0:00:02 > 0:00:04The distinctive memorial you see in the churchyard
0:00:04 > 0:00:05behind me marks the final resting place
0:00:05 > 0:00:07of one of Britain's best-loved spy masters,
0:00:07 > 0:00:10but where am I, and who am I referring to?
0:00:10 > 0:00:12Find out in just a moment.
0:00:30 > 0:00:32Today I'm helping a couple who are
0:00:32 > 0:00:35moving for the first time in 32 years.
0:00:35 > 0:00:37We show them something very different.
0:00:37 > 0:00:39So, the house you live in at home...
0:00:39 > 0:00:43- Nothing like this!- Yeah, I imagine.
0:00:43 > 0:00:46But will they settle on something similar?
0:00:46 > 0:00:48It's not a house, it's a home.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51- Good, yeah.- Yes?- Yeah.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57Today, I'm in Wiltshire, in Sevenhampton
0:00:57 > 0:00:59and this obelisk marks the spot where
0:00:59 > 0:01:03author and former intelligence officer Ian Fleming
0:01:03 > 0:01:05was buried in 1964.
0:01:05 > 0:01:10Now, Fleming's most famous creation was of course James Bond,
0:01:10 > 0:01:14but Ian wasn't the only Fleming with connections
0:01:14 > 0:01:16to the intelligence world.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18His brother Peter played a key role in setting up
0:01:18 > 0:01:23a secret resistance force based here in Wiltshire
0:01:23 > 0:01:25in the Second World War.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28Later on, I'll be learning more about their mission and training,
0:01:28 > 0:01:29but first, let's find out
0:01:29 > 0:01:32what else this stunning county has to offer.
0:01:34 > 0:01:36Known as the gateway to the West Country,
0:01:36 > 0:01:38landlocked Wiltshire is bordered by
0:01:38 > 0:01:40counties including Dorset to the south
0:01:40 > 0:01:42and Gloucestershire to the north.
0:01:43 > 0:01:46With the landscape largely shaped by agriculture,
0:01:46 > 0:01:47Wiltshire is characterised by
0:01:47 > 0:01:50its rolling chalky hills and wooded valleys,
0:01:50 > 0:01:53and its landmarks are visible reminders of a history
0:01:53 > 0:01:55dating back thousands of years.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57It's home to one of the highest concentrations
0:01:57 > 0:01:59of prehistoric monuments in the world,
0:01:59 > 0:02:02including the largest stone circle at Avebury,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05dating back around 5,000 years.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08The county is also famous for its collection of white horses
0:02:08 > 0:02:10carved out of the chalky hills,
0:02:10 > 0:02:13including one at Westbury, which is 52 metres wide.
0:02:13 > 0:02:17Wiltshire also has its fair share of attractive market towns,
0:02:17 > 0:02:20including Marlborough, with its wide Georgian high street,
0:02:20 > 0:02:22and pretty thatched villages such as Alton Barnes,
0:02:22 > 0:02:24overlooked by the Pewsey Downs.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28With such a wealth of awe-inspiring architecture
0:02:28 > 0:02:31set in timeless landscape, it's easy to see
0:02:31 > 0:02:35why so many people want to make this county their new home.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Wiltshire offers great potential for country living while still
0:02:42 > 0:02:45remaining connected, courtesy of great road and rail links
0:02:45 > 0:02:48back into London and Bristol, whilst having good access
0:02:48 > 0:02:50to the ever popular south-west coastal region.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54But you will have to pay a premium for that privilege.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57The average price of a detached house here in Wiltshire
0:02:57 > 0:02:59comes in at around £382,000 -
0:02:59 > 0:03:03around £70,000 above the national figure.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06However, hop over the border into Gloucestershire and you will find
0:03:06 > 0:03:09pockets offering you substantial savings,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12which is good news for today's buyers,
0:03:12 > 0:03:14who aren't bound by county borders.
0:03:14 > 0:03:17Their priority is proximity to their family.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22Bob and Andrea have lived in their current home in Luton, Bedfordshire,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24for the last 32 years.
0:03:24 > 0:03:26Both now retired from the medical profession,
0:03:26 > 0:03:29their first encounter was full of drama.
0:03:30 > 0:03:35It was just before Christmas and there was an amateur dramatic group
0:03:35 > 0:03:39associated with the hospital that put on pantomimes for staff
0:03:39 > 0:03:41and patients. Bob was in the pantomime
0:03:41 > 0:03:43and I was doing the make-up.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46- Her first words to me were... - You don't have to say that.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48.."You can't go on stage with make-up like that."
0:03:48 > 0:03:49"With a green neck", I said.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Bob stopped wearing Andrea's make-up and now they've been married
0:03:55 > 0:03:57for 36 years. Their son and daughter
0:03:57 > 0:03:59are both in their 30s and have flown the nest,
0:03:59 > 0:04:03so they feel the time is right to sell the family home in Luton.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08We moved here when our son was one-year-old.
0:04:08 > 0:04:12It was a three-bed semi and it was big enough for what we needed
0:04:12 > 0:04:16at the time, but now the children have moved away,
0:04:16 > 0:04:18so now we're moving to be with family,
0:04:18 > 0:04:21and that's what we want to do.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23Their eldest daughter is moving the Gloucestershire,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26and Bob and Andrea want to stay close to her,
0:04:26 > 0:04:28but they're also seeking a quieter pace of life.
0:04:29 > 0:04:31It's a lovely part of the country.
0:04:31 > 0:04:36The Cotswolds nearby and the housing is really nice down there.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39- We're looking at a more rural... - Yep.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41..environment than we're in now,
0:04:41 > 0:04:44something a little bit more where there's walks nearby.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Really, it's a slowdown.
0:04:47 > 0:04:50We don't want to stop by any means, but it's a chance for us to sort of
0:04:50 > 0:04:54spread our wings and try different things.
0:04:54 > 0:04:56One hobby Bob is keen to develop is photography.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00I've been doing it for about 20 years now.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03It's become a passion, really, I guess.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06I've looked at all different types of photography,
0:05:06 > 0:05:10but I've settled on portrait photography, which is something
0:05:10 > 0:05:13I've been told I have quite a knack for. So photography, yes,
0:05:13 > 0:05:18burning ambition to get it right and to photograph some wonderful people.
0:05:18 > 0:05:19Yeah, but not me.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22But not you. No, she doesn't like having her photograph taken.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24- No.- No.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26However, Andrea wants to continue volunteering
0:05:26 > 0:05:30when she moves to the countryside.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34We're both very interested in history and architecture, I guess.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39We both volunteer at a national charity, not far from here,
0:05:39 > 0:05:45where that enables us to talk about the history of the building,
0:05:45 > 0:05:47and you photograph all the artefacts,
0:05:47 > 0:05:48so we would hope to carry that on.
