Norfolk Escape to the Country

You might associate this headgear with civil servants or bankers,

so you may be surprised to learn it was designed for country living

and originates from one of the UK's most rural counties. But which one? Find out in just a moment.

On today's show, we're helping a couple find a home full of character in the east of England.

-At first glance, some of our houses fail to light their fire.

-At the moment, it seems rather dark.

But then the mystery house gets them all hot under the collar.

-Oh, wow. Yeah.

-Yeah. Definite winner.

Today I'm in Norfolk in the village of Holkham, where in 1849 it is said that William Coke became

the first proud owner of the bowler hat.

The story goes that Coke asked a London-based hat company for slim-fitting, protective headgear

that his gamekeepers could wear whilst out shooting on his estate.

Milliners Thomas and William Bowler came up with this design that was tested when Coke jumped upon it.

When it remained undamaged, he duly paid 12 shillings for it,

thus launching an iconic piece of headgear that's graced the head of many a banker and countryman since.

Still looks pretty good today.

Tucked up on the eastern corner of the country, Norfolk is the fourth-largest county in England

and shares its borders with Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.

This county boasts one of Britain's largest expanses of unspoilt coastline, spanning over 90 miles,

which is home to many popular coastal resorts and beautiful golden, sandy beaches.

If you're looking to view the countryside at amore leisurely pace, the Norfolk Broads are a great way.

With 63 broads as well as seven rivers, these waterways stretch over 300 kilometres

and are home to a setting that's full of wildlife.

The average cost of a detached house here in Norfolk is £215,000.

That's around £36,000 below the national figure,

so this country represents relatively good value, especially if you head southwest and inland.

But head east and the picture does seem to change somewhat.

Head towards Broads villages and you can expect to pay an extra 15% more

than the equivalent property in a non-Broads location.

And staying with that waterside theme, go to the north Norfolk coast

and prices there are around 40% more than the county average.

But no matter where you look, there is a huge array of architectural styles to please the eye.

Norfolk features an array of characteristic country styles, such as attractive thatched properties

made from local reed. Once known as the poor man's roof, today it's quite the opposite.

While a detached two-bedroom home is upwards of £230,000, a four-bed can easily be nearer £1 million.

Since the 11th century, another familiar sight towering above the flat landscape is the windmill.

There are three types found across England and all of them can be seen in Norfolk.

Many of these former working mills are open to the public, but if you want one you'll need deep pockets.

Converted mills can cost in excess of £1.4 million.

So a wonderful range of architectural styles here,

but what are today's buyers after? Time to meet them and find out.

John, a management consultant, and Sally, a retired charity director, married after a whirlwind romance

and soon set up home near Camberley in Surrey. Seven years on, their changing family circumstances

-have led them to seek a new way of life.

-'We moved here particularly for the children.'

They've now flown the nest. One lives in Thailand, one in London,

so really there's no reason for us to be here anymore. We don't have any roots or ties here.

And it's pretty nondescript. All the houses from the outside are one of three different styles.

It's not where we want to be.

They've decided to move to East Anglia as it's a place that holds many fond memories.

We want to move to Norfolk because I spent many happy family holidays there,

John knows it a little bit as well. And there's good value for money

in the sort of property we want.

So value for money is high on the agenda, but the same can't be said for one of Norfolk's attractions.

We don't want to go on the coast because there is coastal erosion and properties disappear into the sea.

Well, let's hope we can keep our head above water, although that could be easier said than done.

I've got a very analytical point of view and have my own checklist in my mind.

Sally will have a much more gentler approach to it.

I just love property.

I love looking at property. I'm the daughter of an estate agent.

I will get very excited and probably fall in love with at least one of the properties.

One last thing to pinpoint and that's the finances.

Our budget is £425,000, maximum.

That would really have to include any work that needed to be done.

John and Sally want us to concentrate our search in the central area around Dereham.

They hope to get good value for money there and they're far enough from the coast to keep John happy.

