Cambridgeshire Escape to the Country


Cambridgeshire

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I'm in a county with this wonderful cathedral, with the only gothic dome of its type in the world.

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That is about 66 metres high. You can see it from miles around.

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This county is also one of the flattest places in the UK.

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Any idea where? Join me in a few moments when I'll tell you.

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'Today, we're helping a couple swap the seaside for a slice of country life.

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-'We need acres to horse around in.'

-You're hitting the spot.

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'But there will be compromises.'

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-What it doesn't have is an en suite.

-Ah.

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'So will any of our properties make it past the post?'

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I'm in Cambridgeshire, in the magnificent surroundings of Ely cathedral.

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Its crowning glory is that,

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its magnificent octagon lantern towering 43 metres above me -

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an intoxicating medieval cocktail of stone, lead and glass.

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Some 200 tons is up there and, as for the stained glass,

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that's not the only thing that dazzles in this part of the world.

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'Brilliant minds abound in this county,

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'being home to the second oldest university in the UK.

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'As poet Rupert Brooke penned,

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'"Cambridgeshire, of all England, is the shire for men who understand."

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'No surprises he was a Cambridge scholar,

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'but it's hard not to be impressed by the beauty of historic Cambridge.

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'But there's more to this county than rhetoric and learning.

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'Part of East Anglia, Cambridgeshire is landlocked by seven counties,

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'including Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex.

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'Extending over the north are the Fens.

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'This ancient landscape

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'contains some of the richest soil in Britain.

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'From the 17th century, this led to vast swathes being drained,

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'turning the area into a powerhouse of agriculture.

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'For wildlife enthusiasts, it's home to nature reserves and wetlands.'

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The rolling hills of south Cambridgeshire have more of an appeal to many buyers

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than the flatlands of the north, and there's the draw of Cambridge.

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That has an effect on house prices.

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Your average detached in the south

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will set you back £119,000 more than if you were buying in the north.

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Quite a hole in anybody's budget!

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To give you an idea of what's available right now, take a look at these.

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'You'd be forgiven for thinking you'd swapped the UK for the Med

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'with this Italian style villa on the outskirts of Huntington.

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'It has six reception rooms, six bedrooms and equestrian facilities

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'set in 14 acres of ground.

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'It'll set you back a majestic £1.2 million.

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'For acreage without the million-pound price tag,

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'check out this six-bedroom Victorian grange near March.

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'For £725,000, you get three reception rooms,

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'a large country kitchen

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'and three and a half acres of attractive grounds.

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'Hop into Suffolk and snap up this beautiful Grade II listed cottage.

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'Character features aren't in short supply, with three reception rooms.

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'It comes with a cosy kitchen and four bedrooms,

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'and could be yours for a snip under £400,000.'

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There you have it, proof that there are plenty of properties in Cambridgeshire

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to tempt anybody into making a sea change to life in the countryside.

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That's what today's buyers are trying to do.

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'Teachers Jim and Marian have lived in the same house

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'in Newquay, Cornwall, for 22 years,

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'where they brought up Spencer, Matthew, Gareth and Jessica.'

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When we bought the property in 1988,

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it was a hotel.

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We ran the property for five or six seasons.

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Then we went back to teaching

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and the house became, and has been, a lovely house, that's a little bit too big.

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'You can say that again!

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'This eight-bedroom courtyard house is huge.

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'A downsize is on the cards.

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'Jessica and Gareth will be moving, too, but why are they swapping the sea for the countryside?'

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Our two eldest children and our three grandchildren

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live 350 miles away.

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To bring the family back together,

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we thought we'd move closer to them, but not too close.

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'As the boys are in Essex,

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'Jim and Marian are looking at the Cambridge-Suffolk border,

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'and would like to be no further than 90 minutes from Brentwood.'

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We realise that, with the number of boxes we'd like to tick,

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we may have to go a bit further north than we first required.

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'That sounds ominous. Just how big is their wish list?'

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A minimum of four bedrooms is essential in the new house.

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Our kitchen here is really big.

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It's the place where we congregate. A big kitchen is important.

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Something we haven't had, and I'd love to have, is an en suite to our master bedroom.

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As far as renovating or repairing is concerned,

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I can't see any reason why that wouldn't be a possibility.

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Then I think we couldn't do without a garden large enough

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first, to have some area for the grandchildren,

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and secondly, to grow sufficient vegetables and flowers for the house.

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'It's not just cucumbers and children that need outside space.'

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This is Baby, one of our three horses.

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She lives here with Jim-Bob. His mum's out on loan at the moment.