0:05:50 > 0:05:52After living in Luton for over 30 years,
0:05:52 > 0:05:54they know that their life will change,
0:05:54 > 0:05:55but they're eager to take that next step.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01Over the years that we've been here, we've had a wide circle of friends,
0:06:01 > 0:06:04particularly as the children were growing up, but like us,
0:06:04 > 0:06:08they have all moved away, and so now we are looking forward to
0:06:08 > 0:06:10making new friends in our new home environment.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Bob and Andrea would like to be within an hour of their daughter
0:06:18 > 0:06:20in Cirencester, Gloucestershire,
0:06:20 > 0:06:23so we'll be looking in the north and west of the county.
0:06:23 > 0:06:27I'm meeting up with him in Wiltshire to talk property particulars.
0:06:28 > 0:06:30Morning, welcome to Wiltshire.
0:06:30 > 0:06:31- Good morning.- Nice to see you.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33Lovely to see you, and I'm sure it's great to be here.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36- A long way from home. - Yeah, very much so.
0:06:36 > 0:06:40Let's talk about the house you're after, because I imagine
0:06:40 > 0:06:43you're quite used to a certain style of living,
0:06:43 > 0:06:45having been in your current house for how long?
0:06:45 > 0:06:50- 32 years.- Right, OK, so let's just see how adaptable to change you are!
0:06:50 > 0:06:52We're just a little settled as we are, so we're open to change.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55- Are you?- Yes.- I'm not so sure!
0:06:55 > 0:06:58- Ohh, really? - I'm not so sure that we are.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00It will depend on the amount of change.
0:07:00 > 0:07:04Describe to me the house you think you'd like to live in down here.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07So, we'd like a reasonable-sized master bedroom.
0:07:07 > 0:07:12- Or dressing room.- Then three or four bedrooms, but again reasonable size.
0:07:12 > 0:07:13We don't want four bedrooms
0:07:13 > 0:07:17where actually the third and fourth bedroom is, you know...
0:07:17 > 0:07:19You can touch the walls at the same time.
0:07:19 > 0:07:22What do you want four bedrooms for if the children have left home?
0:07:22 > 0:07:23Well, if it doesn't have a study,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26we'd like to have a study. So we could turn a bedroom into a study.
0:07:26 > 0:07:31Just thinking ahead now, what about things like outbuildings or garages,
0:07:31 > 0:07:33could you convert them or do you have a car?
0:07:33 > 0:07:35- That's my area, I guess. - That's your dream.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38I'm looking for a large garage or outbuilding
0:07:38 > 0:07:39that has height as well as width,
0:07:39 > 0:07:43- because I want to do portrait photography.- OK.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46But it's not a showstopper, because if there is sufficient land -
0:07:46 > 0:07:49although we're looking for a manageable garden -
0:07:49 > 0:07:52if there is sufficient land, I could put a building perhaps...
0:07:52 > 0:07:54I can already see conflicts here.
0:07:54 > 0:07:55BOB AND ANDREA LAUGH
0:07:55 > 0:07:58"We want a manageable garden but we want..."
0:07:58 > 0:08:01You mentioned the word "land". That always terrifies me.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04- No...- We don't want huge land, we're not gardeners.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06- No.- All right, what about style?
0:08:06 > 0:08:08Because you've got some beautiful stone-built properties
0:08:08 > 0:08:09in this part of the world.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12Yeah, the stone is lovely and we love it.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15As long as the rooms aren't dark.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19I like reasonably sized windows and good natural light.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21You like modern houses, by the sounds of it.
0:08:21 > 0:08:23- Probably, yes. - The ultra modern houses
0:08:23 > 0:08:24seem to have smaller windows,
0:08:24 > 0:08:27so that's what we've been concerned about when we've been looking.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29This is going to be interesting, isn't it?!
0:08:29 > 0:08:31This is why we haven't moved for 32 years!
0:08:32 > 0:08:35You know what? I see this a lot.
0:08:35 > 0:08:38It's prising people like yourselves out of your house.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40You've made the decision, you want to move...
0:08:40 > 0:08:43- Yes, definitely.- ..but you will have to leave a lot of what makes you
0:08:43 > 0:08:46so comfortable and satisfied with your current home behind you.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49- Yes, that's true. - And take it out on me.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51That's what I'll say - take it out on me.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55What about price, remind me of what your budget is.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58A maximum of 425.
0:08:58 > 0:08:59- A maximum of 425?- Yes.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01All right, let's see how we get on.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04- I know just the place to start. Come with me.- Thank you.
0:09:04 > 0:09:05- It's going to be different.- Yeah.
0:09:05 > 0:09:07- That sounds good. - That's what we want.
0:09:08 > 0:09:11With a budget of £425,000,
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Bob and Andrea would like a detached characterful property
0:09:14 > 0:09:18with light rooms. They're after four good-sized bedrooms,
0:09:18 > 0:09:20one of which could be a study.
0:09:20 > 0:09:23They'd like a manageable garden and Bob would like a large garage
0:09:23 > 0:09:26or outbuilding that he can use as a photographic studio.
0:09:28 > 0:09:32We've chosen three properties that best reflect their wishlist,
0:09:32 > 0:09:35but they won't get to know the price tag until the end of each tour.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38With our final house - the mystery property -
0:09:38 > 0:09:40we'll see just how far Bob and Andrea
0:09:40 > 0:09:43are willing to disrupt the status quo.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Our first house is two miles from the town of Trowbridge,
0:09:51 > 0:09:54in the village of West Ashton.
0:09:54 > 0:09:58Surrounded by peaceful countryside, it's a small yet vibrant village
0:09:58 > 0:10:02with a community spirit, and includes a listed Victorian church,
0:10:02 > 0:10:06a primary school and a village hall hosting many social events.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10Property one is situated on a private lane in the village.
0:10:10 > 0:10:13So, this is very exciting for you, the first house in 30 years,
0:10:13 > 0:10:16or first home you could be buying. Is it this? What do you think?
0:10:16 > 0:10:21- Wow.- Not what I expected, but interested to see inside.
0:10:21 > 0:10:22Interesting, interesting.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24This is essentially a converted barn.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26- Yes.- Have you ever thought about that?
0:10:26 > 0:10:28Yeah, we've looked at them.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31So how much are we talking about?
0:10:31 > 0:10:33- What are you getting?- Yes.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Good question. See that white fencing there?
0:10:35 > 0:10:40- Yes.- It's beyond that white fencing, around the L-shape to the end there.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44- OK.- So you're looking at an L-shaped property.- OK.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Now, what do you think...?
0:10:46 > 0:10:51Typical bloke - "Just how much of a garden?"
0:10:52 > 0:10:54- Yes, exactly. - Do you like this environment?
0:10:54 > 0:10:57- Do you like the village we're in? - Yeah, it's nice.- Yes, lovely.
0:10:57 > 0:10:58Very, very good start.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02Of course, Trowbridge has a brewery, that's got to be a bonus, hasn't it?
0:11:02 > 0:11:06Could be good for the evenings in front of the fire with the beers.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Perfect. Well, if you're up for evenings in front of the fire,
0:11:09 > 0:11:13- have I got a fireplace to show you. - Ohh.- Come with me.- OK.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17'Good reactions to what is - let's face it -
0:11:17 > 0:11:21'a completely different proposition to their home in Luton.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24'The former barn dates back to the 1800s, and it's been renovated
0:11:24 > 0:11:26'and stylishly designed by the current owner.'
