Oxfordshire Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country.

This beautiful Jacobean house behind me has several claims to fame -

but perhaps chief amongst them,

it was home to Britain's first-ever croquet champion

and founder of the All-England Club.

In fact, the rules of the game were created on its very lawns.

But where have we come to for today's little knock-about?

Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.

Today, family ties are the driving force

pushing a couple to take the plunge

and leave the city behind in search of a new country life...

Ooh!

Oh! It's fabulous.

I'm just already getting really excited.

..and our properties provoke some strong emotional reactions.

You've got the wow. Oh, it's lovely.

-I just shed a tear, then.

-Oh! Good!

Well, today we are in Oxfordshire and this is Chastleton house,

the home of croquet fanatic Walter Jones Whitmore.

It was on this very lawn back in 1855 that Jones Whitmore

created and then published the very first set of croquet rules,

rules which are still very much in use today.

Now, later on in the programme, I'll be back here,

exploring this fabulous Jacobean mansion

and also learning a little more about the

unique family that lived here.

Situated in the south east of England,

landlocked Oxfordshire is bordered by six counties,

including Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Berkshire.

This scenic county encompasses the rolling Cotswold Hills,

as well as the Chiltern Hills, and covers 1,000 square miles.

Oxfordshire's architecture is as awe-inspiring as its natural beauty,

with the world famous University City of Oxford

the shining star of the county.

The 14th century New College is one of the most significant

medieval buildings of its kind in Europe.

The county is located

almost entirely within the River Thames basin.

The river provides pleasure boaters with stunning vistas

and also passes pretty villages such as Northmoor and Kingston Bagpuize,

both of which display a real mix of country charm.

So, for escapees looking for a rural paradise,

yet still within reach of culture and history,

Oxfordshire is the perfect place to enjoy a piece of it all.

Well, when it comes to the cost of housing,

Oxfordshire has long been a hot spot.

Here, the average price of a detached property

is currently £446,000,

that is a massive £160,000

above the national figure.

Why? Well, the reason is simple -

its location means it offers great commuter links into London

and the cities of the Midlands,

and of course those beautiful Cotswold villages

have long made it popular

with tourists, second homers and locals alike.

All the reasons, in fact,

that have attracted today's buyers to want to move here.

Retired civil servant Jane and partner John, a bespoke tailor,

live in a three-bedroom terrace in St Albans, Hertfordshire.

We've known one another for a good eight years, is it now?

-Seven.

-Seven.

See, that's a good start. Isn't it?

It's been so enjoyable I've added a year on.

They first met when a mutual friend set them up.

I kind of felt really funny when I saw you.

It was love at first sight, I guess.

And it was. It was really nice for both of us

cos that's what happened. We went, "Whoa, hello!"

They've lived together in Jane's Hertfordshire house for five years.

They love their home, but with a large family,

they feel it's the right time to head for pastures green.

Jane has two daughters and a son from a previous relationship

and John has a son and a daughter.

I'd just like some more space.

We've got two dogs.

We'd like to be able to spread out and have a bit of space.

A bigger garden.

And a view of something.

I particularly like the countryside, having grown up in Ireland.

I feel it gives me a bit more freedom of open spaces.

When they move, John will still be working,

so his job in West London and an expanding family

are dictating their relocation.

Well, we're looking to move, basically,

around the Oxford area.

It'd still be handy for me for work, for travelling in,

because I still have to commute for another 5-6 years.

My family is very important to me.

I want to be nearer my daughter who lives in the Cotswolds.

She's got a little boy, my first grandchild...

and I just want to be nearer them.

I won't be too far from my son either.

Well, he's in South East London -

and if we had the space they could come and stay.

I'm retired, anyway, so I'll have more time to see everyone.

Jane's other daughter Rachel, a textile designer,

will also be joining them temporarily,

and when they move,

Jane and John want to make the most of their new surroundings

as well as a good slice of quality downtime.

We love walking, don't we?

-Yeah.

-We do a lot of walking.

Walking with the dogs is one of the best things you can do, isn't it?

It's good exercise and it's out in the fresh air.

We do look at our life in a way as a bit of an adventure.

We like to think that way,

that we're young enough to do things and enjoy things and not sort of

think, "We're getting on a bit,

"perhaps we should slow down and think about things."

We're still young enough to be out there,

doing things, and enjoying it.

I'm just looking forward to starting something new and exciting.

I don't want to wait any longer.

Live the dream, that's what I want to do.

The ideal Oxfordshire location would be somewhere not too far from Jane's

daughter in Gloucestershire

and within an hour and a half's commute

from John's work in Notting Hill, West London.

So, we're concentrating our search to the west of the county -

and before we get off the starting blocks,

we're all meeting up to make sure

I'm up to speed on the finer details of their property wish list.

