Browse content similar to Suffolk. Check below for episodes and series from the same categories and more!
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This house behind me was built to show off its owner's possessions, | 0:00:02 | 0:00:05 | |
rather for than the comfort of the people living in it. | 0:00:05 | 0:00:09 | |
So which county is home to this unusual building? | 0:00:09 | 0:00:12 | |
I'll reveal all in just a few moments' time. | 0:00:12 | 0:00:14 | |
On today's show we're helping a couple | 0:00:32 | 0:00:34 | |
buy their first shared home together. | 0:00:34 | 0:00:36 | |
We get warm with one of our properties. | 0:00:36 | 0:00:39 | |
It's lovely. | 0:00:39 | 0:00:41 | |
But then things heat up. | 0:00:41 | 0:00:43 | |
-I was going to say, "Put the electric blanket on..." -Oh, Tony! | 0:00:43 | 0:00:46 | |
Today I'm in Suffolk and this is Ickworth House. | 0:00:50 | 0:00:53 | |
Built in the Italianate style, its two sprawling wings | 0:00:53 | 0:00:57 | |
and central rotunda were the vision of one Frederick Harvey, | 0:00:57 | 0:01:00 | |
who was the Bishop of Derry and the Earl of Bristol | 0:01:00 | 0:01:03 | |
during the 18th century. | 0:01:03 | 0:01:05 | |
Now, Harvey had a lust for travel and was an avid collector | 0:01:05 | 0:01:08 | |
of paintings by the likes world of Titian and Gainsborough. | 0:01:08 | 0:01:11 | |
Of course, he needed a home for all his treasures, | 0:01:11 | 0:01:14 | |
and this spectacular neoclassical masterpiece was the result. | 0:01:14 | 0:01:19 | |
And it's just one of the many historic gems you will find | 0:01:19 | 0:01:22 | |
within Suffolk's borders. | 0:01:22 | 0:01:23 | |
As one of the three counties that make up the renowned | 0:01:28 | 0:01:31 | |
hump of East Anglia, | 0:01:31 | 0:01:32 | |
low-lying Suffolk holds on to much of its distinct character, | 0:01:32 | 0:01:35 | |
and is home to varied landscapes. | 0:01:35 | 0:01:38 | |
The Suffolk coast, 45 miles of fine, golden sand and pebble beaches, | 0:01:39 | 0:01:44 | |
is dotted with beautiful seaside towns, including Aldeburgh, | 0:01:44 | 0:01:48 | |
famous for its pastel-painted Victorian villas. | 0:01:48 | 0:01:50 | |
Inland, Suffolk wears its history on its sleeve. | 0:01:52 | 0:01:55 | |
The town of Clare, for example, | 0:01:55 | 0:01:57 | |
is one of a cluster of small settlements which rose to prominence | 0:01:57 | 0:02:00 | |
in the medieval era, thanks to prosperous cloth trade. | 0:02:00 | 0:02:05 | |
The wealth of the town is reflected in the enormity | 0:02:05 | 0:02:08 | |
of the 14th century parish church of St Peter and St Paul. | 0:02:08 | 0:02:12 | |
From coastal heath lands to historic hall towns, | 0:02:12 | 0:02:15 | |
the county of Suffolk entertains sights | 0:02:15 | 0:02:17 | |
that will enchant any escapee. | 0:02:17 | 0:02:19 | |
You would expect all this natural beauty to come at a hefty price | 0:02:23 | 0:02:27 | |
but the good news is, that's not the case here in Suffolk. | 0:02:27 | 0:02:31 | |
The average price for a detached property is £242,000. | 0:02:31 | 0:02:36 | |
That's 12,000 less than the national figure. | 0:02:36 | 0:02:39 | |
So this county represents real value for money. | 0:02:39 | 0:02:43 | |
Of course, like anywhere, there are hot spots. | 0:02:43 | 0:02:46 | |
Desirable seaside locations such as Southwold | 0:02:46 | 0:02:49 | |
or the beautiful town of Lavenham, they do command a premium. | 0:02:49 | 0:02:53 | |
However, if you travel north-west towards the Norfolk border, | 0:02:53 | 0:02:57 | |
you'll find you get just that little bit more for your money. | 0:02:57 | 0:03:00 | |
So will our line-up of Suffolk properties please today's buyers? | 0:03:00 | 0:03:04 | |
It's time to meet them. | 0:03:04 | 0:03:06 | |
Tony and Nicole have been together in Nottingham for five years, | 0:03:07 | 0:03:10 | |
both coming from previous relationships. | 0:03:10 | 0:03:13 | |
And a chance to buy their first property together | 0:03:13 | 0:03:16 | |
is the driving force behind this move to Suffolk. | 0:03:16 | 0:03:19 | |
It's quite late on in life and we're just looking for somewhere to live | 0:03:19 | 0:03:24 | |
together, you know, as a combined home, instead of living separately. | 0:03:24 | 0:03:28 | |
I think it's the right time. It would be lovely to spend... | 0:03:28 | 0:03:32 | |
the rest of our lives together | 0:03:32 | 0:03:34 | |
somewhere nice and in the country. | 0:03:34 | 0:03:36 | |
The couple met each other at the local tennis club. | 0:03:39 | 0:03:41 | |
I've been playing tennis for about 25 years now, properly. | 0:03:42 | 0:03:46 | |
-I think you've been playing for... -About 12 years now. Bit more. | 0:03:47 | 0:03:52 | |
And now we just get the chance to play together all the time. | 0:03:52 | 0:03:56 | |
For recent retiree Tony, the move is a chance to relive his youth. | 0:03:56 | 0:04:00 | |
Although I spent my childhood in the countryside, | 0:04:00 | 0:04:04 | |
the majority of my life's been in the city | 0:04:04 | 0:04:07 | |
-and I really do like the idea of living somewhere... -Peaceful. | 0:04:07 | 0:04:12 | |
Peaceful and quiet. Waking up and not seeing houses. | 0:04:12 | 0:04:17 | |
Tony and Nicole have chosen Suffolk | 0:04:17 | 0:04:19 | |
because it's midway between their respective families. | 0:04:19 | 0:04:22 | |
For Nicole, it's an opportunity to settle down at last. | 0:04:22 | 0:04:26 | |
When I was 21 I moved to Bermuda, so I lived there for six, seven years. | 0:04:26 | 0:04:31 | |
And then got married and we lived in Stockholm in Sweden. | 0:04:31 | 0:04:37 | |
And then recently Hong Kong. | 0:04:37 | 0:04:39 | |
I felt I've never put my roots down anywhere since I was a teenager. | 0:04:39 | 0:04:44 | |
So it would be absolutely wonderful to be able to move with Tony | 0:04:44 | 0:04:48 | |
to a corner of England and be together. | 0:04:48 | 0:04:53 | |
Whilst Tony is keen to have a workshop, | 0:04:53 | 0:04:55 | |
Nicole wants to put her gardening skills into practice. | 0:04:55 | 0:04:58 | |
Where I live at the moment, I've got a north-facing garden on tiers, | 0:04:58 | 0:05:01 | |
which is not only a bit dangerous but it has no sun, really. | 0:05:01 | 0:05:06 | |
At the moment I'm in the garage, | 0:05:08 | 0:05:11 | |
and I have to take the car out the garage to do anything at all. | 0:05:11 | 0:05:15 | |
I would just love an outbuilding | 0:05:15 | 0:05:18 | |
just away from the house, where I can do whatever I want. | 0:05:18 | 0:05:21 | |
All that's left is to find out how much they've got to spend | 0:05:23 | 0:05:26 | |
on the new home. | 0:05:26 | 0:05:28 | |
The budget for the move would be £375,000 to £425,000. | 0:05:28 | 0:05:34 | |
Tony and Nicole want to avoid the more remote coastal areas | 0:05:36 | 0:05:39 | |
of Suffolk, so we're concentrating our search area inland, | 0:05:39 | 0:05:42 | |
around Bury St Edmunds. | 0:05:42 | 0:05:45 | |
And that's where I've come to meet our buyers, | 0:05:45 | 0:05:47 | |
to find out what they want from their new home. | 0:05:47 | 0:05:51 | |
Tony and Nicole, here we are in Suffolk. | 0:05:51 | 0:05:53 | |
