?

-We do like kitchen/diners, don't we?

So, in terms of style, is this an opportunity for you

to get into something a little older with a bit more character in it?

We haven't got strong feelings about that.

We've got quite an open mind, really. I have, anyway!

I think it's the facilities is one of the key things.

Now, in pooling your lives and resources,

how much money are you going to spend on this move, Keith?

-£700,000.

-Wow! It's a lot of money, isn't it?

-It certainly is.

Right, then. Let's go and spend a lot of your money, shall we?

-Come on!

-Thank you.

So, for a maximum budget of £700,000,

Jane and Keith are looking for a total of four bedrooms,

which will provide space for a home office for Keith

as well as accommodation for Jane's son Oscar,

ideally in a self-contained annexe.

The kitchen should be large, perhaps forming a kitchen/diner.

They'd also like a modest garden and somewhere with countryside views.

We've found three fantastic properties to tempt them with

and, at each one, I'll be asking them to guess the price

before I reveal it.

The final one, of course, will be our Mystery House,

which could offer them a sumptuous slice of splendour.

We're kicking off our property search

half an hour's drive south-east of Crawley.

We're heading for the large West Sussex village of Storrington.

Known as a gateway to the South Downs,

Storrington's name derives from the old English

meaning "a place known for storks".

Much of the village centre lies within a conservation area

and offers a wide range of amenities,

including pubs, a butcher's and restaurants.

Our first house is situated along a gated leafy lane

next to a National Trust forest on the fringes of the village.

There we are. Come on in.

Very nice. Lovely area.

It's an awful phrase, I think, but kerb appeal, dare I say it.

Oh, yes, it's lovely. It's very attractive.

-And also, for Oscar, we've got Oscar his own bit.

-Oh, excellent.

Which is up there. You see those two skylights above the carport?

There's a very nice studio up there.

That's a big tick.

So, I think we're catering for everybody

that's going to make this move.

Come and have a look inside.

Although only built in 2007, this attractive detached home

borrows much from the local vernacular architecture.

Its design includes a peg tile roof,

oak weather boarding and dormer windows.

Below its oak frame porch,

the front door leads straight into the first of the reception areas.

Right, come on in to, I guess,

-what is effectively a sort of dining hall, if you will.

-Mm, very nice.

-Oh, yes.

-It's coordinated, it works, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

It's warm, isn't it, the wood? It's lovely.

It's light and airy, isn't it?

Is this the sort of feel you are looking for?

It feels good as you come in the place. Yeah, I think it works.

-Yes, I do, too.

-We'll deal with the kitchen in a minute,

but have a look in here. This is the main living room.

It is a working fireplace.

You know, either for a wood-burner or indeed a working fire.

-Yes, it's very nice. Nice neutral colours.

-It is, yeah.

There are smiles here, Jane, which is good.

-It's got a nice feel about it.

-It's very good.

On the other side of the dining hallway,

past a useful downstairs cloakroom, we find the large country kitchen.

Oh, that's very nice. Yeah.

-Nice size. Very good.

-It is, it's lovely.

Continuity with all the beams.

Yeah, really nice, actually.

And of course, designed with modern living very much in mind.

But with this nice, you know, traditional touch. Who's the cook?

Have you worked that out yet?

We muddle through between us, actually. Take turns.

-I mean, I think this is a very adaptable property.

-It is, it is.

And this might be interesting, we've got two staircases.

-One there, in the main hallway.

-Oh.

And a separate staircase through here,

-which would mean that Oscar would have his own wing.

-Sounds very good.

Come and have a look and see if it would work.

Yeah, that sounds very interesting.

We've had a good reaction to the space and style provided

by the ground floor of this well-presented detached home.

A corridor off the kitchen leads to that second set of stairs

and takes us to the space above the carport

and up to what could be Oscar's very own self-contained quarters.

Now, if I were a 19-year-old, I'd be quite happy with this.

But you tell me, what would Oscar think?

-Oh, I think Oscar would be delighted.

-Yeah?

Yes, it's lovely. Very nice.

It's a very good use of space, isn't it?

-So, we've taken care of Oscar here.

-Right, yes.

Let's find a bedroom for you.

