Cambridgeshire Escape to the Country

These flat, fertile plains were once an ancient woodland,

surrounded by water, until, that is,

they were drained for farming in the 17th century.

So, where am I? And which one

of the nation's favourite vegetables is produced

in these very fields? I'll tell you in just a moment.

'Today, our house search makes a discovery that's picture perfect.'

Very pretty, isn't it? If you were going to draw a house, that's how

you would draw it! Symmetrical, isn't it?

-It appeals to my mathematical bent.

-Does it?

-Yeah.

'But I may have to call time on an area of dispute.'

Where is the brewing going to take place?

-I think the Wendy house.

-No!

-The Wendy house is now the pub

at the end of the garden. That's good.

Very creative thinking!

Today, we're in Cambridgeshire, in the heart of the Fens.

This once-waterlogged fenland is now home to one

of the richest agricultural lands in the whole

of Britain, with some of the largest producers

of potatoes in the country. Later on in the show,

I'll be meeting a farmer whose family have been

cultivating the humble spud here in Cambridgeshire for over 200 years.

Cambridgeshire is a landlocked county in East Anglia,

bordered by seven counties,

including Northamptonshire to the west and Essex to the south.

Although cut off from the coast, water plays an important part

in the county's landscape and history.

The River Cam starts in the university city

of Cambridge and runs 14-and-a-half miles north

to the Ouse. Punting was introduced here

at the beginning of the 20th century and is now

a firm Cambridge tradition and a great way to view

the historic colleges of one of the most famous

universities in the world.

Much of the county is flat and low-lying, including

the lowest point of the UK, at nine feet below sea level.

To the north are the distinct landscapes

of the Fens, marshy areas reclaimed from

the sea in a process of drainage started several

centuries ago. Before the successful

reclamation of the land, the few hills of the area

once acted as islands, often providing

sites for places of worship. One such isle was Anglesey.

A priory was built here at the time of Henry I,

being later converted to a country house in the 16th century

and renamed Anglesey Abbey.

Another former isle, Ely, is the site of a cathedral

first founded in the 11th century.

Six centuries later, the town became home to Oliver Cromwell,

once Lord Protector of the Commonwealth.

His former residence is open to the public, where his 17th century

family life has been imaginatively recreated.

So, whether it's scholarly architecture,

unusual rural landscapes or historic homes you're interested in,

Cambridgeshire is a fascinating and rewarding county to escape to.

Given that London is only around an hour's drive from Cambridgeshire,

it comes as no big surprise that property prices here

are above the national average,

but not by as much as you may expect.

£328,000 is the typical price of a detached property

here in the county, which is only

around 9% above the rest of England and Wales.

What's more, if it's the wildlife you're after,

then this may be the county for you,

because Cambridgeshire is home to some of the most

important nature reserves in the whole of the UK,

including one of the oldest, Wicken Fen.

So, let's meet today's buyers and find out what

kind of lifestyle they're hoping to find here.

When Dick and Louise chose their Chislehurst semi

to the south-east of the capital, it was in

a perfect, peaceful location. But as the years

have gone by, they've felt city life closing in.

It's a lot busier here than it used to be. When we first moved here

30 years ago, it was relatively quiet. You notice there's

a lot more traffic, and I think that applies

-throughout London, not just here.

-And, of course,

now we've got the bus coming down the street,

which is something that happened seven or eight years ago.

Dick has retired from his job

in insurance and their two daughters have moved away.

They'd like to escape the increasing bustle of London

for a quiet life within easy reach of family.

We've now got a grandchild, who lives in Loughborough.

And it's currently a two and a half hour journey up there.

And we're trying to reduce that journey, hopefully, by about half,

so that we don't spend so much time in the car.

We've been going up to

Loughborough for a good ten years now,

because the kids were at university, and the

notion of moving really started with those journeys.

So, probably about a couple of years ago, we started playing these games,

as to where we might like to stop.

And when it comes to where they'd like to stop,

the couple have settled on Cambridgeshire.

We quite like the countryside and we're members of the

National Trust and the Royal Horticultural Society,

so we're hoping that will initially get

us out and about, looking at some of the places.

So, we're fairly confident that we can find somewhere in that area.

And I think also, for me, you're also near to some larger towns,

which, I think, having spent all my life in London,

I think I would miss if they weren't within easy reach.

As well as the culture shock of country life, Louise has some nerves

over leaving the family home.

I think I'm more nervous about the move than Dick is,

because I didn't work when I had the children and,

as such, the home has become very much my domain.

That's my office space, if you like.

And yeah, it would be very, very weird.

But she's hoping the move will give them more time, not only to

see family, but to spend on their hobbies.

The thing about moving nearer to our daughter

would probably mean that there would be less

overnight stops, so we would have more time on

our hands. I do some card crafting for

families and friends. That's my little hobby, which means

-I can get out of Dick's hair.

-Mm.

-If he had any!

I enjoy making beer, making wine - anything alcoholic! Anything that

involves a fermentation process, so I'm quite good

at making bread now. And when I have a bit more

time on my hands, I'll be doing a bit of vegetable gardening.

They're all the, I suppose, fairly standard men crafts!

Most of all, though, it's about starting over in fresh surroundings.

Hopefully, it will be really exciting, a new chapter.

If everything's going to be new, I suppose it'd be

like having a honeymoon all over again!

-You'll be after a new kitchen, for a start!

-Yes.

Dick and Louise are open to living anywhere in the county with access

to road links to their family in Loughborough,

but before we start looking at houses,

we're meeting in Cambridgeshire, to discover more about

what they're hoping to find.

Well, Dick and Louise, welcome to Cambridgeshire.

It's a little bit damp, so I've brought you under this gazebo,

to keep us dry. But we're looking for a new home,

it's not going to deter us.

So, making this move to the country is all about changing the way you live your lives.

Being close to family, making new friends,

-getting the balance right.

-I think so. Very much so.

We've got a grandchild now and that makes all the difference

and, yeah, we want to get involved in the community and, you know,

sort of, make some new friends, hopefully.

