0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to Escape To The Country.
0:00:03 > 0:00:06Now, from within this rather dramatic coastline behind me came
0:00:06 > 0:00:09the essential building blocks used in the reconstruction of London
0:00:09 > 0:00:12following the Great Fire of 1666.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14And with that claim to fame, it's fitting, then,
0:00:14 > 0:00:17that over a century ago a local writer here
0:00:17 > 0:00:21should have described it as "A peninsula carved by time
0:00:21 > 0:00:23"from a single stone."
0:00:23 > 0:00:25But who said it and where was he talking about?
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Well, join me in just a moment and I'll tell you.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48Today our house-hunting couple want to escape the searing heat
0:00:48 > 0:00:52of the Southern Hemisphere and enjoy the charms of rural England.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Wow, this is more like it. This is a real country kitchen.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59But whether our properties measure up remains to be seen.
0:00:59 > 0:01:01Your thoughts, sir?
0:01:01 > 0:01:03Er, it's compact!
0:01:04 > 0:01:06Is that Australian for small?
0:01:12 > 0:01:15Well, today I'm in Dorset and more specifically
0:01:15 > 0:01:17I'm in the heart of one of the old quarries here
0:01:17 > 0:01:22on the Isle of Portland that local legend Thomas Hardy found so inspiring.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27Now, they've been excavating this stuff since the 17th century.
0:01:27 > 0:01:30The beautiful fine-grained Portland stone.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33Sir Christopher Wren used it in his rebuilding of St Paul's Cathedral
0:01:33 > 0:01:37following the Great Fire of London back in 1666
0:01:37 > 0:01:40and since then, well, it's adorned some of the most important
0:01:40 > 0:01:43architectural landmarks, not just in Britain, but also around the world.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47Amongst them, Buckingham Palace, the Port of Liverpool Building,
0:01:47 > 0:01:48Manchester's Central library.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52Even the exterior of the United Nations in New York.
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Now, whilst today there are still a few quarries operating here,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59this one has carved out a new lease of life
0:01:59 > 0:02:01celebrating the heritage of this part of the coast
0:02:01 > 0:02:04in a very creative and artistic way.
0:02:04 > 0:02:09I'll be back here later on, finding out a little more about how they've done it,
0:02:09 > 0:02:11but in the meantime, well, here's a taste
0:02:11 > 0:02:13of what the rest of Dorset has to offer.
0:02:15 > 0:02:19Dorset takes pride of place along England's south coast,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22with Devon to the west and Hampshire to the east.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25It's a county with 100 miles of stunning heritage coastline,
0:02:25 > 0:02:29made up of long pebbly beaches and vertical cliffs which,
0:02:29 > 0:02:33when battered by the sea, reveal a unique geological record
0:02:33 > 0:02:37of the Earth, dating back 185 million years.
0:02:37 > 0:02:43Beaches such as Charmouth are a haven for fossil hunters both young and old.
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Unspoiled by cities and motorways, the county's many villages
0:02:47 > 0:02:50retain a character and charm of days gone by.
0:02:50 > 0:02:54Abbotsbury, a mile inland from the coast, is one of the most
0:02:54 > 0:02:58visited, with many buildings dating back to the 16th century,
0:02:58 > 0:03:03overlooked by a medieval chapel built by the monks of a now ruinous abbey.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07Many of Dorset's pretty towns are fringed by the coast.
0:03:07 > 0:03:11Lyme Regis is known for its curved harbour wall, The Cobb,
0:03:11 > 0:03:15and was the setting for Jane Austen's novel Persuasion.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20With Dorset's rich cultural heritage and array of natural landmarks,
0:03:20 > 0:03:22some millions of years in the making,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25there's no doubt this county is a compelling choice for those
0:03:25 > 0:03:29seeking that picture perfect image of the English countryside.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36Now, if you follow those quality-of-life surveys,
0:03:36 > 0:03:39you may notice that Dorset regularly gets a mention
0:03:39 > 0:03:41as one of the best places to live
0:03:41 > 0:03:46in the UK, but - no surprise - that appeal does come at a cost.
0:03:46 > 0:03:52Currently, the average price of a detached property here is some £410,000.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56That's £80,000 above the national average.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58And if you talk to the locals, well, they'll tell you
0:03:58 > 0:04:02that Dorset can provide a higher life expectancy.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05Maybe that's why many people choose to retire here.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09Whatever the truth of it, well, word has clearly got out,
0:04:09 > 0:04:12because today's buyers, well, they've decided to travel from
0:04:12 > 0:04:15the other side of the world just to live here.
0:04:16 > 0:04:19Alan and Gwenda are from Queensland, Australia,
0:04:19 > 0:04:23and have arrived in a chilly UK to begin their property hunt in earnest.
0:04:24 > 0:04:26They've been together for more than 50 years.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29We met at a local what they called a record hop.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33I went with my sister to the record hop and met Alan there
0:04:33 > 0:04:36and he asked to take us home so it had to be with my sister
0:04:36 > 0:04:39so we both went home with him at that stage.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42From thereon, we just knew from the first week we went out
0:04:42 > 0:04:44that we'd be together.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47Love at first sight, I can still remember that night.
0:04:47 > 0:04:51Gwenda's a very soft, gentle, generous, loving person.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54Great mother and a great wife.
0:04:54 > 0:04:58Gwenda's late grandfather was a British Merchant Navy officer
0:04:58 > 0:05:01who settled in Australia in the 1920s.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Although Gwenda and Alan have holidayed in the UK,
0:05:04 > 0:05:08it's always been her desire to return to her ancestral homeland
0:05:08 > 0:05:10on a more permanent basis.
0:05:10 > 0:05:15The first trip to England, I felt so at home, as though I'd come home.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17Every time we come here we're comfortable here.
0:05:18 > 0:05:22One of their first trips to the UK involved a stop off in Dorset
0:05:22 > 0:05:25and they were immediately struck by the county's beauty.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29We were driving a little back road cos we chose to do the back roads,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33and we came across a scene that just made us stop
0:05:33 > 0:05:37and we got out of the car and just lent over the gate
0:05:37 > 0:05:40between two hedges and just looked down over the countryside
0:05:40 > 0:05:43and just thought, "This is just beautiful."
0:05:43 > 0:05:45That was probably the first time we thought,
0:05:45 > 0:05:47"Yes, it'd be nice to live here."
