Suffolk Escape to the Country

These picture-perfect surroundings look much as they did 200 years ago,

when England's great landscape artist

immortalised the area in his paintings.

But which artist am I talking about and what county am I in?

Find out in just a moment.

On today's show, we'll be helping a retired couple

who want to exchange their lifelong town lives

for a completely new experience in the country.

And we'll be giving them houses that really touch their hearts.

-That stirs me, that does.

-Does it?

Love it! Absolutely love it!

I'm in Suffolk and behind me is Flatford Bridge Cottage,

just one of many spots along the banks of the River Stour

that inspired 19th-century artist John Constable

to produce some of the most iconic English landscape paintings.

Born in 1776, Constable was educated locally

before heading off to London to pursue his artistic career.

However, he never forgot the wonderful light

and beautiful scenery he enjoyed here in his native Suffolk

and went on to produce such works at the Hay Wain,

which now holds pride of place in London's National Gallery.

Indeed, there's much of Suffolk's heritage that's worth highlighting.

Tucked into the far-eastern corner of the country

and bordered by the three counties

of Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex,

Suffolk is also fringed by over 40 miles of heritage coastline

looking out across the North Sea.

The low-lying terrain is home to huge, far-reaching vistas

and with parts of the county less than 100 feet above sea level,

Suffolk's coastline constantly fights

from falling victim to the sea.

A battle lost by the once-prosperous 13th-century port of Dunwich,

which disappeared beneath the waves after a catastrophic storm

raged for three days and three nights.

Where the former fishing community of Dunwich lost out,

Southwold definitely gained.

And by the 16th century,

it was the most affluent fishing port in the local area.

Today, it's confined to a small herring and cod fleet,

but remains popular as a genteel coastal resort

with a kaleidoscope of beach huts

that capture the spirit of the English seaside at its prettiest.

It's Suffolk's perceived remoteness

that plays into the hands of buyers looking for a rural home here.

The average price of a detached house in the county

is just shy of £242,000.

That's around £13,000 below the national figure.

That said, coastal properties

and historic towns like Aldeburgh and Woodbridge

can command a premium of up to 15%.

And southern-based walled towns like Sudbury are often expensive

due to their decent road links and attractive architecture.

But if you head inland towards more central locations

like Stowmarket and Needham Market,

your budget will stretch that little bit further.

But whereabouts in the county are today's buyers looking?

Well, let's meet them and find out.

For nearly 40 years, the large coastal town of South Shields

has been home to retired deputy head Marion and her husband David,

who spent a long and adventurous career as a master mariner.

But now their grown-up sons have left home, they, too,

have decided it's anchors aweigh from urban life in Tyne and Wear.

We have always encouraged our two boys to fly the nest

and to look further than this area.

And our two sons have done exactly that.

One being in London and one being in Beijing.

And if they can fly the north-east, maybe we can fly the north-east.

And they've chosen to land in the South East,

where they can benefit from the best of coast and countryside.

Having the freedom to move anywhere, one only has to have a look at a map

to see why I've chosen Suffolk, or why we've chosen Suffolk.

Because if you look at a map,

you'll see there's so few main roads passing through there.

It's so very rural.

And that sort of environment really appeals to us.

And we're very passionate about wildlife,

birds and looking at trees even.

I mean, they're fascinating.

I love trees. I love giving trees bear hugs.

I'm a tree hugger. I can't help it.

They both desire a location with a lot more tranquillity

and are long overdue a change

after some four decades in their five-bed suburban semi.

What I dream of is to live in the country,

where the next neighbour is quite a distance away from me

and the only sounds we hear are natural sounds.

And, um...Marion definitely wants a utility room,

which is one thing we're lacking in this present house.

And what they're also short on is space for David's research.

My hobby at the moment is that I'm a local historian.

I say at the moment, I've been doing it for a lot of years

and I've written several books about this area.

And I would like to make a fresh start in a fresh area.

As for myself, I'm quite a keen gardener.

And I would like, you know, quite a large garden.

Because we have dreams of being a bit self-sufficient

with vegetables and particularly soft fruit.

My other hobby is calligraphy.

