0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Escape To The Country.
0:00:03 > 0:00:06This beautiful Jacobean house behind me has several claims to fame -
0:00:06 > 0:00:07but perhaps chief amongst them,
0:00:07 > 0:00:10it was home to Britain's first-ever croquet champion
0:00:10 > 0:00:12and founder of the All-England Club.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16In fact, the rules of the game were created on its very lawns.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19But where have we come to for today's little knock-about?
0:00:19 > 0:00:22Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Today, family ties are the driving force
0:00:40 > 0:00:43pushing a couple to take the plunge
0:00:43 > 0:00:47and leave the city behind in search of a new country life...
0:00:47 > 0:00:48Ooh!
0:00:48 > 0:00:50Oh! It's fabulous.
0:00:50 > 0:00:53I'm just already getting really excited.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57..and our properties provoke some strong emotional reactions.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00You've got the wow. Oh, it's lovely.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03- I just shed a tear, then.- Oh! Good!
0:01:05 > 0:01:09Well, today we are in Oxfordshire and this is Chastleton house,
0:01:09 > 0:01:13the home of croquet fanatic Walter Jones Whitmore.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17It was on this very lawn back in 1855 that Jones Whitmore
0:01:17 > 0:01:22created and then published the very first set of croquet rules,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25rules which are still very much in use today.
0:01:25 > 0:01:27Now, later on in the programme, I'll be back here,
0:01:27 > 0:01:30exploring this fabulous Jacobean mansion
0:01:30 > 0:01:32and also learning a little more about the
0:01:32 > 0:01:34unique family that lived here.
0:01:35 > 0:01:37Situated in the south east of England,
0:01:37 > 0:01:40landlocked Oxfordshire is bordered by six counties,
0:01:40 > 0:01:44including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Berkshire.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47This scenic county encompasses the rolling Cotswold Hills,
0:01:47 > 0:01:51as well as the Chiltern Hills, and covers 1,000 square miles.
0:01:51 > 0:01:56Oxfordshire's architecture is as awe-inspiring as its natural beauty,
0:01:56 > 0:01:59with the world famous University City of Oxford
0:01:59 > 0:02:01the shining star of the county.
0:02:01 > 0:02:05The 14th century New College is one of the most significant
0:02:05 > 0:02:07medieval buildings of its kind in Europe.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10The county is located
0:02:10 > 0:02:13almost entirely within the River Thames basin.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16The river provides pleasure boaters with stunning vistas
0:02:16 > 0:02:21and also passes pretty villages such as Northmoor and Kingston Bagpuize,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24both of which display a real mix of country charm.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27So, for escapees looking for a rural paradise,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30yet still within reach of culture and history,
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Oxfordshire is the perfect place to enjoy a piece of it all.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38Well, when it comes to the cost of housing,
0:02:38 > 0:02:39Oxfordshire has long been a hot spot.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43Here, the average price of a detached property
0:02:43 > 0:02:45is currently £446,000,
0:02:45 > 0:02:47that is a massive £160,000
0:02:47 > 0:02:50above the national figure.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Why? Well, the reason is simple -
0:02:52 > 0:02:56its location means it offers great commuter links into London
0:02:56 > 0:02:57and the cities of the Midlands,
0:02:57 > 0:03:00and of course those beautiful Cotswold villages
0:03:00 > 0:03:01have long made it popular
0:03:01 > 0:03:05with tourists, second homers and locals alike.
0:03:05 > 0:03:06All the reasons, in fact,
0:03:06 > 0:03:09that have attracted today's buyers to want to move here.
0:03:09 > 0:03:14Retired civil servant Jane and partner John, a bespoke tailor,
0:03:14 > 0:03:18live in a three-bedroom terrace in St Albans, Hertfordshire.
0:03:18 > 0:03:21We've known one another for a good eight years, is it now?
0:03:21 > 0:03:23- Seven.- Seven.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25See, that's a good start. Isn't it?
0:03:25 > 0:03:28It's been so enjoyable I've added a year on.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31They first met when a mutual friend set them up.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34I kind of felt really funny when I saw you.
0:03:34 > 0:03:36It was love at first sight, I guess.
0:03:36 > 0:03:38And it was. It was really nice for both of us
0:03:38 > 0:03:41cos that's what happened. We went, "Whoa, hello!"
0:03:41 > 0:03:45They've lived together in Jane's Hertfordshire house for five years.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48They love their home, but with a large family,
0:03:48 > 0:03:51they feel it's the right time to head for pastures green.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Jane has two daughters and a son from a previous relationship
0:03:54 > 0:03:57and John has a son and a daughter.
0:03:57 > 0:03:59I'd just like some more space.
0:03:59 > 0:04:00We've got two dogs.
0:04:00 > 0:04:03We'd like to be able to spread out and have a bit of space.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05A bigger garden.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08And a view of something.
0:04:08 > 0:04:11I particularly like the countryside, having grown up in Ireland.
0:04:11 > 0:04:14I feel it gives me a bit more freedom of open spaces.
0:04:14 > 0:04:17When they move, John will still be working,
0:04:17 > 0:04:20so his job in West London and an expanding family
0:04:20 > 0:04:22are dictating their relocation.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Well, we're looking to move, basically,
0:04:24 > 0:04:25around the Oxford area.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27It'd still be handy for me for work, for travelling in,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30because I still have to commute for another 5-6 years.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32My family is very important to me.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35I want to be nearer my daughter who lives in the Cotswolds.
0:04:35 > 0:04:39She's got a little boy, my first grandchild...
0:04:39 > 0:04:41and I just want to be nearer them.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44I won't be too far from my son either.
0:04:44 > 0:04:46Well, he's in South East London -
0:04:46 > 0:04:50and if we had the space they could come and stay.
0:04:50 > 0:04:53I'm retired, anyway, so I'll have more time to see everyone.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56Jane's other daughter Rachel, a textile designer,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59will also be joining them temporarily,
0:04:59 > 0:05:00and when they move,
0:05:00 > 0:05:03Jane and John want to make the most of their new surroundings
0:05:03 > 0:05:06as well as a good slice of quality downtime.
0:05:06 > 0:05:07We love walking, don't we?
0:05:07 > 0:05:09- Yeah.- We do a lot of walking.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12Walking with the dogs is one of the best things you can do, isn't it?
0:05:12 > 0:05:15It's good exercise and it's out in the fresh air.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18We do look at our life in a way as a bit of an adventure.
0:05:18 > 0:05:20We like to think that way,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23that we're young enough to do things and enjoy things and not sort of
0:05:23 > 0:05:26think, "We're getting on a bit,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28"perhaps we should slow down and think about things."
0:05:28 > 0:05:30We're still young enough to be out there,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32doing things, and enjoying it.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35I'm just looking forward to starting something new and exciting.
0:05:36 > 0:05:38I don't want to wait any longer.
0:05:38 > 0:05:41Live the dream, that's what I want to do.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49The ideal Oxfordshire location would be somewhere not too far from Jane's
0:05:49 > 0:05:51daughter in Gloucestershire
0:05:51 > 0:05:53and within an hour and a half's commute
0:05:53 > 0:05:55from John's work in Notting Hill, West London.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58So, we're concentrating our search to the west of the county -
0:05:58 > 0:06:01and before we get off the starting blocks,
0:06:01 > 0:06:02we're all meeting up to make sure
0:06:02 > 0:06:07I'm up to speed on the finer details of their property wish list.