0:05:47 > 0:05:50Until he retired five years ago, Alan worked
0:05:50 > 0:05:52in the Australian music industry,
0:05:52 > 0:05:55spending long periods away from home.
0:05:55 > 0:05:59Gwenda was a lab technician before retiring to help look after
0:05:59 > 0:06:01their six grandchildren in Brisbane.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04With our grandchildren now almost all grown up
0:06:04 > 0:06:07and finished school, I don't have the responsibilities
0:06:07 > 0:06:10I used to have, or we used to have, looking after them,
0:06:10 > 0:06:13and I think now that we've both retired,
0:06:13 > 0:06:17we can now fulfil our lifelong dream of coming to live in the UK
0:06:17 > 0:06:21and just doing what we would like to do for a while.
0:06:22 > 0:06:27As Queensland's summer temperatures often exceed 30 degrees Celsius,
0:06:27 > 0:06:31they're looking forward to cooler climes to enjoy their hobbies
0:06:31 > 0:06:33which, for Alan, includes walking.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36To go into the countryside here is much different
0:06:36 > 0:06:38to going into the Australian bush.
0:06:38 > 0:06:41It's softer, more gentle, easier.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45I'm hoping where we're going we'll just be able to get out
0:06:45 > 0:06:48and enjoy that walk and enjoy the country.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52If I came to live in England, the weather would be a lot cooler
0:06:52 > 0:06:54and I'd probably get more into knitting and crocheting
0:06:54 > 0:06:58cos it's a bit hot in Australia at the summertime of the year.
0:06:59 > 0:07:03So after 52 years of marriage but with long periods
0:07:03 > 0:07:06spent apart from each other, this move to the UK countryside
0:07:06 > 0:07:10is a chance for them to enjoy new-found freedom during their golden years.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12It's a lifestyle change now.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15To be here means that we're together,
0:07:15 > 0:07:19we can go and do whatever we'd like, when we like, as we like.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26Alan and Gwenda would like us to concentrate our property search
0:07:26 > 0:07:29in the villages around the county town of Dorchester.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33I'm meeting up with them on a rather wet spring morning
0:07:33 > 0:07:36to find out what they're looking for in their English country home.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41Welcome to Dorset. Where do we start with you two, then?
0:07:41 > 0:07:45Coming all the way from Australia to the less-than-warm
0:07:45 > 0:07:47climate of Dorset at the moment.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50- Why here?- We're looking for the best of both worlds.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53We're looking to spend six months of the hot weather
0:07:53 > 0:07:56out of Australia here and six months of the beautiful winter
0:07:56 > 0:08:00around 26 degrees Celsius every day in Australia.
0:08:00 > 0:08:03So give us an idea of the sort of property
0:08:03 > 0:08:06that you are thinking of, because the property market here
0:08:06 > 0:08:10clearly is very different to what you're used to in Australia.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13And I think that is what attracts us to the properties here.
0:08:13 > 0:08:15They look very quaint.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19We've had the big house and we got a big unit we live in now,
0:08:19 > 0:08:22but I think I want something a bit smaller and a bit more cosy.
0:08:22 > 0:08:24With a small garden.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27How much space are we after, in terms of bedrooms
0:08:27 > 0:08:30and reception rooms and that sort of thing?
0:08:30 > 0:08:33We would like at least three bedrooms
0:08:33 > 0:08:35and room for an office for Alan.
0:08:35 > 0:08:40What you call a reception room here, which would be a lounge room for us.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43- Yeah.- We've talked about a big country-style kitchen,
0:08:43 > 0:08:45a good country-style kitchen.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Open plan into the dining room so that we've got that space.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52For me, I'd like a garage, definitely, for the car.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55Are you keen on being within a community, within a village?
0:08:55 > 0:08:59We don't want to be remote. We actually like people!
0:08:59 > 0:09:01THEY ALL LAUGH Good, good!
0:09:01 > 0:09:06Now, give us an idea of how much you're planning to spend on this.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10We'd be looking at investing somewhere in the vicinity of about 450,000.
0:09:10 > 0:09:14- Tops.- 450,000 British pounds? - That's it.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Right, well, look. The sun is coming out.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19It's not quite 26 degrees, Alan, but you don't really want that, do you?
0:09:19 > 0:09:21- No.- I don't, I want it like this.
0:09:21 > 0:09:24Well, let's go and see if we can spend your money
0:09:24 > 0:09:25and find you a toehold in Dorset.
0:09:25 > 0:09:27- Thank you.- Let's go.
0:09:27 > 0:09:28After you.
0:09:30 > 0:09:35With a maximum budget of £450,000, Alan and Gwenda would like
0:09:35 > 0:09:38a cottage-style property with a country kitchen.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40It should provide them with three bedrooms,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43along with an office and garage for Alan.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45The garden should be manageable
0:09:45 > 0:09:47and they'd like to be close to a thriving community.
0:09:47 > 0:09:50We've scoured the rural property market for a rich mix
0:09:50 > 0:09:53of delightful Dorset country homes to show them,
0:09:53 > 0:09:57but I won't reveal the price of each one until after the tour.
0:09:57 > 0:10:01Lastly, the mystery house will offer our Antipodean pair
0:10:01 > 0:10:04something they won't be used to, but will hopefully love.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10So, in considering the properties that we might show you,
0:10:10 > 0:10:12are there any things that you don't want?
0:10:14 > 0:10:18- We do have a bit of a reservation about thatched roofs.- Yeah.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21Because we're not familiar with them in Australia,
0:10:21 > 0:10:24we don't have them there, so... But that's not ruling it out, though.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27We need to learn a lot more about them.
0:10:27 > 0:10:31It's certainly part and parcel of the architectural landscape here.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38Property one is located in the village of Sutton Poyntz,
0:10:38 > 0:10:41just outside the seaside town of Weymouth.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44Tucked away beneath the chalky Dorset Downs,
0:10:44 > 0:10:48there's a popular gastropub and a historic mill pond.
0:10:48 > 0:10:52In 1908, a serious fire broke out in the village,
0:10:52 > 0:10:55but by the time the fire brigade arrived,
0:10:55 > 0:10:57almost a quarter of a mile of buildings were alight.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Work on restoration of the village began in 1962,
0:11:01 > 0:11:04and today it retains much of its traditional character.
0:11:04 > 0:11:08Our first house is situated on the village outskirts.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12There we are. That's what I thought we would start with.