We don't really have much to do with our community where we are,

because the kids have left home. Now, I'm looking forward to

doing something entirely different.

Tell me about the house that, ideally, you're after.

It's got to be light and airy. Three good-sized

bedrooms. And I do crafts, so I want a craft room.

-Dick likes his office.

-Large kitchen?

-Large kitchen would be

-lovely.

-And, Dick, how important is the garden?

Yeah, a good-sized garden. I probably want to do

-a little bit of veg growing.

-And also, you're a bread-maker,

-I understand?

-Well, anything to do with yeast, really.

I'm into all sorts of fermentation and bread is one of them.

-So it's a polite way to say he likes brewing beer!

-Yes.

-I see!

This is quite a big property. You're not downsizing, you two.

-No.

-We don't intend to downsize. When we're at home together,

we need a bit of space!

OK! All right. What are the things that you have to have

and what could you live without?

It's really difficult to answer that, really, because I

think often you fall in love with a place and it might not necessarily

-be quite the spec.

-Very true. Right, well, let's talk money

and remind ourselves of your top budget.

Well, the top budget's 600,000.

If you really pushed us and the place was perfect,

maybe 625. But we wouldn't mind if it was

-a little bit lower!

-So, £625,000 for that dream,

-perfect home.

-Mm-hm.

-OK. All right. Well, are we ready?

We've got some splendid properties to show you. Shall we get going?

-Yes.

-Yes.

-Come on.

For an absolute maximum of £625,000, Dick and Louise's

dream Cambridgeshire home would have...

We've lined up a tempting selection of houses with their wish list

in mind, and at each, they'll be asked to guess the price

before I reveal it. The final one, of course,

is our Mystery House, where our search may be taking on

a surprisingly Continental flavour.

But before that, we are heading to house number one.

Dick, tell me about this new hobby of yours.

A brewer and a baker. How much space are you going to need?

DICK LAUGHS

I've actually been brewing for quite a long time.

Ever since I left university, actually.

But the baking is a fairly new hobby.

But the latest idea is to try and do some all-grain brewing.

So, I need some rather big pots and kettles and things.

So, if there's a utility room, that would be very handy.

A utility room or perhaps even a cellar?

A cellar would be ideal.

Or a shed, even, with a water supply.

It sounds a great hobby.

-Brewing and baking, that's perfect, isn't it?

-Yeah!

Drink, eat and be merry.

Our search is starting near to the Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire

border, in the village of Gamlingay. As well as providing

a good range of shops and services, including a grocer's and pharmacy,

there are fascinating reminders of Gamlingay's medieval origins.

Most of the houses here were once owned by colleges of Cambridge

and Oxford universities.

Located along the main coaching route from London to Cambridge,

you could once find in excess of 30 pubs in the parish,

with some accounts even claiming a total of 54.

Just two now remain. The Cock Inn, dating from at least 1588,

and The Wheatsheaf, originally built in 1798.

And located in the core of historic Gamlingay,

on a corner of the central crossroads,

our first house has a brew-serving story of its own.

So, we thought we'd start off our property search

with an older property. And here it is.

-Mm.

-That looks interesting.

-Quite quirky.

-Yeah.

With you a bit of a brewer, that used to be a pub, Dick.

-Wow.

-Did it really?

-It did. The Rose and Crown.

Yeah. Is that a sign, I wonder?!

Could well be!

Now, it is semidetached,

but it is a substantial property.

-So, what's going through your mind?

-The only thing I wonder about

is how light it's going to be inside.

-The windows aren't enormous.

-I'm just intrigued by the size.

-Ready to take a look around?

-Yeah, I can't wait to get inside the pub!

Last orders! Come on!

Thank you!

'Dating from the late 17th century, with 19th century renovations,

'this Grade II listed building is known to have been a pub from 1864.

'The solid oak door leads via a lobby into the sitting room,

'where the character and charm of this historic home

'have been lovingly retained.'

Beautiful fireplace.

It's a decent size, I think.

I'd put it at bigger than a snug.

It's actually lighter inside than I thought it was going to be.

It's quite light.

Yeah, and you can see the age, if you look at the woodwork behind,

-with the fireplace.

-It is beautiful, that.

-You've got your burner there, as well.

-Yeah.

It's a lovely room.

Now, you might have noticed there's a door there.

-Where do you think that leads to?

-Got to be a cellar.

-Look at that smile.

-It's got to be a cellar.

-Look!

-He's now interested. Quite a large cellar.

-Mm-hmm.

-Oh.

Obviously, just used for storage at the moment,

-but could be perfect for your brewing.

-Yeah.

-It does look lovely. It is beautiful.

-Excellent.

All right, let's see what you make of next door.

Now, I'm sure when this property was built,

-they didn't have a kitchen like this.

-No.

-Oof.

-They've done it up lovely.

I'm not too sure it's quite big enough for me.

-Behind us is the larder...

-Ah.

-Ah.

..with a huge fridge-freezer as well,

-so you've got additional...

-That might make a big difference, then.

-And, obviously, you've got the outlook into the garden.

-The garden.

So, 50-50 on the kitchen?

-I think so, yeah.

-Yeah, probably 50-50.

-All right.

-A bit early to make our minds up, I think.

-Yeah?

-Mm-hmm.

-OK, all right, then,

let's head upstairs and see what you make of that.

'Despite plenty of original features,

'Dick and Louise are reserving judgment.

'On the ground floor,

'there's also a dining room with dual-aspect period leaded windows.

'Then, at the back in the sitting room, stairs lead to

'a split-level landing, and the family bathroom with a roll-top tub.

'The staircase continues up to the three-bedroomed accommodation.

'We're starting in the largest of the rooms.'

-This is the master.

-I'm not too sure it's big enough.

-It's slightly intriguing.

-I'm not too sure about the wardrobe space.

And what's through there?

-So, that's a little area for storage.

-Mm-hmm.

