West Sussex Escape to the Country

This exquisite 16th-century Elizabethan mansion was built

back in 1590 by Sir Edward Culpeper.

But today these gardens are being celebrated for their pioneering

21st-century achievements.

So where am I?

And how is this 400-year-old estate making such a name for itself?

Find out in just a moment.

Today's country property search has moments of light and shade.

I think it's fairly dark and it is a very bright day today.

That would be a concern for me.

'So can we leave our home hunters looking on the bright side?'

-It's amazing.

-Go and fetch my bags.

Today I'm in West Sussex and this is Wakehurst Place.

Surrounded by 465 acres of beautiful country estate,

featuring an internationally renowned collection of trees,

shrubs and plants and managed by the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew.

But as well as a diverse range of mature species, in the year 2000,

this site saw the opening of the Millennium Seed Bank,

a conservation project aiming to conserve 25%

of the entire world's plant species by 2020.

It is certainly reassuring to think that here in the West Sussex

countryside, an integral part of our global heritage is being safeguarded

for future generations.

West Sussex is a county on the south coast of England,

lying alongside the English Channel and bordered by three counties -

Hampshire, Surrey and East Sussex.

The county features the rolling hills of the South Downs National Park,

the tapestry of quintessential English countryside

with glimpses of pretty spires, majestic castles and fields of sheep.

The varied coast is home to towns such as the once-wealthy Victorian

resort of Bognor Regis, and beaches ranging from sand to pebbles.

There are also natural harbours including the one at Chichester,

whose sheltered waters are a popular stop for yachts.

Market towns include Petworth, once voted antiques town of the year,

where the cobbled streets are pounded by regular collectors and day-trippers alike,

hoping to discover a hidden gem or two.

So whether it's to find glorious landscape,

coastal vistas or charming towns and villages,

it's clear West Sussex is an excellent choice for a rural relocation.

As well as impressive countryside,

West Sussex also has some impressive property stats.

Easy access to the coast and to London has pushed the average

detached house price up to around £433,000.

Now that's over £140,000

above the national figure.

But for something more affordable,

try heading to the centre of the county.

Towns such as Storrington offer a good property mix,

while villages such as Fittleworth may lack in amenities

but more than make up for it with the surrounding countryside.

So which part of this gorgeous county have today's buyers set their heart on?

Well, let's meet them and find out.

Chris, an accountant, and Jackie, who makes bespoke stationery,

had been working together in London for a few years

when an incident at an office party sparked a romance.

It was in the very late '90s. '99 actually.

Christmas party came around.

It was held in an old Victorian prison.

It was a bit like a Madame Tussaud's-type thing.

And I was kind of looking at some pretty horrific scene there

and Chris came over, and an extremity fell off the wax thing

so it broke the ice, if you like.

That was the icebreaker.

The couple went on to marry and set up home together in Clapham,

a south-west district of the capital.

But 15 years on, they are finding London life no longer meets their needs.

Originally Clapham was...not quite a backwater but it was much quieter.

Nowadays there is a lot more development gone on,

a lot more people have moved to the area, a lot of young people,

and so the profile of the area has changed quite a lot.

The properties have got dearer,

the bars become more numerous and the socialising in Clapham

has really become a youngster's sport.

So with retirement on the horizon,

they are looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city

for a calmer pace of life.

It can get very noisy in this part of the world,

especially in the location we are here.

My lifestyle at the moment is basically going to bed Sunday nights,

getting up Monday morning, going to work.

I really only have a work-life balance over the weekend.

By moving to the country and eventually retiring,

it will definitely change my lifestyle a lot.

The current house doesn't provide the peace and quiet that I would like.

We live in a really built-up area.

We just want to feel we have our own space around us.

You know, I am attracted to the countryside really because of the views,

and you sort of associate the peace and tranquillity with that.

They may agree that London is no longer for them,

but when it comes to selecting a place to move to,

there is some difference of opinion.

I would like to live nearer the coast.

I have a requirement for being close to the sea.

I don't want to live in a seaside town.

