Essex Escape to the Country

I'm stood in front of a Martello tower, one of 103 circular fortresses

built to defend our country in the early 19th century.

But in which county was this one built? Find out in just a moment.

'On today's show, I'll be helping a young couple escape the big smoke to find

'a breath of country air for themselves and their two young daughters.

'And our house hunt provides plenty of pitfalls.'

-There's one thing though, isn't there?

-What?

-Doink!

-'Lots of tension...'

-This would be the living room, basically.

-Hmmm.

-We're going to disagree on camera.

-Well, look, you know...

Wait till you buy the place to have a real argument.

'And a great deal of anticipation.'

-Blimey!

-What is it?

Today I'm in Essex,

where 11 of these Martello towers were built in the early 1800s.

The name is derived from tour de Mortella, a circular fortress

in Corsica that withstood an English attack for several days

and so impressed its attackers,

they decided to copy its design for use back here in England.

Now, in 1812, all of these towers in Essex were completed

and housed around 25 soldiers, all poised for action,

should Napoleon launch an invasion of England.

But of course, the invasion never came

and these towers remained unused

and eventually unmanned.

But, as you're about to see, there's plenty more to this wonderful county

than just this snapshot of naval history.

The county of Essex is bordered by Suffolk to the north,

meets the fringes of Greater London in the south-west

and extends as far east as the North Sea.

In fact, its deeply indented coastline stretches out

across some 350 miles, making it the longest of any English county.

And it's the strength of the sea breeze over this largely flat

terrain that was once harnessed to power the vast number

of windmills found throughout the region.

Over 70% of the county's landscape is rural,

with many small villages and hamlets nestled into rolling farmland

and ancient woodland.

It's this unspoiled, tranquil beauty that proved

so inspirational to the 19th-century painter John Constable.

And it's easy to see why this attractive countryside,

coupled with the close proximity to the city,

makes Essex such a prime location to set up home.

The average price for a detached house here in Essex

is just shy of £300,000.

That's around £50,000 more than the national figure. Why?

Well, one reason might be that there are over 14,000 listed homes here -

that's more than the neighbouring counties of Suffolk and Norfolk.

But on top of that, Essex is a highly accessible county.

Fast trains from Colchester

and Chelmsford can get you into London in around 45 minutes.

But you can expect to pay a premium of around 15% in villages around these towns.

But no matter where you look, I think it's fair to say that there

are plenty of architectural styles to greet the eye.

Windmilling in Britain is believed to date back to the 12th century

and reached a peak in Essex around the early 1800s.

At that time, around 285 of these grain-grinding iconic structures

could be found in the county.

Today, there are still a number of restored windmills creating

a striking feature across the region.

As for traditional residential properties,

there's a wealth of homes to choose from,

including picture postcard thatched cottages, a prime example

being this utterly charming two-bedroom home in Little Hadham.

It's on the market for just shy of £280,000.

Or you can take your pick

from a choice range of medieval timber-framed homes,

such as this handsome five-bedroom house in Stansted.

With an asking price of £600,000,

it dates all the way back to the 16th century.

A great range of architectural styles there,

but what kind of property are today's buyers after?

Time to meet them and find out.

Young professionals Stuart and Bryony met overseas and have spent

the past 2½ years living the City dream as a married couple in London.

But after the arrival of their twin daughters Amelia and Olivia,

18 months ago, they've decided to trade in their urban lives

for a more family-focused rural existence.

They're getting to the age where they want to run around, they need

a bit more space and we just feel that now the time is right to go.

At the moment, in our garden, we don't have any grass,

so just simple things like that, that you take for granted,

they'll be discovering, so, you know, it should be fantastic.

When it comes to the preferred location,

they have a very specific criteria.

We've been focusing on the area where the three counties meet -

Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex.

And really, the main factors dictating that are the commute

to work - I need to get into Oxford Circus -

and the availability of good schools, as well, for the kids.

That's also equally key for us, isn't it?

Yes, my ideal location would be in a village.

As it's our first move out of a big town, I don't want to be

completely stranded on our own in the middle of nowhere.