0:11:12 > 0:11:14- What do you think? - Oh, I love the colour.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17- I love the stone colour. - Nice, really nice.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20Now, the reason I thought this one would be of interest is because,
0:11:20 > 0:11:22built in 2004,
0:11:22 > 0:11:25it looks as if the builders have just finished it, to be honest.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28Given the way you want to use your new home,
0:11:28 > 0:11:32being able to lock up and leave and know that it's well cared for,
0:11:32 > 0:11:34I think this is quite a good option.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37I think it's been done really sympathetically to the area,
0:11:37 > 0:11:40- for a new build.- Good, right, then, let's make a start.
0:11:40 > 0:11:41Let's see what you think. Good.
0:11:41 > 0:11:45This contemporary architect-designed property has an interior
0:11:45 > 0:11:48that's modern and manageable.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52There we are, Alan. Straight into the kitchen. Your thoughts, sir?
0:11:52 > 0:11:55- Er, it's compact. It's compact. - THEY LAUGH
0:11:55 > 0:11:57Is that Australian for small?
0:11:57 > 0:11:59No, it's compact. No, seriously, it's good.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02- It's got everything you'd want. It's modern.- I like it.
0:12:02 > 0:12:05I like the size of it, yeah. Plenty of bench space.
0:12:05 > 0:12:08There's not a lot to be done, from what I can see so far.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10I don't want to give you a project, you see.
0:12:10 > 0:12:12No, we definitely don't want a project!
0:12:12 > 0:12:16- You will not give me a project! - I won't. Believe you, me, I won't.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18Come on, let's have a look at the rest of it.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22It might not be the old-style country kitchen they were after,
0:12:22 > 0:12:25but Alan and Gwenda seem open to the idea of a more practical option.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29The combined living and dining room is to the rear of the property.
0:12:29 > 0:12:33And I suppose there's no getting away from the compact theme
0:12:33 > 0:12:34in the living room.
0:12:34 > 0:12:38- It's true. It's quite small, isn't it?- It is.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41It's nice, but it's...cosy.
0:12:41 > 0:12:43I mean, what they've done here...
0:12:43 > 0:12:45This, believe it or not, was a solid wall.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49I think rather clearly they've put in this glazed bifold door
0:12:49 > 0:12:53arrangement, so the whole thing would open up to give you
0:12:53 > 0:12:55more of a kind of family entertaining space.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58It's a house that lends itself to be minimalistic, isn't it, really?
0:12:58 > 0:13:01- You know, don't want it over cluttered.- Over cluttered.- Yeah.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05I'm beginning to sense that cosy might mean too small,
0:13:05 > 0:13:09but the wall between the kitchen and living room could be removed,
0:13:09 > 0:13:11opening up the ground floor,
0:13:11 > 0:13:15or they could build a conservatory at the rear, subject to consent.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18Upstairs, the three bedrooms are arranged off a main landing
0:13:18 > 0:13:22and include a bright double with skylights and walk-in wardrobe,
0:13:22 > 0:13:25along with a single currently used as a music room.
0:13:25 > 0:13:28There's also a three-piece family bathroom
0:13:28 > 0:13:30and then finally the master.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33We're thinking this would be yours cos it's got the shower en suite.
0:13:33 > 0:13:36All the rooms have got really good built-in storage.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38This one being no exception.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42- It's very nice, it's well done. - Yeah, I like the colour scheme.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45Yeah. So what's the bottom line at the end of it all?
0:13:45 > 0:13:47Let's go to the garden and then I'll give you lowdown.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49Go on, mate, after you.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55To the side of the property there's a single garage for Alan's car.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59The pleasant, south-facing garden at the back
0:13:59 > 0:14:03is largely laid to lawn, with planted beds which would be easy to
0:14:03 > 0:14:06maintain when Alan and Gwenda are away travelling.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Is this the sort of thing that you regard as manageable?
0:14:09 > 0:14:12- Definitely, yes. It's a perfect space, yes.- Exactly.
0:14:12 > 0:14:17Let's cut to the chase. Madam, make me an offer on the first one.
0:14:17 > 0:14:19I'd go about £400,000.
0:14:19 > 0:14:21£400,000. Alan?
0:14:21 > 0:14:25I think on the size of it I'd be talking somewhere around the 350 to 360.
0:14:25 > 0:14:31This is currently on the market for £425,000.
0:14:31 > 0:14:32Right. Way out.
0:14:32 > 0:14:35Well, you were way out. You weren't far off, to be fair.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38And, look, you know,
0:14:38 > 0:14:40you are tackling a completely different property market
0:14:40 > 0:14:44to what you're used to, so I'm going to forgive you any errors there.
0:14:44 > 0:14:47Go and have a wander around and I will come and find you later on.
0:14:47 > 0:14:49- Thank you.- Off you go.
0:14:49 > 0:14:52See what you might do... with your change.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59Under budget by £25,000, our first offering is a modern stone-built
0:14:59 > 0:15:03property with a clean, contemporary interior and simple layout.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07It gives them their three bedrooms, a manageable garden,
0:15:07 > 0:15:11and it's located in a very desirable Dorset village.
0:15:11 > 0:15:13I liked the look of it from the outside.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16I liked the house from the outside, it looks lovely.
0:15:16 > 0:15:20Inside, it doesn't disappoint. It's a lovely home.
0:15:20 > 0:15:24The space inside the house, my thoughts on that
0:15:24 > 0:15:28at this point in time are that, for me, it's a little tight.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32This whole area into the lounge room needs to be open.
0:15:32 > 0:15:35You've got those beautiful doors leading on to what,
0:15:35 > 0:15:38there could be a fantastic conservatory built there.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42So where it feels close and closed at the moment,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44it could in real terms be opened up
0:15:44 > 0:15:48and made to feel three to four times bigger than it is.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53- There we are. All done?- We are, yes.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57Now, then. You're used to cold beer, aren't you, in Australia?
0:15:57 > 0:15:58We are.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Let me introduce you to the warm stuff. Come on, let's have lunch.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03Come on, let's go.
0:16:08 > 0:16:10When they move to rural Dorset,
0:16:10 > 0:16:14Gwenda and Alan are keen to find volunteering opportunities as
0:16:14 > 0:16:18a way to discover new pursuits, get involved in their local community
0:16:18 > 0:16:20and immerse themselves in country living.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23To gain an insight into the historic houses
0:16:23 > 0:16:26and farming life in Britain, we've sent them to Kingston Maurward,
0:16:26 > 0:16:30a handsome 18th-century property built for the then Prime Minister
0:16:30 > 0:16:33William Pitt's cousin George Pitt,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36and set in a glorious 750-acre estate.