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What would be really amazing is to have a paddock at our own house,

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and have all three living there.

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If that weren't possible, then a field a walk away would be OK.

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But absolute preference is that we all live together.

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'Adding acreage to the mix will make this search trickier.

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'Jim and Marian are about to exchange and will be cash buyers,

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'which puts them in an advantageous position.

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'How much do they want to spend?'

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Ideally, as far as price is concerned,

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I think £400,000 would be right.

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If the property were special enough,

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ticking all of the boxes,

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then I guess we could probably go to...440?

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Maybe.

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At long last, after 22 years, Jim and Marian are giving up sea air for a move to the countryside.

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Their house is gorgeous but has clearly become impractical.

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They do have specific needs. Marian needs somewhere for her horses. Jim would like a nice big garden.

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It's underpinned with a fundamental need to be closer to their grandchildren.

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Their budget of £440,000 is not an inconsiderable amount of money.

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Trying to match their aspirations to the market in this part of the UK is going to be tricky.

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As well they know, because they have been looking for a very long time.

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'Jim and Marian don't want to be

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'more than a 90-minute drive from their boys in Brentwood, Essex.

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'To find the property package they're after,

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'we'll start north of Cambridge, where average prices are 50% lower.

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'We found some super country pads to view,

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'but I'll be tight-lipped on the price tags till the end of the tour.

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'And, finally, the mystery house.

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'Will it be their perfect place to roost?'

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-This is an auspicious week for you in more ways than one.

-Mm-hm.

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-You just completed on the sale of your house.

-We have.

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-Yesterday, the news came through.

-The money's in the bank.

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-Is it burning a hole?

-Yes.

-I could go shopping.

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-That's what I'm doing!

-Just spending a little more money than on a Saturday afternoon.

-Absolutely.

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A lot of house hunting is all about managing expectations.

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This is quite a challenge, to get land for what you're after in this part of the world.

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This is a very sought-after location.

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440 is a lot of money.

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But what are your hopes? How far do you think we're going to get?

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Ooh, well, I guess, as you say, the land is possibly the problem.

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If it were a four-bedroom house with garden, we'd have more scope.

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It's the conundrum of ticking all the boxes with the time frame

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and within the monetary budget.

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We'll leave that to the professionals like you guys!

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-Welcome to house hunting!

-No pressure, Jules.

-Come on.

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'So, for a top budget of...'

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'It needs to be in a semi-rural or village location

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'within a 90-minute drive from Brentwood.

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'Talk about cracking the whip!

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'We're starting in Wimblington,

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'a tad over a 90-minute drive from Brentwood.

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'I'm hoping this pretty community village will make up for the drive.

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'The population of 2,000 is served by two pubs and a Post Office store.

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'From its Grade II listed church to Georgian manor houses

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'and thatched cottages, there's a plethora of period architecture.

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'We found a character home on the edge of the village.'

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-Let's start with this one.

-Ooh! Wow!

-What do you think?

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I love it! Looks like it's a characterful house.

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-It is.

-Certainly substantial.

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It's very substantial and it's Edwardian, 1910.

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-I think "a very handsome property" is the best way to describe it.

-Yes.

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-That's a good adjective.

-It's not just the house.

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-There's a bit more to go with it.

-Yeah? Is that a promise?

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-It is a promise.

-Good.

-Let's do the house first.

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Those trees!

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-Yeah?

-Come on, let's do it.

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'We're off to a flying start.

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'I know they're happy to do some renovating, and this house offers a real opportunity to get creative.'

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-Look at this!

-Oh, wow!

-Lovely hallway!

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Even nicer than ours - in our old house!

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Now it's an old house. You sold it!

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-Come on in, Jim.

-Lovely. Lovely size.

-Beautiful.

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Oh, look at the rose.

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That is gorgeous.

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-I wonder what the floor is.

-I wonder!

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There are bare boards in other parts.

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It's amazing the difference the floor makes in the out room.

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-Much brighter.

-This was put on in '95.

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-It does make a big difference.

-Very nice.

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-Lovely lounge.

-Good. Let's have a look at the dining room.

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-Interesting.

-It is a dining room.

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There's a serving hatch through there which leads to the kitchen.

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The sizes are really good. Lots of scope for work to be done.

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It's very promising at the moment from the two rooms we've seen.

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'And plenty more to come.

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'The kitchen is next door and this could be one area to put their own mark on.'

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-It's lovely...

-Yes.

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-But it's not as big, perhaps, as modern tastes...

-Yes.

-..enjoy.