Since the twins were born,

they've been living in this rented Victorian terrace in south London

and working out exactly what they want from their new home.

For me, I'd love a minimum of four bedrooms, a detached house and a

really big eat-in kitchen, something that will be the heart of the house.

I'd also love a separate sitting room to the playroom,

so we can get all the kids' toys out of view.

We would consider doing works and reconfiguring space,

knocking down walls and so on.

Bryony does really like her period properties

and it probably is the quirkier the better, isn't it?!

I just like a bit of character!

So, a traditional home is certainly on their wish list,

but they also want somewhere to explore their passions.

I really want to get into my cooking

and I'd love to have the space to do that.

I'd also like to maybe do something with my garden,

maybe grow my own veggies, see if I could do it.

Out in the countryside, I plan to see myself doing more cycling,

obviously with the family. And I love tennis, as well,

so hopefully there will be some facilities nearby to be able

to play tennis and spend a bit more time doing that.

Stuart and Bryony have each sold properties to fund this move,

so their finances are all ready to buy their first home together.

The budget is between 700 and £750,000.

Both Stuart and Bryony need to commute into London for work,

so they want to concentrate their search in the villages

around Saffron Walden, near to where the three

counties of Essex, Hertfordshire and Cambridgeshire meet.

So, with the location sorted, I'm meeting up with them

on Essex turf to clarify the details of their move.

So, here we are in Essex.

Why have you chosen this particular part of the world?

It's still easy to commute into London

and we think we can get a bit more space than we have at the moment.

What sort of commute time are you looking at?

I think probably about an hour and a quarter, max. Door-to-door.

Door-to-door? That's amazing, isn't it?

You can come out to the countryside and be in central London in

an hour and a quarter, but obviously

that's reflected in property prices.

-Yes.

-How much more are you hoping to get for your money out here?

Um, size wise, not that much for the actual house,

-but outside space is very important.

-How much garden do you want?

Acres, or just something for your children to run around in?

About a third of an acre.

Yes. From our research so far, about a third of an acre.

So you've both got some clear criteria,

which makes it easier to find a property, I think.

-So how many bedrooms?

-Four. We want to be able to extend.

If there's only four, I want to be able to extend it to get five.

Sounds like you want to extend your family!

You've got twins at the moment, four to five bedrooms -

are you moving out hoping to have guests coming to stay,

or do you just want a huge family home?

You've got to go for the son and heir! We've got two girls at the moment!

Right, OK, got you! All right.

-Might as well start?

-Yes.

-Let's get cracking.

For their maximum budget of £750,000, Stuart

and Bryony are after a sizeable and characterful detached

family home with potential

as they're quite willing to take on a project.

They need a minimum of four bedrooms,

a large kitchen/diner

and two separate reception rooms.

And essential to their checklist are good transport links

into central London and access to excellent local primary schools.

We'll be taking Stuart and Bryony to view some of the best traditional

and unconventional family homes on the market, but as always,

I won't be revealing the price tags until they've had a guess first.

As ever, our final choice is the mystery house -

but will it provide a happy landing or just be a flight of fancy?

Our first property is situated in the village of Quendon,

which has a local primary school rated good by Ofsted and a nearby

train station offering a direct 45-minute connection into London.

Quendon lies side-by-side with the idyllic-looking village

of Rickling, characterised by a large, lush green

and framed by picturesque houses as well as a popular country pub.

The house we're viewing is a period home dating back to the 1800s

and has good road links right on the doorstep.

So here is Essex's first offering.

It's a nice-looking house.

Two garages. Well appointed.

Very nice.

It's fully enclosed, this property.

But...there is the road.

-Yes.

-How much of a problem?

-I think it might be a problem.

-A big problem.

We've brought you here because of the accommodation

and because there's plenty of character here and plenty of space.

It does look like a great house.

OK, let's see what you think of it, anyway.

'Despite the proximity to the road, they both seem

'to like the appearance of this timber-framed house.

'And I'm hoping the bounty of traditional features inside

'will more than make up for any potential traffic noise.'

OK... So... Living room.

-I'll say now, one of your living rooms.

-Ah...

-It's a decent size.