0:11:29 > 0:11:32Now this is a rather grand way of walking in.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34Those lovely doors.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37- Oh, wow.- Now, look at this for a room.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39- BOB LAUGHS - Amazing.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42- I hadn't expected this from the outside.- Oh, my goodness.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44If I'm honest. Wow.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47That is... That is old and new all in one, isn't it?
0:11:47 > 0:11:49So, the house you live in at home...
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Nothing like this.
0:11:51 > 0:11:54Yeah, I imagine. Now, the fireplace...
0:11:54 > 0:11:56That is some fireplace, isn't it?
0:11:56 > 0:11:58- It is. See the stonework there?- Yes.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00That comes from a nearby railway station.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- Oh, my goodness.- Reclaimed the ironwork along the side there.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06- Wonderful bit of timber going across.- Yeah.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09The flooring is new, it's oak flooring.
0:12:09 > 0:12:10Here's another clever design.
0:12:10 > 0:12:14He decided to lay it so it points you towards the courtyard garden.
0:12:14 > 0:12:17- Clever.- Oh, OK.
0:12:17 > 0:12:19I think you'd live in here, and for the first year,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21you'd be finding these wonderful quirks.
0:12:21 > 0:12:24- Different things, yes.- It reflects the guy that's built this place
0:12:24 > 0:12:26and you wonder where it's all from.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Let me show you the bedrooms through this side now.
0:12:28 > 0:12:29OK, sure.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35At the end of the kitchen, there's a utility room for the white goods
0:12:35 > 0:12:37as well as a wet room.
0:12:37 > 0:12:39There are four bedrooms in this former barn,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41three of those on the ground floor.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44They include a double, which is adjacent to the family bathroom,
0:12:44 > 0:12:47and there's a spare room that could be set aside
0:12:47 > 0:12:49for Bob's photography equipment.
0:12:49 > 0:12:51Upstairs, on a mezzanine level, there's a guest double.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55'There's no doubt it's an impressive space, but can Bob and Andrea
0:12:55 > 0:12:58'see themselves here with their own belongings and furniture,
0:12:58 > 0:13:02'as we explore what could be their master bedroom on the ground floor?'
0:13:02 > 0:13:05- Wow.- Now, the master bedroom...
0:13:05 > 0:13:07I think you'll rather this.
0:13:07 > 0:13:09- Oh, gosh!- Gosh.
0:13:09 > 0:13:10BOB CHUCKLES
0:13:10 > 0:13:12- Big enough.- Is it?- I think so.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16- Ohhh.- I think so.- We probably could.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20- Wardrobes.- I notice there's a conversation going on here.
0:13:20 > 0:13:21I think what's going on here is,
0:13:21 > 0:13:23you're seeing if you can fit them in,
0:13:23 > 0:13:25but hopefully it's not a deal-breaker.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27- No, no.- Not at all. - It's a nice room.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30You've got a bathroom that is almost finished up above.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33- OK.- And the owner is going to put a modular staircase in.
0:13:33 > 0:13:35- Oh, wow.- OK.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39- It gets better.- I think it's just a question of getting used to it.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41We've never had a ground-floor bedroom.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43And as you said before,
0:13:43 > 0:13:45it's breaking the mould from what we've been used to
0:13:45 > 0:13:49for 30-odd years and looking at how can adapt and fit in to
0:13:49 > 0:13:52what is obviously a lovely house.
0:13:52 > 0:13:54- Yeah.- You don't have to stagger upstairs to bed
0:13:54 > 0:13:57- when you're plastered! - LAUGHING: Meaning you!
0:13:57 > 0:13:59If you knew Andrea...
0:13:59 > 0:14:00I'm going to like you, Andrea.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03That's not the case, that's not the case.
0:14:03 > 0:14:06Outside, there's an enclosed courtyard area
0:14:06 > 0:14:07just off the master bedroom,
0:14:07 > 0:14:09along with a south-west-facing garden,
0:14:09 > 0:14:12comprising a patio area and manageable lawn
0:14:12 > 0:14:14which is accessed via the main living space.
0:14:16 > 0:14:20Well, you said a garden as opposed to land, didn't you?
0:14:20 > 0:14:21Yes, yes, and this is a garden.
0:14:21 > 0:14:26- Yeah.- That's fine. We can hang the washing out, I can sit out.
0:14:26 > 0:14:28- That's fine.- OK!
0:14:28 > 0:14:30That's what a garden is for you, then?
0:14:30 > 0:14:31That's what a garden is for me.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33A suntrap, I think.
0:14:33 > 0:14:34- It really is, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:14:34 > 0:14:37Apparently it's like this all the time in Wiltshire!
0:14:37 > 0:14:38BOB AND ANDREA LAUGH
0:14:41 > 0:14:43Have you both been thinking about the price?
0:14:43 > 0:14:45Have a go at guessing it.
0:14:46 > 0:14:48- You first.- Oh, what a gent(!)
0:14:48 > 0:14:53I think...415,000.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57I think it's £425,000.
0:14:57 > 0:15:02OK. This place is on the market for £400,000.
0:15:02 > 0:15:06- Wow.- Oh, wow, that's a surprise.
0:15:06 > 0:15:08- That makes it twice as hard. - That is a surprise.
0:15:08 > 0:15:10- Yes!- A pleasant one, by the sounds of it.
0:15:10 > 0:15:12Yeah. It's certainly worth some serious thought.
0:15:12 > 0:15:14- Absolutely.- Well, give it just that.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17Go back into this place and have a look around on your own.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19- OK.- I will meet you at the front whenever you're done.
0:15:19 > 0:15:20Thank you. Thanks very much.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24Priced at £400,000,
0:15:24 > 0:15:26our first house is a converted barn
0:15:26 > 0:15:28which has been sympathetically restored.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31There's a light and airy L-shaped living space
0:15:31 > 0:15:35with feature fireplace and four bedrooms in total,
0:15:35 > 0:15:37with three on the ground floor.
0:15:37 > 0:15:40The garden is easy to maintain and they'd be at the heart
0:15:40 > 0:15:42of a village community.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46- So this would be the guest bedroom. - This is lovely, isn't it?
0:15:46 > 0:15:49- Yeah, very nice.- Good size. - Good size.- Nice and light.
0:15:49 > 0:15:52Big enough for a double bed, so, yeah, spot-on.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Very pleasant indeed and a big surprise,
0:15:55 > 0:15:59especially from having seen it outside to how big it is inside.
0:15:59 > 0:16:03It's a TARDIS. This is a lot of house for the money.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05This has been a fantastic start.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10Somebody in this house has got an amazing vision.
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Whether I could see myself living here, I'm not sure at this moment.
0:16:14 > 0:16:19It needs some real, serious thought.
0:16:19 > 0:16:21It's very different from where we are.
0:16:21 > 0:16:23That's not to say it's a deal-breaker.
0:16:23 > 0:16:25I just have to have my head round it
0:16:25 > 0:16:27as to whether I can live in this way.