As well as this sizeable bedroom, the carport below could also be

converted, subject to permission,

which could create an entire two-storey annexe for Oscar.

Back in the dining hall of the main house,

a set of stairs leads up to three further bedrooms.

To the front of the house, the first of two smaller bedrooms

is set under the eaves and the second is currently used as a study.

These both make use of the family bathroom.

Then, over the living room, the fourth largest of the bedrooms

on offer is the master en suite.

So, this is your one.

You could easily incorporate a nice, sort of, dressing area

-or indeed a sofa.

-Yes, it's a very flexible space.

It is and it goes the full width of the property.

So, you've got this nice dual aspect, dormer window arrangement.

-Mm.

-Yeah. The light's great, isn't it?

Yeah, and the beams are at the right height.

-That's what you can do in a modern house, isn't it?

-Very nice.

-No, I like it. It's nice.

-Very nice.

Nice en suite, very good. This is a contender.

-This is lovely.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Well, let's see if the price matches up to your expectations.

-Oh, right.

-Ah!

-Let's go out to the garden and talk about the numbers.

No wonder Jane and Keith are impressed.

This recently-built, traditional-style property not only

offers a shared home for them, but there is also the added bonus of

separate accommodation for Oscar.

And outside, there's even more.

A front garden includes a parking area for several cars

and a Wendy house nestling amid mature shrubs and trees.

Then the south-facing rear garden provides

both a lawn and a paved patio.

A very compact little back garden, but nice. Nicely laid out.

It's enough to, sort of, sit out in the summer and enjoy,

-but without being a chore.

-So...

-The moment of truth.

-The moment of truth, Keith.

Yes, your 700 grand.

Who's going to guess first then?

I actually think it's bang on budget, so I'd say 699.

699, Jane?

685.

I mean, both of those estimates are doable within your budget.

-Yeah.

-But if it was £650,000, that would make a real difference,

-wouldn't it?

-Oh!

-Yeah, that's very good.

Go and have a wander round.

Go and have an explore and see what you get for 650,

cos I think this is a really good start. Go on.

-I will come and find you a little bit later.

-OK, thanks.

Brilliant.

Coming in a significant £50,000 below budget,

this traditional-style new build offers pretty much everything

Keith and Jane have asked for.

There are spacious reception rooms,

along with a goods-sized kitchen-breakfast room.

And the layout offers three-bedroom accommodation

for themselves and a separate one bedroom wing for Jane's son Oscar.

Outside provides an easy to manage garden and the house is situated

along a peaceful lane, just a half hours' commute from Keith's work.

The first property is a very pleasant surprise.

Beautiful doors, oak flooring throughout,

very rural, very peaceful, which is what Jane and I are looking for.

We love the old,

we liked the new and it married both of them in one property.

I think it's done to a very high standard, very pleasing on the eye.

It would be a good space, wouldn't it, for him?

Bedroom there, put a shower room downstairs

and it could all be done without inconvenience

during the building work.

It's very light and airy, which is one of the things I was looking for.

And surrounded by the trees is just so beautiful.

Not too far from Keith's work, so it's all good.

I think there's going to be quite a challenge to come up with

two others that match up to the first one, at the minute.

I'm thinking, Oscar.

Or not.

Look, it's detached, it's got its own front door,

it's got its own balcony.

I mean, how many 19-year-olds have got their own pad?

There's no en suite, won't work.

There's always something, isn't there? Come on.

Relatively isolated by its geography of forests,

sticky clays, marshes and coast,

Sussex remained culturally distinct for centuries.

It was the last Anglo-Saxon kingdom to become Christian.

It retains many idiosyncratic traditions,

but some local customs are a lot less ancient.

In recent years, the autumn festival at Slindon has put

the West Sussex village on the map as the pumpkin capital of England.

Keen to get stuck into rural Sussex life, we've sent Jane and Keith

to meet Robin Upton, the son of the man who started it all,

to find out more and see if they can get involved.

What's the purpose of the festival, Robin?

It all started back in '68.

My father had to grow some pumpkins for a party.

The following year, several people wanted pumpkins for parties.

Over the next ten years,

pumpkin and squashes were everywhere round here.

In the late '80s, he started doing designs up on the sheds.