If that puts a different slant on it.

-Good feature fireplace.

-Yes, nice fireplace.

-There is one thing though, isn't there?

-Yeah!

-Doink!

-Ah, yes!

Well, again, that's what you get with character.

-It feels cosy, though.

-Yes, it feels like a nice room.

I think this room would potentially be maybe more of a summer room,

cos it spills out into the garden,

maybe more of a "best" room,

more formal, because the sitting room

I'm about to show you is next door to the kitchen.

-I think you'd get a lot more use out of that.

-OK.

Right, then. Bit more of a flow to this room.

-It's a good room.

-Yeah?

-Well... L-shaped.

And this is the older part of the property again.

It feels that, doesn't it?

-It just has a bit more character to it, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

It's obviously period, I quite like it, actually. It's got a good feel to it.

I think everything we've seen so far

I definitely think could work for us.

The fact we have a formal area and then more of a snug, playroom

-type area, where you can have the kids making a mess.

-Yes.

Let's go straight through to the kitchen,

-because I think it's all quite integral, really.

-Yeah.

-So...

-Here it is.

-Again, full of character.

-Yes, it is, isn't it?

It is.

I think it's a really good kitchen.

It's light, it's spacious.

A mean, these old beams and stuff - that's great. Really characterful.

It's great you've got your kitchen area and your eating area.

-But at the same time, it's completely open.

-That's good.

So, at the moment, this marries up to

-the sort of style that you're after for your new countryside house?

-Yes.

-Yes.

'The kitchen sits at the back of the property,

'right next to a huge utility room with a downstairs cloakroom.

'In the front hallway are the stairs up to the sleeping quarters,

'and there are five bedrooms in total, all of which are doubles.

'The three smallest rooms are grouped together in the centre

'of the house and all share a large five-piece family bathroom.

'Then, there's a huge bedroom, currently being used

'as a games room, which also benefits from an en-suite bathroom.

'That just leaves the largest bedroom...'

This is very much the master.

This is a BIG room.

-Good room.

-Isn't it?

-Yes, very good.

-And there's a walk-in wardrobe...

Oh, that's my dream!

The depth of that en suite goes halfway behind the bed

-and then the other half is walk-in wardrobe.

-Wow.

-It wasn't a prerequisite, but that is a big tick in a box.

-Yes.

'After the initial road reservations, both Stuart

'and Bryony appear to be keeping positive about this property

'and it's no wonder - there's a lot of house here.

'And the garden is also a substantial size,

'with a total plot that covers a third of an acre, featuring a large,

'paved patio and a level lawned area ideal for their two young children.'

So how much is this house on the market for?

-I'm going to let Stu go first!

-Very good of you!

-OK.

I think around 700.

-OK. Bryony?

-695.

JONNIE INHALES SHARPLY

Naughty bid that, five grand under. But you're closer...

It's on...

Yeah! It's on the market for offers around £650,000.

-Oh, so the road has a bigger impact than I thought.

-Yes.

If you picked this up and put it in a village,

I think you could add another 150,000, easily.

-You'd struggle to afford it, absolutely.

-OK.

Why don't you go back into the house, then, have a good scoot

around and I'll meet you outside at the front in a few moments.

-Perfect, thank you.

-Thanks a lot.

This spacious 19th-century period property is £100,000

under Stuart and Bryony's top budget,

but comes with all of their specified criteria.

There are two separate reception rooms, a large kitchen/diner

and five bedrooms,

as well as a good-sized garden

and it's located within their preferred commute time.

So, on the face of it, this property is a perfect match,

but it remains to be seen

whether the roadside location will bypass its benefits.

-Another big room.

-The games room!

-Or, OR a guest bedroom.

This is a good-sized room.

Yes, this has the other en suite. It's another good-sized bathroom.

This is a really lovely guest bedroom.

I thought the house itself inside was great -

loads of period features, which was fantastic, beams, but not too many,

which makes it not that dark, which was also a plus point.

Feature fireplaces, great eat-in kitchen,

so on the whole, the style of house was definitely to our liking.

Five bedrooms was a real bonus.

I really like the period nature of the property.