You've got a wardrobe behind you.

You also have two other bedrooms -

another double and a very large single,

which actually can take a double bed quite easily in it.

-But you've also got a separate WC, as well, up here.

-OK.

This is a house that has been beautifully done up.

-It has, yeah.

-It is a lovely house.

-It is a really lovely house.

-The attention to detail...

I don't know, I get the feeling of it being very clean, very homey...

Oh, very much so. Yeah.

I think it'd be wonderful if it was just the two of us

-moving here, but we...

-It is.

-We still incorporate our family into what we are doing.

-Yeah.

How would you feel, though, about moving to a house,

having this much charm and age to it?

Whether I'm ready to live in a house with this much character,

I don't know.

I'm not entirely convinced,

but I might be nearer to being convinced.

-It's beautiful, though.

-Yeah, it is. It's wonderful.

'Well, perhaps what's on offer outside will convince them.

'As well as a couple of Grade II-listed outbuildings,

'there's a carport and a very large detached workshop that could

'provide a spacious crafts room for Louise.

'The private, south-facing rear garden extends to 160 feet

'and is mainly laid to lawn.'

-I think the garden is the perfect size.

-Yeah.

-Perfect.

-It's, sort of, high-impact but not too high-maintenance.

-No, no.

-Mm-hmm, Just right.

So, what's the final part that we have to discuss?

-The price.

-The price.

How much do you think this property's on the market for?

I'm going to guess 565.

I'll probably go slightly lower.

Maybe 550.

OK, well, you were both out.

-It's actually below that.

-Oh.

-Oh.

The asking price is £525,000.

Right.

-That's good to know.

-OK, yeah.

-Yeah.

So, we're all pleasantly surprised with that asking price, aren't we?

-Yeah.

-Mm-hmm.

-I wonder if that's going to change your minds at all.

-It's worth another look around, isn't it?

-And the cellar!

-And the cellar.

-And the cellar. Go on, Mr Brewer.

-Go and have another look, why don't you?

-All right.

-OK.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Quite a surprise.

I mean, they do seem to want an enormous house for

just the two of them, but, in a way, I think it's the character and the

charm of this property that, funnily enough, might have put them off.

I think they're a little bit overawed by it, but who knows?

The second viewing, could it seal the deal?

We'll have to wait and see.

Very comfortably below budget by £100,000,

this Grade II-listed former public house

has two characterful reception rooms, three bedrooms,

a cellar and a selection of outbuildings, including a workshop.

This is another nice room, isn't it?

-Mmm, look at that piano.

-Beautiful.

Not too sure it's quite big enough, though.

I don't think our dresser would go in here.

-It's certainly not big enough for Christmas, either.

-No, no.

It's a really charming house.

The fireplace was wonderful.

The range is wonderful, and it really has got a country feel to it.

I think, inside, it is an awful lot lighter than I expected it to be,

given the age of the property.

This house has bags of character, both downstairs and upstairs,

and even outside, with the sheds and so on.

I think you've found a house that really challenges our thinking.

Even got a cellar.

It's another charming room, isn't it?

It's a beautiful cottage, but...

Mmm. Probably not quite big enough for us, though, is it?

No, I don't think so.

We wouldn't really want to downsize,

and I think it's too small for when all of the family come to stay.

Well, that's it - our first house done.

Dick, if you can get the door?

-There we are.

-Right, let's keep going.

Keeping water at bay to provide land for crops such as wheat

dominated agriculture for much of Cambridgeshire's history,

but, when it came to turning that wheat into flour,

water power was positively embraced via the technology of the mill.

And we've arranged for Louise and keen home baker Dick

to see that power in action,

with a visit to the water mill at Anglesey Abbey.

Now in the care of the National Trust,

volunteer Roy Smith is on hand to show them how this historic building

continues to produce wholemeal flour the traditional way.

-Hi, hello.

-OK, welcome to Lode Mill.

-And welcome to you.

-Thank you.

So, Roy, why is the mill so special?

Because it's been here for 270 years.

It was built in 1745, still running today,

very much as it did on day one.

There's been milling in this country since Roman times.

It tended to be water mills in the early days,

-and windmills came onto the scene in the late 12th century.

-Hmm.

So what's the benefit of a water mill over a windmill?

Windmills are subject to the vagaries

of the English climate, really.

And, er, sometimes the wind is too strong, or not strong enough.

Water lets us run every day of the year.

Last autumn, we had about ten days when we couldn't actually run,

because the water level was quite low,

-but most of the time, we've got plenty of water.

-Yeah.

So I've just recently got into bread-making.

It'd be lovely to get inside and see how the flour's made.

Once grinding out 20 tonnes of flour a week,

the mill was converted for cement-making

at the beginning of the 20th century.

Fully restored to its original use in the 1980s,

it now produces a modest ten tonnes of flour a year.

That's enough to allow visitors to see the flour-making process

without too much wear and tear,

and that process starts with the opening of the sluice gates.

OK, Dick, every schoolboy's dream now.

-I'm going to let you turn the wheel on, so... OK?

-Lovely, thanks.

-Blimey!

-Oh, dear.

Just one turn of the sluice gate wheel

and the water stored in the mill pond flows at ten tonnes per minute,

filling buckets on the water wheel and causing it to turn.

-Now we can go upstairs and see the stones in action, OK?

-OK.

As grains of wheat pour down, the power of the water wheel is used

to turn the millstones producing flour.

Today, the gears are set at 60 turns per minute,

but, in its heyday, the mill would've worked the stones

up to 150 turns per minute,

which would've been even noisier.

So I'm surprised how quickly that turns it into flour.

Yeah, no, it's instantaneous, really.

Once the grain starts dropping down into the gap between the stones,

the wheat is crushed and flour starts dropping down the chute

and is collected in the sack underneath.

-It's an instantaneous process, really.

-Yeah, very quick.

Today's wheat is brought in from Hertfordshire.

The traditional Derbyshire grit millstones

have also been swapped for much hardier millstones

imported from a disused mill in Portugal

which are much better suited

to grinding today's softer-grained wheat.