I am erring on the countryside as being my ideal.

We have been thinking of places to move,

so we have this dichotomy of wanting a little bit of coast and a little

bit of country. So West Sussex has been one of the areas

we've been considering.

Whether they settle by the sea or further inland,

the hope is a new rural home in Sussex will offer them the chance

to enjoy new pastimes.

The one thing I would really, really,

really like to be able to do is to grow our own fruit and vegetables.

I am a really, really keen cook and to be able to grow the produce and

cook it, that is something I would dream of doing.

Moving to the country will also afford me the opportunity

to develop my, you know, desire to do some more walking, and also get on my bike.

And find some new different beers to drink.

Chris is a real fan of real ale and, you know,

you should list that as one of your hobbies.

As well as access to a nice country pub,

Chris is seeking something else from the move.

One thing that I would like is my own man cave.

I don't seem to have one here at the moment.

They are all occupied with other

activities run by Jackie.

But most of all, it's about a new chapter together in new surroundings.

A new challenge actually - that's what excites me most about the move.

I'm really looking forward just to having new surroundings,

new things to get involved in.

The quieter way of life, doing the things that we can't do here.

Meeting new people, you know, see what that brings.

It opens up new horizons.

Jackie is drawn to the heart of the countryside,

but Chris is keen to be close to the coast with an easy commute to London,

meaning the net is cast wide on our West Sussex house hunt.

But before we set about looking at houses,

we're meeting up in the county

to hear more about the property they are hoping to find.

Well, Chris and Jackie,

welcome to the most gorgeous day here in West Sussex.

-Amazing.

-Let's talk about the actual property itself that you would like.

-Talk me through it.

-Well, the property I think we would like

would be certainly detached, because we live in a terrace at the minute.

And we'd also like to have sort of the

normal...reception room, dining room, four bedrooms, garage,

driveway and things like that.

What about the style?

Do you like old, do you like new?

What's the preference?

I think we like older properties and certainly light and airy properties.

So something with character.

Yeah, exactly, character.

And, Jackie, you have got your own business, I believe?

Yes, I have. I make handmade stationery.

I suppose, really, you know,

one of the things I have to have half an eye on when we look at any property

is space where I can operate out of.

A room, basically, a craft room.

And obviously to keep it fair, Chris,

we are looking for a man cave at all or...?

I would like a room of my own.

-I don't have one at the moment.

-Do you not?

OK. And location -

are you looking to be part of a village community or do you want

to be near a market town ideally?

What works for the two of you?

I don't mind personally, but we want to be near something.

I think having some access to...

As we are getting older and we're thinking about retiring,

you can't live in the middle of nowhere because

you have to think longer term.

Remind us of how much you've got to spend with this move, please.

OK, we're looking to spend around 900,000.

If the forever home, the ideal property,

came along we could probably go up to 1.1 million.

We do have some splendid homes to show you

in this rather gorgeous part of the UK so shall we get started?

-Yes, please.

-Ready? If you'd like to follow me.

For a maximum budget of £1.1 million,

Chris and Jackie are looking for a detached property

with a minimum of four bedrooms.

Jackie needs space for her stationery business

and Chris would also like a room of his own.

They prefer period character,

as long as it is bright and airy,

and the location needs to provide good transport links

for Chris's commute back into London.

We've got a selection of great homes to tempt our buyers with,

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

before I reveal it.

The final property will of course be our Mystery House,

which may cause something of a stir.

Our house search is starting in the small village of Madehurst,

two and a half miles north-west of the vibrant historic market town of Arundel.

As well as a plethora of pretty and historic buildings,

Arundel provides many useful shops, transport links and amenities.

The town's impressive castle was built in the 11th century by Roger de Montgomerie,

Earl of Arundel,

and heavily restored in Victorian times.

It was one of the first English country houses to be fitted with

electric lighting.

And two and a half miles away back in Madehurst,

the house we are going to see

has a rather quirky history of its own.

Now, if you can guess what this building was originally used for,

I may even consider buying it for you.