0:16:36 > 0:16:40The Grade I-listed building houses an agricultural college
0:16:40 > 0:16:41and an animal park,
0:16:41 > 0:16:45along with beautifully landscaped Grade II-listed gardens.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48Gwenda and Alan have come to meet Luke Rake, the principle here,
0:16:48 > 0:16:50to learn more about the estate
0:16:50 > 0:16:53and find out what volunteering opportunities there are today.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57We're hoping you can give us some history about this home behind us.
0:16:57 > 0:16:58Absolutely.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01The house was built in 1720, originally in brick,
0:17:01 > 0:17:04and the building that you see behind us at the moment
0:17:04 > 0:17:06clearly isn't covered in brick.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09It's covered in Portland stone which was quarried locally.
0:17:09 > 0:17:12The reason for that is that King George III in the 1790s
0:17:12 > 0:17:15felt that brick was not fashionable enough and so,
0:17:15 > 0:17:17to maintain patronage, the owner of the house at the time
0:17:17 > 0:17:21very quickly clad what is now a very familiar white stone.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23Not only do we have this amazing house,
0:17:23 > 0:17:26but we have a literary connection with Thomas Hardy.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28So Thomas Hardy lived on the estate.
0:17:28 > 0:17:31His family were raised on the estate and he worshipped in the church
0:17:31 > 0:17:34just about 400 metres from where we're standing now here.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37And tell me, what opportunities are there for the locals to become
0:17:37 > 0:17:40involved in any, say, volunteering activities with the college?
0:17:40 > 0:17:44There's quite a few. The gardens that we'll see today are immense.
0:17:44 > 0:17:46You know, we've got 30 acres of formal gardens
0:17:46 > 0:17:49as well as the 750 acres of the estate.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52So we actually have quite a lot of people that come in locally
0:17:52 > 0:17:54to help and support the college in a whole range of ways.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59The animal park is also an area that welcomes volunteers.
0:17:59 > 0:18:02It's one of only 19 sites in England accredited
0:18:02 > 0:18:07by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust to keep and promote rare breeds.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12Head animal park technician Barbara manages the animal park
0:18:12 > 0:18:14and is passionate about conservation.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19Gwenda and Alan are meeting her to learn about some of the native breeds at risk.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Could you tell us about this breed of sheep here behind us?
0:18:23 > 0:18:28Yes, Portland sheep are very, very hardy, but because they only produce
0:18:28 > 0:18:32usually one lamb and they're quite small in size,
0:18:32 > 0:18:34the sheep and the lambs,
0:18:34 > 0:18:38they went out of popularity and nearly became extinct.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42- That would have been sad, wouldn't it?- Oh! It would have been tragic.
0:18:42 > 0:18:48It would be really sad to lose some of England's finest animals
0:18:48 > 0:18:52simply because they're not large enough for today's commercial market.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57So, yes, we're expecting lambs from these and, at the moment,
0:18:57 > 0:19:01we've got a Manx Loaghtan sheep, which are also rare breed sheep,
0:19:01 > 0:19:03they're chocolate brown.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06They've just started popping out lambs.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09- Oh, wow.- In fact, we had a set of twins last night!
0:19:10 > 0:19:13Another Manx Loaghtan ewe here recently had triplets
0:19:13 > 0:19:16but sadly she rejected one of them, called Benji.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Barbara and the staff here are now hand-rearing him
0:19:20 > 0:19:23and Gwenda and Alan are going to get a chance to feed him
0:19:23 > 0:19:25and one of his little friends, too.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29And you have a bottle each.
0:19:30 > 0:19:34And the little ridge there, if you keep that at the top
0:19:34 > 0:19:37when they start sucking on the bottle,
0:19:37 > 0:19:39that lets the air escape,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41so that they don't take air into their tummy,
0:19:41 > 0:19:43or they squash the teat flat.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45- Just like with little babies.- Right.
0:19:46 > 0:19:51- Right, Gwenda, I think you'd rather like little Benji.- I think so, too.
0:19:52 > 0:19:54- Oh, that's sweet.- There we go.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56Now, if he stays there...
0:19:56 > 0:20:00- Over this way.- You just show it to him, he'll go for it.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02- All right, let's just...- That's it.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07- Oh, there you go. - Oh, yes.- He's off a treat.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11As you can see, he's doing very well
0:20:11 > 0:20:13even though he hasn't got his mum with him.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17Oh, hello!
0:20:17 > 0:20:19- Says, "Me too, me too." - And how old is he?
0:20:19 > 0:20:23He is now...nearly two weeks old.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Oh, lovely.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31Now it's Alan's turn.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34- Alan, you've got a more feisty one. - Have I? Good.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37- Who's hungry?- This is Benson.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40- Hello, Benson.- So you've got...
0:20:40 > 0:20:43Hang on, hang on.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46He's got a lot more fleece on him.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48Yes, yes.
0:20:48 > 0:20:49This one's how old?
0:20:49 > 0:20:52This one's most probably three weeks old.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56Beautiful experience, thank you very much.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59- Yes, thanks, Barbara. - Thanks a lot.- Thanks, Benson.
0:20:59 > 0:21:03You were just perfect, weren't you? Eh? Just perfect.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12From one perfect experience to, I hope, another
0:21:12 > 0:21:16as we continue our property search in the village of Martinstown.
0:21:17 > 0:21:20Around four miles from the county town of Dorchester,
0:21:20 > 0:21:22the village has a range of amenities
0:21:22 > 0:21:26and many of the houses are built from locally quarried Purbeck stone.
0:21:26 > 0:21:29In July 1955, Martinstown was the scene of
0:21:29 > 0:21:33one of the most extreme rainstorms ever recorded in the UK,
0:21:33 > 0:21:38when 28 centimetres of rain fell in less than 24 hours.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40Today, though, there's no sign of rain
0:21:40 > 0:21:42as we explore our next property -
0:21:42 > 0:21:45a cottage right in the heart of this pretty Dorset village.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48Well, for our second one, I thought we'd go for something that was
0:21:48 > 0:21:51a little bigger and a little older.
0:21:51 > 0:21:52First impressions?
0:21:52 > 0:21:55- Looks great.- It does, looks lovely. - Looks great.