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-If you pushed it back either side of that chimney breast...

-Yeah.

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..it would feel a lot lighter.

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Because that's a chimney breast, I could probably have my range there.

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-I think you probably could!

-The flue being available!

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-We're all thinking along the same lines.

-Yes.

-I think you would.

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-We could certainly move into here.

-There's more than enough room.

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The kitchen's lovely. It's got lots of potential.

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'They're really buying into the possibilities.

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'And there's a bit more space to play with -

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'a utility room and a downstairs shower room.

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'There are four bedrooms in all.

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'Two good sized doubles, so Gareth and Jessica are well catered for.

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'There's a single, a family bathroom and, finally, a master.'

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-This is quite big.

-This is the biggest of the lot!

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-It's bigger than the one we have at the moment.

-Ours is big, but not as big as this.

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The only thing to say about this and the other bedrooms

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is that none of them are en suite.

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-Had noticed that.

-That was on your wish list wasn't it, dear?

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That may have to be a compromise, I suppose.

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-If we have to compromise on an en suite, is that a deal breaker?

-I think we can compromise somewhere.

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'That is good to hear.

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'One area we're not scrimping on is the all-important outside space.

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'At a quarter of an acre, Jim gets his big garden.'

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Look at this! Blossom's out. The sun isn't.

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You can't predict the sun!

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-Lovely.

-In terms of space here, Jim, what do you think?

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-It's wide open for you to do what you like.

-It's big enough!

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We haven't had one for 22 years so any space is great.

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This is an open canvas. We can do whatever we want.

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'That's Jim sorted. What about Marian and her horses?'

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-How about this, then?

-MARIAN CHUCKLES

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-The final piece of the jigsaw.

-You might be hitting the spot now.

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Two acres! Right down to the far post-and-rail fence.

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You've got this oblong plot with three stables.

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-Would this be big enough?

-Yeah.

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-Yeah?

-Yes, it would.

-Happy?

-Yes.

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In terms of money. How much do you think this is on the market for?

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Oh, I'd say...we're probably talking the top end of our budget.

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Maybe 440?

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-445?

-415?

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-415?

-Wow!

-Cheeky.

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-Very cheeky!

-It is not 415, I'm afraid to say.

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And it is a little bit over your budget.

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But only by £10,000.

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I say "only" for two very good reasons.

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I know that it is open to sensible offers, and you are cash buyers.

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-Those put this property within your reach. Worth seeing?

-Absolutely.

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Definitely worth seeing.

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Good. Go and weigh it up.

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-The thinking.

-Yeah. Go and explore.

-We will.

-Try not to get lost!

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'I think we're off to a cracking start...

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'It doesn't have Marian's massive kitchen or Jim's en suite,

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'but there is potential to put their own stamp on it.'

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That's my cardigan, cheeky. You cheeky chappy.

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It would be so lovely to have ours in here, just at the bottom of the garden.

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-Two acres!

-Stunning location. A lovely house. I love it. Yeah.

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I can't think of another word other than "stunning".

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I found you at last, loitering in there!

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-It's terrific.

-It is. I'm impressed.

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For what you're after, it should be on the list.

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-You're definitely right.

-But two more to come.

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-What else have we got you?

-Oh, my goodness!

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'Cambridgeshire might be one of the flattest counties,

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'but there must be something in the water.

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'These lands have given birth to some of Britain's greatest minds.

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'Samuel Pepys, Oliver Cromwell,

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'Richard Attenborough and Stephen Hawking all hail from these parts.

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'And eminent thinkers are made here.

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'Home to one of the most prestigious universities in the world,

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'Cambridge has been a site of learning since the Middle Ages.

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'We thought Jim and Marian would like a lesson on the county capital.

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'We sent them to meet up with Richard Butler, a final year student

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'studying architectural history.'

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Cambridge goes back to Roman times. It was a military and trading post.

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The town got its charter in 1201 AD and, a few years later, students arrived after a schism at Oxford.

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The story is that students headed in the direction of Reading and were never heard of again!

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Those that came here founded the university and 80 years later Peterhouse college was founded.

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'The university was, and still is, made up of many colleges,

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'each with its own property, income and staff.

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'By the 16th century, there were already 16,

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'founded and funded by the important literati and glitterati of the day.

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'The most wealthy was Trinity College

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'founded by Henry VIII in 1546.

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'It's now home to 600 undergraduates, 300 graduates

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'and over 160 fellows - that's some seat of learning!'

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By legend, it's possible to walk from here to Oxford on land purely owned by Trinity.