Part of an estate and therefore it was the estate keeper's house.

Oh, thank goodness you didn't get it right, but you're close.

Because it is part of a larger estate.

The huge manor house which was next door,

this was built as a squash court for the estate.

-No!

-Yes.

-Wow.

Amazing.

-Totally unexpected.

-What do you think, Chris?

My thought is I'm intrigued to go inside to see how the light reflects

through the windows because there aren't that many windows at the front at the moment.

The porch does overhang a little bit.

That is a fair comment. Shall we step inside and see how it goes?

-Oh, yes, please.

-Super.

'Thought to be built around the 1930s

'but converted to a home in the 1980s,

'we're taking the door from the veranda at the back of the property and

'going straight into the kitchen/ breakfast room.'

So let's start off with our country kitchen.

It's very stylish.

For me, if I was completely honest, it is awfully a little bit low.

It's done very nicely, you know, it's...bright modern units.

It just feels a little bit on the cramped side.

I would be inclined to remove the island and open the whole thing up

and make it one big sort of kitchen/living space.

-It would be huge then, wouldn't it?

-It would be great in that format.

Let's see what you make of the next room.

'Exiting the kitchen into the hall,

'the other side of the ground floor features the largest reception room.'

So off our hallway, this is your sitting room.

OK. It's actually a very spacious room.

-It is a big room.

-Dare I broach the subject of the windows and the light?

I think it is fairly dark and it is a very bright day today.

That would be a concern for me.

-Right, OK.

-I agree, it is a little on the dark side.

Probably compared to what we are used to as well, and it is a bright day.

So that is something, you know.

Let's head upstairs.

See what you make of that.

OK.

'So some doubts expressed by Chris and Jackie over the ground floor but

'there is additional space in a separate dining room next to the kitchen,

'as well as the convenience of a downstairs toilet.

'Perhaps the generous four-bedroom accommodation upstairs

'will be more to their liking.'

Over the sitting room, there's a large double with pretty views

from two aspects. Another room currently has a daybed

but is large enough to take a double.

And the smallest of the bedrooms,

which is presently used as an office.

These are all served by a family bathroom,

and that just leaves the final room.

So here is the master bedroom.

Complete with en-suite.

Yes. Oh, perfect.

This is a really much lighter room, brighter room.

So getting a slightly better reaction from upstairs.

Yeah, it is a lovely room and it's lighter, it's brighter,

the ceiling is higher.

Yeah, I like this room.

Yes, definitely.

And you've got your sunshine streaming through.

-And a beautiful view, actually.

-You do. You're not overlooked,

which you will see in more detail

because I'm going to take you outside.

A good finish for the interior,

but there is more outside, where this property really shines.

With lawns and terraces plus beautifully stocked flowerbeds,

the surprise feature in the garden is a large heated pool.

Outbuildings include a barn with storage and workshop

that could give Chris a super-sized man den.

And there is also a double garage.

What's more, light-loving Chris and Jackie should warm to the garden's aspect.

South-west facing garden,

so you're going to get the sunlight for most of the day, aren't you,

-into the evening?

-It is a stunning space.

It's quite amazing compared to the house.

You wouldn't think the house would have a thing like this attached to it.

No. It is certainly a bonus, isn't it?

Yeah, and adds more potential.

Let's see what it's on the market for.

It will be interesting to see what you two think.

925.

-What about you, Jackie?

-I would say 875.

The asking price is £975,000.

Right, OK. I am pleasantly surprised.

But it is a lovely property.

Well, I think this is the opportunity for you two

to take another look, on your own this time. Have a full explore.

I must admit, with weather like this,

I am quite happy to wait for you in the garden, if you don't mind.

-OK.

-Be my guest.

Significantly under their £1.1 million top budget,

our first property meets many of the requirements on Chris and Jackie's

wish list. It's detached with bags of individuality.

There are four bedrooms, and there is the garage Chris asked for.

In addition, there are good-sized grounds with entertaining spaces

as well as that large heated pool.

