Shropshire Escape to the Country

Welcome to Escape To The Country. Now, as you can imagine,

we're used to seeing some pretty stunning views on our travels,

but this one was created by a man whose vision and legacy has,

for many, come to define what the English landscape is all about.

But who was he? And where did he create this wonderful backdrop?

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

On today's show, I help a newlywed couple

who want to start their married life in the countryside

and they're overwhelmed by the houses on offer.

-You get the whole thing.

-The whole thing?

-The whole thing.

-Oh, wow! That's amazing. It's amazing.

-That is amazing.

-Yeah?

-Wow.

-But they're not always on the same page.

-I think it's nice as it is.

Oh! And there, we'll disagree! SHE LAUGHS

Well, today, we are in Shropshire,

and this is just one view of Weston Park

and its glorious landscape that was created by none other

than Lancelot "Capability" Brown back in the 1760s.

Since then, his work has become as big a part of the British psyche

as the poetry of Wordsworth, or, indeed, the paintings of Turner.

Now, later on in the show, I'll be back here at Weston Park

to learn a lot more about the life and work of a man

whose legacy has, for many, since defined the very idea

of the English landscape itself.

Landlocked Shropshire is one of England's largest counties,

and borders Wales to the west as well as four English counties.

Flowing through Shropshire,

the River Severn is the country's longest river, at 220 miles.

Its most famous crossing point is at Iron Bridge.

Built in 1779, and the first bridge to be made from cast iron,

it's an impressive reminder of the Industrial Revolution,

which began in this region in the 18th century.

The extent of Shropshire's undulating landscape

can be appreciated at the top of Brown Clee Hill,

the highest point in the county, at over 1,770 feet.

Set in a valley in the Shropshire hills is the small town of Clun,

whose 15th-century bridge arches over the river

from which it takes its name.

Its Norman church sits on one side, and on the other,

the haunting ruins of Clun Castle.

Larger settlements include the medieval market town of Ludlow,

with its eclectic mix of architecture,

including the distinctive timber-framed buildings

that are so prolific throughout the area.

With its mix of architectural heritage,

rich history and striking rural scenery,

Shropshire is a compelling option

for those wanting to start a new life in the countryside.

Now, given its stunning landscapes and picture-postcard views,

you may be reasonably forgiven for assuming that house-hunting here

in Shropshire is always going to be an expensive business.

But prepare to be pleasantly surprised because, currently,

the average price of a detached property here is £276,000 -

that's a whopping £50,000 below the national figure.

And if you want even more for your money, well,

head west over towards the border with Wales and the County of Powys,

and there you could get even more bang for your buck.

As always, there are hot spots to be aware of.

Not least, Ludlow -

with its reputation as the foodie capital of England,

always commands something of a premium.

But on a day like today,

with the landscape bathed in glorious warm summer sunshine,

well, you can perfectly see why today's buyers want to move here.

20-somethings Ruth and Jason,

who both work for a large insurance company,

have only been married for a year.

They first encountered each other at work.

We actually met on our very first day at work.

Well, MY very first day at work and I sat next to him at the office.

I think I made the first move at a Christmas party.

I guess we were pretty petrified of each other on the first day,

-weren't we?

-YOU were!

-Well, I was scared of her.

And she was scared of all the new people that she was working with.

She'd come from another office

and thought that everyone hated her because no-one was talking to her.

And me being petrified of this pretty girl

that has now sat next to me, I couldn't talk to her.

So, it was an awkward first day.

But they got over their initial nerves and,

for the last three years, have owned a Victorian semi

in the town of Aldershot in Hampshire,

once home to the British Army.

It's a former military town.

It's got a lot of sort of, like, market towns around it.

The military's actually left now, so it's kind of in a transition period.

There's a lot of new housing going up.

It's quite handy for London,

but I suppose the down side is it's quite built-up.

There's not too much space. There's not lots of areas

that you could have children running around,

and there's a lot of neighbours.

And it's the pitter-patter of tiny feet that's prompting the move.

We really want to have a family in the near future

and I just have this vision of them growing up

in the rolling countryside and being able to run around

and have lots of space to play

and grow up in a more natural environment.

But they might need a mansion if Ruth gets her way.

When I first met Jason, I wanted eight children.

And, quite quickly, that became clear that that wasn't an option.

So, I did go down to four, but we've settled on two or three.

Ruth and Jason can both work from home,

and that's given them free rein to choose where they want to live.

So, having done their research, they've settled on Shropshire.

We think it's a really beautiful area. Kind of a hidden gem, I think.