I met them in the beautiful Norfolk countryside to discover more about what they're looking for.

Welcome both of you to Norfolk. You're a long way from home. Why?

Norfolk is an area where we've looked previously.

You look for something you want and we're interested in a property which has got character.

-You're talking about character property. How big is this property?

-It doesn't have to be too big.

We only really need, I would say, three bedrooms.

So outside space - are we looking for land or land that may be available at a later date?

-If it had it, lovely.

-That all sounds quite doable.

-It's a beautiful part of the world and we will see some fantastic houses. So let's start.

-OK.

John and Sally have a maximum of £425,000 to spend on their new home,

but ideally they'd like to keep some money aside to spruce it up with some brand-new furniture.

All in all, they want a minimum of three bedrooms, a large kitchen/diner,

a property full of character and a good-sized garden which is still easy to maintain.

We've found three great houses to show them, but before I tell them the price, I'll ask them to guess.

As ever, our final offering is the mystery house, a home they would not normally have looked at,

but will certainly challenge their desire for character.

Four our first house, we're heading to the village of Gooderstone, around 40 miles west of Norwich.

John and Sally have asked for a more rural setting, but not too far from the local community.

We think this location is perfect.

The village is surrounded by some stunning scenery which can be enjoyed while sipping a pint.

But now let's hope we serve up a real treat with the first property,

a characterful 18th-century Georgian house.

-This is the first property.

-Wow. That is beautiful.

-Isn't it just?

-It's lovely.

-Like a lot of Georgian properties, they were show-offs,

the people that owned these places. So beautiful facade. The back is flint.

-Wonderful slate roof here and the back of the roof is Norfolk knapping which we'll see.

-Oh, right.

-The whole facade of the house is the most impressive sight. Great, isn't it?

-Very good.

-There's a lot of history attached to this property.

-Yeah.

-You like it?

-Very nice from the outside.

-Want to see what it's like inside.

-I think you'll be equally impressed.

'So excellent reactions to our first property and I think this home will really make an impact on them.'

Right, in you come.

-Look at this staircase.

-Good, isn't it?

-Yeah, better than a 1970s plank, which we've got!

-Yes.

Well, like true Georgian properties, a very grand entrance. They're showing off, aren't they?

There's a wonderful music room. Let's have a quick peek into the living room. Original floorboards.

Oh, that's nice, isn't it? This is a good size for us.

We don't want anything necessarily too big. There's only the two of us.

This is just nice, nice and cosy.

Now, obviously, period property. The great thing is plenty of ceiling height.

-Space-wise and ceiling height, you're fine?

-Yeah.

-You were ducking your head through that doorway.

-Quite likely, but whether that's psychological is the question.

-Probably habit!

No problems with that. Slightly taller than traditional eight-foot ceilings.

-Yeah.

-Which I like.

-Great.

And it gives you a nice warm, open atmosphere. With a fire in here,

-it would be intimate, but you won't feel crowded. Very nice indeed.

-Great, OK.

-Can I squeeze past?

-Yeah.

-Kitchen's up next. 'That's the seal of approval for the living room.

'Our next room could invigorate them even further.'

Right then, so look.

-Kitchen - what are we thinking?

-It's a nice shape.

For us, it's important we've got a table.

-It doesn't have to be a big table.

-You want to dine in the kitchen?

We do now. We do a lot of cooking, so it's nice to sit and read the paper and work in the kitchen.

-But I like the look of it very much. What do you think?

-I think

that it is a little bit tight for what we wanted, as far as space is concerned.

-When we're doing things in the kitchen, it could get a little bit congested.

-That's fair enough.

Obviously, you've seen the living room with an equal size dining room.

-Then behind you there is another office.

-Oh, right.

So if you really wanted to, you could maybe go across and push it out that way.

-I don't know...

-Maybe next door becomes a pantry.

-Yeah.

-That's a good idea.

-Listen, this is a whistle-stop tour.

-Let's take a look at the master bedroom.

-OK.