Quite an interesting journey the way you decided this is | 0:05:53 | 0:05:55 | |
the county that you want to live in. | 0:05:55 | 0:05:57 | |
I've got visions of you both with a map and a pin, | 0:05:57 | 0:05:59 | |
just deciding where it's going to be. | 0:05:59 | 0:06:01 | |
It wasn't quite like that. Tony's from Nottingham. I'm from London. | 0:06:02 | 0:06:06 | |
We decided it was going to be compromise | 0:06:06 | 0:06:09 | |
and halfway between his neck of the woods and mine. | 0:06:09 | 0:06:13 | |
As you haven't bought a house before, | 0:06:13 | 0:06:15 | |
what are you both looking for together in this property? | 0:06:15 | 0:06:18 | |
I tend to want older types. | 0:06:18 | 0:06:22 | |
You know, Georgian, Victorian-type of house. | 0:06:22 | 0:06:25 | |
But I'm more contemporary. | 0:06:25 | 0:06:27 | |
I don't mind the old-looking outside but a new inside's nice. | 0:06:27 | 0:06:32 | |
Minimum three bedrooms. A nice big kitchen with kitchen/diner. | 0:06:32 | 0:06:38 | |
Definitely a south-facing garden. | 0:06:38 | 0:06:40 | |
What about location? Near a village, outside a village? | 0:06:40 | 0:06:43 | |
-Outside a village. -Yeah. | 0:06:43 | 0:06:45 | |
But, you know, not sort of breaking contact with people, | 0:06:45 | 0:06:49 | |
-not too isolated. -A bit of privacy. | 0:06:49 | 0:06:51 | |
So remind us of your budget for this search. | 0:06:51 | 0:06:55 | |
375 to 425. | 0:06:55 | 0:06:58 | |
OK, we've got three properties lined up, | 0:06:58 | 0:06:59 | |
-so shall we start with the first one? -Yeah. | 0:06:59 | 0:07:01 | |
For a maximum budget of £425,000, | 0:07:06 | 0:07:10 | |
Tony and Nicole want a house with character. | 0:07:10 | 0:07:13 | |
But they aren't in agreement on how old it should be. | 0:07:13 | 0:07:16 | |
It should have a minimum of three bedrooms, | 0:07:16 | 0:07:19 | |
a large kitchen or kitchen/diner, | 0:07:19 | 0:07:20 | |
and, for Nicole, a garden that gets the sun. | 0:07:20 | 0:07:24 | |
Tony would like a large garage or separate outbuilding for a workshop, | 0:07:24 | 0:07:28 | |
and they'd like to be close to a village | 0:07:28 | 0:07:30 | |
but still have some degree of privacy. | 0:07:30 | 0:07:32 | |
We found three fantastic properties to show them, | 0:07:33 | 0:07:36 | |
and at each one I'll be revealing the price at the end of the tour. | 0:07:36 | 0:07:39 | |
The last one will be our mystery house, | 0:07:39 | 0:07:42 | |
which marries something old with something new. | 0:07:42 | 0:07:45 | |
Are you excited about moving to a fresh county? | 0:07:47 | 0:07:50 | |
Oh, yeah. It's nice to have a change. | 0:07:50 | 0:07:53 | |
Now all your sort of parental duties are finished, | 0:07:54 | 0:07:57 | |
it's nice just to get on with your own life, really. | 0:07:57 | 0:08:00 | |
For our first property we're heading to the village of Hinderclay, | 0:08:04 | 0:08:08 | |
which is around 14 miles from Bury St Edmunds. | 0:08:08 | 0:08:10 | |
The closest amenities are found in the larger village of Botesdale, | 0:08:12 | 0:08:16 | |
about two and a half miles away. | 0:08:16 | 0:08:18 | |
In earlier times it was a stop-off for horse-drawn carriages | 0:08:18 | 0:08:21 | |
travelling between Norwich and London. | 0:08:21 | 0:08:23 | |
And today much of the village is a conservation area. | 0:08:23 | 0:08:27 | |
The old marketplace is surrounded by a range of shops and pubs. | 0:08:27 | 0:08:30 | |
There's also a post office painted in the familiar Suffolk Pink, | 0:08:30 | 0:08:34 | |
and it's just down the road from our first offering. | 0:08:34 | 0:08:37 | |
So here is your first property in Suffolk. | 0:08:40 | 0:08:43 | |
-Nice. -Lovely. Very pretty cottage. | 0:08:43 | 0:08:45 | |
Can you date it? | 0:08:45 | 0:08:48 | |
I'd say... | 0:08:48 | 0:08:50 | |
-Victorian? Or is it new? With new bits in it. -1890? | 0:08:52 | 0:08:56 | |
I'm impressed with both of you. | 0:08:56 | 0:08:59 | |
Very good. 1973. | 0:08:59 | 0:09:01 | |
And that is exactly the reaction I wanted to hear, | 0:09:03 | 0:09:08 | |
because I would never have guessed it. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:12 | |
Certainly got character and charm, but let's see if you think the same. | 0:09:12 | 0:09:15 | |
Let's go. | 0:09:15 | 0:09:17 | |
'Clearly looks can be deceiving. | 0:09:19 | 0:09:21 | |
'But the inside of the property is definitely modern.' | 0:09:21 | 0:09:24 | |
Here is your sitting room. | 0:09:26 | 0:09:28 | |
-Lovely. -Nice size. | 0:09:28 | 0:09:29 | |
-Very nice, light. -Nice fireplace. | 0:09:29 | 0:09:32 | |
-Oh, yeah. Working fireplace? -Working fireplace. | 0:09:32 | 0:09:36 | |
What about the ceiling height? Cos you're both quite tall. | 0:09:36 | 0:09:39 | |
-Yeah, no, it's adequate. -That looks fine. Seven foot six. | 0:09:39 | 0:09:42 | |
Is that what it is? Can you work it out? | 0:09:42 | 0:09:45 | |
That's impressive, Tony, I like that. | 0:09:45 | 0:09:48 | |
-Good first room to see? -Very good. | 0:09:48 | 0:09:50 | |
-Positive reactions? -Yeah, lovely. | 0:09:50 | 0:09:53 | |
-OK, well, we'll continue through. -OK. | 0:09:53 | 0:09:56 | |
Through the double doors. | 0:09:56 | 0:09:58 | |
At the moment it's being used as a music room. | 0:09:58 | 0:10:01 | |
This could be a study as well, couldn't it? | 0:10:01 | 0:10:03 | |
Could easily be a study, couldn't it? Dining room. But then... | 0:10:03 | 0:10:07 | |
-you have this. -Aw, it's lovely. | 0:10:07 | 0:10:10 | |
-So... -That's nice. -Yeah? | 0:10:10 | 0:10:13 | |
-Very, very nice. -Really lovely. -And a wood burner there. | 0:10:13 | 0:10:17 | |
Yeah, multi-fuel, so that works all year round. | 0:10:17 | 0:10:19 | |
Coal, wood. You wanted a period property. | 0:10:19 | 0:10:22 | |
You ideally would have liked a brand-new property. | 0:10:22 | 0:10:25 | |
-But this is quite... -Good compromise. -This is quite new-ish. -Yeah, it is. | 0:10:25 | 0:10:30 | |
Right, OK. Well, follow me. We're going to head upstairs now. | 0:10:30 | 0:10:33 | |
'I was hoping the high-spec interior of our first house would appeal | 0:10:35 | 0:10:38 | |
'to Tony but I'm really happy that Nicole appears taken by it, too. | 0:10:38 | 0:10:43 | |
'The ground floor also includes this garden room off the kitchen, | 0:10:43 | 0:10:46 | |
'with doors out onto a patio, | 0:10:46 | 0:10:48 | |
'a utility room and a downstairs toilet, | 0:10:48 | 0:10:50 | |
'and at the front of the house a good-sized study. | 0:10:50 | 0:10:53 | |
'Upstairs there are four bedrooms, | 0:10:53 | 0:10:55 | |
'one more than they asked for, and a four-piece family bathroom. | 0:10:55 | 0:10:59 | |
'All of the bedrooms are doubles. | 0:10:59 | 0:11:01 | |
'Three of them overlook the front of the property | 0:11:01 | 0:11:03 | |
'and are south-facing, taking full advantage of the sun. | 0:11:03 | 0:11:07 | |
'But I want to show them the largest of the doubles.' | 0:11:07 | 0:11:10 | |
So, here is the master bedroom. | 0:11:10 | 0:11:13 | |
-Oh, nice ceiling. Very nice. -Nice and tall. | 0:11:13 | 0:11:17 | |
As this is the master, | 0:11:17 | 0:11:19 | |
-got an en suite. -Ah, how wonderful. -Do you want to have a look? | 0:11:19 | 0:11:22 | |