Well, what a spot, eh?

It's lovely, isn't it?

-Isn't it?

-Oh, it's gorgeous.

Now, John, you're a tailor in London.

Look, I've spruced up for you today.

I know. And look at how I've dressed! If I'd have known...

You've shown me up here, I tell ya.

Finely cut, I'll have you know.

-Great.

-Give us an idea of the sort of property, then,

that you've been dreaming about, Jane.

Right. I'd like something with character, obviously.

I like old houses.

Farmhouse kitchen, room to eat in the kitchen, a utility room, maybe,

-for the dogs.

-Yeah.

-Three beds.

A bit of space around.

I just want to stretch my wings a bit.

Now, you mentioned your daughter in Stroud, Sian.

-Yes.

-And your other daughter, Rachel, is, for the time being,

going to come with you, so we do need to find her

-some space in this property, as well, don't we?

-Yes, we do.

We need a room for her,

and possibly a work room or an office that she could use.

And what about a sense of community, John?

Have you thought about position for this new property?

Well, we don't want to be isolated.

We would like something on the edge of a village,

something like that would be ideal.

And what about the budget, then, for all of this?

Because, you know, Oxfordshire, famously, is not the cheapest.

No. But we've got 500,000, maximum.

The property market here is incredibly buoyant.

It's clear that you want something with character

and that lovely sort of country feel,

farmhouse kitchen you've described, and so on.

Would you consider a semi, for example?

Yes, I would consider a semi, yes.

Because I know that 500 might not go as far as we'd like.

Well, we're going to try and make it go as far as possible.

Don't worry about it. But, yeah, I think that's fairly doable.

You know, we do like a challenge.

-Let's go and spend some of your money.

-Come on.

-Come on, then.

For their top budget of £500,000

Jane and John want a character property

that has plenty of space.

They'd like a country kitchen diner,

and a utility room for their two dogs.

Upstairs they're hoping for three bedrooms.

And outside they want a garden with enough room

for the dogs to run around. Location wise,

somewhere on the edge of a village would be ideal.

We've hand-picked a selection of wonderful properties

for Jane and John to consider,

and it will only be after they've viewed each one

that the price will be revealed.

Our final visit will be to our mystery house,

which will deliver their requirements in bucket-loads,

but with one small catch.

With location in mind,

we're kicking off our search in the village of Kelmscott,

close to the Oxfordshire-Gloucestershire border.

The village is around a one and three quarter hour commute

from London and boasts many properties

that are all built from attractive ochre coloured Cotswold stone.

The renowned 19th-century designer William Morris

described this village as heaven on earth,

and he founded a society to preserve ancient buildings

like those found here.

Amenities are a short drive away in the small town of Lechlade,

which has a good selection of shops on offer.

But back in the heart of rural Kelmscott is our first property.

Right, then, here we are.

Very nice.

-Very pretty.

-Yeah?

-Very nice.

What we've got for you here is a semi,

formerly farm workers cottages.

-Oh, right.

-This one has been completely renovated

and doubled in size with an extension to the rear.

-OK.

-What do you reckon, John?

I think it looks very nice. I love the layout, the gardens,

and everything else like that. It looks like, from my point of view,

I'm not having to do much. It ticks all the boxes!

There is nothing to do. There really is nothing to do.

Come on, let's have a look.

The original part of this house was built over 100 years ago,

but the extension is just five years old

and has been beautifully finished.

We're heading down the side of the property

and straight into the kitchen diner.

Come in.

So, this is the new extension.

It's lovely, isn't it?

Really beautiful.

I love the cupboards.

It's got that lovely crisp new feel to it.

-It's lovely.

-There's a big utility room through there.

Oh, yes. They've got dogs and obviously

they appreciate having that kind of boot room,

as well, for them.

-So far so good?

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-It all drifts rather nicely into here,

-which is the main living room.

-Oh, this is a lovely room.

-It is, isn't it?

-Yeah, it's really light.

And I love the wood burner.

Yeah. Lit today, just for us.

I was hoping. I was hoping there would be one.

The nice thing about this, because they added the extension,

they've been able to knock through what would have been two rooms here

to create this great big family room.

One thing where a lot of older characterful properties

struggle with is storage space.

In terms of bedrooms and that sort of thing.

But I think this might work.

Come and have a look.

Above us are three bedrooms.

There is a double at the front of the house with its own shower room.

Next to that is a single with space for a desk,

and at the back there's another double.

This is what is currently used as the master bedroom

-by the owners at the moment.

-Yeah.

You may think they should have gone for the en-suite down there,

but they prefer the views over the fields that way.