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Another wealthy college was King's College, founded by Henry VI in the 1460s.

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It wasn't finished until the time of Henry VIII.

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It's one of the most impressive buildings in Cambridge.

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It certainly is.

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'You can submerge yourself in history and tradition here.

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'If you're not careful, one tradition linked with the university

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'might just have you completely submerged.'

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In terms of going anywhere and getting the direction right,

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it's important to put the pole down right beside the punt the whole way.

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So it's touching the punt.

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If it's out, the punt will start turning around.

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It's quite hard to get, but once you've got the knack, it seems natural.

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'Punting has been part of Cambridgeshire for centuries.

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'These flat-bottom vessels were ideal for navigating the Fens

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'and used by fishermen, hunters and tradesmen.

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'The going was slow but economical.

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'A punter could push over a ton along with no more fuel

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'than a cheese sandwich and a pint.

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'Nowadays, it's undergrads and tourists soaking up the scenery.

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'It's a nice way to travel, but we'll stick to the car.

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'We're heading to the hamlet of Ramsay Heights,

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'which falls in the 90-minute drive radius from the grandchildren.

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'It's a rural setting with a handful of properties and farms.

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'For supplies, Marian and Jim can head to the nearby town of Ramsay,

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'which has all the amenities you'd expect in a country town.'

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This is our second one.

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Very different to look at. The first one was very Edwardian.

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-Believe it or not, at its core, this is the same age.

-That's surprising!

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Not Edwardian in style, but a couple of farm cottages built 1911.

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They've been knocked together radically to produce a very big

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-and practically brand new family home.

-Right. OK.

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I'm not feeling the love.

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-It hasn't got that something.

-It hasn't got the same wow factor.

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But you shouldn't judge a book by its cover.

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'Never a truer word spoken, Jim.

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'This property offers more space and less work so it's worth a look.'

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In you come.

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-Come on, Jim.

-Goodness me! This is lovely!

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-It's not what you expect.

-No.

-Follow me through here.

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Now then, Marian...

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-Come on in. Don't be shy.

-Wow! I like this.

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-Yeah?

-That's the size.

-Yeah.

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Coming back to this idea of a family space that you can all enjoy.

0:22:450:22:50

-When you're all here en masse.

-Yes.

0:22:500:22:53

How many in total, when you're all in one place?

0:22:530:22:56

-We're 11 at the moment.

-11.

0:22:560:22:59

-Well, you would get 11 people eating in here.

-Yeah, you would.

0:22:590:23:05

-Certainly would.

-And share the experience of you cooking.

0:23:050:23:09

-They could share the cooking even!

-I'll do the washing-up.

0:23:090:23:14

Look there, Jim. They've got a garden room attached on the side.

0:23:140:23:20

This is a splendid garden room.

0:23:200:23:23

I love the way the kitchen space, dining space and garden space

0:23:230:23:28

all can be rolled into one.

0:23:280:23:30

I'm thinking grown-ups in here, grandchildren playing in here.

0:23:300:23:34

-Everybody can keep an eye on everybody else.

-Ideal.

0:23:340:23:37

'I think that's a thumbs-up to the living space.

0:23:370:23:41

'There are also practical rooms, including a utility,

0:23:410:23:45

'a shower room, a gym - equipment not included - and a study.

0:23:450:23:49

'Plenty of space to play with. Let's turn our attention upstairs.

0:23:490:23:54

'There are four bedrooms, just what they wanted.'

0:23:540:23:58

Come on in.

0:23:580:24:01

This is currently the master.

0:24:020:24:05

-Uh-huh.

-OK.

-It's nice.

0:24:050:24:07

A couple of built-in units.

0:24:070:24:10

Pretty big. Loads of light.

0:24:100:24:14

-It doesn't have an en suite.

-Ah.

0:24:140:24:17

-Not doing very well on en suites.

-No.

0:24:170:24:20

-The box keeps getting unticked.

-I'm really sorry, Jim.

0:24:200:24:24

It doesn't have an en suite but it does have that.

0:24:240:24:28

-Is that a balcony?

-Yes. Kind of an en suite!

0:24:280:24:32

-Stand in the rain, I suppose!

-With a hose.

-Thank you, darling!

0:24:320:24:37

-There.

-There you go, Jim. Hosepipe. Hosepipe out here.

0:24:380:24:44

This gives you a good chance to get a sense of what you get land wise.

0:24:440:24:50

The last one had two acres.

0:24:500:24:53

-This one has three.

-Right.

-Crumbs.

-Which is effectively that.

0:24:530:24:58

-Another big oblong plot of land.