And I would hope to join a class.

And in that way, down in Suffolk, you know,

be part of a group down there.

Sounds like this couple have plenty to keep them occupied

when they make this southern move to Suffolk.

And all that's left is to find out their finances.

The budget for our move is between £400,000 and £500,000.

David and Marion are hoping this move will help them

to stay better connected to their son in London.

So we'll concentrate our house search closest to the capital

in the beautiful villages surrounding Bury St Edmunds

in the western portion of the county.

We're all meeting up in Suffolk to finalise the specifics of this move.

Well, welcome, both of you, to Suffolk.

Tell me, why the big move down here from the north-east?

Well, it's very rural and we've been brought up

and lived most of our lives in a suburban conurbation and, er...

We thought it's time for a change

and this is a beautiful part of the world.

I'm a bit of a local historian.

I've written several books about Tyneside and whatever

and I've more or less exhausted the subject matter from my point of view,

so maybe when I move here, it'll give me a new impetus in that way.

Discovering what Suffolk's all about.

There's plenty to find out about.

Absolutely. Yes.

Now, does your love of history transfer into maybe

your desires for a new house here?

I mean, does it need to be an old house?

Well, we really would like a traditional house.

It's got to be detached.

-I would like to have land all around the house.

-OK.

-We didn't really want a thatch.

-Why is that?

Well, we just think it's like having another child.

-That's what we've heard.

-LAUGHTER

Now, do you have any differences of opinions as regards to location?

-Can I show you something in the middle of nowhere?

-No.

-No.

-No.

We don't want to be in the middle of nowhere.

-My idea is the outskirts of a village.

-Right.

The village must have a pub, by the way.

It's not a village otherwise, is it? Not in my opinion.

Let's start with property number one, then we'll go from there.

-All right?

-That's great.

-Just this way.

-Right.

For a maximum budget of £500,000,

our buyers are looking for a detached character property

that can accommodate visiting family as well as their varied hobbies.

Marion particularly desires a utility room

and for David, it's a large study.

But they both want a big, wraparound garden

in a location on the edge of a village

but within easy reach of a local pub.

And we have a superb variety of Suffolk homes to serve up.

But I'll be keeping the price a guessing game

until we've had a good look around first.

Then, to finish off our property tour,

we've got one foot on the pulse and the other in the past

with our mystery house.

-So, how many miles is it from where you currently live?

-Ooo!

Well over 200, I know that.

Well, it's a five-and-a-half hour drive to get here.

-It's a huge move, isn't it?

-It is, it is, yes.

But I think that's what we want.

If we're going to move, we want it to be a big move.

We're starting our search in Hundon, southwest of Bury St Edmunds.

A pleasant village with a pub and village shop,

Hundon is a peaceful place to set up home.

And on the outskirts of the village, we find property number one.

-Oh!

-Right. Very nice! Yes.

Very different.

-To anything we imagined, yes.

-Is it?

Very, very different to anything we imagined, yes.

I think we were thinking in terms of stone, brick.

That's called clapboard, is it, I believe?

Clapboard, weatherboarding.

And this is lovely, this, er...garden here.

-I like it.

-And it's private.

You said you wanted a mature garden. I think that's it, isn't it?

Which is important, yes.

So, all in all, first impressions?

-Yeah, it's possible.

-Good.

-Possible.

But we haven't seen the inside.

-Oh, you want to look inside, do you?

-I think so.

Oh, that's awkward. OK. Let's give it a go.

With a pedigree spanning two centuries,

this old barn was converted into a family home about 20 years ago

and so I'm hoping it will give Marion David

the very best of vintage and modern.

Wow. It's really nice.

It's lovely.

It really is. I think this is fantastic.

We love wood and there's a lot of interesting wood here.

It has got a lovely feel and a nice atmosphere.

-Great start. Let's go into the kitchen.

-Right.

Just mind your step on the way down.

So...

Love it. Absolutely love it.

Fabulous.

-Very light, isn't it?

-I think we could spend a lot of time in here.

I love this eating area here and sitting area.

Absolutely lovely.

-We do have a separate living room.

-Yes.