0:21:55 > 0:21:58And this one is full of the sort of character
0:21:58 > 0:22:02- that I think you're looking for. - I think you've got it.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05- If I'm right! Shall we get inside and see?- Let's go.- Yes.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09The original part of this end-of-terrace cottage
0:22:09 > 0:22:13dates to the 1800s and is packed full of period features.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16Right, then, is this the sort of...
0:22:16 > 0:22:18..cosy charm you were thinking of?
0:22:19 > 0:22:22- Yes, definitely.- Oh, my God. This is fabulous, isn't it?
0:22:22 > 0:22:26What would your family make of this if you shipped them over from Oz?
0:22:26 > 0:22:29I think they'd all want to come and stay for ever.
0:22:29 > 0:22:33It could be a problem getting rid of them! Getting rid of them!
0:22:33 > 0:22:36Good, I get the feeling that we are definitely on better tracks.
0:22:36 > 0:22:39- Appealing, yes.- Yeah.- OK.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43Whereas the sitting room dates to Georgian times,
0:22:43 > 0:22:46the dining room is a Victorian addition,
0:22:46 > 0:22:48complete with another brick-built fireplace.
0:22:48 > 0:22:52Beyond that lies the kitchen in a further extension.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56- There you go.- Wow, this is more like it. This is a real country kitchen.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59- Yeah? - Not quite what I'd been picturing.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Oh, really? How does it differ?
0:23:02 > 0:23:06- Probably a little bigger, a bit more bench space.- OK.
0:23:06 > 0:23:09And a view out from the sink, a view out the window.
0:23:09 > 0:23:11That, I can't change.
0:23:11 > 0:23:14I can, however, offer you some double doors out to the garden,
0:23:14 > 0:23:16which might do the same thing.
0:23:16 > 0:23:17- OK.- This wasn't always the kitchen.
0:23:17 > 0:23:20The original kitchen still exists out the back
0:23:20 > 0:23:23as more now of a utility space,
0:23:23 > 0:23:27- but it also has another oven and hob out there.- Oh, OK.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30The benefits of a larger footprint downstairs
0:23:30 > 0:23:33in this extended property are also mirrored upstairs.
0:23:35 > 0:23:38There are four bedrooms - two at the front of the house,
0:23:38 > 0:23:40one in use as a twin -
0:23:40 > 0:23:44and a smaller single providing an option for Alan's office.
0:23:44 > 0:23:47There's also a tongue-and-groove panelled bathroom,
0:23:47 > 0:23:48and finally the master.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51So this one we've kept till last
0:23:51 > 0:23:55cos I think this would be the one you'd go for, really.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Not least because it's got the shower en suite through there.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01It's a good-sized room.
0:24:01 > 0:24:02A bit of character to it.
0:24:02 > 0:24:05- Nice light coming through the window there.- Plenty of light.
0:24:05 > 0:24:09Yeah, and actually you can overlook the front door of the pub!
0:24:09 > 0:24:12THEY ALL LAUGH
0:24:12 > 0:24:15So if he's not back by 11 o'clock and you're in bed reading,
0:24:15 > 0:24:17you'll know when he's coming home.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19- When he's coming, yeah. OK. - It looks good.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21This room is quite, quite good.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27With more enthusiastic reactions to this house than our first,
0:24:27 > 0:24:30there's just the outside space left to explore.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34The cottage-style walled garden has been well cared for
0:24:34 > 0:24:37and stocked with flour and shrub borders and fruit trees.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40There's also a Victorian-style greenhouse along with
0:24:40 > 0:24:45a garage with power that Alan will no doubt be keen to call his own.
0:24:47 > 0:24:51Well, as you can see, the garden is absolutely charming.
0:24:51 > 0:24:54It's certainly a bit more garden than you've got at the moment,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57- Alan, in your apartment. - It's much bigger than we've got!
0:24:57 > 0:24:58We've got no garden, so yes.
0:24:58 > 0:25:01So let's talk about the money on this one, shall we, Alan?
0:25:01 > 0:25:04Well, I think I would say it's somewhere between
0:25:04 > 0:25:08£440,000 to £450,000.
0:25:08 > 0:25:09Yeah. Gwenda?
0:25:09 > 0:25:14- I was thinking about 415,000.- 415?
0:25:14 > 0:25:17- Ah, that's an optimistic start!- Yes.
0:25:17 > 0:25:21Well, on this occasion, your roles are slightly reversed
0:25:21 > 0:25:24because you, sir, are pretty much spot on.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28This is on the market for offers in excess of 450,
0:25:28 > 0:25:31although I think 450 would do it.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34Go and have a good explore of it and I will come and find you
0:25:34 > 0:25:37- a little bit later on.- OK. - Thank you very much.- Off you go.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42At the top of their budget,
0:25:42 > 0:25:44our second house is a characterful stone cottage
0:25:44 > 0:25:47with period features throughout.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51It comes with two reception rooms and a separate country kitchen.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Four bedrooms provide space for visiting family and,
0:25:54 > 0:25:57as requested, it gives them a garden that's easy to maintain
0:25:57 > 0:26:00and a central village location.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04It's more the style of house that we've had in our minds
0:26:04 > 0:26:06to look at over here.
0:26:06 > 0:26:08It's certainly up there.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12The location is brilliant, it's really lovely.
0:26:12 > 0:26:16I like the fact that it's very close to Dorchester.
0:26:16 > 0:26:20The whole village looks like a lovely little village to live in.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23- Well, guys, all done? - All done. Yes, thank you.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26- Just having a little snoop around. - I bet you were.
0:26:26 > 0:26:29I've got you in here with your name writ large across the door -
0:26:29 > 0:26:33- "Alan's Cave".- I don't have to build a bar in there, though.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35- It's right there, mate. - Well, why don't we?- Shall we?
0:26:35 > 0:26:38It's the end of the day, isn't it? Come on.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49It's day two of our Dorset house hunt,
0:26:49 > 0:26:51seeking out the perfect English country home
0:26:51 > 0:26:55for Gwenda and Alan from the coast of Queensland in Australia.
0:26:55 > 0:26:57They've got £450,000
0:26:57 > 0:27:01to bag them a character home with a country kitchen.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04Still to come, our mystery house is a slice of history
0:27:04 > 0:27:07wrapped up in an overwhelmingly charming package.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10It does give me that coming-home feel.
0:27:10 > 0:27:14It's everything that I've imagined that an English home would be like.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17And I'll be seeing how ancient Dorset Stone
0:27:17 > 0:27:21has been transformed into rather striking artwork.