Plus it's a 90-minute commute to London from nearby Arundel station.

I think it is an amazing property.

The amount of land surrounding it and the gardens are just beautiful.

I think the house itself may be a little bit small

for our requirements.

Probably I would give it a 50-50

because the house may be...

so-so, but the garden is very much so.

You've caught me enjoying the rays of sunshine.

I do love this garden.

It is gorgeous, isn't it?

It is an amazing garden, yes.

It is. So have you seen enough of the house?

-Yes, I think we have.

-Yes.

OK. That is the end of this house tour.

Let's hit the road.

Winemaking was first introduced to England by the Romans,

and as one of the sunniest spots in the country,

with a similar subsoil to the Champagne region of France,

West Sussex is a wonderful location for vineyards.

In fact, there are no fewer than 31 in the county,

producing a selection of world-class wines.

We've arranged for Chris and Jackie to visit one of the county's oldest

vineyards on the very first day of this year's harvest.

They're meeting Sam Linter,

whose parents established the Bolney Wine Estate in 1972.

So, your parents founded this estate.

What made them choose this area?

Bolney has a really good microclimate.

It actually has sandstone soils and that soil is really good for vines.

It keeps the vineyard warmer, which is vital, but also it's free-draining,

as vines don't like getting wet roots.

Warmer weather at the end of the summer has meant bumper crops

in recent years. And this is looking to be another excellent season for

grape-growing.

It takes 75-100 berries to make a single glass of wine.

And with 128,000,000 to collect over the next three weeks,

Chris and Jackie are joining Aimee Knight from the estate

to get the harvest started.

So what makes a good bunch of grapes?

So what we look for is even fruit,

so we want the berries to all be of a similar sort of size,

and we also want them to be of a similar colour.

So we don't want any green berries in our nice black bunch here.

Several varieties of grape are grown here,

but the one our couple are helping to harvest is called Rondo,

a dark-skinned hybrid developed to mature early as well as cope with a

slightly cooler and wetter climate.

So, Aimee, what do these grapes taste like?

Have a taste and see what you think.

Yeah, they are actually quite sweet.

Shall we head down to the tasting room so you can try the final product?

-Sounds good to me.

-And me.

The yield from the estate's 42,000 vines will be pressed to produce

a juice, and sugar and yeast added to start the fermentation process.

It will take up to four years

before this season's harvest

turns into wines that are ready to drink.

Fortunately for Chris and Jackie, Aimee has some they made earlier.

So have you ever tried any English wines?

-No, never.

-OK.

Well, let's start with our 2009 Blanc de Blancs.

So this is 100% Chardonnay, this wine.

It's made in the traditional method, so the same way as Champagne.

It spends a minimum of two and a half years ageing

which gives it sort of some yeasty, honeyed, autolytic sort of flavours.

But because Chardonnay is quite an acidic grape,

you should also get quite a lot of lemons, green apple,

quite a clean refreshing mouth feel with this one.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

So what do you think?

That is lovely.

Light, very crisp.

I can drink this one.

So moving on to our white wine.

The grape variety is Bacchus.

It is of Germanic origin.

It is very floral, very fruity.

It is ever so slightly sweeter as well.

Well, the fruit really comes through in that.

Very fruity, very pleasant.

And finally our red wine.

So this is our Bolney Pinot Noir.

It's a cool climate red wine, so it is very, very light.

You will be able to see from the colour, you can see through the wine.

You get a lot of kind of sweet red berries on the nose,

and on the palate you should get

only a low amount of tannin in this wine.

Wow.

Very surprising. That would be lovely chilled in the summer.

Very good summer wine, I think.

Yes, I get the berries - very light as well.

Very sort of similar to the sort of reds I like.

Yeah, great summer wine, as you said.

So what do you think about English wine?

It's certainly opened my eyes, I can tell you.

The wines we have tasted here are fantastic.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

Well, let's hope Chris and Jackie

soon have a new country address to toast to

when their house hunt continues tomorrow.