Oh, yeah, that's a lovely view, isn't it?

-Nice room.

-You've got the family bathroom right next door.

I mean, you could actually put a door in the corridor

and it would create, effectively, an en-suite master suite for you.

It's beautifully finished. We love all the details on it,

but I don't think there's quite enough room for us.

I think it's a little bit small, to be honest.

I think, when we get to the price,

it will rather...

-OK.

-...set out the landscape that we are battling with here

in terms of Oxfordshire's property market

and what you get for your money.

-OK.

-Let's go outside and talk about the numbers.

-OK.

The garden here sits mainly to the side of the house

and is accessed from the kitchen.

There's a well maintained lawn, bordered by trees and flowerbeds,

as well as a garden shed, a greenhouse,

and a patio with wonderful views across the fields beyond.

And there are also some unexpected feathered friends.

-Listen to that.

-Oh, chickens, John.

-It's the sound of the country.

-The sound of the country.

You said you wanted chickens.

I did. I'm not sure I'm ready for them now, but I do want them.

And there we have our nicely extended

former farm workers cottage.

I sort of feel that Jules is leading us onto something here.

And he's going to say, "And what about the price?"

And then we're going to be, "Ooh.."

Right, go on, then, John, make us an offer.

Well, I think it's bang on the money, Jules.

I think it's about the 500,000.

-I'm going to go a bit less, I think.

-Uh-huh.

475.

You're not far, mate. It's on at 495,000,

so it is pretty much everything.

-Bang on the money.

-I can understand that because it is a lovely house,

the setting and everything you were saying.

I was just being a bit hopeful, I think.

Well, look, go and have a wander round. The house is yours.

And I will come and find you a little bit later on.

-OK.

-Thanks very much, Jules.

-Take your time.

-Yeah.

This extended semidetached house has come in

just under Jane and John's budget,

leaving them with £5,000 to play with.

It's got loads of character, a kitchen diner,

and just the right number of bedrooms.

Now, it may not be as roomy as they'd like,

which is something that comes with

the pricey territory they're searching in,

but there's a pretty garden with views and it's well located

in the heart of a quiet village.

On first impression, I've got to be honest,

I really liked the look of the house.

It's still got the elements which I really like,

of still having a bit of old, but inside very modern and very new,

done in a sympathetic way.

It's gorgeous. And looking inside it's absolutely stunningly done up.

There's not a thing to do.

It's lovely.

I couldn't find fault with it.

The only thing I would say, I'm just not sure that it's big enough.

Got quite a big house now and I'm wondering if we can fit in.

We've got a lot to do. We've got more properties to see.

So, shall we?

-Yes. Let's go.

-Lead on.

Oxfordshire's countryside is the perfect setting

for a number of stately homes and grounds,

including the striking Waterperry House and Gardens

to the east of Oxford.

Parts of the house date back to the 17th century

when it was a private home

and it sits in an 83 acre oasis of vibrant flowers,

manicured lawns and shapely hedges.

In the 1930s the site was a school of horticulture for ladies,

and when it closed in the '70s the house and gardens,

that had been nurtured so carefully by the students,

were taken over by a charity.

Today, Waterperry Gardens welcomes around 35,000 visitors a year,

and Jane and John have come to meet horticultural manager Robert Jacobs

to learn more about these resplendent Gardens.

So what's the thinking behind the design layout of the gardens?

It's education. We're always trying to teach.

You want to have colour all the time,

so we have a lupine season early in the year,

a delphinium season in high summer

and then you finish the season with the Michaelmas daisies.

What's the best thing on show at this time of year?

Well, we're high into the early autumn now at the moment

and the big thing is the fruit.

The top fruits, you'll see pears and lots of lovely apples.

As well as the 8-9 acres of ornamental gardens here,

there are also five acres of orchards,

but when it comes to the fruit trees,

not everything is as it first seems.

So, here we are.

A piece of horticultural magic, this is our family tree.

We grow approximately 60 different varieties of apples.

We've managed to get 50 apples on one tree.

That's 50 different varieties growing on the family tree,

which sounds pretty amazing.

It was an epic experiment,

and achieved by grafting cuttings

from various apple trees onto the one tree -

and from the juicy array of fruit now hanging from the branches,

it's clearly been a success.

Can you use any type of apple?

The apples that we eat and we cook with

are an apple called malus domesticas,

so, so long as it's made of domesticas,

originally from Kazakhstan, you can use it.

Which are the best eaters and cookers?

England's a place where we have a tradition of having cookers.

In France and on the Continent

they tend to just cook whatever apple's available to cook with.

As far as eating, it's down to your tastes

and also the season, because it's really important.

Apples come on in a season and that's why you have your early,

your mids and your lates.