0:27:21 > 0:27:25It really has that sort of primeval feel to it, doesn't it?
0:27:25 > 0:27:28It looks like a great big sort of squid, almost.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35Well, the clock is definitely ticking through the final hours
0:27:35 > 0:27:38of our property search here with Alan and with Gwenda.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40In just a few days' time, they're booked on flights back
0:27:40 > 0:27:45to Australia unless, of course, we can find them a reason to stay.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Now, so far, that has proved elusive,
0:27:47 > 0:27:51but can our mystery house finally seal the deal?
0:27:51 > 0:27:56Architecturally and historically, I think it's a Dorset classic
0:27:56 > 0:27:59with a twist they probably aren't really expecting.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02But will it be enough to make them change those flights?
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Well, we'll just have to wait and see.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10So, guys, one more house to come.
0:28:10 > 0:28:12The mystery house.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15I think it could possibly be a thatched cottage.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17- Do you, now?- Yeah.
0:28:17 > 0:28:18Why do you think that?
0:28:18 > 0:28:22Because that's one thing we said we weren't sure about.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24You'll want to change our minds.
0:28:24 > 0:28:29Well, it is Dorset and it is famous for its thatched cottages,
0:28:29 > 0:28:33so would it be the end of the world if it was a thatch?
0:28:33 > 0:28:35- Oh, no, no.- No, we're over it. - Definitely not.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40Well, that's good to hear as we make our way to our mystery house,
0:28:40 > 0:28:43located in the village of Cattistock.
0:28:43 > 0:28:47Architecturally, the village is an attractive mix of
0:28:47 > 0:28:50brick, stone and thatched cottages.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52The local parish church with its high tower
0:28:52 > 0:28:56is one of the finest 19th-century examples in Dorset.
0:28:56 > 0:28:58Our mystery house, meanwhile,
0:28:58 > 0:29:02is a real period gem right in the heart of the village.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04What do you think of that, Alan?
0:29:04 > 0:29:07I think from the outside it looks absolutely beautiful and striking.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10- Gwenda?- I would agree. It is beautiful.
0:29:10 > 0:29:13It's a lovely little thatched cottage.
0:29:13 > 0:29:16I know you've got some reservations about that. You're not alone.
0:29:16 > 0:29:17Many people do. As you can see,
0:29:17 > 0:29:20the rest of the village has got plenty of thatched properties in it.
0:29:20 > 0:29:23It is organic, it does need a bit of work, but the thatcher lives just up there,
0:29:23 > 0:29:27so you've got no excuse for not having it well looked after.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33Dating to 1740, this classic Grade II-listed stone cottage
0:29:33 > 0:29:37was built 30 years before Captain Cook arrived in Australia
0:29:37 > 0:29:40and is by far the oldest property I've shown Alan and Gwenda.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43It was originally two cottages.
0:29:43 > 0:29:47An entrance dining hall leads into one of two sitting rooms.
0:29:47 > 0:29:51- This is nice, isn't it? - Yes.- It is. Yes.
0:29:51 > 0:29:55That broadening smile, Alan, tells me everything I needed to know.
0:29:55 > 0:29:59- This is lovely. - It's got some really nice features.
0:29:59 > 0:30:00The beams are gorgeous.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03Can you see the way they're worked at their ends?
0:30:03 > 0:30:06This chamfering and the little bit of detailing.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09I mean, when you think about that empathy with England
0:30:09 > 0:30:13that you talked about, Gwenda, and the love of the old country,
0:30:13 > 0:30:16if you will, and tapping into your kind of ancestral past
0:30:16 > 0:30:19and your great-grandfather and so on, I mean,
0:30:19 > 0:30:23does a building like this help you kind of realise that ambition?
0:30:23 > 0:30:26It does give me that coming-home feel.
0:30:26 > 0:30:31It's everything that I've imagined that an English home would be like, yes.
0:30:33 > 0:30:38Both Alan and Gwenda seem smitten by this slice of traditional English architecture.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41The historic features continue to pack a punch
0:30:41 > 0:30:44in the second sitting room, located the other side of the hallway
0:30:44 > 0:30:46and currently set up as a library.
0:30:46 > 0:30:50But we're exploring the kitchen, just beyond that library space.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52Right, Gwenda.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56- This is it, huh?- Talk to me.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59It's a nice kitchen, but not a lot of bench space.
0:30:59 > 0:31:03- By that, you mean worktop space. - Worktop space, yes, yes.- Yes, yes.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06- OK.- Where could we improve that?
0:31:06 > 0:31:08Well, they've got a dresser here.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12You could also think about putting something across there
0:31:12 > 0:31:14if you so wished. Mm-hmm.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16If you didn't go for the table.
0:31:16 > 0:31:19So it's not your massive farmhouse kitchen.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21However, I myself...
0:31:21 > 0:31:24Easy for me to say, but I myself can forgive it that
0:31:24 > 0:31:28because of what's going on next door and the rest of the property.
0:31:28 > 0:31:32Although the kitchen is on the cosy side, there's also
0:31:32 > 0:31:35a utility room for all the white goods, and a downstairs washroom.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40Upstairs, there are three double bedrooms, all in the eaves
0:31:40 > 0:31:42and all featuring exposed stonework.
0:31:44 > 0:31:49There's also a small study area and a functional family bathroom.
0:31:50 > 0:31:55- Now, you can see why I've kept this one until last.- Oh!- Oh, yes.
0:31:55 > 0:32:00- It's beautiful, isn't it?- It's worth just taking it all in, really.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04It's got so many fascinating and quirky features.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06I think this one really does recommend itself
0:32:06 > 0:32:08because it's got the space, it's got the history,
0:32:08 > 0:32:12it's got the location and, you know, I think it's somewhere you would be
0:32:12 > 0:32:16really proud to kind of share with your visiting friends and family.
0:32:16 > 0:32:17Oh, definitely!
0:32:17 > 0:32:20With the age and character of our mystery cottage clearly
0:32:20 > 0:32:22hitting the mark, we braved the elements
0:32:22 > 0:32:25to explore what's on offer outside.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28Set out in a courtyard style, the garden is to the rear
0:32:28 > 0:32:31with an oval-shaped lawn surrounded by mature borders.