'John and Sally's mood has dipped a little in here, which is a shame,

'however, also on this floor is a large utility and cloak room.

'Time to check upstairs and see if we can raise their spirits.'

This is quite grand. Even the landing area has more space.

-Nice and light.

-It is very pretty.

-Now the master bedroom, this one here,

-what are your thoughts?

-Lovely. Plenty big enough for us.

I always look for storage because we do have rather a lot of clothes and stuff like that.

Now the second bedroom has got two singles in it.

-A similar size to this. This is the master because you've got the en suite.

-Which is good.

-Cool.

-Lovely.

-It's a nice room.

-OK.

-It seems to be going very well.

-Yeah.

-You can come back into this house in a few moments

-to have a good look around. Let's go down to the garden and start thinking about price.

-OK.

-Cool.

And keep ducking your head!

There are two more bedrooms on this floor, one currently being used as a dining room.

There's also a generous-sized bathroom.

On the outside of the property, there's that front lawn that we saw on the approach to the entrance

and to the rear is a characterful walled garden. It also contains what could be the icing on the cake.

Just through that small utility into your walled garden, I suppose.

-Right.

-Now then, it's a fairly modest-sized garden, isn't it?

-Yes.

It is, but it's pretty. And it's peaceful.

This building here. Interesting, isn't it? That side just there

is where they keep all their coal and fuel. Just there, for the horse.

-And next door, well, for the trap or the cart.

-Yeah.

-But it may be office...

-Storage.

-A studio.

-Yeah.

It's got some character to it.

-That's what you asked for. Character.

-It's definitely got that.

-That's what it gives you.

-Indeed.

So how much do you think this house is on the market for?

-I would imagine that it is 440.

-OK.

-The figure 415 jumped into my mind and I don't know where from.

-Want to stick with it?

-Yeah.

-OK.

The house is on the market for offers above £380,000.

-That is surprising.

-Within your budget.

-Yeah.

-You could get a Georgian property, with change.

-Go back inside the house. Hopefully, you won't find fault.

-Cool.

-Help yourselves.

-Thanks.

Cracking start. They tell me they've never looked at a Georgian property before.

Normally they'd be way out of their price range. This is a modest-sized property for the period,

but it's a cracker, isn't it?

This magnificent example of Georgian architecture is on the market for offers over £380,000.

So it's well within their £425,000 budget.

With change in their pocket, they could not only furnish the house,

but expand the kitchen or convert one of the outbuildings. It has a kitchen/diner, cosy sitting room

with inglenook fireplace, four double bedrooms, one with en suite,

plenty of character and outbuildings with potential for conversion.

We'd never considered Georgian properties before. I don't know why now that we've seen the property.

Lovely, beautiful, very solid and obviously well-built, nice proportions as well.

I'm very impressed.

I like the symmetry, but I also like the quirkiness. All the rooms were very good.

Very nicely decorated. Nice, open, airy, but also a cosy feeling.

One reservation is the kitchen, which might not quite work for us.

-All done inside?

-Yeah, very happy.

-Very elegant, isn't it?

-It's a beautiful house, yeah.

-Good. Onward and upward.

-OK.

Norfolk's expansive landscape is dotted with market towns and villages in its rural heritage,

but even today the region's agricultural industry continues to thrive.

In the hamlet of Great Ellingham, just outside Dereham, is a farm

which over the past 23 years has steadily built its reputation producing Norfolk asparagus.

Andy Ellen is the farm's owner and chairs the Asparagus Owners Association.

As John and Sally are keen foodies, we arranged for them to visit Andy's farm for a taste of this produce

during its short, eight-week season.

Welcome to a cold, wet Norfolk asparagus field! Sorry! I couldn't do anything about it.

In Norfolk, I can trace people growing asparagus 100 years ago.

It suits lighter, free-draining soils. This is borderline. This is reasonably light for this area.

Obviously, the lighter the soil, the quicker it warms up in spring. It's all about temperatures.