0:06:07 > 0:06:08Well, what a spot, eh?
0:06:08 > 0:06:09It's lovely, isn't it?
0:06:09 > 0:06:10- Isn't it?- Oh, it's gorgeous.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14Now, John, you're a tailor in London.
0:06:14 > 0:06:15Look, I've spruced up for you today.
0:06:15 > 0:06:19I know. And look at how I've dressed! If I'd have known...
0:06:19 > 0:06:20You've shown me up here, I tell ya.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22Finely cut, I'll have you know.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25- Great.- Give us an idea of the sort of property, then,
0:06:25 > 0:06:27that you've been dreaming about, Jane.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Right. I'd like something with character, obviously.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32I like old houses.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36Farmhouse kitchen, room to eat in the kitchen, a utility room, maybe,
0:06:36 > 0:06:38- for the dogs.- Yeah.- Three beds.
0:06:38 > 0:06:39A bit of space around.
0:06:39 > 0:06:42I just want to stretch my wings a bit.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45Now, you mentioned your daughter in Stroud, Sian.
0:06:45 > 0:06:47- Yes.- And your other daughter, Rachel, is, for the time being,
0:06:47 > 0:06:49going to come with you, so we do need to find her
0:06:49 > 0:06:52- some space in this property, as well, don't we?- Yes, we do.
0:06:52 > 0:06:53We need a room for her,
0:06:53 > 0:06:57and possibly a work room or an office that she could use.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59And what about a sense of community, John?
0:06:59 > 0:07:02Have you thought about position for this new property?
0:07:02 > 0:07:03Well, we don't want to be isolated.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05We would like something on the edge of a village,
0:07:05 > 0:07:06something like that would be ideal.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08And what about the budget, then, for all of this?
0:07:08 > 0:07:11Because, you know, Oxfordshire, famously, is not the cheapest.
0:07:11 > 0:07:15No. But we've got 500,000, maximum.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18The property market here is incredibly buoyant.
0:07:18 > 0:07:20It's clear that you want something with character
0:07:20 > 0:07:21and that lovely sort of country feel,
0:07:21 > 0:07:24farmhouse kitchen you've described, and so on.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Would you consider a semi, for example?
0:07:27 > 0:07:30Yes, I would consider a semi, yes.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33Because I know that 500 might not go as far as we'd like.
0:07:33 > 0:07:35Well, we're going to try and make it go as far as possible.
0:07:35 > 0:07:39Don't worry about it. But, yeah, I think that's fairly doable.
0:07:39 > 0:07:41You know, we do like a challenge.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44- Let's go and spend some of your money.- Come on.- Come on, then.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49For their top budget of £500,000
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Jane and John want a character property
0:07:52 > 0:07:54that has plenty of space.
0:07:54 > 0:07:56They'd like a country kitchen diner,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59and a utility room for their two dogs.
0:07:59 > 0:08:01Upstairs they're hoping for three bedrooms.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04And outside they want a garden with enough room
0:08:04 > 0:08:07for the dogs to run around. Location wise,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09somewhere on the edge of a village would be ideal.
0:08:11 > 0:08:13We've hand-picked a selection of wonderful properties
0:08:13 > 0:08:15for Jane and John to consider,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18and it will only be after they've viewed each one
0:08:18 > 0:08:20that the price will be revealed.
0:08:20 > 0:08:22Our final visit will be to our mystery house,
0:08:22 > 0:08:26which will deliver their requirements in bucket-loads,
0:08:26 > 0:08:28but with one small catch.
0:08:34 > 0:08:35With location in mind,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38we're kicking off our search in the village of Kelmscott,
0:08:38 > 0:08:40close to the Oxfordshire-Gloucestershire border.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43The village is around a one and three quarter hour commute
0:08:43 > 0:08:45from London and boasts many properties
0:08:45 > 0:08:49that are all built from attractive ochre coloured Cotswold stone.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52The renowned 19th-century designer William Morris
0:08:52 > 0:08:54described this village as heaven on earth,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58and he founded a society to preserve ancient buildings
0:08:58 > 0:08:59like those found here.
0:08:59 > 0:09:02Amenities are a short drive away in the small town of Lechlade,
0:09:02 > 0:09:05which has a good selection of shops on offer.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09But back in the heart of rural Kelmscott is our first property.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Right, then, here we are.
0:09:11 > 0:09:12Very nice.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14- Very pretty.- Yeah?- Very nice.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16What we've got for you here is a semi,
0:09:16 > 0:09:18formerly farm workers cottages.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21- Oh, right.- This one has been completely renovated
0:09:21 > 0:09:25and doubled in size with an extension to the rear.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27- OK.- What do you reckon, John?
0:09:27 > 0:09:30I think it looks very nice. I love the layout, the gardens,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33and everything else like that. It looks like, from my point of view,
0:09:33 > 0:09:35I'm not having to do much. It ticks all the boxes!
0:09:35 > 0:09:38There is nothing to do. There really is nothing to do.
0:09:38 > 0:09:39Come on, let's have a look.
0:09:41 > 0:09:44The original part of this house was built over 100 years ago,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47but the extension is just five years old
0:09:47 > 0:09:49and has been beautifully finished.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51We're heading down the side of the property
0:09:51 > 0:09:53and straight into the kitchen diner.
0:09:53 > 0:09:54Come in.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57So, this is the new extension.
0:09:57 > 0:09:58It's lovely, isn't it?
0:09:58 > 0:10:00Really beautiful.
0:10:00 > 0:10:01I love the cupboards.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04It's got that lovely crisp new feel to it.
0:10:04 > 0:10:06- It's lovely.- There's a big utility room through there.
0:10:06 > 0:10:09Oh, yes. They've got dogs and obviously
0:10:09 > 0:10:12they appreciate having that kind of boot room,
0:10:12 > 0:10:13as well, for them.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15- So far so good?- Yeah.
0:10:15 > 0:10:17- Yes.- It all drifts rather nicely into here,
0:10:17 > 0:10:21- which is the main living room. - Oh, this is a lovely room.
0:10:21 > 0:10:23- It is, isn't it? - Yeah, it's really light.
0:10:23 > 0:10:25And I love the wood burner.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27Yeah. Lit today, just for us.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29I was hoping. I was hoping there would be one.
0:10:29 > 0:10:32The nice thing about this, because they added the extension,
0:10:32 > 0:10:35they've been able to knock through what would have been two rooms here
0:10:35 > 0:10:37to create this great big family room.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40One thing where a lot of older characterful properties
0:10:40 > 0:10:42struggle with is storage space.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44In terms of bedrooms and that sort of thing.
0:10:44 > 0:10:45But I think this might work.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Come and have a look.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Above us are three bedrooms.
0:10:50 > 0:10:53There is a double at the front of the house with its own shower room.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56Next to that is a single with space for a desk,
0:10:56 > 0:10:58and at the back there's another double.
0:10:58 > 0:11:01This is what is currently used as the master bedroom
0:11:01 > 0:11:02- by the owners at the moment.- Yeah.
0:11:02 > 0:11:06You may think they should have gone for the en-suite down there,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08but they prefer the views over the fields that way.
0:11:08 > 0:11:11Oh, yeah, that's a lovely view, isn't it?
0:11:11 > 0:11:14- Nice room.- You've got the family bathroom right next door.