I think the styles are very eclectic, very intriguing.

Full of character and the house itself I think we really like, actually.

-All done inside?

-Yes, thank you.

-All good.

-Plenty of bedrooms.

-Lots.

-Yes, lots of space.

-OK, let's go on.

Much of the pastoral landscape

where northern Essex meets the Suffolk borders

epitomises the traditional English farmed countryside.

It's a setting that was to become world-famous when captured on

canvas by the Romantic painter John Constable in the early 19th century.

Constable was born and raised in the Dedham Vale and Stour Valley,

which are now preserved as areas of outstanding natural beauty.

And an ideal way to explore this iconic scenery is by bike.

So during the week, we sent keen cyclists Stuart

and Bryony to meet Paul Armstrong for a guided tour

through countryside that inspired some of Constable's greatest works.

They've started with a beautiful panorama that he painted in 1802.

OK, we just arrived here at the lip of Dedham Vale,

looking down over the Stour Valley.

This is actually very close to a famous scene of a famous

Constable picture...

which he actually painted from the top of the church tower behind us,

looking out across the valley.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look quite the same these days,

-because the trees have grown a bit.

-What a view, hey?

Apart from the bigger trees,

I think you'll agree that the actual scenery -

this was painted 200 years ago -

has barely changed in the time since then.

So where is the famous Hay Wain in relation to this?

Oh, we've still got two or three miles to go to reach that.

The route runs along country lanes, past lowland meadows

and through medieval villages, down to Flatford Mill,

which was once owned by Constable's father

and is the location featured in the classic painting the Hay Wain.

Here we are to finish off at the scene of Constable's...

Probably his most famous work, about 1820, but now of course is

renowned as one of the most famous landscape pictures that we have.

Willy Lott's cottage looks pretty much the same.

It's very impressive. What a fantastic setting, as well.

It's beautiful.

Life may have changed greatly since Constable's day,

but it's comforting to see that many of the scenes

he painted have retained their natural timeless quality.

For now though, it's time to get back to the house hunt and find

an unspoiled pocket of Essex that our buyers can call home.

For our second property, we're stepping out of Essex

and into Hertfordshire.

We're heading for Little Hadham,

only a couple of miles from Bishop's Stortford,

with its mainline train service to London,

which takes around 45 minutes.

There's also a local primary school,

again with an Ofsted rating of good.

Little Hadham is a pretty hamlet surrounded by fields and full of

whitewashed timber-framed farmhouses and immaculate thatched homes.

These line the quiet, winding streets and narrow lanes

that take us straight to the outside of our second house.

So now, from the first property,

hopefully a vast improvement on the road.

-This is the road connecting the property.

-A bit quieter.

-Yes!

-A great improvement.

-And that is the house.

It looks big from here. Very long.

Yes, it's an old worker's cottage,

a labourer's cottage for a big, old farm that was up the road.

But it has been extended, right through that gable end.

So it's a whole lot more property than it was initially built as.

-When was it built?

-1660.

-OK.

So, location wise?

-The right sort of area, isn't it?

-Yes.

-Good.

-Let's see what you think of the inside.

-Perfect.

-Let's go and have a look.

'And in true country tradition, we're skipping the front door in

'favour of the back entrance, which takes us straight into the kitchen.'

Come right in, because I know it needs a bit of work -

-I want you to get up close and personal with it.

-Seems quite dated!

Yes.

Now, the estate agents have told the owner,

and quite rightly in my opinion, not to put a new kitchen in,

because to spend all that money on a new kitchen, it still

might not be the taste of the incoming purchaser...

Is there any way that you could increase the size of the kitchen?

Yes, it's going to involve steels, but you've got a ground-floor

loo and shower room on the left as you came in, a utility that way.

-So you can go out that way, quite easily.

-OK.

-Increasing the size of this kitchen by...probably 50%.

-OK.

I think what we'd like to do is just see it in the context,

if we could create a bigger kitchen here and just see it in the context of the rest of the house.

-Absolutely.

-And how it fits in with that.

Subject to the correct planning permission of course,

knocking through could be the perfect solution to create

the large kitchen/diner they so desire.