Asparagus will only thrive in soil with a minimum temperature of 10 degrees Celsius,

but if conditions are perfect, it can grow six inches a day.

The average, though, is one or two inches in 24 hours.

How long does it take from planting the bulb to actually harvesting it?

-Three years. We don't cut anything until year three.

-How many sticks do you get off each crown, Andy?

-It would vary, but probably between 10 and 15 spears.

-Right.

-Off one crown through the season.

You have to keep cutting it to stimulate the bud growth. That's a bit about the background.

What we'll do now is go into the middle to find some to cut.

We're looking for spears that are high enough to cut.

The knife here has got a mark on it. When you stand it next to the spear,

it comes up to the mark and you can cut it through like that.

-So height is important, not thickness?

-Yes. Anything the correct height is good enough to cut.

Andy's farm stretches over 150 acres and produces up to 200 tonnes of asparagus a year,

making it one of Norfolk's biggest growers.

There's only one more way for our buyers to experience this asparagus and that's to taste some.

All they'll need is a kitchen, some water and six minutes later it's done.

A little butter. Very high in iron, folic acid. One of your five a day.

-There we go. Give it a try.

-Lovely.

-Eat it with your fingers.

-OK?

-That is gorgeous.

-Gorgeous.

Time to leave this fine Norfolk veg behind and get back to spearheading our own property hunt.

For our second house, we're heading to Beeston, around 8 miles west of Dereham.

But before we see the property, I want to introduce a resident of the village for the past six years.

We're just now on the outskirts of the village of Beeston.

-Been here before?

-No, never.

-Well, it's got the pub in the village that you were after.

But you can also do one better. It's also got a micro brewery. We're going to meet the owner.

-Mark, this is Sally and John.

-Hello. Pleased to meet you.

-Hi.

What's the village like? That's what we're here to find out.

-A lot of good community around the church.

-Plenty to get involved in.

-A well-established cricket team.

-Does the pub take your beer?

-Yeah, of course!

-So when the pub shuts you out at 11.30...

-Crawl up here.

-I think I just found you two new customers.

-Thank you.

-See you again!

'A short walk down the road is our second home, a single-storey brick and flint barn conversion.'

Somewhere I remember quoting that Norfolk was one of the driest places in the UK.

-This is the exception.

-Yeah.

-But we arrive tidily at property number two.

-Looks good.

-Yeah?

-Looks good.

-Converted barns?

Barns. Question mark - ceiling height.

-Answer - should be no problem.

-OK.

Do you believe me? Have you thought about living in a converted barn before?

We've looked at them previously. Some were fantastic with the nice, high ceilings.

And some of them were so low you felt like going down the mine.

Well, let's see what you think of this one. Let's get out of this wet.

'So a reserved reaction from John and Sally. As we move inside, let's hope the interior warms them up.'

Come right in.

-Right then, in we come.

-Lovely.

-It's a good layout, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Very good layout and a nice size as well.

-It's got a table in it.

-Not a bad size. If you go right round to that corner...

Ah, right.

So that must be the lounge, is it? It must be, yes.

-You're not so keen on that, are you?

-No.

-John likes a door on his kitchen.

-OK. Well, reserve judgment. There are options with this house.

-OK.

-All right?

'And one of these options couldn't be more separate from the kitchen, as it's on the barn's other side.'

-So...

-Oh, right.

-Very nice.

Yes, this is definitely a much bigger room, isn't it?

And would be perfect for a living room.

What is great about this room is you've got patio doors...

-Yeah.

-You've got a small patio heading out into the garden.

-And it's a long way from that stinky curry you've cooked.

-Yeah.

-It's got a nice feel. I love the vie as well.

-It surprised me when I first walked round this place.

I thought, "Where's this next room coming from?" Then you see this big... It's a barn room, really.

-Yeah.

-That room next to the kitchen can be just a casual room.

-It puts a totally different reflection on it

'It seems John and Sally approve of this room, so things are definitely looking up.

'This spacious barn conversion has a fabulous mix of options.

