South Somerset Escape to the Country

This atmospheric landscape shares its name with the isle made famous in the legends of King Arthur.

There's not much chance of me spotting the Lady of the Lake today,

but people do come here from far and wide in the hope of catching

a glimpse of something special.

Find out where I am in just a few moments.

Today's property search is all about shifting priorities.

You've always got to compromise when buying a place.

I can't believe how much I love it when I hear people say that you've always got to compromise.

It's the kind of guy I am. And you have!

So will any of our properties fulfil our house-hunters' dreams?

Nice views. Yes. Good-sized garden. Nice views. Good garden.

Yeah, plenty of space.

Could you imagine living here?

I think so.

Today I'm in Somerset and these are the Avalon Marshes near Glastonbury.

Over 100 species of birds have been spotted here,

including the elusive bittern,

and they are also home to one of the largest reed beds in the country.

As well as being a thriving wildlife habitat,

this place is also embedded in the story of our past.

Prehistoric settlements dating back 6,500 years have been found here,

and these captivating wetlands aren't the only gem

that this county has to offer.

Somerset is a county in the south-west of England

with boundaries little altered since the Middle Ages.

Its coastline faces Wales across the Bristol Channel,

whilst it borders five counties, including Devon and Dorset.

Running from the foot of the Mendip and Blackdown hills,

the Somerset levels and moors cross the peat-based

Avalon Marshes and into clay-based coastal plains.

The diverse coastline includes the seaside resort of Burnham-on-Sea,

popular during Victorian times due to its sandy beach.

But the shifting banks and flats here are less popular with sailors

and there are said to have been many shipwrecks,

particularly at Gore Sands.

Further west, at Kilve Beach, an area of Special Scientific Interest,

the cliffs consist of oil-rich shale and lias,

embedded with fossils, particularly an abundance of ammonites.

Interesting geological features continue inland,

with Britain's biggest gorge at Cheddar,

where the cliffs rise up to 450 feet above sea level.

Formed by meltwater floods during the periglacial period,

it's home to a herd of wild goats

as well as an underground cave network.

Along with its natural landscapes,

the county also features historic architecture.

The ruins of the Abbey at Glastonbury date to medieval times,

whilst the nearby St Michael's tower atop Glastonbury Tor is all that

survives of the 14th-century church,

demolished during the 16th-century dissolution of the monasteries.

The area is even considered to be the legendary site

of King Arthur's tomb.

So, with its combination of stunning geography,

wonderful wildlife and legendary landscapes,

it's no surprise that Somerset is a popular county to plan an escape to.

Broadly speaking, the average price of a detached property here in

Somerset reflects the national figure of ?290,000.

However, the northern parts of the county do tend to be more expensive,

because they're closer to cities like Bath and Bristol,

and have good access to the coast, and also the rest of the country.

If you want more for your money, then head south,

towards the borders of Dorset and Devon.

The larger, more sought-after villages will carry a small premium,

but smaller ones are more affordable and still close to everything you

need. So where are today's couple looking to call home?

Let's meet them and find out.

Today's house-hunters are Mark and Sue,

a husband and wife from Bow in London's East End.

Mark has recently retired from banking and Sue is slowly scaling

back her insurance job in the city.

But it was in the school playground, more than 30 years ago,

where they first got together.

We actually met in the sixth form at school.

We were mates for a while before we started going out.

I think the turning point was, one day,

we were playing football in the playground and I sprained my ankle.

Yeah. I came to the rescue.

Yeah.

Our eyes met across a crowded football pitch.

Home for the last 18 years has been a two-bedroom flat in a converted

match factory. It's somewhere that has strong connections

for these born and bred East Enders.

We both had families that worked in the match factory

when it was a match factory back in the early 1900s.

My family were all from around here as well.

But despite their roots in the area,

the couple feel the time is right to move on.

I didn't think either of us would move out of East London,

let alone London. Since we got the Olympics awarded,

it's now become such a trendy place to live.

Most people are around about 30, 35, if that.

And at 51, I feel like an old-age pensioner.

It's changed enormously.

The amount of building work that's going on is unbelievable.

They manage to fit flats in where you wouldn't think

they could possibly fit one in, but they do.

And the traffic has just made it almost impossible to go

out at certain times of the day, cos you can just sit in the car

for an hour and not go anywhere.

And everywhere around here we seem to know inside out,

so a nice opportunity to start afresh.

Each month that goes by,

I think we find more reasons to want to move than to want to stay.

And when it comes to making the move to more rural surroundings,

Mark and Sue have got one particular place in mind.

Where we're looking to move is around south Somerset,

on the border of north Dorset and east Devon.

There are more rural areas there than there are elsewhere,

which is obviously what we're after. Yeah.

Just because of the open space.

Also looking at, sort of, the neighbouring areas.

The... They seem to be a better value for money in that part

of the country, in south Somerset.

Mark is keen golfer and water-loving Sue swims

and volunteers as a lock keeper on the local canal.

They're hoping the move to the country will give them

more time to enjoy their hobbies as well as explore new interests.

I'd love to have a go at doing anything that's around the water.

We've both done sailing in the past...

Both enjoyed that. That would be good to try and get

involved a bit more, doing a bit more sailing.

I might even sort of venture in to doing the open-water swimming.

When we move out, we'll have more time, so you can start looking

at other hobbies, whether it be cider-making, beer-making...

Jam-making. Jam-making.

Chutneys.

One of the things I really feel like I need is a garden.

We might even end up getting some chickens,

so we'll have, sort of, fresh eggs all the time.

Start growing your own vegetables.

But most of all, it's about leaving behind the busy city streets for the

peace of a countrified backdrop.

We just both want a quieter lifestyle.