But as it stands, there's still plenty of reception space, starting

with the cosy drawing room that has an enormous inglenook fireplace.

This room flows into the second reception area,

which is laid out as a dining room and is next to the compact office.

'After that is the sitting room.'

They've used...

They found old timbers when they did this. I think it's a gorgeous room.

Yes, it is.

It's great, and it spills out onto the patio area, as well.

The house is very long and quite thin, I think.

Yes, because I would see this as a formal drawing room.

I see this as the room where you'd spend...

-This would be the living room, basically.

-Hmmm.

We're going to disagree on camera.

Well, look, I think, you know,

wait until you buy the place to have a real argument!

No, I'm only joking!

It's the first time you've seen it and you've lots of thoughts

going through your mind, which is great.

This house is always going to challenge someone,

because it's old, it's... It's not conventional.

But there's so much in it that I thought you would like.

-The character, essentially, I suppose.

-Yes, I agree.

There's a really warming mood to this house tour which shows

it may be working for them.

Upstairs, the master bedroom has an element of interconnection, too,

as it can be accessed via a private staircase

from the kitchen or from the landing, through the second bedroom.

Right... Not massive.

-But so much character. Look at these floorboards.

-I know.

Cor, you feel like the whole room is on a gradient.

It's like being in a ship, isn't it?

-It's amazing. I love all the wobbly floors.

-What about the dimensions?

-Could you live in smaller-bedroomed accommodation?

-I could.

I think my issue would be

-not being able to get in on both sides of the bed.

-Good point.

That's the big thing that shouts out to me in this room.

But other than that, I think it's quite a nice little quirky room.

There are four bedrooms in total

and the last two are off the main landing next to the family bathroom.

Outside, the mature gardens cover half an acre,

with a wide expanse of lawn and a veggie plot.

In addition, there is also a three-acre paddock,

so more than enough space for their children to run around.

Land, gardens... Beautiful old 17th-century house...

-What would you price it at?

-I think 725,000.

-OK.

OK, I'm going to go upper end, actually - 745.

-Good guess. £750,000.

-Oh!

-Yes!

-No!

-No, that's more money we've got to pay.

-Yes. That's my point.

It's more, but whether or not you could negotiate this property

to a price that would allow you to make changes...

would remain to be seen.

But hopefully it's given you something to think about.

-Definitely.

-OK.

Look, you haven't looked in the garage,

you haven't looked at the other bedrooms. Now is your chance.

Last thing we're doing today -

I shall be relaxing somewhere in this lovely garden.

-See you in a moment.

-Have fun.

-Bye.

Bang on budget at £750,000,

the second property is a fascinating

detached 17th-century period cottage

set in a quiet hamlet.

It's also close to great transport links and good schools.

It comes with a kitchen/ breakfast room,

no less than three reception rooms and four bedrooms.

All in all, it's an absolute beautiful setting,

with over three acres of grounds.

I thought it looked lovely, slightly set back from the road,

really quiet country lane.

First impressions going into the kitchen were that it would need

a lot of work and it would want to be much bigger.

We're looking for a big kitchen/diner,

but on the whole, a lot of space on the ground floor.

Three big reception rooms and it seems great - loads of character.

The price means there is no flexibility for us to do anything.

I think in terms of the configuration of the house, and particularly with

the ceilings in the upstairs, it's going to be a real compromise for us.

-What's your favourite veg?

-Potato!

-There you go. What about you?

-Carrots!

-Ah, I don't think there's any carrots there yet.

I don't know if I'd know even if there were!

-Anyway, seen enough inside?

-Yes, thank you.

-Good.

It's been a great day. I've learnt lots about your search.

Hopefully you've had something to get your noggin ticking with tonight.

-No, it's been good.

-Let's make our way.

As the evening draws in,

the first day of our house hunt comes to an end.

With a budget of £750,000, London-based Stuart and Bryony

are looking for a family home in the Essex countryside.

And so far they've seen two very characterful period properties,

the second of which had them swaying with joy.

You feel like the whole room is on a gradient.

Like being in a ship, isn't it?

But still to come,

there is almost unimaginable individuality in the mystery house.