Poke your head round. | 0:11:22 | 0:11:24 | |
Nice. | 0:11:24 | 0:11:26 | |
Aw, it's lovely. Like the tongue-and-groove. | 0:11:26 | 0:11:29 | |
Is there anywhere to put your clothes, though, in here? | 0:11:29 | 0:11:31 | |
You have a little walk-in wardrobe there. | 0:11:31 | 0:11:34 | |
Fantastic. | 0:11:34 | 0:11:36 | |
Really, really nice. And it overlooks the garden. | 0:11:36 | 0:11:39 | |
-It's pretty. -It is very pretty. | 0:11:39 | 0:11:42 | |
I know the outside space is really important, | 0:11:42 | 0:11:44 | |
-especially the garden, the amount of sunlight it gets. -Mm-hm. | 0:11:44 | 0:11:48 | |
I'm hoping you're not going to be disappointed with what | 0:11:48 | 0:11:50 | |
I'm about to show you. | 0:11:50 | 0:11:52 | |
The garden surrounds the entire house | 0:11:55 | 0:11:57 | |
and there are numerous seating areas for entertaining, | 0:11:57 | 0:12:00 | |
log storage for that wood burner and open fire, as well | 0:12:00 | 0:12:04 | |
as a vegetable patch and extensive lawns at either end of the house. | 0:12:04 | 0:12:07 | |
-So you've got two gardens here. -Fabulous, fabulous. | 0:12:09 | 0:12:12 | |
-You've also got a double garage. -Yeah, I just notice that. | 0:12:12 | 0:12:15 | |
A greenhouse - if that doesn't satisfy your gardening needs... | 0:12:15 | 0:12:18 | |
That's gorgeous. | 0:12:18 | 0:12:20 | |
-This part of the garden will get sun nearly all day. -Delightful. | 0:12:20 | 0:12:23 | |
It's a great first house, isn't it? | 0:12:23 | 0:12:24 | |
-Yeah. -Very strong house. But what's the price? | 0:12:24 | 0:12:28 | |
-Who wants to go first for me? -Me. -OK. Go on, Tony. | 0:12:28 | 0:12:32 | |
-420. -OK. | 0:12:32 | 0:12:34 | |
I was going to say round about the same. I'll say 425. | 0:12:35 | 0:12:40 | |
OK. You're both very close. | 0:12:40 | 0:12:43 | |
It's actually on the market for £435,000. | 0:12:43 | 0:12:46 | |
-So 10,000 over your budget. -OK. | 0:12:46 | 0:12:49 | |
Has come down quite considerably in price, actually. | 0:12:49 | 0:12:52 | |
It was a lot more than that and the owners are desperate to move. | 0:12:52 | 0:12:54 | |
They've found somewhere else, | 0:12:54 | 0:12:56 | |
so they are happy to have a conversation with you. | 0:12:56 | 0:12:58 | |
They're aware of your top budget. | 0:12:58 | 0:13:00 | |
And the one thing I will say with this property is, | 0:13:00 | 0:13:03 | |
-it doesn't need any money spending on it. -No, it doesn't. -Exactly. | 0:13:03 | 0:13:06 | |
So, it is only the first one. | 0:13:06 | 0:13:09 | |
I know you're holding back slightly. But I can tell you like it. | 0:13:09 | 0:13:12 | |
Would you like another wander around? | 0:13:12 | 0:13:14 | |
-There's still some more rooms you can explore. -Yeah, I'd love to. | 0:13:14 | 0:13:17 | |
On the market for £435,000, | 0:13:21 | 0:13:24 | |
our first property is slightly over Tony and Nicole's maximum budget. | 0:13:24 | 0:13:29 | |
Built in the 1970s, it's a modern family home | 0:13:29 | 0:13:31 | |
that's been designed to a high standard. | 0:13:31 | 0:13:34 | |
It has four double bedrooms, a spacious kitchen/diner, | 0:13:34 | 0:13:38 | |
and a double garage that could be Tony's workshop. | 0:13:38 | 0:13:41 | |
The garden gets sun all year round | 0:13:41 | 0:13:43 | |
and the house is close to a vibrant village. | 0:13:43 | 0:13:46 | |
Wow. | 0:13:51 | 0:13:53 | |
My workshop. | 0:13:53 | 0:13:55 | |
-Yes, a fair size, isn't it? -Yeah. -Bigger than the one you got at home. | 0:13:55 | 0:13:58 | |
Twice the size, yeah. | 0:13:58 | 0:14:00 | |
I was pleasantly surprised when I found out it was modern, | 0:14:00 | 0:14:02 | |
because it's Nicole that likes the older stuff | 0:14:02 | 0:14:05 | |
and I like more modern stuff, so it's a very, very good start. | 0:14:05 | 0:14:10 | |
The upstairs is fine. It's got an en suite, which is a bonus, | 0:14:10 | 0:14:13 | |
and an extra bedroom as well, you know, plus the workshop. | 0:14:13 | 0:14:17 | |
And fair size gardens. It's a nice house. | 0:14:17 | 0:14:19 | |
Very, very nice house and very hard to find any fault with it. | 0:14:19 | 0:14:24 | |
I love the kitchen, it's very light and spacious. | 0:14:24 | 0:14:26 | |
It's got a wood burner in it, which is excellent. | 0:14:26 | 0:14:30 | |
It's got a nice room off it, it's just very light | 0:14:30 | 0:14:32 | |
and I can just feel myself in the kitchen all the time. | 0:14:32 | 0:14:37 | |
So far I can't see any negatives about the house. | 0:14:37 | 0:14:40 | |
It just seems exquisite in every way. | 0:14:40 | 0:14:42 | |
-Happy, you two? -Yes. -Yeah, very. -Seen enough? | 0:14:46 | 0:14:49 | |
-Uh-huh. -Good. How did you feel about our first property? | 0:14:49 | 0:14:52 | |
-It's a great first house. -Good. More to show you. Right, let's go. | 0:14:52 | 0:14:56 | |
Nicole couldn't have chosen a better county to indulge | 0:15:05 | 0:15:08 | |
in her passion for gardening. | 0:15:08 | 0:15:10 | |
Its low-lying geography and sunny climate make Suffolk | 0:15:10 | 0:15:14 | |
an excellent spot for those with green fingers. | 0:15:14 | 0:15:16 | |
One of the county's most impressive formal gardens is here, | 0:15:17 | 0:15:21 | |
at Kentwell Hall, a Tudor mansion and family home. | 0:15:21 | 0:15:25 | |
We sent Nicole and Tony to find out what grows well in Suffolk soil | 0:15:25 | 0:15:29 | |
from the owner responsible for its extensive grounds, Judith Philips. | 0:15:29 | 0:15:34 | |
-Hi. -Hello. -Nice to see you. -Nice to meet you. -Welcome, welcome. | 0:15:34 | 0:15:39 | |
One feature has immediately caught the eye of Nicole - an unusual | 0:15:39 | 0:15:42 | |
topiary representing the legend of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. | 0:15:42 | 0:15:47 | |
What is the hedge? Is it yew? | 0:15:47 | 0:15:48 | |
It's yew, it's a yew hedge, and yew grows very, very well here. | 0:15:48 | 0:15:52 | |
Because it's organic, because it's growing all the time, it changes. | 0:15:52 | 0:15:57 | |
And some years some figures turn their tops that way or that way. | 0:15:57 | 0:16:02 | |
And we've had one or two who've actually...skirts got so wide | 0:16:02 | 0:16:05 | |
that they've actually become children around the skirts. | 0:16:05 | 0:16:09 | |
And then beyond there we've got the wall garden. | 0:16:09 | 0:16:11 | |
The wall garden is probably an original cattle pound, | 0:16:11 | 0:16:15 | |
so that when the house was first built, it would have been | 0:16:15 | 0:16:19 | |
an area where the cattle and sheep would have been brought in. | 0:16:19 | 0:16:23 | |
It was then redesigned as a pleasure garden | 0:16:23 | 0:16:27 | |
so that probably was in the late 16th century/early 17th century. | 0:16:27 | 0:16:33 | |
As one of the property's highlights, the walled garden has been | 0:16:33 | 0:16:36 | |
extensively restored by Judith and her team at Kentwell. | 0:16:36 | 0:16:39 | |
And Nicole and Tony are keen to see more. | 0:16:39 | 0:16:42 | |
We have a variety of different things here. | 0:16:42 | 0:16:45 | |
It's all based around the ancient espalier trees, | 0:16:45 | 0:16:47 | |