'There's an office, two double bedrooms, one with en-suite,

'while the other double is currently being used as a music room.

'There's also a handy utility room and a single bedroom, but we'll look at the room that could be theirs.'

-The master, you've got a dressing room there.

-Right.

-And then a fairly compact bedroom itself.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-With an en-suite.

-Oh, right.

-Oh, right!

-Can we have a look?

-Yeah, go on.

-That's a nice size.

But on top of this, next door, you've got a family bathroom.

Right, OK.

At the moment, it seems rather dark.

I'm not getting that nice, airy feel. It's a room you're likely to have the light on all the time.

It's not got those big, lovely Georgian windows.

Converted barns have either got massive windows where barn doors were

or they can be a bit dark because they've got low windows like this.

-My feeling is the room would just be full of bed.

-OK.

-Which... Wherever you've got other storage, I'm still not too keen on that.

-All right, fair point.

'So it's a thumbs-down from our buyers for this master.

'However, I'm certain that space won't be such a problem as we head into the garden.'

-It's still spitting, but we'll brave it, shall we?

-OK.

So boundary-wise...

-It goes from that fence...

-Yeah.

-..over to half of that pond.

-Right.

-To that fence.

-Right, good.

Yeah, you've got a nice, big garden, haven't you, with beautiful views? That is very good.

Now you know the boundary, you've seen some of the rooms...

It's quite a big plot of accommodation. Let's have a go at pricing it. Who wants to go first?

Do you want to go first this time?

I would say this would sit at the top of our budget - 425.

What do you think, Sally?

I'm not quite... I wouldn't go quite as far as that.

I was going to say 399,950.

-Right, OK.

-399,950.

Well, he's spot-on. £425,000 they're asking.

Yeah.

Which, bearing in mind its location and the amount of accommodation you get,

-I can see why they're asking that.

-Yeah.

-Very much so.

-And it has been really nicely converted.

But we've got a few little things in our mind about whether it would fit our lifestyle as it is.

That's what you should do now. Go back into the property.

-Have a good look around and see if you could make those changes or if it's maybe not for you.

-OK.

-Cool.

This lovely barn conversion is bang on budget at £425,000

and it offers John and Sally many of the items on their wish list.

It has a light sitting room with patio doors,

four double bedrooms, including two with en-suite.

It's full of exposed beams, wooden floors and high ceilings

and there's an extensive lawned garden with a duck pond.

Property two, it was only when we started walking around the property that I realised it was in a U-shape,

that I thought, "Yeah, interesting."

Once you get inside, you can see it's a very nice property and very nicely converted.

I thought the kitchen was very nice, nice and bright, nice and modern.

Maybe a bit smaller than we had originally thought, but workable.

I think it's been beautifully converted, it's very pretty,

but I'm feeling that it doesn't quite fit our lifestyle.

Perhaps ten years ago, it would have done when the children were at home.

-So you've seen everything you need to see now?

-Yeah, thank you. That was good. Had a good look round.

-OK, hopefully, something to think about or compare with the first property.

-Definitely.

-That's it for today, so let's go.

-Thanks.

'As the sun settles and the rain clouds fade over Norfolk,

'our buyers get the chance to reflect on their first day of house-hunting.

'With a budget of £425,000, John and Sally from Blackwater in Surrey are keen

'to swap the commuter belt for a home full of character in the Norfolk countryside.

'So far, we've shown them two fantastic properties.

'They loved the impressive Georgian home bursting with period features,

'but our second house, a barn conversion, didn't quite fit their new way of life.'

-The room would just be full of bed.

-'So can the mystery house deliver?'

-The views are spectacular.

-'I draw the short straw on a Norfolk roof.'

-Stick to your day job, mate.

I'm doing more harm than good here.

Both properties yesterday matched up with the outline of John and Sally's search.

But it's only when you visit the properties with any couple you're working with

that you find out more about their taste, maybe what they're prepared to compromise on.

Today, we're off to see the mystery house.