-Let's go and have a look at that. Come on.

-Right.

-Mind your step.

I'm predicting that you'll like this room as well.

Certainly. Its floors, it's the same style throughout.

-It's square.

-It's square.

-Now that was one of the things we hadn't said to you.

-Oh.

That was another demand...

that we really wanted a square sitting area, and this is it.

That window looks out onto the garden, is that correct?

-Next-door neighbour's garden.

-Right.

OK. That's a bit of a...negative, I'm afraid,

especially from the next-door neighbour's point of view, too.

Yeah. That's fair enough.

These are the compromises that we're going to have to field,

-then decide whether or not you can overcome them or not.

-Yes.

It was all going so well,

but we've hit a potential hurdle with the living room outlook.

So, let's go onwards, and definitely upwards, to the first floor,

where a mezzanine landing leads to four bedrooms served by

two family bathrooms - ideal for when family or friends come to stay.

Two of the bedrooms are good-sized doubles with exposed timbers,

and the smallest one is being used as a study,

but we're going to check out the master bedroom.

Right.

It's a good-sized room.

So you've got four bedrooms, which means we've got hobby rooms,

we've got offices.

-You've got options.

-Right. Yes.

I like the size of this room actually.

It is definitely, very definitely a double bedroom.

Let's go outside now, have another look at the garden,

but also start to think about

-how much this house might be on the market for.

-Right.

-All right?

Outside there's a matching black weatherboarded double carport

adjoining a workshop, and the garden has been beautifully maintained,

which lies to the front of the property,

with the added benefit of facing south.

Well, you had a first glimpse of the garden when we arrived, didn't you?

-Yes.

-Yes, we did.

Now you know that this is... This is all that you get.

All in all, apparently the plot size is about a quarter of an acre.

-I like this garden very much.

-Well...

-you've seen it isn't wrapped around with its own land.

-Yes.

You've seen that it's in a lovely little village with a pub

-just down the road.

-Yeah.

How much do you think this place is on the market for?

-I'm guessing about £450,000.

-OK.

Well...I think I might go a little bit lower than that.

How about £440,000?

Well, this place has just recently come on the market.

Offers around £499,950.

So, that's top end of our budget.

It is a very nice house. We really did like the house.

Well, I think what's best to do now then is to go back inside the house,

have a look at the other bedrooms,

see how the current owners have it all set up.

But also...go and have a look at the outbuildings.

Go and have a good look around this garden,

and, whenever you're finished, then we'll go onto the next place.

-All right?

-Thank you.

-Catch you in a mo'.

-All right.

Just £50 under the top budget at £499,950,

our first home is a detached barn conversion

with spacious accommodation

that lends itself to a kitchen/breakfast room,

a large square drawing room, four bedrooms

and a mature private garden.

Loved the atmosphere of the house.

The house itself really would work for us,

but I wanted to have a house surrounded by its own grounds,

so...

Really, all we've got here is a front garden.

And, basically, I'm afraid that's a big no-no for me, a big negative.

When we came in...to the property, I just thought it was wonderful.

I really did like it.

And we were particularly impressed with the kitchen,

you know, the lifestyle that that would make available to us.

And I am not so negative about the land as David.

On the whole, I think this is a very good start and a lot to think about.

Now then...

-enjoy that?

-Very much, yes.

Yes, very interesting.

-OK. Well, that's one down.

-Right.

-Let's go and have a look at another one.

-OK.

With David and Marion's respective interests in history and the arts,

a move to Suffolk should give them plenty of inspiration.

A good starting point is the market down of Bury St Edmunds,

named after the martyred King Edmund,

who once ruled the realm of East Anglia

and was believed to have been buried in the abbey here around 900AD.

For centuries, pilgrimage to this shrine

proved very lucrative for the church

and by the Middle Ages, Bury St Edmonds had one of the most powerful

and wealthiest Benedictine monasteries in all of England.

Today, the town's religious buildings are still developing,

a prime example being St Edmundsbury Cathedral,

where our buyers met expert Sarah Friswell for an insight

into the building's fascinating heritage.

-Welcome to St Edmundsbury Cathedral.