0:11:14 > 0:11:16I mean, you could actually put a door in the corridor
0:11:16 > 0:11:20and it would create, effectively, an en-suite master suite for you.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23It's beautifully finished. We love all the details on it,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25but I don't think there's quite enough room for us.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28I think it's a little bit small, to be honest.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31I think, when we get to the price,
0:11:31 > 0:11:32it will rather...
0:11:34 > 0:11:37- OK.- ...set out the landscape that we are battling with here
0:11:37 > 0:11:39in terms of Oxfordshire's property market
0:11:39 > 0:11:41and what you get for your money.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44- OK.- Let's go outside and talk about the numbers.- OK.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48The garden here sits mainly to the side of the house
0:11:48 > 0:11:50and is accessed from the kitchen.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54There's a well maintained lawn, bordered by trees and flowerbeds,
0:11:54 > 0:11:56as well as a garden shed, a greenhouse,
0:11:56 > 0:12:01and a patio with wonderful views across the fields beyond.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04And there are also some unexpected feathered friends.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06- Listen to that.- Oh, chickens, John.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09- It's the sound of the country. - The sound of the country.
0:12:09 > 0:12:10You said you wanted chickens.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14I did. I'm not sure I'm ready for them now, but I do want them.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17And there we have our nicely extended
0:12:17 > 0:12:19former farm workers cottage.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21I sort of feel that Jules is leading us onto something here.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23And he's going to say, "And what about the price?"
0:12:23 > 0:12:27And then we're going to be, "Ooh.."
0:12:27 > 0:12:29Right, go on, then, John, make us an offer.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31Well, I think it's bang on the money, Jules.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33I think it's about the 500,000.
0:12:33 > 0:12:37- I'm going to go a bit less, I think. - Uh-huh.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39475.
0:12:39 > 0:12:41You're not far, mate. It's on at 495,000,
0:12:41 > 0:12:43so it is pretty much everything.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46- Bang on the money.- I can understand that because it is a lovely house,
0:12:46 > 0:12:47the setting and everything you were saying.
0:12:47 > 0:12:49I was just being a bit hopeful, I think.
0:12:49 > 0:12:53Well, look, go and have a wander round. The house is yours.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55And I will come and find you a little bit later on.
0:12:55 > 0:12:56- OK.- Thanks very much, Jules.
0:12:56 > 0:12:57- Take your time.- Yeah.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01This extended semidetached house has come in
0:13:01 > 0:13:04just under Jane and John's budget,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06leaving them with £5,000 to play with.
0:13:06 > 0:13:09It's got loads of character, a kitchen diner,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11and just the right number of bedrooms.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Now, it may not be as roomy as they'd like,
0:13:14 > 0:13:15which is something that comes with
0:13:15 > 0:13:17the pricey territory they're searching in,
0:13:17 > 0:13:20but there's a pretty garden with views and it's well located
0:13:20 > 0:13:23in the heart of a quiet village.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25On first impression, I've got to be honest,
0:13:25 > 0:13:26I really liked the look of the house.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28It's still got the elements which I really like,
0:13:28 > 0:13:31of still having a bit of old, but inside very modern and very new,
0:13:31 > 0:13:33done in a sympathetic way.
0:13:33 > 0:13:38It's gorgeous. And looking inside it's absolutely stunningly done up.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40There's not a thing to do.
0:13:40 > 0:13:41It's lovely.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43I couldn't find fault with it.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46The only thing I would say, I'm just not sure that it's big enough.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50Got quite a big house now and I'm wondering if we can fit in.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53We've got a lot to do. We've got more properties to see.
0:13:53 > 0:13:54So, shall we?
0:13:54 > 0:13:56- Yes. Let's go.- Lead on.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Oxfordshire's countryside is the perfect setting
0:14:04 > 0:14:07for a number of stately homes and grounds,
0:14:07 > 0:14:10including the striking Waterperry House and Gardens
0:14:10 > 0:14:12to the east of Oxford.
0:14:12 > 0:14:14Parts of the house date back to the 17th century
0:14:14 > 0:14:16when it was a private home
0:14:16 > 0:14:20and it sits in an 83 acre oasis of vibrant flowers,
0:14:20 > 0:14:23manicured lawns and shapely hedges.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27In the 1930s the site was a school of horticulture for ladies,
0:14:27 > 0:14:30and when it closed in the '70s the house and gardens,
0:14:30 > 0:14:33that had been nurtured so carefully by the students,
0:14:33 > 0:14:35were taken over by a charity.
0:14:35 > 0:14:40Today, Waterperry Gardens welcomes around 35,000 visitors a year,
0:14:40 > 0:14:44and Jane and John have come to meet horticultural manager Robert Jacobs
0:14:44 > 0:14:47to learn more about these resplendent Gardens.
0:14:47 > 0:14:51So what's the thinking behind the design layout of the gardens?
0:14:51 > 0:14:53It's education. We're always trying to teach.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56You want to have colour all the time,
0:14:56 > 0:14:58so we have a lupine season early in the year,
0:14:58 > 0:15:00a delphinium season in high summer
0:15:00 > 0:15:03and then you finish the season with the Michaelmas daisies.
0:15:03 > 0:15:05What's the best thing on show at this time of year?
0:15:05 > 0:15:09Well, we're high into the early autumn now at the moment
0:15:09 > 0:15:10and the big thing is the fruit.
0:15:10 > 0:15:14The top fruits, you'll see pears and lots of lovely apples.
0:15:14 > 0:15:18As well as the 8-9 acres of ornamental gardens here,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21there are also five acres of orchards,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24but when it comes to the fruit trees,
0:15:24 > 0:15:26not everything is as it first seems.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28So, here we are.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31A piece of horticultural magic, this is our family tree.
0:15:31 > 0:15:36We grow approximately 60 different varieties of apples.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40We've managed to get 50 apples on one tree.
0:15:40 > 0:15:44That's 50 different varieties growing on the family tree,
0:15:44 > 0:15:46which sounds pretty amazing.
0:15:46 > 0:15:48It was an epic experiment,
0:15:48 > 0:15:49and achieved by grafting cuttings
0:15:49 > 0:15:52from various apple trees onto the one tree -
0:15:52 > 0:15:55and from the juicy array of fruit now hanging from the branches,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57it's clearly been a success.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59Can you use any type of apple?
0:15:59 > 0:16:02The apples that we eat and we cook with
0:16:02 > 0:16:04are an apple called malus domesticas,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07so, so long as it's made of domesticas,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10originally from Kazakhstan, you can use it.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Which are the best eaters and cookers?
0:16:12 > 0:16:15England's a place where we have a tradition of having cookers.
0:16:15 > 0:16:16In France and on the Continent
0:16:16 > 0:16:20they tend to just cook whatever apple's available to cook with.
0:16:20 > 0:16:22As far as eating, it's down to your tastes
0:16:22 > 0:16:25and also the season, because it's really important.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28Apples come on in a season and that's why you have your early,
0:16:28 > 0:16:30your mids and your lates.
0:16:30 > 0:16:31And the tastes are different.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34And they've all got their own characteristics in that time.
0:16:34 > 0:16:36Surrounded by so much ripe fruit,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39Jane and John going to get the chance to harvest some themselves.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Apple crops are ready to pick between August and November.
0:16:43 > 0:16:44We've got some picking bags here.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46- OK.- Head through there.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48Arms through these two holes.