Everybody wanted to see it again next year. They keep coming back.

-Great.

-If you want to know more about this place,

Mark will tell you. He's just up there.

The festival centres on a colourful display of the gourd family.

Originally placed on shed roofs, health and safety concerns

about the weighty potential of some of the pumpkins means

they are now supported by a scaffold

with stakes holding them firmly in place.

This year's centrepiece of 1,300 gourds, celebrates 150 years

of the Shoreham lifeboat and was designed by local artist Mark Ward.

How important is this festival to the village and village life?

It's very important. It's really good for local businesses.

As you can see, there's a lot of people here today

-and it's only, sort of, ten o'clock in the morning.

-Great.

Is there anything we can do to be involved? It sounds really good.

There is. We carve out a lot ready for Halloween,

so maybe you'd like to join me and do that.

Maori people were making lanterns from gourds over 700 years ago,

but the Halloween tradition is thought to have started in Ireland,

when turnips were turned into grotesque faces

for a Gaelic festival in order to ward off the dark spirits of winter.

Now, whether or not there any malevolent forces

that need to be startled by this year's display in Slindon,

Mark has some top tips for creating a perfect jack-o'-lantern.

A lot of people, they carve out the top where the stock's been

-and then they try and put a candle in.

-Right.

You can burn your hand, so it's actually safer

and keeps the fruit longer if you cut the bottom out.

Now it's time for creative expression.

First, marking out a face with a pen

and then using a knife to carve it out.

When you've done your cutting, it's much easier, rather than

trying to push it in, to put your hand inside and just pop them out.

-Wow, look at that.

-Not too bad.

Meow! That's great.

Yeah, self-portrait.

Shall we go put these on the display?

-Yeah, good idea.

-Fantastic.

-Good idea.

It looks like Jane and Keith's pumpkins

face some stiff competition this year.

But it's back to carving out their own piece of Sussex's rural life,

as their property search continues.

Our next house is across the border, located in

the small East Sussex hamlet of Easons Green,

a 45-minute drive from Crawley

and a six-minute drive from East Hoathly village.

Lying along the long-distance Weald Way footpath,

East Hoathly offers a selection of services,

both essential and luxury,

as well as country pubs and a weekly artisan pizza van.

Three centuries ago,

the village was home to the diarist and shopkeeper Thomas Turner.

It's still possible to read the 11-year record of

his 18th-century daily life as a resident here.

He is buried in the graveyard of the local church,

which is just a couple of miles away from our second house,

which also has a rather fascinating history of its own.

Right then.

This is number two on our list of properties this week.

-Yeah, very nice.

-What do you think of that?

-I like it.

-Yeah?

-Yes, I do.

And I'm seeing the view over there. That looks fantastic.

Yeah, look at that. That's beautiful. Yeah.

Yeah, you've got a lovely view and you can see where

our property gets its architectural inspiration from,

because at its heart, this is 17th-century,

but it has been extended left and right of that central area

to give you a self-contained, one-bedroom annexe on this end.

Wow. It looks lovely, actually, doesn't it?

Really nice, really attractive.

This detached period property originally provided

a cottage for a pig farmer.

The entrance porch on the oldest part of the house leads us straight

through into a spacious reception room with a large feature fireplace.

-That's excellent.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-It is.

Yeah, that's perfect.

And this is where the earlier origins of this building

really reveal themselves with that lovely brick built...

-Yeah, that's beautiful.

-It's a very nice room, isn't it?

-With the sunlight shining.

-Yeah, and it's a big room as well.

That area there, if you didn't have a piano,

is crying out for study space perhaps.

-Yeah.

-Yeah. That could be used for a number of things.

It's perfect. It looks very good. Love the stonework there,

-the floors. Beautiful.

-Yes, very nice.

Well, the stonework leads us nicely through to the dining room.

So, this is one of the two extensions.

-These nice, new oak beams you can see.

-Oh, that's nice.

They've got it set up as a dining room,

-cos it flows nicely through to the kitchen.

-Yeah.

But you could have it as another reception room.

Well, it's lovely with all the windows, isn't it?

-Beautiful.

-It's saying study to me.

Study?

-It would be quite some study, Keith.

-Yeah.

-I'll say.

