0:00:02 > 0:00:05This is one of the best preserved medieval towns in the country.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07500 years ago, it was famed for its cloth making.
0:00:07 > 0:00:11But which county am I in? Find out in just a moment.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45On today's show, I'm with a couple of beekeepers who are aiming to escape the hectic buzz of London
0:00:45 > 0:00:48to the peace of the countryside.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52As one of them is a plumber, there's an unusual question at our first property.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Throughout my eight-year television career,
0:00:54 > 0:00:57I have never been asked to find out what the water pressure is like.
0:00:57 > 0:00:59Thank you very much - that is a first for me.
0:00:59 > 0:01:02But by the mystery house, it's a routine request.
0:01:02 > 0:01:09- And can you check the water pressure on the taps for us please, Jonnie? - Unbelievable!
0:01:13 > 0:01:17Today, I'm in Suffolk and this is the Guildhall in historic Lavenham.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21In the 1370s, things weren't going well for Edward III.
0:01:21 > 0:01:25The Hundred Years' War had wreaked havoc on the royal coffers.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29So he decided to impose a heavy export tax on the textile industry
0:01:29 > 0:01:33meaning that soon, it was confined to British shores.
0:01:33 > 0:01:39By the 16th century, the whole area was one of the most prosperous in the country for weaving cloth.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43Unfortunately, its fall was as rapid as its rise.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47New techniques from the continent and increased competition from the north
0:01:47 > 0:01:49meant that Lavenham was hung out to dry.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53But, as you can see from the beautiful architecture it left behind,
0:01:53 > 0:01:57Suffolk certainly wears its heritage on its sleeve.
0:01:57 > 0:02:03Set in the east of England, Suffolk stretches from the great waters of the North Sea
0:02:03 > 0:02:05to the gallops of Newmarket.
0:02:05 > 0:02:09Its neighbours include Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south.
0:02:09 > 0:02:14The coastline is home to Britain's most easterly point at Lowestoft Ness.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18And with over 45 miles of golden beaches and shingle islands,
0:02:18 > 0:02:21it's a haven for bird life with over 50 nature reserves.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25To the west, Newmarket, the centre of British horseracing,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28has always been synonymous with equine excellence.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Boudicca, Britain's ancient warrior queen, used the heath here
0:02:31 > 0:02:35to prepare her warrior chariots before facing the Romans.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39Nowadays, you are more likely to see men in silk rather than women in woad.
0:02:39 > 0:02:43But they'll still be out in the world's longest horseracing straight
0:02:43 > 0:02:48preparing their charges for action.
0:02:48 > 0:02:52If you're looking for your dream country property, a move to Suffolk could be a great bet.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55The average price for a detached house is around £241,000.
0:02:55 > 0:03:00That's a massive £19,000 less than the national figure.
0:03:00 > 0:03:02But if you have equine aspirations,
0:03:02 > 0:03:06then the properties around Newmarket are considerably more expensive.
0:03:06 > 0:03:09Expect to pay around £450,000 for a character home there
0:03:09 > 0:03:12but if you're prepared to ride the extra mile,
0:03:12 > 0:03:16the land closer to Norfolk is a whole lot cheaper.
0:03:16 > 0:03:20Historically, the major industry in Suffolk was weaving
0:03:20 > 0:03:26and the traditional housing of the wealthy wool traders was Tudor-style wood-framed properties.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30Fine examples can be seen in the old walled towns such as Sudbury and Lavenham
0:03:30 > 0:03:36where this charming three-bedroom terraced house is on the market for £465,000.
0:03:36 > 0:03:41The Suffolk pink house is one of the most attractive styles in the county.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43Rather than using traditional whitewash,
0:03:43 > 0:03:47the pink colour was originally achieved by using pig's blood.
0:03:47 > 0:03:51This two-bed thatched pink-wash cottage, outside Sudbury,
0:03:51 > 0:03:55is grade II listed and priced at just under £300,000.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59From the 16th century, Suffolk red brick was produced at local kilns.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03Examples of brick housing can be seen all over the county
0:04:03 > 0:04:07but particularly around the walled towns.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10This three-bedroom Victorian cottage
0:04:10 > 0:04:14in the village of Shelley could be yours for £285,000.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16Some stunning Suffolk properties there
0:04:16 > 0:04:19but what are today's buyers looking for? Time to meet them and find out.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22Paul and Elaine have been married for 10 years
0:04:22 > 0:04:26and live in a ground floor flat in the North London borough of Haringey.
0:04:26 > 0:04:32For the past few years, they've been yearning for the space and peace that country life can offer.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35I've just retired from the London Fire Brigade
0:04:35 > 0:04:37so I've no need to be living in London any more.
0:04:37 > 0:04:43I'd like a quieter life, more open space.
0:04:43 > 0:04:47Most importantly, we want country walks on our doorstep
0:04:47 > 0:04:50- because we want to get a dog and go out there and enjoy it.- Yeah.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52I've never had a dog, I want a dog.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56So, apart from realising the dream of owning a dog,
0:04:56 > 0:05:01Paul will be working as a plumber with help from former veterinary nurse, Elaine.
0:05:01 > 0:05:04They've thought carefully about which county they're hoping to live in.
0:05:04 > 0:05:07The important things for us is that we needed to be
0:05:07 > 0:05:10within an hour and a half to two hours' drive of our parents.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Mine are in North London and Paul's are still in Hertfordshire.
0:05:13 > 0:05:18We wanted to be somewhere fairly rural but also near good market towns
0:05:18 > 0:05:23where there was activity and amenities but still have that lovely rural feeling.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25- Suffolk did fit the bill for us. - Yeah.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29When he's not working or walking his dog,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33Paul will be joining Elaine in expanding their shared interest in beekeeping.
0:05:33 > 0:05:39We're beekeepers. We belong to an association in North London.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42This is another reason why we want to move
0:05:42 > 0:05:47because we haven't really got room in here to keep bees with the neighbours so close.
0:05:47 > 0:05:53So, when we move out to the country, we can have our own hives, probably about three or four.
0:05:53 > 0:05:59It would be great, wouldn't it? We've got a different interest with regard to the bees.
