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Escape To The Country - Season 26 Episode 26
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00:01On Escape to the Country, we like to offer house hunters more than they expect.
00:06There is so much.
00:07If that wasn't enough, you'd get half an acre of woodland.
00:10Oh, wow.
00:12Certain traditional features can trigger surprising comparisons.
00:16Looks like a pizza room, doesn't it?
00:18It does, doesn't it?
00:19Yeah.
00:20If you like a room, be careful.
00:22Someone else doesn't try and claim it.
00:24Oh, it's a man cave.
00:25You could have half, half, half or split it.
00:28And when house hunters get really excited, even I can't get a word in.
00:32Do you know what?
00:33I love it when we turn up to a property and I don't get to say anything at all.
00:36It sounds like a dream at all.
00:58If you were to draw up a checklist of what elements make the perfect countryside setting, it would probably resemble South Devon's CV.
01:08Stunning turquoise seas, sprawling verdant countryside, warm summers and it even throws in cream teas.
01:19With Devon, you get two separate coastlines, two national parks, two World Heritage sites and five national landscapes.
01:29Mass has never been my strong point, so when I add that up, I get one.
01:33One amazing county.
01:35Located in the far southwest of England, Devon offers relaxing countryside, exciting outdoor pursuits and pretty scenery.
01:45There's a lot of greenery, open space, trees.
01:49You know, you're never far from somewhere to walk.
01:52You're never far from the beach.
01:54Exmouth Beach is very nice.
01:56Turkey is nice as well.
01:57But I love the Exmouth because it has a nice sandy beach so you can chill out in there, go swimming if it's good weather.
02:04The county is well known for sharing the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site, spanning over 180 million years of geological history.
02:15And, comparatively recently, the village of Sidbury is one of its earliest settlements.
02:23It's ideal for walks. We've got Killerton National Trust property just down the road.
02:28We've got the Black Down Hills, outstanding natural beauty area. I recommend you come and live here.
02:35We can't have everybody, of course. That would spoil it.
02:38I'm sure they can squeeze in our house hunters, but the rest of you keep out. Got it?
02:44Today's couple are a pair of empty nesters. The kids have moved out and Mum and Dad have decided it's their moment to escape to the country.
02:56Bill and Carol have lived in their Bolton home for almost 28 years, but are hoping to find more sunshine in Devon.
03:03Today's sunny in Bolton, so it's fantastic, but unfortunately it's not always like this. So I think, hopefully, with a bit better weather might be nice too.
03:12A bit warmer in Devon.
03:15The green-fingered wildlife fanatics are keen to develop their interest in sustainability.
03:22So one of the things we'd like to do is to live a bit more lightly on the Earth, and I think that's about maybe having heat pumps, maybe having solar panels.
03:34Bill has just retired, and Carol has been a counsellor for 30 years, a career she plans to continue.
03:41I have a really nice counselling therapy room at my current home, and we're hoping to replicate that when we get to Devon.
03:48So one of the things we're looking forward to is discovering new opportunities when we move.
03:54We don't want to slow down, we want to enjoy maybe new communities, new activities.
03:59And they already do quite a few, including up-cycling boxes.
04:04Well, this is called Rapusee work, you kind of get sheets of copper, and then you hammer it to make these pretty dragons, or pretty patterns on them, and then I glue them on the boxes.
04:15They also go dancing three times a week.
04:27Well, it's a ten from me.
04:29For their maximum budget of £650,000, Bill and Carol would like a pretty property, with at least three bedrooms for their daughter's visits, a counselling room for Carol, and space for their hobbies.
04:44They want a big garden to grow veg and attract wildlife, and renewable energy sources like solar panels or heat pumps would be a bonus.
04:58Carol and Bill say they are not slowing down. This is about new adventures, and they're certainly going to find some of them here in Devon.
05:07And they want to live in a more environmentally friendly way too, as they put it, living lighter on the planet.
05:14And that is something we can all get behind.
05:16I'm meeting Bill and Carol on a gorgeous hillside, where there's not a cloud in the sky.
05:23Maybe they're right about this Devonshire weather.
05:26Bill, Carol, lovely to see you both.
05:28And we have got a beautiful day here in Devon, haven't we?
05:31Yeah, it's gorgeous today. It's just beautiful.
05:34Fantastic to be here.
05:36So what is it that's drawing you to this area of the country?
05:40What is it about Devon?
05:41I think over the years we've spent quite a lot of time in Devon on holidays with our two girls.
05:47And it's always been one of those kind of, oh, doesn't that look pretty? Isn't it gorgeous?
05:51Nice little villages, beautiful seaside.
05:54Devon has got absolutely everything.
05:56So we kind of thought this was a bit of a dream to follow.
05:59And the green rolling hills, it's gorgeous down here, lots of fantastic community.
06:03There's so much to do.
06:04Beautiful.
06:06And it's fair to say you're quite outdoorsy people, aren't you?
06:09Whether that's in the back garden, walks, the dog, of course, as well.