-It's very different to any house I've ever seen before.

-Me too.

-Yeah.

And I should like to be beside the seaside, beside the sea.

Yesterday, Bryony and Stuart saw two great properties,

both had character, good access to London and schools,

but also both did have an element of compromise.

Today, we're off to see the mystery house - hopefully,

the sun will break through those clouds later.

Now, I reckon I've shown my fair share of quirky properties to buyers

in the past, but I reckon this one pretty much takes the biscuit.

So... Two properties down.

Off to see the mystery house.

-You guess it, I'll buy you lunch.

-Ooh.

-Pub conversion.

You're going for pub conversion.

Do I have to do a specific type?

I'll go barn conversion, then.

OK. Enjoy the ride. All will be revealed soon.

Well, lunch won't be on me.

Our final destination is in the rural outskirts of Hadstock,

tucked right up against the Cambridgeshire county border.

The nearest train station has a line into the City,

which takes just over an hour

and the nearest primary school is again rated good by Ofsted.

Hadstock is just four miles from the town of Saffron Walden.

Here, our buyers can purchase items from a whole host of shops

housed within attractive Tudor and Georgian architecture and

they can use the twice-weekly market that dates right back to 1141.

Saffron Walden's prosperity blossomed through

the growth of the saffron crocus in the 16th century

and it's not just the town's name that references the flower.

Much of the local architecture features the saffron buds too.

Time to check out our mystery property

and it's safe to say it's a truly remarkable house.

SHE LAUGHS

-Are we looking yet?

-I'm looking!

-Have a look!

-Blimey!

-What is it?

-This is... a World War II...

-Yes?

..aircraft control tower.

-Of course it is! Why wouldn't it be?

-As... As... Yeah!

I don't think I've ever seen one of those before!

-I don't think I have.

-This is unexpected, to say the least.

-That WAS unexpected.

It's pretty much the quirkiest property I've shown someone.

Now inside, you said you wanted character.

Not necessarily old, but first good news,

you're not going to be banging your head.

-Excellent.

-Let's have a look.

-Fantastic.

Set amid fields of rapeseed on the remains of the WWII airfield,

this Grade II-listed control tower

is a unique home with an upside-down layout,

as all the reception and living areas are on the first floor.

-OK, then. Get a load of this.

-Wow.

-Yeah! Look at that. Surrounded by yellow.

-This is unbelievable.

I think the yellow gives it that extra wow factor when you come in.

Yes.

This is the biggest kitchen we've seen so far, even though

it's open-plan beyond. It's totally, totally bespoke.

This is Bry's favourite type of kitchen. Open plan...

-It's very different to any house I've ever seen before.

-Me too.

So let's look in the living area...

How brave are you?

-No, I can do that! Quickly!

-Waaaay!

-Do you like this style?

-Yes. I think it works.

Where we're stood at the moment was the control room.

Built in 1943,

so this has had a major input into our history, really.

The building was commissioned and built in the early 1940s

and used by both the Royal Air Force and the US Army Air Force.

It was converted into a home ten years ago,

to a highly contemporary design.

Also on this first floor is the master bedroom

where the sleek finish continues.

Right then, your master.

-It's very light.

-Yes.

It's a good size.

OK, so that protrudes into the kitchen, that bit there?

-Behind that walk-in wardrobe...

-Another tick!

Is that rosewood cupboard.

And then round the other side is an en-suite shower and loo.

-It's quite cleverly done.

-It's good, isn't it?

The remaining four bedrooms are all back down on the ground floor,

alongside a huge family bathroom.

There is a large, light double with a door out to the garden

next to another double with Mondrian-inspired built-in storage.

And the last two are also a similar size.

Well, that wraps up the accommodation,

and it's time to survey the land.

Where better to take it all in than up on the roof?

So let me explain what we've got here.

You've got...just under an acre. Not easy to price.

Not easy.

But have a go at it.

-I would estimate in excess of 700, probably about 725.

-OK.

I'm just going to go in with a value of 700,000.

Very good guess.

It's on the market for offers around £695,000.

It's a really interesting proposition.