-That's good.

0:24:580:25:03

-Really good.

-And there is the rest of the county!

0:25:030:25:08

-Spread out before you.

-Ideal.

0:25:080:25:10

-Growing on you?

-Yeah.

-It is.

0:25:100:25:13

-Yes.

-It's a slow burn, this one, but it's getting there.

0:25:130:25:17

-Maybe?

-Yes, it is getting there.

0:25:170:25:19

'Back inside, the other three bedrooms consist of one good sized double

0:25:190:25:26

'and two singles, so Jessica and Gareth may need to draw straws!

0:25:260:25:30

'They all share a modern family bathroom.

0:25:300:25:34

'So, how about accommodation for the horses?

0:25:340:25:38

'Outside, there's ample stabling and, with three acres of paddock,

0:25:380:25:43

'plenty of space to keep them happy.'

0:25:430:25:47

-We're bang in the middle of three acres.

-Nice.

-Not bad.

-No.

0:25:470:25:52

All this land is criss-crossed with a network of hacks.

0:25:520:25:58

So you've got loads of opportunity to get out there riding,

0:25:580:26:04

-literally on your doorstep.

-Yeah. Ideal.

0:26:040:26:08

The question is, how much do you love it? Jim, make me an offer.

0:26:080:26:13

-I think it's got to be at least 435.

-435. Marian?

0:26:130:26:19

-I was going to say that!

-You can.

-Am I allowed?

-Yes.

0:26:190:26:24

You have, presumably, agreed on some things in 38 years!

0:26:240:26:28

-Yeah.

-Every now and again.

-We have.

0:26:280:26:30

I had 435 in my mind all the way through.

0:26:300:26:33

I'll let you agree because you're not far off.

0:26:330:26:36

It's a direct comparison with our first one.

0:26:360:26:40

This is on the market also for £450,000.

0:26:400:26:43

-All right.

-You get a newer build but you do get an extra acre.

0:26:430:26:49

-It's a lot to take on board. Go and imprint it on your mind.

-Will do.

0:26:490:26:53

-We'll catch up later.

-Thank you.

0:26:530:26:55

'Again, on the market at £45,000, this is £10,000 over budget.

0:26:550:27:01

'As Jim and Marian are cash buyers,

0:27:010:27:04

'they are in a strong negotiating position.

0:27:040:27:07

'They've warmed up to it, but will first impressions last?'

0:27:210:27:26

First impressions weren't good.

0:27:260:27:28

When you went in, something just happened. I like it.

0:27:280:27:33

I love the downstairs.

0:27:330:27:35

I love the fluid way it flows from one room to the next.

0:27:350:27:40

Upstairs is a bit of a concern.

0:27:400:27:43

Not a great deal of opportunity to change a great deal.

0:27:430:27:46

There's lots and lots to like.

0:27:460:27:49

-What are we not liking? The size of the bedrooms?

-Probably, that's about it.

0:27:490:27:54

So, are the bedrooms big enough after all?

0:27:560:27:59

-Well, yeah...

-Probably, just about.

0:27:590:28:02

Ooh, yeah, maybe.

0:28:020:28:04

-Look, we have given you lots to think about.

-You have.

0:28:040:28:09

In terms of satisfying the horse requirement, the thing that's driven this search, made it tricky,

0:28:090:28:15

-we've got there on that score.

-Absolutely.

-Yes.

0:28:150:28:19

-You can argue over the house.

-Yes.

0:28:190:28:21

'With the sun setting over the countryside, we're two houses down

0:28:320:28:37

'and have given Marian and Jim plenty to consider.

0:28:370:28:42

'Coming up next, it's mystery house time.'

0:28:460:28:50

-The old school.

-The old school.

-Oh, right.

0:28:500:28:53

Great. I like it.

0:28:540:28:57

'Will it pass with flying colours or go to the bottom of the class?'

0:28:570:29:02

We have one more day of house hunting to go.

0:29:040:29:08

Whilst yesterday went pretty well, Jim and Marian are celebrating.

0:29:080:29:13

We haven't even got to the mystery house, so what's going on?

0:29:130:29:18

'All will be revealed soon.

0:29:210:29:24

We're heading south to the Suffolk-Essex border, Alphamstone,

0:29:240:29:29

'just over an hour's drive from the grandchildren.

0:29:290:29:33

'There is no shortage of colourful and characterful period homes.

0:29:330:29:37

'Community spirit is thriving.

0:29:370:29:39

'However, you get a lot less property to the pound than in north Cambridgeshire,

0:29:390:29:45

'so there will be compromises to overcome.'