0:16:48 > 0:16:50That's it. First time.
0:16:50 > 0:16:53When you're picking, pick with the palm of the hand and roll-up.
0:16:53 > 0:16:55You don't want to crush the apple.
0:16:55 > 0:16:57So, if you can fill the bag, I'll get the box ready.
0:16:57 > 0:16:59- OK.- Right.- Let's do it.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02Ripening under the sun coupled with low night-time temperatures,
0:17:02 > 0:17:06helps the sugars to develop, which makes them sweet to eat
0:17:06 > 0:17:08and produces a rosy red glow on the skin.
0:17:08 > 0:17:12Each year over 40,000 kilos of Waterperry apples
0:17:12 > 0:17:15produces 25-30,000 bottles of apple juice
0:17:15 > 0:17:17which is sold here on site
0:17:17 > 0:17:20and also in local shops and restaurants.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22Jane and John are going to have a go
0:17:22 > 0:17:25at transforming the fruit into delicious juice.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28But they're not using the industrial sized press in the pressing room,
0:17:28 > 0:17:30rather, they're using a hand press,
0:17:30 > 0:17:34similar to the method used before mechanisation.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37We're looking to produce something like that if you can.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40- Oh.- These are the apples that you picked earlier.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42John, I'll need you to turn the handle.
0:17:42 > 0:17:44If you can feed the apples in, Jane,
0:17:44 > 0:17:47and then once we've filled up enough we're going to swing this over,
0:17:47 > 0:17:49this is the press -
0:17:49 > 0:17:52and from there on you will be producing apple juice.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57- Keep adding it in.- I'm afraid we've got a long way to go, Jane.
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Oh! I'm doing it as fast as I can.
0:18:01 > 0:18:04You can see why these days they're mechanical.
0:18:04 > 0:18:06- Yeah.- Instead we have John.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09You definitely get that real smell of apples.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11- Yeah.- I'm going to be looking forward to this juice
0:18:11 > 0:18:13after all this.
0:18:14 > 0:18:15Juice is starting to come through.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Is there anything else they will ever add into it?
0:18:18 > 0:18:19We only add a bit of vitamin C.
0:18:19 > 0:18:22Because you'll see, it's starting to go brown already.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25And that's it, just when you cut into any apple, eat into any apple,
0:18:25 > 0:18:27it's oxidising.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30- Yeah.- So, as you're cooking, you add a little bit of lemon juice.
0:18:30 > 0:18:32- Yeah.- It clears it all up.
0:18:32 > 0:18:33Actually, it does make you
0:18:33 > 0:18:35appreciate what you drink, doesn't it?
0:18:35 > 0:18:38When you think what goes into making a glass of apple juice.
0:18:38 > 0:18:40Yeah. There we go.
0:18:40 > 0:18:41THEY CHEER
0:18:43 > 0:18:46The lid of the press is closed and secured,
0:18:46 > 0:18:48then, as the handle is turned,
0:18:48 > 0:18:51the pulp is squeezed and the juice extracted.
0:18:51 > 0:18:52Here it comes.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56Well, here we are, looks like cappuccino, doesn't it?
0:18:56 > 0:18:58Yeah, well, basically, that's the product.
0:18:58 > 0:19:02Just a bit of filtration, vitamin C, to clear it up.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04Well, I'm going to try it now.
0:19:04 > 0:19:05Cheers.
0:19:07 > 0:19:08That is absolutely lovely.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10Really. John, you try some.
0:19:10 > 0:19:12I'd love to. Thank you very much.
0:19:15 > 0:19:16That is lovely, Rob.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18That is excellent.
0:19:18 > 0:19:20Well, thank you very much for all your knowledge and help, there.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23- Really enjoyed it. - You're both very welcome.
0:19:23 > 0:19:26I'm glad you enjoyed the day. And good luck with the house hunt.
0:19:26 > 0:19:27Oh, thank you.
0:19:30 > 0:19:31Our house search continues
0:19:31 > 0:19:34as we journey to the village of Chadlington
0:19:34 > 0:19:37in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
0:19:37 > 0:19:40This archetypal Cotswold village is renowned
0:19:40 > 0:19:42not least because the constituency address
0:19:42 > 0:19:45of Prime Minister David Cameron is nearby.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49Locals are served by a handful of essential shops and a village pub.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Just a few minutes drive away is the town of Charlbury,
0:19:52 > 0:19:54where there's a wider selection of amenities
0:19:54 > 0:19:56and also a useful train station
0:19:56 > 0:20:00which would get John into London in under an hour and a half.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Back in Chadlington we find ourselves
0:20:02 > 0:20:05at our second property in the heart of the village.
0:20:05 > 0:20:08- Oh!- Oh! It's fabulous.
0:20:08 > 0:20:10- Yes?- I'm really excited.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12It's really gorgeous.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15- CHURCH BELL TOLLS Oh!- Church.- And a working church.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19There you are. There we are. That's the sound of the country, isn't it?
0:20:19 > 0:20:23- Yes.- I'm just already getting really excited.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27Now, this one absolutely is packed full of character features.
0:20:27 > 0:20:32It's about 1750 and has been in the same family since 1920.
0:20:32 > 0:20:34It does need a bit of updating -
0:20:34 > 0:20:37and this is one you can really put your stamp on, I think,
0:20:37 > 0:20:38in terms of making your home
0:20:38 > 0:20:42- without feeling that it's all produced for you.- Exciting.
0:20:42 > 0:20:45- Yes.- Come on, let's have a look inside.- Great.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48This end of terrace cottage is Grade II listed
0:20:48 > 0:20:50and is built of Cotswold stone -
0:20:50 > 0:20:53and its facade hides a rather special home within.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57To the right of the front door off the hallway is a cosy sitting room.
0:20:57 > 0:20:58Now, then, Jane.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02- Wow.- A bit of period charm for you.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04Well, you've definitely done that for me.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06- It's very, very nice. - What do you think, John?- I like it.
0:21:06 > 0:21:08I know Jane will, because this is everything
0:21:08 > 0:21:10that she loves about the house - the wood burner,
0:21:10 > 0:21:12the whole look of the place and everything else.
0:21:12 > 0:21:14It does ramble a bit, this one.
0:21:14 > 0:21:16The kitchen area at the moment is here.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19- Oh, right, yeah. - You've got a cellar down there,
0:21:19 > 0:21:21quite a decent size, about the size of that room.
0:21:21 > 0:21:25- Right.- And there's a thought that it might have been a pub
0:21:25 > 0:21:26- once upon a time.- OK.
0:21:26 > 0:21:30Because it's the only property in this street with a cellar.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33There's a utility area through here
0:21:33 > 0:21:35which goes out to a very traditional looking scullery.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Well, it's got lots of character, Jules,
0:21:37 > 0:21:40and that's what, really, what I think Jane's interested in.
0:21:40 > 0:21:42I wanted the character, something a bit different.
0:21:42 > 0:21:43I think it's got a lot of scope
0:21:43 > 0:21:46for you to turn it into something that you really want
0:21:46 > 0:21:49without taking anything away from what's already here.
0:21:49 > 0:21:51You'd have this space, reception area,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54but also we've got a separate living room for you next door.
0:21:54 > 0:21:56- Oh, right. - Come and have a look at this.
0:21:59 > 0:22:02So, we leave the sort of higgledy-piggledy bits behind.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04- Right.- And step into a little more elegance.