-Thank you.

You're visiting an ancient building, but a modern one as well

because we've got an interesting story here.

We founded as a parish church 1,000 years ago,

then it has lots of alterations done to it by the Tudors,

in the Victorian period by a very famous architects - Gilbert Scott -

and then finally we became a cathedral in 1914.

Over the years, many renowned figures have been associated

with the development of the cathedral. And in the 1940s,

it was Stephen Dykes Bower who was appointed architect,

though due to a lack of funds, his vision for the church wasn't

completed until after he died.

But with money from his estate, as well as grants and local

fundraising, the latest works have seen the addition of a new tower,

cloisters and the final piece of the jigsaw - a beautiful painted

and gilded vaulted ceiling, completed in 2010.

So, what was the inspiration

behind the design of this ceiling, do you know?

Stephen Dykes Bower saw this place where we're standing now

as the focal point of the church,

and so he wanted everyone's attention, eyesight,

to be drawn towards the centre point here.

And, of course, church towers have always been there to lift our hearts

and our souls up towards heaven,

so to have this here as the focal point is really important.

Despite the seamless modern additions to the building,

the cathedral also houses

the oldest parish church library in the country,

and assistant librarian Stephen Dart has agreed to let our buyers

leaf through some of the ancient books.

There's been a library here since 1595

and this is one of the first books.

And if you look inside, you can

see the name of the man who gave the book - he's Miles Moss.

He was the preacher and he was here from the 1580s through to the 1590s.

He thought that it was a good idea to have a library

so that everybody could have a reference book.

I've got a book here, which I think you might be interested in.

It's one of the oldest books in the library.

It was printed in 1499, and it was printed in Paris,

and it's a book by a man called Balbus.

At the back, there's something quite surprising.

Of interest to a calligrapher, I think.

I like particularly these signs here,

which are the scribbler's marks, a sort of seal,

and he's deciding which one to have.

So, he's practising his calligraphy.

He's practising, deciding what style he's going to use.

Having whetted David and Marion's scholarly appetites

at the cathedral,

it's back to the house hunt

to see if we can find them their very own slice of Suffolk history.

For our next stop we're heading further north into the county,

where we're destined for the village of Redgrave.

Essential amenities can be picked up

just over a mile away in Bottersdale,

which has a good selection of shops and pubs.

And at the end of a quiet country lane back in Redgrave,

we've chosen our delightful-looking second property

for its generous proportions both inside and out,

but we're taking a bit of a gamble with the roof.

This is what we're going to have a look around, just here.

-Right.

-A thatch, eh?

-We knew you'd chosen that.

-Did you?

-Yeah.

I'm not being mean to you. I know you said

you might have a question mark over looking at a thatch.

-A lot of it is fear of the unknown.

-It is.

It looks a beautiful house actually.

It's quite substantial.

I like the colour of it.

-So, should we go inside?

-Yes, please. Let's go.

This second options presents a grade two listed Suffolk pink property.

Originally believed to have started life as a 16th century cottage,

it's been considerably extended over the years

and now covers some 3,000 square feet.

We're starting in the modern wing,

through a substantial hallway and into an impressive dining

and kitchen family room.

Now then...

This is big.

This is big, yeah.

It's very different, yes.

Do you not think...?

It's not the space and light you'd expect from looking

at a thatched cottage from the outside, is it?

No, it isn't. You're right.

It's got a lot more...

light coming in here than I would ever have expected

looking at the exterior.

Well, look, this is 1986.

-Let's go back a couple of centuries.

-All right.

Just off the kitchen, there's a pantry

and separate utility room with a downstairs loo.

The reception areas all lie in the original part of the property.

Now...

Right.

Well, now this is very much to my tastes, this huge fireplace.

-That stirs me, that does.

-Does it?

-Yeah, it does.

It does indeed.

It's got light both sides as well.

Well, the one right at the end is even brighter.

So, this could be your...

You could have one as a snug, or one maybe as a hobby room.

You've got options here, of course you have.

Now, you might have noticed a couple of sets of stairs here.

Right. Yes, we did.

Now, those stairs go up to the first floor, obviously,

and there you have two bedrooms and a bathroom.