0:29:450:29:49

This is a momentous day.

0:29:490:29:51

Not because it's the mystery house, but it's your wedding anniversary.

0:29:510:29:56

-It is.

-Yes, it is.

0:29:560:29:58

We've brought you much further south than yesterday.

0:29:580:30:03

-Back to where it all started.

-Yeah. A couple of miles down the road!

0:30:030:30:08

-The mystery house is in front of you.

-The old school?

0:30:080:30:12

-The old school.

-Right.

0:30:120:30:14

-LAUGHING:

-Great. I like it.

0:30:140:30:17

It's the mystery house!

0:30:170:30:20

-Home-from-home.

-It's Victorian. 1876.

0:30:200:30:23

It finished being a school in 1934.

0:30:230:30:26

I'm going to be up-front. It's not sat within loads of acres.

0:30:260:30:31

-So horses will have to be accommodated elsewhere.

-OK.

0:30:310:30:36

In terms of giving you a very pretty, lovely family home

0:30:360:30:41

in the heart of an interesting community...

0:30:410:30:44

-Could be good.

-Come on.

-OK.

0:30:440:30:46

'There is a livery five miles away, so that's the compromise.

0:30:460:30:52

'This property is much closer to the grandchildren, at an hour's drive.

0:30:520:30:56

'So is it going to get top marks from our teachers?'

0:30:560:31:01

Come on into the old school.

0:31:010:31:04

Grab the latch on the door, Jim. Look at this!

0:31:040:31:08

-My goodness!

-Wow!

0:31:080:31:11

-That's seen some use. Hasn't it?

-Lots of period features.

0:31:110:31:16

They go on in here.

0:31:160:31:18

-One of the reception rooms on offer.

-Like the fireplace.

0:31:180:31:22

-That's working.

-Super.

0:31:220:31:25

Lovely sash windows looking out onto the green.

0:31:250:31:29

-You can see all village life.

-Yeah. Nice.

0:31:290:31:33

How about this?

0:31:360:31:38

That's a bit unexpected! This is kind of open.

0:31:380:31:43

-I was expecting... Oh, that's lovely.

-It has been opened.

0:31:430:31:46

-Can you see this? It's been pushed that way in the last decade.

-Ideal.

0:31:460:31:52

It's lovely, isn't it? It's expansive.

0:31:520:31:56

It goes on. A choice of sinks. Stainless steel one there.

0:31:560:32:00

Belfast sink there. Then you've got this bay window arrangement.

0:32:000:32:06

Then this garden room. We haven't got a separate dining room.

0:32:060:32:11

-OK.

-This is the most recent addition.

0:32:110:32:14

You could go for a dining table in here.

0:32:140:32:19

-Nice.

-Yeah? "Nice"(!)

-Yes.

0:32:190:32:22

-How nice is nice?

-OK.

0:32:220:32:24

No, I like it. I do like this. I like this very much.

0:32:240:32:28

-Jim?

-It's got lots of possibilities. It's growing on me.

0:32:280:32:33

'That's what I like to hear.

0:32:330:32:35

'Also on this floor is a really spacious Victorian style bathroom.

0:32:350:32:40

'Time to look upstairs.

0:32:400:32:42

'We're delivering above requirements with five bedrooms.

0:32:420:32:46

'On the first floor, two doubles, and there's a family shower room.'

0:32:460:32:53

I'm going to suggest that this would be a guest room.

0:32:530:32:57

It's one of the bigger ones on this floor.

0:32:570:32:59

-It also has this lovely original...

-Fabulous view.

-..sash.

0:32:590:33:04

With original glass in it.

0:33:040:33:06

-Beautiful.

-It does pack in a lot.

0:33:060:33:08

-Yeah.

-There's a lot to it.

0:33:080:33:13

There's even more in the loft, because that is our master bedroom.

0:33:130:33:18

-Ooh.

-Follow me!

0:33:180:33:20

Come and look at this!

0:33:200:33:22

As you can see,

0:33:280:33:30

they really have pushed the floor space out in every direction.

0:33:300:33:35

-Oh, yes!

-Oh, crumbs!

-Not least up here.

0:33:350:33:38

My goodness!

0:33:380:33:39

-Interesting, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Right in the roof line.

0:33:390:33:44

-I think it kind of works.

-Yeah, it does. It's lovely.

0:33:440:33:48

It is a very clever use of space. Great floor.

0:33:480:33:51

We haven't yet found an en suite.

0:33:510:33:54

-I knew this was where it would be.