And the tastes are different.

And they've all got their own characteristics in that time.

Surrounded by so much ripe fruit,

Jane and John going to get the chance to harvest some themselves.

Apple crops are ready to pick between August and November.

We've got some picking bags here.

-OK.

-Head through there.

Arms through these two holes.

That's it. First time.

When you're picking, pick with the palm of the hand and roll-up.

You don't want to crush the apple.

So, if you can fill the bag, I'll get the box ready.

-OK.

-Right.

-Let's do it.

Ripening under the sun coupled with low night-time temperatures,

helps the sugars to develop, which makes them sweet to eat

and produces a rosy red glow on the skin.

Each year over 40,000 kilos of Waterperry apples

produces 25-30,000 bottles of apple juice

which is sold here on site

and also in local shops and restaurants.

Jane and John are going to have a go

at transforming the fruit into delicious juice.

But they're not using the industrial sized press in the pressing room,

rather, they're using a hand press,

similar to the method used before mechanisation.

We're looking to produce something like that if you can.

-Oh.

-These are the apples that you picked earlier.

John, I'll need you to turn the handle.

If you can feed the apples in, Jane,

and then once we've filled up enough we're going to swing this over,

this is the press -

and from there on you will be producing apple juice.

-Keep adding it in.

-I'm afraid we've got a long way to go, Jane.

Oh! I'm doing it as fast as I can.

You can see why these days they're mechanical.

-Yeah.

-Instead we have John.

You definitely get that real smell of apples.

-Yeah.

-I'm going to be looking forward to this juice

after all this.

Juice is starting to come through.

Is there anything else they will ever add into it?

We only add a bit of vitamin C.

Because you'll see, it's starting to go brown already.

And that's it, just when you cut into any apple, eat into any apple,

it's oxidising.

-Yeah.

-So, as you're cooking, you add a little bit of lemon juice.

-Yeah.

-It clears it all up.

Actually, it does make you

appreciate what you drink, doesn't it?

When you think what goes into making a glass of apple juice.

Yeah. There we go.

THEY CHEER

The lid of the press is closed and secured,

then, as the handle is turned,

the pulp is squeezed and the juice extracted.

Here it comes.

Well, here we are, looks like cappuccino, doesn't it?

Yeah, well, basically, that's the product.

Just a bit of filtration, vitamin C, to clear it up.

Well, I'm going to try it now.

Cheers.

That is absolutely lovely.

Really. John, you try some.

I'd love to. Thank you very much.

That is lovely, Rob.

That is excellent.

Well, thank you very much for all your knowledge and help, there.

-Really enjoyed it.

-You're both very welcome.

I'm glad you enjoyed the day. And good luck with the house hunt.

Oh, thank you.

Our house search continues

as we journey to the village of Chadlington

in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

This archetypal Cotswold village is renowned

not least because the constituency address

of Prime Minister David Cameron is nearby.

Locals are served by a handful of essential shops and a village pub.

Just a few minutes drive away is the town of Charlbury,

where there's a wider selection of amenities

and also a useful train station

which would get John into London in under an hour and a half.

Back in Chadlington we find ourselves

at our second property in the heart of the village.

-Oh!

-Oh! It's fabulous.

-Yes?

-I'm really excited.

It's really gorgeous.

-CHURCH BELL TOLLS Oh!

-Church.

-And a working church.

There you are. There we are. That's the sound of the country, isn't it?

-Yes.

-I'm just already getting really excited.

Now, this one absolutely is packed full of character features.

It's about 1750 and has been in the same family since 1920.

It does need a bit of updating -

and this is one you can really put your stamp on, I think,

in terms of making your home

-without feeling that it's all produced for you.

-Exciting.

-Yes.

-Come on, let's have a look inside.

-Great.

This end of terrace cottage is Grade II listed

and is built of Cotswold stone -

and its facade hides a rather special home within.

To the right of the front door off the hallway is a cosy sitting room.

Now, then, Jane.

-Wow.

-A bit of period charm for you.

Well, you've definitely done that for me.

-It's very, very nice.

-What do you think, John?

-I like it.

I know Jane will, because this is everything

that she loves about the house - the wood burner,

the whole look of the place and everything else.

It does ramble a bit, this one.

The kitchen area at the moment is here.

-Oh, right, yeah.

-You've got a cellar down there,

quite a decent size, about the size of that room.

-Right.

-And there's a thought that it might have been a pub

-once upon a time.

-OK.

Because it's the only property in this street with a cellar.

There's a utility area through here

which goes out to a very traditional looking scullery.

Well, it's got lots of character, Jules,

and that's what, really, what I think Jane's interested in.

I wanted the character, something a bit different.