which were planted in the 16th/17th century. | 0:16:47 | 0:16:51 | |
And then we have our potager and our herb garden over there. | 0:16:51 | 0:16:55 | |
And all the lovely wild flowers which we cherish in the springtime. | 0:16:55 | 0:17:01 | |
So when we move to Suffolk, | 0:17:01 | 0:17:02 | |
what kind of natural plants would grow in the Suffolk soil? | 0:17:02 | 0:17:07 | |
We've got a lime soil here. It's basically heavy clay. | 0:17:07 | 0:17:11 | |
It maintains the moisture, it retains moisture, which is great, | 0:17:11 | 0:17:15 | |
which is why this green lawn will remain green virtually | 0:17:15 | 0:17:21 | |
the whole of the summer. | 0:17:21 | 0:17:22 | |
Roses grow very well, again because you don't have to do all | 0:17:22 | 0:17:26 | |
the mulching and the watering and so on. The clay will hold them there. | 0:17:26 | 0:17:30 | |
And things like fuchsias do very well as well. | 0:17:30 | 0:17:32 | |
On the wilder side, things like the cowslips and the forget-me-nots | 0:17:32 | 0:17:37 | |
and primroses, pulmonaria. | 0:17:37 | 0:17:40 | |
So it's always nice to have a part of your garden where you're | 0:17:40 | 0:17:44 | |
encouraging those naturally-growing flowers. | 0:17:44 | 0:17:47 | |
With this local insight under their belts, we just need to find Tony | 0:17:49 | 0:17:52 | |
and Nicole some fertile Suffolk soil of their own. | 0:17:52 | 0:17:55 | |
With that in mind, it's back to our house search. | 0:17:55 | 0:17:58 | |
For our second property we're venturing 20 miles south | 0:18:02 | 0:18:05 | |
to the hamlet of Barking. | 0:18:05 | 0:18:07 | |
The closest amenities are to be found in the nearby town | 0:18:08 | 0:18:11 | |
of Needham Market, whose many buildings are Grade II listed. | 0:18:11 | 0:18:16 | |
It rose to prominence in the early 17th century as a centre | 0:18:16 | 0:18:20 | |
for wool combing, where they prepared the yarn | 0:18:20 | 0:18:22 | |
for the local weavers. | 0:18:22 | 0:18:24 | |
But in the 1660s the town was struck down by the plague | 0:18:24 | 0:18:27 | |
and its industry was all but abandoned. | 0:18:27 | 0:18:31 | |
Today it's a thriving market town once again, | 0:18:31 | 0:18:34 | |
and our second house is a five-minute drive away. | 0:18:34 | 0:18:37 | |
It couldn't be any more different to our first in age at least, | 0:18:38 | 0:18:42 | |
and I fear I might have my work cut out with Tony. | 0:18:42 | 0:18:46 | |
Gorgeous. | 0:18:46 | 0:18:48 | |
Suffolk Pink. | 0:18:48 | 0:18:49 | |
Yeah, Suffolk Pink. | 0:18:49 | 0:18:51 | |
Suffolk Pink, you're absolutely right. | 0:18:51 | 0:18:53 | |
And you're muttering "Gorgeous, gorgeous," as we're walking up | 0:18:53 | 0:18:56 | |
-the gravel drive. -Beautiful. | 0:18:56 | 0:18:58 | |
-Absolutely stunning. -It's very nice. I'll wait till I see inside. | 0:18:58 | 0:19:04 | |
I like the outside, it's beautiful. | 0:19:04 | 0:19:06 | |
Great reactions from you. | 0:19:06 | 0:19:08 | |
You've loved it straight away, as we walked through the gates. | 0:19:08 | 0:19:11 | |
Tony, on the other hand, | 0:19:11 | 0:19:12 | |
I think I've got some convincing to do, haven't I? | 0:19:12 | 0:19:14 | |
Looking at that, there might be light at the end of the tunnel. | 0:19:14 | 0:19:18 | |
The garage, a workshop. | 0:19:18 | 0:19:19 | |
I mean, you have always said that you wanted a more modern property | 0:19:19 | 0:19:22 | |
and, Nicole, you've said you want an old property. | 0:19:22 | 0:19:25 | |
So I think you can gather which one we're catering for with this house. | 0:19:25 | 0:19:28 | |
-Yes. -OK, you ready for this? | 0:19:28 | 0:19:31 | |
Parts of the house... date back to 1450. | 0:19:31 | 0:19:35 | |
The rest of it is 1600. Look at the smile. | 0:19:35 | 0:19:37 | |
Right, and on that note, we're going to step inside. Come on. | 0:19:37 | 0:19:41 | |
Well, the double garage has kept Tony with us for now, at least. | 0:19:42 | 0:19:46 | |
And I'm sure the historic charms of this Suffolk Pink | 0:19:46 | 0:19:48 | |
former farmhouse will eventually rub off on him. | 0:19:48 | 0:19:51 | |
Come into our sitting room. | 0:19:54 | 0:19:56 | |
There's actually two with this property. | 0:19:56 | 0:19:58 | |
-Two sitting rooms. -Two sitting rooms. | 0:19:58 | 0:20:00 | |
-This is lovely. Quite light, considering there's lots of beams. -High beams as well. | 0:20:00 | 0:20:06 | |
They are high, aren't they? How do you feel about beams? | 0:20:06 | 0:20:09 | |
-Was that on the wish list...? -I've got no problem with beams. | 0:20:09 | 0:20:12 | |
It's just ones I actually bang my head on I don't like! | 0:20:12 | 0:20:15 | |
The house sort of does a circle around the fireplace, which they often used to. | 0:20:15 | 0:20:19 | |
-So if you follow me through this door... -OK. | 0:20:19 | 0:20:23 | |
-So your second sitting room cum dining area...as you can see... -Lovely. -..goes around. | 0:20:25 | 0:20:31 | |
-Oh, yeah. -Oh, yeah. | 0:20:31 | 0:20:33 | |
Two huge fireplaces. | 0:20:33 | 0:20:36 | |
So is it a building being old that puts you off | 0:20:36 | 0:20:39 | |
or is it the prospect of having to do some more work on it? | 0:20:39 | 0:20:42 | |
Possibly doing some more work, the maintaining of it. | 0:20:42 | 0:20:46 | |
-So it's the practicalities? -Yeah. -Oh, I can work on that one, Tony. | 0:20:46 | 0:20:49 | |
-I can definitely work on that. Let's go through to the kitchen. -OK. | 0:20:49 | 0:20:53 | |
-Now, this...this is the oldest part of the property. -Gosh. | 0:20:53 | 0:20:58 | |
This is the part that dates back to 1450. | 0:20:58 | 0:21:00 | |
-Originally, this was a hall house. -OK. | 0:21:00 | 0:21:03 | |
It's quite small for a kitchen, but, obviously, it's got a lot of character. | 0:21:03 | 0:21:08 | |
The owners have had planning permission to extend it. | 0:21:08 | 0:21:12 | |
-Now, that permission has lapsed... -Out there? -Yeah. To make it bigger. | 0:21:12 | 0:21:16 | |
What you've got to bear in mind is this house is Grade II listed. | 0:21:16 | 0:21:20 | |
But the fact that permission was granted already shows that | 0:21:20 | 0:21:24 | |
with the right paperwork and working with the local council, | 0:21:24 | 0:21:27 | |
you know, permission can be granted. Have I won you over yet, Tony? | 0:21:27 | 0:21:30 | |
-I keep looking at you. -I need to go upstairs, I think. -Oh... | 0:21:30 | 0:21:33 | |
-Got to check out the en suite. -He's postponing any comments, isn't it? | 0:21:33 | 0:21:37 | |
'The ground floor also features a small study area to the side | 0:21:37 | 0:21:41 | |
'of the second sitting room, and a utility room with a toilet. | 0:21:41 | 0:21:45 | |
'Upstairs, there are five bedrooms in total, across two floors, | 0:21:45 | 0:21:49 | |
'all serviced by a family bathroom. | 0:21:49 | 0:21:52 | |
'Three of those bedrooms are found on the first floor, | 0:21:52 | 0:21:55 | |
'all with exposed timbers. | 0:21:55 | 0:21:56 | |
'But there's also an attic where you'll find another double bedroom | 0:21:56 | 0:22:00 | |
'and a large study that could easily be turned into a sleeping area. | 0:22:00 | 0:22:05 | |
'But by far the largest bedroom in the house | 0:22:05 | 0:22:07 | |