0:22:04 > 0:22:05Oh, this is lovely, as well.
0:22:05 > 0:22:07- Isn't it?- Very cosy.
0:22:07 > 0:22:08- It's gorgeous.- Yeah.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10I think the house has so much character.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12It's fantastic. The beams, the fireplace,
0:22:12 > 0:22:16everything about it is just quite special.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18And the character continues on the first floor
0:22:18 > 0:22:21where there's a beamed family bathroom
0:22:21 > 0:22:23that serves four double bedrooms.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26There is a spacious room with a feature fireplace.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30And up again on the floor above there are two bedrooms in the eaves,
0:22:30 > 0:22:32each with its own charm.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35Then, back down on the first floor, is the master.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40Oh! Isn't it lovely?
0:22:40 > 0:22:41John.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43- Gorgeous.- Boudoir, Jane.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- Yes.- My kind of room.
0:22:45 > 0:22:49I think this is certainly the one that oozes character, to me.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51- Yes.- I really want to get you outside into the garden
0:22:51 > 0:22:53because there is one more little treat
0:22:53 > 0:22:55to show you out there, and the garden itself is probably
0:22:55 > 0:23:00a lot bigger then you're expecting, too, so, follow me through here.
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Outside, a patio leads to a neat lawn, bordered by flower beds,
0:23:04 > 0:23:05hedges and trees.
0:23:05 > 0:23:06Oh! This is amazing.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10- Isn't that lovely? Now, this studio...- I've spotted it!- Yes.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13Keep that in your minds. Oh, wow.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16But the garden is long and thin and it comes up here.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19And you've got all of this, as well.
0:23:19 > 0:23:21Wow. This is fantastic.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23It's so beautiful.
0:23:23 > 0:23:26And it goes up just beyond those tall conifers at the end.
0:23:26 > 0:23:30You've got the studio there which I'm sure Rachel will really enjoy.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33Oh, yes. So, it is price time.
0:23:33 > 0:23:34It's that time again, is it?
0:23:34 > 0:23:37- It's that time, Jane. So... - Right, well...
0:23:37 > 0:23:38Give us your best guess.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41- I'm going to say 495. - 495. Yeah, John?
0:23:41 > 0:23:43I'm going to go a bit lower on this one.
0:23:43 > 0:23:45I'm feeling a bit cooler about it.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47So I'll go 475.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Well, I'm afraid it's not 495 or indeed 475,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53but it is several fives,
0:23:53 > 0:23:56I'm afraid. It's 525.
0:23:56 > 0:23:57- OK.- Oh, is it?
0:23:57 > 0:24:00But open to sensible offers.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02- OK.- In a certain way I'm not surprised,
0:24:02 > 0:24:04because the house is lovely and it's got such a garden,
0:24:04 > 0:24:06and where it is, situated like that,
0:24:06 > 0:24:08it's just what the value of the house is
0:24:08 > 0:24:11and what you would think it is worth to you.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13Take as long as you want. Understand it.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15See if you can find a solution
0:24:15 > 0:24:17and I'll come and find you a little bit later.
0:24:17 > 0:24:18- OK.- OK.- Thanks very much.- OK.
0:24:21 > 0:24:25This delightful period cottage may be on the market
0:24:25 > 0:24:28for £25,000 over Jane and John's budget,
0:24:28 > 0:24:31but the owners may be open to a sensible offer.
0:24:31 > 0:24:32The country kitchen is certainly
0:24:32 > 0:24:35full of quirky character, and there's also room for the dogs.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38The cottage comes with one more bedroom than they asked for,
0:24:38 > 0:24:41and outside provides a rather lovely garden
0:24:41 > 0:24:44with a studio that could be ideal for daughter Rachel.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47Coming in, it's just a beautiful house.
0:24:47 > 0:24:49Lovely features.
0:24:49 > 0:24:52Just the sort of thing I'm looking for.
0:24:52 > 0:24:54Lovely cosy feel.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56It's just the one thing, is the kitchen.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58It's not really workable for us at the moment,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01but if we could do something, have an extension at the back,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04then I think it would be the perfect house.
0:25:04 > 0:25:05We really love the garden.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07It's got so much going on there.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10It's almost like two gardens in one, because the first part you've got,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12which is a really lovely manicured garden.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14And then when you go past that,
0:25:14 > 0:25:17it's got this lovely open garden with a little gazebo there.
0:25:17 > 0:25:19- We're getting there, aren't we? - I think so.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21I've quite a good feeling about it.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24- You've just got to be able to afford it.- It's the money, yes.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26- I know, it's the money. - Always the money.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29It's always the money - but this isn't the only property, of course,
0:25:29 > 0:25:30we are showing you this week.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32But it's worth thinking about and putting it on the list, maybe.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34- Definitely.- Definitely. - Right, come on.
0:25:44 > 0:25:46It's the second day of our Oxfordshire adventure,
0:25:46 > 0:25:49searching out a characterful country house for Jane and John
0:25:49 > 0:25:51from St Albans in Hertfordshire -
0:25:51 > 0:25:55and with a top budget of £500,000 in their pockets,
0:25:55 > 0:25:59they're ready to wave goodbye to the city to be closer to loved ones.
0:25:59 > 0:26:03And we've got a knockout mystery house to come.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04Mind your head, John.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09- Come over here, mate. - Nothing like a bit of slapstick.
0:26:09 > 0:26:10And I'll be stepping back in time
0:26:10 > 0:26:14when I visit one of Britain's most impressive manor houses.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15Oh! Wow.
0:26:15 > 0:26:17This is incredible.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20Well, with their house search now well underway,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23our task of trying to find Jane and John a home
0:26:23 > 0:26:26has been further complicated by the need to help them
0:26:26 > 0:26:30reassess their expectations as to just how far their budget can go,
0:26:30 > 0:26:34here in one of the most expensive property markets in the country.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37But, with one more property to come, our mystery house,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41can we strike that magic balance between aspiration and reality?
0:26:41 > 0:26:42Well, let's see.
0:26:47 > 0:26:48For our last visit
0:26:48 > 0:26:50we are nipping just over Oxfordshire's western border
0:26:50 > 0:26:53into Gloucestershire - and closer to Jane's daughter, Sian.
0:26:53 > 0:26:57Our destination is the Cotswold village of Little Rissington.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Pretty stone houses are a feature here, lining the narrow streets,
0:27:01 > 0:27:04and the village hall is the centre of the local community.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Just two miles away is Bourton-on-the-Water,
0:27:07 > 0:27:10which is one of the most famous and quaint of Cotswold towns.
0:27:10 > 0:27:13Here, lots of shops and restaurants can be found
0:27:13 > 0:27:17sitting either side of the River Windrush.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20A few minutes drive away, back in the heart of Little Rissington,
0:27:20 > 0:27:21is our final offering.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24Right, then. There we are.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28- The riddle is over. This is our mystery house.- Wow!
0:27:28 > 0:27:32It is technically a semi - but what a semi.
0:27:32 > 0:27:33It's fabulous.
0:27:33 > 0:27:37- I don't know what to say. - Well, we have shown you, I think,
0:27:37 > 0:27:40some really good examples of Cotswold property this week,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43but, to me, we have saved the best till last.