0:16:29 > 0:16:34I am almost rueing not keeping this as the mystery house,
0:16:34 > 0:16:36but we've started well with this, haven't we?
0:16:36 > 0:16:38- We have, very much so. - Amazing start.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40I think you'll be hard pushed to do it better.
0:16:40 > 0:16:41Well, we're just going to do it different.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43- Onto the next one. - All right, lovely. Wow.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51Wiltshire is a mostly rural county,
0:16:51 > 0:16:53covering around 2,000 square miles,
0:16:53 > 0:16:56and features internationally recognised heritage sites,
0:16:56 > 0:17:02gently undulating terrain and a great abundance of wildlife.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04In 1962, the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust
0:17:04 > 0:17:10was formed to protect and conserve the county's countryside heritage.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Today, it manages a number of wildlife reserves,
0:17:12 > 0:17:14including this one at Clouts Wood.
0:17:14 > 0:17:18It also relies on volunteers, and since Bob and Andrea
0:17:18 > 0:17:20have expressed an interest in getting involved in the community,
0:17:20 > 0:17:23we sent them to meet reserve officer Ellie Jones
0:17:23 > 0:17:25to find out more about volunteering...
0:17:25 > 0:17:28- Hi, Ellie.- Hi.- Really nice to meet you.- Yes, you too.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30..and photo opportunities.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33So, as you've noticed, I've got my camera with me.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35I'm a very keen photographer.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37What sort of things could I see on the reserve?
0:17:37 > 0:17:39Well, we're on an area of chalk downland at the moment,
0:17:39 > 0:17:41so there's lots of beautiful wild flowers out.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44- Right.- We see over 12 species of bumblebee.
0:17:44 > 0:17:47- 12?- Yeah.- Wow. - And some great birds as well.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49Red kites, buzzards, green woodpecker
0:17:49 > 0:17:51and spotted flycatcher have been seen recently.
0:17:51 > 0:17:53- Oh, wow.- So, yeah, quite a bit.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56And do you rely on volunteers?
0:17:56 > 0:17:58We do. We have an awful lot of volunteers
0:17:58 > 0:18:00that do brilliant work across our research,
0:18:00 > 0:18:02so it's really important to us.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05And what sort of work that they be doing on a day-to-day basis?
0:18:05 > 0:18:07It really depends on the reserve and on the time of year,
0:18:07 > 0:18:10so they could be involved in things like woodland management,
0:18:10 > 0:18:11coppicing for example,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14or in the summer you could be doing things like path creation
0:18:14 > 0:18:16or step construction, so it's really, really variable.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19- Wow, OK.- Very interesting, very interesting.
0:18:19 > 0:18:21Right, guys, would you like to follow me?
0:18:21 > 0:18:23- we'll go on a wildlife walk. - That would be fabulous.
0:18:23 > 0:18:24- Sounds great.- Great.
0:18:26 > 0:18:28Surrounded by grazing land,
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Clouts Wood is a Site of Special Scientific Interest
0:18:31 > 0:18:35and has existed as a wood since the last ice age receded.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37A haven for insects and wild flowers,
0:18:37 > 0:18:40it's not long before portrait photographer Bob
0:18:40 > 0:18:41spots a willing subject.
0:18:41 > 0:18:43Never has a bee been photographed so much!
0:18:43 > 0:18:45HE LAUGHS
0:18:45 > 0:18:49Right, so this is the chalk grassland that we've got here.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53We've got field and small scabious, which are very characteristic.
0:18:53 > 0:18:54Yes, this one here.
0:18:54 > 0:18:57We also have quaking grass, which is one of my favourite grasses
0:18:57 > 0:19:00because it sort of quakes.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02- In the wind?- Yeah, in the wind.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04This one here is greater knapweed, which is
0:19:04 > 0:19:07another species characteristic of chalk.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11After a short walk, it's camera down and work gloves on.
0:19:11 > 0:19:13We're going to be hand pulling this plant here.
0:19:13 > 0:19:16It's called ragwort, common ragwort.
0:19:16 > 0:19:18- It's a beautiful plant. - It is, isn't it?
0:19:18 > 0:19:20A great nectar source and pollen source
0:19:20 > 0:19:23for invertebrates, butterflies, bees, but unfortunately,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26- it is toxic...- Oh, really? - ..when ingested for livestock,
0:19:26 > 0:19:28so we do need to remove it.
0:19:28 > 0:19:29What we need to do here is,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32pull this up from the base to make sure that we get the roots.
0:19:34 > 0:19:36- Ahh.- Like that.- OK. Yep.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Ragwort can grow up to 90cm tall
0:19:38 > 0:19:40and produces yellow, daisy-like flowers
0:19:40 > 0:19:42during the summer months.
0:19:42 > 0:19:45Common ragwort produces large numbers of seeds,
0:19:45 > 0:19:48so you need to be careful when pulling it out
0:19:48 > 0:19:49not to disperse them.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52Getting to the base of the roots is tougher than it looks.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54- So how are you getting on?- Yeah, OK.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56I'm not really doing very well here.
0:19:56 > 0:20:00Oh, dear. Well, they'll come back but it's not a problem, I guess.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02Can always pull them again next time.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03ANDREA LAUGHS
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Looks like you've got a good pile of it there.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07Shall we put this all together and put it in a bag?
0:20:07 > 0:20:09- Indeed.- Then I think then we can call it a day.
0:20:09 > 0:20:12- OK.- Because there's somebody else I'd like you to meet.
0:20:12 > 0:20:14- OK.- Great, thank you.- Lovely. - Thanks for your help.
0:20:16 > 0:20:19Clouts Wood is traditionally managed as a coppice,
0:20:19 > 0:20:21so to finish off their wildlife walk,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24Bob and Andrea are meeting horse logger Richard Eames
0:20:24 > 0:20:26and his horse Elizabeth
0:20:26 > 0:20:29to find out about this ancient form of woodland management.
0:20:30 > 0:20:33So what is it you actually do?
0:20:33 > 0:20:34Well, I'm a horse logger,
0:20:34 > 0:20:37so I basically use Elizabeth to extract the timber
0:20:37 > 0:20:39that has been felled.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42And why does the Wildlife Trust use horses rather than machinery?
0:20:42 > 0:20:45On this site, it's very steep.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48It's quite a small job, so a horse can get into the site,
0:20:48 > 0:20:53get the timber easily and also doesn't damage the flora and fauna,
0:20:53 > 0:20:56so it's more cost-effective to use a horse here,
0:20:56 > 0:20:58than to bring in machinery.
0:20:58 > 0:21:02The art of horse logging is thought to date back some 10,000 years
0:21:02 > 0:21:04and nearly died out with the onset of machines,
0:21:04 > 0:21:09but today, traditional forestry skills are making a comeback.