You, however, get the master suite this way.

Let's go and take a look, shall we?

At the top of these stairs, above the hallway,

there's the fourth bedroom that's being used as a study.

And then, above the kitchen, is the master suite.

Now, we're back in the 1980s part of the house, but...

Dear me.

Look at that. What a wonderful view out of the bedroom window, isn't it?

Yes, that's...magnificent.

And it's a really nice size, isn't it?

You've got a couple of...almost walk-in wardrobes.

You've got your very own beautifully-fitted bathroom

and another room that could be a bedroom,

but the owners are currently using

it as a walk-in wardrobe/dressing room.

-Right.

-And you've got a lovely little balcony out there.

That's... That's a real added bonus.

I can see me sitting out on that balcony in the evening.

-Well, up to now, we're blown away with it.

-Are you?

It's so...big as well.

-So big.

-It just goes on and on and on.

Well, I've got two more cards up my sleeve with this house

-and I think you're going to love both of them.

-Right.

Let's go and have a look.

There's no doubt the space here is winning over our couple,

but that's not the lot for this property,

as we're about to discover, outside in the back garden,

behind the double garage.

-So...

-SHE LAUGHS

And this comes with the house, too?

-This studio?

-Yeah.

Well, now this would be a great asset to either of us, wouldn't it?

Now, look, there's plenty of space inside the house

for libraries, for hobby rooms.

We've seen a lot of property. There's more for you to see later.

But, Marion, I'm dying to show you the garden,

-so come with me now.

-Right. OK.

Dying to see it.

If the large stunning house and the studio weren't enough,

this property also comes with about a third of an acre

and a landscaped rear garden,

it's a green-fingered paradise for any serious gardener.

So, you've got the main...garden just at the back of the house,

then it's split into three rooms if you like.

-I can see, yes.

-What a good idea.

So, this is the soft fruit for the jam making, vegetable plot,

the ornamental fountain...

and through here, a very special sculpture

and a summer seat through there, I've noticed.

Are you selling this to me or to you?

I'm falling in love with this place, the way you describe it.

You see, the biggest worry is can this possibly be within our budget?

Well, let's find out. You've got to try and price this now.

I think, you know, it must be beyond our budget. £550,000.

All right. David?

I would guess 520-to-515,000, that's my estimate.

Well, this house,

it's been on the market for approaching four weeks now,

is up for sale for offers around £495,000.

-Right. So, it's exactly on our budget.

-Yes.

Right. Well, I'll have to give a lot of thought to that.

So, go back into the house then, have a good look around.

Look at the areas you haven't yet seen,

such as the upstairs accommodation for the guests,

and I'll meet you whenever you're finished.

-Thanks, Johnny.

-Enjoy it.

-Thank you.

Well, for a couple that were a bit worried

about looking at a thatched house,

they seem rather excited to be going back inside

and that's because it gives them everything they're after,

but actually this thatch,

I think it might have tipped them over the edge.

On the market for £495,000, the second property is

an exceptional period home bursting with character and space.

It has an enormous kitchen/diner and family room,

two further reception rooms as well as the potential for five bedrooms,

and the superb landscaped gardens cover a third of an acre,

where there's a separate studio that Marion or David could

dedicate to their favourite pastimes.

We walked into this room, and it's so light and it's big as well.

I did imagine David and I rattling around in it a bit, you know.

It is very big, but it's beautiful.

This room is beautiful.

It's got all three aspects - cooking, eating and relaxing.

The stairs would be an issue,

we'd have to get something done about them...

but the bedrooms were a good size and beautiful.

Bathrooms very, very nice.

Very full of character.

Well, apart from the thatch,

this house gives me everything I could have possibly wanted

and I'm really impressed.

I'm actually amazed that it falls within our budget.

I could most certainly see myself living in this house.

It's really got my name written all over it as far as I'm concerned.

I love the house and I love the garden.

Now then, all done inside?

-Yes.

-Thank you very much.

-Did you enjoy it?

-Yes.

-It was wonderful.

-It's a great house, it is.

-It is indeed.