Not a lot of people know about it.

We really like the Ludlow area. The market town is just beautiful

and we think that that would be a really great place to live.

And they're not afraid of a project, as Jason is a dab hand at DIY.

My interest in DIY came out of curiosity more than anything else,

I think. I like to see how things work, take things apart,

I like exploring and then fixing it.

I've done a lot of stuff in the house here

and I'm pretty pleased with the work. I think you are, eventually.

Maybe not when it's particularly messy,

but it's something that is very, very satisfying, once you're done.

And Ruth, on the other hand, is a self-confessed domestic goddess.

I've been baking since I was a little girl with my grandma.

I love making any kind of cakes, biscuits, breads.

I do it in my current small kitchen,

but I would absolutely love a huge, country kitchen with a big island

where I can bake lots of home-baked goodies and, hopefully,

take them to my new neighbours, so they like us.

It's a dramatic move for both of them,

as they'll be leaving friends and Jason's family behind,

but they're looking forward to a complete change of lifestyle.

It's a complete unknown. It's something that we...

we want to do. We know we want to do it for various reasons,

but it's exciting in that we just don't know what to expect.

Ruth and Jason would like to focus their property search

around the market town of Ludlow.

So, I'm meeting up with them in Shropshire

to find out what sort of house they want.

Well, guys, it now falls to me

to officially welcome you to Shropshire, Ruth and Jason.

-How does it feel to be making this move?

-Oh, we're so excited.

We really can't wait. Excited to see what you've got for us.

Let's get down to the reasons behind this move, Jason. Why now?

I think we've just got to a point in our lives

where we're looking to start a new chapter.

Family being probably the main focus.

So, moving to the right place to start that, I think.

And in terms of your respective jobs,

you're in a very enviable position

in that you can actually work from home, you can move with your job.

Yes. Our jobs are quite agile and we can work from home,

so we thought, "Why do we live near London?

"It's so busy and congested.

"Let's move somewhere stunning like this."

Like this! THEY LAUGH

So, just remind us of your budget.

-Our budget is £400,000.

-And for that, you are looking for...?

We would like a four-bedroom house with a large kitchen/diner.

We would also like the potential to add holiday lets.

A manageable garden.

And something we're really keen on is character, period features,

or something a bit quirky.

You want what everybody wants on Escape To The Country, I suspect!

But £400,000 for four beds and a holiday let thrown in,

even here in Shropshire, that's quite a challenge.

Have you looked around and seen what the market can offer you here?

We actually haven't seen any houses yet.

So, we've given you quite a challenge, but we...

we think you're up to the task.

We're going to have to pick through what the market can offer us.

And I suspect we're going to have to cover some miles.

We've got a lot of work to do, haven't we? Come on, let's go!

With £400,000 to spend,

property-hunting novices Ruth and Jason would like a characterful home

to grow into. They would like it to provide four bedrooms

and a large kitchen/diner.

Outside, the grounds should include a manageable garden

and the potential to add holiday lets.

And because Jason's handy with a hammer, they'll consider a project.

We've lined up some premium properties

for our two insurance advisers to compare,

but I won't be revealing the price tag of each

until right at the end of each tour.

Our Mystery House might offer Ruth and Jason the perfect house

to raise a family in, but with a twist on their business idea.

Our first house is in the village of Lee Brockhurst,

around 11 miles north of Shrewsbury.

The small market town of Wem is the closest option

for a wide selection of independent shops.

The town was virtually destroyed during the Wars of the Roses,

before being rebuilt, only to suffer

a disaster that sparked an infamous story.

In 1677, a girl called Jane Churm

dropped a candle which started a fire,

destroying most of the wooden buildings in Wem

and melting the bells in the church tower.

However, back in the small village of Lee Brockhurst,

under a ten-minute drive away,

property number one is surrounded by quiet countryside.

Right then. Here we are.

This is property number one.

-What do you think of that?

-It's amazing.

-That is amazing.

-Yeah?

-Wow.

-Now, you don't get the whole thing...

I'm sorry to say. But you do get the lion's share of it.

Everything to the right of that little wall there.

Oh, wow!

Yeah, so all of those little skylights are part of your property.

It's absolutely stunning.

I...

-It's gorgeous. I'm very impressed.

-LAUGHTER

Yeah, is this the sort of thing, Jason, that you'd have gone for?

Definitely. Conversions are pretty high up

-on my list of favourite properties, so...

-You know why?

Cos someone's already converted it.

-Yeah. Makes sense.

-Come and have a look.