0:32:32 > 0:32:35Accessed from the garden is an artist's studio,
0:32:35 > 0:32:38which could make an excellent home office for Alan.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43But there's a trade-off with our mystery house,
0:32:43 > 0:32:46as there is no garage for his car.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51So that's it, that's what's on offer with our mystery house.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55I think we'd all agree, a really interesting property.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57So there is one more bit to discuss.
0:32:57 > 0:33:00What do you think that is, Gwenda?
0:33:00 > 0:33:04This is going to be at the top of our budget, if not over.
0:33:04 > 0:33:06About 465.
0:33:06 > 0:33:08£465,000.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12I'd come in just under that, £455,000.
0:33:12 > 0:33:17This could be yours for 425,000.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20- Wow, that's quite a price.- Really? - And open to offers.
0:33:20 > 0:33:23- Open to offers.- Is that right? - Go on, then. Off you go.
0:33:23 > 0:33:28Our mystery house is yours for a bit. Can't give it away!
0:33:28 > 0:33:30Much as I'd like to!
0:33:32 > 0:33:35Our mystery house may be topped with thatch,
0:33:35 > 0:33:38but it's £25,000 under budget,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41giving Gwenda and Alan a strong option
0:33:41 > 0:33:43for their classic country home.
0:33:43 > 0:33:45There are two sitting rooms to choose from,
0:33:45 > 0:33:47and three bedrooms upstairs.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49The courtyard garden is manageable
0:33:49 > 0:33:53and it's situated in the heart of a lovely Dorset village.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57It is beautiful. It's been very, very well maintained.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59It's got real street appeal.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01One of the things we are concerned about is that
0:34:01 > 0:34:03there's no car accommodation.
0:34:03 > 0:34:08The rooms are a good size, the whole thing flows well from room to room.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11It'd be a perfect little house to come to Dorset
0:34:11 > 0:34:15to live in for the winter in a perfect little village.
0:34:20 > 0:34:24Well, it's a shame to leave the very welcoming confines
0:34:24 > 0:34:27of our mystery house and come out to this horrible wet weather,
0:34:27 > 0:34:30but leave it we must because we need to get you to somewhere
0:34:30 > 0:34:32where you can settle down, relax,
0:34:32 > 0:34:34and think about all the properties we've shown you.
0:34:34 > 0:34:36- OK.- Sounds good.
0:34:36 > 0:34:38And I'm going to catch up with you and find out if we've sold one.
0:34:38 > 0:34:40- Come on. Let's go.- OK.
0:34:40 > 0:34:41Ugh, yuck!
0:34:45 > 0:34:49Stretching away from Dorset's southernmost tip,
0:34:49 > 0:34:52the Isle of Portland is attached to the mainland
0:34:52 > 0:34:54by the beautiful Chesil Beach.
0:34:54 > 0:34:59The island's famous Portland stone has been quarried since Roman times
0:34:59 > 0:35:02and the pale limestone has not only been used to build
0:35:02 > 0:35:06many iconic landmarks in London, but numerous others further afield.
0:35:07 > 0:35:11Tout Quarry, perched high up, overlooking Chesil Beach,
0:35:11 > 0:35:15opened in 1750 and operated until 1982.
0:35:15 > 0:35:17I've come to meet Ralph Stone,
0:35:17 > 0:35:21an 18th-generation quarryman who's spent his working life here,
0:35:21 > 0:35:25and his name gives a clue as to his long family history.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28So when did you actually start work in the quarry, then?
0:35:28 > 0:35:30- 1959.- How old were you then?- 15.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34- 15!- I was an apprentice quarryman for five years.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38But how did you go about knowing where to mine the best stone from?
0:35:38 > 0:35:41You're presented with the quarry, the face, if you like,
0:35:41 > 0:35:43and because of our experience,
0:35:43 > 0:35:47the joints we work by, the gully there has a big open gully...
0:35:47 > 0:35:51- So there's this vertical fissure... - Vertical fissure, yeah.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53- That's a joint.- That's a joint - well, the main joint.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56And all the other joints emanate from the gullies and then you
0:35:56 > 0:35:59sort of attack it the best way you can to earn the most out of it.
0:35:59 > 0:36:02But how much of that was done by hand and how much of it by machine?
0:36:02 > 0:36:06These days you'd just get a massive bit of equipment in, wouldn't you, presumably?
0:36:06 > 0:36:09- Every little bit was done by hand. - Wow.- Every little bit, yeah.
0:36:09 > 0:36:12I mean, having been a quarryman all your life, Ralph,
0:36:12 > 0:36:15when you go to London and you see some of the buildings both...
0:36:15 > 0:36:18..well, old and new that are adorned with Portland stone,
0:36:18 > 0:36:21it must sort of pique your pride a bit.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24It certainly does. To see something like St Paul's Cathedral,
0:36:24 > 0:36:27it's really special and I feel to myself, "Yeah, we made that."
0:36:27 > 0:36:32For me, Portland stone fits in character of buildings, yes, it does.
0:36:32 > 0:36:37In 1983, a year after the quarry work stopped,
0:36:37 > 0:36:40new life was breathed into the 44-acre site
0:36:40 > 0:36:43when it was turned into a sculpture park to preserve the memory
0:36:43 > 0:36:47of the quarry and showcase Portland stone.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49Artist Hannah Sofaer is the creative director
0:36:49 > 0:36:52of the Portland Sculpture Quarry And Trust,
0:36:52 > 0:36:54and continues to develop the park.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58She now also works in partnership with the Dorset Wildlife Trust.
0:36:58 > 0:37:01I'm meeting her by a carving called Still Falling
0:37:01 > 0:37:04by world-famous sculptor Antony Gormley,
0:37:04 > 0:37:06creator of the Angel Of The North.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09It depicts a figure falling through time.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12And why did he pick this particular rock face?
0:37:12 > 0:37:17Well, it's the best on the island, a section of geological time.
0:37:17 > 0:37:22You can just read it from the very top to the point where he's carved.
0:37:22 > 0:37:25And the section where he's carved his figure,
0:37:25 > 0:37:27how old is that particular bed?
0:37:27 > 0:37:31That's going back to 150 million years
0:37:31 > 0:37:35of whit bed, the good carving stone, and building stone.
0:37:35 > 0:37:37So that's where our Portland stone comes from,
0:37:37 > 0:37:41- that whit bed that's 150 million years old.- Yeah.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44This section has been left behind where the rest
0:37:44 > 0:37:47of the quarry has been quarried away and restacked,
0:37:47 > 0:37:51so this becomes an original land surface
0:37:51 > 0:37:55which hasn't been touched for millions of years.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58How many carvings are here now in the park itself?