It's day two of our property search

with Chris and Jackie from Clapham, South London,

who have a top budget of £1.1 million

to buy their dream forever home in West Sussex.

So far, we've shown them some great property but there is more to see,

and our Mystery House could be just what they are looking for.

Literally walked though the door and went, wow.

And I'm still saying wow.

So it's all good.

And I'm visiting somewhere in West Sussex that really rings a bell.

I'm a good trainee campanologist.

I would love to have you as a trainee.

Well, it's a new day and of course it is the Mystery House day.

This time we are going to be taking our couple further away

down to the coast, something we know Chris adores.

However, it will mean a longer commute back to the capital.

But first, a property that is closer to the city but still has all the

wonderful countryside views. Let's see what they make of it.

Our house-hunt is taking us further inland and across the county border

to the Surrey village of Walliswood,

three and a half miles west of the village of Ockley.

Ockley station provides a regular train service to London Victoria,

with travel times of around an hour and a quarter.

There is also a pretty farm shop here.

Three and a half miles west, back in Walliswood,

the pump on the village green has a tiled roof,

stone pillars and carved wooden gables that typify the local style.

The 17th-century village pub takes its name from the Scarlett family,

who once owned much of the land here.

And it's a 10-minute walk from the house we've come to see.

What do we think of the house?

Actually it looks really interesting.

-It is lovely.

-It looks very large as well.

A promising start, do we feel?

Yes. Quietly optimistic.

Wood-boarded, very attractive.

On a very quiet road.

Let's see what you make of the inside.

Thought to be built around the 1850s,

this detached Victorian country home retains many period features

including the high ceilings Chris and Jackie love.

We're entering via a back door in a sympathetically done extension

which houses the big and bright kitchen/breakfast room.

I do love it when you start a house tour

with a really generous-sized kitchen.

Really lovely.

It's very nice, very large.

Then you have those wonderful patio doors

-looking out on to your garden.

-It's a lovely aspect.

-It really is.

-I appreciate it will be very light.

This is my idea of a kitchen/dining space.

-Is it?

-Especially looking out over the garden like that.

Yeah, it's perfect.

Yes? Can you see both of you in here over the weekend?

Yes. You'll be out there digging up the vegetables

and I'll be in here cooking them.

Already got the roles sorted out, OK.

Let's keep going.

'Off the kitchen we also find a utility, downstairs cloakroom

'and snug.

'Then heading out through the main entrance hall,

'we arrive at the sitting room.'

We actually passed the front door.

But we never use that, do we?

It is a nice-shaped room.

It is very good having a square room

when it comes to laying out furniture and

-TVs and whatnot.

-True.

And it is a higher ceiling. It is higher ceilings, which is good.

-It is a nice room.

-Chris, big fan of the fire?

If someone makes it, yes.

Would you like to see a little bit more?

-We certainly would.

-Right, I'll squeeze past you.

Thank you.

'They both seem to be warming to the character and proportions

'of this home so far

'and opposite the sitting room, a similarly square-shaped elegant

'dining room boasts another feature fireplace.'

The classic staircase leads up to four bedrooms,

all fanning off the landing.

There is a good-sized guest double above the dining room,

and two smaller rooms,

each currently arranged with single beds.

The compact family bathroom has both a shower and bath,

and then to the rear of this floor,

there is the generously sized master en-suite.

Another lovely room. Amazing ceiling.

Now you do have the height.

We won't be ducking these beams.

Behind me, a good-sized wardrobe.

-Yeah.

-And behind that, just walk through,

a really good en-suite bathroom with a bath.

It's lovely. The windows actually give the room character as well.

Great. All right. Let's see what we think of outside.

What a wonderful reception for the interior of this charming home.

Outside, in the half-acre of grounds,

there is a ready-made vegetable patch

right outside the kitchen, as well as a pleasant terrace with seating.

There is also a barn-style garage and tranquil country views.

How green-fingered do you want to be when you make this move?

It is something I'm interested in doing because I want to grow herbs and vegetables.

So the area closer to the house would be perfect for that.