06:13Yeah, of course, yeah.
06:14We've got to take...
06:15For shame Polly can't be here.
06:16Yeah, but yeah, we've got to accommodate the dog as well.
06:19So lots of walks, lots of nice places to go out and spend time with her.
06:24So I think that's, it's just one of those.
06:26It's that whole lifestyle change is what we're looking for, really.
06:29And you have got a family. How do they feel about the move?
06:32They're both very excited about it.
06:34And I think that they would really look forward to having that kind of, you know, free holiday in the country.
06:39That's their thing.
06:40So I think that they will enjoy it.
06:42And I think they're both down south, so that would make it a bit more convenient too.
06:46Well, let's see if we can find you a property that suits your needs.
06:50That would be perfect. Thank you.
06:51Let's have a look. Let's see what Devon's got us.
06:53Indeed.
06:57Our first property is in the village of Moncton, to the east of the county.
07:04It's less than two miles from the market town of Honiton,
07:07which became well known for its lace making during the Elizabethan era.
07:12The town is full of independent shops, offering modern essentials as well as pubs.
07:17And less than a 40-minute stroll away is the house we've come to see.
07:24So here we are.
07:25Yeah.
07:26What do you think of that?
07:27I think it's absolutely stunning.
07:28Oh, it's fabulous.
07:29That's beautiful.
07:30That's absolutely gorgeous.
07:32It's got a greenhouse as well.
07:33Oh, and a stream.
07:34Oh, wow.
07:37What do you think?
07:39First impressions?
07:40I'm dying to see inside, but it looks brilliant from the outside.
07:42Beautiful.
07:43I like the stone.
07:44It's gorgeous.
07:45It's got solar panels as well.
07:46I think it's just got about everything we asked for, I think, outside.
07:49Yeah, absolutely.
07:50Not the trees?
07:51Yeah, it's beautiful.
07:52Do you know what?
07:53I love it when we turn up to a property and I don't get to say anything at all.
07:56It shows how much you're in talking at all.
07:58No, I love it.
07:59I really do.
08:00So this was a barn that belonged to the bigger farm.
08:04Okay.
08:05It sits in about three quarters of an acre.
08:07Oh, lovely.
08:08And you can see where you've got areas of the garden that are quite kept.
08:11Yeah.
08:12And other bits that are left to the wildlife, which sounds very similar.
08:16Ideal.
08:17To a lady I know.
08:18It's ideal.
08:19It's just what I'm looking for.
08:20Shall we go and have a look inside?
08:21Let's do that.
08:22Perfect.
08:23Yeah, let's do that.
08:24This property offers modern elements like the 16 solar panels, which provide the owners
08:30with free electricity and also generates around £1200 a year from exporting their excess back
08:37to the grid.
08:38When the barn was converted around 20 years ago, it retained many of its period features,
08:43evident as we enter through the dining room.
08:50What do you think of this, eh?
08:51It's gorgeous.
08:52So, I love the exposed stonework.
08:54That's fantastic.
08:55So, through into the kitchen.
08:57Oh, goodness.
08:58The kitchen.
08:59This is beautiful.
09:01Oh, I love it.
09:02I like the colours about it.
09:04I like all the natural wood.
09:06I like the ceiling height.
09:08It's beautiful.
09:09What do you think?
09:10I think it's a really good size.
09:11I think you can almost use this as an island as well as a table.
09:14So, that kind of gives you that kind of extra usage, doesn't it?
09:17Yeah.
09:18Views onto your garden behind.
09:19Mmm.
09:20Yeah, it's lovely.
09:21These are these walls.
09:22Yeah, it's beautiful, isn't it?
09:23You know?
09:24Yeah, yeah.
09:25It'll keep you, you know, warm in the winter and cold in the summer, won't it?
09:27Yeah.
09:28Beyond the kitchen is the sitting room.
09:30Oh, goodness.
09:31Oh, this is lovely.
09:32More beams in this room.
09:34More beams in this room.
09:35It is so cosy.
09:36The fireplace is brilliant.
09:37Yeah.
09:38I like the chimney breasts as well.
09:39That's really nice, too.
09:40Looks like a peat's rubber, doesn't it?
09:41Yeah.
09:42It is.
09:43It's like a peat's rubber.
09:44Yeah.
09:45That's a good thing.
09:46Yeah.
09:47That's where they've got your ideas from.
09:48Yeah.
09:49Absolutely.
09:50Copying our barn conversions is what gave Italy what it's got these days.
09:53Yeah, exactly.
09:54Exactly.
09:55Well, it's a good size, isn't it?
09:56It is.
09:57It's a nice size.
09:58We've got our furniture in here.
09:59It's really lovely.
10:00And it's nice that the wood continues throughout the house, isn't it?
10:02Yeah.
10:03It's like there's a good kind of continuity from room to room to room.
10:06Yeah.
10:07It's very considered, isn't it?
10:08Yeah, I like that.
10:09Yeah, it's lovely.
10:10They've done a really good job.