-It's got half an en suite.

0:33:540:33:59

-Half an en suite?

-A loo and a basin.

0:33:590:34:02

It's closer than the rest.

0:34:020:34:06

-Not what you expected?

-No, it wasn't.

0:34:060:34:09

'That's it for the inside. Let's head outdoors.

0:34:090:34:14

'We're not delivering on acreage in any way, shape or form.

0:34:140:34:19

'So is this a compromise they can live with?'

0:34:190:34:22

What you see is what you get.

0:34:240:34:27

-A little on the small side.

-We have got chickens.

0:34:270:34:30

Fresh eggs.

0:34:300:34:32

-So, that's our mystery house.

-Lots of food for thought.

0:34:320:34:37

Well, the price is going to be an interesting one.

0:34:370:34:41

This is a difficult one.

0:34:410:34:44

4... 450, like the others.

0:34:440:34:49

450. Mm-hm.

0:34:490:34:52

-I'm going to be optimistic and go a fraction lower.

-435 again.

0:34:520:34:58

435.

0:34:580:35:00

-You are right?

-Me?

0:35:000:35:02

Absolutely spot-on. It's £450,000, just like all the others.

0:35:020:35:06

We've really opened it up to give you a clear and direct comparison.

0:35:060:35:12

-Absolutely.

-What you get for your money and where you want to be.

0:35:120:35:17

Go back to school. I'll catch up with you later.

0:35:170:35:21

'So the old schoolhouse is also on the market at...'

0:35:230:35:27

'..For Jim's veg, the current owner pays £5 a year for an allotment.

0:35:430:35:48

'Is this going to be an A-plus or a D-minus?'

0:35:480:35:54

-It's lovely.

-It's quite good.

-I was surprised when I walked in.

0:35:540:35:58

-I thought was a bit...

-Enclosed?

-Yeah. But this is really...

0:35:580:36:04

-Lovely granite.

-And a wonderful breakfast area at the end.

0:36:040:36:10

I'm glad they chose three identical prices. It makes comparison easier.

0:36:100:36:14

I guess it was something that we knew but it's been shown to us.

0:36:140:36:19

-The further south, the less land we get.

-Gosh! What are we going to do?

0:36:190:36:24

BELL RINGS

0:36:240:36:27

Come on!

0:36:280:36:30

-Play time's over!

-Is that the end of school?

-It is.

0:36:300:36:34

-It's the end of term.

-Great. School's out.

0:36:340:36:38

-Come on down, Jim. You've been great sports.

-It's been great fun.

0:36:380:36:43

That's it. Three properties. Lots to think about.

0:36:430:36:47

Let's get you somewhere to think.

0:36:470:36:50

-At least we've got something to celebrate today.

-Yes, we do.

0:36:500:36:54

Have we sold a house, I wonder?

0:36:540:36:57

'North Cambridgeshire's flat expansive landscape

0:37:080:37:12

'might not be to everybody's taste.

0:37:120:37:15

'With the Fens producing 37% of the veg grown in England,

0:37:150:37:18

'there's no denying their importance.

0:37:180:37:22

'Just above sea level,

0:37:220:37:24

'the wetlands of the Fens sit atop nutrient-rich peat

0:37:240:37:28

'which, 400 years ago, led to them being drained

0:37:280:37:31

'to shape the modern landscape.

0:37:310:37:34

'As a result of drainage and intensive farming,

0:37:340:37:38

'99% of traditional Fenland has been lost,

0:37:380:37:42

'with just three major fragments remaining.

0:37:420:37:45

'I met up with Louise Rackham of the Great Fen Project at Holme Fen,

0:37:450:37:51

'the lowest point in the UK.'

0:37:510:37:54

Why have you brought me to this iron post on the edge of this dyke?

0:37:540:37:59

This isn't just an iron post, Jules.

0:37:590:38:02

This depicts the whole story that the Fens is a changing landscape.

0:38:020:38:07

This was put in by the landowner William Wells.

0:38:070:38:10

-He owned the Holmewood estate.

-When?

0:38:100:38:13

He put that in in the 1850s.

0:38:130:38:15

He'd seen what happened to the rest of the Fens when drained,

0:38:150:38:19

the shrinkage of the peat.

0:38:190:38:22

He decided to put this post in the ground. Look at the top of that.

0:38:220:38:27

That would have been on ground level.

0:38:270:38:31

-So we've lost 15 feet or so?

-Yeah, say four and a half metres.

0:38:310:38:37

You would have been walking up there.