0:21:09 > 0:21:11And with all this countryside on their doorstep,
0:21:11 > 0:21:13it's time I got back on my saddle
0:21:13 > 0:21:16and found Bob and Andrea their perfect house.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22For our second house, we're staying in the Trowbridge area
0:21:22 > 0:21:25and heading to the village of North Bradley.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28Overlooked by one of Wiltshire's famous white horses at Westbury,
0:21:28 > 0:21:31this village and its larger neighbour Hawkeridge
0:21:31 > 0:21:35together feature a range of useful amenities, including a pub,
0:21:35 > 0:21:38a parish church and a village hall.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Property two is right in the heart of North Bradley
0:21:40 > 0:21:43and couldn't be more different to our first house.
0:21:46 > 0:21:47Now, for our second offering,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50we're going for something a bit more conventional, if you like.
0:21:50 > 0:21:53- Wow, yeah.- You said "wow" already, so that bodes well.
0:21:53 > 0:21:55Yes, yes.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58I'm going to be honest with you - we have seen this one online.
0:21:59 > 0:22:01OK. What did you think of it?
0:22:01 > 0:22:03- We wanted to come and see it. - Oh, right, good!
0:22:03 > 0:22:04JONNIE EXHALES
0:22:04 > 0:22:06"We saw it, we discounted it..."
0:22:06 > 0:22:08- No, no, no.- No, this is brilliant.
0:22:08 > 0:22:10- Oh, good.- This is just the one we wanted to see.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12Oh, so we're on the right tracks then?
0:22:12 > 0:22:14- Most definitely. - Excellent, excellent.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17'Built in 1994, this modern detached property
0:22:17 > 0:22:19'has a more conventional layout,'
0:22:19 > 0:22:22and in many ways, makes the move from their Luton home
0:22:22 > 0:22:23less of a wrench for Bob and Andrea.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27We're starting in the first of three living areas.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31Let's start with the living room.
0:22:31 > 0:22:32Not open-plan.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35- You'll see.- Love the double aspect.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37- Oh, this is nice.- A nice room, yeah.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39Yes, this is very nice.
0:22:39 > 0:22:43Does this replicate more that you're used to living in
0:22:43 > 0:22:44in your current home?
0:22:44 > 0:22:48- Yes.- Three completely separate living areas?
0:22:48 > 0:22:50Yes, this is more us.
0:22:50 > 0:22:54I think one of the other concerns for me in the other house was...
0:22:54 > 0:22:56being able to get away from each other.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00- In the nicest possible way! - In the nicest possible way,
0:23:00 > 0:23:02because for example, we've got a piano,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05so a piano in that main room is going to really
0:23:05 > 0:23:07stop anybody else doing anything else.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10There's only so many times you can listen to Chopsticks!
0:23:10 > 0:23:12I know, I know, especially played badly.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Let's look at all three then and see how they flow.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18We can actually walk through the dining room if you want to.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20- We'll do that right away. - Yes, yes.- Come with me.
0:23:22 > 0:23:25The dining room is just about large enough to entertain close family,
0:23:25 > 0:23:29but there's another option in the kitchen.
0:23:29 > 0:23:31The hallway's just through that door there,
0:23:31 > 0:23:33but I wanted to have that shut
0:23:33 > 0:23:35so you can see the whole utility.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37- Oh, wow.- And you can see it goes in,
0:23:37 > 0:23:40this is a kitchen/breakfast room really.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43- Yes.- Well...
0:23:43 > 0:23:45it's nice to have the extra bit on the far end.
0:23:45 > 0:23:47Kitchen/breakfast with the dining room,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50we have the two options for dining, which is nice.
0:23:50 > 0:23:54- Formal or the less formal. - Or the escaping?
0:23:54 > 0:23:55Maybe, yes.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59So, that's the ground floor accommodation covered,
0:23:59 > 0:24:00although there is a double garage accessed
0:24:00 > 0:24:03via the utility room that could be an option for
0:24:03 > 0:24:04Bob's photographic studio.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09Upstairs, there are four good-sized bedrooms, including a large double
0:24:09 > 0:24:11in the eaves above the garage,
0:24:11 > 0:24:13A single with lots of storage
0:24:13 > 0:24:15and another double which is being used as a study.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18There is a three-piece family bathroom,
0:24:18 > 0:24:21and let's not forget, the master bedroom.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Well, you get your required amount of bedrooms.
0:24:26 > 0:24:28- Yes.- Your master faces south.
0:24:28 > 0:24:29BOB SIGHS HAPPILY
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Well, twin aspect actually. And also en suite.
0:24:32 > 0:24:35- Fantastic.- Oh, lovely. Good.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37Good size. Good size.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40Come on then, put your wardrobes in here.
0:24:40 > 0:24:42There's no need, there's a dressing room next door.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45- Perfect.- Although it's different,
0:24:45 > 0:24:49there's a lot of the comfortable features that we've got
0:24:49 > 0:24:51in our existing house. We've got a large bedroom at the moment,
0:24:51 > 0:24:52this is a large bedroom.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Our bedroom has double aspect, this has got double aspect.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59We have got an en-suite, this has got an en-suite -
0:24:59 > 0:25:01so it feels comfortable.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04'Buyers often tell me they'd like to pick up their current house
0:25:04 > 0:25:07'and move it to the country, and it seems we've done that here.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09'Bob and Andrea know what they love and love and,
0:25:09 > 0:25:10'well, love what they know,
0:25:10 > 0:25:15'and let's be honest, those familiar home comforts are important.'
0:25:15 > 0:25:19Outside, the main garden is to the rear and includes a large patio
0:25:19 > 0:25:21with pergola.
0:25:21 > 0:25:22So, the garden.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26- Bigger, obviously, than the first house.- Yes.
0:25:26 > 0:25:27But still manageable, I would think.
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Very much so, very much so.
0:25:29 > 0:25:30And more our style.
0:25:30 > 0:25:32- It all is, isn't it?- It is.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Can't stop smiling, that's the trouble.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38- Don't let the owners see or they'll put the price up!- I know.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41What is it then? Can you put it into words
0:25:41 > 0:25:43why this house is working, then?
0:25:43 > 0:25:45It's not a house, it's a home.
0:25:45 > 0:25:48- Good, yeah. Yes?- Yeah.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51You had a sneak peak of this on the internet I know.
0:25:51 > 0:25:56Can you remember how much this was on the market for?
0:25:56 > 0:26:00I would like it to be £420,000, please.
0:26:00 > 0:26:01OK.
0:26:01 > 0:26:05400... I would say £418,000.
0:26:05 > 0:26:09Well, a week ago this was on the market for £425,000,
0:26:09 > 0:26:13but last week it was reduced.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16- It is now on the market for £417,500.- Hoo-hoo!
0:26:16 > 0:26:20So, £500 light, a pretty good guess.
0:26:20 > 0:26:22- But...- Where do we sign?!
0:26:22 > 0:26:24- Really?- Yeah.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27As it's gone so well, you really must spend some more time
0:26:27 > 0:26:30in the house. I will meet you whenever you are done.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33- All right?- OK. Fabulous, thank you. - See you in a mo.- Thank you.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35BOB EXHALES
0:26:35 > 0:26:37It's gone really well. I often get a bit worried
0:26:37 > 0:26:40when people have seen a house that's on the internet,
0:26:40 > 0:26:44but I think this has exceeded expectations.