And just spend more time exploring the countryside.

And just sitting outside looking at the stars and things like that

that you can't do in the city.

Mark and Sue are looking to move to the south of the county of Somerset,

anywhere below Yeovil,

but would also consider neighbouring regions of Dorset or Devon.

But before I show them some of the properties on offer,

I'm meeting them in their Somerset search area

to hear more about the country home they're hoping to find.

Morning, you two. Morning. Morning. Welcome to Somerset.

Thank you. Thank you.

So what is it about this part of the country that makes

you two want to call it home?

I think it's just the... It's such a relaxing environment,

compared with where we are now, it's a total change.

And we just love being out in the countryside.

OK, so what are you looking for from your home down here?

Sort of, three-bedroom detached,

quiet village with a little pub and a local shop, hopefully.

A bigger kitchen and bigger garden.

Yeah. A reasonable-sized garden cos, I think,

not having had one for 18 years, we'd like to get into it and maybe,

you know, have a few fruit trees and grow a bit of veg,

that type of thing. What about when you pull up outside the house?

What do you envisage seeing? What do you want it to look like?

It'd be nice to have somewhere when you do get there

you look and you think, "Oh, that's lovely."

But whether it's because it's really old or it's just a bit quirky or,

you know, just different, I don't know.

We're not really too fixated on any specific style or anything.

No. Something with a bit of character would be nice.

We're quite open to it being thatched or not thatched.

We really don't mind either, so...

It's good. You're giving me a lot to work with!

So you're open to things, which is fantastic.

Yeah. So it's about the house feeling right.

Less than what it looks like, or even where it is,

it's just about it feeling right for you two.

Yeah, yeah. It's more about the location, actually,

as in the feel of the village.

And the...the setting of the house.

You know, if we could have something with nice views,

that would be fantastic. And, obviously, you're stuck with the views and you're stuck with the

village - the house, you can play around with.

Let's just talk a little bit more about the village,

if it's going to matter so much to the two of you. What do you want

from it? What do you hope to find?

I think we're looking for somewhere that's got a nice community.

The ability to actually go out for an evening

and maybe down to the local cricket club or something like that.

Or a golf club. Yeah, or a golf club.

It's all coming out now, isn't it?! Pub, golf club, cricket club!

LAUGHTER

Maybe we will have our work cut out for us this week!

Now, remind me of the budget that we've got for this search.

Our budget's 450,000, top limit.

I mean, ideally, we'd like to spend a little bit less.

Around 400,000. About 400. We don't have a deadline.

We're not panic-buying.

We're just going to wait until we get the thing we really want.

I'm pleased to say we've got some very exciting properties to show you.

Good. Excellent. Are you ready? Yes. Yeah. Definitely.

Come on. Let's go.

For a maximum budget of ?450,000,

Mark and Sue would like a detached property with three bedrooms.

They're open to new or old houses

but would like something with character.

Location is key and should offer a village community and country views.

And after 18 years without one, they'd really like a garden.

We've got a great selection of properties to tempt them with, and,

at each, I'll be asking them to guess the price before I reveal it.

The final offering, of course, is our Mystery House,

where our couple's search may take a surprising turn.

So what are you looking forward to most from moving out of London?

From the start...

Growing your own stuff and... Yeah.

Every time we come down here, the food is so nice.

And I guess the big change will be just the pace of life.

It is, but I think that's the main reason why we want to move,

you know... Where we are, erm...

You can't go for a quiet stroll.... anywhere. No.

Everything is busy. You can't get away from people.

Our property search is taking us to the outskirts of the market town of

Yeovil and a five-minute drive from the large village of West Coker.

Facilities in West Coker include a butcher's and post office,

and a garage with a shop.

There's a choice of places to eat and drink,

with two inns, a wine bar,

and a hotel bar and brasserie.

Many of the picturesque houses in the village are built from hamstone,

a local Jurassic limestone with a distinctive honey colour.

Our property is located a short drive from here

in a quiet cul-de-sac on the western edges of Yeovil.

What's your first thoughts?

Impressed. Yeah, it's a nice-looking house.

It looks lovely, yeah. It looks lovely.

It does. It looks like it's got a lot of character. Yeah.

It's... It's all really done really nicely. Yeah.

And it's done really nicely inside.

So let's take a look and just see the space that's on offer.

Yeah, OK. It's something that'll appeal to the two of you,

coming from a two-bedroom flat in London. Yeah!

Come on.

This L-shaped, detached home

was built in 1975, using reconstituted stone,

and has character features like mullion windows.

The front door leads into the hallway,

from which all the rooms fan off.

So straight into a good-sized entrance hall.

And then, as you'd expect from those impressions you got outside,

a nice, big kitchen. That's lovely.

Yeah. It really is. Yeah. It's lovely. Very nice.

It's got some lovely old touches.

How does it compare for size with your current kitchen?

It is about six times as big.

It's made even bigger, of course, by this extension out the back,

so let's go and take a look at that.

It's a lovely space.

So this was added on just to really open up the kitchen space.

With that lovely high ceiling, and it looks out all the way,

on three sides, round onto the garden.

It's really lovely.

I can imagine, you know, sitting in here and...

That's what we want, really.

Somewhere where we can do different things but be in the same room.

That kitchen and this area.

It flows nice... We'd be in here the whole time, wouldn't we? Yeah.

But this actually isn't the only living space.

There's another cosy sitting room, so follow me.

A great reaction to the kitchen and dining space,

to the side of which we also find a downstairs cloakroom

and useful utility room.

Then that additional reception room

lies at the front of the property and is triple aspect.

Now, I know you're fans of open-plan living. Mm-hmm.