OK, so this is the flour that we've just produced.

-It's a lovely, stone-ground...

-Lovely.

-..wholemeal flour.

Lovely, soft. Have a feel.

-Oh, yeah.

-Oh, yeah!

-We don't add anything. We don't take anything away.

-Mm-hm.

So it's pure, unadulterated flour from organic wheat,

so we like to think it's actually better quality

than you can buy in supermarkets.

I've got a bag of flour here, Dick.

-I know you're into your bread-making.

-Yeah.

-So I'd like to present it to you.

-Lovely.

-Thank you.

Go away and use it wisely and, er,

-enjoy the rest of your explorations, OK?

-Thanks very much.

Well, Dick's bread baking will have to wait,

because it's time to turn our attention back to

our property search here in the Cambridgeshire countryside.

Our property search is heading to the market town of Chatteris.

Situated in the Fens, there's been a settlement here

since the Neolithic period,

and it's claimed to have been a refuge

for Boadicea fleeing from the Romans.

A church has been on the site of St Peter & St Paul since at least

the 12th century, although the oldest remaining part of the

current building is the tower, dating from 1352.

Facilities include places to eat and drink, a bank

and a hairdresser's that hints at the local sense of humour.

The property we've come to view is located in the southern

part of the town centre, with a rather grand

aspect onto its south-facing rear garden.

Well, I've brought you into the garden to start off,

because I want you to take a look at your

-property from this angle.

-Wow. That's

beautiful. This is absolutely stunning from

-the outside.

-Just those windows, there's so

much light going in there, isn't there?

-And I like the shutters up the top.

-So, good start.

-Can you believe that it used to be a farmhouse?

-No, no.

I think we should look inside. Shall we?

Let's do that, please.

Built from brick and dating to the

middle of the 19th century, at the front of

this grand former farmhouse, the impressive elegance

continues through an imposing entrance hall

and into the front reception room.

So, impressed with the outside. Let's see what

-we think about the inside.

-It's enormous. It's beautiful.

-It's a good size, isn't it?

-It's lovely.

-That is period.

Yeah.

Now, you both said that you want a large house, an entertaining house.

-Is it delivering on that side?

-It is.

-I'm just wondering whether it's too big. I don't know.

-No!

You can't say that it's too big.

You have a very large, very elegant home here.

-Mmm.

-Mm-hmm.

-Have I scared you?

-It looks quite grand, doesn't it?

-I don't know yet.

I think we'll reserve judgment until we see the rest of it.

-It does look very grand.

-Impressive.

It's an impressive property.

So, you have this as one of your drawing rooms.

You've got the same size again next door.

You talked about escaping

from each other in your property - you've got

plenty of room here. And you've got a study

across the way with a downstairs cloakroom.

Let's see what you think of the kitchen.

If you'd like to follow me...

Now, I think this is one of the most important rooms in the whole

house, the kitchen.

It's lovely. Really nice. Nice, big space for the table.

And look at that sink.

-Have you ever seen a sink like that?

-No.

-No, not with feet like that.

The owner thinks it's an original, so about 160, 170 years old.

You do have access outside, the side door. If you look

through, we've got some windows leading out into the garden,

but you've also got a massive conservatory, which they're using as

-a games room at the moment.

-We could use it

for anything, really.

This beautifully presented period home also boasts a sizeable

cellar, perfect for home-brewer Dick.

And completing this floor is a hobby room, which

could be put to use as a ground-floor guest room,

but I suspect they'll find more than enough

accommodation upstairs, where there are no fewer

than six bedrooms.

A large family bathroom

with roll-top bath and separate shower serves

all of the rooms, along with an additional cloakroom.

To the front of the property, a large

double has interlinking doors through two

smaller rooms, one of which currently sits

empty and the other features a bay window.

Behind these lies a further double.

Yet another double is reached via its own

small flight of stairs, and then there's

bedroom number six, which I think Dick and

Louise could turn into their master.

-It's a lovely-sized room.

-Yeah, lovely.

-Not only does it

have an ample size, but, through this wall,

there are some stairs on the other side.

You could easily open it up, sacrifice a bedroom and

-make it an en-suite...

-OK.

..which might be quite nice for the two of you, because this house has

six bedrooms in total.

So, you see, you've got enough space up here if you want to do your

crafts and your card-making.

Loads of light coming through the windows, which, as an artist,

-is important to you.

-Yeah.

-Mm-hmm.

You could easily sacrifice another bedroom.

-All of them are large, and why not use them?

-Yeah.

I guarantee, if you decided to buy this house, within six months,

you'd be like, "How did we cope without all these rooms?"

-You just use them, don't you?

-Yeah.

You just use them, and also it encourages people to come and stay.

-Is that good?

-Is that a good thing?

-You haven't met my family.

-There's a big kitchen.

Oh, I tell you what, your granddaughter's going to love

running around this property, isn't she?

Yeah, yeah.

I'm thinking it might be too big.

-Really?

-I don't know.

-See, you set us a challenge!

-I know!

-Right. Well, I think we should head

back downstairs, then we can talk about what sort

of price you think it's on the market for.

-Dick, you lead the way, please.

-OK.

-Thank you!

-Thank you.

Dick and Louise seem somewhat intimidated by the sheer scale

of what's on offer here, which is a shame, because there's

a lot more outside.

This former farmhouse comes with a range of period outbuildings,

including garages, workshops and the old apple store.

-All of this is included.

-Honestly?

Yes. Honestly. So, for your craft, you could

have a whole area. We could have a

-microbrewery for you, Dick!

-Yeah! We could!

And ample parking for you and all the family and all your friends.

We could probably live in there!

In the substantial walled front garden,

there are alfresco seating areas and a

veranda from which to admire the mature shrubs and trees.

A large garden. Sunshine all afternoon on a good day.

-Good-sized garden.

-Manageable?

-I think so.

-Yes. Most certainly.