Tell you what, go downstairs, I'll meet you out the front.

Where is the front? I forget!

-I'll meet you at the bottom, whenever you're ready.

-OK.

-See you there.

-Enjoy it.

-Bye.

Well, that's just it - I want them to enjoy this house.

It's SO different. It's been fun looking around this place.

But also, as quirky as it may seem,

it actually gives them everything they asked for. This could be their new family home.

On the market for offers around £695,000,

the mystery property is an historic and unique Grade II-listed home,

converted from a former aircraft control tower.

It comes with a modern kitchen and living area, five bedrooms

and that enormous roof terrace,

which features commanding views as far as the eye can see.

This proposition presents a rare opportunity for our two

London-based buyers to get a slice of contemporary City style living

in the heart of the countryside.

Um, for us, I think we're quite traditional in the sense that

we like to go upstairs to bed, but obviously this property is unusual.

A fantastic setting, and you've got to make the most of that.

It's something that we need to go and think about in terms

of the logistics of it and how it would work.

Um... Yes, TBC. To be continued.

It is very much an entertaining house and Stu and I,

especially with the move to the country, want to be able to

entertain people, so from that side, it's a definite tick.

So I think we just need to work through it,

see how we could play with the space and see if it would work for us.

Well, it's very pleasant out here, I tell you.

Jonnie, you make this property look good!

No, it's the furniture, not me! Have you seen enough in there?

-Yes, thank you.

-Good.

-Let's find somewhere for you to have a bit of a catch-up and talk things through.

-Great.

Britain's love affair with the seaside dates back

some 300 years and in the Victorian heyday,

sea bathing was therapeutic, fun and fashionable.

With the early 20th century

came the ultimate in private changing-room facilities

in the form of beach huts, which still make

a colourful splash across many a British seafront promenade.

Today there are over 20,000 bathing boxes decorating the UK's

coastline and over the past decade, they've become the iconic des res.

I've come to Frinton-on-Sea to meet local resident Giles Watling,

whose family have owned a beach hut on the parade here since 1957.

These are called the Whalings.

There are 100 huts here and of all the 3,000 or so huts

we've got on the Tendring Peninsula around here, around the Frinton

area, these are the only ones that stand up like this over the sea.

The tide will come right in here and all the way up and under the huts.

If the water comes right up to the huts,

they must look like floating structures at one point?

It's like being on a boat, really.

You've got the sound of the sea underneath you,

sitting there with a gin and tonic and a book in your hand.

Were these an extension of the residents' here or were these

-for the people who couldn't afford a holiday home?

-No, an extension of the residents'.

There was a rule until a few years ago where you couldn't have a

beach hut down here unless you lived in the Tendring Peninsula.

That rule was taken away, which had two effects - one,

it increased the value,

but it also meant that we have a lot of absentee landlords, if you like,

who are in London and they only get down here so often.

The majority of beach huts are privately owned

and they come with a very long waiting list.

On this part of the coast, huts typically cost between five

and £30,000, but one that recently sold in Dorset is thought to be

the most expensive beach hut in the UK,

selling for a whopping £170,000.

I must admit, Giles, I've never seen a beach hut with its own back garden before.

This is rather exclusive, isn't it?

They are quite unique with this veranda.

-Can you show me inside?

-Yes, let's go and have a look. Come inside.

This feels like a lovely sort of boat cabin, doesn't it?

I use it as an office.

For inspiration, you'd struggle to find any better...

Well, it is stunning. Look at that sea, sparkling away.

-May I have a look?

-Go ahead,

-stick your head out of the window.

-It's wonderful.

-I suppose the water pretty much comes up here, does it?

-Under here.

You can drop out a bucket

and pick up some water to scrub down the decks.

I'm sure you're probably loath to go home sometimes.

I don't want to go home. This is paradise.

And who needs a holiday, frankly, in Spain or wherever,

when you've got this? Look at it.

Ongoing maintenance is crucial to protect huts from the harsh

coastal weather and corrosive salt air,

but there are passionate experts who will help get the job done.

John Robertson is one of them.

Now, John, you're involved in what, the upkeep of these beach huts?