0:27:43 > 0:27:45- This is classic.- Yeah. - We think it's about 17th century -
0:27:45 > 0:27:48the oldest of the lot that we've been able to show you -
0:27:48 > 0:27:50and it's all brand-new.
0:27:50 > 0:27:52- All right.- Let's see what you think.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56Our mystery farmhouse couldn't be more appealing on the outside.
0:27:56 > 0:28:00With its facade of Cotswold stone, mullioned windows,
0:28:00 > 0:28:02and roll-moulded stone steps.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04It was extended to the rear late last century
0:28:04 > 0:28:07and has been recently renovated on the inside.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11The property is currently vacant and just awaiting its new owners.
0:28:11 > 0:28:14We're heading straight into the largest reception room.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17I'm very, very excited to see what you think of this.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19You've got the wow.
0:28:19 > 0:28:20It's got the beams.
0:28:20 > 0:28:21They're not too low, are they?
0:28:21 > 0:28:23No, no, but it's a lovely space.
0:28:23 > 0:28:25Oh, God, it's gorgeous.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27Love the fireplace.
0:28:28 > 0:28:31- You're giggling! - I just shed a tear there.
0:28:31 > 0:28:32Oh, good.
0:28:32 > 0:28:36It's got all those classic hallmarks of a beautiful Cotswold property.
0:28:36 > 0:28:39I know. I can see. It's lovely.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43It's got character in spades and just looks so big and lovely.
0:28:43 > 0:28:45It's incredible.
0:28:45 > 0:28:48This would have been like the main reception room.
0:28:48 > 0:28:51It clearly will fulfil that function
0:28:51 > 0:28:53as probably your main sort of living space,
0:28:53 > 0:28:57but we've got the addition of this other reception room,
0:28:57 > 0:28:59or dining room, or whatever you want it to be.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02Again, another really lovely space.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05- Oh, yes.- It's had a lot of thought put into it...- Yeah.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09..to give it that modern twist, to make it amenable to modern life.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11Not least the kitchen.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14- Check this out.- Can't wait.
0:29:14 > 0:29:16All crisp, all new.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18Oh, it's lovely.
0:29:18 > 0:29:19I love the colour it's done.
0:29:19 > 0:29:21Everything's integrated.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23Fridge, washing machine etc.
0:29:23 > 0:29:25- Oh, is it?- Downstairs loo here.
0:29:25 > 0:29:28The new boiler is in there.
0:29:28 > 0:29:30I love this idea, here. I think that really works.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32- You can imagine the table. - Table there.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35With that little, sort of... That little nook there.
0:29:35 > 0:29:37It sounds like Jane and John's furniture's
0:29:37 > 0:29:39already moved into our mystery house,
0:29:39 > 0:29:43and there's also lots to capture their imagination upstairs.
0:29:43 > 0:29:45On the first floor, bedrooms provide
0:29:45 > 0:29:48just as much period charm as downstairs.
0:29:48 > 0:29:50There is a double with a feature window seat,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53and aspects to both front and rear.
0:29:53 > 0:29:56A smaller, but equally well finished room
0:29:56 > 0:29:59sits opposite a beautifully tiled family bathroom -
0:29:59 > 0:30:01but we're heading up to the second floor,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04where there is what can only be described as a master suite.
0:30:04 > 0:30:07So, here we are, right at the top of the building,
0:30:07 > 0:30:08in amongst the roof timbers.
0:30:08 > 0:30:10- Come over here. - Mind your head, John.
0:30:13 > 0:30:16- Come over here, mate. - Nothing like a bit of slapstick.
0:30:16 > 0:30:18We love the finish on it. It really is interesting.
0:30:18 > 0:30:21- It's lovely, isn't it? - And the beams and everything.
0:30:21 > 0:30:22It gives you the entire top floor,
0:30:22 > 0:30:24and you've got this en suite through here.
0:30:24 > 0:30:25This is very different.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29It's got this lovely ceramic floor.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32- Underfloor heating.- Oh, my goodness.
0:30:33 > 0:30:35- Look at that.- There's a bath, eh?
0:30:35 > 0:30:37- Yeah.- Can you see yourself in there?
0:30:37 > 0:30:39I definitely can.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41The shower's lovely - a kind of waterfall shower.
0:30:41 > 0:30:42Oh, it's lovely.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44I love it.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46- Do you love it?- I do.
0:30:46 > 0:30:47I do. I do... I'm not going to be...
0:30:47 > 0:30:48Yes, I love it. I love it.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51I do. There's certain things, cos it's got that smallness about it
0:30:51 > 0:30:53- to me, I feel like I'm going to be...- Yes.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55Around about. But the style and finish of it is absolutely...
0:30:55 > 0:30:58Smallness in terms of the access up the stairs
0:30:58 > 0:30:59to get to this master bedroom?
0:30:59 > 0:31:02- Yeah.- Right. But the house, as a whole, I think you'd agree...
0:31:02 > 0:31:04- Oh, wow.- It's just unbelievable. - It's absolutely stunning.
0:31:04 > 0:31:06..is a step forward in size and space.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08Yeah, definitely.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12There's no two ways about it - this house is stunning.
0:31:12 > 0:31:14But because the old farmhouse and outbuildings here
0:31:14 > 0:31:16were converted into five homes,
0:31:16 > 0:31:19it means the outside space that comes with our mystery house
0:31:19 > 0:31:23is rather compact, consisting of just a small courtyard.
0:31:23 > 0:31:27It does, however, encompass two parking spaces there.
0:31:27 > 0:31:28OK.
0:31:28 > 0:31:29That is the downside.
0:31:29 > 0:31:30- But you get...- I know, I know.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32..all of that. Have a seat.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35Come on, let's give this one a bit of consideration.
0:31:35 > 0:31:37It's a lovely house.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39- Beautiful.- It moved you, I think.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42It did. I... I got there.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44I mean, it isn't the garden I wanted,
0:31:44 > 0:31:46but I think you could overcome it, actually.
0:31:46 > 0:31:51Just looking at this hedge, here, you could actually extend that,
0:31:51 > 0:31:54and that would actually make a big difference.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57OK, well, look, let's... Let's finish it all off, shall we?
0:31:57 > 0:31:59Final guess of the week.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01Shall I go first on this one?
0:32:01 > 0:32:02- Go on, then, John.- Yeah, you go.- OK.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05I would say it's right at the top end of our budget,
0:32:05 > 0:32:06and I'm thinking five...
0:32:06 > 0:32:10Hoping, hoping 525.
0:32:10 > 0:32:11I think I'll go 510.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15510. You're hoping at 525.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18Here's hoping, then.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21- 495.- Wow.
0:32:21 > 0:32:22- Wow.- That's a shock.
0:32:22 > 0:32:25- A good one.- A pleasant one. - A good shock.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27Yeah. Go and wander around.
0:32:27 > 0:32:28Be inspired. Soak it up...
0:32:28 > 0:32:30- OK.- ..and I will come and find you a little bit later on.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32- OK.- Thank you.- Off you go.- OK.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37Oof. And in the meantime, house tour's over - I'm going to relax.
0:32:39 > 0:32:41This beautiful 17th-century farmhouse
0:32:41 > 0:32:43would leave our buyers £5,000 spare
0:32:43 > 0:32:47from their budget, if they made it their home.
0:32:47 > 0:32:50It's full of character, and has the space they want,
0:32:50 > 0:32:54with two reception rooms, plus a spacious kitchen/diner.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57There are enough bedrooms for their daughter and guests,
0:32:57 > 0:32:59and, throughout the house,
0:32:59 > 0:33:02everything has been finished to a really high standard.
