0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to Escape To The Country.
0:00:04 > 0:00:09Now, today I'm in a county that's home to over 650 historic churches.
0:00:09 > 0:00:13That's thought to be the highest concentration anywhere in Europe.
0:00:13 > 0:00:14But which county are we in?
0:00:14 > 0:00:17Well, join us in just a few moments and I'll tell you.
0:00:35 > 0:00:36On today's show,
0:00:36 > 0:00:41our two house hunters are craving long-awaited rural retirement.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44And I'll be showing them some tantalising options...
0:00:44 > 0:00:48- Is it you?- I think it could be. I think it could be.
0:00:48 > 0:00:51..as the dream moves closer to reality.
0:00:51 > 0:00:53Oh, I'm loving this.
0:00:53 > 0:00:55- Yeah, I'm loving this. - Absolutely.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:00:58 > 0:01:00Well, today we're in Norfolk,
0:01:00 > 0:01:04and this is the parish church in the village of Hemblington.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Now, you can notice that distinctive round tower.
0:01:07 > 0:01:09It's a unique architectural feature
0:01:09 > 0:01:12of up to 125 of the churches up here,
0:01:12 > 0:01:15many of which, it's thought, date back to the Saxon period.
0:01:15 > 0:01:19These, and the much later and more elegant medieval churches
0:01:19 > 0:01:21built on the back of the once-thriving war trade,
0:01:21 > 0:01:25offer a fascinating picture into life here over the centuries,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28something I'll be taking a much closer look at
0:01:28 > 0:01:30later in the programme.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32For me, it is buildings like this that make Norfolk
0:01:32 > 0:01:35and its landscape so distinctive.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43Low-levelled Norfolk is the largest county in East Anglia,
0:01:43 > 0:01:45with Lincolnshire bordering it to the west,
0:01:45 > 0:01:49Cambridgeshire to the southwest and Suffolk to the south.
0:01:49 > 0:01:52It is the fifth largest county in the UK
0:01:52 > 0:01:54and also lays claim to being the driest.
0:01:54 > 0:01:59It is home to the UK's most easterly city, Norwich, where the magnificent
0:01:59 > 0:02:04Norman cathedral has dominated the skyline for more than 900 years.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07The Norfolk coastline stretches for nearly 100 miles,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10from Hopton-on-Sea to The Wash.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14But the unmistakable feature of the county's landscape are the Broads -
0:02:14 > 0:02:18flooded medieval peat excavations which today provide
0:02:18 > 0:02:22a series of navigable waterways and lakes.
0:02:22 > 0:02:25With 40% of the county's population living in the urban centres
0:02:25 > 0:02:28of Norwich, Great Yarmouth, King's Lynn and Thetford,
0:02:28 > 0:02:31the countryside is sparsely populated
0:02:31 > 0:02:34and provides rich pickings for aspiring escapees.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38Now, I grew up in East Anglia,
0:02:38 > 0:02:42and I've always had a soft spot for it, in particular for Norfolk.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45But recent improvements in the rail line between Norwich
0:02:45 > 0:02:47and London have made it popular with commuters,
0:02:47 > 0:02:51which you might think would have an adverse effect on property prices,
0:02:51 > 0:02:53but there is some good news.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58At £215,000, the price of your average detached house here
0:02:58 > 0:03:02is still some £40,000 below the comparable national figure.
0:03:02 > 0:03:05Now, in general terms, the farther north in the county you go,
0:03:05 > 0:03:09the more expensive it gets, thanks to the draw of the coast
0:03:09 > 0:03:12and hotspots like Cromer and, of course, the Norfolk Broads.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15But take it from me, there are some stunning homes here
0:03:15 > 0:03:18set within its famously broad landscape.
0:03:18 > 0:03:19And as for today's buyers, well,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23they have been thinking of moving here for a very, very long time.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Jean and Mike have lived in their four-bedroom house just
0:03:27 > 0:03:31outside of Northampton, in the East Midlands, since 1986.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33They met almost 30 years ago
0:03:33 > 0:03:37while both working for a musical instrument company.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41I first met Jean when she applied for a job with the company
0:03:41 > 0:03:44I was working for. She eventually came to work for me.