0:26:44 > 0:26:46You heard it from Bob himself - it's not a house.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48For them, it's a potential new home.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Over £7,000 below their budget,
0:26:52 > 0:26:55the second property is a modern detached family home
0:26:55 > 0:26:57with three separate living areas
0:26:57 > 0:26:59and four good-sized bedrooms.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02There's a double garage for Bob's photographic equipment
0:27:02 > 0:27:03and the house comes with
0:27:03 > 0:27:06a manageable garden with entertaining space.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09This is a good-sized guest bedroom.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Oh, it is. Yeah, would work perfectly.
0:27:12 > 0:27:13Nice storage.
0:27:13 > 0:27:15This is very nice.
0:27:15 > 0:27:16I can't stop smiling.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20Boxes ticked all over the place.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22We've already started to move our furniture in!
0:27:22 > 0:27:26In theory. Everything will go into this house.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29The last house, we would have had to make quite a few modifications
0:27:29 > 0:27:31or leave stuff behind.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33Here, we can bring the whole thing.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36I'd like to explore the area a little bit more,
0:27:36 > 0:27:40go into Trowbridge and see what facilities are around,
0:27:40 > 0:27:43explore the village a little bit more, but initial feelings?
0:27:43 > 0:27:45Yes, I could definitely see us living here.
0:27:47 > 0:27:49I was worried you weren't going to come out then!
0:27:49 > 0:27:52- Going to start moving in. - Yes.- Yes, please.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55"Yes, please" from both of you. This is a contender, isn't it?
0:27:55 > 0:27:57- Definitely.- Definitely. Definitely.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Does that mean tomorrow I can show you something really wacky?
0:28:00 > 0:28:02- That would be interesting.- We're still very interested to see
0:28:02 > 0:28:04- what's tomorrow. - This is the one to beat.
0:28:04 > 0:28:05Come with me.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19We're in sunny Wiltshire with a £425,000 budget
0:28:19 > 0:28:23and retirees Bob and Andrea from Luton in Bedfordshire,
0:28:23 > 0:28:26who haven't moved for three decades.
0:28:26 > 0:28:29Coming up - the mystery house divides the camp.
0:28:29 > 0:28:33It's in style with the house and it's different.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35In the nicest possible way, Bob,
0:28:35 > 0:28:38I don't care what you think at the moment, because you like it.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40- Yes.- I'm worried about the doubting Thomas over here.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42ANDREA LAUGHS
0:28:42 > 0:28:45And down in the woods there's a big surprise,
0:28:45 > 0:28:48as I discover Wiltshire's wartime secrets.
0:28:48 > 0:28:49Open up!
0:28:51 > 0:28:52JONNIE LAUGHS
0:28:56 > 0:28:58I must say, Andrea and Bob were absolutely buzzing
0:28:58 > 0:29:00when they got back to the hotel last night,
0:29:00 > 0:29:03talking about house number two, especially Bob,
0:29:03 > 0:29:06waxing lyrical about how he was going to
0:29:06 > 0:29:08convert that double garage into a photography studio.
0:29:08 > 0:29:10But it doesn't mean an early bath for me.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13I know they're moving from a fairly modern property,
0:29:13 > 0:29:16and house two, again was a modern house, wasn't it?
0:29:16 > 0:29:17So I want one more chance to
0:29:17 > 0:29:19show them something with a bit of history,
0:29:19 > 0:29:23which is one of the compromises with today's mystery house.
0:29:23 > 0:29:27The other are slightly smaller proportions inside the house itself,
0:29:27 > 0:29:30but if they're able to see through these two things,
0:29:30 > 0:29:33they'll be rewarded with a much shorter commute time
0:29:33 > 0:29:36to their daughter in Cirencester. Let's see how we go.
0:29:38 > 0:29:39Our final offering means we have to
0:29:39 > 0:29:41cross the border into Gloucestershire
0:29:41 > 0:29:42and head to the market town
0:29:42 > 0:29:44of Nailsworth.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47Set in a wooded valley, the characterful town
0:29:47 > 0:29:49prospered thanks to the Cotswolds' wool and cloth trade.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52Today, many of the old mills and workers' cottages
0:29:52 > 0:29:56have been converted into restaurants and hotels.
0:29:56 > 0:29:59The mystery house, situated on the rural edges of Nailsworth,
0:29:59 > 0:30:04gives our couple all the benefits of town-living on their doorstep,
0:30:04 > 0:30:06but it's a much older model than our second house yesterday,
0:30:06 > 0:30:09and I think it's the age factor that's going to be
0:30:09 > 0:30:11the biggest challenge for our couple.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14You'll know you're only half an hour from Cirencester,
0:30:14 > 0:30:15where you daughter lives...
0:30:15 > 0:30:18- Mm-hmm.- OK. - ..if you lived in that house.
0:30:18 > 0:30:19Oh, wow.
0:30:19 > 0:30:21- Right.- "Right"(!)
0:30:21 > 0:30:24ANDREA AND BOB CHUCKLE
0:30:24 > 0:30:26- I like the stone. - That's not what I was expecting.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29Wow. You said "wow" at every house!
0:30:29 > 0:30:31I know, I know. My heart speaks first
0:30:31 > 0:30:34and then I let the brain come in and sort out the detail.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36That's called Andrea.
0:30:36 > 0:30:38No, she does it the other way around!
0:30:38 > 0:30:39THEY LAUGH
0:30:39 > 0:30:41So then, Andrea, you like the stone?
0:30:41 > 0:30:43I like the stone.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47If I'm absolutely honest, the state of the roof worries me a little bit.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51That is beautiful local stones... on the roof.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54- Yeah.- Yeah.- That's decent.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56Yet to be decided, I think.
0:30:56 > 0:30:58- See inside. - Let's look inside, come on.
0:31:00 > 0:31:04As suspected, it seems it's out with the old and in with the new,
0:31:04 > 0:31:07but this 19th-century traditional Cotswolds cottage
0:31:07 > 0:31:08is packed with character,
0:31:08 > 0:31:12and I'm hopeful I can convince Andrea of its historic merits.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17Now, straight in to...
0:31:17 > 0:31:20what I thought was a fairly well-lit kitchen.
0:31:20 > 0:31:22- Yes.- Yes.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25- A good size. - It's a good size, it's not my style.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27Not your style, OK, all right.
0:31:29 > 0:31:33It's in style with the house, and it's different.
0:31:33 > 0:31:34In the nicest possible way, Bob,
0:31:34 > 0:31:38I don't care what you think at the moment - because you like it.
0:31:38 > 0:31:40- Yes.- I'm worried about the doubting Thomas over here.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44I'm going to push you on this.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47I would like to see more. It's been done very nicely.
0:31:47 > 0:31:51- It has, yes, it's a lovely kitchen. - But it's not me.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53'I think Andrea's body language says it all.'
0:31:55 > 0:31:57Well, the semi open-plan feel continues.
0:31:57 > 0:32:02You've got your dining room here and then - just mind your step there -
0:32:02 > 0:32:05a snug-like living room.
0:32:05 > 0:32:08Yes, very snug.