0:05:59 > 0:06:03Paul's very interested in the honey side of wanting to keep bees
0:06:03 > 0:06:06and I'm much more interested in pollination
0:06:06 > 0:06:09because I want to grow vegetables and plants.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13We both have that interest in looking after the hive. It's fascinating.
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Elaine is also keen on getting more creative with woollen crafts.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21One pastime I do quite a lot of is knitting.
0:06:21 > 0:06:26One thing I would like to do, if I had the space and the time to do it,
0:06:26 > 0:06:30is learn how to start spinning and dye my own yarn.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34That would be a really nice thing to look at for the future.
0:06:34 > 0:06:40So, with an offer already accepted on their flat, their finances are in place and they're ready to go.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43The budget for our move is £400,000.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54Paul and Elaine's search area is dictated by the distance
0:06:54 > 0:06:57from that parents in North London and Hertfordshire.
0:06:57 > 0:07:02They would like to live no further than the town of Stowmarket, about a two hours' drive.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06I met up with them to hear what they are looking for in their new rural home.
0:07:06 > 0:07:11Welcome to Suffolk. Beautiful county. What is the attraction of moving to the countryside?
0:07:11 > 0:07:15We've been planning it for a few years. London's so busy.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19It's a great place to live but as you get older, you want a bit more to relax and chill out,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23- and beautiful scenery and peace, really, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26What are you after - what is the shopping list?
0:07:26 > 0:07:31Minimum of a quarter of an acre.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33What does this house look like?
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Three bedrooms if we can.
0:07:36 > 0:07:40It needs to have a good garage because Paul's still got a plumbing business
0:07:40 > 0:07:43and we need to put the van and tools somewhere.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46- So, three bedrooms. - Not a square box.
0:07:46 > 0:07:48I have always lived in older houses
0:07:48 > 0:07:53and I think to move into a modern square box is soulless.
0:07:53 > 0:08:00- So, something with character by the sounds of it.- Yes, it's got its own soul, it's its own house.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02Are you keen cooks, do you entertain?
0:08:02 > 0:08:05Yes. It would be great to have a big kitchen.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09Everybody wants a kitchen they can put a table in and have their friends round.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13We're adaptable. It's where the house is. You can always move the inside about.
0:08:13 > 0:08:18You sound quite open-minded, which means you might not know what you want
0:08:18 > 0:08:20and we might find it on the way.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23It also means I could show you a whole range of properties.
0:08:23 > 0:08:28I want to show you a complete range of properties.
0:08:28 > 0:08:32We have only got three opportunities so they're all going to be very different.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36- Let's start.- Thank you. - Just this way.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58We've found three fantastic properties to show them.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01At each one, I'll be asking them to guess the price before I reveal it.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05One of them will be the mystery house, which comes with compromises attached.
0:09:05 > 0:09:11But first, we're hitting the road to property number one.
0:09:12 > 0:09:17We've travelled to the village of Wickhambrook, 10 miles south-east of Newmarket.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21So, we're within that two-hour range for those parental visits.
0:09:21 > 0:09:26It's a community of around 1,000 people scattered around 11 greens.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30Amenities include a general store, a pub which serves real ale
0:09:30 > 0:09:36and a centre that hosts WI meetings as well as the monthly farmers' market.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39A couple of miles outside the village, we find our first property.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43A traditional cottage, part of which dates back to the 17th century
0:09:43 > 0:09:46with a Norfolk reed thatched roof.
0:09:46 > 0:09:50Here is the first house.
0:09:50 > 0:09:55- That is very, very pretty, isn't it? Gorgeous position. - It is. It is. Lovely.
0:09:55 > 0:10:01You are escaping the madness that is London to potentially this.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04- Is this what you had in mind? - I tried not to picture anything
0:10:04 > 0:10:08- and keep an open mind but this is fabulous. - Looking good.- Follow me.
0:10:08 > 0:10:14So, it's a great first response to the exterior of this cottage.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17I think they'll be surprised by how much space inside offers
0:10:17 > 0:10:20since been modernised in recent years.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24I'm going to start the tour with the most important room for Elaine, the kitchen-diner.
0:10:24 > 0:10:30So, this is where we find out how big your kitchen needs to be.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34- Big enough?- Absolutely.- It's great. - Absolutely big enough.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37- It's twice the size of our one at home.- Is it?- Yes!
0:10:37 > 0:10:39You've got the table in here, the chair,
0:10:39 > 0:10:45- always wanted to have a little read in the kitchen. It's lovely. - It's quite light.
0:10:45 > 0:10:50Would you mind turning the tap on to see what the water pressure is like?
0:10:50 > 0:10:54- Ever the plumber. - Yes, mains pressure.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58Well done, Paul! This is a first. Throughout my eight-year television career,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01I've never been asked to find out what the water pressure is like.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05- Thank you very much. It's a first for me.- I'm going to test the toilet in a minute.
0:11:05 > 0:11:09I don't want to be there when that happens. Could you live in this house?
0:11:09 > 0:11:11Yes, it's got a lovely feel to it, this kitchen.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14This could be a short working day for me. Come on!
0:11:14 > 0:11:17So now from the new to the old.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20As we enter the 17th century part of the house,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24I'm going to show them a reception room with real character.
0:11:24 > 0:11:29- Oh, look at that!- I like it. - Fabulous hearth.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34- Did you get through the door? - I've still got some hair left.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36This is the old part of the building,
0:11:36 > 0:11:3916th or 17th century part of the house.
0:11:39 > 0:11:46- Do you like this sort of feel?- Yes, it's nice and cosy. It's lovely. - Great character.- Good.
0:11:46 > 0:11:51Reception rooms, you've got an office next door or music room.
0:11:51 > 0:11:55Whilst you could eat in the kitchen, if you wanted to entertain, you do that through here.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58- Mind your head!- Thank you, Jonnie.
0:11:58 > 0:12:03Now, separate dining room. Quite a treat in an old property like this.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06A separate reception room. A wonderful feature behind you.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Very, very, lovely stove, that one.
0:12:09 > 0:12:15And you have got a conservatory beyond plus you've got just there, a utility,
0:12:15 > 0:12:18which means you can keep all those white goods out of the kitchen.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22- So, impressed so far?- Yes. - Very - this is lovely.
0:12:22 > 0:12:27It's got all the character. It's got the old and the new. It's good.