0:37:58 > 0:38:02There are over 60 pieces of work that have been commissioned.
0:38:02 > 0:38:05Gormley was one of the first artists to be inspired
0:38:05 > 0:38:10by the scale and space of this amazing quarry.
0:38:10 > 0:38:13And you're still creating work here, presumably.
0:38:13 > 0:38:18We are, but very carefully because now it's a SSSI -
0:38:18 > 0:38:20it's a Site of Special Scientific Interest -
0:38:20 > 0:38:22and we've saved this quarry.
0:38:22 > 0:38:24The sculpture helped to save it.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28Hannah's going to give me a tour of the site and show me some more
0:38:28 > 0:38:32of the commissioned work that brought the quarry back to life.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34Well, Hannah, this is definitely an eye-catcher.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37What's that all about, that funny cone shape?
0:38:37 > 0:38:38It's called A Window.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41It's created light in the centre that keeps changing,
0:38:41 > 0:38:44it plays with the light in the quarry.
0:38:44 > 0:38:45It's really, really beautiful.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48So on a sunnier day than this, that would really sort of
0:38:48 > 0:38:52- come to life and get into its own space, I suppose.- Absolutely.
0:38:54 > 0:38:56There's a range of artwork here.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59Some of which takes inspiration from Dorset's prehistory.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04- So what have we got here, Hannah? - It's called The Fallen Fossil.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08It's a negative and a positive, like it's fallen out of the rock bed.
0:39:08 > 0:39:13And it really has that sort of primeval feel to it, doesn't it?
0:39:13 > 0:39:16It looks like a great big sort of squid, almost.
0:39:16 > 0:39:18It's a brilliant piece of work.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20It looks like it could literally fit back in again.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23The Memory Stones installation is another one
0:39:23 > 0:39:25that's just been created.
0:39:25 > 0:39:28It's really a stone circle which is actually in line
0:39:28 > 0:39:31with the solstice and the equinoxes
0:39:31 > 0:39:34and the way the Earth travels around the Sun.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38- It's been carefully, you know, mathematically, drawn up.- Amazing.
0:39:38 > 0:39:42So it's constantly changing, just as the rock around us
0:39:42 > 0:39:44has constantly changed over millions of years.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46Yes. It's very, very beautiful.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Very magical. This quarry is very, very special.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52It's so impressive to walk around this site
0:39:52 > 0:39:55and admire how its natural bedrock has been used
0:39:55 > 0:39:58for centuries in buildings all over Dorset and beyond.
0:40:02 > 0:40:06Well, property wise this week we've taken Alan and Gwenda on
0:40:06 > 0:40:09a magical history tour that started in the 21st century
0:40:09 > 0:40:11and ended in the mid-18th
0:40:11 > 0:40:14at our wonderful mystery house, but have we done enough
0:40:14 > 0:40:18to persuade them to swap a life down under for a slice of Dorset?
0:40:18 > 0:40:20Well, let's go and ask them.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29We've given you three, I think, quite interesting properties
0:40:29 > 0:40:31here in Dorset to consider
0:40:31 > 0:40:34that might encourage you to finally make the move.
0:40:34 > 0:40:35Have we managed it?
0:40:35 > 0:40:38You've certainly given us a lot to think about
0:40:38 > 0:40:39in these beautiful properties.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42So, Alan, if you had to choose between the three,
0:40:42 > 0:40:44which one would be your favourite?
0:40:44 > 0:40:45Ah, definitely the mystery house.
0:40:45 > 0:40:48- I mean, by a country mile. - By a country mile?
0:40:48 > 0:40:52- By a country mile.- And we travelled some of those!- True.
0:40:52 > 0:40:56- So, for you, Gwenda, is that the same?- It is, yes. Yes.
0:40:56 > 0:41:00It's almost ticked all the boxes that we're looking for, so...
0:41:00 > 0:41:04You say we've ALMOST ticked all of those boxes. What's missing, then?
0:41:04 > 0:41:07One of our prerequisites was car accommodation
0:41:07 > 0:41:12because we need that, so I'd like to follow up with the agent
0:41:12 > 0:41:14and see if we can...
0:41:14 > 0:41:16There's room in the back to be able to put a car in,
0:41:16 > 0:41:19but can you actually go through the fence?
0:41:19 > 0:41:22We've got to be able to lock it up, know it's secure, whereas
0:41:22 > 0:41:25you can't leave a car sitting out in the street for six months.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27Yeah. No, fair enough.
0:41:27 > 0:41:29So you're going to go back and talk to the agent,
0:41:29 > 0:41:30find out a little more, Alan.
0:41:30 > 0:41:34But if you are reassured by the answers
0:41:34 > 0:41:36he gives you to the questions you pose,
0:41:36 > 0:41:40you might delay your flights and stick around a little longer?
0:41:40 > 0:41:43I'll open negotiations now and commence talking
0:41:43 > 0:41:46and we'll see where it goes from there.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50So, guys, very best of luck. Let us know how you get on.
0:41:50 > 0:41:51It's been a real pleasure.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Thank you, we've really enjoyed the time spent with you here,
0:41:54 > 0:41:57and thanks very much for the time you've put in.
0:41:57 > 0:41:58- Oh!- Thank you.- Pleasure.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07Now, when most people escape to the country,
0:42:07 > 0:42:09it usually means a car journey of a few hours
0:42:09 > 0:42:12followed by a truck full of their belongings,
0:42:12 > 0:42:15but for Alan and Gwenda, well, their escape to the country
0:42:15 > 0:42:19is going to mean a journey of some 10,000 miles
0:42:19 > 0:42:22from the other side of the world and the rather exotic surroundings
0:42:22 > 0:42:28of Australia's Sunshine Coast to this - Dorset's Jurassic Coast.
0:42:28 > 0:42:32Now, as we said, they'll be flying back in just a few days' time.
0:42:32 > 0:42:34Let's just hope they've bought a return!
0:42:34 > 0:42:36I'll see you next time.
0:42:39 > 0:42:42Gwenda and Allen did make an offer on the mystery house,
0:42:42 > 0:42:44which was unfortunately not accepted,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47so their Dorset property search continues
0:42:47 > 0:42:49and we wish them the very best of luck.
0:42:49 > 0:42:53If you would like to escape to the country in England,
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales,
0:42:55 > 0:42:57and need our help, you can apply online.