You know, and your man cave could be at the end here

somewhere under an oak tree.

Well, let's see, shall we, if the price is pleasant?

Well, I think it's probably top end of our budget.

I would say around the 1.1 mark.

-OK.

-To be different, I will say 1,075.

OK. Well, you're both out.

-By quite a lot.

-Really?

The asking price is under a million pounds.

-Wow!

-It's £995,000.

-OK.

-That is surprising.

-Very surprising.

-I'm glad.

That is a positive reaction with our price.

So now you know I think you should go and have another look around.

Yes. I'd love to.

Good, go on, then.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Well under budget,

this Victorian country residence has all the accommodation Chris and

Jackie require. It comes with a large kitchen/breakfast room,

four bedrooms including that generous master en-suite,

a well-stocked garden with beautiful countryside on the doorstep,

and all with the added convenience of London transport links nearby.

I'm actually very surprised at how big the house is

and I think it could offer us the type of accommodation

we have been looking for.

Locationally, it looks to be well situated for us.

You know, to have this lifestyle that we are looking for.

It offers us the period features

that we have wanted and the character

that we really wanted as well.

It ticks a lot of the boxes in terms of the features, the space, the size.

It is a great house and I could see us living in it.

How are we?

-Impressed.

-Yes.

A very positive house tour this time, in Surrey.

-Seen enough?

-Yes, I think so.

OK, let's go.

As well as the beauty of its countryside,

West Sussex is rich in history and architectural heritage.

Located at the south-western tip of the county,

the cathedral city of Chichester was once a Roman settlement and there is

still evidence of the Roman influence to this day,

with the city walls standing as the most intact circuit of Roman town

defences in southern England.

Elsewhere, one of the most striking sights is the cathedral,

which has stood at the heart of Chichester for 900 years.

Subsequent generations have also left their mark here,

for it's possible to admire

both exterior medieval architecture and

interior 20th-century art works.

Today, I'm finding out about the history and continuing work in this

impressive ecclesiastical building,

starting with a welcome from the Dean of the Cathedral, Stephen Waine.

This is my first time here at Chichester Cathedral.

And it really is magnificent.

It is the jewel in the crown of Chichester.

It is just beautiful. It was begun in the year 1076 and although it was

finished relatively quickly,

there were a couple of disastrous fires,

which means that it was dedicated for the second time in the year 1199.

Since then it has been added to and beautified and restored at various

times throughout the history.

Scarcely a century in which something important hasn't happened here in

-terms of the building.

-Out of the whole of the West Sussex countryside,

why did they decide that Chichester should be its home?

Originally, there was a cathedral in Selsey but at the particular period

they were bringing bishops from the countryside into centres of population

and the old Roman town of Chichester

-was one of the major centres of population.

-Standing here, you know,

you can see the building in all its glory -

what's it like trying to maintain a historic building like this?

It is a constant task with a building of this age.

If you don't attend to the small things

very, very quickly, they become large things.

Just at the moment, behind us here, we've got some scaffolding.

We're fixing the historic roof up there.

Is that ongoing? Is that something I could perhaps take a look at?

It is ongoing. Why don't you go and have a look?

You will find it absolutely fascinating when you get up there.

-I'm looking forward to this.

-Good.

This is certainly one building site I am keen to look around

and acting clerk of works, Tony Allen,

has offered to show me the latest projects and the incredible view.

What can we see?

Well, over there you have got the Isle of Wight, Portsmouth,

and in the far distance Southampton.

A height of 274 feet to the top of the spire may offer panoramic views

but the exposed coastal location

takes its toll on the fabric of the building.

I mean, we can feel the wind today.

And where we are stood, we suffer predominantly from south-west winds.

So it comes across here, across the Solent and it batters

all the stone, if you wish,

so it is eroding the stone as you look at it.

-Is this what this is? All these ridges?

-Correct.

And this will have to be repaired in time?

In time, each piece will have to be replaced.

This is also the only medieval cathedral

with a separate bell tower or campanile.

It's a 15th-century structure that is, sadly, showing its age.