I think it's got a lot of scope

for you to turn it into something that you really want

without taking anything away from what's already here.

You'd have this space, reception area,

but also we've got a separate living room for you next door.

-Oh, right.

-Come and have a look at this.

So, we leave the sort of higgledy-piggledy bits behind.

-Right.

-And step into a little more elegance.

Oh, this is lovely, as well.

-Isn't it?

-Very cosy.

-It's gorgeous.

-Yeah.

I think the house has so much character.

It's fantastic. The beams, the fireplace,

everything about it is just quite special.

And the character continues on the first floor

where there's a beamed family bathroom

that serves four double bedrooms.

There is a spacious room with a feature fireplace.

And up again on the floor above there are two bedrooms in the eaves,

each with its own charm.

Then, back down on the first floor, is the master.

Oh! Isn't it lovely?

John.

-Gorgeous.

-Boudoir, Jane.

-Yes.

-My kind of room.

I think this is certainly the one that oozes character, to me.

-Yes.

-I really want to get you outside into the garden

because there is one more little treat

to show you out there, and the garden itself is probably

a lot bigger then you're expecting, too, so, follow me through here.

Outside, a patio leads to a neat lawn, bordered by flower beds,

hedges and trees.

Oh! This is amazing.

-Isn't that lovely? Now, this studio...

-I've spotted it!

-Yes.

Keep that in your minds. Oh, wow.

But the garden is long and thin and it comes up here.

And you've got all of this, as well.

Wow. This is fantastic.

It's so beautiful.

And it goes up just beyond those tall conifers at the end.

You've got the studio there which I'm sure Rachel will really enjoy.

Oh, yes. So, it is price time.

It's that time again, is it?

-It's that time, Jane. So...

-Right, well...

Give us your best guess.

-I'm going to say 495.

-495. Yeah, John?

I'm going to go a bit lower on this one.

I'm feeling a bit cooler about it.

So I'll go 475.

Well, I'm afraid it's not 495 or indeed 475,

but it is several fives,

I'm afraid. It's 525.

-OK.

-Oh, is it?

But open to sensible offers.

-OK.

-In a certain way I'm not surprised,

because the house is lovely and it's got such a garden,

and where it is, situated like that,

it's just what the value of the house is

and what you would think it is worth to you.

Take as long as you want. Understand it.

See if you can find a solution

and I'll come and find you a little bit later.

-OK.

-OK.

-Thanks very much.

-OK.

This delightful period cottage may be on the market

for £25,000 over Jane and John's budget,

but the owners may be open to a sensible offer.

The country kitchen is certainly

full of quirky character, and there's also room for the dogs.

The cottage comes with one more bedroom than they asked for,

and outside provides a rather lovely garden

with a studio that could be ideal for daughter Rachel.

Coming in, it's just a beautiful house.

Lovely features.

Just the sort of thing I'm looking for.

Lovely cosy feel.

It's just the one thing, is the kitchen.

It's not really workable for us at the moment,

but if we could do something, have an extension at the back,

then I think it would be the perfect house.

We really love the garden.

It's got so much going on there.

It's almost like two gardens in one, because the first part you've got,

which is a really lovely manicured garden.

And then when you go past that,

it's got this lovely open garden with a little gazebo there.

-We're getting there, aren't we?

-I think so.

I've quite a good feeling about it.

-You've just got to be able to afford it.

-It's the money, yes.

-I know, it's the money.

-Always the money.

It's always the money - but this isn't the only property, of course,

we are showing you this week.

But it's worth thinking about and putting it on the list, maybe.

-Definitely.

-Definitely.

-Right, come on.

It's the second day of our Oxfordshire adventure,

searching out a characterful country house for Jane and John

from St Albans in Hertfordshire -

and with a top budget of £500,000 in their pockets,

they're ready to wave goodbye to the city to be closer to loved ones.

And we've got a knockout mystery house to come.

Mind your head, John.

-Come over here, mate.

-Nothing like a bit of slapstick.

And I'll be stepping back in time

when I visit one of Britain's most impressive manor houses.

Oh! Wow.

This is incredible.

Well, with their house search now well underway,

our task of trying to find Jane and John a home

has been further complicated by the need to help them

reassess their expectations as to just how far their budget can go,

here in one of the most expensive property markets in the country.

But, with one more property to come, our mystery house,

can we strike that magic balance between aspiration and reality?

Well, let's see.

For our last visit

we are nipping just over Oxfordshire's western border

into Gloucestershire - and closer to Jane's daughter, Sian.

Our destination is the Cotswold village of Little Rissington.

Pretty stone houses are a feature here, lining the narrow streets,

and the village hall is the centre of the local community.

Just two miles away is Bourton-on-the-Water,

which is one of the most famous and quaint of Cotswold towns.