10:11Also on the ground floor is a utility room and a handy shower.
10:15Meanwhile, upstairs, there are three bedrooms with the largest and ensuite.
10:22Oh, wow.
10:23Oh, goodness.
10:24That's nice, isn't it?
10:25Look at that high ceiling.
10:26That's beautiful.
10:27It's beautiful.
10:28Yeah, it's great.
10:29Oh, and sweet, do you think?
10:30Excellent.
10:31Oh.
10:32Mmm.
10:33It's a good size too.
10:34And I like the view entrance of the window.
10:35That's beautiful.
10:36The trees is gorgeous.
10:37Yeah.
10:38Oh.
10:39This one's set up as a study, isn't it?
10:40Study, yeah.
10:41Now the rooms seem to have really lovely views.
10:42Of course it's views.
10:43Wherever you go in the house is great views.
10:44I might not have a good view.
10:45It's beautiful.
10:48So that could be Carol's counselling room.
10:50And if Bill's hobbies get relegated to the garage, I don't think he'll mind.
10:56Oh, look at this.
10:57Oh, it's a man cave.
10:58It's a Bill cave.
10:59Fabulous.
11:00It's huge.
11:01Well, it's fantastic, isn't it?
11:03Yeah.
11:04Loads of crafting space.
11:05Yeah.
11:06Storage space.
11:07Mmm.
11:08Might be a bit of a extend the house space as well.
11:11Oh, no.
11:12Might be another nice, nice room.
11:14In half of this.
11:15You could have half, I'll have half, we'll split it.
11:19Stick to your guns, Bill.
11:21Carol will be busy in the garden anyway, because this one has it all.
11:25Raised beds, a fruit cage, a greenhouse, and then a summer house to relax in and watch
11:34the wildlife by the stream.
11:37You like it?
11:38I do.
11:39I think it's beautiful.
11:40It's exactly the right size of plot that we're looking for.
11:43I think the maturity is fantastic.
11:45It's filled with beautiful plants and the trees are stunning.
11:49Obviously, it comes at a price.
11:50Oh, indeed.
11:51What do you think this place is on the market for?
11:53Oh, gosh.
11:54I think it's on the market for £625,000.
12:02Okay.
12:03All right.
12:04I thought you might be a little bit optimistic.
12:06Okay.
12:07I might go for £640,000.
12:10Oh, okay.
12:11Yeah, £640,000.
12:13Right.
12:14It's on at your budget.
12:15Oh, okay.
12:16£650,000.
12:17Oh, okay.
12:18Yeah, you can see the kind of the spec.
12:20It's beautifully done.
12:21It's really lovely.
12:22It's really beautifully done.
12:23Yeah.
12:24The owners have done a great job on it.
12:25Yeah.
12:26This barn conversion is finished to a high standard and offers the required free bedrooms,
12:31plus craft space in the garage.
12:34The garden is ideal for growing produce, and there are solar panels to help give the property
12:40a higher EPC rating of B, all for £650,000.
12:46I love the standard of all the interior decoration.
12:50I think all the room sizes are really good.
12:52The garage is a really great size.
12:54Lots of great opportunities for crafting in the garage.
12:57So that'd be a really great thing to use it a bit more in that way.
13:01I think the gardens and the land are fabulous.
13:04The real bones of a beautiful garden that we could build on, which is fantastic.
13:09I love the stream.
13:10That's absolutely beautiful and attracts wildlife, which is exactly what we're looking for.
13:14To discover more about life in Devon, we're sending Bill and Carol slap bang to the middle of it, to the historic market town of Clumpton.
13:34I like all these trees. They're beautiful.
13:38They're fantastic, aren't they?
13:40It once had a prosperous wool and paper trade, and its monthly farmer's market is the oldest of its kind in the southwest.
13:47Oh, wow.
13:48Heritage Trail. OK.
13:51Got something. St Andrew's Church.
13:54The church dates back to the 15th century, but going back much further, two Roman forts were discovered, along with pottery dating from around 50 AD.
14:05Today, the town is thriving, partly due to its location just off the M5.
14:11We've got great transport routes into Bristol and Plymouth, and you can be in London in two hours.
14:18It's easier to get to North Coast, South Coast. You get to Exeter, to Taunton. It's really accessible to most places.
14:25And it's a lovely community. There's lots of activities that are going on.
14:29There's lots of opportunities in Clumpton with craft groups and things, and there's amateur dramatic groups locally.
14:35There's lots of things that you can get involved in if you want to.
14:38It's full of specialist retailers for whatever floats your boat.
14:42You might get nice beers in there. Fantastic.
14:46I don't think so.
14:49And on the outskirts of the town is Fordmore Farm Shop, a family-run business that shares Bill and Carol's passion for sustainability.
14:58Dom Tuckett is the shop manager.
15:07How long has the farm shop been here, Dom?
15:09So, the farm shop opened five and a half years ago. We rear, well, we breed and rear all our own meat.