'is back down on the first floor.' | 0:22:07 | 0:22:09 | |
-So... -Lovely light room. -It is. -Really nice. | 0:22:13 | 0:22:16 | |
-And a little storage area there as well. -Oh. | 0:22:16 | 0:22:19 | |
And as you walk in, I find this room really impactful, you know, | 0:22:19 | 0:22:23 | |
-it sort of took my breath away. -Yeah, it is really nice. | 0:22:23 | 0:22:26 | |
I like the position of the bed there. And the open views. | 0:22:26 | 0:22:30 | |
-Really lovely. -Yeah, love the views. | 0:22:30 | 0:22:32 | |
So this has got you both thinking, hasn't it? | 0:22:32 | 0:22:35 | |
Let's go outside, take a look at the garden, and the garage/workshops | 0:22:35 | 0:22:39 | |
-for Tony, and then of course I'm going to ask you about the price, aren't I? -OK. | 0:22:39 | 0:22:44 | |
There are lawned gardens at both the front | 0:22:46 | 0:22:48 | |
and rear of the property, as well as a vegetable patch, | 0:22:48 | 0:22:51 | |
a greenhouse and a timber-framed former stable, | 0:22:51 | 0:22:54 | |
which is useful for storage. | 0:22:54 | 0:22:57 | |
And of course the spacious double garage, | 0:22:57 | 0:22:59 | |
which should keep Tony happy. | 0:22:59 | 0:23:02 | |
-So, Nicole, I know you love your gardens... -It's a beautiful garden. | 0:23:03 | 0:23:07 | |
How much is it on the market for? | 0:23:07 | 0:23:09 | |
I would say little bit more, probably 440. | 0:23:11 | 0:23:16 | |
Yeah, because it's listed and it's got a lot of history attached... | 0:23:16 | 0:23:21 | |
I would say... | 0:23:21 | 0:23:23 | |
I'm not very good at this. ..430. | 0:23:23 | 0:23:26 | |
You both not bad at this. I've got to be honest - you're not bad. | 0:23:26 | 0:23:30 | |
And the owners are asking for offers over £400,000. | 0:23:30 | 0:23:34 | |
-Oh, well. -Wow. -OK. | 0:23:34 | 0:23:36 | |
-Does that give you something to think about? -Definitely. -Yeah. | 0:23:36 | 0:23:39 | |
-You're very excited... -Reserved. | 0:23:39 | 0:23:41 | |
Yeah, Tony's quite reserved, but I'm not going to push you, because you'd be very good. | 0:23:41 | 0:23:45 | |
-Why don't you take another look around? -OK. | 0:23:45 | 0:23:47 | |
I'll see you two in a minute. Off you go, have some fun. | 0:23:47 | 0:23:50 | |
At offers above £400,000, our second property is a timber-framed | 0:23:54 | 0:23:58 | |
Grade II listed former farmhouse, parts of which date back the 1450s. | 0:23:58 | 0:24:03 | |
The accommodation includes two sitting rooms | 0:24:03 | 0:24:06 | |
and a large kitchen in the oldest part of the house. | 0:24:06 | 0:24:09 | |
Upstairs, there are five bedrooms spread across two floors. | 0:24:09 | 0:24:13 | |
The gardens include substantial lawn areas | 0:24:13 | 0:24:16 | |
and a spacious double garage. | 0:24:16 | 0:24:18 | |
And the house is within striking distance of a bustling market town. | 0:24:18 | 0:24:22 | |
Oh, gosh! What a lovely... room in the eaves. | 0:24:24 | 0:24:29 | |
-Oh, yeah! -It's amazing. | 0:24:29 | 0:24:32 | |
It is. | 0:24:32 | 0:24:33 | |
Well, I didn't expect this up here. | 0:24:33 | 0:24:37 | |
'It just feels incredible. | 0:24:37 | 0:24:39 | |
'The history. It was a real pleasure to walk around. | 0:24:39 | 0:24:42 | |
'They kitchen, which was the hall house originally, | 0:24:42 | 0:24:46 | |
'that's fascinating in itself.' | 0:24:46 | 0:24:48 | |
I just thought it was amazing. | 0:24:48 | 0:24:50 | |
It's a fascinating house. | 0:24:50 | 0:24:52 | |
This house has got so much character, and it's amazing just to be in it. | 0:24:52 | 0:24:56 | |
Whether or not I could actually live in it is totally different. | 0:24:56 | 0:25:00 | |
-All right, you two? -Fine. -How are you feeling? | 0:25:01 | 0:25:03 | |
-That's two of our three houses you've now seen. -Amazing. | 0:25:03 | 0:25:06 | |
Two totally different houses. | 0:25:06 | 0:25:09 | |
They're both amazing houses but in different ways. | 0:25:09 | 0:25:12 | |
-Got you thinking, haven't we? -Yeah, just a little bit! -Fascinating house. | 0:25:12 | 0:25:15 | |
Let's hit the road. | 0:25:15 | 0:25:16 | |
It's day two of our property search, | 0:25:30 | 0:25:32 | |
and on a maximum budget of £425,000, we're helping Nottingham | 0:25:32 | 0:25:37 | |
tennis partners Tony and Nicole hit their stride in Suffolk. | 0:25:37 | 0:25:42 | |
Coming up, we get consensus at the mystery house. | 0:25:42 | 0:25:45 | |
-You're taken with this, aren't you? -It's very, very nice. -We are. | 0:25:45 | 0:25:49 | |
And I weave my way around one of Suffolk's textile industries. | 0:25:49 | 0:25:53 | |
OK, one, two, three... | 0:25:53 | 0:25:55 | |
Whoa! | 0:25:55 | 0:25:56 | |
Yesterday got off to a great start for our sporty couple, | 0:25:58 | 0:26:01 | |
Tony and Nicole. | 0:26:01 | 0:26:03 | |
Two fantastic houses, although I do think it will take some convincing | 0:26:03 | 0:26:07 | |
for Tony to get over his reservations about period homes. | 0:26:07 | 0:26:11 | |
Today, it's time for our mystery house, and I'm hoping to accommodate | 0:26:11 | 0:26:15 | |
both Nicole's love of history with Tony's desire for modern living. | 0:26:15 | 0:26:19 | |
I've got a feeling that the mystery house will really make a splash. | 0:26:19 | 0:26:24 | |
What are you hoping to see? | 0:26:27 | 0:26:29 | |
Something really old-looking outside and fantastically new inside, perhaps. | 0:26:29 | 0:26:35 | |
-Anything you're dreading we're taking you to see? -A bungalow. | 0:26:35 | 0:26:39 | |
Good answer. Tony? | 0:26:39 | 0:26:41 | |
An even older house! | 0:26:41 | 0:26:44 | |
THEY LAUGH | 0:26:44 | 0:26:46 | |
'For our mystery house, we're heading 20 miles north-east, | 0:26:51 | 0:26:55 | |
'deeper into rural Suffolk, to the hamlet of Wilby. | 0:26:55 | 0:26:59 | |
'The closest village, Stradbroke, is a mile and a half away, | 0:26:59 | 0:27:02 | |
'and we're making a quick stop there, | 0:27:02 | 0:27:04 | |
'as it has facilities more fitting for a small town, | 0:27:04 | 0:27:07 | |
'including something I think our sporty couple will enjoy.' | 0:27:07 | 0:27:10 | |
Now, I know you're both itching to see the mystery house, | 0:27:12 | 0:27:16 | |
but I've stopped off in this village, because it would be the closest village | 0:27:16 | 0:27:19 | |
to the next house that has amenities. | 0:27:19 | 0:27:22 | |
-And I know that's important for you both. -Yeah. -Yeah. | 0:27:22 | 0:27:24 | |
As you can probably see, it's beautiful, full of old buildings, | 0:27:24 | 0:27:27 | |
but most importantly, it has a post office, a local shop, | 0:27:27 | 0:27:31 | |
it's got some pubs. | 0:27:31 | 0:27:33 | |
But even though we're in a rural location, | 0:27:33 | 0:27:35 | |
-this village has got a fitness centre. -Wow! -That's good. | 0:27:35 | 0:27:39 | |
-And what is it you're both obsessed with? -Tennis! | 0:27:39 | 0:27:42 | |
It's got tennis courts, swimming pool, it's got a gym. | 0:27:42 | 0:27:46 | |
And, literally, the mystery house is a mile and a half up the road. | 0:27:46 | 0:27:48 | |
-That's brilliant. -So, have I whetted your appetite enough? -You have. | 0:27:48 | 0:27:52 | |