-Well, that's all we're going to do today, so let's go back.

-OK.

The second day of our house search is under way

and, with a top budget of £500,000,

town-based Marion and David have set their sights on leaving

Tyne and Wear and moving down south to Suffolk.

They've seen two properties so far,

but still to come, history is right overhead in the mystery house.

I've never seen a bedroom like this before in my life.

-It's...

-Unique?

And I'll be meeting a Suffolk resident who's keeping

British aviation in flight.

Well, so far I've noted a slight difference on occasions

between David and Marion.

We might see a bit of more of that in today's mystery house.

The property itself is right in the heart of a lovely little town,

and David should certainly be impressed with all

the history attached to the house.

But, of course, David might have to put up with a few neighbours

in fairly close proximity. Let's see how we go.

So, Marion, two properties down...

What would be a no-no for the mystery property?

I don't think I would like it to be any bigger

than the second house that we saw.

What you've shown us so far is spot on.

Well, you said you didn't want a thatch.

And we said we didn't want a thatch, that's true.

And now you're starting to persuade us into thinking, "Actually,

"maybe it's not a no-no after all."

Well, maybe I should just be showing you stuff

that you said you didn't want to see.

ALL LAUGH

And that, of course, is the name of the game at the mystery,

and to get there we're travelling back down south to Clare,

about 14 miles from Bury St Edmunds.

An old wool town, Clare boasts many well-preserved traditional

buildings that once had associations with the cloth industry,

and today house antique shops, restaurants

and a wide range of other businesses.

Clare is such a small and attractive town that, in recent years, it was

awarded the prestigious title of Suffolk Village of the Year,

and its long and fascinating history is the principle reason

why we've chosen this location for our mystery property.

It's right in the heart of town, just 50 yards from the nearest pub.

Now then...

I think the best view is right from this spot here,

so if you come back...

Take a look at the mystery house from here.

SHE LAUGHS

That's a really ancient timbered house, isn't it?

Dates back, apparently, to around 1450, maybe even earlier.

I can believe it, yes.

-So, let's see how we get on inside, shall we?

-Right.

Set over three floors, the walls of this grade two listed property

conceal over five centuries of stories,

and the earliest accounts of the house suggest it was once

used as a brewery.

But now it's an enchanting family home with a few characterful quirks,

and set off by a roomy entrance hall.

So, a nice little vestibule area, if you like,

and then into this amazing room.

Amazing is the word. It is really lovely.

-I really like this, yes.

-Nice square room.

Plenty of space here.

-Lovely fireplace.

-That's a real open fire as well, isn't it?

-Working as well.

-It's lovely.

Yes, I'm impressed.

I thought you'd like this. I mean, what's not to...?

What's not to like about this?

-Knowing us as you do now.

-Quite.

But...

with this come maybe potential compromises in other areas.

You're about to see the smallest kitchen out of the three properties,

-so mind this step here.

-Right.

Yes.

Small kitchen.

Very small kitchen.

Hmm-hmm. But I like it.

I like the kitchen. I like the units, I like the tiles...

I like the feel of it.

-David?

-It's a...very nice compact kitchen.

Let's keep looking round the rest of the house.

-Upwards to the master bedroom.

-Right.

Up on the first floor, there's a bathroom as well as a compact

second bedroom that could be ideal as a hobby room or study,

right opposite the largest bedroom.

-Now then, this is your master bedroom.

-Oh, right.

This is a fine room, isn't it?

Very much in keeping with downstairs.

There's some intriguing little features here of...

Where that might have been a door.

-It might have been a window, in fact.

-A window. Oh, right.

-Hmm.

You could imagine this house

being a very important part of the town actually.

Yeah. Well, let's look at it.

Over the years, it's been maltings, it's been...

Parish council used to meet here.

It's been a library. It's had a big role in the local area, hasn't it?

This is... This is a really good-sized bedroom.

-Good.

-And very atmospheric and...

I think I could sleep well here.

Let's go upstairs and see...

Well, you tell me what you'd like to use it for. All right?

Altogether there's a sum of three bedrooms here

and the last one is in the second floor, up in the eves.

They've got an amazing en suite bathroom through there.