0:32:08 > 0:32:09THEY LAUGH
0:32:09 > 0:32:12Look at that face! Look at that face!
0:32:12 > 0:32:15- Too small.- It is too small. - Is it?- Way too small.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17We wouldn't get anything in here.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21We would literally have to get rid of everything and start again.
0:32:21 > 0:32:23Well, that would be refreshing, wouldn't it?
0:32:23 > 0:32:25- LAUGHING:- That's true. - But it's a step too far.
0:32:25 > 0:32:27- Is it?- I think it might be a step too far.
0:32:29 > 0:32:31'Well, it was always going to be hard beating house two,
0:32:31 > 0:32:35'as Bob and Andrea - and their furniture - felt so at home there.'
0:32:35 > 0:32:38Upstairs, there are four bedrooms spread over two floors.
0:32:38 > 0:32:42On the top floor, there's a double in the eaves and a single bedroom.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45On the first floor, they'll find a family bathroom,
0:32:45 > 0:32:48a guest double, as well as the master.
0:32:49 > 0:32:54Up on this first floor, you get two double bedrooms and a bathroom.
0:32:54 > 0:32:56But amazing views.
0:32:56 > 0:32:59- Oh, that's nice. - That's a good-sized room as well.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01- It is, isn't it? - I mean, look at that.
0:33:01 > 0:33:03- Waking up to that to that view. - "How green is my valley?"
0:33:03 > 0:33:05- Yes, pretty green.- Yeah.
0:33:05 > 0:33:07This is a good-sized room.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09It is a good-sized room.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11Good-sized rooms don't buy houses.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13No, but it depends...
0:33:13 > 0:33:18what I could put, or what WE could put in the other rooms.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21- You could put him in one of them. - I might put him in another house!
0:33:22 > 0:33:24- Oh!- The garage. - That's what the garage is for.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27- Ah, yes.- Nice big room I've got.
0:33:27 > 0:33:29I was there when that happened.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31But I don't think it's the size of the rooms.
0:33:31 > 0:33:36I think it's that intangible thing, that feeling.
0:33:36 > 0:33:39That first ten seconds, as everybody says, as you walk into a house,
0:33:39 > 0:33:43if it doesn't grab you within ten seconds, it's probably not for you.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45You're the Iron Lady of house tours.
0:33:45 > 0:33:48This woman's not for changing her mind.
0:33:48 > 0:33:49I quite like it.
0:33:49 > 0:33:51- Well, let's go back outside.- OK.
0:33:51 > 0:33:54- I'm now going to make you sweat over the price.- Oh, dear.
0:33:54 > 0:33:56Who will I make go first?
0:33:56 > 0:33:57- I think Andrea.- Yes.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59- You deserve it, Andrea.- Yes.
0:33:59 > 0:34:00ANDREA LAUGHS
0:34:02 > 0:34:04'Despite its charm and appeal,
0:34:04 > 0:34:06'the historic credentials of our mystery house
0:34:06 > 0:34:08'aren't resonating with them.'
0:34:08 > 0:34:11Outside, the main garden is to the front and side of the house,
0:34:11 > 0:34:15with a sloping lawn and patio, but the property also benefits from
0:34:15 > 0:34:17two garages, the larger of which
0:34:17 > 0:34:19could make an excellent photo studio.
0:34:20 > 0:34:25OK, then, how much do we think this mystery house is on the market for?
0:34:25 > 0:34:30I'm probably going to say £380,000.
0:34:30 > 0:34:31Oh, right, OK.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35I'm going to say £420,000.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38This place is on the market for...
0:34:40 > 0:34:44You're way out. ..£379,950.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48- You're good at this, aren't you? - She is.
0:34:48 > 0:34:50Wow.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54So, although you've retired, maybe you could become an estate agent.
0:34:56 > 0:34:58- I don't think so.- Good guess. - I wouldn't have any clients.
0:35:00 > 0:35:03Have a snoop around. I tell you what, I'll be sat right here.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06- Lovely.- See you in a mo. - See you in a while.
0:35:08 > 0:35:11£45,000 under budget,
0:35:11 > 0:35:15our mystery house has the lowest price tag of all three properties,
0:35:15 > 0:35:18despite being located in more expensive Gloucestershire.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21It's a traditional Cotswold stone cottage,
0:35:21 > 0:35:24with a large kitchen/diner and four bedrooms.
0:35:24 > 0:35:26There are outbuilding options for Bob's studio
0:35:26 > 0:35:29and the garden is easy to maintain.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31It's a very nice house.
0:35:31 > 0:35:33It's been decorated very well.
0:35:33 > 0:35:37It's a very nice location near a very nice town,
0:35:37 > 0:35:41and it will be a lovely home for somebody, at a good price.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45It's a lovely house. It's been very nicely done inside,
0:35:45 > 0:35:47it has a lot of features.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50Nice for a family, a small, young family, growing,
0:35:50 > 0:35:53but not for a couple of older people, such as us, perhaps.
0:35:53 > 0:35:58Have you used this time to really get a feel for the place
0:35:58 > 0:36:01and maybe start chatting things through
0:36:01 > 0:36:03about location over property?
0:36:03 > 0:36:04- Yes, I think so.- Yes, yes.
0:36:04 > 0:36:07We've got a much better idea than when we started the process.
0:36:07 > 0:36:09Good, I'm going to give you a bit more time.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11I'm going to take you somewhere to have a good chat about
0:36:11 > 0:36:14all three properties and then I'll find out what you want to do.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16- OK? Come with me. - Thank you.- Thank you.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25During the Second World War,
0:36:25 > 0:36:29the Wiltshire countryside played host to a secret band of brothers.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32One of those in charge was Captain Peter Fleming,
0:36:32 > 0:36:34brother of spy writer Ian Fleming.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36He was tasked by Sir Winston Churchill
0:36:36 > 0:36:39to train an underground resistance network,
0:36:39 > 0:36:42designed to disrupt enemy lines in the event of
0:36:42 > 0:36:46a German invasion, a threat that was very real in 1940.
0:36:46 > 0:36:47The men, all volunteers,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50were trained here at the Coleshill estate.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54I'm meeting Bill Ashby from the Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team
0:36:54 > 0:36:56to find out what life was like in this secret guerrilla army.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00Now, Bill, there's an amazing history, an unknown history,
0:37:00 > 0:37:04attached to the auxiliaries, and part of that is Peter Fleming,
0:37:04 > 0:37:07Ian Fleming's brother. How involved was he?
0:37:07 > 0:37:09Well, he was a key man.
0:37:09 > 0:37:17Peter Fleming was recruited to train men to go to ground,
0:37:17 > 0:37:18so if the Germans came,
0:37:18 > 0:37:24they would hide and they would then come out and try
0:37:24 > 0:37:29and delay the enemy by attacking stores and vehicles and anything.
0:37:29 > 0:37:33Everything but actually go to war and fight them.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36Right, so we were very much under the threat of invasion
0:37:36 > 0:37:37- ourselves here in the UK.- Yeah.
0:37:37 > 0:37:40Talk me through the training these guys had then.