-You have indeed. -Yeah? Looking forward to this next house? -We are. | 0:27:52 | 0:27:55 | |
I'm going to be keeping my fingers crossed it can do its magic. | 0:27:55 | 0:27:58 | |
Right, we'll go. | 0:27:58 | 0:27:59 | |
'Merging Nicole's old with Tony's new was always going to be tricky | 0:28:01 | 0:28:05 | |
'here in Suffolk. I hope we've done it with our mystery house. | 0:28:05 | 0:28:09 | |
'And what's more, it may give our tennis-loving couple something | 0:28:09 | 0:28:12 | |
'they'd never considered having in their own home.' | 0:28:12 | 0:28:16 | |
The house was built in the sort of mid to late 1980s. | 0:28:16 | 0:28:19 | |
However, the original cottage that was here dates back | 0:28:19 | 0:28:22 | |
to the 1700s, so when they demolished it, | 0:28:22 | 0:28:25 | |
they tried to use as much of the original material as they could. | 0:28:25 | 0:28:28 | |
So you've got the luxury of a new build, | 0:28:28 | 0:28:31 | |
but you've still got that character and charm of an old cottage. | 0:28:31 | 0:28:34 | |
-Sounds good. -Fabulous. -So we want to keep you both happy. | 0:28:34 | 0:28:36 | |
This is the first house you've bought together. Different demands. | 0:28:36 | 0:28:40 | |
We're hoping that the mystery house is going to marry both of those up. | 0:28:40 | 0:28:43 | |
'So our mystery house has the best of both worlds - | 0:28:43 | 0:28:47 | |
'period features within a modern shell. | 0:28:47 | 0:28:50 | |
'And now I've set the scene, | 0:28:50 | 0:28:52 | |
'I'm keen to see if our homely hybrid will hit the mark with our buyers.' | 0:28:52 | 0:28:56 | |
-Aw... -Straight into our kitchen. | 0:28:57 | 0:29:00 | |
-Very pretty. -Very nice, very countrified. | 0:29:00 | 0:29:04 | |
So next door, you've got a downstairs cloakroom. | 0:29:04 | 0:29:07 | |
You've also got a utility room. | 0:29:07 | 0:29:08 | |
But yesterday, one of the kitchens, you thought was a little bit small. | 0:29:08 | 0:29:12 | |
-How does this compare? -Yeah, this is perfect for us. -It's fine. | 0:29:12 | 0:29:15 | |
-Good start? -Aha. -Yeah? OK. Right, let's continue through. -OK. | 0:29:15 | 0:29:19 | |
-Leads straight into your dining room. -Mm-hm. | 0:29:21 | 0:29:23 | |
-Again, you can see the original beams have been used. -Nice fire. -Yeah. Wood burner. | 0:29:23 | 0:29:29 | |
-Nice-sized dining room. -It's great, isn't it? | 0:29:29 | 0:29:32 | |
-Yesterday's property... -Yeah. | 0:29:32 | 0:29:34 | |
..the very old house, you were completely taken by, weren't you? | 0:29:34 | 0:29:37 | |
-There's elements of it with this one. -Absolutely, yes. | 0:29:37 | 0:29:40 | |
But, Tony, looking at it again through practical eyes... | 0:29:40 | 0:29:44 | |
-But without the maintenance. -Yeah. | 0:29:44 | 0:29:46 | |
-Keen to see more? -Absolutely. | 0:29:46 | 0:29:48 | |
Listen, I'm happy Tony's happy. | 0:29:48 | 0:29:49 | |
With contentment in the air, | 0:29:52 | 0:29:54 | |
let's see what our buyers think of the largest room in the house. | 0:29:54 | 0:29:57 | |
So come through into your sitting room, | 0:29:57 | 0:30:00 | |
which is dominated by this magnificent fireplace. | 0:30:00 | 0:30:03 | |
-That's beautiful. -Incredible. | 0:30:03 | 0:30:05 | |
And have you seen how it's wonky, the bricks on the top | 0:30:05 | 0:30:07 | |
on the bresma beam? | 0:30:07 | 0:30:09 | |
-Yeah, why's that? -Well, it's believed that | 0:30:09 | 0:30:11 | |
when the original cottage was demolished, | 0:30:11 | 0:30:13 | |
they kept the two fireplaces, | 0:30:13 | 0:30:15 | |
cos there's another one on the other side with the breast going up. | 0:30:15 | 0:30:18 | |
-And they built the new house around it. -Ah, OK. | 0:30:18 | 0:30:21 | |
That's what you call a focal point. | 0:30:21 | 0:30:23 | |
Beautiful, isn't it? | 0:30:23 | 0:30:24 | |
Yeah, it's very pretty. Very pretty. | 0:30:24 | 0:30:27 | |
-You're united, I think, with this property? -Mm. -Yeah. | 0:30:27 | 0:30:30 | |
It's drawing you in, isn't it? | 0:30:30 | 0:30:32 | |
-You couldn't not like it, really, could you? -That's true. | 0:30:32 | 0:30:34 | |
That's so lovely to hear. | 0:30:34 | 0:30:37 | |
Our buyers may also be cheered by this charming conservatory, | 0:30:37 | 0:30:40 | |
with views out onto the patio area, | 0:30:40 | 0:30:43 | |
and just a little hint of what the garden has in store. | 0:30:43 | 0:30:46 | |
And there's also that all-important garage, | 0:30:46 | 0:30:49 | |
which is attached to the side of the house. | 0:30:49 | 0:30:52 | |
There are four bedrooms upstairs. | 0:30:52 | 0:30:54 | |
One of those is a single, another is currently being used as a study, | 0:30:54 | 0:30:58 | |
and there's a spacious guest room. | 0:30:58 | 0:31:00 | |
They're all serviced by a large family bathroom. | 0:31:00 | 0:31:04 | |
But we're heading to the master, | 0:31:04 | 0:31:06 | |
which overlooks the back of the house. | 0:31:06 | 0:31:08 | |
This part of the property has been extended in the last few | 0:31:08 | 0:31:11 | |
years by the owners. | 0:31:11 | 0:31:13 | |
So you've got the master bedroom here. | 0:31:13 | 0:31:16 | |
With an en-suite just behind me. | 0:31:16 | 0:31:19 | |
Could you see yourselves living here? I'm pushing you now, aren't I? | 0:31:19 | 0:31:22 | |
I was going to say, "Put the electric blanket on." | 0:31:22 | 0:31:26 | |
Oh, Tony! Music to my ears. | 0:31:26 | 0:31:28 | |
-You're taken with this, aren't you? -Yeah, I am. -It's very, very nice. | 0:31:28 | 0:31:32 | |
-We are. -You've summed it up, "We are." | 0:31:32 | 0:31:35 | |
Absolutely, Nicole, it's got to be that joint decision, hasn't it? | 0:31:35 | 0:31:39 | |
-Yeah, definitely. -Good. | 0:31:39 | 0:31:41 | |
Well, let's hope, fingers crossed, that the garden doesn't let us down. | 0:31:41 | 0:31:45 | |
And I don't think it will disappoint, | 0:31:46 | 0:31:48 | |
as the garden is the highlight of our mystery house. | 0:31:48 | 0:31:52 | |
The home occupies around one acre of land | 0:31:52 | 0:31:54 | |
and this includes an extensive lawn area to the rear, a large pond with | 0:31:54 | 0:31:58 | |
wooden bridge and paved patio area, with the star of the show - | 0:31:58 | 0:32:03 | |
a heated open-air swimming pool. | 0:32:03 | 0:32:05 | |
But what will Nicole think of it? | 0:32:05 | 0:32:07 | |
I think we need a separate tour, just for the garden - gorgeous. | 0:32:08 | 0:32:12 | |
You didn't ask for a swimming pool, but being the mystery house... | 0:32:12 | 0:32:15 | |
Just goes to prove how sunny it is in Suffolk. | 0:32:15 | 0:32:19 | |
-You like the look of it as well, don't you, Tony? -Fantastic. -It goes on and on. | 0:32:19 | 0:32:22 | |
It goes on and on and on. | 0:32:22 | 0:32:25 | |
But guess what? | 0:32:25 | 0:32:26 | |
Right at the end - beautiful bit of lawn, | 0:32:26 | 0:32:30 | |
which could be perfect for having your own tennis court. | 0:32:30 | 0:32:34 | |
It's that big! | 0:32:34 | 0:32:35 | |
So, do you like what you see? | 0:32:35 | 0:32:37 | |
-I absolutely love it. -Good. | 0:32:37 | 0:32:40 | |
What's the catch? | 0:32:40 | 0:32:41 | |
Well, perhaps this is the catch - we need to talk money. | 0:32:41 | 0:32:45 | |