But have a look the kitchen, cos it does

all rather work as a dining room.

-Very nice.

-That's good. Galley-style, I like it.

-It's nice.

-Yeah, I like it.

-Very practical. Plenty of room.

-Yeah, I like it.

-It is nice.

-Very nice.

It feels much more rural than the last one.

And it certainly has much more of a genuine farmhouse feel to it.

-Yes, it has.

-In the way that it's fitted and finished and so on.

It's just got a nice warm feel.

You know, it is an interesting building.

It can accommodate you, but of course, it can accommodate Oscar.

-Oscar.

-Because the annexe is right through here.

-Yeah.

This is the annexe.

-Come on in.

-Ooh, right.

-It's a good size, isn't it?

-Oh, that's good, yeah.

-Little kitchenette.

-Yeah, you've got a little kitchenette round there.

So it's completely self-contained.

-His own door, which is great.

-That's really good.

-Would Oscar go for this?

-Oh, I think so.

Yeah, it's good.

So let's wander back through the old bit,

use the original staircase, and find a bedroom for you.

The annexe also comes with a bathroom on the ground floor,

plus a staircase in the living area,

leading up to its own double bedroom.

There's the additional option here of accessing this annexe

via a Jack and Jill shower room on the upper floor,

which also serves two of the three bedrooms in the main house.

Both of these smaller bedrooms are located

to the front of the property.

Following the current owners,

Keith could opt to use the second as his study.

Then, over the dining room extension,

and enjoying a triple aspect,

is the fourth and largest of the bedrooms, reserved for our buyers.

This is the master.

-Oh, yes, I really like it.

-Very nice.

It's a very nice room, wow.

-It's got character, hasn't it?

-Look at the space.

Yeah, this is a master bedroom.

En suite through there.

Nice, new, oak floors.

Yeah, really like it. REALLY like it.

-This is the best room in the house. Beautiful.

-Yeah, it's interesting...

And the doors as well.

Well, they go out to a little veranda/balcony,

which allows you to enjoy the views

-over the garden and the countryside.

-Very nice.

I like that very much.

-Do we like this property?

-Yes.

-Yes.

We do like this property.

Good, I'm glad you like it, there's a lot to recommend it.

-There's one more bit to see, though, and that's the garden.

-Oh, good.

So, resounding approval for this detached character cottage.

Outside, it's surrounded by farmland,

giving beautiful countryside views.

To the front, there's a large, gravel driveway,

with a dedicated parking space just for the annexe.

And to the rear of the main property,

there's a patio for alfresco dining, a large area of lawn,

a pond,

an apple tree,

and a spacious and really versatile log cabin.

Oh, you've just found my new office. I'm now back in the garden.

You nearly had the dining room, we then got him upstairs,

now he's out there. It's not a bad solution, Jane?

I think it's an excellent solution, actually!

So, let's have a think about the price of this one, shall we?

-Oh, it's too difficult.

-Go on, Jane.

-Off you go?

-It's too nice.

-How nice?

-Erm, 695.

-695?

-Yeah.

-Yeah? Keith?

-My guess is 645.

-645?

-645.

I love your optimism.

But I'm afraid it's not 695, nor indeed 645 -

this is 715.

-Right.

-However, open to offers.

It is very lovely.

Yeah, we don't need to put anything extra in here,

it's all here already.

I suggest you have a good look around before we go,

and I will come find you before it gets dark.

-Thank you.

-Off you go.

This historic 17th-century cottage will require all of Keith and

Jane's budget, but it could provide everything they've asked for

from the moment they move in.

The main house has plenty of country character,

from featured wooden beams to exposed brick fireplace.

As well as three bedrooms,

including that triple-aspect master en suite.

And what's more, Oscar would get his own, separate,

two-storey annexe and parking space.

Plus, Keith has the option of that timber office in the garden,

from which there are peaceful countryside views.

-It's a nice space.

-Yeah, very good.

-I like it.

-Yeah. It's totally self contained, beautiful.

I'm sure Oscar would really like it.

I really liked property number two.

I was so surprised, actually, how much I liked it.

It just felt so lovely.

I think it's the old-fashioned farmhouse feel about it.

The high point for me of this property was the master bedroom.