That is in a very bad state of repair.

We're going to be looking at refurbishing that in the next couple of years,

so we will be trying to raise funds for that.

We're talking in the region of £4 million just to restore the stonework

externally.

Meanwhile, the bell tower is very much a living building.

The bell-ringers, also known as campanologists,

have the task of pealing out a ring from up to eight bells in the lantern.

Regular ringer Hamish has agreed to give me some instruction at a practice session.

-Hello, Hamish.

-Hello, Nicki. Welcome to Chichester.

Thank you. Now, I am looking forward to this because this is a first.

I have never rung a bell before.

I want you to look after me

-because I'm not going to end up in the rafters, am I?

-You certainly won't.

-OK.

-I'll make sure of that.

-Thank you.

The rope will take your hands up, keep the rope tight.

OK. I'm going to put my hand on top of yours the first few times.

-OK.

-To make sure your hands do come down.

-OK.

-Here we go.

-I'm concentrating now.

BELL CLANGS Oh.

That sounds amazing.

Straight down, perfect.

That was a really good pull down.

I am a good trainee campanologist.

I would love to have you as a trainee, Nicki.

Yeah? Hand over the rope.

-Take it away. Thank you.

-OK.

'Well, time for me to leave bell number four

'in the capable hands of the regular ringers,

'as they peal out a ring that has been sounded out for more than half a millennium.'

Our mystery proposition sees us leave behind the depths of rural life to

tempt Chris to the coast, but at the cost of a longer commute.

We are five miles west of Brighton, in the small seaside town of Southwick.

Here there are pretty harbours and marinas

with views across the English Channel.

The town has plenty of easy-to-reach amenities

including pubs and a train station,

giving Chris those all-important links to London.

Now, I think you might have guessed why we picked this property.

-I think because it might be on the coast.

-It is on the coast.

It is also on a road, that we have to be aware of,

with a little bit more traffic than you might be used to in the country.

But we are about 15 minutes from the marina here in Southwick.

So on first impressions, what do we think?

-An impressive house.

-A very large house.

So shall we step inside and see what you make of it?

Yes, please.

Despite not being in the heart of the countryside,

the exterior appeal of our Mystery House seems to be of interest to Chris and Jackie.

Built in the 1900s,

the Edwardian home was recently extended by the current owners

to create a very grand space with a large entrance hall

leading into an elegant dining room.

This isn't a small house.

Certainly not.

So here is your hallway.

Larger than some people's homes.

In here...I like the way it is open.

-Dining room.

-Fantastic.

But then...

..what do we make of this?

-Just amazing.

-Go and fetch my bags.

This is fantastic.

-Seriously.

-Amazing.

It is out of a homes magazine, you know, one of those glossy magazines.

It is fantastic.

Let's take a look at the sitting room next door.

'A well-designed utility lies off the kitchen

'whilst back through the hall,

'the first of two sitting rooms again boasts those Edwardian high ceilings.'

This is just another big room.

Yeah. Definitely a very comfortable sitting room and the window lets in

loads of light, it is so huge.

-That is an original fireplace.

-Yeah.

Certainly feels I could live here.

Yeah, yeah.

So far it has the wow factor.

I literally walked through the door and went, wow,

and I'm still saying wow. So it is all good.

If you can keep saying it, I will be very happy.

Well, I take it you would like to see upstairs, then?

-Yes, please.

-OK.

-Thank you.

This impeccably presented Edwardian home

has certainly enchanted our couple.

The ground floor also offers the first of three bathrooms plus

there's the second sitting room.

But there's still a lot more to see.

A wide staircase takes us to the first of two upper floors

with a total of five bedrooms.

A good-sized double to the front of the house,

next to which is a slightly smaller bedroom.

And another spacious double to the side.

There is also a family bathroom

with separate WC, typical of this period of home.

And finally at the back of the house is a very large bedroom with en-suite.

Try your master bedroom out for size.

Oh, crikey.

Another very, very large room.

The most beautiful en-suite walk-in shower in their bathroom.