Converted about 11 years ago,

the former barn is effectively a new-build within an older shell

and retains many classic, original features.

To the side of the barn is a cavernous garage,

which we'll explore later.

OK, Ruth. What about this, then?

-Wow!

-Yeah?

-This is amazing.

-Your face!

-Yeah. Wows aplenty.

-This is incredible.

-This is absolutely perfect.

-There's an island!

-Yes.

Exactly. I wondered when you'd notice that.

And look at the beautiful beam, that is so stunning.

And then to the left, there, you've got a utility room.

-Oh, wow!

-And downstairs loo, as well, which is quite handy.

-Jason looks quite happy.

-It's a very, very good start.

I can see you casting your DIY eye

around all the finishes, just as I do.

And I think, you know, there is nothing here that, you know,

distracts me at all. The finish is absolutely spot-on.

Yeah. He's definitely not allowed to rip anything out of here.

Good! All right, let's see what you think of the rest of it.

Now, this, they've got set up as a dining-room-cum-kind-of-study.

But this is a huge space, really.

It's lovely. I really like the beams...

-Yeah.

-..the floor, everything... It's beautiful.

And I think this room is so cosy and characterful.

-Yeah?

-This is gorgeous. I love the wood burner.

-Yeah?

-I love wood burners.

I think cosy is definitely the right word for this.

Yeah. That's what I... I think that's was I'm after

with a living room. I think it should be cosy.

I'm not massively into sort of open-plan.

'With the ground floor getting the seal of approval,

'I'm keen to see if we can keep the momentum going upstairs,'

which has the four bedrooms Ruth and Jason asked for.

They include a large guest double,

and two smaller bedrooms to make use of in the future.

There's also a large family bathroom,

with roll-top bath and, of course, the master.

And then finally, this is the room that we think you would want.

For very obvious reasons, because it has the en-suite, as well.

-Wow. Yeah. It's lovely.

-It's a really nice room. It's really nice.

This must be bigger than what you've got now.

It's round about the same size, but, obviously, this has got an en-suite.

We'd be very spoilt with this.

Now then, we have to talk about price at some point,

before we get carried away.

However, I think we should take a pause

and have a look at the outbuilding.

Cos I suspect this is where your DIY will come into its own.

Outside, the main space is to the front of the barn,

but there's also a rear south-facing walled garden.

And, of course, that double garage,

which could be converted into a holiday let,

subject to planning permission.

This is amazing. This is an absolutely huge space.

There's so much room!

And there's another third again behind that stud wall.

Wow. The possibilities of what you could do with this are just endless.

So, with everything on their wish list accounted for,

does it come in significantly under Ruth and Jason's £400,000 budget?

How much, Jason,

do you think you're going to have to part with to get hold of this one?

I'd be confident in saying something around 395.

-Yeah.

-I was also going to say 395,

but definitely I think right at the top end of our budget.

If it were 395, you can afford it.

If it were somewhere in the order of 374,950...

-..wouldn't that be good?

-I... I probably wouldn't believe you.

-Believe me.

-This is 374,950?

-Yes.

-Wow.

Wow.

That's amazing.

Brilliant. Look, you're excited, I'm excited, what more can I say?

The house is yours. Go and explore it, make some plans,

see what you might do with the change, you know? It's under budget.

-And I'll come and find you later.

-Thanks.

-Off you go, brilliant.

Happy days in the sun in Shropshire.

Ooh, it's sizzling today!

£25,000 under budget,

our first house is a converted barn with exposed beams

and characterful features.

It has a large kitchen with an island,

four bedrooms, and the grounds include a double garage

that could be converted to a holiday let.

And it's all situated in a quiet, rural location.

There's just so many things you could do with this space.

It's huge. The options are...

This has really thrown a spanner in the works, hasn't it?

-There's almost too many options.

-You want a workshop now.

It could definitely be divided up

to accommodate things like that, I think.

I think the house itself,

there aren't really any negative points that I can see.

It's absolutely beautiful.

The only down sides I would say to this property

are potentially the location.

It's in quite a rural setting, there's no shop, there's no pub,

no access to schools, walking distance.

The house, however, may make up for that.

Overall, property one has been a real eye-opener.

In terms of the budget that we had,

we didn't think we would get anything close to this, so it's...

We are very excited to see what's lying ahead now.

Do you know?

It's nearly 30 degrees here today.

Do you have any idea how hot it is the moment?

-It's just gorgeous, isn't it?

-It's so beautiful.

Well, I think this was a great start.

Clearly, a property that's on our list for the future.

-Definitely.

-Good.