It had everything.

Triple aspect, balcony, large room, beams, en suite -

I don't think you could have a better master bedroom than that.

Absolutely spot on.

A contender? Don't rule it out.

This is the real deal.

This is genuinely Escape To The Country.

Good! Well, how was that for a first day of house-hunting?

-Great.

-Excellent.

For your new home together.

-It's really exciting this, isn't it?

-It is.

-And two real contenders.

-Two real contenders.

One more to come tomorrow, of course, our Mystery House.

But, in between then and now, we've probably got time for a drink.

-Or two?

-Or three!

Come on.

We're helping new couple Jane and Keith swap their separate houses

in Sussex towns for a home together in the Sussex countryside,

which they'll share with Jane's teenage son, Oscar.

With a budget of £700,000,

we've already shown them two great properties, but there's still

the Mystery House to come, which is a rather grand proposal.

What do you think, Jane?

I think it's very different.

And I'm hoping my attempt at a traditional Sussex craft

doesn't go to hell in a handbasket.

This is trug heaven, isn't it?

Well, I think it's perfectly obvious that, so far,

our house search here in Sussex with Keith and Jane has gone pretty well.

And their overwhelmingly positive response to our first two

properties means we can afford to take a bit of a gamble

with our final offering, our Mystery House.

Now, they clearly love a sense of space.

What we're about to show them has loads of that.

But it's unlike anything we've shown them thus far.

Of course, famously,

our Mystery Houses do like to challenge our buyers,

so, at the end of the day, well, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

We've had a very good house-hunt so far - two very strong properties

which, I'm delighted, are of interest.

So what could we possibly come up with for our final offering,

our Mystery House?

It would be nice to think, Jane, you would end up with something

rather grand and opulent, what do you think about that?

-I like the sound of that.

-Yeah!

Any ideas what it might be then?

No clue, actually!

It could be the wing of a country house.

-Oh, yes!

-Ah!

How would you feel about that?

Oh, well...

Fascinated, I should think.

-Well, there we are...

-It sounds good, it sounds good.

There's the clue, let's see what you think.

Our Mystery House is located 12 miles southeast of Crawley,

in the West Sussex village of Sharpthorne.

On the heritage Bluebell Railway line,

facilities here include places to eat and drink, and a post office.

The Church of St Margaret's

has foundations dating back over 900 years,

laid when a Norman baron ordered a place of worship to be built here.

A few hundred years later, in the 17th century,

the manor house served as a dower building,

providing a lifetime's home for the widow of the local estate owner.

Just a short walk away,

our final property also started life as a rather grand country house.

Well, chaps, here is our mystery property.

Needless to say, you don't get all of it,

which is probably a bit of a relief.

What we are brokering is the upstairs of what you can see there.

What do you think, Jane?

I think it's very different.

It's really different.

I mean, it's completely different to anything we've shown you so far.

And it does give you this rather grand setting.

But within a slice of the property which is that bit more manageable.

-Would this appeal, Keith?

-Well, we'll have a look inside.

-I'm dying to have a look.

-It's intriguing.

Come on, let's have a look.

Originally built in 1820,

this Victorian country house was used during the Second World War

to station members of the Canadian Air Force.

It was later a hospital, and then a school,

but is now divided into sizeable residential apartments.

We're entering the mystery proposition via its own front door,

leading into a private entrance hall.

So, this is the only downstairs bit.

The hallway. It's sweet, isn't it?

-Big, isn't it?

-Yeah. Oh, yeah, it gets bigger.

-The height.

-Come upstairs.

The stairs take us up to the very spacious five-bedroom apartment,

starting in a reception room and conservatory.

This is the first thing that greets you, is the conservatory,

with the views, of course. Little terrace out there.

I think it could be lovely, actually.

And this, I suppose, I'd class as

-a family-room-cum-dining-room, really.

-Yes.

-And I can see this being used a lot.

-Yes, good space.

I like the fact that we're upstairs.

That's the nice thing about it, it's very much upside down, in a way.

-It's a rambler, this one.

-It is, yes.

-Come on, let's ramble.

It's just very different.

Have a look in here, this is the kitchen.

Oh, I like this.

Mmm, impressive size, isn't it?