Here, lots of shops and restaurants can be found

sitting either side of the River Windrush.

A few minutes drive away, back in the heart of Little Rissington,

is our final offering.

Right, then. There we are.

-The riddle is over. This is our mystery house.

-Wow!

It is technically a semi - but what a semi.

It's fabulous.

-I don't know what to say.

-Well, we have shown you, I think,

some really good examples of Cotswold property this week,

but, to me, we have saved the best till last.

-This is classic.

-Yeah.

-We think it's about 17th century -

the oldest of the lot that we've been able to show you -

and it's all brand-new.

-All right.

-Let's see what you think.

Our mystery farmhouse couldn't be more appealing on the outside.

With its facade of Cotswold stone, mullioned windows,

and roll-moulded stone steps.

It was extended to the rear late last century

and has been recently renovated on the inside.

The property is currently vacant and just awaiting its new owners.

We're heading straight into the largest reception room.

I'm very, very excited to see what you think of this.

You've got the wow.

It's got the beams.

They're not too low, are they?

No, no, but it's a lovely space.

Oh, God, it's gorgeous.

Love the fireplace.

-You're giggling!

-I just shed a tear there.

Oh, good.

It's got all those classic hallmarks of a beautiful Cotswold property.

I know. I can see. It's lovely.

It's got character in spades and just looks so big and lovely.

It's incredible.

This would have been like the main reception room.

It clearly will fulfil that function

as probably your main sort of living space,

but we've got the addition of this other reception room,

or dining room, or whatever you want it to be.

Again, another really lovely space.

-Oh, yes.

-It's had a lot of thought put into it...

-Yeah.

..to give it that modern twist, to make it amenable to modern life.

Not least the kitchen.

-Check this out.

-Can't wait.

All crisp, all new.

Oh, it's lovely.

I love the colour it's done.

Everything's integrated.

Fridge, washing machine etc.

-Oh, is it?

-Downstairs loo here.

The new boiler is in there.

I love this idea, here. I think that really works.

-You can imagine the table.

-Table there.

With that little, sort of... That little nook there.

It sounds like Jane and John's furniture's

already moved into our mystery house,

and there's also lots to capture their imagination upstairs.

On the first floor, bedrooms provide

just as much period charm as downstairs.

There is a double with a feature window seat,

and aspects to both front and rear.

A smaller, but equally well finished room

sits opposite a beautifully tiled family bathroom -

but we're heading up to the second floor,

where there is what can only be described as a master suite.

So, here we are, right at the top of the building,

in amongst the roof timbers.

-Come over here.

-Mind your head, John.

-Come over here, mate.

-Nothing like a bit of slapstick.

We love the finish on it. It really is interesting.

-It's lovely, isn't it?

-And the beams and everything.

It gives you the entire top floor,

and you've got this en suite through here.

This is very different.

It's got this lovely ceramic floor.

-Underfloor heating.

-Oh, my goodness.

-Look at that.

-There's a bath, eh?

-Yeah.

-Can you see yourself in there?

I definitely can.

The shower's lovely - a kind of waterfall shower.

Oh, it's lovely.

I love it.

-Do you love it?

-I do.

I do. I do... I'm not going to be...

Yes, I love it. I love it.

I do. There's certain things, cos it's got that smallness about it

-to me, I feel like I'm going to be...

-Yes.

Around about. But the style and finish of it is absolutely...

Smallness in terms of the access up the stairs

to get to this master bedroom?

-Yeah.

-Right. But the house, as a whole, I think you'd agree...

-Oh, wow.

-It's just unbelievable.

-It's absolutely stunning.

..is a step forward in size and space.

Yeah, definitely.

There's no two ways about it - this house is stunning.

But because the old farmhouse and outbuildings here

were converted into five homes,

it means the outside space that comes with our mystery house

is rather compact, consisting of just a small courtyard.

It does, however, encompass two parking spaces there.

OK.

That is the downside.

-But you get...

-I know, I know.

..all of that. Have a seat.

Come on, let's give this one a bit of consideration.

It's a lovely house.

-Beautiful.

-It moved you, I think.

It did. I... I got there.

I mean, it isn't the garden I wanted,

but I think you could overcome it, actually.

Just looking at this hedge, here, you could actually extend that,

and that would actually make a big difference.

OK, well, look, let's... Let's finish it all off, shall we?

Final guess of the week.

Shall I go first on this one?

-Go on, then, John.

-Yeah, you go.

-OK.

I would say it's right at the top end of our budget,

and I'm thinking five...

Hoping, hoping 525.

I think I'll go 510.

510. You're hoping at 525.

Here's hoping, then.

-495.

-Wow.