0:37:40 > 0:37:45They were trained to use the latest equipment.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48Plastic explosive,
0:37:48 > 0:37:50it was only just coming out then.
0:37:50 > 0:37:54They would set up charges onto a railway line...
0:37:54 > 0:37:57- Right.- ..for example.
0:37:57 > 0:38:00The idea was that the railway would have been
0:38:00 > 0:38:03- bringing in German reinforcements. - Of course.
0:38:03 > 0:38:07So they would blow the line up or blow the tunnel up,
0:38:07 > 0:38:10- blow the bridge up. - You've got the railway girder here.
0:38:10 > 0:38:11This is a detonator.
0:38:11 > 0:38:15The train would come on, that would fire that, that would fire that.
0:38:15 > 0:38:16Bang.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18'As well as learning guerrilla warfare tactics,
0:38:18 > 0:38:21'volunteers were trained in intelligence,
0:38:21 > 0:38:24'in particular getting messages from the front to higher command.
0:38:24 > 0:38:27'Auxiliary units would plant secret messages
0:38:27 > 0:38:30'to be picked up later in what were known as dead letterboxes.'
0:38:30 > 0:38:33Dead letterboxes, is there one near here?
0:38:33 > 0:38:35Yeah.
0:38:35 > 0:38:37- You're getting colder.- Colder?!
0:38:37 > 0:38:39Yeah. Getting warm.
0:38:41 > 0:38:42- Getting hot.- What?
0:38:42 > 0:38:46How can I be very hot? I've got a chunk of wood in my hand!
0:38:46 > 0:38:48Go on, then.
0:38:48 > 0:38:49- Let me show you.- Get it out.
0:38:50 > 0:38:52Oh, what an idiot.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55- Brilliant.- A dummy bolt.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59- There's a curled up message inside the bolt.- May I?
0:39:02 > 0:39:03This is ingenious.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06- And then inside there...- That's it.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11"Mr Irwin, you are rubbish at finding messages!"
0:39:11 > 0:39:13THEY LAUGH
0:39:13 > 0:39:15'Secrecy was of the utmost importance,
0:39:15 > 0:39:18'so outposts and bunkers were hidden from plain sight.
0:39:18 > 0:39:21'But in the most ordinary of places.'
0:39:21 > 0:39:22Let me show you.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24Open up!
0:39:25 > 0:39:27JONNIE LAUGHS
0:39:29 > 0:39:30'The operation base like this one
0:39:30 > 0:39:32'would be where the men would live for
0:39:32 > 0:39:35'weeks at a time and plan their acts of sabotage.'
0:39:36 > 0:39:39How many people would have been staying in here?
0:39:39 > 0:39:41- Maybe up to eight. - What? Cosy, isn't it?
0:39:41 > 0:39:47Yes, we've got bunks, maybe four sleeping and four doing things.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51You say four sleeping and four doing things, these activities,
0:39:51 > 0:39:53I imagine they would probably taking place
0:39:53 > 0:39:55under the cover of darkness.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57Yes. There would have been two men
0:39:57 > 0:40:00- out during the day on reconnaissance.- Right.
0:40:00 > 0:40:04Choosing the target that would be attacked that night.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08come back, prepare their explosives -
0:40:08 > 0:40:10whatever is necessary - in here.
0:40:10 > 0:40:12So rest and prepare by day...
0:40:12 > 0:40:14- That's it.- ..action by night.
0:40:15 > 0:40:18'Although the men's training was never put into practice,
0:40:18 > 0:40:22'many went on to join the SAS, using the skills taught here
0:40:22 > 0:40:25'at this top secret special forces training ground
0:40:25 > 0:40:28'in the heart of the Wiltshire countryside.'
0:40:30 > 0:40:33Well, I think it's fair to say that house number two
0:40:33 > 0:40:35is the clear favourite, but let's remember,
0:40:35 > 0:40:37it's been over 30 years since Bob and Andrea
0:40:37 > 0:40:40bought a house together, so this is a huge decision.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43I've given them a few hours to think things through,
0:40:43 > 0:40:45so let's find out what their thoughts are.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51Well, you could get used to this, couldn't you?
0:40:51 > 0:40:53- Absolutely.- You wouldn't want to mow it though, would you?
0:40:53 > 0:40:54- No, no.- Not every week.
0:40:54 > 0:40:57Do you have a favourite house? He asked knowingly...
0:40:57 > 0:40:59- Of course you do. - I think the second house.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01Yeah, there was one that had a little advantage
0:41:01 > 0:41:03- over the rest, perhaps. - Yeah, what was it
0:41:03 > 0:41:06- about house number two then? - I think the size of the rooms.
0:41:06 > 0:41:10It gave us the different rooms that we wanted.
0:41:10 > 0:41:13It gave us the size of garden that we wanted,
0:41:13 > 0:41:16in that we didn't want anything huge.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19- I haven't been inside your house. - No.
0:41:19 > 0:41:23Would you say you're looking, to some extent,
0:41:23 > 0:41:25for a fair amount of replication?
0:41:26 > 0:41:28- Probably.- I think so, yes.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30Because your favourite stock phrase,
0:41:30 > 0:41:33"If we could move it down here, we would."
0:41:33 > 0:41:36- Hm!- That's why I think that house number two
0:41:36 > 0:41:38was the closest to what we currently have,
0:41:38 > 0:41:41in which we're very comfortable.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43What's the next step for you guys?
0:41:43 > 0:41:45Well, before we go home tomorrow,
0:41:45 > 0:41:46we're going to go back to the area
0:41:46 > 0:41:48and explore the location a little bit more,
0:41:48 > 0:41:54and we have already arranged to see the house again.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57- Fantastic news.- Yes.- You don't hang around, do you?- No.- No.
0:41:58 > 0:42:00I'm really, really chuffed.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03Please, please let us know what you decide.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05- Of course we will. - And thank you very much,
0:42:05 > 0:42:06it's been a real experience.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08- It's been really good fun. - I've enjoyed myself as well.
0:42:08 > 0:42:11The only thing remaining to do is to eat brownies!
0:42:11 > 0:42:12THEY LAUGH
0:42:12 > 0:42:15Let me tell you, I'm much better at that than finding houses.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21You know, I think the main reason why Bob and Andrea
0:42:21 > 0:42:23liked house number two so much is because
0:42:23 > 0:42:25it felt so familiar, and that's what helped them
0:42:25 > 0:42:28feel so comfortable when they walked around the property.
0:42:28 > 0:42:30So, fingers crossed,
0:42:30 > 0:42:32their second viewing tomorrow morning
0:42:32 > 0:42:34at house number two goes very well.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36But if not, if there are question marks there,
0:42:36 > 0:42:39it certainly wouldn't surprise me to hear they're looking
0:42:39 > 0:42:41for a property somewhere over the border,
0:42:41 > 0:42:43perhaps closer to their daughter in Cirencester.
0:42:43 > 0:42:47I'm looking forward to finding out. See you next time.
0:42:48 > 0:42:51If you would like to escape to the country in England, Scotland,
0:42:51 > 0:42:55Wales or Northern Ireland, and need our help, you can apply online at...