0:33:02 > 0:33:04The only compromise that I can see
0:33:04 > 0:33:06is the lack of a meaningful garden for the dogs.
0:33:08 > 0:33:10Do you know what? I just want to see what it's like
0:33:10 > 0:33:13if you were lying in bed here. I know it's a bit crazy...
0:33:13 > 0:33:15- What, you want us to lie down on the floor?- Just lie down. OK.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18This is a bit different, isn't it?
0:33:20 > 0:33:23- Oh.- Ah. I think our bed would fit in this space.
0:33:23 > 0:33:24Definitely, yeah.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27- As we are lying here on the floor, I think it would.- Yeah.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29I am a bit blown away with this house.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31It's stunning.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33When we... When I saw it from the outside, I thought,
0:33:33 > 0:33:35"Oh, this is going to be it, this is going to be it."
0:33:35 > 0:33:39And when I came in, I nearly cried, actually, it was so gorgeous.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43And it's just the sort of thing I was looking for.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45When we came inside and the house opened up,
0:33:45 > 0:33:47it was so beautifully finished, we were just, like,
0:33:47 > 0:33:49quite knocked out by it, and looking round the house
0:33:49 > 0:33:50was really interesting and that.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52All the way they've done all the features to it,
0:33:52 > 0:33:55the way the fireplace looked and all that - it was just incredible.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57We're going to go away and seriously think
0:33:57 > 0:33:59what we could do with that back patio.
0:34:01 > 0:34:03But it's a lovely house.
0:34:05 > 0:34:08You have challenged me this week, but I think we got there.
0:34:08 > 0:34:10I think we might have.
0:34:10 > 0:34:12Possibly. But we've certainly giving you lots to think about,
0:34:12 > 0:34:14so I think that's what you need to do.
0:34:14 > 0:34:15Go and mull it all over,
0:34:15 > 0:34:17and then we'll see what happens next, shall we?
0:34:17 > 0:34:20- Yeah.- OK.- After you.- OK.
0:34:25 > 0:34:28As we've seen, the Oxfordshire landscape
0:34:28 > 0:34:30lends itself to fabulous architectural delights,
0:34:30 > 0:34:32and Chastleton House,
0:34:32 > 0:34:34near Moreton-in-Marsh in the Cotswolds,
0:34:34 > 0:34:36is one of the rarest.
0:34:36 > 0:34:40It was built at the beginning of the 17th century for Walter Jones,
0:34:40 > 0:34:42a wool merchant and one of the nouveau riche
0:34:42 > 0:34:45who was climbing the social ladder
0:34:45 > 0:34:48and wanted to show off his fortune through his home.
0:34:48 > 0:34:49Over 200 years later,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52it was one of his descendants, Walter Jones Whitmore,
0:34:52 > 0:34:55who made his name through his passion for croquet.
0:34:55 > 0:34:59The house is thought to be one of the finest examples
0:34:59 > 0:35:02of a complete Jacobean building still surviving in England.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04The family sold it in the 1990s
0:35:04 > 0:35:08and it was then gifted to the National Trust and the nation.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11I've come to meet conservation assistant
0:35:11 > 0:35:12Julie Davies to learn more.
0:35:12 > 0:35:14We're heading straight to the Great Hall,
0:35:14 > 0:35:17where an 18 foot table has been standing
0:35:17 > 0:35:21since it was built in situ 400 years ago.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25Oh, wow, this is wonderful.
0:35:25 > 0:35:27An amazing space, isn't it?
0:35:27 > 0:35:31I mean, it's been described as a 17th century time capsule,
0:35:31 > 0:35:35but when you get inside it, you absolutely get that, don't you?
0:35:35 > 0:35:37Oh, definitely, yes.
0:35:37 > 0:35:40And, dare I say it, I can't help but notice all the dust.
0:35:40 > 0:35:43And the slightly shabby feel.
0:35:43 > 0:35:45Is that something I'm allowed to mention?
0:35:45 > 0:35:47Yes, it's a Chastleton trademark.
0:35:48 > 0:35:50It certainly has that sense that the family
0:35:50 > 0:35:52literally just got up and left, almost yesterday.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Well, it was quite recently when the family left,
0:35:55 > 0:35:57it was only 1991 when the last lady of the house left.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01And do you think the scale of the property had just overwhelmed her
0:36:01 > 0:36:03- at that point?- Oh, yes, I mean the upkeep on a place like this,
0:36:03 > 0:36:05as you can imagine, is enormous.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09The roof space alone, the roof, keeping that watertight, etc.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12But in a way, I suppose that tells part of the story
0:36:12 > 0:36:17as to how it survived as this wonderful Jacobean example?
0:36:17 > 0:36:21Oh, yes. The family didn't have the funds to sort of update it
0:36:21 > 0:36:24and put your Georgian facade on the front and make it look more modern.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27They never had those funds, so it remains a time capsule, as you say.
0:36:27 > 0:36:29So do you think they were slightly eccentric
0:36:29 > 0:36:32to set about building this at the time?
0:36:32 > 0:36:34Well, the idea was they would enter the gentry
0:36:34 > 0:36:36and become part of the aristocracy and live that life,
0:36:36 > 0:36:37and of course, to do that,
0:36:37 > 0:36:39you need a large house and lots of land.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42And you're buying, I suppose, a sense of pedigree, aren't you,
0:36:42 > 0:36:44in terms of the way you furnish it,
0:36:44 > 0:36:46the way to decorate it and the way you design it?
0:36:46 > 0:36:48That's right, yes.
0:36:48 > 0:36:52The house was in the same family for almost four centuries -
0:36:52 > 0:36:55and, fortuitously, it was their make-do-and-mend philosophy
0:36:55 > 0:36:59which has meant Chastleton has remained preserved in time.
0:36:59 > 0:37:01When it acquired the property and all that comes with it,
0:37:01 > 0:37:04the National Trust decided to continue this philosophy
0:37:04 > 0:37:07and has employed a keep-as-found approach -
0:37:07 > 0:37:11and nowhere is it more evident than below stairs,
0:37:11 > 0:37:14which had lain untouched for over half a century.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16So we're heading down the kitchen.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19- Ooh.- Yes, the temperature drops considerably when you get down here.
0:37:19 > 0:37:20Doesn't it?
0:37:20 > 0:37:22Oh, look at that, all the bells.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25I mean, this would have been the kind of operations room, I suppose,
0:37:25 > 0:37:26- for a house like this?- Oh, yes,
0:37:26 > 0:37:28it would have been a hive of activity in its day.
0:37:28 > 0:37:30Look at that, "Nursery"...
0:37:30 > 0:37:31is that "Doctor's Chamber"?
0:37:31 > 0:37:33- Yes.- They had a doctor here?
0:37:33 > 0:37:34"Master Bedroom"...
0:37:34 > 0:37:38- and "Best Bedroom". I wonder what the difference was.- I have no idea!
0:37:38 > 0:37:42I love that rather medieval looking serving hatch as well.
0:37:42 > 0:37:44Yes, that's amazing. It leads us through to the kitchen.
0:37:44 > 0:37:45After you.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50Oh. Wow.
0:37:51 > 0:37:53This is incredible.