0:12:27 > 0:12:31Bedroom is next. Follow me. Mind your head again, Paul.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35As well as giving them a raft of reception rooms downstairs,
0:12:35 > 0:12:39this extended cottage gives them a total of four bedrooms upstairs.
0:12:39 > 0:12:43When their friends come to stay, there's a choice of two double rooms as well as a single.
0:12:43 > 0:12:48These all share the modern family bathroom with roll-top bath.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51But we're heading for the largest of the bedrooms.
0:12:51 > 0:12:56Up on the first floor, this is the new part of the building again.
0:12:56 > 0:13:00Right over the top of the kitchen. The master bedroom.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04- Master because you've got the en-suite as well.- It's lovely.
0:13:04 > 0:13:09- Good, isn't it?- That is good. - It's enormous.- You do have a walk-in wardrobe there.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11I was wondering where the wardrobes were.
0:13:11 > 0:13:16- But with four bedrooms, maybe you'd just have a dressing room.- Yeah.
0:13:16 > 0:13:20- We haven't got that many friends. We would never use four in one go. - No, I haven't got that many clothes.
0:13:20 > 0:13:26- I like it.- It's really nicely done. - As we head back downstairs, this all seems to be going rather well.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Mind your head, Paul!
0:13:28 > 0:13:33But the grounds are as important as the house
0:13:33 > 0:13:37because they want to keep bees and chickens, not to mention getting a rescue dog.
0:13:37 > 0:13:41The gardens amount to about a quarter of an acre and feature a large pond.
0:13:41 > 0:13:46For Paul's workshop, there is a double garage with two adjoining sheds.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50Now then. Elaine, you're the gardener, aren't you?
0:13:50 > 0:13:56- What would you do with this garden? - It's a project. It's a big old plot.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59We would need to sit and think and do some planning to see
0:13:59 > 0:14:02how we could best adapt it to the way we want to live.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05How much is this house on the market for?
0:14:05 > 0:14:07It's really difficult.
0:14:07 > 0:14:13Four bedrooms, I'd say, hopefully, 390, but I think it's probably a bit more than that.
0:14:13 > 0:14:18- Really?- Yes.- What do you think, Paul?- At a guess, I reckon 375.
0:14:18 > 0:14:23This house is on the market for offers around £415,000.
0:14:23 > 0:14:28- That makes sense.- Yeah? - I'm not surprised.
0:14:28 > 0:14:33The good news is, I've spoken to the owners direct and they're looking to settle
0:14:33 > 0:14:37at around the £400,000 mark, which means you could buy this house.
0:14:37 > 0:14:43- It's crazy.- Did you think you could buy this house?- It's mad.- No.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46But that's why we are here.
0:14:46 > 0:14:53- Why don't you go and have a look around the house and I'll catch you in a bit.- Thanks.- Bye.
0:14:53 > 0:15:00Priced at £415,000, this beautiful cottage is £15,000 over their budget.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03But a lesser offer may well be accepted.
0:15:03 > 0:15:06It seems to offer them everything they've asked for,
0:15:06 > 0:15:09including a large kitchen-diner, plenty of living space,
0:15:09 > 0:15:14four bedrooms, a garage with workshop potential and a large garden
0:15:14 > 0:15:16with vegetable plot that would be
0:15:16 > 0:15:17perfect for keeping those bees.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Soon as I saw this house, this first house,
0:15:20 > 0:15:24I was very pleased from what I could see from the outside.
0:15:24 > 0:15:29It's detached, on its own, surrounded by fields... Marvellous!
0:15:29 > 0:15:31Exactly the kind of thing I wanted.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33The garden space is actually quite deceptive.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37At first I thought "I don't think there's enough. How would it all work?"
0:15:37 > 0:15:40But the more I've looked around, the more I've seen it, there's
0:15:40 > 0:15:43so much that you can do with it and it is quite adaptable.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47And you could really set yourself some fabulous growing projects here.
0:15:47 > 0:15:49I don't know who's leading who up the garden path,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52but are you happy with what you've seen?
0:15:52 > 0:15:53- Very much so.- Yeah!
0:15:53 > 0:15:56- Time to look at another house? - Absolutely. Yeah.
0:16:06 > 0:16:09A large part of Suffolk's industrial heritage is bound up
0:16:09 > 0:16:11in its wool towns.
0:16:11 > 0:16:13Places such as Lavenham, Hadleigh
0:16:13 > 0:16:17and Sudbury were renowned for their woollen textile production and grew
0:16:17 > 0:16:20to be some of England's wealthiest towns in the 14th century.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24By the 1800s, it had become Britain's main centre for the silk trade,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27with the introduction of the Spitalfields Act, bringing
0:16:27 > 0:16:32the Flemish silk-weavers from London to Suffolk to escape the new tax levied on them.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35The town's silk tradition is being kept alive today
0:16:35 > 0:16:39by Richard Humphries, who has been weaving silk for the last 40 years.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43As Elaine has such a keen interest in textiles, we arranged for her
0:16:43 > 0:16:46and Paul to meet him at his design studio
0:16:46 > 0:16:49to see some old-style weaving in action.
0:16:49 > 0:16:51OK, well, this is a Jacquard loom and
0:16:51 > 0:16:56if you look at the top here you'll see Jacquard's invention of 1803.
0:16:56 > 0:17:02He unwittingly was the creator of the world's first programmable
0:17:02 > 0:17:07machine and everything that you can relate to the computer age
0:17:07 > 0:17:10comes from this granddaddy of the whole idea.
0:17:10 > 0:17:13So you punch the programme in the cards,
0:17:13 > 0:17:18the cards here are fed into the machine around the cylinder
0:17:18 > 0:17:21and the hooks and needles react
0:17:21 > 0:17:25to the message in the punched programme.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27Where you have a hole, you lift the threads up -
0:17:27 > 0:17:32where you don't have a hole in the cards, the threads stay down.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35And so on a loom you've got warp and weft.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38The warp threads run up the length of the material,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42the weft threads go across, and the Jacquard decides,
0:17:42 > 0:17:45through your design, which threads are going to be lifted up
0:17:45 > 0:17:47and which threads will stay down.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52The Jacquard loom revolutionised textile manufacturing,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56moving it from a cottage industry to the factory mills.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58For the first time, intricate patterns could be produced
0:17:58 > 0:18:03by a mechanised process, which increased output to a mass scale.