-Wow.

-That's a shock.

-A good one.

-A pleasant one.

-A good shock.

Yeah. Go and wander around.

Be inspired. Soak it up...

-OK.

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

-OK.

-Thank you.

-Off you go.

-OK.

Oof. And in the meantime, house tour's over - I'm going to relax.

This beautiful 17th-century farmhouse

would leave our buyers £5,000 spare

from their budget, if they made it their home.

It's full of character, and has the space they want,

with two reception rooms, plus a spacious kitchen/diner.

There are enough bedrooms for their daughter and guests,

and, throughout the house,

everything has been finished to a really high standard.

The only compromise that I can see

is the lack of a meaningful garden for the dogs.

Do you know what? I just want to see what it's like

if you were lying in bed here. I know it's a bit crazy...

-What, you want us to lie down on the floor?

-Just lie down. OK.

This is a bit different, isn't it?

-Oh.

-Ah. I think our bed would fit in this space.

Definitely, yeah.

-As we are lying here on the floor, I think it would.

-Yeah.

I am a bit blown away with this house.

It's stunning.

When we... When I saw it from the outside, I thought,

"Oh, this is going to be it, this is going to be it."

And when I came in, I nearly cried, actually, it was so gorgeous.

And it's just the sort of thing I was looking for.

When we came inside and the house opened up,

it was so beautifully finished, we were just, like,

quite knocked out by it, and looking round the house

was really interesting and that.

All the way they've done all the features to it,

the way the fireplace looked and all that - it was just incredible.

We're going to go away and seriously think

what we could do with that back patio.

But it's a lovely house.

You have challenged me this week, but I think we got there.

I think we might have.

Possibly. But we've certainly giving you lots to think about,

so I think that's what you need to do.

Go and mull it all over,

and then we'll see what happens next, shall we?

-Yeah.

-OK.

-After you.

-OK.

As we've seen, the Oxfordshire landscape

lends itself to fabulous architectural delights,

and Chastleton House,

near Moreton-in-Marsh in the Cotswolds,

is one of the rarest.

It was built at the beginning of the 17th century for Walter Jones,

a wool merchant and one of the nouveau riche

who was climbing the social ladder

and wanted to show off his fortune through his home.

Over 200 years later,

it was one of his descendants, Walter Jones Whitmore,

who made his name through his passion for croquet.

The house is thought to be one of the finest examples

of a complete Jacobean building still surviving in England.

The family sold it in the 1990s

and it was then gifted to the National Trust and the nation.

I've come to meet conservation assistant

Julie Davies to learn more.

We're heading straight to the Great Hall,

where an 18 foot table has been standing

since it was built in situ 400 years ago.

Oh, wow, this is wonderful.

An amazing space, isn't it?

I mean, it's been described as a 17th century time capsule,

but when you get inside it, you absolutely get that, don't you?

Oh, definitely, yes.

And, dare I say it, I can't help but notice all the dust.

And the slightly shabby feel.

Is that something I'm allowed to mention?

Yes, it's a Chastleton trademark.

It certainly has that sense that the family

literally just got up and left, almost yesterday.

Well, it was quite recently when the family left,

it was only 1991 when the last lady of the house left.

And do you think the scale of the property had just overwhelmed her

-at that point?

-Oh, yes, I mean the upkeep on a place like this,

as you can imagine, is enormous.

The roof space alone, the roof, keeping that watertight, etc.

But in a way, I suppose that tells part of the story

as to how it survived as this wonderful Jacobean example?

Oh, yes. The family didn't have the funds to sort of update it

and put your Georgian facade on the front and make it look more modern.

They never had those funds, so it remains a time capsule, as you say.

So do you think they were slightly eccentric

to set about building this at the time?

Well, the idea was they would enter the gentry

and become part of the aristocracy and live that life,

and of course, to do that,

you need a large house and lots of land.

And you're buying, I suppose, a sense of pedigree, aren't you,

in terms of the way you furnish it,

the way to decorate it and the way you design it?

That's right, yes.

The house was in the same family for almost four centuries -

and, fortuitously, it was their make-do-and-mend philosophy

which has meant Chastleton has remained preserved in time.

When it acquired the property and all that comes with it,

the National Trust decided to continue this philosophy

and has employed a keep-as-found approach -

and nowhere is it more evident than below stairs,

which had lain untouched for over half a century.

So we're heading down the kitchen.

-Ooh.

-Yes, the temperature drops considerably when you get down here.

Doesn't it?

Oh, look at that, all the bells.

I mean, this would have been the kind of operations room, I suppose,

-for a house like this?

-Oh, yes,

it would have been a hive of activity in its day.

Look at that, "Nursery"...

is that "Doctor's Chamber"?

