Inside Jules Hudson

Jules Hudson resides in an idyllic 16th-century farmhouse in Herefordshire, but before purchasing the property in 2012, the TV star had spent close to 20 years in a cottage that cost him less than £30k. Asked about his first home in an interview with Country Life, the Escape to the Country favourite opened up about his purchase.

Revealing that he'd bought a derelict cottage in 1997, Jules noted that it was located in the Welsh village of Llanddewi Brefi, which famously featured in the BBC's hit sitcom, Little Britain.

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While his first home was in "the middle of nowhere," the property expert became acquainted with the region after studying archaeology at the University of Wales, Lampeter. Following his graduation, Jules began working as an archaeologist when a friend called to say that a cottage had been put on the market in Llanddewi, and the rest is history.

"It was a three-up, two-down derelict stone cottage on the edge of the village, but affordable — it only cost £29,500 in 1997," Jules told Country Life. "People often ask me what the perfect house is, and I believe it's the one that makes you want to embrace its imperfections."

After embarking on a series of renovations, the BBC presenter admitted that he wouldn't recommend choosing a derelict property. "At no point did I have a survey, and I had to get a scheme that underwrote the mortgage," he noted.

"Early on, I looked at the four walls with no roof and wondered if I'd bitten off more than I could chew, but I found a brilliant builder called George, and he and his team did a great job. Transforming it was a joy, and after the house, I turned my attention to the garden. You can spend a fortune on a property, but if you don't frame it with a decent garden, you're missing out."

According to Jules, it was when he met and fell for his wife, Tania, that he decided to sell his £29k cottage. By 2012, the couple had set their sights on a property bordering the Golden Valley.

After taking the plunge, they converted the two-up, two-down farmhouse into a five-bedroom retreat with plenty of space. "The house was brilliantly saved from demolition back in the 1970s by a very enterprising couple," Jules told The Times. "They laid out the gardens, then went around preserving the house. It was livable when we bought it, but it was very tired."

A project that has kept Tania and Jules busy, the BBC star continues to explore the history of his home over a decade later. In a surprising development posted in February 2025, Jules delighted fans after discovering a "curious old door" that was "at least 500 years old" in his attic.

"There! What you get is a glimpse of the ancient structure of the roof," he said, while opening the door on Instagram. "These old beams – some of these we've had to replace when we fixed the roof originally."

"That wall's interesting," he continued, pointing the camera. "That's probably early to mid Victorian, replacing the original timber facade on that side of the house [...] but look at the floor," Jules remarked, musing that they were likely made from elm.