SHE LAUGHS

It's not often I have to duck, so I'm quite enjoying this actually.

Mind your heads.

-This is your guest suite.

-Right.

Well, I have got some very small friends...

-I like the fact that you're ducking.

-THEY LAUGH

Well, I've never seen a bedroom like this before in my life.

-It's...

-Unique?

-It is unique.

-Could it be a hobby room?

-It could...

I think it's more possible as a hobby room than, say, a library.

Let's go back down the stairs,

and the other stairs, into the garden and maybe start

-thinking about how much this house is on the market for.

-Right.

Lead the way.

David's going to go first.

The mystery house is the surviving wing of a former larger property

and it attached across the back,

so the grounds all lie to the front and are enclosed by hedges

that gives the garden a very private feel

despite the property's central location.

So...the front garden is the only garden with the mystery house.

Right. Rather small, isn't it? And...

I'm afraid it hasn't got a great deal of character,

but I suppose that's up to you to introduce some.

I mean, what I would do...

I'm not one for cutting trees down, but that tree would go,

and I think it could be enhanced.

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

£475,000.

OK. David?

I think it might be 520, something of that nature.

You might be surprised to hear that this house

-is on the market for offers in the region of £395,000.

-Hmm.

-That is surprising.

-Go back into the house,

enjoy the last few rooms that you haven't yet seen,

and I'll meet you whenever you're finished, all right?

-Thank you.

-See you in a mo'.

For offers in the region of £395,000,

the mystery house is a real vintage gem that date back to 1450

and is awash with period features.

Laid out over three floors, it has a large drawing room, three bedrooms

and a private enclosed garden in the heart of a very desirable town.

It's a very historical building,

and it has a very unique and imposing exterior.

I'm a little bit worried about the maintenance

and the responsibility of having such a building.

My heart tells me that this is a great property,

but my head tells me it's too small for our living purposes.

Basically, the property is two biggish rooms, one downstairs,

a lovely, lovely lounge and dining area.

And upstairs this bedroom,

which reflects the size of the room downstairs,

both wonderful rooms, but the rest of the property is quite limited.

-Now then, that was fun, wasn't it?

-Yes.

Well, that's the end of the property search for you guys,

so why don't you go off somewhere and have a bit of a think,

-and I'll catch up with you later on? All right?

-OK.

-Good luck.

-Bye-bye.

So, no more houses for David and Marion to look at,

but here's a selection of other properties on the market

throughout the county.

A guide price of £172,000 is the price ticket for this

whitewashed mid-terraced home in Glemsford.

The original woodwork is a feature throughout the cosy accommodation

that covers three floors and has two bedrooms.

Staying with exposed timbers, £375,000 could buy this listed

thatch cottage in Cavendish that comes with a kitchen/breakfast room,

open plan reception rooms and four bedrooms.

Finally, if you fancy an injection of colour

and have £625,000 to burn,

this four-bedroom detached Suffolk pink house in Bournemouth

is currently on the market, just waiting to be snapped up.

Suffolk's relatively level terrain and easterly coastal location

has ensured a long and distinguished role in Britain's aviation history.

And in a rural spot to the south of the county,

a small team of expert aeronautical enthusiasts are keeping

an important part of that legacy alive.

The Hawker Hurricane is a British single-seater fighter aircraft

that played a vital role in the 1940 Battle of Britain,

and I've come to meet Tony Ditheridge, who's spent the

last 20 years restoring these iconic aircraft to their former glory.

-Tony, good morning.

-Hi.

Here we are in the middle of...

Well, beautiful Suffolk.

..and we're looking at aviation history right here.

My grandfather was in the RAF.

He always used to say that

they were the most important plane in the Battle of Britain. Why so?

Well, the reason being that the Spitfire, obviously, was the slightly

superior plane.

But at the particular time in the Battle of Britain

when it was required,

the Hurricane shot down 65-66% of all of the enemy aircraft.

So, what was it about the Hurricane that made it so special?

Well, it had much more forgiving flying characteristics.

It had a thicker wing section.

It could fly slower and therefore it could turn quicker.