Well, you've got these lovely Victorian proportions,

that's the joy of it.

I think we're both used to smaller, more conventional places.

This takes a bit of getting used to.

-It is a big, spacious property.

-It is.

And these double doors here lead nicely through into

the living room, which, I think, perhaps has got more of a cosy feel

that you're searching for. Have a look.

There, Keith.

Yeah, very nice. It's got a nice feel to it.

-Certainly cosier, isn't it?

-Yes, yes.

-It's a lovely room.

We're into the heart of the property now. This is where you'd live.

I like these two rooms very much.

Now, there's plenty of room for Oscar through here.

Plus, also, of course, your master bedroom.

And study, and bathrooms and...

Oh, come and have a look.

Well, a somewhat bemused response to the grandeur and layout of

our mystery Victorian apartment.

A spine corridor runs the length of the five-bedroom,

three-bathroom accommodation.

The two smallest bedrooms are at either end of this hallway

one of which has a bay window.

Then there are two larger bedrooms,

including one that currently doubles as a study.

The apartment also benefits from a total of three bathrooms,

including the original Victorian washroom and a compact shower room.

Finally, bedroom number five is the largest on offer.

This is, clearly, the master.

-It's a big room, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's nice.

-Nice room.

-Yeah?

-Bags of space.

-Yeah.

-Is it too much, Jane?

-Erm, maybe.

I think, for me, it would be

too daunting to take on somewhere as big.

I think what's indicated to me is that, as big and grand as it is,

I just feel more comfortable in the smaller, cosier-type place.

I think that's very honest.

But I thought this was absolutely worth showing you...

-Oh, definitely, yeah.

-..because it is very different.

It's great to see this, to actually clarify your thinking.

Let's go outside and talk about the price,

because it's worth knowing what it's worth.

And, you never know.

Lots of ideas here.

Despite appreciating the incredible amount of

elegantly proportioned accommodation within our Mystery House,

it's clear Keith and Jane just aren't feeling entirely at home.

Outside, there are far-reaching views

over the South and North Downs,

from three acres of shared grounds, which are maintained

under the annual management fee of around £2,200 per year.

You know all there is to know, let's get down to the price then, Jane,

your final guess of the week.

What do you think our mystery apartment is on the market for?

OK, I'll say...

-650.

-650, yeah? Keith?

These type of things come at a bit of a premium,

with this sort of setting and the room. I'd say 690.

690, your instincts are very good, sir.

-This is on at 695.

-Oh.

Yeah, 695 for a slice of opulent, former-Victorian country life.

-Grandeur.

-Grandeur!

Despite the weather.

Right, come on, let's go.

You can have another look around.

Slightly below budget, this very spacious Victorian

country house apartment

could provide a taste of elegant splendour,

along with many of the requirements on Keith and Jane's wish list.

Although there's no separate annexe,

the five bedrooms and three bathrooms could readily

be divided to provide more than ample accommodation

for themselves and Jane's son, Oscar.

There's a large conservatory and generous shared grounds

that are regularly maintained.

Plus, there are far-reaching vistas over the South Downs

that can be enjoyed from both inside and out.

If I'm honest, it's not really my cup of tea.

It's just enormous to me, and I wouldn't know where to start.

I'm delighted that we've come to this place as the Mystery House,

because it's always been the type of place I've liked myself.

As nice as it is, I don't think it fits our particular requirements.

Well, we've giving you plenty to think about,

and some really good options.

It may not be this one, but we've got two to choose from

from yesterday. Let's get you somewhere warm and out of

this weather where we can think about it all. Come on.

West Sussex is the second-most wooded county in the country,

with almost a fifth of the land here blanketed by woodland.

One cottage craft taking advantage of the abundance of trees

is trug making.

These versatile carrying receptacles have been made in Sussex

since the 1500s, but were popularised by maker Thomas Smith,

who showed some of his handiwork at the Great Exhibition of 1851,

and was subsequently rewarded with a large order from Queen Victoria.

Smith's business is now owned and run by Robin Tuppen,

who's keeping this local industry alive,

along with a number of fellow Sussex trug makers.

-Robin!

-Jules.

Hello, mate.

Very nice to see you.

-This is trug heaven, isn't it?