-Yeah. We love it. It's beautiful.

Well, we've got plenty more to tempt you with.

But don't forget about this one. Come on.

The longest river in Britain,

the Severn cuts a diagonal path through Shropshire,

on its journey to the sea in the Bristol Channel.

For centuries, it was an important trading route

and was instrumental in sparking the Industrial Revolution,

transporting coal and iron from the Midlands to coastal ports.

The coming of the railways heralded the end of commercial river traffic

and today the Severn is mainly used for leisure.

But local man Nigel Winfield has recently taken to the water

with a new venture - a scenic tour using a 25-foot raft.

So, we sent Ruth and Jason to Ironbridge Gorge

to explore the Severn using this serene mode of transport.

So, where did you get the idea to run these tours?

It was actually from Canada.

Back in 1971 is when they first started the 25-foot raft trips.

And why this particular stretch of river?

Is there anything special about it?

There is. It's the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution,

so we have a lot of tourists that come through here,

specifically for the bridge.

But also other activities around the area.

And how far will we be going today?

It's just a short ride.

2km we do, but we take our royal time on the river.

So, no rush, at all. Are you ready to be kitted up

-into your buoyancy aids?

-Yep. Sounds good.

-OK, let's go.

The specially made rafts can take up to 16 people

and are some of the largest in the UK.

Nigel's experience includes white-water rafting in Canada,

but the river here is a little calmer.

The Severn in Ironbridge is steeped in history

and takes in many of the iconic sights

associated with the industrial heritage of the area.

OK, folks. So, if you just look behind you, here,

big, red-tile cooling towers.

The only red-tile cooling towers in the whole of the UK.

And it's part of the...

formerly-known-as Ironbridge Power Station

and it was decommissioned last year.

Taller than Blackpool Tower,

I've been told, so, yeah.

Really nice.

The Severn runs along the bottom of Ironbridge Gorge,

created 15,000 years ago by floodwater

cutting through the limestone rock.

As the river cut into the landscape,

the red soil revealed raw materials including coal, limestone and clay -

rich deposits that would later be used by industry.

-How deep is it at the moment?

-It's about 20 feet here.

That's the great thing about these rafts.

-We only need 15 centimetres of water...

-Oh, wow.

..so we can venture into places that other companies can't go.

It may seem peaceful now, but 200 years ago,

during the heyday of the Industrial Revolution,

this stretch of river was a hive of activity.

Today, the only reminder of that industry

are many of the old warehouses -

now museums - that line the river bank.

So, you would see up to 72 boats lined along here

all the way to the bridge, from the Museum Of The Gorge,

which is the old Severn Warehouse.

And they would actually just be waiting there to be loaded up,

so you'd have a big telegraph pole.

Cargo would drop in and then they would fill up the boats

and send them down.

And some of the boats were three times the length of this boat,

75, 80 feet, and they'd carry up to 60 tonnes.

So, our job's quite easy.

Ruth and Jason are finishing their tour at the famous bridge

that gave the area its name.

Built in 1779, it was a revolution in design and engineering,

both a practical structure and potent symbol of the age.

And why make it ornate? What function did that serve?

I think it was just a... At the time, it was just to show off.

It was, as I say, "Look at us. Look at what we can do."

You know, "We build out of cast iron now, no more wooden bridges."

So, it was a statement.

It was the first-ever cast-iron bridge in the world. And from that,

the birthplace of Industrial Revolution really took off.

But after a pleasant afternoon on the river,

learning about the county's heritage,

we need to turn our attention from cast-iron back to bricks and mortar.

Our second house is in the village of Richard's Castle -

five miles south of Ludlow and right on the border

between Shropshire and Herefordshire.

Named after the Norman castle that once stood here

to defend the border with Wales,

today, the village features a 12th-century church

with a separate bell tower.

There's also a pub and a village hall with lots of community events.

House number two is just up the hill from the pub,

and is a little less rural than our first.

Right, guys. Here we are.

Property number two. What do you reckon?

Because you get the whole thing.

-The whole thing?!

-The whole thing.

Oh. Wow! OK. I was thinking it was half.

-I bet you were.

-Definitely.

-Yeah.

-Oh, OK! That's...

-What do you think of that, Jason?

-That is big.

That is a lot of house.

-It IS a lot of house.

-That's perked me up a bit.

Not only do you get the whole lot,

but everything to the right of that front door

is currently set up as a two-bed holiday let.

Oh, wow. That's amazing!

Both a home for Ruth and Jason

and a potential holiday let all under one roof,

our second house dates to the 1800s

and gives Jason an opportunity to open his tool box,

as it could benefit from some internal reworking.