0:03:44 > 0:03:49We became a little bit more than just a boss-worker relationship.
0:03:49 > 0:03:52And we fell in love and got married.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55After having two children, they began another love affair,
0:03:55 > 0:03:58this time with the County of Norfolk.
0:03:58 > 0:04:03We had our first experience of life on the water
0:04:03 > 0:04:04in Norfolk 20 years ago.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07- On the Norfolk Broads. - On the Norfolk Broads.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09We went backwards and forwards to Norfolk every year,
0:04:09 > 0:04:13just spending a glorious week over there looking at the wildlife,
0:04:13 > 0:04:16fishing and just totally chilling out.
0:04:17 > 0:04:21After Mike retired earlier this year, they were at last free
0:04:21 > 0:04:25to follow their dream, which they have a rather unique approach to.
0:04:25 > 0:04:26Working for a Japanese company,
0:04:26 > 0:04:30they have a philosophy, which is called third life.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34The Japanese actually have this phrase when people retire.
0:04:34 > 0:04:35It's a new life.
0:04:35 > 0:04:40We look upon this as our opportunity to do all the things that we
0:04:40 > 0:04:42have wanted to do just between the two of us.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48One of their interests will dictate the kind of house they moved to.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Our biggest passion in life is music.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54That's how we met, that's what brought us together
0:04:54 > 0:04:55all those years ago.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57I used to be a professional musician,
0:04:57 > 0:05:00oh, from about the age of 18 -
0:05:00 > 0:05:03played in the German bases for American troops,
0:05:03 > 0:05:06then became more of a cabaret act.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09From the age of 14, I joined a band, we made a record.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13We went to Thank Your Lucky Stars on TV, and then I turned pro.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15And backed a guy called Beau Brummell.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17We had a record at number 23 on the charts.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20And I did that for six or seven years.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23Over the years, we've kept on playing music
0:05:23 > 0:05:25and collecting instruments.
0:05:25 > 0:05:30So in our new house we have to have a music room.
0:05:30 > 0:05:34And they have a good pot of money to finance their dream.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37The budget for the move is £425,000.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46As the Norfolk Broads are undoubtedly the draw for Jean
0:05:46 > 0:05:49and Mike, we're concentrating our search on the area
0:05:49 > 0:05:51between Norwich and the coast,
0:05:51 > 0:05:53where these waterways are located.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57And I'm meeting them there to establish more about their plans.
0:05:57 > 0:05:59- Well, good morning! - BOTH: Good morning.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01- Very nice to see you both. - And you, too, Jules.
0:06:01 > 0:06:04Welcome, well, back to Norfolk, I suppose,
0:06:04 > 0:06:06because actually this is a long-held ambition, isn't it?
0:06:06 > 0:06:09Well, it is. We've been 20 years in the making.
0:06:09 > 0:06:12The kind of property you're after interests me
0:06:12 > 0:06:16because, unusually, you have specified single-storey.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20I had a bungalow before we moved into the house. I loved it.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24Having everything accessible on the ground floor is wonderful.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29But it also means that as you get older and the knees start...
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Well, we're thinking about the knees, really.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34No stairs.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37You are looking ahead to this being your ultimate move, I suppose.
0:06:37 > 0:06:38Yeah, this is our final...
0:06:38 > 0:06:42This is where we want to be and it's going to be the last move
0:06:42 > 0:06:44we want to make, so it's got to be right.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47- One of the criteria is having a music room.- Yeah.
0:06:47 > 0:06:49Which is kind of crucial for us.
0:06:49 > 0:06:53So I think, on a single-storey, that's much more possible.
0:06:53 > 0:06:55Would you be prepared to build something bespoke, say,
0:06:55 > 0:06:59in the garden if the property didn't have the space.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02If there's no room that could be adapted,
0:07:02 > 0:07:03then I researched
0:07:03 > 0:07:06and I found that there is a company
0:07:06 > 0:07:08that will make a purpose-built studio
0:07:08 > 0:07:11that you can actually put in your garden.
0:07:11 > 0:07:13- And how much would that cost you? - About 25 grand.- OK.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Well, that's a figure worth bearing in mind as we go
0:07:16 > 0:07:17through our properties.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20What else does it need to have, this new dream home, Mike?