-Yeah!

-What a fabulous workshop.

You know, as a keen gardener,

I've long had a soft spot for the trug.

I mean, there's something classic about this form of,

dare I say it, gardenalia, which every garden should have.

No plastic in sight, good old-fashioned, honest materials.

I mean, there will be other trug makers around the country,

but it's not a real trug unless it's made in Sussex.

No, and, hopefully, shortly, we're going to be receiving

EU protection for the term "Sussex trug".

They are incredibly rigid.

-I mean, that's not going anywhere.

-It's very strong.

And we've weight-tested it with a 56lb, 25kg weight.

Well, I love to make things,

-and I would love to see how you go about this.

-OK.

So where do we start?

-Cleaving, outside.

-Right then.

Robin and his three employees turn out around 6,500 trugs

from this workshop every year.

The first stage in creating each one is to make the rims and handles.

Under the guidance of Michael Church, I'm using

a cleaving axe to split poles of locally grown sweet chestnut.

It's got a nice, straight grain, so it should,

if you just twist it to one side, it should split right down the middle.

Oh, there it goes. It's such a satisfying feeling, isn't it?

-Wahey!

-There you go, a perfect split.

-There we go.

If I say so myself, that was a bit of luck!

Next, we're getting our draw knives out on the shave horses,

working the cleaved wood down to a more precise width.

You want it slightly thicker in the middle,

and then tapering away to either end.

Then it's into the steamer for about 15 minutes,

until the wood is supple enough to work with.

If those frames could tell a story,

they'd tell a fairly good one, I reckon.

As the assessment of the shape is done by eye,

experience is important.

Robin's keen to keep the skills alive,

and has taken on apprentice Caleb, who's helping me complete my trug.

The boards are sourced from the offcuts of

a Sussex cricket bat maker.

Whilst the imperfections in the willow may have made it

unsuitable for the bats themselves, it's perfect for trugs.

Boiled to make them wet and flexible,

it calls for a combination of brute force and careful craftsmanship

to push the boards into position and fix them in place with copper tacks.

What do you think so far?

I think it's very impressive, so far.

I do love the sense that if it looks right, it is right.

Finally, the excess willow is trimmed with a sharp knife...

and my trug is ready for use.

Guys, thank you very much indeed.

Yours are much better than this, Caleb, I know.

So, best of luck with the rest of your apprenticeship.

And, Robin, thank you for helping to keep the Sussex trug alive.

Because, let's face it, no garden would be complete without one.

-Thank you, sir.

-And I know exactly where this one's going.

Well, for a couple who live an hour apart, the challenge this week

was fairly straightforward - could we manage to find them

a home in which they could combine their lives together?

Well, we've giving them plenty to think about,

let's see if we've done it.

Well, guys, this is it - the end of the process.

Have you managed to picture yourself in any one of the properties

-that we've show you?

-I think so.

-Yes.

Well, we gave you three to choose from,

armed with a very generous £700,000 budget.

Where are we, Jane?

-I could see us definitely in the first one.

-Ah, interesting.

-Yeah.

That property would just be fine for us.

It wasn't too big, wouldn't be rattling around in it.

I think the first property had the long-term potential

that we're looking for.

So, what happens next with property number one?

I think we discuss it with Oscar, go through all the details with him.

We've got a bit more research to do.

But, certainly, if everything stacks up,

we'd be looking to probably move further on number one. Wow.

Well, it was fairly obvious during the tour that you felt

very much at home in our first property,

and I'm delighted that we've given you

such an interesting range of options, which, I think,

have reassured you that, if you can do it,

property one is the right one.

And I'm very excited that you can now see a future together,

under the same roof! Your faces say at all.

I wish you all the very, very best of luck for your future together.

-Thank you.

-Best of luck.

Well, all in all,

I think this week in Sussex has been pretty successful.

Every year, I meet many buyers who are looking for

a change of lifestyle in the countryside.

But, on this occasion, we were given the challenge

of trying to find Keith and Jane the opportunity

to find a new life together, at last, under one roof.

And given the options we've been able to show them, I think they're

that bit closer to finally realising their dream of a home together.

All in all, it's turned out pretty well, despite the rain.

I'll see you next time.

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