The layout is quirky because inside has been divided into two,

with the main accommodation on one side

and a self-contained two-bed holiday let in the other.

But we're starting with what would be Ruth and Jason's bit.

So, this is the main house's living room, as it were.

Complete with multi-fuel wood burner, as you can see,

all accessed off of that hallway.

And the room you can see beyond this, that lovely fireplace,

that would be the living room of the holiday let.

But at the moment, they, you know, use it for themselves.

Of course, because it's not busy.

I really like this. I'm really pleasantly surprised.

Coming inside, I think I wasn't expecting it to be quite so lovely.

Yeah. I mean, I've called it quirky. I mean, how would you describe it?

I... I think it's quite quirky.

-It's very cosy. Very, very cosy.

-Yes.

-And that's something I really like.

-The kitchen's also really lovely.

Have a look at this.

-It's nice!

-Isn't it?

-It's very sweet.

-This little archway,

this sort of sprung-brick arch is quite a sweet feature

with the cast-iron column radiator underneath it.

Yeah, that's really pretty.

I just wonder if it's lacking a little bit in worktop space.

I'm hiding some of it! JULES LAUGHS

But you're right, I mean, this sort of suggests an island here,

doesn't it, this little table?

I think it's nice as it is.

Oh! And there we'll disagree!

Says Ruth! SHE LAUGHS

-Could you make it work?

-At the end of the day,

whatever the boss says goes.

Yeah. I know the feeling, mate! Come this way.

The rest of the ground floor includes a further kitchen

on the holiday-let side, and in the main house, there's a study.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms for them,

including a single and one in the eaves, complete with skylight.

So, this is currently the master.

The biggest one of the three

-in the main bit of the house, I suppose.

-Nice and big.

-This room,

the owners haven't really done anything with at all,

but they have set about this, which I think is rather nice.

This is the new en suite.

Oh, wow! Wow.

-Yeah.

-This is a HUGE en suite!

-Jason?

-I... I think it's almost too big.

The configuration's odd.

I think it just needs a rethink.

That's what this one needs. It does need a bit of thought,

but I think the space that's on offer, and in particular

its location... Let's not forget Ludlow, just down the road.

-Yeah.

-That's why we're here.

The upstairs of the holiday-let side features two further bedrooms,

a double and, again, a single in the eaves, as well as a shower room.

But the fact this house is divided is possibly sowing a seed of doubt.

Outside, the rear garden has a terrace

running along the full length of the house, which leads to a level lawn

and there's also a timber workshop and greenhouse.

-Really nice garden.

-Yeah. Nice and quiet.

They've got obviously half of it sort of turned over

to something of a sort of vegetable and produce patch.

We'd probably kill all those vegetables...by accident.

By accident! Well, give them a chance.

You never know, you might become green-fingered.

Now, in terms of price,

have you been able to kind of think about

what this one might be on the market for?

My guess would be around £390,000.

390, yup.

I'm going to go a little bit lower and say 375.

This is on the market for £350,000.

-Wow!

-Wow.

-Yeah. That the wow. That's why we're here.

-That's a surprise.

-Has that changed anything?

I was thinking it was going to be closer to the top of our budget.

So, it's definitely given me a bit more to think about now.

-Go on, then, off you go. Go and explore.

-Thanks.

-Start planning.

-I

-would. It's a great location, it's a great property and, let's face it,

it's at a great price.

Under budget by £50,000, our second house,

a detached 19th-century cottage,

comes with a total of five bedrooms,

a large kitchen and the two sitting rooms.

The property has been divided up to include a self-contained annexe,

but I think that wish for a holiday let is becoming less of a priority.

So, this is the master bedroom of the holiday let.

-It's big.

-It's really nice in here.

I think this would make a nice holiday let.

But it would be nicer if we could knock through

and expand into the house and make it one big house again.

The layout, for me, is just quite bizarre.

And I think it would be quite a lot of work

to put it how WE would want it.

In terms of keeping the holiday let section,

I'm not so sure now.

For me, that was one of our requirements,

it was something we really wanted,

but this property feels like it's suffering

as a result of having the holiday let.

-Hey, Ruth. How you doing?

-Hello. Good, thanks.

-Have you redesigned it, then, Jason?

-Yeah, pretty much.

Yeah, I thought you might have done!

Well, look, I think it's been a really interesting day,

a long day and certainly a hot one.

-Who's for a cold beer?

-Great idea.

-Definitely.

-Come on.