0:18:03 > 0:18:07Richard makes his own Jacquard cards for designs here, as these looms are
0:18:07 > 0:18:10still the perfect tool for the sample stage or to produce
0:18:10 > 0:18:13small amounts of specialist fabrics.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15What is this cloth you've got on the loom here?
0:18:15 > 0:18:21This is really unique, because we are the country's last carriage lace
0:18:21 > 0:18:26hand-weavers, and carriage lace was the decorative edge to be
0:18:26 > 0:18:30put around your horse-drawn carriage.
0:18:30 > 0:18:35In the interior this would be sumptuously upholstered with
0:18:35 > 0:18:36satins and velvets.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39And this is the trim which goes on the edge,
0:18:39 > 0:18:44like the piping around the cushions and the edges of the doors.
0:18:44 > 0:18:46Richard's work can be seen in the upholstery
0:18:46 > 0:18:49of the state landau carriage used for royal weddings,
0:18:49 > 0:18:51as well as furnishings for historic properties including
0:18:51 > 0:18:55Windsor Castle, Alnwick Castle and Chatsworth House.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59Sudbury is still the silk-weaving capital of England, with around
0:18:59 > 0:19:03110 metric tonnes of China silk imported to the town every year.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06Wow.
0:19:06 > 0:19:11Well, yes, this particular design is unique to Alnwick Castle
0:19:11 > 0:19:13and this is the raw material,
0:19:13 > 0:19:16so this is pure silk in its raw state,
0:19:16 > 0:19:20- and if you feel the wiriness of it...- Strong, isn't it?- Yes, yes.
0:19:20 > 0:19:26- Really strong.- It's a beautiful, lustrous fibre.- It's like your hair!
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- It WAS!- This is how we process it.
0:19:29 > 0:19:30Here we've got a dye pack
0:19:30 > 0:19:33which shows the same yarn once it's been dyed,
0:19:33 > 0:19:37and there you can see the single strand of the silk.
0:19:37 > 0:19:43And that's about 21 silk cocoons,
0:19:43 > 0:19:47so 21 silkworms just to make that single thread.
0:19:47 > 0:19:48So strong, isn't it?
0:19:50 > 0:19:53- I love all the really bright colours. Just fantastic.- Yes.
0:19:53 > 0:19:57- The shiny stuff's always exciting, isn't it?- Oh, yes, lovely.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00With Elaine and Paul getting a real feel of Suffolk's heritage,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03it's time to weave our way back to their house search.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14For our second house we're still in the Sudbury area,
0:20:14 > 0:20:18just over 33 miles southeast of Newmarket, in the Stour Valley.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21And we're around two hours' drive away from North London
0:20:21 > 0:20:22for those parental visits.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26Surrounded by beautiful countryside, often painted by Constable
0:20:26 > 0:20:29and Gainsborough, Sudbury hosts a twice-weekly market
0:20:29 > 0:20:33and is a hub for shopping and entertainment.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36A couple of miles out of town is our second property.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38While it's detached, as Paul and Elaine requested,
0:20:38 > 0:20:43it's also modern, built in 1976, and a bungalow, to boot.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45But as they currently live in a ground-floor flat,
0:20:45 > 0:20:47I'm hoping that might not be an issue.
0:20:49 > 0:20:50Now, this place...
0:20:51 > 0:20:55..is the antithesis of the house we've just been to.
0:20:55 > 0:20:56Wow, yeah!
0:20:56 > 0:21:00- Here we go!- Modern. Very modern. Most unexpected.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04- It's quite big too, isn't it?- Do you like it? Do you mind how it looks?
0:21:04 > 0:21:07- Do you LIKE the way it looks? - Yeah, it looks nice, doesn't it?
0:21:07 > 0:21:08- Yeah, it looks good.- Good!
0:21:08 > 0:21:13Inside, again, it's totally different to what we've seen so far.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15- Let's see what you think.- Right.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18So open minds at the moment.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20And we're about to find out whether Paul
0:21:20 > 0:21:23and Elaine will contemplate a modern interior in their future home.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26Let's start with the newest part of this building.
0:21:27 > 0:21:30Yeah.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33- Wow.- It is a bit of a wow room, isn't it?- It is!
0:21:33 > 0:21:35- It's so bright, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:21:35 > 0:21:38It's massive, absolutely massive.
0:21:38 > 0:21:43Come on then, Paul. The last one was... "Good. Good."
0:21:43 > 0:21:44PAUL LAUGHS
0:21:44 > 0:21:46So how is this one?
0:21:46 > 0:21:48- This is modern good.- Oh, right, OK!
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Yeah, I mean, it's got high ceilings,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54- cos you can hear it's echoing, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:21:54 > 0:21:58It's very modern, so you've taken us from a really old place straight to a modern.
0:21:58 > 0:22:01We've gone up hundreds of years.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04On one side of this living space are three bedrooms,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07which could be used for visiting friends and family.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11All are a reasonable size and share a modern family bathroom
0:22:11 > 0:22:15so the whole area could be used as a guest wing
0:22:15 > 0:22:19but our next stop is the kitchen on the opposite side of the house
0:22:19 > 0:22:21and, whilst they love the rustic style of the one at the last
0:22:21 > 0:22:25property, this is a whole different proposition.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27So, staying with the modern theme.
0:22:27 > 0:22:30Well, ultramodern, actually, this kitchen, isn't it?
0:22:30 > 0:22:33- It is incredibly modern, isn't it? - Yeah, it is.- I do like it.
0:22:33 > 0:22:34I like it very much
0:22:34 > 0:22:38but it does feel as if I'm on holiday abroad somewhere.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41- Really?- Yeah, it's all the tiles and the clean surfaces.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44It's just that you haven't got the additional space in this one.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48That other kitchen had that little bit of table and chairs
0:22:48 > 0:22:51so you could be together and chill out in this space together.
0:22:51 > 0:22:55- You can't do that in here.- It's too square and modern for me, I feel.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59- Remember I told you some of the bedrooms are that way?- Yeah.
0:22:59 > 0:23:01The master, as they have it at the moment,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03is just through the utility.