But this is a lovely alternative for those cold, winter's nights,

isn't it? It's a lovely fireplace.

Yeah, it has got that really cosy feel.

Yeah, yeah.

It's nice cos it's got windows on three sides,

which makes it light and airy. Yeah.

And it's got the beams which give it the character. The beams. Yeah.

It's a really nice room.

Well, this is one of the reasons we wanted to show you this property.

Because it's a modern house, the rooms do have those really

good proportions that I know you're used to,

certainly, from your living space in London. Yeah.

It feels more like an old house that's been modernised

but has nice-sized rooms, as opposed to a modern house.

It's got a lot of character, it feels really comfortable.

Now, when it comes to bedrooms, you said you'd be happy with three.

We've managed to get four on this. So, shall we take a wander up?

Thank you. Thank you.

The space on offer in this extensive detached home

is making an impression on Mark and Sue so far.

Let's see what they make of upstairs,

where a landing snakes past four double bedrooms.

Two lie to the front of the house, above the sitting room,

one for guests and the other a study.

The family bathroom is at the rear,

sandwiched between the other two bedrooms.

There's a large twin with its own en suite,

and that just leaves the fourth and final bedroom,

which Mark and Sue could choose to use as their master.

And this is just one of the rooms I thought was really pretty.

A good-sized en suite in there.

I don't think this has got the...

The personalisation that it's got downstairs.

This is like walking into a, sort of, hotel room.

It's just a nice, plain room.

It seems... It seems a bit small as well.

But I think downstairs was so impressive and very big...

And, yes, you haven't got as much character up here,

but it's about balancing off, isn't it, what matters?

No, definitely, yeah.

I know a good-sized garden was on the wish list,

so let's head down and explore this one,

and I need you also to start thinking about the price.

OK.

Despite having one more bedroom than they asked for,

as well as three bathrooms,

Mark and Sue's enthusiasm seems to have dipped.

Outside, there is an integral garage to look at,

as well as gardens to the front, the rear and the side,

featuring areas of lawn alongside flowerbeds

and mature shrubs and trees.

There's also a large deck seating area

just off the downstairs extension.

What do you think? Is this about the size of garden you had in mind?

It's perhaps a tad on the small side.

I'd say a bit more than a tad, actually.

Quite a lot. Yeah, I think we're probably looking for...

Yeah. A reasonable amount more than this, don't you?

Yeah, we could, sort of, put our own stamp on it, perhaps.

Obviously, the extension has eaten into quite a lot of the garden space.

Yeah, yeah. I just don't think it's big enough for what we were after.

I wasn't sure, if you were going from nothing...

I thought, you know, maybe you didn't want to go too much!

No, if you're going to go for it, go for it properly.

So, how much do you think this property is on the market for?

425. OK.

Erm, I reckon perhaps a little bit less than that.

Maybe 410, 420.

You're both under cos it's on the market bang on budget - ?450,000.

All right. The downstairs is really good.

Oh, that's perfect. We really like the downstairs.

If you could pop that in a, you know, another house,

in a bigger garden, it's...

That's lovely. Listen, don't write it off.

Go inside. Take another look around and just, you know,

see if you could imagine yourself there, and I'll come and find you.

Okey doke. Thanks.

I think, actually, it's been a really positive viewing,

because Sue and Mark were quite unsure about what

they were looking for and I think this house is helping to focus them.

Right on budget, this generous detached stone property

has many of the things our buyers have asked for.

The large kitchen with additional living space in the

extension offers the open-plan living that they love,

whilst upstairs there's plenty of accommodation.

There are four bedrooms and three bathrooms.

There's also a single garage, plus gardens to three sides,

and the peaceful location gives easy access to both countryside and all

the amenities they could wish for.

I like this room. All the windows... Yeah, you've got plenty of light.

Yeah. Then you've got another big en suite as well.

I can see this being the main bedroom,

rather than the other one.

As we walked up, I thought the house looked absolutely fantastic.

You wouldn't really know it was a new house,

it's got all the features of an old one.

The downstairs, I think, is really great.

It's almost perfect.

The kitchen and the through dining room is ideal.

And I also really like the separate living room,

which is nice and cosy although it is still really spacious.

There was nothing remarkable about any of the bedrooms.

They were nice enough, there was just no wow factor

like there was downstairs.

The garden just wasn't big enough for, for us, really.

We were hoping for a bigger garden.

The actual location - even though the countryside

is on our doorstep, we were hoping to be more

in a village and have that kind of feel to it.

On the whole, a very nice place,

but I don't think it's going to be right for us.

Have you seen enough? Yeah, I think so.

We've got more to see. Come on.

From Cheddar cheese to cider, Somerset has a reputation for good,

honest fare made from local produce.

As Mark and Sue are keen to grow their own here

as well as explore some new culinary skills,

we've lined up a lesson in chutney-making,

but first they have to source their key ingredient.

Chris Seager, who farms strawberries and pumpkins near Cheddar,

may be just the man to help them out.

Pumpkins and strawberries seems an unusual combination.

How come did you come up with that idea?

Well, me... Me granny, she used to grow strawberries years ago when the war was on.

And then, in the '80s, me dad kept growing the strawberries,

and decided to put some pumpkins in as well.

As the pumpkins don't need much attention, Chris can

more or less leave them in the ground,

whilst he tends to the more high-maintenance strawberries.

The pumpkin is a crop that does well in moist and slightly warmer

climates and if recent years are anything to go by,

Chris should expect 1,000 to 1,500 of them

from the 1,000 plants they put in the ground.

How do you know when a pumpkin is ripe enough to pick?

Well, if they've got a nice orange on them

and they...

They sound hollow... Uh-huh.

..they're pretty ready, I think.