I'm in Shropshire with a £400,000 budget,

helping young newlyweds Ruth and Jason

find a family home for the future.

Up next, will our Mystery House deliver the goods?

Oh, wow. Wow...

-Gosh. I love it.

-Wow.

-I love it.

And I find out more about the man

who changed many of Britain's landscapes forever.

-Wow, look at that.

-Fantastic, isn't it?

-Absolutely.

-Isn't it just beautiful?

Well, as we head into our final day of house-hunting,

it's perfectly clear that our search so far

has been dominated by the need to find a home with a holiday let

that offers the prospect of a fabled income for the future.

But tantalising as that prospect is for Jason and,

in particular, for Ruth, I think one thing has emerged -

they are looking for a home in which they can grow as a family.

And that is where our Mystery House comes in.

Now, it is undoubtedly pretty, and it has got bags of potential,

but not in the way in which they are expecting.

So, let's see what they make of it.

In terms of the holiday let overall,

I mean, one thing that has emerged,

I think, is this sense that you are really looking for a place

in which you can really grow as a family?

Yeah. Family is obviously our next chapter.

The holiday let is becoming,

I think, more of a "nice to have", it's definitely...

-Rather than a "must have"?

-It's something we've realised, isn't it?

Yeah. I think the key is "potential".

That's probably the word that we would use.

We like the idea of having something

that we can use in the future for whatever purpose we want to,

which is probably why I'm quite excited about house one.

We are heading north-east for our last house,

which is in the village of Hinstock,

around 20 miles from Shrewsbury.

Amenities in this pretty and peaceful settlement

include a primary school with a good Ofsted rating,

a village shop and a post office,

along with a recently renovated pub.

Our Mystery House is about a mile outside the village,

and on a quiet lane, and is a classic country cottage.

The perfect place to raise a young family.

-There you go.

-Oh, it's lovely.

-That is incredibly nice.

-Really pretty, isn't it?

-So pretty.

Yeah, very, very sweet. And the gardens, you can see, are beautiful.

Now, at its core, you've got this part of the structure here

which is about 1850, 1860. And this little single-storey addition,

which I think might have been a forge at some point.

But it's then had this new addition, this single-storey annexe.

Now, if this was the first property

I was showing you, we might be talking about that

in terms of it being a holiday let,

but I now think you don't really want it attached to the property.

So, I'm selling this to you as your family home.

-Happy?

-Yeah, it looks lovely.

-Yeah. It's got the wow factor to it.

Appearance-wise, this is definitely my taste.

I think it's the most characterful of the lot

-that we've been able to show you this week...

-Yeah.

..with this little secret addition, which I'm going to reveal later on.

But let's get into the property

and see if you can fit your new life into this beautiful Mystery House.

It certainly got the characterful appeal they wanted,

but can they see their future here?

Well, start in here, I guess, the main event, really.

-Oh, wow.

-Wow.

-Oh, gosh.

-Wow.

-I love it.

-It's unusual...

-It's gorgeous.

..in the way that the units have been constructed out of brick

-with these little sort of infill doors.

-I love them.

They're beautiful. I've never seen anything like that before.

When we first arrived, Jason,

I got the sense that you felt this property was very much you.

Is this you on the inside?

Well, I think if we're honest, this room isn't for me.

I think someone else is in charge of that one,

but if I had to choose one of the three that we've seen,

-this would be number one.

-That's interesting, isn't it?

And it all flows really nicely into here.

This is your main family sitting room, I suppose,

dominated by that enormous wood burner -

not a multi-fuel - but it leads on into here.

See, this, I think, is probably one of my favourite rooms down here.

And that chimney was revealed.

It was hidden behind a stud wall

which makes me wonder if this was perhaps some sort of forge,

because originally it was more of an agricultural building,

more of a barn. But now, it's this rather elegant dining room.

It is lovely. I love the beams. They're gorgeous.

The fireplace is beautiful.

It's got a really cosy feel.

I'm a big fan of all the features.

Like, throughout the property so far.

The fireplaces, the beams,

massively sold on those.

Well, Ruth and Jason seem happy so far,

but let's not forget that single-storey annexe

to the side of the house. With its own living room,

small kitchenette and a bathroom, it's completely self-contained.

Upstairs, in the main house, there are three bedrooms,

including a single and a guest double.

There's also a family bathroom with a corner bath,

which just leaves the master.

And then, finally, this, I think, would be yours.

It's the biggest. There's no en suite here,

but you have, of course, got the family bathroom down the corridor.

-It's lovely. Really nice.

-It's plenty big enough, isn't it?