Yes, basically it starts out some people come along

and want a door repaired or something very simple.

Then somebody else comes along and wants a new kitchen fitted.

Some are so luxurious, some have a full sink, a gas fridge,

I mean, they've got to have their beer and wine cold!

So the uses have changed over the past 100 years or so,

but essentially, they're here to enjoy the beach

-and the weather we have here.

-Yeah, that's it.

Over 100 years since they first graced our promenades,

these modest candy-coloured landmarks are still a defining

and treasured reflection of life and leisure at the British seaside.

Well, that's real estate with a guaranteed sea view at least.

Maybe a mystery property for the future.

Time now to catch up with today's buyers and see

if this beautiful county of Essex has worked its charms.

All right, let's start at the beginning. First property...

I don't think, if we're really honest with each other,

-we never got over that road, did we?

-No, we didn't.

It was a fantastic house, a lot of space.

But we just couldn't live on that road.

No, but I learned quite a bit from you guys about what you like.

I mean, internally, you both...

-got on quite well with that house, didn't you?

-We did.

It was pretty much... It pretty much ticked all the boxes.

It was just the road that was the issue.

OK, because you reacted so well to the garden in the first house,

I was really looking forward to the afternoon,

where I took you to that beautiful 17th-century cottage.

Built back in 1660, however,

we started looking at the proportions which came into play.

The ceilings came into play, big-time. But that was...

That was a quieter setting,

very chocolate box-y,

I think was how we described it.

As you say, the garden was great.

The house was full of character and that was all good news.

I think the configuration of the bedrooms on the top floor

was difficult.

There probably wasn't enough space there for us

and our family and future family,

but also, it was Grade II-listed, so I think the potential

for expansion and extension there was limited as well.

Well, there were some changes to be made and it was, as you say,

Grade II-listed, so maybe a bit of a challenge.

But outside, fantastic garden, wasn't it?

That three acres was obviously a large plot of land

and it just gives you that extra potential.

Well, hopefully, we ended on a bit more of a high,

something to think about overnight.

And I say this with a wry smile, I was very much looking forward to

showing you the mystery property today.

What were your thoughts when you looked up

and saw a converted aircraft control tower?

I wasn't sure what to think, to be honest.

It's not something that you'd ever imagine going to see, so...

-No.

-I was a bit shocked.

But you seem to be embracing it, both of you.

-Definitely.

-I thought it was exciting, actually.

It looked like the sort of property

where you could get some decent dimensions internally.

Obviously, the roof terrace was fantastic.

-Miami meets Saffron Walden!

-Yeah!

But fantastically quirky and fantastic space,

both inside and out.

So of the three properties,

that's the one that we would go away and think about.

Is that what you're going to do, or is that just a favourite?

That's definitely our favourite one out of the three and we'll take it away,

we'll consider how it will work for us and the kids

and so on with the upstairs downstairs.

And, um...

We'll see what we think, have a good old think about it.

That doesn't surprise me that you say that,

because it's just so different, isn't it?

-Are you cool enough to live in that place?

-That's my worry!

I don't know anybody that cool!

I think, by purchasing that place, you would BECOME very cool!

I know. It's a bit of a statement.

-I think you'd have to get new friends.

-And new furniture!

Definitely new furniture! Well, best of luck with your decision.

No matter where you go, I know you've chosen to relocate

to a wonderful part of the world, but whatever you do, do let us know.

It's been a really enlightening experience, thank you.

It's been fun, so thank you, too.

Well, it's been a great few days here in Essex,

but certainly the highlight for me was showing two rather

discerning house-buyers a converted aircraft control tower.

Now, they've told me they want to go away, consider this carefully

and I think it's a really good idea, because, well,

they had great reactions first of all, but on reflection,

yes, of course it's unconventional,

but it's actually quite practical.

Internally, well, Stuart wouldn't be banging his head,

but externally, you've got the land, you've got access to great schools

in Saffron Walden, but most importantly, the commute time -

within an hour and a quarter of London,

so Stuart should be fairly happy there, too.

So, maybe, just maybe,

that very quirky mystery property may have found two new buyers.

Who knows? See you next time.

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