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

So, how does this house make you both feel?

I think it's beautiful.

It's got that, sort of, colonial feel to it.

There's a degree of upsizing, rather than...

Not downsizing, to this, yeah.

Well, let's see if you can afford this property.

Can you put a price on this magnificent home?

-I think it's got to start with a six. Let's say 625.

-OK.

-So right at the top of your budget.

-I think it's over budget.

-I think it's 650.

-OK. Well, the asking price is...

£635,000.

However, we've spoken to the owner,

and she assured me that she's happy to

talk in the region of your top budget.

-Definitely food for thought.

-Yeah!

-Yeah.

-Have that

in your minds and go and have another look around.

-So much to look at!

-And in about three hours

I think I'll come and find you!

-Be my guest.

-OK.

-Thank you.

It's interesting, isn't it?

Because this property, you know, does give them

what they asked for. Really high ceilings,

beautiful, airy spaces, this wonderful garden.

And the thing which I think is so appealing

is where it's situated - in a market town.

When you're used to living in the city,

it can be a huge adjustment to move to the country.

Here, they have the best of both worlds.

Pushing their top budget at £635,000,

this substantial former Victorian farmhouse

has two very large reception rooms, a kitchen/diner,

six bedrooms and a range of brick outbuildings.

I absolutely love the house.

I think it's gorgeous. I love the style,

the large rooms, the big ceilings.

The little quirky little nooks and crannies.

It's just...just stunning.

This would be a perfect Christmas house,

and plenty of room for dining and kids running round,

and entertaining the whole family.

Seeing the house, I thought, "Wow!"

It looked huge to me. The garden is just right.

There's so much to like about this place.

Another big room.

Well, that's exactly what we asked for - two reception rooms.

Yeah, but we've got a lot more besides.

I think if I have any concerns about it,

it's that it's top of the budget, and I think it still needs

a little bit of work done to it,

so I think the jury's out on this one.

There's a tiny bit of me that would like to buy this house,

just because it is so beautiful,

but I wonder whether it's too big for us at our age.

I wish I was 30 years younger.

So which one's going to be your brewery, then?

-Well, it's got...

-This one?

-It's got to be that one there.

-And then you've still got all these left.

-I know, well...

-Have you got plans for all these outbuildings, have you?

-No!

That's it now. Tour over. Shall we hit the road?

-OK.

-OK.

-Let's go.

-All right, then.

We're helping retirees Dick and Louise swap life in London

for a home in the Cambridgeshire countryside.

With a budget of up to £625,000,

we've already shown them some wonderful property,

but there's more to see,

including our Mystery House,

which might just prove more of a puzzle than we bargained for.

-What is it?

-I don't know!

I've heard lots of comments in the past.

I don't think I've ever heard that one.

Plus I visit a local potato farm for a snack break

that's a real taste of home.

-Can I smell it?

-Yeah, please do.

-Oh!

-Smells of sausages, doesn't it?

It does! It smells of my mother's cooking!

We've got two fabulous properties to show Dick and Louise,

but I'm hoping we can tempt them today

with our Mystery House, which has a certain je ne sais quoi about it.

Watch this space and all will be revealed.

In the meantime, do wish me "bon chance"

as I'm hoping at least one of our properties

that we're going to show them

will have Dick and Louise reaching for their cheque-book.

The village of Warboys is the location of our first house today.

Amenities here include a pub, post office and store

and a chemist.

Just an eight-minute drive away is the small market town of Ramsey,

where the remains of a Benedictine abbey,

the origins of the settlement, can still be seen.

Back in Warboys, our next house enjoys a historic position

on the village high street.

So, new day, new property.

It looks like a cottage, but, in actual fact, quite a large house.

-Is it?

-Ah! It's very charming.

-It looks lovely from the front.

-Yeah.

-It looks in very good condition.

-Yeah.

-Very pretty, isn't it?

-Yeah, very.

-If you're going to draw a house,

that's how you would draw it.

-Symmetrical, isn't it?

-Yes, yes.

-Yeah, it is.

-Yeah, it's lovely.

-It appeals to my mathematical bent.

-Does it?

-Yeah.

-I think it looks charming.

It looks as if it goes quite a long way back, as well.

I was expecting you to say, "Oh, I'm not sure how big it is,"

cos you're right, there, you've spotted it.

It is quite a substantial home,

-which is what the two of you are after, isn't it?

-Yeah.

OK. Well, shall we step inside and take a look around?

-Love to.

-Lovely.

Dating back to 1801, this Grade II-listed property

was once a bakery, with its former bakehouse located to the rear,

meaning that, whilst the frontage may look symmetrical,

the footprint is a little more unusual.

An entrance to the side leads via a lobby and hall

to the kitchen/diner at the heart of the home.

-This is lovely. A really nice-sized kitchen.

-Yes, a super size.

-Yeah.

-Plenty of storage.

-Cos kitchens are close to your heart, aren't they?

-You want the right kitchen.

-Mm-hm, yeah, it looks good.

I think it's very nice.

-It's large enough to take a huge dining table for the family.

-Yeah.

-I like the kitchen.

-Yeah.

-Very good start.

-So far, so good.

-So far, so good.

So let's keep going through, see what you make of the next room.

Off the kitchen, there is a utility room

and, to the front of the property, the first of

the generously-proportioned reception rooms.

So, here is our sitting-room.

Or your drawing-room. Whichever you prefer.

-That's not a bad size.

-I think it's a good size, actually, yeah.

-Yeah.

-Impressive wood burner.

I like wood burners and, er, I'm quite used to cleaning them as well.

-Are you?

-We'd be very comfortable in here.

-Yeah, homely?

Definitely homely.

That, actually, is your front door. They never use the front door.

-Mm-hmm.

-People just don't, do they?

-Don't? No.

But, if you wanted to, you could.

This could be a nice little snug for us.

All we need is four bedrooms upstairs and you've, er...

-you've got us sorted.

-Four bedrooms!

Ooh, can I deliver on that for you?