0:23:03 > 0:23:07- Excellent. Past the fridge on the way to the bed?- Yeah.- Fantastic.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10While Elaine is looking on the positive side, we have now
0:23:10 > 0:23:13got a clear idea of the way Paul feels about modern properties.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16He didn't even ask to test the water pressure.
0:23:16 > 0:23:21- Now then, no falling up the stairs to bed in this house.- Oh.
0:23:21 > 0:23:22Nice-sized room. Very light.
0:23:22 > 0:23:24Plenty of room to get round the bed on both sides,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26which is what you've always wanted.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28- We can't do that now. - It's true. Yeah.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30It's got a small en-suite there.
0:23:30 > 0:23:34Can't see much character to it, if you know what I mean.
0:23:34 > 0:23:39- But whatever rocks your boat.- It's only 30 years old, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:23:39 > 0:23:41Let's go outside to the garden, have a look around
0:23:41 > 0:23:43and see what possibilities there are for your veggies
0:23:43 > 0:23:48and your chickens and try and price this one.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50It will not be easy.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54Perhaps the outdoor space will change their view.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57The established garden comes in at a quarter of an acre
0:23:57 > 0:24:00with apple and pear trees and room for the bees.
0:24:00 > 0:24:02There's also a large double garage,
0:24:02 > 0:24:05giving Paul an option for his workshop.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07How much do you think this house is on the market for?
0:24:09 > 0:24:13- 402,000.- OK. 402,000.
0:24:13 > 0:24:17- Elaine, how much?- 398.
0:24:17 > 0:24:24Well, this house is on the market for offers around £395,000.
0:24:24 > 0:24:29So you weren't a million miles away, pricewise.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32I think you should go back into the house, have a quick scoot around
0:24:32 > 0:24:36- and I will meet you where we came in.- Thank you.- See you in a mo.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40So, not for them by the sounds of it
0:24:40 > 0:24:44but when you look at the two houses we have seen today,
0:24:44 > 0:24:48I think I know where we should be heading for the mystery property.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54Under budget at £395,000, this property delivers
0:24:54 > 0:24:58many of the elements on their wish list but with a modern twist.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00It features a sleek kitchen,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03a light open-plan living area,
0:25:03 > 0:25:04four bedrooms
0:25:04 > 0:25:05and a quarter of an acre of land,
0:25:05 > 0:25:08which caters for vegetable-growing and beehives,
0:25:08 > 0:25:11along with a double garage for Paul's workshop.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14The inside of the house was light and it was airy.
0:25:14 > 0:25:19I thought I would really like it but I think I have changed my mind.
0:25:19 > 0:25:24Through seeing the houses, I think I really like the older properties.
0:25:24 > 0:25:28Definitely. It's not for me.
0:25:28 > 0:25:30There is the compromise.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34This house is nearer to the town but the payoff is the road noise.
0:25:34 > 0:25:37I think I always knew that I needed the quiet
0:25:37 > 0:25:42and this visit has absolutely cemented that for me.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48- All right.- Here they are. All done inside? Good look around?
0:25:48 > 0:25:51- Good look around.- Good. Quite an eventful day.- Yeah.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54Let's finish it there, shall we. Let's go back.
0:26:05 > 0:26:08As dusk falls over the spectacular Suffolk countryside,
0:26:08 > 0:26:12it marks the end of a day of contrasts for our property search.
0:26:18 > 0:26:20Armed with £400,000,
0:26:20 > 0:26:23Paul and Elaine want to leave London far behind
0:26:23 > 0:26:26and, with a stream of income from a plumbing business,
0:26:26 > 0:26:28set up home in rural Suffolk.
0:26:28 > 0:26:31A traditional cottage had them positively gushing
0:26:31 > 0:26:35but there was just a trickle of enthusiasm at our second property.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Coming up, the mystery house puts them under the cosh
0:26:38 > 0:26:41but with some pleasing results.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43- It's great, isn't it? - I didn't bash my head.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46And I meet the endangered breed of heavy horse that
0:26:46 > 0:26:48for centuries has called this county home.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56So, Elaine and Paul started off yesterday telling me that they
0:26:56 > 0:27:00weren't really sure what they are after but after looking at two very
0:27:00 > 0:27:03different houses and getting two very different sets of reactions,
0:27:03 > 0:27:06I think we are a lot closer to finding out exactly what they do want.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08So, today, well, look at it.
0:27:08 > 0:27:10It's an absolutely stunning morning
0:27:10 > 0:27:12and we are off to see the mystery house.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14Now, I think we should look at something that sits
0:27:14 > 0:27:17somewhere in between the two we saw yesterday but, just
0:27:17 > 0:27:20like anything in the middle ground, it does come with a compromise.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28We have made the journey close to the historic market town
0:27:28 > 0:27:31of Hadleigh, not far from the Essex border,
0:27:31 > 0:27:34so the trip back to London will take just over two hours.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37The town is full of fine examples
0:27:37 > 0:27:39of timber and brick listed buildings,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42some dating back to the 15th century.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45There are plenty of independent shops selling local produce
0:27:45 > 0:27:49and as Elaine has green-fingered aspirations, we are stopping off
0:27:49 > 0:27:52en route to meet local gardening enthusiast Ruth Allen.
0:27:53 > 0:27:56You're head of the local garden club, is that right?
0:27:56 > 0:27:59- What is it called? - Hadleigh District Garden Club.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Right, OK. Now, what does that do?
0:28:02 > 0:28:05Well, it looks after all the local gardeners who are mad enough
0:28:05 > 0:28:08to want to spend all their hours digging around in the mud.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10I think we have got one here.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14- Do you eat your own produce, I would imagine?- Some of it, yes.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16That sounds fantastic. So, this garden club,
0:28:16 > 0:28:19it sounds like it's a forum as much as anything else,
0:28:19 > 0:28:20to share ideas,
0:28:20 > 0:28:22to share issues you might have throughout the season.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Well, it's really to educate anybody who wants to be educated
0:28:25 > 0:28:28on any specific matter but what happens tends to be
0:28:28 > 0:28:31that you find most information out from other people. Other gardeners.
0:28:31 > 0:28:34Sounds like an absolute wealth of knowledge and you can't miss out
0:28:34 > 0:28:37on that. When you are starting a garden, you need everything.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40- It sounds fantastic.- In that case, you may well meet again.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42- Well, I hope we shall meet again. - I hope so.