15:15The farm itself has recently planted 10,000 trees, installed a lot of solar panels, so that the aim for the farm, within five years, it should be carbon neutral.
15:24The main aim, when we opened the shop, was to be able to offer all the local produce.
15:29We have some great local suppliers, all within, like, 12 miles of the shop.
15:33And we're kind of really thinking about moving down to Devon and setting up our house here.
15:38So, have you got any advice that you'd give us?
15:41For me, personally, I like the fact that the lifestyle's really relaxed, but there's also enough going on that you can soon fill your time with different activities and hobbies, depending on what you're looking to do.
15:52Take your time. There never seems to be much urgency or rush around here. So, yeah, it's just, yeah, nice and relaxed, which is what everyone wants, I think.
16:02That sounds lovely, but if I don't get Bill and Carol back on the house hunt, they'll never get moved down here. Sorry about that.
16:17For our next property, we're heading to the village of Branscombe, on the south coast.
16:22There's a dog-friendly beach appreciated by locals for its natural beauty and peacefulness.
16:28The village hall offers cricket, tennis, snooker and other activities, while Bill's interest in metalwork could reach a whole new level after visiting the local forge.
16:39And there's a choice of pub serving food with outdoor seating to soak up the glorious sunshine.
16:49Only half a mile from the local is our second property.
16:58So, here we are then, something a little bit different from what I showed you this morning, eh?
17:03Mmm, definitely, completely different, that. It's beautiful. I like the wisteria outside, that's gorgeous.
17:08Yeah? Yeah, lovely. Carol's favourite plant, so you're doing good.
17:11Yeah, yeah. It looks like quite a big property. I notice it's got solar panels, which is brilliant.
17:16So, yeah, it looks really interesting, can't wait to get inside.
17:19With those solar panels, current owners tell me that they bring them about £2,000 a year.
17:24Gosh, that's fantastic. That's something, isn't it? Yeah, that's a nice income, yeah, of course.
17:28In terms of location, the beach is just a half-hour walk across the fields and footpaths there as well.
17:34Fantastic, great place to be. Probably will love that. Yeah.
17:37Well, let's hope you two love it too, so you have it inside.
17:39Oh, indeed. Let's go. Absolutely, yeah, let's go.
17:41You're going to go up the steps here, and I'm going to go around the back way.
17:44Okay. And I'll see you in the front room.
17:46Fantastic. See you shortly. Thank you.
17:48This detached property was built in the early 70s, and features like the solar panels give it a B energy performance rating.
18:00You found your way in then? Yeah, we did. We did find our way in.
18:03Yeah, you were too tricky.
18:04Yeah, yeah, more exposed stone, that's brilliant, lovely. Yeah, windows both sides. Yeah.
18:10Two aspects, it's beautiful. I think it'd be a good size. Yeah, well, I agree.
18:13You can see yourself sitting here in front of the, you know, taking the glass of wine, can't we?
18:18Yeah. Yeah, it's beautiful. Nice.
18:19And of course, we've got a pooch laying on the carpet.
18:22Absolutely. Very important, very important. Yeah, of course.
18:26Yeah, indeed. Yeah, fantastic.
18:28How about I'll lead you through to the kitchen? Absolutely.
18:31Okay, come on, come with me. Absolutely.
18:36The hallway leads to a dining room. On the opposite side, a study for Carol's counselling room. Then beyond them is the kitchen.
18:45Oh, gosh. Oh, wow. This is quite a good space as well, isn't it? Room for a dining table.
18:51I love the double doors onto the patio. That's fantastic. Oh, we need a dog flab in that door, obviously.
18:56Yeah. Oh, easy done. Yes. Easy done. That's not a big deal, is it?
19:01I think it's probably not to our taste decor, but that's just decoration, isn't it?
19:07Yeah. So you just change that to fit what you want.
19:09It's not about finding the perfect thing straight away. It's about seeing the potential in something, isn't it?
19:14Yeah. The possibilities, but yeah, absolutely.
19:18Upstairs, there's a box room and two spacious doubles.
19:21That's a nice size too, isn't it? It's all right. And it's very bright. That's a really big window.
19:26Yeah, it's a great window, isn't it? The view is to die for.
19:29Love all the little bird feeders.
19:31Yeah, it's beautiful, isn't it?
19:33Built-in wardrobes. Is it en suite?
19:36Oh, it is en suite. Very nice.
19:38Even better, isn't it? I think it'd be great.
19:40There's another double garage that Bill could use for crafting, but it's the garden that really shines.
19:49With space to grow veg and bursting with flowers, it's a haven for wildlife.
19:55All right, how was your wander round?
19:57It was fantastic, yeah. It's a great place, isn't it?
19:59Really interesting. It's in a gorgeous spot. It just couldn't be more stunning, could it?
20:04The gardens are to die for. There's so much work in these gardens. It's just lovely.
20:08I mean, it looks like quite a small garden initially, but there is so much.
20:13If that wasn't enough, you'd get half an acre of woodland.
20:17Oh, wow.
