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