-Definitely. Very quaint.

-It's definitely to my taste.

What's going through your mind? I get the sense there's a "but".

Oh, no. I think he probably is more taken with it than me.

-I do like it a lot.

-What's worrying you about it?

I don't know. I just don't get that wow feel from it.

But we had some wows downstairs, didn't we?

We had some wows when we turned up.

Have we lost that wow feeling?

I think it's hard for me to see

how I would have the rooms.

That's interesting. Is that because of your taste

-or because of their size?

-I think because of my taste.

Park that thought, because I want take you outside

and show you my little surprise.

Outside, the house sits in a beautifully designed garden,

including a section of formal lawn.

But just beyond that is that little surprised I was talking about.

Well, it's not that little.

So, look at this!

Oh, wow!

JULES LAUGHS

Does my tease makes sense now?

This is the one thing we haven't shown you this week,

-and that is land.

-That's a lot of land.

-Wow.

What would you do with it?

Well, this is where I think

this property's potential really comes into its own

because I'm thinking, here, a shepherd's hut...

..that you let out as a holiday let.

I like your thinking. I think it has definitely

given us a lot to think about.

-I think someone's quite excited.

-Yeah, I can see.

-And you get a ride-on mower, mate, how about that?

-That's the dream!

So, let's see how much this dream is going to cost you.

Although it has got a lot of land, I still think around £365,000.

Do you? Jason?

I'm thinking because of the land it's going to be a lot higher.

I'm going to say 390.

I'm afraid it doesn't start with a three, it starts with a four.

-Ooh...

-It's 425.

Having said that, we haven't brought you here to break your hearts,

or be it your bank account.

The owners know what your budget is

so there's a conversation to be had.

I'm still excited. I'm still excited.

Excellent, excellent!

I suspect you might have to do a bit of arm-twisting here with Ruth.

It's a lot of money, it's all of your budget.

Let's be honest. This is an asset that you'll be investing in.

That's the key thing. I mean, Jason knows what I'm talking about.

Absolutely. Yeah, I completely agree with everything you are saying.

ALL LAUGH

Excellent. Well, look,

go and explore and I will come and find you later on.

-Thank you.

-Off you go.

Priced at £425,000, the owner is willing to discuss an offer

closer to Ruth and Jason's budget.

It's a classic country cottage dating to the 19th century,

with a large kitchen, three bedrooms and a separate annexe,

and it does include a large paddock

that could be developed for camping or glamping, subject to consent.

There's a lot of potential. There's definitely things that we could do,

but I think I need to convince Ruth of those things.

I think that Jason is probably a bit more taken

with the property than I am.

From my point of view, I think it's a bit more daunting for me.

I think of the practical elements,

whereas he tends to just fall in love with something.

Well, that's it.

Our house tours are over.

We have given you lots to discuss, haven't we?

Yeah. An awful lot.

Right then. Come on. Let's go.

300 years ago,

Britain's most influential garden designer was born.

Lancelot "Capability" Brown

transformed England's country landscapes in the 18th century.

Today, his name is synonymous with our most celebrated stately homes.

From the sweeping grounds at Stowe in Buckinghamshire,

to the vast estate of Chatsworth in Derbyshire,

Capability Brown made picturesque parks look like paintings.

To find out more about this landscaping legend,

I've come to Weston Park in Shropshire

which he created in the 1790s, to meet Carol Evans,

director of a festival celebrating his birth.

How did he get this amazing reputation?

Well, he didn't have a particularly impressive start in life.

Born in a village, in Kirkharle in Northumberland,

he stayed in school a lot longer than most children did,

left at the age of 16, and then went to work on the local estates.

And eventually got taken on as a head gardener

at Stowe in Buckinghamshire,

where he spent ten years really honing his craft,

meeting the great and the good,

who flocked to see this amazing landscape.

He sort of built his career

and convinced people that he was an amazing - not just gardener -

but creator of estates with great capabilities.

Now, his nickname of "Capability" Brown, just to be clear,

doesn't relate to some immodest take on his own abilities,

but it was about his view of landscape

-and its potential, wasn't it?

-Absolutely.

So, he was christened Lancelot, but his marketing trick,

in a way, if you like, is supposed to have been going out,

walking around the landscapes with the owners

and saying they had "great capabilities for improvements".

And that seems to have stuck, and we're not sure if anyone

actually called him Capability to his face,

because whenever you see the records,

-he's always referred to as "Mr Brown".

-Lancelot Brown.

Capability Brown's trademark

was to create natural-looking elegant landscapes.