-Yes.

-They had a doctor here?

"Master Bedroom"...

-and "Best Bedroom". I wonder what the difference was.

-I have no idea!

I love that rather medieval looking serving hatch as well.

Yes, that's amazing. It leads us through to the kitchen.

After you.

Oh. Wow.

This is incredible.

This is astonishing.

Nothing's changed in here.

When the doors closed on this room in the early 1930s,

it was all left in this condition, and that's how we found it.

The ceiling looks like it needs a little bit of work, but,

I imagine that's all part of the conservation ethic here?

There's a story behind the ceiling, that's why we've left it as it is.

Family legend says if you disturb the ceiling

ill will befall the family,

so, hence, it was always left like this,

so it's got 400 years of smoke and fat on there

and we've retained that,

because it tells the story of the house.

And that story continues upstairs in the great chamber.

Look at that. What would have happened in here?

This is where all the important visitors

would have come and been entertained.

I know it seemed odd, it being on the first floor,

but they would have brought them up here because it's such a grand room

and it would have shown off their wealth.

An even more impressive room is up on the second floor -

and it may look familiar.

All 72 feet of it recently featured in the television adaptation

of the novel Wolf Hall,

telling the 16th century story of Thomas Cromwell's life.

Nearly there.

Wow.

Welcome to the Long Gallery.

-This is amazing.

-Yes, let's go for a stroll.

This is what it was used for.

In wet weather they used to exercise in here,

and when we did some work under the floorboards

we found some shuttlecocks,

table tennis balls, etc,

so they obviously played games in here, as well.

No surprise it's sited at the top of the building -

because, you know, the landscape out there is absolutely wonderful.

So whatever the weather is doing,

I guess you feel connected to the outside,

even though you are nice and dry?

-Yes, yes.

-It's really, really fascinating, Julie,

thank you very much indeed.

And I have to confess, I do rather like the fact

-you've left the dust and the cobwebs alone. Well done.

-Thank you!

Well, now, I'm going to dust myself down

for the results of our search

for John and Jane's very own Oxfordshire abode.

Well, it has been a challenging search this week.

Not least for Jane and for John, in more ways than one -

but, of course, has it been worthwhile?

Well, let's go and catch up with them and find out.

Well, Jane and John.

-How are we doing?

-Yes, fine, thank you.

It's been a really interesting week -

and I don't just mean in terms of the properties

we've been able to show you,

but I'm particularly intrigued by your journey.

It sounds like a bit of a cliche,

but I think you have gone through a bit of a roller-coaster

in terms of how you've had to redefine what you're looking for.

-Is that fair?

-Yes, I think it is.

I think the properties we've looked at have been really interesting,

particularly the mystery house.

We loved every part of the house.

The only stumbling block was the garden, unfortunately,

but it's given us a realisation of what we do want,

what we are expecting for our budget and what we'll need to get for it,

so we might have to think of a broader area

that we can look in for that.

It might mean me travelling a little more,

but that's what's been really helpful.

It's given us those ideas now which we can move forward with.

How do you see your future property search going?

There's two houses, as far as I can see.

The mystery house was gorgeous and I did get the feeling for that,

and the other house with the long garden,

with the higgledy-piggledy kitchen.

I loved that house,

and I would be prepared to think maybe of doing something

at the back with the kitchen.

If only they were rolled into one.

It is frustrating, you know, there's no two ways about it.

In anybody's book your budget is not...

-Exactly.

-..small. You know, half a million pounds,

we'd all love to have to spend -

but I'm afraid we are in a very, very pricey part of the world

but it's not the only part of the country

which you could consider.

I think we'll find it, though.

-I'm sure we will.

-I think we will.

I'm sure you will.

But you've helped us so much

to sort of make us realise what it is we want.

I am absolutely certain you will get there in the end.

Oh, I hope so. We've had such a good time, anyway, trying.

Well, exactly! And let's face it, trying is half the battle.

It is.

Brilliant, guys. Well done, best of luck.

-Thanks very much.

-Thank you.

Well, the business of managing expectations

is one that is common to many a house hunt,

but, to be honest, it is easier said than done.

On the one hand,

you want to harness the obvious passion that your buyers have

for a property and all their ambitions that go with it,

but, of course, on the other,

you don't want to dent their enthusiasm

in the face of whatever challenges you may come across.

It is a tricky balance, but I think we've managed it this week.

Now of course, for Jane and John their house hunt will continue,

but I think one thing is for sure.

They'll go about it with a great sense of fun.

I'll see you next time.

Well, I'm pleased to say that having expanded their search area,

Jane and John have had an offer accepted

on a thatched cottage in Wiltshire.

We wish them all the best of luck.

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