Pumpkins are thought to originate from the American continent and

Christopher Columbus is believed to have carried seeds with him back to

Europe. This Chris grows a couple of different varieties on his Somerset

farm, but Mark and Sue are picking out a large orange jack-o'-lantern,

which can be used both for carving at Halloween and also for eating.

What are you doing with this pumpkin?

We're going to make some chutney. Ah, right. I see, right.

Well, we've got one here. He's a bit green on one side.

But you give that one a tap.

Does that sound hollow?

Yeah, I think so.

Yeah, that one would be a good one, then, to make some chutney out of.

Cor, yeah. She's... You make it a lot...

a lot of chutney out of that one. Excellent.

With a gourd that's good to go,

they're now heading to a cookery school in South Petherton,

where teacher Angela Langford is ready to meet them.

Hello. Hello. Hi.

Hello, Angela. Hi. Just picked this pumpkin fresh this morning and we'd

like you to show us how to make some chutney.

I'd love to show you. It's a mighty pumpkin.

It certainly is.

Angela starts by getting them to chop some onion.

This is put into a bowl, along with crushed garlic,

finely chopped ginger,

and fresh red chilli...

..as well as some crushed cardamom pods.

Lovely. That's probably enough cos it's quite a strong spice.

OK, so, then, we've got apples to go in it.

As we're in Somerset, we must have apples.

And then to prepare their star ingredient.

Right... How do we tackle that?

How do we tackle that? Just take a big...

a nice, big slice out.

The pumpkin is then cubed.

It's really easy to cut that.

Some spices are toasted in a griddle pan,

including black and yellow mustard seeds,

cinnamon, bay leaves,

star anise and cumin seeds.

Can you start to smell, they're releasing their flavours?

Then the chopped onion mixture is fried off in a large, deep pan,

with some vegetable oil,

along with the toasted spices and some ground turmeric.

That's going to give it a bit of flavour but also a lovely colour.

Then in goes the cubed apple and pumpkin

and a good helping of brown sugar.

So this is cider vinegar.

Because, obviously, you want to keep it...

Local. Local.

Finally, it's seasoned with salt and pepper,

before bringing to the boil

and leaving to simmer for around 40 minutes.

OK, I think that looks about ready.

And of course, the ideal way to enjoy locally-grown,

home-cooked chutney is with some Cheddar cheese and biscuits.

Yeah, it's got a really, lovely kick to it.

It's really lovely. Really good. Quite sweet as well, isn't it?

It is, yeah. Yeah. Yeah. A good job.

You'll have to take some back to London with you.

Mmm. Thank you. Good luck with your search.

Thank you very much.

Well, Mark and Sue may have a new recipe to take back to the city,

but it's time to press on with our search for their new home

in the country.

Mindful of Sue and Mark's wish to be

part of a vibrant rural community,

we're doing some border-hopping into unspoilt Dorset countryside,

17 miles south-east of Yeovil and into the idyllic

village of Hazelbury Bryan.

Inhabited as far back as the 13th century,

Hazelbury Bryan is, in fact, a collection of

seven hamlets, some of which were formed at times of the Black Death

as resettlements away from the disease.

Now very much a thriving country community,

facilities include a local pub,

15th-century church, shop and primary school.

The village hall and playing field host many activities,

including football and cricket teams,

as well as photography and gardening clubs.

And for keen walkers, there's a fantastic selection of footpaths

through gorgeous surrounding farmland.

The house we've come to look at is situated in a picturesque cul-de-sac.

So, this is the property! That's nice. Oh!

Oh, yeah. The thatch is appealing, isn't it? It is.

It just makes it look completely different to if it was

a normal roof. It just adds so much to a house, I think.

And what about the house? Does it make you want to go inside? Definitely. Definitely, yeah.

It's really appealing from the outside.

Can we stop talking and go in? Let's do that, come on!

LAUGHTER

Despite its traditional character, this cottage was only

built in the year 2000, with a timber-clad extension

added in 2012.

The porched front door leads into a spacious hall,

with decor featuring lots of natural wood and a slate-tiled floor.

Come on in.

I like that. I like the tiles. Yeah.

Looks very nice. The stone floor just carries on right through here

into the kitchen, so come on with me.

Could you imagine cooking and spending time in here?

Yeah, I think it's a very welcoming kitchen... It's...

quite cosy, isn't it? And having the room there to sit down

and have a cup of tea or whatever. Yeah, I think for me

the main thing is that

the rooms don't feel oppressive after an open-plan place.

This is really nice and light and quite spacious.

I can see me experimenting a lot more in here.

Yeah, that sounds good. Once you've experimented with the cooking,

you kind of need somewhere to sit back and enjoy it

and eat at a lovely dining table, so shall we go take a look

at the dining room? Yeah. Yeah.

The original wing of the ground floor also includes

a small extension off the kitchen, that provides a utility area

as well as the first of the reception rooms.

Across the hall, in the wood-clad wing, there are two further

reception spaces, with an open-plan flow.

So you come past the main sitting room into this

lovely living space.

It's currently used as a dining room and then there's a second area

through there. Yes, nice room.

Let's take a look at the space and think about how you might

choose to use it. When the owners added on the utility room,

they also added on this really beautiful,

light, airy space with its wooden-frame doors onto the garden.

That's lovely. And that lovely log-burning stove.

I might be more inclined to just have this as a nice

place to sit and read or something, or listen to music,

and have the telly in there.

No, I don't know. LAUGHTER

What would you do? How would you like to use it, Mark?

I don't know. I'd try and sort of incorporate it

as one. If you're not afraid of knocking some walls down,

you could always...open that up more. Yeah.

I think that's a possibility. That would be the ideal, I think.