Look, I'm smiling, I'm giving too much away! Let's go and have a look.

Next to this reception room is another, currently used as a study.

To the rear of the property,

the former bakehouse provides yet another even larger reception,

as well as a cloakroom.

Not only that, upstairs,

this property trumps the four bedrooms Dick's hoping for

by offering five.

Situated to the front, there's a good-sized guest double,

next to which is a single and a further double.

Behind this is the fourth and smallest of the guest rooms.

These are all served by a family bathroom.

Lastly, to the rear of the home,

is a spacious master en suite.

This is good space.

Lovely wardrobes. Plenty of wardrobes.

-It is very good.

-And if you notice, there is a door behind us,

-you've actually got a shower.

-Bonus.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, yeah.

More than you're after?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Two reception rooms.

-Yeah, just a little bit.

-Yeah.

-Mm-hm.

I know you two want space.

-So plenty for the children, friends come to stay.

-Yeah.

-But also for your own hobbies and crafts.

-Mm-hm.

-Hmm, we're warming to this.

-Yeah?

Well, there is more to show you outside,

-so, Dick, if you wouldn't mind leading the way.

-OK.

It seems this period property goes the extra mile

when it comes to delivering what Dick and Louise have asked for,

and the outside is no exception.

There's ample hard standing for several cars,

plus a large barn-style garage and workshop.

A fully-enclosed rear garden,

with planted beds and well-maintained lawn,

includes a glasshouse and a little summerhouse.

So you actually have quite a substantial amount of land

from that back door.

-This looks manageable, though.

-Yeah?

-Mm-hm.

And that greenhouse looks wonderful.

-I think it is a recipe to get my green fingers out again.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

Where is the brewing going to take place? That's what I want to know.

-I think the, er, the Wendy house.

-No!

-That'll be good.

The Wendy house is now the pub at the end of the garden!

That's very creative thinking.

Well, we've seen the house. We've seen the garden.

We've now got to decide what it's on the market for.

You're looking at me with dread in your eyes!

-I'm going to be optimistic and say 595.

-OK.

I think I'd go a little bit lower than that.

-I'd probably go about 570.

-OK.

Well, you're both out.

The owner's asking offers in excess

-of £500,000.

-Oh!

-Ooh!

It just demonstrates, if you look around,

-you can get quite a lot for your money.

-For your money.

-It's going to give you something to think about.

-Definitely.

-Now you know that price...

-Mm-hm.

..reacquaint yourself with the property.

Houses always look different when they're under budget,

and I'll catch up with you when you're ready.

-Thanks.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

I love this garden.

It feels so secluded, even though we're in the heart of a village.

Interestingly enough,

I thought they were going to bite my hand off at this property.

They've been wowed with the size. It is beautifully done.

There's something about me that feels that Louise's heart

just isn't in it, and I'm not talking about the house,

I'm actually referring to the move itself.

Hey, I'll give them some time on their own.

Below budget at an incredible £125,000,

this Grade II-listed former bakery has a kitchen/diner

and three additional reception rooms.

There are five bedrooms,

including a master en suite,

a large garage and workshop,

as well as a low-maintenance garden with a glasshouse.

This is a lovely, spacious house.

It's got, er, so many rooms, it's unbelievable.

I think it's very easy to imagine yourself living here.

The kitchen I like as well, which is an added bonus,

so I don't think we'd need to, sort of, touch anything for some time.

There's lots of things to like about this property.

It's got a good balance of rooms, both downstairs and upstairs.

I think it's a strong possibility, this place.

I think it gives us all the options we need,

and it's all within budget, so I'm quite excited.

Even bigger than the other one.

There's a lot of space downstairs -

lots of things that you could do with it.

-Perhaps leave this more for entertaining, yeah.

-Yeah.

Dick probably feels that this has got a lot of potential, and he's

probably working out where he can have his little mini-microbrewery.

I haven't really made my mind up yet whether this is it.

We need to explore some other possibilities first, I think.

I wonder if a second look around, knowing that price,

has warmed them up a bit.

Well, they're taking their time, so that could be a good sign.

-All finished?

-Yes.

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-Seen everything?

-Yes, thank you.

-Happy?

-Yup.

-Right, let's go.

Much of the current farmland of Cambridgeshire

was once covered by sea water and bog oak.

Attempts to drain it began in earnest in the 1600s,

taking over two centuries of effort

before the rich soil, known as the black gold, emerged.

Ross Taylor's family have worked the earth here

at Willow Farm near Ely since 1860.

Their 500 acres produce prize-winning potatoes

along with other root vegetables.

But the last decade has also seen them setting up

their very own crisp factory and Ross has agreed to tell me why.

-Hi, Ross.

-Hi, Nicki.

Now, I've never seen soil like this before.

But what's so special about this area?

The reason why we can produce these potatoes

is down to our beautiful black, peaty soil.

Now, you say it's peaty.

So why is it like this?

Um, thousands of years of, um, organic material and bog oak

and, er, we've been left with this beautiful soil

for our beautiful potatoes.

You talk about bog oak - is this it here?

Yeah, yeah. This is...

This is the famous bog oak.

This is probably between 8,000 and 4,000 years old.

So, Ross, are you still finding this bog oak today?

-Yeah, we still plough it up every year.

-OK.

There's still huge trees, 40 feet long.

-We're finding it all the time, still.

-My goodness.

So this region is renowned for its potatoes, which...

I've got one here.

So why did you decide to diversify and go into crisps?

The recession came along in 2008

and we decided we couldn't carry the farm on any longer, um,

relying on the markets that we'd always traded with,

so we needed to do something with the product ourselves.

So, really, was it that tough for you as a farmer?

Oh, it was terrible! We'd lost our Irish market,

which we supplied all my father's career.

It was... It was either do something different or give the farm up.

So the crisp came to the rescue?

Yeah, we'd never tried crisps before with our product

and, er, we took them to a crisp expert

and they tried them and they couldn't believe

the quality of our product.