0:28:42 > 0:28:46- I would like to see you both actually.- Thank you very much.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49Our mystery house is around three miles south of the town,
0:28:49 > 0:28:52just outside the pretty village of Shelley.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55While Paul and Elaine had their hearts set on a detached property,
0:28:55 > 0:28:58I've got a feeling that this end-of-terrace Victorian cottage
0:28:58 > 0:29:00could change their minds.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05This is our final offering.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12- It's really cute. Really, really nice-looking house.- Good.
0:29:12 > 0:29:16And one thing you said you would prefer it to be, Paul, is detached.
0:29:16 > 0:29:18- I did.- And it's not.- No.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22But this, I think you will see it still feels pretty private.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24Yeah, it's lovely.
0:29:24 > 0:29:28Originally three cottages built as farm cottages, built around 1891.
0:29:28 > 0:29:31It is about the age of our property that we got at the moment so it
0:29:31 > 0:29:32has got that familiar feeling.
0:29:32 > 0:29:34Good. Let's look inside.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38'So, we know we have got the character of this one right for them
0:29:38 > 0:29:41'and the semi-detached aspect doesn't seem to be a problem
0:29:41 > 0:29:43'so far, which is great news.'
0:29:44 > 0:29:47OK. First reception room.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52- It's lovely.- It's good.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54Now, Paul, when you say, "It's good."
0:29:55 > 0:30:00- It's clean, it's all decorated nicely.- It's got the ceiling height.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03- It's really nice.- It's great, isn't it.- I didn't bash my head.
0:30:03 > 0:30:04Let's go straight to the kitchen
0:30:04 > 0:30:08- cos that is a fundamental part of your search, isn't it?- Yeah.
0:30:10 > 0:30:13Well, pragmatic Paul has given it the thumbs up so far.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17Let's see if we can turn up the pressure in the kitchen.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21- Lovely. Really nice.- Yeah? - It is lovely, yes.- Excellent.
0:30:21 > 0:30:23You got a "lovely" - did you hear that?
0:30:23 > 0:30:26- Lovely? Did he say lovely? - Lovely. Good. Lovely.
0:30:26 > 0:30:29- Wow.- Dropped back to good. - It's all clean. It's all new.
0:30:29 > 0:30:30It's really great.
0:30:30 > 0:30:34- It's got a downstairs loo there, which doubles as a utility.- OK.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37And can you check the water pressure on the taps for us, please, Jonnie?
0:30:37 > 0:30:38Unbelievable.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42- Ready, Mr Plumber?- Yeah.
0:30:42 > 0:30:45I haven't checked this already so please don't let me down.
0:30:48 > 0:30:51That's the cold. Shall we try the hot?
0:30:58 > 0:31:00So, with the water passing the test,
0:31:00 > 0:31:03it's time to gauge their reactions to the main sitting room.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06Now, this, I think, is a glorious room.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08- It's a fantastic lounge, isn't it?- Oh, yeah.
0:31:08 > 0:31:10Really lovely living space.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12It almost feels quite Georgian, this room, doesn't it?
0:31:12 > 0:31:14It's got that elegance about it, definitely.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17Have you seen anything you would want to change so far?
0:31:17 > 0:31:20- Maybe, actually, now you say it.- Go on.
0:31:20 > 0:31:24- Knocking through, making one big kitchen diner through there.- Wow.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26We haven't even seen the upstairs yet, have we?
0:31:26 > 0:31:30- We haven't, we haven't. - Let's go and take a look now.
0:31:30 > 0:31:32Living in a ground-floor flat,
0:31:32 > 0:31:35Paul and Elaine haven't had their own stairs for a while.
0:31:35 > 0:31:36Up on the first floor,
0:31:36 > 0:31:39our semi-detached mystery house gives them four bedrooms.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43A generously sized double room which has a Gothic-style window
0:31:43 > 0:31:45along with two further bright single rooms,
0:31:45 > 0:31:49one of which comes with built-in storage.
0:31:49 > 0:31:50And these all share the large,
0:31:50 > 0:31:54light family bathroom which has a shower and roll-top bath.
0:31:54 > 0:31:57But we're heading for the master.
0:31:57 > 0:32:01OK, so on this floor you have four bedrooms.
0:32:01 > 0:32:03- What do you think of this one? - It's a stunning room.
0:32:03 > 0:32:07- It is stunning, yeah. - Really, really lovely, peaceful room.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09And, look, you can walk around the bed, both sides.
0:32:09 > 0:32:13That means I haven't got to scramble over the bed in the morning.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15A little Victorian fireplace.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18- Sweet, isn't it?- It's got character, hasn't it?- Real character.
0:32:18 > 0:32:21- Liking what I see.- You are? - Yeah. Yeah. Definitely.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24If they can overcome the semi-detached issue,
0:32:24 > 0:32:26there is no denying that our mystery property gives them
0:32:26 > 0:32:29the character and space they're after.
0:32:29 > 0:32:32'But, critically, the garden has to deliver
0:32:32 > 0:32:34'and give Paul that workshop.
0:32:34 > 0:32:38'Outside, there is around a quarter of an acre of land, laid largely
0:32:38 > 0:32:42'to lawn and with plenty of scope for growing veg and the beehives.
0:32:42 > 0:32:44'What's more, there is a summer house which is currently
0:32:44 > 0:32:47'used as a TV lounge but could be useful for Paul.'
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Would you use that as some sort of work-shop or is it...?
0:32:52 > 0:32:55I can do, yeah. I could just develop it and turn it into what I need.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58There is an access road for these other cottages going right round
0:32:58 > 0:33:02the back of this so there may be an option to play around with that
0:33:02 > 0:33:03and get vehicular access to the back here.
0:33:03 > 0:33:06That would be handy. We'd have to look into that.
0:33:06 > 0:33:09How much do you think the estate agents are marketing this place at?
0:33:09 > 0:33:15Well, it's attached, it doesn't have a garage.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18It is a very nice house but I'm going to go for 375.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20OK. Paul?
0:33:20 > 0:33:24I would go for 385.
0:33:24 > 0:33:31Well, this house is on the market for offers around £399,500.