Yeah. The downstairs looks very good at the moment.

Ah, OK. So we need to see if the upstairs measures up?

Yeah. Come on, then, let's go and look.

Offering both contemporary open-plan areas

and traditionally separated spaces, this cottage is charming

to our buyers - let's see what they make of the

three-bedroomed accommodation upstairs.

There's a dual-aspect double bedroom above the dining space.

Whilst along the corridor to the rear of the home,

the smallest of the bedrooms is still large enough for a double bed,

but is currently used as an office.

There's also a family bathroom and then, above the kitchen,

to the front of the house, is the largest

of the bedrooms, with its own shower room.

I like this. A good size.

I like the sloping roof.

Yeah. But it's not too slopey.

The big en suite as well. Yeah.

Does it have enough character up here for you?

This room does. I think it's great, yeah. Yeah.

Cos of the slope... Yeah.

..in the ceiling. It's got a little bit extra, hasn't it?

Can you imagine yourselves living here?

Yeah, at the moment. Yeah.

I can imagine waking up, looking out of the window,

it's nice. You look out that one, I'll look out that one! Yeah, exactly.

LAUGHTER

The space and character throughout have really won them over,

so it's time to explore what's on offer outside.

There are shared gardens to the front,

but the back garden is private and includes a large

timber-clad double garage,

ornamental pond,

deck plus an established vegetable patch next to a patio.

What do you think of the size and just the style of the garden?

It's a really nice garden. Yeah.

Um, but there's not enough of it. So you've done without a garden

for so long, you really want to go for it now, do you? We do. Yeah.

I think so, yeah. Does the garden actually matter more than

the house?

I think in some respects it does, in as much as we

know what sort of size garden we want.

And with a house, you can always tweak it if it's...

You know, there's a lot more room to play about with it.

Well, we've seen everything there is to see.

You know what I'm going to ask you. Who wants to go first?

I will, I'll go first.

I reckon it's going to be

about 410,000.

I think it will be more than that, I think about 430.

It is under budget. And it's under budget by

even more than either of you said, cos it's on the market for...

offers over ?395,000. OK. OK. Right.

So go off, have a look around,

see if, now you know the price, if there's any room for compromise

in anything like the garden. All right, bye.

Significantly below the top budget, this modern,

21st-century thatched cottage has a lot to offer

for a rural relocation.

This is nice, isn't it? Yeah.

I don't know what we'd use it for. No, that's true.

It's sort of an extra room.

I love that fireplace... Yeah, that would have to stay.

I think this is a really lovely house.

From the outside it looks fantastic with the thatched roof

and the wood cladding.

Downstairs, plenty big enough kitchen.

The three bedrooms are all a reasonable size,

with plenty of character as well.

The actual location of the place, like, the village,

is what we're looking for. The small village,

nice community feel to it, the pub, the shop,

and plenty going on.

All in all, I think it's a really nice house.

The only downside for me

is the garden, which is nowhere near as big as we were expecting.

You know there are people living within a matter of yards,

which isn't really what we were hoping for.

All good? Yes. You seen enough? Think so. Come on, let's go.

Mark and Sue from Bow in London's East End

have up to ?450,000 to fulfil their dream of countryside living

in or around Somerset.

So far, they've liked what we've offered them inside,

but they're still looking for their dream country garden.

But there's more to see, and the Mystery House

could well put a twist in the tale.

You look quite taken aback.

Yeah, I was just stunned, really.

It just wasn't what I was expecting at all.

And I'll be visiting a 14th-century barn

and discovering what was all the rage in late-medieval flooring.

The mucus in the manure is really what helps get it all

gluing together.

How charming! It is.

It's the second day of our house-hunt here in Somerset

and our couple are definitely open to the style of property

they're looking for.

In fact, after yesterday, I now think the garden

is more important to them than the house itself.

So I have high hopes for today's two houses.

They both have good-sized gardens.

They're very different in character and I think our couple may think the

Mystery House is a home from home.

Our house-hunt is venturing 13 miles west of Yeovil

to a pair of south Somerset villages known as the Seavingtons.

The collected facilities at the villages of Seavington St Michael

and Seavington St Mary

include a shop and cafe run by local volunteers

and a pub which brews its own beer.

There's a church in each village,

although the Grade II listed St Michael's

is the only one that remains active.

We're in the middle of the sister village of St Mary,

where I have a rather picturesque proposition

that Mark and Sue may find hard to resist.

Oh. Oh, yeah!

Oh, that's lovely.

Is that your cup of tea? Yeah, definitely. Yeah, definitely.

It's exactly what we'd expect to see in a village like this.

It's really nice. It's your picture postcard cottage, isn't it?

So, it's lovely. Do you want to have a look inside? Really promising.

Shall we bother? Shall we? Come on, let's go and take a look.

Might as well while we're here.

This largely 17th-century, Grade II listed,

semidetached cottage was built from local hamstone.

Recently renovated throughout, it's currently presented unfurnished.

The front door, below a thatched porch, takes us into a long hall,

where the original features are immediately apparent.

Oh...

Yeah, you come straight through into this lovely entrance hall,

packed with character and then this original oak panelling,

which has got the old maker's marks down at the bottom, down there.

Oh. Yeah.

And all that character and the original features

carry on in here in the living room.

You can see the renovation has been done incredibly

sympathetically, hasn't it? Yeah, yeah.

The only thing would be the beams and the height of the ceiling.

The fact is, it is a character property.

It's got all those lovely features that you love,

but with that comes things like lower ceilings.

Shall we take a look at the kitchen? Yeah, OK. Thanks.

The kitchen is housed in a later rear extension,

and is large enough for a table and chairs.