-Absolutely gorgeous.

-This would certainly work for us, wouldn't it?

Certainly as a master bedroom, certainly.

Walk around space.

We are on course, aren't we?

But we haven't got the man den.

How would you feel about having a man attic?

I could cope with that, yes.

You nearly broke into a smile there, Chris.

-That is very unusual.

-Break into a sweat.

Because above us they have actually gone into the loft

and it is huge up there.

Certainly food for thought.

The house has far more positives than negatives, so, yeah.

Super.

Well, let's see if our Mystery House

can build on those positives outside,

where the enclosed gardens have been professionally landscaped whilst

retaining many mature shrubs and trees.

There are a couple of greenhouses and a shed,

as well as large areas of well-maintained lawn.

So here we have our beautiful long garden.

-Very neat, very tidy.

-Yeah, and it is a mature garden.

Lots of interesting things to look at.

Yeah, yeah.

You're looking at an hour 40 to Victoria from here,

then obviously you've got to get to the train station, which isn't too far.

It is walking distance.

But a little more on your journey every day.

And I know you work pretty long hours...

It would certainly be a very big consideration in any decision

to buy something like this.

So what do we think?

How much do you think it is on the market for?

-950.

-OK.

I think maybe 995.

The asking price is bang on a million pounds.

If it was the house for us, I would be happy to pay that.

Oh, that is quite telling.

That is the big question mark, isn't it?

-Well, go and have another look around and I will find you in a little while.

-Thank you.

It is such a beautiful home.

Exquisite garden but I think the penny is dropping with Chris.

I think even if I found the most amazing house right near the coast

with a very quick commute to London,

I still think it would be too far for him.

It makes it such a long working day

and that's, I think, in their heads what they've got to work out where the priority is.

This impressive Edwardian property

has wowed Chris and Jackie and leaves

them £100,000 in their budget.

There is a stunning kitchen/diner,

three additional reception rooms,

five bedrooms including that attic room that could make a man cave

and the coastal location is close to amenities

including rail links to London.

The Mystery House is stunning.

The high ceilings and all the period features

are exactly what I want to see in my next house.

It's just the wow factor.

It really has the wow factor.

I think the Mystery House is actually great.

The footprint, the size, the space -

what I really like is the light airy spacious feel you get from walking

from room to room.

I think the commute of an hour and 40 on the train,

if you're doing ten-plus-hour days,

it becomes untenable for a long period of time.

So that is it. You've seen all our properties.

You two need to have a little bit of a chat

and then we will find out what your next move is going to be.

Well, we've certainly ended on a high note here in West Sussex

with our Mystery House but the question is how high?

Let's go and ask them.

Well, Chris and Jackie. We're desperate to get you away

from the Big Smoke for a new life in the country.

Have we got close, I wonder?

I think you got close to a property that we really do like.

Two properties we really do like.

Yeah. It is the location I think is the sort of sticking point.

Well, let's talk about the actual properties themselves.

Put me out of my misery, then. Which were the two that you loved?

We liked the house in Southwick

and we also liked the house in...

-Walliswood.

-Yes.

I think they're very different houses themselves...

..but each had so much to offer and ticked an awful lot of boxes.

I think it is the commute aspect of life is the one

that is really sinking...

come into the forefront of my mind at the moment.

And obviously that is very key while I'm still working in the City.

It's really helped us now to...

We can see what we like and what we don't like.

Well, I'm glad we have been able to help.

No, I definitely think we are much closer,

you know, than we were a few days ago, even.

You know, I feel very positive.

It has been great. We have loved showing you around, so all the very best.

And I hope you get to move very soon.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

We may not have finalised a house sale with Chris and Jackie

but what we did do was find them the perfect home.

Just frustratingly, in the wrong location.

But I think the last few days has really helped them fine-tune

what it is they want from this new country lifestyle

that they so crave.

They've just got to decide on the exact location

and the rest will fall into place.

We wish them all the very best, wherever they end up.

And I will see you again on Escape To The Country.

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