0:07:20 > 0:07:25I want three... At least two other bedrooms besides the main bedroom.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27A nice kitchen-diner.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29How much do we want to spend?
0:07:29 > 0:07:33- Well, if everything was there... - Yep.- £425,000.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36OK. We're not short of pretty properties in Norfolk.
0:07:36 > 0:07:38We have, however, got three very viable options for you,
0:07:38 > 0:07:41- so we should get out there, see if we can sell you one.- Fantastic.
0:07:44 > 0:07:50For a maximum budget of £425,000, Mike and Jean would like their
0:07:50 > 0:07:53long-dreamed-of Norfolk home to be single-storey,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56with three bedrooms, a large kitchen-diner,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59an all-important music room and, ideally,
0:07:59 > 0:08:03it should be located within a 15-minute drive of water.
0:08:03 > 0:08:07We've got some intriguing properties to reveal to our house hunters,
0:08:07 > 0:08:09but we won't be revealing the price tags
0:08:09 > 0:08:11until they've guessed at the value first.
0:08:11 > 0:08:14And our third and final mystery house might just challenge
0:08:14 > 0:08:16everything they thought they wanted.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26To start our search, we're travelling
0:08:26 > 0:08:30right to the heart of the Norfolk Broads in the village of Horning.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34One of the prettiest and best known villages in the Norfolk Broads
0:08:34 > 0:08:39National Park, Horning lies on the north bank of the River Bure.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Because of its great access to the water, it's a
0:08:42 > 0:08:46popular location for boating and is a busy tourist centre.
0:08:46 > 0:08:49But it's not just a seasonal town. With pubs,
0:08:49 > 0:08:53shops and other amenities, it's a good place to live all year round.
0:08:53 > 0:08:56And ten minutes' drive away in Smallburgh is our first property.
0:08:57 > 0:09:01- This is quite ancient, isn't it? - Wow, it is!- Incredible.- Yeah.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05- You get all this, the drive and the grass either side of it.- Wow.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09- Gracious.- And it's the approach to property number one.
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Which is that.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14- Wow.- Gracious me.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17- Single-storey.- Sure. Yeah, yeah.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20And I know you wanted a sense of rural life, obviously,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23- but you didn't want to be isolated. - Yeah, absolutely.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25So, we've got other buildings around us.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28There are six other properties in this sort of complex, as it were.
0:09:28 > 0:09:29You also get the view of the duck pond,
0:09:29 > 0:09:32but you don't have to look after it, which is even better.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34And you get the property here.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37I mean, if you saw this in an estate agent's window,
0:09:37 > 0:09:39would it peak your interest?
0:09:39 > 0:09:43If you just showed that little bit, you'd probably think..."mm-mm".
0:09:43 > 0:09:48- But because of what I can now see... - The whole location.- Yeah.
0:09:48 > 0:09:50- And you know this area quite well, don't you?- Yeah.
0:09:50 > 0:09:53But we've never been to this area, this particular spot.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56- So it's really interesting.- Well, it's a day of firsts, isn't it?
0:09:56 > 0:09:58It is. It is, absolutely.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02- Let's have a look and see what you think of the inside.- OK.
0:10:02 > 0:10:07This 19th-century barn was converted into a four-bedroom home in 1985.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11As it seems Mike and Jean wouldn't have picked this out themselves,
0:10:11 > 0:10:15I'm pleased we're here, or they would be missing a treat.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Well, there is only one place, really, I think
0:10:18 > 0:10:19to start in this property.
0:10:19 > 0:10:22- And it is here.- Oh, wow!- Wow.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24- Yeah?- Oh, yeah.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28It's much bigger and brighter than I thought it was going to be.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- We just didn't expect this. - It's very funky. I love it.
0:10:31 > 0:10:32There's lots of exposed wood.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35And it all goes through to a very nice
0:10:35 > 0:10:37conservatory-cum-dining area as well.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40But styling wise, is this the sort of thing you would go for?