So, in contrast, the kitchen is very bright and light.

A good ceiling height. Yeah, yeah.

A good contrast. Yeah.

This is nice, isn't it? Yeah, yeah. It is nice and bright.

Nice views looking outside. Yeah. Plenty of windows.

And it's got so much character, it's amazing.

I didn't think we'd see something with this amount of character.

That's great. Let's go upstairs and take a look at the bedrooms

upstairs and see if this good vibe continues.

A resounding vote of approval for this quintessentially quirky cottage,

and the character and calm just continue as we head upstairs to the

two-bedroomed, one-bathroom accommodation.

Again, the original oak beams.

Round into...

..the bathroom. Oh, wow. That's just recently been done,

with its roll-top bath. I thought that would get an, "Oh, wow".

The two double bedrooms are located to the front of the cottage,

with the smallest, again, boasting a bounty of character features.

And then there is the largest of the bedrooms.

And in here, into the master bedroom.

Oh. With its original panelling, its original beams.

Those lovely, deep windows. Yeah, this is nice, isn't it?

Yeah, yeah. Yeah, it's really good.

And I like the grain on the beams and the height of the ceilings.

I know that, ideally, you were looking for three rooms.

How do you feel now you know that it's a two-bedroom house?

The only thing I'm wondering is about storage up here.

Because you've always got to compromise when buying a place,

so if it's two bedrooms, then we might have to live with that.

You can't believe how much I love it when I hear people say,

"You've always got to compromise."

It's the kind of guy I am. And you have!

Let's go and explore outside and just see what's going on out there.

Yeah.

Outside, Mark and Sue may find they don't have to compromise as much as

they may think, but there's also a converted stone stable on offer.

Divided into a WC and another larger room,

it's a versatile bonus that could be converted

and used for guest accommodation.

The enclosed front garden is full of country colour,

whilst the rear garden backs onto open countryside

and includes a patio area plus a small orchard.

There's also a former cart house that provides a triple carport

and I'm hoping all the elements and space up for grabs here

will be enough.

How's the garden for size?

Better. Yeah, it's nice and I think, as well,

because you've got the fields at the back,

you feel like you've got a huge garden.

What do you think about the idea of having your own mini orchard?

That's brilliant. I love that.

Lots of apple pies! Oh, yes, apple pies.

Well, you can't come and live in Somerset and not have an apple tree or two, can you?

I think there's probably something written in the local law about that. I'm sure.

So I need you to guess the price.

What do you think this is on the market for?

I think it's going to be quite expensive, so I'm going to go 445.

445? Yeah.

430. 430.

OK. That's interesting.

You're both off the mark.

It's on the market for ?375,000.

Cor!

Now... I'm amazed at that.

Yeah.

OK, well, that's good. I can tell...

I can see, now, your minds are just whirring over.

Yeah, you can hear it ticking.

So, go in, take a really good look around

and just think about how you'd use the space and what the potential is.

OK. Righty-oh. Fantastic.

That is brilliant. Mark said the magic word -

he said "compromise". And I think

if they can just compromise on that bedroom issue,

they could have found their dream home.

The asking price of this Grade II listed, fully-renovated,

thatched cottage would leave Mark and Sue a generous ?75,000

to create their perfect home.

The original features, including beams and an inglenook fireplace,

ooze country charm,

whilst the new kitchen offers stylish, modern convenience.

There are outbuildings that could potentially be converted,

as well as a good-sized garden,

and it's all located in a thriving village.

But all this, I mean, we wouldn't really need all this as car parking,

because we've only got the one car.

Yeah. Well, you can block this off.

It's a bit overwhelming, really,

this part of it. Yeah, there's a lot we can do.

I think it's lovely. From the first time we see it outside with the

thatched roof and the little country garden in front,

it just looks gorgeous.

And then you walk in and all the wood and the big fireplace

and the window seats and the really nice kitchen.

It's absolutely brilliant. It's got so much character.

I do love this room. I know you do.

It's great, there's just so much in it.

What do you do with the oven, then?

I've got no idea, but you feel like you should do something with it,

cos it's just...

such a unique feature, isn't it? Yeah.

The budget surprised both of us.

And that will give us money, then,

to perhaps do something with the outside building.

And perhaps have a third bedroom or a games room.

The outside... The outside looks really good.

I mean, the views from the back of the garden,

with your own trees in there...

It's one of those houses that you feel like you just,

immediately, want to say yes.

It's definitely one that we're going to think about, yeah.

I was just, sort of, thinking how chocolate-box pretty all of this is.

It is. You couldn't get anything nicer, could you?

No. This has given us a lot to think about.

Yeah. How are you both feeling?

Oh, confused.

OK. And we've still...

Excited. And we've still got the Mystery House to come,

so the confusion could increase. Who knows? It will.

Somerset is a county steeped in rural history,

but as with the rest of England,

the ownership and management of its landscape has a turbulent history.

During the Middle Ages,

almost half of all English land was owned by the King and nobility,

or bishops and abbots who shared noble status.

In the 14th century, the abbey at Glastonbury was one such estate,

and the second wealthiest in the country.

That was all to change a couple of centuries later,

when King Henry VIII seized lands for the Crown,

or sold them off to fund his military campaigns.

Fast-forward to the 1970s, the estate had become a dairy farm

and it's striking 14th-century former abbey barn

donated to Somerset County Council,

who developed it into a museum celebrating rural life.

It's currently undergoing major renovation and Tom Mayberry,

from the South West Heritage Trust, is in charge of the project.

I've come to meet him in the farm's courtyard.

So, just tell me about the plans for what's happening around us and what

it's all going to look like in a couple of years' time.

On one side of us is the abbey barn from the middle of the 14th century.