0:33:31 > 0:33:33But I spoke to the estate agent
0:33:33 > 0:33:37and he reckons they may well settle somewhere around your guesses.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40- Maybe somewhere in between the both of you.- That sounds promising.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42- Doesn't it?- Yeah.- It does.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44I think we have had pretty good reactions in this house
0:33:44 > 0:33:47from both of you but it's time for you to go inside,
0:33:47 > 0:33:49have a look around everywhere you haven't yet seen
0:33:49 > 0:33:50and I'll meet you...
0:33:50 > 0:33:53Tell you what, I'll meet you somewhere in the sun. How's that?
0:33:53 > 0:33:56- All right?- All right. - See you in a mo.- Thank you.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01Well, at last, I genuinely think we have got a house
0:34:01 > 0:34:04that challenges the first property that Paul and Elaine looked at.
0:34:04 > 0:34:07A very different proposition but great reactions nonetheless.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14Priced at just under £400,000,
0:34:14 > 0:34:18our end-of-terrace mystery property definitely seems to be in the frame.
0:34:18 > 0:34:19It has a country kitchen,
0:34:19 > 0:34:24two reception rooms with character features, four bedrooms
0:34:24 > 0:34:27and outside there is a ready-made building for Paul's workshop,
0:34:27 > 0:34:30all wrapped up in the quarter of an acre of gardens with
0:34:30 > 0:34:35space for Elaine's vegetable plot, chickens and, of course, the bees.
0:34:35 > 0:34:39- Oh, my word.- Look at this.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43Wow, this is somewhere to keep the guests, isn't it? Excellent idea.
0:34:43 > 0:34:45I could use this as a storage workshop.
0:34:45 > 0:34:47- Office, anything, couldn't you?- Yeah.
0:34:47 > 0:34:53I was, ideally, after a detached house. Obviously this one is not.
0:34:53 > 0:34:55It is semi-detached but it has got
0:34:55 > 0:35:00so many good things going for it I'm willing to overlook that.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02When I first saw the mystery house,
0:35:02 > 0:35:05I thought it was a very, very nice looking house.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07The garden does work for me.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10It is pretty much a fairly blank canvas.
0:35:10 > 0:35:12You can work your way and do the various bits,
0:35:12 > 0:35:17make little rooms for various areas - vegetables, herbs, chickens, etc.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19Yeah, good garden.
0:35:21 > 0:35:24So, have you planned any knock-throughs from dining room walls
0:35:24 > 0:35:26into kitchens or anything like that?
0:35:26 > 0:35:28- Just talking about it now. - Were you?- Yeah, yeah.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Well, I'm glad this has given you something to discuss
0:35:31 > 0:35:34and maybe something to compare against the first property.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36Why don't you go and have a bit of time amongst yourselves
0:35:36 > 0:35:40- and we will meet up later on, yeah? - Yeah.- Thank you. Cheers.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52Suffolk's heritage has been shaped by a range of industries
0:35:52 > 0:35:55including fisheries, textiles and agriculture.
0:35:55 > 0:35:58And on the farms, it was man alongside beast that
0:35:58 > 0:36:01contributed to the county's prosperity.
0:36:01 > 0:36:04One animal that historically played a vital role was a native
0:36:04 > 0:36:07breed of heavy horse called the Suffolk Punch.
0:36:07 > 0:36:10As well as being used as a draught horse for pulling carts,
0:36:10 > 0:36:14it ploughed the fields in the days before mechanised farming.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Since the 1960s, however, their numbers have declined
0:36:17 > 0:36:19and these gentle animals are now
0:36:19 > 0:36:23on the critical list of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26Less than 450 purebred Punches of potential breeding
0:36:26 > 0:36:30capability are left in the world. To see some for myself,
0:36:30 > 0:36:33I met with Chris Kennedy of the Suffolk Punch Trust
0:36:33 > 0:36:38at a stud farm that has been breeding this endangered horse since 1887.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40So, there has been a stud here for over 100 years.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44Yeah, so there is a long tradition of breeding Suffolk Punches here.
0:36:44 > 0:36:46Wow. Now, back then,
0:36:46 > 0:36:50these huge horses would have proliferated the Suffolk landscape.
0:36:50 > 0:36:53- These were the tractors. - They were the workhorses of Suffolk
0:36:53 > 0:36:57and that's why they are such an iconic emblem of Suffolk.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00Most of the farms would have had between 15 and 20 of them.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02So why should we save then?
0:37:02 > 0:37:05Because they are part of the heritage of farming
0:37:05 > 0:37:09and agriculture in Suffolk and, like a lot of things, you know,
0:37:09 > 0:37:12if we don't try and maintain our heritage,
0:37:12 > 0:37:14we have actually got nothing to leave to our children
0:37:14 > 0:37:17and grandchildren. They will never know what a working horse
0:37:17 > 0:37:21looked like and that's why we take them to a lot of shows.
0:37:21 > 0:37:22They are shown in hand.
0:37:22 > 0:37:27We have horses broken to harness that we take for pulling wagons.
0:37:27 > 0:37:30We do weddings. We do the odd funeral with them.
0:37:30 > 0:37:34So, you know, we do have a role for them and because of their
0:37:34 > 0:37:36temperament and things and their strength,
0:37:36 > 0:37:37they are a good working horse.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42Every Suffolk Punch alive today can trace its ancestry back to
0:37:42 > 0:37:48one stallion foaled in 1768 that belonged to Thomas Crisp of Ufford.
0:37:48 > 0:37:51The breed tends to mature early and live a long life.
0:37:51 > 0:37:54Unusually, they need less food than other draught horses
0:37:54 > 0:37:56and so are economical to keep.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00Typically, the Suffolk Punch always is chestnut in colour.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03As a breed, they have a particularly short cannon bone.
0:38:03 > 0:38:06This is the bone from the knee down to the fetlock joint.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10And al have quite a short pastern, which is this here.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14Compared to a lot of the other heavy horses, they are relatively small.
0:38:14 > 0:38:19What you want is a compact animal, fairly close action so that when
0:38:19 > 0:38:20they're in the furrows,
0:38:20 > 0:38:23you don't want the legs going all over the place.
0:38:23 > 0:38:24Nice, low centre of gravity then.