20:18That comes with the property as well. Wow, that's nice.
20:20So the woodlands here, the current owners explained to me, they've actually got a lot of camera traps and set up in there.
20:27Oh, fantastic.
20:28And then they entertain the children with it and all that kind of thing, bringing nature into the house, so to speak.
20:34Fabulous.
20:35Badgers, foxes, deer. In fact, one of the deer had their baby fawn on the grass just here, and they all watched it.
20:45Yeah, you got me. You got me.
20:48And of course, with your garden pond as well.
20:50Indeed.
20:51We've just brought everything to the house. You really have got wildlife on your doorstep here.
20:56Absolutely. You're living in it, aren't you? Yeah.
20:58It's absolutely lovely. It's perfect. Yeah.
21:00It's absolutely lovely, yeah.
21:01So what do you think this property might be on the market for then?
21:04Well, isn't it your turn to go first?
21:06I think it might be.
21:08In my head, I'm going for six, four or five.
21:12I think it might be £630,000.
21:19Right, you'll be pleased to know for two reasons. You are the closest.
21:22OK, good.
21:23But it's actually in the market for £625,000.
21:27Oh, that's interesting. That's really interesting.
21:29I mean, you both guessed higher, so does it sound like a fair price, a good price?
21:33Ah, it sounds like a great price, yeah.
21:35Yeah.
21:36This detached cottage is priced at £625,000.
21:40It would give them a potential four bedrooms, plus the double garage for crafting,
21:45and it's an energy-efficient wildlife utopia.
21:49I think the land is fabulous, the forest is wonderful.
21:53So I think there's lots about house number two I really like.
21:56I really enjoyed some of the downstairs rooms, the sitting room, the dining room.
22:02I love the fact that you're so close to the beach, we can walk the dog down there.
22:06It'd be a great place to be.
22:08All right, you two?
22:09Yeah.
22:10Fantastic, thank you, yeah.
22:11Well, we're seeing plenty of countryside today.
22:13How about we finish the day off at the beach?
22:15Good idea.
22:16Sounds like a great plan.
22:17Excellent.
22:18South Bevan boasts over 120 miles of enticing coast catering for all tastes.
22:30Whether you want sandy beaches, water sports, or hidden gems like Branscombe Beach,
22:36which is where we're heading to reflect on a busy day's house hunting.
22:40Well, I don't know about you, but it's been a day, hasn't it?
22:45How are you both feeling?
22:46Fantastic.
22:47It's been a really good day.
22:48Very tiring, you know, but we've seen a lot, we've done a lot, we've seen some beautiful places.
22:53So, yeah, it's been really encouraging, really.
22:56Yeah, I love that word, it's been an encouraging day.
22:59Yeah, it has.
23:00How have you felt it, Phil?
23:01I've loved exploring Devon.
23:03It's been so exciting to see all, you know, the different properties, but also the different locations.
23:08You know, being here in Branscombe really feels like, you know, it's a place you want to be.
23:12Absolutely.
23:13It just adds another layer to what you already know as a fantastic county, doesn't it?
23:17Absolutely, yeah.
23:18I mean, you have to know this is here to be able to find it, really.
23:21Yeah.
23:22It's just beautiful.
23:23So, it's kind of, it's just stunning.
23:25You can't beat scenery like this and the sea, it's gorgeous.
23:29And you've had a chance to interact with people from the area.
23:32How has that gone for you?
23:33It's really clear that people are so proud to be here.
23:36And one of the main things they say is that it's such a laid back, relaxed place to live.
23:41It's such a lovely place to live.
23:43And I think that would suit us really well.
23:45This has been a long time in the planning for you, hasn't it?
23:47It might not have been at the forefront of your mind for 20 years, but it's been in your mind for 20 years.
23:53It has.
23:54And I think that us being here has just made this so much more real, such more, you know,
24:00it's really brought it into focus for us.
24:02Yeah.
24:03So, it's fantastic.
24:04Oh, I'm so pleased.
24:05And of course, we're not over yet.
24:06No.
24:07We've got more properties to see, more people to meet.
24:09Get a good night's sleep, shall we, and crack on again tomorrow.
24:11Brilliant, yeah.
24:12Sounds a good idea.
24:13With two stunning coastlines to choose from, it's no surprise that house prices in Devon are higher than the average across the UK.
24:34Detached homes in the county will set you back around £485,000, compared to the UK figure of £438,000.
24:44But, if you want to be on the south coast, then regions like South Ham's, that includes highly desirable Salcombe,
24:52would add almost another £100,000 to that Devon figure.
24:56There are affordable options to be found, such as this delightful semi-detached Grade II listed cottage within four miles of a sandy beach.
25:07It has two reception rooms, plus two double bedrooms, and is available for offers over £280,000.
25:15At £600,000, this attractive thatched cottage is a mile from the sea, as the crow flies,
25:23and situated in an elevated position.
25:27It comes with three reception rooms, and three bedrooms.