John and Sally would like a property with some land, maybe enough for a Shetland pony or a donkey,

but they also want to be close to a community

and, as you know, the mystery house can both giveth and taketh away.

'As we set off, I grab a quick moment with our buyers

'to find out what they're hoping for from today's mystery property.'

So, John, what would you like this property to be?

The ones we've seen so far haven't had much land, so somewhere with a bit of land would be very nice.

-Being in the middle of nowhere doesn't frighten you?

-No.

-No.

-Being in the middle of a town?

-No.

-No.

-Right... Let's see then, shall we?

-Yeah, good.

'I'm taking John and Sally towards Shipdham, a village located in the heart of Norfolk.

'This is one of the largest villages in the county, yet still retains a lot of history and tradition.

'The earliest known reference to Shipdham was in the 11th century

'soon after William the Conqueror's entry into Britain.

'Back then, it was known as Thorpe, an old Norse word for "village".

'It has a range of amenities including a pub and a local shop.

'John and Sally want a property with a good bit of land and I think the mystery house will deliver,

'but I'm not quite sure how they will react to its much more rural location.'

-So, the mystery house, and there's a whole lot of it.

-Wow, yeah, there is, isn't there?

Yeah, very different from the last two.

This is two farmworkers' cottages converted into one

and, in my opinion, converted very, very well.

-It makes sense with this location as well.

-Yeah. Do you like what you see?

-Yeah, I do like what I see.

-Good. OK, well, let's go inside.

-OK.

'So far, so good. We haven't always had the best responses to the kitchens previously,

'but I think this next one is a winner.'

Right then, let's start in the kitchen which I think you will like.

Oh, wow, yeah!

-Yeah, definitely a winner.

-This is lovely.

-Cool. Very good.

-That is very nice.

Nice, big table. Nice room.

-This is the reaction that's been missing all along.

-For the kitchen, yeah.

-Positive, you know what you like when you see it.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

-Well, this kitchen keeps coming round. Follow me.

-Cool.

The kitchen is in two stages, as you can see. This is the real working part of the kitchen.

Does it work for you?

Yeah, it's good for us with the utility room adjoining.

And we've got a dog, so it's quite nice to have this sort of flooring.

'This house can give John and Sally everything they want

'and as we continue our tour, I've got a feeling they'll like more and more of what they see.'

So your separate living room is a decent size.

-Very much so.

-It is. Just the right size, I think. Not too big and not too cramped.

Good. So all that's left now is the dining room which you can get to through that door,

-but also through this way as well.

-OK.

-OK.

Right, a small ante-room.

-It doesn't have to be an office.

-No.

-No.

But then...that's your dining room.

This is good. Again this is just the right size.

You want it reasonably large enough to sit half a dozen to a dozen people

-and you can do it easily in here.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

'I might have to pinch myself. The reactions have been spot-on.

'On this floor, there's also a cloakroom with a shower

'and upstairs, there are five bedrooms which are all good sizes

'and have fabulous views over the East Anglian countryside. There's also a large family bathroom.'

Let's start with the master bedroom.

I think it's rather nice.

-This is pretty. Look at the view!

-The view's amazing, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Very nice to wake up to.

The only problem is I don't think it would fit our bed.

-Oh, that bed!

-Ah...

-That's one thing I can't change.

-No.

-It wouldn't.

-It wouldn't definitely.

-Unless it overlaps.

-That's a shame.

Here's the thing. I'm thinking on my feet here now.

-Yeah.

-You have five bedrooms, OK?

-Right.

Right. It seems like a shame, a bit of a waste,

but you box in that alcove there.

-You could easily for storage.

-Yeah.

You box in this alcove, put storage above it and an occasional cupboard there, then you can put a king.

And you don't need any other furniture in here because... Open that door.

-The light switch is on the left there.

-Oh, wow!

-That's cool.

-Right, that's good.

-Yeah.

-With five bedrooms, you've got another dressing room available.

-Yes.

-You've got loads of space here.