-Oh. -Ooh. -Who wants to go first, cos it is that time? | 0:32:45 | 0:32:48 | |
How much is this property on the market for? | 0:32:48 | 0:32:51 | |
I think it's over budget. | 0:32:51 | 0:32:53 | |
I reckon it's about... | 0:32:53 | 0:32:55 | |
450. | 0:32:55 | 0:32:56 | |
OK. Tony. | 0:32:57 | 0:32:59 | |
Took the words completely out... | 0:32:59 | 0:33:01 | |
My figure as well, so I'd have to go higher - 455. | 0:33:01 | 0:33:04 | |
It's right on your budget - £425,000. | 0:33:04 | 0:33:10 | |
That's good. | 0:33:11 | 0:33:13 | |
-That is good. -How good is good? | 0:33:13 | 0:33:15 | |
-Fantastically good. -Yeah. | 0:33:15 | 0:33:17 | |
How much would you need to spend on this house, if you moved in? | 0:33:17 | 0:33:20 | |
-Absolutely nothing. -Oh, I love your smiles, both of you. | 0:33:20 | 0:33:24 | |
You look very happy. | 0:33:24 | 0:33:25 | |
Do you want to have a wander around the grounds first, take a second look? | 0:33:25 | 0:33:28 | |
-Yes, please. -Enjoy. -Thank you very much. | 0:33:28 | 0:33:31 | |
Bang on their maximum budget of £425,000, | 0:33:35 | 0:33:38 | |
our mystery house is a modern rebuild, | 0:33:38 | 0:33:41 | |
retaining many of the original features from the older property. | 0:33:41 | 0:33:45 | |
The accommodation includes a large kitchen and four bedrooms. | 0:33:45 | 0:33:48 | |
There's a garage for Tony, and for Nicole, | 0:33:48 | 0:33:51 | |
an extensive garden with a spacious | 0:33:51 | 0:33:53 | |
lawn and heated swimming pool. | 0:33:53 | 0:33:55 | |
-Swimming pool. -It's got everything, it's perfect. | 0:34:00 | 0:34:03 | |
Yeah, lovely sunny spot. | 0:34:03 | 0:34:06 | |
I could see myself here. | 0:34:06 | 0:34:07 | |
Mm, definitely. | 0:34:07 | 0:34:09 | |
The house is incredible. It's done to such a high standard. | 0:34:09 | 0:34:14 | |
Loads of space, bags of bedrooms, | 0:34:16 | 0:34:18 | |
and the most amazing thing is the garden outside. | 0:34:18 | 0:34:22 | |
There's a huge, huge garden which just goes on and on and on and on. | 0:34:22 | 0:34:26 | |
There is potential to build a tennis court, which would be amazing | 0:34:26 | 0:34:30 | |
to have a tennis court in the back of your garden. | 0:34:30 | 0:34:33 | |
Tony and I could knock up every morning. | 0:34:33 | 0:34:35 | |
Absolutely amazing. I don't think I've been in a house like it. | 0:34:35 | 0:34:39 | |
It needs absolutely nothing doing | 0:34:39 | 0:34:42 | |
and the refurbishment's just been done to a very high standard. | 0:34:42 | 0:34:46 | |
It's got a little bit of old for Nicole, a few bricks and bits | 0:34:46 | 0:34:50 | |
and bobs and beams, yet the rest of it's totally modern. | 0:34:50 | 0:34:54 | |
The gardens are absolutely splendid. | 0:34:54 | 0:34:56 | |
Oh, you two look very comfortable sitting there in the sun. | 0:34:59 | 0:35:03 | |
-Oh, it's perfect here. -Yeah, it's lovely. | 0:35:03 | 0:35:05 | |
I don't want you to leave, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to drag you away. | 0:35:05 | 0:35:08 | |
Oh, what a shame. I could stay here for ever, actually. | 0:35:08 | 0:35:11 | |
Well, that's a good sign, so let's go somewhere else for a chat | 0:35:11 | 0:35:14 | |
and you can give me all your thoughts then. How about that? | 0:35:14 | 0:35:17 | |
-OK. -Okey-dokey. | 0:35:17 | 0:35:20 | |
It's the end of our property search for Tony and Nicole, but if you've | 0:35:20 | 0:35:24 | |
got your sights set on Suffolk, | 0:35:24 | 0:35:25 | |
there are many other homes to choose from, across a range of prices. | 0:35:25 | 0:35:30 | |
If thatch takes your fancy, then how about this detached | 0:35:30 | 0:35:32 | |
two-bedroom cottage in the village of Forward Green? | 0:35:32 | 0:35:35 | |
On the market for offers in excess of £250,000. | 0:35:35 | 0:35:40 | |
The rooms inside retain many of the original features, | 0:35:40 | 0:35:43 | |
and include this kitchen and dining room | 0:35:43 | 0:35:45 | |
and a cosy sitting room with wood burner. | 0:35:45 | 0:35:49 | |
Further up the price scale at offers around £375,000, | 0:35:49 | 0:35:54 | |
is this detached red brick Victorian | 0:35:54 | 0:35:56 | |
cottage in the village of Wattisham, which comes with five bedrooms. | 0:35:56 | 0:36:01 | |
The accommodation includes a large and light living room | 0:36:01 | 0:36:04 | |
and a family bathroom with free standing roll top bath. | 0:36:04 | 0:36:08 | |
Finally, on the market for £600,000, there's this grade two-listed | 0:36:09 | 0:36:14 | |
five bedroom farmhouse in the village of Earl Stonham. | 0:36:14 | 0:36:17 | |
Set in grounds of three quarters of an acre, | 0:36:17 | 0:36:20 | |
parts of the house date back to the 16th century and include this | 0:36:20 | 0:36:24 | |
spacious sitting room with exposed beams | 0:36:24 | 0:36:26 | |
and a guest bedroom with an en-suite bathroom to the rear. | 0:36:26 | 0:36:29 | |
Today, Suffolk is best-known as an important agricultural region. | 0:36:35 | 0:36:40 | |
But for 600 years, the county was a hive of rural industry, | 0:36:40 | 0:36:43 | |
specialising in textiles. | 0:36:43 | 0:36:45 | |
During its heyday in the 13th century, | 0:36:45 | 0:36:48 | |
wool towns such as Lavenham and Clare prospered. | 0:36:48 | 0:36:52 | |
When demand for wool from Suffolk declined in the 16th century, | 0:36:52 | 0:36:54 | |
the local weavers turned to | 0:36:54 | 0:36:56 | |
producing lighter fabrics, including silk. | 0:36:56 | 0:36:59 | |
The Suffolk silk industry still thrives today | 0:36:59 | 0:37:02 | |
and is centred on the market town of Sudbury, which is where I've | 0:37:02 | 0:37:05 | |
come, to the factory headquarters | 0:37:05 | 0:37:07 | |
of one of its silk weaving companies. | 0:37:07 | 0:37:09 | |
I'm meeting director, Neil Thomas. | 0:37:11 | 0:37:14 | |
-Hi, Neil. -Hello, Nicki. | 0:37:14 | 0:37:15 | |
Great to meet you. | 0:37:15 | 0:37:16 | |
What a showroom. | 0:37:16 | 0:37:18 | |
Surrounded by colour. How long has the business been here? | 0:37:18 | 0:37:22 | |
Gainsborough has been here for about 110 years, | 0:37:22 | 0:37:25 | |
doing both a mixture of classical and contemporary fabrics. | 0:37:25 | 0:37:29 | |
So do you have an average client and customer, or is it really varied? | 0:37:29 | 0:37:33 | |
It varies enormously, | 0:37:33 | 0:37:34 | |
from the normal house right through to the royal family, which we've | 0:37:34 | 0:37:39 | |
been working with for many years from Queen Mary's doll's house to... | 0:37:39 | 0:37:43 | |
-Her doll's house? -Yeah. Yeah. | 0:37:43 | 0:37:45 | |
-Buckingham Palace. Balmoral. -My goodness. | 0:37:45 | 0:37:47 | |
I've got to ask about the doll's house. What was it for? | 0:37:47 | 0:37:50 | |
-The curtains inside or something? -It was for curtains and carpets. | 0:37:50 | 0:37:53 | |
-And for Buckingham Palace? -For Buckingham Palace... | 0:37:53 | 0:37:56 | |
This piece of fabric is an example of something that we've | 0:37:56 | 0:37:58 | |
-done for the Queen's bed chamber. -This is beautiful. | 0:37:58 | 0:38:01 | |
-A design like this, would this have changed over the years? -No, no. | 0:38:01 | 0:38:04 | |
This deign is probably an 18th century French design. | 0:38:04 | 0:38:08 | |