He swept away the symmetrical formal gardens of country estates

and replaced them by planting woods,

fashioning parkland and digging lakes.

He often embellished his designs with an architectural flourish.

Here at Weston Park, the Temple of Diana punctuates the treescape.

Every masterstroke was deliberate.

It was all about the view.

Trees were used to perfectly frame vistas,

and water's reflective qualities doubled the perspective.

One of his designs at Weston Park is the private pleasure ground,

a place for the gentry to enjoy a gentle stroll,

and one of only five that exist today.

-Wow, look at that.

-Fantastic, isn't it?

Isn't it just beautiful?

This is just a wonderful example of the sort of work that Brown put in.

Gorgeous, cooling lakes with the most wonderful trees,

all different shapes, all different species.

So you've got a whole variety of different things

for your eye to play with.

And then they reflect perfectly into the lake, as well.

This is completely artificial, yet it's been made to look

as if it's always been here for thousands of years!

Brown's new designs were far more practical

than the formal gardens that came before,

although, today, they still take some looking after.

That job is down to head gardener Martin Gee,

whose family first came to Weston Park in 1803,

a decade after Brown started working here.

How difficult a job is it?

It is quite a large job because it covers quite an extensive area.

But Brown intended these gardens to actually be low-maintenance.

When things get busy and start encroaching,

you obviously have to take a view and cut things down.

The Victorians added an awful lot of rhododendrons,

and, of course, rhododendrons are quite invasive.

And so, we've been taking, believe it or not,

we've taken 80% of the rhododendrons out, just to open views up.

-Like where we're stood, here.

-I mean, to be fair, Carol,

it's not often you get the chance to talk to somebody

who's got the direct connection

some two centuries back in history to the same place.

-I mean, that's extraordinary!

-Oh, it's fantastic.

And it's a bit of living history, really, if you don't mind me saying!

How do you feel about being some living history?

Well, I've been called a lot of things in my time!

Capability Brown worked on 500,000 acres in his lifetime,

across England and Wales,

with an illustrious client list that included the King,

six Prime Ministers, and half the House of Lords.

Over two centuries may have passed since his death,

but today we continue to admire his visionary work

that has changed the art of landscaping forever.

Well, we've certainly seen some stunning views this week,

not least, of course, those created by Capability Brown.

So, where better to have my final conversation with Ruth and Jason

than here in the rather glorious surroundings of Weston Park?

As you've seen, it's already inspired me,

and I'm pretty sure it will inspire them, too.

-Hi, guys. How you doing?

-Hello! Great, thanks.

Fun week, I think!

It has been SO good. Thank you so much.

You've shown us three really cracking houses.

Let's get down to the reality of the situation,

which is that you want to move.

Have we managed to find you a house that you can move to?

-I know that you love the first one.

-I do.

-Yes.

And I think that you, Jason, fell in love with the last one,

-our Mystery House.

-Yeah, I think that's fair to say.

So, which one of the two is tipping the scales of your future?

Well, I think, after talking about it a bit,

I just absolutely loved the first house

and now that we've had a discussion

I think it's the most practical house for us

and for our potential family. So, I think, at the moment,

we are definitely very interested in house one.

Wow! Was that a difficult thing to agree on?

It wasn't. I think my judgment

was a little clouded by seeing property number three.

It took my breath away and it was exactly what I would choose

if we were looking at the brochure, if you like.

But casting my mind back to property one,

I did feel very similarly about it.

Well, so, burning question,

what happens next?

So, I think we'd like to go back for a second viewing

and see if we can be a bit cheeky

and speak to the neighbours about having a look

in their garage conversion just to see what they've done.

Interesting. So, are we talking what, days, weeks, months away?

Well, we're in the area at the moment

so strike whilst the iron's hot, I suppose.

So, it's not the days, weeks or months, it's hours away -

this second viewing!

Brilliant, guys! Fantastic!

Well, I feel rather ashamed that we've just got tea for you.

Really we should have champagne. But we can toast you nonetheless.

-Here's to you. Well done.

-Thanks.

-Cheers.

Well, as Ruth and Jason rush back

to have another look at property number one,

I've got time to reflect on

what undoubtedly has been a thoroughly enjoyable week.

And what I've really liked about these two

is that they've really embraced the whole process of house-hunting.

They've judged each one on its respective merits,

just as they should do,

and I'm sure have now come up with the perfect conclusion.

So, as they now set about planning their future,

well, they might take a leaf out of Capability Brown's book.

Country life, like the landscape that surrounds it,

is all about what you make of it.

I'll see you next time.

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