-And this one is obviously en-suite as well which we'll have a peek at later on.

-Cool. Very nice.

-So...

-Very positive.

-Nice and light and airy.

I'm dying to show you outside, then perhaps you can come inside and discover the rest of the bedrooms.

-Cool. Yeah.

-Mind your step just down here, John.

'Maybe there was a slight hiccup due to the size of that bed of theirs,

'but there are plenty of solutions.

'And as we head outside, I can't wait to show them the stunning views across the fields.'

So, a lovely, wide open garden with views beyond.

-Yeah.

-That's an amazing view.

It is. It's beautiful, yeah.

-Well, all in all, you're sat in around a one-acre plot.

-Right.

So now you've got to price it, haven't you?

It's a difficult one again.

How much do you think someone is going to pay for a five-bedroom property set in an acre?

-405.

-405, OK.

And I was going to say 439...

-Not 950?

-No, not 950, no.

-Well, the asking price of this house is offers above £425,000.

-Right.

I've spoken to the owners and they are looking to settle at around 435,000, so you're not far away.

Yeah.

Why don't you go back inside the house? There's five bedrooms to have a look at.

-Have a good look around the place, take as long as you want, and we'll have a chat after.

-Thank you.

I'm a little bit surprised, actually.

I was thinking, get them to the mystery house, show them the land, the fantastic accommodation inside,

and then drive them to the estate agent's,

but oddly enough, maybe I'll be relying on one of the other two houses I showed them.

We'll have to see.

On the market for offers above £425,000,

but with the owners hoping for around the £435,000 mark,

the mystery house is slightly over budget,

but it does offer John and Sally much of what they're after.

It has a separate sitting room with woodburner, a bespoke wooden kitchen/diner,

five bedrooms, it's full of character including exposed beams,

and it's located in an acre of land

with unspoilt views over the Norfolk countryside.

Walking up to the mystery house, very impressive,

and the ground floor worked very well for us.

When I first walked up, I was a bit worried how big it might be inside,

but just the isolation and the countryside around it, it was just very impressive.

It took a bit longer than normal, five bedrooms to have a look round?

-And quite a lot to think about.

-Indeed. And a lot of information gathered.

-Right, good. Let's find somewhere else to discuss it all.

-Cool.

-OK.

'Here in Norfolk, the local reed found in coastal areas of the county

'has been used as a building material since Roman times.

'Most properties were thatched throughout the region until Welsh slate became available

'with the spread of the railway network in the 19th century. Today, arguably, there's no greater symbol

'of the English countryside than the thatched cottage and large efforts are made

'to preserve the wonderful examples of our architectural heritage.

'I'm meeting master thatcher Richard Horton to find out more about this historic craft.'

-Good morning, Richard. How are we doing?

-Very well, thank you.

I'm dying to find out a bit more about thatching and thatched roofs.

-So, Richard, what have we got here?

-This is Norfolk reed.

And this is cut very locally, just up the road.

-So everything you're using so far...

-Is local.

-How local? How far has this travelled?

This has come literally two miles up the road from Somerton.

-Anything I could have a go at?

-Of course you can. Come over and have a look.

'The thatching technique has changed little over the years and there's a steady call for expert thatchers

'with over 100 registered throughout England.'

Right, what's the process then?

We'll finish this course, so we need to pin another course of reed over the top of this course.

-What I do with the bunch of reed is hang it down.

-Right.

-That's it.

-Under arm?

-Under your arm.

-Make sure all the ends are at the bottom.

-Yeah.

-Then form it at an angle.

-So it's already taking that shape?

-It's already taking that shape. OK.

Pop that on the roof. Yeah, I'd say here.

And then pin that with two of the thatching hooks just above the string at the side of the bar.

And then one on the left.

That will hold the bunch temporary until the temporary sway will come across.

'Thatch is laid in what's known as staunches which are, in effect, columns of straw.

'This method ensures that the thickness is consistent

'and, in general, a new thatch will add 12 inches of cover.'