It may have been stylised slightly to suit English tastes over the years. | 0:38:08 | 0:38:12 | |
-Have the weaving methods changed much over the centuries? -No. | 0:38:12 | 0:38:15 | |
A weaver from 500 years ago would know exactly where we were | 0:38:15 | 0:38:18 | |
doing today. We just do it slightly quicker now. | 0:38:18 | 0:38:22 | |
Every stage of design | 0:38:22 | 0:38:23 | |
and production is carried out in the Sudbury factory. | 0:38:23 | 0:38:26 | |
From preparing and dying the yarn, to warping and weaving the silk. | 0:38:26 | 0:38:30 | |
So this is beautiful coloured yarn, | 0:38:30 | 0:38:32 | |
but what does silk look like right at the very beginning? | 0:38:32 | 0:38:35 | |
This is the very earliest stage. | 0:38:35 | 0:38:37 | |
This is a silk cocoon, all the way from China. | 0:38:37 | 0:38:40 | |
The cocoon is then steeped in hot water, which loosens the threads. | 0:38:40 | 0:38:45 | |
They can then all be individually drawn off, | 0:38:45 | 0:38:47 | |
making hanks of raw silk, which we then process here, dye it, | 0:38:47 | 0:38:52 | |
and it turns into the yarn that you can see winding in front of you. | 0:38:52 | 0:38:55 | |
So how many cocoons would be in there? | 0:38:55 | 0:38:58 | |
Probably, in here, I would think close to 100. | 0:38:58 | 0:39:01 | |
Although the company produces contemporary designs using | 0:39:04 | 0:39:07 | |
the latest machinery, | 0:39:07 | 0:39:09 | |
some clients prefer their fabrics to be made using original methods. | 0:39:09 | 0:39:13 | |
So this is an impressive loom. How old is this piece of machinery? | 0:39:13 | 0:39:18 | |
The is 90-year-old Jacquard loom, | 0:39:18 | 0:39:20 | |
still weaving our finest quality fabrics. | 0:39:20 | 0:39:22 | |
My goodness. | 0:39:22 | 0:39:24 | |
Just by converting the design from the punch cards, | 0:39:24 | 0:39:26 | |
punch cards run through the Jacquard itself, | 0:39:26 | 0:39:29 | |
so that we can create the actual design on the fabric. | 0:39:29 | 0:39:32 | |
And a machine that is 90 years old | 0:39:32 | 0:39:34 | |
is as good as anything that can be produced today? | 0:39:34 | 0:39:37 | |
Absolutely. It weaves our finest quality fabrics. | 0:39:37 | 0:39:40 | |
It's basically a hand loom that's had a motor put on the side of it. | 0:39:40 | 0:39:43 | |
A lot of the historical reproductions that we work with | 0:39:43 | 0:39:46 | |
insist on using the older Jacquard looms. | 0:39:46 | 0:39:48 | |
How important is it for you, Sudbury is known as the capital of the | 0:39:48 | 0:39:52 | |
silk business, but why have you decided to keep your business here? | 0:39:52 | 0:39:55 | |
It's essential really, cos there are generations of skills | 0:39:55 | 0:39:58 | |
in Sudbury which are just not available elsewhere. | 0:39:58 | 0:40:01 | |
-So it really is the skill of the locals? -Completely. | 0:40:01 | 0:40:04 | |
-Is it possible to see the loom in action? -Absolutely. I'll turn the power on... | 0:40:04 | 0:40:07 | |
-Yup. -All you need to do is pull the bar across it quickly | 0:40:07 | 0:40:11 | |
-and the loom will start weaving. -Tell me... Straight away. | 0:40:11 | 0:40:13 | |
-Hard as you can. -OK. One, two, three... | 0:40:13 | 0:40:16 | |
Wow! | 0:40:16 | 0:40:18 | |
And that's impressive. | 0:40:18 | 0:40:21 | |
It's great to see a 200-year-old industry still going | 0:40:24 | 0:40:27 | |
strong in Suffolk. | 0:40:27 | 0:40:29 | |
But let's find out if I've weaved my magic and found Tony | 0:40:29 | 0:40:32 | |
and Nicole a new home in the country. | 0:40:32 | 0:40:35 | |
So we've shown Tony and Nicole our three properties here in Suffolk, | 0:40:37 | 0:40:42 | |
and the last - the mystery house - | 0:40:42 | 0:40:44 | |
that went very well indeed, didn't it? | 0:40:44 | 0:40:47 | |
But are they convinced enough to put in an offer? | 0:40:47 | 0:40:49 | |
Let's go and ask them. | 0:40:49 | 0:40:51 | |
So there we go, we've seen our three properties here in Suffolk, | 0:40:55 | 0:40:58 | |
we're all still talking so that's a good sign | 0:40:58 | 0:41:00 | |
and we haven't put you off moving in together, which is even better. | 0:41:00 | 0:41:05 | |
Were you surprised at the ones we picked for you? | 0:41:05 | 0:41:07 | |
Yeah, you gave us a good selection. | 0:41:07 | 0:41:09 | |
You gave us a modern house which looked old. | 0:41:09 | 0:41:11 | |
Then you gave us an extremely ancient house... | 0:41:11 | 0:41:15 | |
Which also looked old. | 0:41:15 | 0:41:17 | |
And then, of course, we showed you our mystery house. | 0:41:17 | 0:41:20 | |
Yeah. That was a gem. | 0:41:20 | 0:41:21 | |
It just had everything that we both liked and, of course, | 0:41:21 | 0:41:25 | |
the garden was fantastic. | 0:41:25 | 0:41:26 | |
The swimming pool... | 0:41:26 | 0:41:28 | |
-It was all very well done. -Yeah, and it was... -A good standard. | 0:41:28 | 0:41:31 | |
And as you walked into that property, did it feel like home? | 0:41:31 | 0:41:36 | |
It did. It had a lovely feel. | 0:41:36 | 0:41:37 | |
It had a lovely warm welcoming feel to it. | 0:41:37 | 0:41:41 | |
I could just imagine us there. | 0:41:41 | 0:41:42 | |
Yeah. You could tell that somebody had gone to a lot of effort to | 0:41:42 | 0:41:46 | |
make it how it was. It was good. | 0:41:46 | 0:41:49 | |
So what happens next? | 0:41:49 | 0:41:51 | |
I think we've definitely got to go back and see house number three. | 0:41:53 | 0:41:56 | |
-Yes. -How quickly? I've got the diary ready for you. | 0:41:56 | 0:41:59 | |
Very quickly. | 0:41:59 | 0:42:00 | |
Yeah, I would say within a week, | 0:42:00 | 0:42:02 | |
cos we're going on holiday the week after that, so... | 0:42:02 | 0:42:05 | |
-I think we need to move pretty quickly. -It's going to get snapped up. | 0:42:05 | 0:42:08 | |
I think you could both be very happy in that property. | 0:42:08 | 0:42:11 | |
Yeah, I'm sure we would. | 0:42:11 | 0:42:13 | |
-Yeah. -Thanks very much. -Thanks for a lovely experience. | 0:42:13 | 0:42:15 | |
I'm glad you enjoyed it, we certainly have. | 0:42:15 | 0:42:17 | |
And we love Suffolk, don't we? | 0:42:17 | 0:42:19 | |
We do! | 0:42:19 | 0:42:20 | |
Well, what a wonderful week here in Suffolk. | 0:42:25 | 0:42:28 | |
We showed tennis-loving Tony and Nicole a fantastic | 0:42:28 | 0:42:31 | |
mix of properties, all with their own advantages. | 0:42:31 | 0:42:34 | |
But in the end, it was game, set and match for our mystery house. | 0:42:34 | 0:42:39 | |
Until next time, bye-bye. | 0:42:39 | 0:42:42 | |
Tony and Nicole went back to our mystery property, but | 0:42:42 | 0:42:45 | |
although the house was perfect, they felt the location was too remote. | 0:42:45 | 0:42:49 | |
The search for their first house together continues... | 0:42:49 | 0:42:53 | |
If you'd like to escape to the country in England, Wales, | 0:42:53 | 0:42:56 | |
Northern Ireland, Scotland or even further afield to the continent | 0:42:56 | 0:42:59 | |
and need our help, | 0:42:59 | 0:43:01 | |
please visit bbc.co.uk/beonashow | 0:43:01 | 0:43:05 | |
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd | 0:43:13 | 0:43:16 |