0:38:370:38:41

Simply pulling that plug and draining the Fens

0:38:410:38:45

caused that peat to shrink and oxidise and disappear.

0:38:450:38:48

'Vanishing land means many wildlife species have disappeared.

0:38:480:38:53

'It's part of one of the biggest conservation projects of recent years,

0:38:530:38:59

'to restore and protect these natural habitats

0:38:590:39:03

'by reclaiming farmland and joining the three Fenlands of Holme Fen,

0:39:030:39:08

'Woodwalton Fen and Whittlesey Mere.'

0:39:080:39:10

We're hoping to recreate 9,000 acres, 14 square miles,

0:39:100:39:17

of a mosaic of wetland habitat.

0:39:170:39:19

We own about 60% of the land. I want to bring it all alive.

0:39:190:39:24

I want to show people that this is a fantastic area for wildlife, for people and for stories.

0:39:240:39:30

-I want them to visit the Fens and see how amazing it is.

-You're doing a great job!

0:39:300:39:36

Thank you.

0:39:360:39:38

At long last, it is decision time.

0:39:410:39:44

Jim and Marian started married life here in Suffolk.

0:39:440:39:47

Where better to hear what they'll do with the rest of their lives than the glorious Kentwell Hall?

0:39:470:39:55

One of the finest Elizabethan buildings of its kind in the country.

0:39:550:40:00

As it's their anniversary, I thought we'd celebrate.

0:40:000:40:04

Oh, no! Don't waste the champagne!

0:40:120:40:16

-There we are! One for you.

-Thank you.

-One for you, Jim.

0:40:160:40:20

-Thank you, sir.

-What I love about it

0:40:200:40:23

is that we've been able to coincide our tours with your anniversary.

0:40:240:40:29

-We've ended up back where it all started.

-Yes, indeed we have.

-In Suffolk.

0:40:290:40:35

Now, question I'm dying to know is have we sold you one?

0:40:350:40:40

We started up north with that double-fronted Edwardian villa.

0:40:400:40:46

Very impressed. Imposing, handsome, beautiful.

0:40:460:40:49

Everything that we required on our wish list was probably there.

0:40:490:40:55

-The ground floor was fantastic.

-You could just move in there.

0:40:550:40:59

-And move the horses in straightaway.

-Yeah. Absolutely. I liked that one.

0:40:590:41:04

Then we took you to a property of a similar age but very different.

0:41:040:41:08

Two old farm workers' cottages knocked together.

0:41:080:41:12

It didn't appear to have character, but it opened up, didn't it?

0:41:120:41:17

-Didn't it?

-I loved the ground floor. The upstairs...?

0:41:170:41:22

-You weren't sure about.

-No. I felt the bedrooms were on the small side.

0:41:220:41:29

But you got an extra acre. Plenty of space for the horses and stables.

0:41:290:41:34

Lots of room outside. Lots of tack rooms and store sheds.

0:41:340:41:39

-The mystery house.

-I loved the location.

0:41:390:41:43

It was the village green. Loved it.

0:41:430:41:46

The space opened up - the kitchen, the breakfast room, the sun room.

0:41:460:41:53

That was the most dynamic, as far as space was concerned.

0:41:530:41:56

-The search goes on, I suspect.

-I think so.

0:41:560:42:00

Yes, I think so. I think so. I think...

0:42:000:42:04

If I were to say I might make an offer on something,

0:42:040:42:09

I'd be most leaning towards the Edwardian.

0:42:090:42:12

The first one.

0:42:120:42:14

We still have minor reservations about whether that is the property

0:42:140:42:19

that gives the wow, buzz.

0:42:190:42:22

But are you still convinced that the right property exists for you?

0:42:220:42:26

-It's out there somewhere.

-Yeah.

0:42:260:42:29

It needs a little bit more looking for.

0:42:290:42:32

-The truth is out there!

-Absolutely.

0:42:320:42:35

It's been an absolute pleasure.

0:42:350:42:38

Here's to you. Cheers.

0:42:380:42:40

GLASSES CLINK

0:42:400:42:42

I've left Jim and Marian finishing the champagne,

0:42:450:42:49

contemplating the 39th year of married life that stretches out before them.

0:42:490:42:55

We haven't managed to find them their ideal home.

0:42:550:42:59

We gave them three interesting properties, all the same price, but very well spread.

0:42:590:43:05

When it comes to location, you really do get what you pay for.

0:43:050:43:10

Where's their dream home? I think it's further away than they thought.

0:43:100:43:16

See you next time.

0:43:160:43:18

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0:43:180:43:22

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0:43:510:43:54

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