0:38:24 > 0:38:29Because the lower you're down, the stronger you are.
0:38:29 > 0:38:31They may be perfectly suited to their work
0:38:31 > 0:38:34but thanks to Suffolk's rurally isolated position,
0:38:34 > 0:38:37the Punch never reached the popularity of the Shire horse.
0:38:37 > 0:38:41Mechanisation may have sealed their fate but these animals are still
0:38:41 > 0:38:45trained as working horses, as I am going to see for myself.
0:38:45 > 0:38:46So how do we get going then?
0:38:46 > 0:38:51- Right, now, you just ask the horse to walk on.- Walk on. Go on, boy.
0:38:52 > 0:38:56Talk me through the directions, if you like, then, Chris.
0:38:56 > 0:39:00There's sort of traditional calls for left and right.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04So if you're asking the horse to turn to the right, you say, "Wish."
0:39:04 > 0:39:07If you ask for the horse to go to the left you say, "Cup."
0:39:07 > 0:39:10OK, let's try wish then. Wish.
0:39:13 > 0:39:15And then you straighten him up. That's it.
0:39:15 > 0:39:19- The voice is very, very important. - So I want to go left now then. Cup.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24Just a little pressure on the bit. That's it.
0:39:26 > 0:39:29- Wow.- You're doing an excellent job for your first time.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32Well, I think it's the tail wagging the dog, if you like.
0:39:32 > 0:39:36'These traditional commands have been passed down by generations
0:39:36 > 0:39:39'of Suffolk farmers and they still work just as well today.'
0:39:39 > 0:39:44- Wish.- He is getting used to your voice now so it's going well.
0:39:48 > 0:39:50Well, it's great to see Suffolk looking after the heritage of
0:39:50 > 0:39:55not only its wonderful architecture but also these beautiful horses.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58Time to meet up with today's buyers to see if we have found them
0:39:58 > 0:39:59the perfect home here.
0:40:04 > 0:40:08You've found a nice spot, haven't you?
0:40:08 > 0:40:11Now than, let's talk about the houses.
0:40:11 > 0:40:16The first property we went to, we majored on character.
0:40:16 > 0:40:20A 17th, maybe even 16th century thatched cottage.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22Good initial reactions from you, Paul.
0:40:22 > 0:40:24I thought, "How can a fireman have a thatched-roof house?"
0:40:24 > 0:40:27- It was a bit of a risk, wasn't it? - It certainly was.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30I thought, "No fireworks around here." Definitely.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33We didn't have fireworks inside the house
0:40:33 > 0:40:37but you both seemed to enjoy looking around the house outside and inside.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39There were some absolutely lovely parts to the house.
0:40:39 > 0:40:42The kitchen was gorgeous and that opened out into the garden.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45And a nice master bedroom. Really nice areas of the house. Definitely.
0:40:45 > 0:40:49Now, that outside space, you want it to have
0:40:49 > 0:40:52function as well as, you know, nice aesthetics, don't you?
0:40:52 > 0:40:55Yeah, I think it would be a bit of a struggle to get it to
0:40:55 > 0:40:56how I want it to be. Definitely.
0:40:56 > 0:41:01Well, the next property, completely the other end of the spectrum.
0:41:01 > 0:41:05- You said you're open-minded so I went modern.- Very modern.
0:41:05 > 0:41:08From the outside, you said you quite liked the look of this
0:41:08 > 0:41:11- avant-garde looking house, didn't you?- Yes, I did.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15And then as I went inside, the more I saw inside,
0:41:15 > 0:41:17it was too modern for me.
0:41:17 > 0:41:20That's fair enough. You know, it's each to their own, isn't it?
0:41:20 > 0:41:21So, moving on from there.
0:41:21 > 0:41:25Now, the mystery property, you both had great first reactions.
0:41:25 > 0:41:26- Paul, you especially.- Yeah, I did.
0:41:26 > 0:41:29I mean, obviously, I told you I'd liked to have had a detached house
0:41:29 > 0:41:33and this was not but it felt right, it looked right,
0:41:33 > 0:41:34it was in a great location.
0:41:34 > 0:41:37I think there was a lot of potential with that house.
0:41:37 > 0:41:39As great as it is, it's a really nice house,
0:41:39 > 0:41:42but it is the sort of house that could grow with you as you
0:41:42 > 0:41:46- change and you want different things from it.- Has it taken your heart?
0:41:46 > 0:41:48I think it may. It may be worming its way in there.
0:41:48 > 0:41:51- You don't like to admit it, do you? - Yeah, go on then. It's a yes.
0:41:51 > 0:41:54Neither of you are that cold. I know.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57So what is the next step for you then?
0:41:57 > 0:42:01I think we will come back, see it again.
0:42:01 > 0:42:02We need to find out a bit more.
0:42:02 > 0:42:05We need to measure the travel distances
0:42:05 > 0:42:08- and the facilities. It is looking good.- Yeah, it's looking promising.
0:42:08 > 0:42:10- Is it?- Yeah.- Yeah, definitely.
0:42:10 > 0:42:11Well, very best of luck.
0:42:11 > 0:42:14We'll give you all the estate agent's details
0:42:14 > 0:42:17and hopefully your second viewing of not only the house but the area
0:42:17 > 0:42:21goes according to plan and you make your escape to the country.
0:42:21 > 0:42:24- Thank you. Thank you ever so much. - Thank you very much.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30So, for a couple of Londoners who said yesterday
0:42:30 > 0:42:33they weren't really sure what they're after,
0:42:33 > 0:42:35it sounds like they made the decision fairly easily.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38Even more surprising then when you consider that Paul said
0:42:38 > 0:42:41he was only really after a detached house.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43But it just goes to show, doesn't it,
0:42:43 > 0:42:44if you get the big things right,
0:42:44 > 0:42:48the right property in what they deem is the ideal location,
0:42:48 > 0:42:51well, it's quite easy to overlook the small things.
0:42:53 > 0:42:56Paul and Elaine did go back to the mystery house and -
0:42:56 > 0:43:00cue those waterworks - their offer on it has been accepted.
0:43:00 > 0:43:05So they will soon be living and plumbing in the Suffolk countryside.
0:43:05 > 0:43:07If you would like to escape to the country
0:43:07 > 0:43:09in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland or England
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