Then there are the cow sheds around us, here, from the 19th century.

All those spaces are being reinvented so that we can tell Somerset's farming story.

Chiefly from Victorian times up to, more or less, the modern day.

So, working with a building like the abbey barn

must present some huge challenges for you.

We're very lucky in the South West Heritage Trust

to have our own conservation team, so we do have the skills.

But you're quite right, there are all kinds of protections on a building like that,

and so we have to make sure that we do the right thing.

And, of course, there are our permanent guests here,

like the bats in the roof space of the abbey barn.

We've got to make sure that we treat them properly

and according to the law as well.

We've got our conservation team working on a solution

for how we make a more durable floor in there,

but pay tribute to the ancient qualities of the building,

so perhaps you'd like to go and take a look.

Sounds fantastic. I look forward to it.

Thanks so much for talking to me. Right. Bye.

Back in the 14th century, this Grade I listed barn

was used to store the abbey's estate harvest and fresh grain.

It was also an opportunity for the abbot to show off his wealth

by ordering the finest craftsmanship of the time.

So, how does Nic Wall, the Senior Conservation Officer,

plan to make an authentic floor that will withstand thousands of

modern-day visiting feet,

but also stays true to the centuries-old building methods?

How do you know what would have been used and what materials would have

been used on it? We are largely using archaeological investigations,

studying the building itself,

and also looking at other buildings around a similar period.

And we want to put back a threshing floor and earth floors

in the nave part.

Having studied floors elsewhere, we know that's the kind of floor

that a barn of this status and use would have had.

So, here, we are doing a lime-ash floor.

The main filler material is natural clay,

to which lime and ash are added.

And to keep it authentic, a good helping of manure.

The mucus in the manure is really what helps get it all

gluing together. How charming! Yes.

The mucus and the lime.

We've got some little extras, as well.

This is some milk gone off, nice and sour, and we have some eggs.

Let me look.

So, they're going to... again, be another bonder... OK.

..and make the mix more workable.

Here goes. Just chuck them in?

Just chuck them in. Nice. Oh, they're not smashing.

That's better. Nice.

That looks really sour, doesn't it?

Sour and thick and nasty.

After a good stir in the traditional mixing mill,

our organic foundation layer is ready for use.

Yes, we'll pour this in now and then we just need to squish it in place,

and this will be the first layer that goes in. OK.

Shall we chuck it in?

There we go. Oh. OK.

After pouring, the next stage is to spread and tamper it into place.

We want a nice, dry mix,

but it does mean you've got to keep going until it clumps together nicely.

You've given a big chunk of your life to this project.

What it's going to be like when you see it filled with people?

Oh, it'll be lovely. The people will really enjoy it for a long

time and come away with loving memories of the building.

It's going to be really special and this is a building that...

It definitely needs to be celebrated, doesn't it?

Oh, it definitely does.

From wealthy beginnings through turbulent times,

it's heartening to know that this medieval gem

will soon be enjoying a new lease of life

for all to appreciate, here in the Somerset countryside.

How do you feel about making the move here from London now,

now we've spent some time here and started to look at some properties?

I think it's convinced us even more that we are doing the right thing.

The whole place is just lovely.

You know, it's...

You don't really go through anywhere that doesn't have

stunning scenery and the villages are lovely.

I just can't wait, really.

We've just got to find you a house.

Exactly. Let's hope the Mystery House is the one, hey?

I hope so.

Our Mystery House strays out of our search area,

taking us into the depths of Dorset,

within two miles of the Jurassic Coast, to the village of Portesham.

Located in an area rich in prehistoric remains,

this lovely village features a pub with dining and accommodation,

a village hall,

a doctors' surgery,

and a medieval church.

The small stream runs by pretty, mainly limestone, cottages.

One of which, during the 18th century,

was home to Sir Thomas Masterman Hardy,

a commander under Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Like many other local residents,

he affectionately referred to the village as Possum.

Wrapped within this historic village,

the unexpected character of our mystery proposition

is cloaked from view.

What do you think you're going to find beyond that gate?

A town. I don't know. A town?

We can do better than a town. A nice, old, stone-built house, I don't know.

OK. Are you intrigued?

Yeah. Yeah. Let's go and get that gate open and see what we can see.

So, let's push open this big gate and in we come.

That's different. Cor. It's different, isn't it?

Yeah. You've got this, kind of, secret courtyard garden,

and then this very modern property,

built in a horseshoe shape all around it.

Oh, right.

What do you think? Yeah, it's really different, isn't it?

Yeah, yeah.

Different in a good way? Oh, yeah. Definitely.

So, you are... You're keen for me to open the door

and let you look inside? Let's go and have a look.

Built in 2004,

this unique and contemporary Mystery House provides single-storey

accommodation, arranged in a horseshoe,

and delivers the type of open-plan living space

Mark and Sue are used to in their London home.

It made me think of the property you're both in now,

because it's a blend of old and new.

It's got high ceilings.

You're expecting old, but it's this really interesting,

modern, modern property.

Yeah, you're right. It is...

In that respect, it is really similar. Yeah.

What about the kitchen and this open-plan feel, generally?

That's great for us. Yeah. That's what we're used to.

Yeah, but on a much bigger scale here.

This is a much bigger scale. It's a much bigger kitchen. Yeah.

You can see there is loads of... Loads of space.

And you get an even better sense of all the space and the

light when you come through into this side of the living area.

It's really nice.

Because you'd sit there and you've got light coming in on both sides

and there are so many windows.

We like the, sort of, windows that we've got at home

and the high ceilings and you've got that here, as well. So...

We don't have such a nice view at the moment.

We overlook a railway line. Yeah, yeah.