0:10:40 > 0:10:43I think, to be honest with you,
0:10:43 > 0:10:46this would not have been on our first criteria,
0:10:46 > 0:10:49but actually now we're here and we're looking at it,
0:10:49 > 0:10:52looking at the ceiling, the beams,
0:10:52 > 0:10:54the exposed wood, we love it.
0:10:54 > 0:10:55That's our first reaction.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59- Let's go through to the kitchen, see what you think of this.- OK.
0:11:03 > 0:11:07- And there is the kitchen.- Oh, look at that.- Wow.
0:11:07 > 0:11:11- That is a country kitchen. - Didn't expect that either.- No.
0:11:11 > 0:11:14The way they have set it up really suits
0:11:14 > 0:11:19the feel of the place and the aged feel without...
0:11:19 > 0:11:22without giving you an old-fashioned look.
0:11:22 > 0:11:25- It just works, feels like it has always been here.- Absolutely.
0:11:25 > 0:11:28- Yeah, it has a very natural feel. - Sure.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31- Is it you?- Yeah.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33I think it could be. I think it could be.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38The living rooms are one side of the property,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40with the bedrooms on the other.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43Of the three guest rooms, there is one box room
0:11:43 > 0:11:46and one which is already being used as a music room.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49And then there is the master suite.
0:11:49 > 0:11:51Now, this is yours.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53- Oh, wow.- Wow.
0:11:53 > 0:11:57Oh, look at that. And a bath in an en-suite, you don't often get that.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01- Yeah.- Yeah.- Look at the wall. Brick.- Nice, isn't it?
0:12:01 > 0:12:05- Again, this theme of textures kind of coming through every room.- It is.
0:12:05 > 0:12:07Big enough for you, then?
0:12:07 > 0:12:09- Oh, yes.- Yes.- Well, let's go and have a look in the garden,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13because there we have got you a fabulous studio, which you could
0:12:13 > 0:12:18certainly embellish, improve or just use as maybe your music room.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Well, you know, one of the things he wanted to do when he retired
0:12:21 > 0:12:25was to take back doing watercolours and stuff, so there you are.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29- Here's some inspiration for you. Come and look at this.- OK.
0:12:32 > 0:12:35The house is set in three quarters of an acre,
0:12:35 > 0:12:38comprising the driveway approach at the front and a large lawned garden
0:12:38 > 0:12:41to the rear, where the potential studio is located.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45So, the garden.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47Well, ALMOST what you can see is what you get.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50There is a bit more, too, beyond that rose arch.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52A bonfire area and so on.
0:12:52 > 0:12:55But the key thing to consider is that building over there.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00- Yeah.- Fantastic. - Currently the artist's studio.- Yeah.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02It's on quite a big plot, as you can see.
0:13:02 > 0:13:05It could do with a bit of updating, if we're honest.
0:13:05 > 0:13:09But you had already considered spending up to 25 grand
0:13:09 > 0:13:11on a bespoke music room.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14- We had.- We might think about that sum of 25 grand
0:13:14 > 0:13:18when we talk about the price, which we will do now.
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Now, you've already mentioned
0:13:20 > 0:13:25about us having 25 grand in the budget to perhaps sort a studio,
0:13:25 > 0:13:29so that makes me think that this won't be at the top of our budget.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32So, I would say £375,000.
0:13:32 > 0:13:34375, yeah. Mike?
0:13:35 > 0:13:37I think a little bit more. I think 390.
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Now, I would have said 390,
0:13:40 > 0:13:41but I and you both...
0:13:41 > 0:13:43would have been wrong.
0:13:43 > 0:13:45- Oh!- Because this is on the market
0:13:45 > 0:13:49- at £365,000.- Wow!
0:13:49 > 0:13:52- Really?- Yes. How about that?
0:13:52 > 0:13:56Which would bring it to 390 if you built the new studio.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59- Wow.- Mm.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Very interesting, Jules.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04- That is really interesting. - I thought it might be.
0:14:04 > 0:14:05It really is. It really is.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09Go in there, explore the studio-cum-music room or den,
0:14:09 > 0:14:11whatever it is going to be, and I will catch up with you later.