So, how many Hurricanes were used or flown throughout the war?

There was about 13,000 Hurricanes made.

So, there must be quite a few still around, right?

There are three Hurricanes in this hangar.

When they're finished, there will be 14 flying.

Goodness me. Why so few then?

They're quite complex aeroplanes.

There's approximately twice as much work in doing

a Hurricane as there is a Spitfire.

Designed by Sir Sidney Camm using a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine,

the Hawker Hurricane was introduced in 1937

and became the first RAF fighter monoplane

capable of exceeding 300 miles per hour in level flight.

In the Battle of Britain, Hurricanes scored the highest number

of RAF victories, far in excess of all other British fighters combined.

The only Victoria Cross ever awarded to a fighter command pilot

was won by Flight Lieutenant James Nicolson, a Hawker Hurricane pilot.

This particular aeroplane was shot down over Dunkirk beach

and the pilot survived. The bullet went through the windscreen,

went through his shoulder,

continued through the aeroplane,

and when we broke the aeroplane down we found the bullet...

just there.

Look at that.

That's amazing. Goodness me.

Well, Tony, we're stood in front of these amazing machines.

Is there any chance I can have a sit in the cockpit?

-I guess so.

-Brilliant.

Tony's team use a reverse engineering approach

to restoring the aircraft.

An assortment of parts from a variety of hurricanes

are collected in various states of repair,

and they work backward to figure out

how they were constructed before building them again.

It's a real labour of love,

with each one taking a couple of years to complete.

I feel extremely privileged to sit in the same seat

from where our forefathers bravely battled for our freedom.

-If you would like to pull that all the way back...

-Right.

-And the pilot would be doing this to make the aircraft...?

-Yes, he would.

So, if you want to bank to the left, you would do that.

If you want to bank to the left and climb, you would do that,

so now you'd be going...

-It's very intuitive, this way of flying, isn't it?

-Hmm, yeah.

Well, Tony, it's...

It's been absolutely fascinating to not only meet you

and talk through these planes,

but also to get a real sense and feel of these beautiful aircraft.

-Thank you very, very much.

-You're more than welcome.

Well, that's certainly one of my boyhood fantasies come true,

but it's time to find out if we've found the right house to turn

the Suffolk country dream into a reality for our buyers.

Well, there seems to be a clear favourite of the three properties

we've shown David and Marion.

What I'm keen on finding out now though

is what they plan to do about it.

So, I've got a fair idea what your favourite property might be...

..but I can never be 100% sure.

So...what is the favourite?

Well, our favourite property definitely was property number two.

How close a second, I take it, was property number one?

Well, that would have been the second choice, but pretty far behind

because there wasn't enough of a garden there at all.

But the inside of the house was really nice.

The couple had really put a lot of love and care into it.

Why was property number two your favourite?

The garden was absolutely perfect.

The garden was the ideal size.

It had a wonderful studio there,

which could be used by either of us for our hobbies.

The house was very historical.

And, at the same time, quite modern

with one section being modern

and the other section being very traditional 16th century

with a very historical atmosphere.

Are you both agreed on the second property then?

We are. We're both agreed on the second property.

-No reservations?

-No reservations actually.

It sounds like it's... It's quite an interesting option to you.

What's the next step?

Well, the next step is that we'll probably have another look at it..

and then we'll go away and give it very serious consideration.

And then who knows?

You may well be living in Suffolk in a partly thatched house.

-How does that sound?

-It sounds great.

-Marvellous.

Thank you very much, Jonny.

At the start of this, David and Marion said

they would be open-minded, didn't they?

And they're as good as their word.

Let's face it, their favourite property had a thatched roof,

something they said they weren't particularly keen on.

Now they do need to have that second viewing, but I think David's right.

What's needed now is a fact-finding mission.

What's it really like to own a thatched property?

And then, if all the research goes well,

then hopefully soon they'll be making their very own

escape to the country all the way down here to Suffolk.

I hope so. See you next time.

David and Marion did go back to the part-thatched

for a second viewing and are still very keen,

so we hope everything falls into place and they can make a new

life there in the beautiful Suffolk countryside very soon.

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