And, er, so we decided that was the way forward for us in the future.

So all your potatoes converted into crisps

come from the land that we can see around us?

Yeah, indeed, literally from 100 yards of our factory.

-Is that your factory there?

-It is.

-I think you know where I'm going -

to see where these crisps are produced.

-Ross, thank you so much.

-It's a pleasure.

I'll leave you with your spuds. I'll let you carry that.

-OK, thank you.

-Thank you.

The farm's factory is where the potatoes are washed, sliced,

cooked and flavoured before being bagged and boxed.

It's a speedy process that turns the crop in the field into crisps

that are ready to leave in an average of just 40 minutes.

The farm currently makes seven flavours of potato crisps

and three varieties of vegetable ones,

but today the plan is to add another to the slate.

Ross's friend and fellow crisp entrepreneur Rod Garnham

has developed a new flavour for us to try.

Now, talking about flavours, when I was growing up,

I think there were only two available -

cheese and onion and salt and vinegar.

Yes, there's more and more demand for more adventurous flavours

so that's what we've been developing as a company.

We go out to Ely and Cambridge,

our local cities,

and we'll stand in the middle of the square and ask, you know,

"What, sort of, tickles your taste buds, really?"

-So the people of Cambridgeshire decide what the rest of us are going to eat?

-Exactly, yeah.

Well, when we were talking about actually coming here,

they said if you could come up with any variety,

what would it be? What would be your taste?

And I said - because I'm a classy bird -

"Bangers and mash."

-Yeah.

-Is that a good or a bad one?

-No, I think that's a good one.

It's funny you should say that, because we developed this,

-which is a bangers and mash flavour.

-Can I smell it?

Please do.

-Oh.

-It smells of sausages, doesn't it?

It does. It smells of my mother's cooking.

'The flavours are made to order by a specialist nearby company

'using natural local ingredients where possible

'before being added to the crisps at the factory.'

OK, I think we're ready for a taste.

-Here we go. Ready?

-Yeah.

-Ooh!

-That's pretty good, actually.

-That is good.

-That is good.

-That reminds me of home cooking,

but there's something else in there. What have you added?

Put a little bit of mustard in there because, in my mind,

if you're going to have bangers and mash,

-you're going to have a bit of mustard.

-Gives it a little kick.

-Can you taste it?

-You can.

-It's good, eh?

-I might have to try one more.

-Listen to that crunch!

-It's good, isn't it?

-Oh, that is delicious.

-We might have to launch that.

What would we call it, though?

-Chappers' Bangers And Mash.

-That sounds good.

Chappers' Bangers And Mash.

'Who would have thought an economic crisis

'would turn some humble Cambridgeshire spuds

'into a gourmet crisp?

'And, if I ever fancy a taste of Mum's cooking,

'well, who knows?

'I may just be able to eat a packet soon.'

One more. It would be rude not to.

You'd better take those away from me.

I'll eat the whole lot.

So, we're on our way to our Mystery House.

Now, are your hearts filled with hope or dread?

Erm, I think it's quite difficult to know what you're going to show us.

-The houses you've shown us so far have been so different...

-Yeah.

..that I'm not too sure what's left.

I mean, what would you...?

You can be honest. What would you hate to be shown?

Probably a modern house anywhere near a modern estate.

OK. Yup. Dick?

Certainly something that's, let's say,

ten miles from anywhere in the country.

-Yeah. Too rural.

-Erm, so...

But, otherwise, I'm probably up for anything.

You've both got to love this property,

but let's see how we get on.

Yes.

Our mystery offering is located close to

the village of Pondersbridge.

Facilities are found in the nearby ancient fenland market town

of Whittlesey and include butchers and pubs.

At the centre of the marketplace is a 17th-century covered butter cross,

where local dairy produce was once bought and sold.

Fresh eggs, milk and butter would have been laid out for display

on the stepped bases of the cross.

This structure was considered useless in the 19th century

and only saved from demolition when a local businessman

donated slate tiles for the roof.

Before the fens were drained in the 18th and 19th century,

this settlement was effectively an island surrounded by water.

It's now an eight-minute drive across dry land

to our mystery property in the midst of open countryside.

So, our final offering is the most unusual one.

Welcome to your Mystery House.

-What is it?

-I don't...

I've had lots of comments in the past -

I don't think I've ever had that one!

It is a house. Next door, the chimney

that you can actually see was the old pumping station

which has been converted into another property.

It's not actually attached to this.

This is your Mystery House.

It's not only a very unusual property inside

but also it's the most rural location,

surrounded by fields,

so I'm not going to lie...

No shops, no amenities on your doorstep...

-OK.

-..with the Mystery House.

It looks very impressive from the outside.

-I've probably got an open mind until I get inside.

-Have you?

I wouldn't necessarily say

it's the most attractive building I've seen,

but space-wise, I suspect it's there.

-Ready to get inside?

-Yeah, indeed.

Let's go this way.

'Our unique Mystery House was built in 2004,

'inspired by a pair of arched glass doors

'from a chateaux in the Loire Valley.

'The solid oak entrance door is also from France,

'and the Continental ambience continues through

'into the professionally designed interior.'

I don't think you're going to have seen anything like it.

Definitely not! This is enormous.

How high are these ceilings?

Have a guess how high that ceiling is.

15 feet?

Not bad. 12.

You do get the feeling you're in a French chateau, don't you?

-With those doors.

-And the curtains, actually, yeah.

Not what you'd expect in Cambridgeshire.

-No.

-No, I don't think you would.

And look at that fabulous fireplace. 17th-century.

That came from France as well.

I'm just blown away by the size, really. I mean, it's vast.

-It is vast.

-Isn't it?

-We'd have to bend our minds

as to what we do with it.

Rather than have two or three sitting rooms,

you've just got this one open space,

and then just leading off here is the kitchen.

'Also off this large central reception room is an orangery.

'Featuring those inspirational Loire Valley doors,

'it's currently used as a music room.'