0:37:53 > 0:37:55This is astonishing.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57Nothing's changed in here.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00When the doors closed on this room in the early 1930s,
0:38:00 > 0:38:04it was all left in this condition, and that's how we found it.
0:38:04 > 0:38:07The ceiling looks like it needs a little bit of work, but,
0:38:07 > 0:38:11I imagine that's all part of the conservation ethic here?
0:38:11 > 0:38:14There's a story behind the ceiling, that's why we've left it as it is.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18Family legend says if you disturb the ceiling
0:38:18 > 0:38:20ill will befall the family,
0:38:20 > 0:38:22so, hence, it was always left like this,
0:38:22 > 0:38:26so it's got 400 years of smoke and fat on there
0:38:26 > 0:38:28and we've retained that,
0:38:28 > 0:38:30because it tells the story of the house.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34And that story continues upstairs in the great chamber.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36Look at that. What would have happened in here?
0:38:36 > 0:38:38This is where all the important visitors
0:38:38 > 0:38:40would have come and been entertained.
0:38:40 > 0:38:44I know it seemed odd, it being on the first floor,
0:38:44 > 0:38:46but they would have brought them up here because it's such a grand room
0:38:46 > 0:38:48and it would have shown off their wealth.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52An even more impressive room is up on the second floor -
0:38:52 > 0:38:54and it may look familiar.
0:38:54 > 0:38:58All 72 feet of it recently featured in the television adaptation
0:38:58 > 0:38:59of the novel Wolf Hall,
0:38:59 > 0:39:03telling the 16th century story of Thomas Cromwell's life.
0:39:04 > 0:39:05Nearly there.
0:39:09 > 0:39:10Wow.
0:39:10 > 0:39:12Welcome to the Long Gallery.
0:39:12 > 0:39:14- This is amazing. - Yes, let's go for a stroll.
0:39:14 > 0:39:16This is what it was used for.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19In wet weather they used to exercise in here,
0:39:19 > 0:39:21and when we did some work under the floorboards
0:39:21 > 0:39:22we found some shuttlecocks,
0:39:22 > 0:39:25table tennis balls, etc,
0:39:25 > 0:39:27so they obviously played games in here, as well.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29No surprise it's sited at the top of the building -
0:39:29 > 0:39:32because, you know, the landscape out there is absolutely wonderful.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34So whatever the weather is doing,
0:39:34 > 0:39:36I guess you feel connected to the outside,
0:39:36 > 0:39:37even though you are nice and dry?
0:39:37 > 0:39:40- Yes, yes.- It's really, really fascinating, Julie,
0:39:40 > 0:39:41thank you very much indeed.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43And I have to confess, I do rather like the fact
0:39:43 > 0:39:46- you've left the dust and the cobwebs alone. Well done.- Thank you!
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Well, now, I'm going to dust myself down
0:39:49 > 0:39:51for the results of our search
0:39:51 > 0:39:54for John and Jane's very own Oxfordshire abode.
0:39:56 > 0:39:59Well, it has been a challenging search this week.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02Not least for Jane and for John, in more ways than one -
0:40:02 > 0:40:05but, of course, has it been worthwhile?
0:40:05 > 0:40:07Well, let's go and catch up with them and find out.
0:40:11 > 0:40:13Well, Jane and John.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16- How are we doing? - Yes, fine, thank you.
0:40:16 > 0:40:17It's been a really interesting week -
0:40:17 > 0:40:20and I don't just mean in terms of the properties
0:40:20 > 0:40:21we've been able to show you,
0:40:21 > 0:40:25but I'm particularly intrigued by your journey.
0:40:25 > 0:40:26It sounds like a bit of a cliche,
0:40:26 > 0:40:30but I think you have gone through a bit of a roller-coaster
0:40:30 > 0:40:33in terms of how you've had to redefine what you're looking for.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35- Is that fair?- Yes, I think it is.
0:40:35 > 0:40:38I think the properties we've looked at have been really interesting,
0:40:38 > 0:40:39particularly the mystery house.
0:40:39 > 0:40:41We loved every part of the house.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43The only stumbling block was the garden, unfortunately,
0:40:43 > 0:40:46but it's given us a realisation of what we do want,
0:40:46 > 0:40:50what we are expecting for our budget and what we'll need to get for it,
0:40:50 > 0:40:52so we might have to think of a broader area
0:40:52 > 0:40:54that we can look in for that.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56It might mean me travelling a little more,
0:40:56 > 0:40:57but that's what's been really helpful.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01It's given us those ideas now which we can move forward with.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04How do you see your future property search going?
0:41:04 > 0:41:07There's two houses, as far as I can see.
0:41:07 > 0:41:12The mystery house was gorgeous and I did get the feeling for that,
0:41:12 > 0:41:15and the other house with the long garden,
0:41:15 > 0:41:17with the higgledy-piggledy kitchen.
0:41:17 > 0:41:18I loved that house,
0:41:18 > 0:41:22and I would be prepared to think maybe of doing something
0:41:22 > 0:41:24at the back with the kitchen.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26If only they were rolled into one.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29It is frustrating, you know, there's no two ways about it.
0:41:29 > 0:41:32In anybody's book your budget is not...
0:41:32 > 0:41:34- Exactly.- ..small. You know, half a million pounds,
0:41:34 > 0:41:36we'd all love to have to spend -
0:41:36 > 0:41:39but I'm afraid we are in a very, very pricey part of the world
0:41:39 > 0:41:42but it's not the only part of the country
0:41:42 > 0:41:43which you could consider.
0:41:43 > 0:41:45I think we'll find it, though.
0:41:45 > 0:41:47- I'm sure we will.- I think we will.
0:41:47 > 0:41:48I'm sure you will.
0:41:48 > 0:41:50But you've helped us so much
0:41:50 > 0:41:53to sort of make us realise what it is we want.
0:41:53 > 0:41:56I am absolutely certain you will get there in the end.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59Oh, I hope so. We've had such a good time, anyway, trying.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03Well, exactly! And let's face it, trying is half the battle.
0:42:03 > 0:42:04It is.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07Brilliant, guys. Well done, best of luck.
0:42:07 > 0:42:08- Thanks very much.- Thank you.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14Well, the business of managing expectations
0:42:14 > 0:42:17is one that is common to many a house hunt,
0:42:17 > 0:42:19but, to be honest, it is easier said than done.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21On the one hand,
0:42:21 > 0:42:23you want to harness the obvious passion that your buyers have
0:42:23 > 0:42:26for a property and all their ambitions that go with it,
0:42:26 > 0:42:28but, of course, on the other,
0:42:28 > 0:42:30you don't want to dent their enthusiasm
0:42:30 > 0:42:32in the face of whatever challenges you may come across.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36It is a tricky balance, but I think we've managed it this week.
0:42:36 > 0:42:39Now of course, for Jane and John their house hunt will continue,
0:42:39 > 0:42:41but I think one thing is for sure.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44They'll go about it with a great sense of fun.
0:42:44 > 0:42:45I'll see you next time.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50Well, I'm pleased to say that having expanded their search area,
0:42:50 > 0:42:51Jane and John have had an offer accepted
0:42:51 > 0:42:53on a thatched cottage in Wiltshire.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55We wish them all the best of luck.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58If you would like to Escape To The Country
0:42:58 > 0:43:01in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales or England,
0:43:01 > 0:43:03and would like our help, then please apply online at...