0:14:11 > 0:14:13- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:14:17 > 0:14:22For £365,000, Mike and Jean get a single-storey
0:14:22 > 0:14:27barn conversion with four bedrooms, two large, airy living rooms
0:14:27 > 0:14:28and an artist's studio,
0:14:28 > 0:14:32all set in three quarters of an acre of mature grounds.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37And it leaves plenty of cash left over for a brand-new music studio.
0:14:37 > 0:14:40- Oh, this is an interesting space, isn't it?- Yes, it is.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42I don't think it would do as a music room,
0:14:42 > 0:14:45but I certainly wouldn't remove it or anything.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48- This has a great feeling, like, atmosphere.- Yeah.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51- We could keep this...should keep it as it is.- Yeah.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56- And put the music room somewhere else.- Yeah. This was a big surprise.
0:14:56 > 0:15:01Didn't expect something that looked like this does.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04But when I came inside, I was really pleasantly surprised.
0:15:04 > 0:15:08It's airy, it's light, it feels nice and cosy,
0:15:08 > 0:15:10but not confined in any way.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13We stepped in and straight away we felt space.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Moving into the kitchen, there was a very nice,
0:15:15 > 0:15:18natural feeling with the wood, that feeling that this, yeah,
0:15:18 > 0:15:22was a barn once, but now it has been converted into a home.
0:15:22 > 0:15:24- After you, madam.- Thank you.
0:15:26 > 0:15:28Well, I'm rather pleased.
0:15:28 > 0:15:30I think, as property searches go,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33they don't start much better than this one.
0:15:33 > 0:15:37- Great start, Jules. Really good start.- Can we better it?
0:15:47 > 0:15:50Our buyers are not the first people to fall in love with
0:15:50 > 0:15:52Norfolk's waterside lifestyle.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55The Broads have been a popular boating holiday destination
0:15:55 > 0:15:57since the late 19th century,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00when the first small yachts were made available to hire.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04The waterways are now flooded with all manner of modern craft,
0:16:04 > 0:16:07but there is one group of enthusiasts committed to
0:16:07 > 0:16:11preserving boats which hark back to a bygone era.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14We've arranged for Mike and Jean to meet senior boat builder
0:16:14 > 0:16:18John Franks of the Norfolk Heritage Fleet Trust.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22They maintain a unique fleet of historic Broadland boats still
0:16:22 > 0:16:25going strong more than 80 years after they were first built.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32The yard was established in 1932,
0:16:32 > 0:16:34by Percy Hunter and his two sons.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37They actually bought the site
0:16:37 > 0:16:40and constructed all the wooden boats that you see around here,
0:16:40 > 0:16:44within these two sheds. So it is still all the original buildings.
0:16:44 > 0:16:48The 1930s was the real heyday of sailing on the Broads.
0:16:48 > 0:16:52And there were a lot of very rich people in the area.
0:16:52 > 0:16:56They would hire a crew to do the sailing regattas.
0:16:56 > 0:16:57It was very prestigious.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00So, would you say that these boats are
0:17:00 > 0:17:03- specifically designed for use on the Broads?- Absolutely.
0:17:03 > 0:17:08These boats are built for purpose, that is to sail on narrow waterways
0:17:08 > 0:17:12and to traverse through the narrow bridges that we have on the Broads.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15There is not really a waterway within the river system
0:17:15 > 0:17:18that these boats cannot get into. If you'd like to come this way,
0:17:18 > 0:17:20I'll show you a boat that we have in the shed at the moment
0:17:20 > 0:17:24that we're doing some repairs on. So if you'd like to follow me...
0:17:24 > 0:17:29These magnificent cabin yachts have remained virtually unchanged
0:17:29 > 0:17:31since they were first built in the 1930s,
0:17:31 > 0:17:36including the fact that they have no power or electricity onboard.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41Inside the boat sheds of Hunter's yard, work is under way to ensure
0:17:41 > 0:17:44the preservation of these noble ladies of the Broads.
0:17:46 > 0:17:49Here we have Hostler 1, which is out for repair.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52The boats are mahogany on oak frame.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55And for 1936 she's not doing too bad.
0:17:55 > 0:17:57In the winter, what do you do with the boats?
0:17:57 > 0:18:00Do they all have to come out? Do they all come in to the sheds?