So, we have a separate kitchen

but it still contains that open-plan feel.

It's a bit galley-ish to me.

Yeah. So although what they've done is beautifully fitted -

and you've actually got this trough sink...

-Yeah, which is quite useful.

-Yeah.

Yeah, lovely beams up top.

I'm not too sure it's really big enough.

It isn't huge - I can't lie -

but what you do have is a utility room next door.

You've got your white goods in there.

And then, through there, you actually have a wet room.

So, on this floor, you've also, unusually,

got the master bedroom as well.

-Downstairs?

-Downstairs. Shall we take a look?

-Yes.

-Let's go through the kitchen this way.

'A mixed response to the living space

'of this quirky recent build

'which offers a total of four bedrooms.

'A guest single is also found off the entrance hall

'on the ground floor, while spiral stairs in the reception room

'lead to a landing and two large guest doubles,

'both with skylight windows and one with an en-suite shower room.

'Then, back on the ground floor, is the impressive master en suite.'

Another splendid room.

-This must be the master.

-Yes.

-It's huge.

Beautiful large en suite.

-Yes.

-This, I'm thinking, would be yours.

It's a lovely, lovely light, spacious room.

I'm quite keen to take you back outside.

A little bit more to show you.

-And, for the last time, I'm going to ask you...

-The price.

..yes, to put a price on it.

-Oh, don't look so worried!

-Your favourite part(!)

'Dick and Louise have asked for space

'and the Mystery House certainly delivers it in spades,

'both inside and out.

'With a plot of almost three quarters of an acre,

'the wraparound decking provides somewhere

'to enjoy the very peaceful surroundings.

'There is a greenhouse in need of some TLC,

'as well as a massive barn which has both power and water,

'and could brew Dick's interests.'

-So, I'm thinking workshops, brewery...

-Yeah, possibly, possibly.

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

-Have we surprised you?

-Yes.

Yes, I'm a bit speechless, I think, really.

It's certainly challenged us.

It's not something we'd ever dreamed of looking at.

-No.

-It's a fair proposition.

Let's just talk the finances, shall we?

What do you think the current asking price is?

I don't know. I'll go for about 525, I think.

-Louise?

-I'm not too sure, really.

It's got a lot of land.

I think I might go higher than Dick,

so I'll probably say 550.

Oh. Well, you're actually the closest,

because it's on the market for £554,950.

-OK.

-Yeah, I'm not surprised.

It is a unique property.

-Do you fancy having another look around?

-Yes, please.

-On your own?

-Yeah, we'll have a look around.

It's the last time I'm going to say it.

-OK.

-Go and have a wander around the Mystery House once more.

-OK, thank you.

-Thank you.

With an asking price £70,000 below budget,

this chateau-inspired new build

features a large open-plan living space,

four bedrooms, including two en suites,

and almost three-quarters of an acre of grounds

in very rural surroundings.

I think it's an extraordinary property.

It's got some beautiful features.

Lovely bit upstairs for the family and so on.

-Wonderful bedroom.

-Yep.

And you'd lose yourself in the bathroom, wouldn't you?

I think it's been quite interesting seeing this,

because I suppose it's so much out of what we would envisage.

This room is absolutely amazing, isn't it?

With the 17th-century fireplace,

the open windows, the high ceilings...

Very versatile in terms of how you can use it.

The open-plan-ness is something that doesn't quite work for us,

even though I think it's perhaps opened our minds a little bit to it.

Don't necessarily want to be this far out in the country, do we?

No, maybe not.

It has helped concentrate our minds on what we like

and what we don't like.

That is it - the end of all our house tours.

-Enjoyed it?

-Very much so.

-Yeah?

-Very much so.

Do you want some time to have a think amongst yourselves,

what your next move's going to be?

-Yep.

-OK, come on.

So, out of all the properties we showed Dick and Louise,

I think one of them stands a fighting chance

of a revisit,

but I'm just wondering whether Cambridgeshire as a county

is going to get a second viewing.

Let's find out.

Well, Dick and Louise,

we've certainly travelled around this county, haven't we?

So, let's talk about the actual houses that you've seen,

and, for me, there's one that stands out.

I think it was that very old property

with the bakery at the back.

-Would I be right?

-You would be.

Ah, good.

So, Dick, what was it about that property that so appealed to you?

It was the one that was nearest to what we really wanted

in terms of blueprint, footprint, whatever you want to call it.

You know, it has a nice bit of character to it

and it had a combination of rooms that we still haven't worked out

exactly what we'd like to do with,

but it sort of covers all occasions.

So probably the most important question...

Do you think you'll go back for a second viewing?

I would certainly like to go back and have a look.

-I think so.

-Yeah.

Louise, I'm going to ask you a question.

You've loved living in London.

Born and bred in London.

Have you come to terms with the idea of actually

leaving the city and moving away?

I think so.

I mean, I suppose the proof of the pudding

will be when you make the decision on the house,

but, yeah, it's going to be a big wrench.

Do you think we can put a timeframe on this move,

wherever you decide to go?

I just wondered if, in your minds, you were thinking...

two months, six months, a year?

Oh, we'd like... Well, I don't know.

-Well, I think we'd like to be gone within a year.

-Yeah.

I'd like to think we wouldn't still be looking in a year.

-At Christmas, you'll be in your new home?

-Yeah.

Well, all the very best,

and I expect to hear an update on where you're at very soon.

-Thank you both so much.

-Thank you.

-Many thanks, Nicki.

Now, if I'm honest,

it's not the easiest thing in the world showing a couple a county

which, well, they really don't know very well.

But I think what we've achieved over the last few days

is a fantastic cross-section of properties

to tempt Dick and Louise.

Now, personally, I really do hope they go for that second viewing

of that splendid house with the old bakery at the back,

because what it will give them

is the community they're going to need,

the space they say they require...

and at a price that will give them the scope to make those adjustments

so they can have their perfect home.

Whatever they decide to do,

we wish them all the very best of luck,

and I'll see you again on Escape To The Country.

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