No, this'd work. You look quite taken aback.

Erm, yeah, I was just stunned, really.

It just wasn't what I was expecting at all.

I don't know what I was expecting, but not this.

The sleeping accommodation is located to either side

of the central living space.

To one end is a large double bedroom, presently set up as a twin,

with built-in wardrobes and a single bedroom,

currently used for storage.

These are separated by a family bathroom with walk-in shower.

Then, at the other end of the horseshoe,

the last of the bedrooms is the master suite.

So, you have your own en suite bathroom, through into the bedroom,

with fitted wardrobes. Yeah, yeah, it's big enough.

Yeah, it's a nice size. Yeah. Nice and sunny.

And how are you feeling, Sue, with the house, at the minute?

I like it a lot. It's just so different.

Yeah. It's taking a little bit of getting used to,

the fact that it's something completely unexpected.

I know the garden matters to both of you. Yeah.

So, let's go and explore the garden and just take a look at the

views outside. OK. Thank you.

The surprising layout of our mystery offering may be

causing our buyers some confusion,

but with exterior plot size so important to the two of them,

I think they'll find the quarter of an acre garden

a more straightforward delight.

The hedged and landscaped area includes established fruit trees,

plus there is secure off-road parking for several cars,

along with a large workshop.

So, how does this... How is this for size for you?

Could you fit your vegetable plot in here? Oh, I think so. Yeah.

I think the garden is a really nice size.

Nice views. Yeah. Good-sized garden.

Nice views, good garden, plenty of space...

Could you imagine living here?

I think so. I think that living room...

You could almost just walk in and...

settle down and turn the telly on.

Yeah, that living room and that kitchen... Yeah.

So, bearing in mind that we've hopped over the border,

we're well into Dorset, we're only ten minutes away from the coast...

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

Go on, you go first.

I've got absolutely no idea.

Erm...450.

I'm going over budget. 475.

OK, Mark, I'm afraid that you're wrong.

LAUGHTER

Sue, you are absolutely right.

It's on the... It's on the money.

?450,000.

We've definitely got to think about that, haven't we?

Yeah. Go and have a little look around,

and come and find me when you're ready. OK.

It's been really refreshing with Sue and Mark, cos

often people say they're open to the style of property,

but they don't really mean it. But these two absolutely do.

We've shown them different kinds of properties

and they've found something to like about them...

But this one in particular, I think,

is really grabbing them.

Right on budget, the contemporary horseshoe-shaped Mystery House could

just be the surprise lucky find of Mark and Sue's house-hunt.

The open-plan cooking and living space is an upscale version

of what they know and love.

And there are three bedrooms to choose from,

including a master en suite.

The enclosed garden offers all the outside space they're after,

and it's located in a secluded setting, within a popular village.

This is the second bedroom, isn't it? Yeah.

The other bedroom is only little, do you think

this is enough, then?

I think it probably is cos we were only looking

for one main spare room, weren't we? Yeah, yeah.

And then you've still got the option of putting something

in the other room. Yeah.

Right from the moment we walked through the front gate and saw it

was a relatively new property,

seeing the size of the kitchen and living room,

it reminded us of what we've got at the moment.

It takes the bits of the flat that I really like,

the open feeling, the...

The light and that, sort of, aspect about it,

which is something that we haven't had in some of the other houses we've looked at.

The garden's... Yeah, I mean, it's the ideal size.

And we've got plenty of things we can do to it to make it our own.

I think it's definitely something we'd consider.

Have you seen enough? Yes, thanks. Yeah.

Well, the Mystery House wraps things up,

so why don't we find somewhere to sit down and have a chat about the

houses we've seen? That sounds lovely. Good idea. OK.

It's been a great couple of days.

So let's just recap on the properties that we've seen.

Let's turn to that 17th-century cottage with the thatch

in the village.

That house was absolutely gorgeous.

I think the garden was nice.

The village was lovely.

The only issue was it only had the two bedrooms.

We don't have to invite anyone down. No!

And the Mystery House?

I had no idea what you were going to make of it before we went in.

You seemed to be positive when we looked round it.

Without a doubt, the garden was the best garden we've seen. Yeah.

And the house itself, it was really nice, but I think...

I'm just not sure if, in our minds,

we'd already committed to having an older-style house.

It didn't give us, like, the nooks and crannies

and things like that that we were expecting to get from this house.

So it's made us really question...

I think it was... ..whether we like it or not.

The bits we liked about it reminded us of where we are now,

but we've outgrown that.

What was interesting when I first met the two of you was that you were

very open to the style of property.

So, has the search solidified things for you?

Has it given you a clearer idea of what it is that you want to find?

I think perhaps it has.

Erm, out of the houses we saw, apart from the last one,

they did all have that little extra character... Not character,

necessarily, but just more of a traditional house, I suppose.

And I think that's what we decided perhaps we want now.

What I'm really pleased about is that we seem to

have been able to at least focus you more on

what it is that you're looking for.

And I have a feeling, Sue, that with you,

if we could have put a third bedroom

on that 17th-century thatched cottage,

we'd be having a very different conversation now.

I think we would. I think we'd be there. Yeah.

It was absolutely perfect apart from that. I completely agree.

I think that perhaps in your heart you do know what it is that you

hope to find, what that little dream is.

And we're sure that you're going to end up here in a fabulous house.

And we hope you'll be really happy when you do.

Oh, thank you very much. Thanks very much.

Well, it's the end of our house-hunt here in Somerset.

Sadly, we didn't manage to find Sue and Mark the house of their dreams.

But I think our search helped them to focus on what it is

they're looking for in a property.

And it also confirmed to them that this is definitely the part of the

country they want to call home.

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