25:36Or, slightly further inland, in a small village, this converted farm building has a spacious lounge,
25:42plus an open-plan kitchen diner, and an impressive four bedrooms.
25:47It's available for £1,650 a month.
25:51But the owners stipulate the renters must have links to the farming industry, to support local employment.
26:00So, it's a new day, and I've got a cool cut of a mystery house up my sleeve.
26:04So far this week, Devon has really delivered. Let's see if it can do it again.
26:09Our mystery house is situated in the village of Venn Ottery.
26:15But before we go there, we're heading back to the seaside, around five miles away in Sidmouth.
26:21Its striking red cliffs were formed in desert conditions around 200 million years ago, and they've lost none of their vibrancy.
26:30The town is popular with tourists, and there are several large hotels, plus souvenir shops, as well as everyday items,
26:39with shops that include this 200-year-old department store.
26:43The town's beach is known as the gateway to the Jurassic Coast.
26:49It's a great spot for a natter, and, if I'm lucky, an ice cream.
26:53Well, good morning, both of you. How did you sleep?
26:56Oh, fantastic.
26:57Really well, thank you.
26:58Fantastic.
26:59I bet your minds were going, though, weren't they?
27:01Oh, so much to think about.
27:03Yeah.
27:04Well, this morning I wanted to start by bringing you down to the beach.
27:07Are you any strangers to Sidmouth at all?
27:09No, we've been down to Sidmouth. We came down with the girls.
27:12We were camping in a field when it was raining.
27:14But we did see a lovely firework display over the sea, which was fantastic, seeing them all reflected, and it was just gorgeous.
27:21Oh, I can only imagine.
27:23But did you know that here in Sidmouth is actually home to the largest folk festival in the country?
27:29It also has a jazz festival and, believe it or not, a walk-in festival.
27:33A walk-in festival.
27:35Wow.
27:36Ideal for us.
27:37That sounds great.
27:38I don't know if it starts here and ends somewhere else, you know, a walk-in festival.
27:42Take what you want from that.
27:44But Sidmouth is a real hub along this coastline of entertainment activities,
27:50things to do and places to see.
27:53Fantastic.
27:54Yeah, that sounds great.
27:55Do you know what?
27:56Why don't you make yourselves comfortable here?
27:58Get to know the coastline.
27:59Grab a coffee.
28:00I've got a mystery house to sort out for you.
28:02Fantastic.
28:03I'll see you shortly.
28:04We'll see you later.
28:05See you later.
28:06Bye.
28:07While they stroll along the prom prom prom . I'm off to find the 99 and drive the 15 minutes
28:15to the Mystery House.
28:17This stunning Mystery House is around 500 years old and it's beautiful courtyard leads us
28:23to a property full of surprises.
28:25of surprises. And this is what I'm talking about. Beautiful vaulted ceilings, loads of
28:34character, yet a modern finish. And that's just the kitchen. The home is attached to
28:41the farmhouse, creating a horseshoe configuration, with another surprise out the back, but more
28:47of that later. Oh, wow. Goodness. Hello, you two. Hello. This looks fantastic. It's beautiful.
28:58It's a bit of a wow, isn't it? It's gorgeous. Have you ever thought about having your own
29:02courtyard? Absolutely. Yeah, that's it. I'm not surprised you get this till last. It's
29:09beautiful. Something a little bit different. It is the mystery house. Lots of character.
29:13It's absolutely stunning. Yeah, absolutely. It looks really well done. I just can't wait
29:17to get inside, really. Yeah, I'm really, really excited. This is around 500 years old. It
29:24started off as a barn. Gosh, yes. And you'll see some of that when we get in. I don't mean
29:28there's cows walking around. Okay, yeah. But you'll get the feel of some of that when we're
29:32in there. Yeah. I think you're going to be amazingly impressed at just how modern a 500-year-old
29:39barn can look. What a twist. Fantastic. Shall we have a look? Yeah, brilliant. Thank you.
29:43This barn was converted in the 1970s and is Grade II listed. And while it doesn't have
29:51solar panels, they can be added to listed buildings with the right permissions.
29:56Oh, this is fantastic. Look at the height of these ceilings. Come in. Oh, kitchen.
30:02Yeah, gosh. That's why I always say, come in. Come in. See more. Absolutely. Yes.
30:07This is a great room, isn't it? I really, I like the kitchen. It's got a big island, you
30:11know, dining table. That's a really nice, usable family room, isn't it? Yeah, it's beautiful.
30:17Yeah, nice and sunny and light, isn't it? Yeah, I like the roof lights. Hey, it's amazing
30:20what a lick of paint can do to a 500-year-old barn, isn't it? Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely.
30:27And the wooden floors are just spectacular. I can't help, I get excited sometimes. Particularly
30:34when I feel like we're all on the same page with things, because those doors open, you
30:38can entertain from the kitchen people outside, entertaining this space here. It feels really
30:44homely and kind of very, although it's spacious, it feels kind of quite snug and kind of welcoming.