Then cut the string...

and then put your hand on the temporary sway,

then tap that left to right,

then the bunch will start to form on the roof.

-It's taking shape, isn't it?

-Yeah.

If you hold immediately above where you're working and then tap...

Have a go at that, Jonnie.

I mean, for me, I don't do it every day, it's quite therapeutic.

'Originally made with wood and horseshoe nails, this simple device allows the thatcher

'to create the characteristic angle of thatched roofs that would come to symbolise rural Britain.'

-The rain will only hit these bits?

-Just the first inch and a half and i will only penetrate in half an inch.

You can see why this works so well as a roofing system because it's perfect drainage.

-It's designed to get rid of the moisture.

-You've got great insulation as well.

-Stick to your day job, mate.

-I know. I'm making holes everywhere.

I'm probably doing more harm than good and putting you back about a day!

-But it's been really interesting. Thanks very much.

-Thank you.

I'll leave you with your weapon. See you later, Axel.

I feel more informed to talk about the merits of a thatched house now.

Time to catch up with our buyers to see if they like any of the three properties we've shown them.

The first property we went to was a style that you'd never considered, a Georgian property.

-What were your thoughts when we first walked up, John?

-I liked the basic symmetry of it.

I liked the walled garden and it was a very attractive property to walk up to.

The only compromise I could see from your point of view, Sally,

was you were hoping for a slightly larger kitchen.

-Hoping, ideally, but I think it was a manageable kitchen.

-Mm-hm.

-Just if there was enough storage space.

-OK.

-And I think that could be worked around.

-All right.

-Pretty good start.

-Mm-hm.

-In the afternoon, we went to...well, a barn conversion

which I think you might have had reservations about.

I was expecting to see a barn conversion

because there are a lot in Norfolk and we've looked previously at them.

No, I thought it was beautiful. I di have some reservations. I wasn't sur whether it was two barns

and we'd be sharing the garden and the courtyard. That was my reservation.

From the outside, I immediately thought it was a semi-detached barn.

Once we got in, a very nice property inside,

-but the configuration didn't quite come to what we wanted it to be.

-All right.

The first two properties on day one, both in villages.

-For the mystery property, we wanted to show you something very different.

-Which it was.

-It wasn't in the middle of nowhere, but the nearest village was three miles away.

-Yes.

-You had pretty good initial reactions.

-Yes. It was a lovely, substantial property.

You couldn't fault the setting in the fields with nothing else around it, apart from countryside.

Yeah, very impressive indeed.

I remember the first room we walked into, the kitchen, John, you walked in and you said, "Yeah."

I tend to look at things and think, "Does it tick the boxes for me?"

And that primarily ticked the boxes we were looking for as far as the kitchen was concerned.

But upstairs, you seemed to cool somewhat. Is that right?

I think that we would have to start doing some work in...

-We would want a bigger bathroom, so we would want to start converting one bedroom to a bathroom.

-Right.

And then it sort of starts not quite to fit exactly what we wanted.

So what's the next step?

We're going to have a look in the area which the first property was in

and generally have a look around some of the villages in Norfolk to get a better feel of the area.

-So more investigation with an eye on the first place?

-We want to walk round the village.

-Maybe have another viewing as well, but I wish the best of luck in your investigation.

-Thank you.

No matter what you decide on, please let us know what you want to do.

Thank you.

Well, a bit of a damp end to our time here in Norfolk,

but there could be brighter weather on the horizon for John and Sally.

That Georgian house, I think Sally was surprised they could even afford a property like that

within their budget and she fell in love with the place as soon as she set eyes on it,

but I have a sneaking suspicion John still remains to be convinced,

so another visit to the area is a fantastic idea, especially if it includes a visit to their local pub

because that's right at the heart of a community that they want to be involved in.

I'm sure, like me, you'll wish them the very best of luck. See you next time.

John and Sally did go back to see the first house and had a good chat with the owners,

but after careful consideration,

they decided that the garden was too small and didn't offer enough privacy.

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