30:50It's a lovely house. It's delightful. Well, let's see what you think about the next space
30:55I want to show you. Come with me. Will do. Oh, goodness, this is nice. Very snug.
31:03I love the fireplace. I love the lintel, the wooden lintel there. That is fantastic. Yeah.
31:08And somewhere to, you know, keep warm in the winter with the fires, that's even better,
31:11really. Yeah, it's beautiful. Nice big window as well. There's plenty more that this property
31:16boasts from the inside, and I'll meet you in the garden to tell you what else it boasts,
31:21surely. Next to the sitting room is the first of three bedrooms set up as an office, and
31:28beyond that is a family bathroom. Also on the ground floor, but a few steps down, is the
31:34main bedroom. Oh, wow. This is nice, isn't it? What a lovely size room. This is brilliant.
31:40I like all the wooden doors. You know, there's not much that I'd change, really.
31:44And what's behind the door? No idea. Have a look. Ooh. That's nice. It's really big.
31:52Is it? Yeah. Where would you put my clothes? Yeah. A really big walking wardrobe. That's
31:56fabulous. Have a look. Shower, room. Yeah, en suite. Yeah, brilliant. I love the beam as well.
32:04Above that is a matching bedroom with the same facilities as well as access to the loft. But
32:10what about room for Bill's crafts? Well, this mystery house has a special bonus. This is what
32:17I wanted to show you. Why don't you just poke your nose inside there? Have a wander up and down
32:21and tell me what you think. Yeah, I will do. I will do. Oh, goodness. Oh, gosh. This is fabulous.
32:29Wow. I didn't expect this. That's amazing. This is a surprise, isn't it? Yeah, it's fabulous,
32:33this. Could do counselling in here. Could do counselling. You could do craft. Yeah. Yeah.
32:38Yeah. Yeah, we could fight for it. We could do all kinds of things in here. Yeah, we could.
32:44I don't believe it. She's stealing Bill's room again. The annex also has a shower room and utility.
32:51One space I know they'll agree on is the garden, which has gorgeous views of the church and village
32:57green and everything Carol needs to grow fruit and veg. And welcome to the back garden. Indeed.
33:06This is amazing, this isn't it? What a surprise. Yeah. They must have known you're coming. It's a
33:10brand new greenhouse. Yes. You've got a fruit cage as well. I think you've really hit the nail on the
33:16head. It's got everything. You can hear the birds. It's beautiful. It's quiet, but it's not isolated.
33:22It's got the garden. It's got the space at the side of the house that you can access. So I think
33:28it's got absolutely everything. But of course it all comes at a cost. What do you think this property
33:32is on the market for? I think it's probably £645,000. Okay. I would probably go for £655,000.
33:45Have you been reading my paperwork? It's on the market for £665,000. Right. Okay.
33:52But the owners have said they're more than willing to talk to you. Okay. Regarding that price.
33:58Interesting. Yeah. So a little over budget at £665,000, but with room for discussion.
34:06This 500-year-old attached barn conversion delivers the required three bedrooms in the main house,
34:12plus a potential fourth in the annex. They like the high quality interior rooms,
34:17and the garden is well stocked for growing produce. I think the mystery house is gorgeous. I think it
34:24offers everything that we wanted. I think it is so beautifully done, and it's so light and airy.
34:31For such an old building, I think it's absolutely stunning. I love its setting. I love the building. I
34:37like the fact it's listed even. I love the fact it's near the village green. So it's got so much going for it.
34:43We love helping people on Escape to the Country. We also like hearing from and meeting people who have
35:02been there and bought the t-shirt. Like Martin, who made his escape all the way from the Big Apple.
35:08Having spent 30 years working for luxury fashion brands, Martin yearned for rural life.
35:16He was raised in the West Country and inspired by a certain daytime property show,
35:21he decided to set up home here in Devon's Ken Valley, a far cry from city life in New York.
35:29We're just surrounded by such beautiful countryside here. So many walks where I can take Bertie,
35:35which go around in a circle with such beautiful views. Five years ago, he turned his back on the catwalk
35:44and set about renovating the traditional pub he'd invested in with his sister. Now the modern,
35:51sophisticated interiors owe much to the timeless attractions of the countryside.
35:56So actually, all along this hedgerow here is quite an inspiration for a lot of the textiles. You can
36:07already see some of the foxgloves starting to come up. This whole hedge is full of really vivid pink
36:14foxgloves. What a fantastic job Martin's done transforming this pub and it's given me the opportunity
36:21to see it in person. Hey Martin, lovely to see you. Hi Steve, welcome and you. What a lovely place you
36:30have here. Thank you very much. It's not always been like this since 1290 but come on in.
36:39The pub boasts seven individually styled suites with wallpaper, bed furnishings and throws designed by
36:46Martin himself. Well, this place is something special Martin. What drew you back to the UK and
36:57decided to do this? I started changing, which I think is a natural evolution and I'm drawn more and
37:04more to the countryside. Originally I was from the South West. I came back and I started still working
37:10in fashion a bit but then I couldn't resist to start decorating and this is where it all started.
37:16And the little birdie tells me that maybe you was watching a little bit of escape to the country when
37:21your head was turned, so to speak. Absolutely, so I knew my mind was changing, my mindset was changing,
37:29loved cities, you know, worked really hard to live in London and New York and travel the world actually,
37:35which fashion allows you to do. But then I would actually find myself watching Escape to the Country
37:41and, you know, looking at all these idyllic kind of like situations and villages and everything
37:46and I guess it manifested and as it does if you visualise things and it's become true now.
37:53So tell me a little bit about the the history of the pub and what you've done to it since you've
37:57started putting your mark on here. So the history of the pub is really amazing. It was built in 1290.
38:04There's a little interesting fact that most churches have a pub next to it or an inn because
38:09they needed somewhere for the workers. Because churches, you know, used to take about 100 years
38:13to build back in the day. Design wise, I think you've always got to look back to look forward. So I wanted
38:18to respect the past and look at a lot of the details that we have. But you also want to look modernised,
38:23so that's where I think the design comes in. Really knowing how to balance fabrics together, textures,
38:29colours, lighting. We've got so many different lighting effects here because I've sourced a lot
38:35of our lights from many different places all over the world. So the ones in this room are from an
38:40old 1920s art deco college locally. You mentioned about sourcing things locally as well. Yes. How
38:47important is that to you? Really, really important because in actual fact we've got a mural in the
38:52middle of our pub which is hand painted which I commissioned a local artist to do. It's based on
38:57William Morris and the arts and crafts movement. We like to produce, well we produce all our own
39:02food in-house but we source it locally as well. So it's not just the food, we work with a lot of
39:08brilliant craftsmen from the building of the new rooms, reupholsterers, there's a lot of very special
39:14techniques that go in here and I love collaborating with local sort of creative people. Martin has also
39:22designed the business's two holiday cottages. Well this is something special isn't it? The balance and
39:31the light and the elegance of it all is something special. It was a huge amount of work, it looked
39:37nothing like this. We actually had to like knock down walls and move bathrooms, move toilets, do so
39:45many things so I learnt a lot as well doing that. Well you've certainly kept its charm and character.
39:51I lived in the cottages whilst I were doing them with Bertie and you know that was fun because it
39:58actually allowed you to really look at the space and consider it and give it all that time it needed
40:03and thought. So if anyone else is going to decide they want to change their life completely. I would
40:09always say follow what you want to do and it doesn't matter whether you're ten years old or a hundred years
40:14old. I think you'll always be successful or happy if you follow what you want to do and um something
40:21I've always done my entire life and um I enjoy it. You know you should be very proud. This is an amazing
40:28cottage in an amazing village with an amazing pub. Oh thank you that's so kind of you.
40:35This is such a beautiful part of the world. I'm not surprised that Martin is so happy having swapped
40:41the big apple for the great outdoors. Now they've seen all three of our properties have Bill and Carol
40:56our dancing house hunters decided they're ready to step up to life in the southwest. All right you two.
41:04Yeah we're fine thank you. Oh yeah. So as we've been going around you've got to know the area maybe
41:10that little bit better. Has it really cemented the idea of moving here? You've helped us see it so much
41:17better. So you know you come on holiday and you come to our place. You come with you and what you see
41:23is a whole different dynamic. You see you know the countryside, the places, the towns, the villages. It's really good.
41:30So come on then. The whole show is about finding you their perfect home. Have any of them really hit
41:35the mark for you? Our favourite is definitely the mystery house. I think that offered us most of what
41:42we were looking for. Yeah. You opened doors that we didn't know existed. So things like shall we live
41:47in a listed building? Yeah. What does that mean? Yeah. You then go away and say oh how does that work?
41:54No what can you do to this property? So those are the questions that we're kind of taking away in terms of
41:59the house was spectacular. I think second visits on the cards really. Oh brilliant. Please keep me
42:07updated. Will do. Will do. You'll get your invite as soon as we move. To the housewarming. Absolutely.
42:12As soon as we move. Well whether it's the mystery home or somewhere else in this beautiful county. Yes.
42:19I'm sure that when that move's made you're certainly going to make the most of it. We certainly will.
42:24Yeah. Thank you so much. It's been brilliant. Good luck to both of you. Yeah. Thank you.
42:28Thank you Steve. Fantastic. Thank you.
42:32Moving across the country to start a new chapter in life is always going to take some bravery.
42:37But Bill and Carol have proven that when you do make that leap you can land in the county of your dreams.
42:43Wildlife and sustainability are very important to them both. And whether they do that from the comfort
42:50of the mystery house or from another home I know they are going to make a very positive impact on
42:56Devon. Join us again next time for another Escape to the Country. If you would like to escape to the
43:03country in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales and need our help why not apply online at bbc.co.uk
43:11forward slash take part
43:33And anyway married a new bbc.co.uk
43:45Bye.
43:47Bye.
43:55Bye.
43:56Bye bye.
44:02Bye.
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