0:18:00 > 0:18:03Yes, we bring them in from the dyke. We will strip them completely down.
0:18:03 > 0:18:06The sails will be dried, which they
0:18:06 > 0:18:08are currently being done at the moment.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12And all the boats are then lined up in the area here,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16so both sheds will be completely full of boats.
0:18:16 > 0:18:17They're all snug away in the winter.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22It's during the winter months that the real repairs get under way
0:18:22 > 0:18:26to ensure these boats can continue to be enjoyed out on the water.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32Martin and Jean are going out on one of the half-deckers,
0:18:32 > 0:18:34a day boat with no berth.
0:18:36 > 0:18:37Ready about.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45Skipper Martin Calley might have a job on his hands to keep this one
0:18:45 > 0:18:47out of the repair shed.
0:18:48 > 0:18:52- Whoa!- Wow!
0:18:52 > 0:18:55Let's hope it's plane sailing for Mike and Jean's future life
0:18:55 > 0:18:56on the Broads.
0:19:02 > 0:19:04For our second property,
0:19:04 > 0:19:06I'm taking Mike and Jean further north to the village
0:19:06 > 0:19:08of Swanton Abbott,
0:19:08 > 0:19:13which would offer them access to water within ten minutes.
0:19:13 > 0:19:17The nearest town is North Walsham, which offers plenty of shops
0:19:17 > 0:19:21and amenities. Swanton Abbott is just over three miles away.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24It is a pretty village with a charming 14th-century church
0:19:24 > 0:19:26and some beautiful rural properties,
0:19:26 > 0:19:29and it's here that house number two is located.
0:19:31 > 0:19:36OK, you can turn around and have a proper look at it.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39- There we are.- Wow. - That's number two.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41- Happy?- Look at that, that's amazing.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44But you're probably thinking, "But, Jules, it's not a bungalow."
0:19:44 > 0:19:48- No, it's not.- It was originally a kind of two-up, two-down cottage.
0:19:48 > 0:19:52But in the last five years, they've added on a huge single-storey
0:19:52 > 0:19:55extension, which gives you another further two bedrooms.
0:19:55 > 0:19:57- So it's a four-bedroom property. - Oh, wow.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00So, effectively,
0:20:00 > 0:20:02- it's single level.- Sure. - But with a roof.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05With a roof, that will do.
0:20:05 > 0:20:07- And a thatch.- Yeah.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09I didn't think we could really come up here without showing you
0:20:09 > 0:20:12a thatch or indeed something that's got a bit of flint in it,
0:20:12 > 0:20:14cos that really is Norfolk.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- Yeah, that's Norfolk, the flint. Norfolk flint.- Again, surprised.
0:20:17 > 0:20:22And it's something, again, that would not be on our criteria.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26Because we're not looking for a thatched cottage,
0:20:26 > 0:20:30so I think you have kind of, yeah, taken us by surprise.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32- Let's have a look inside.- OK.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35With the original cottage over 300 years old,
0:20:35 > 0:20:38this is a classic slice of Norfolk heritage.
0:20:38 > 0:20:42And the property retains many of its original features.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44So, how's this for cosy, then?
0:20:44 > 0:20:45Oh, wow, yeah.
0:20:45 > 0:20:49- Wow.- Yes?- This is cosy. - This is Norfolk, isn't it?
0:20:49 > 0:20:52- This is Norfolk, yeah.- Wow.- Beams.
0:20:52 > 0:20:55I mean, that speaks for itself, I think.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57- There's another one of these next door.- Ah-ha.
0:20:57 > 0:20:59There's a lovely little snug there, actually,
0:20:59 > 0:21:04which you could reinstall a fire into.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08- But, yeah, I think cosy is the word I would use.- Yeah.- And original.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11- Look at the door.- I know. - Yeah, stable door there.
0:21:11 > 0:21:15Now, that goes through to part of this new extension, which gives you
0:21:15 > 0:21:18what they've got as a sort of study corridor at the moment.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22But it also leads into quite an interesting family bathroom -
0:21:22 > 0:21:25- roll-top bath, et cetera. - Oh, wow, lovely.
0:21:25 > 0:21:28- A surprise, again.- Yeah, a good one?
0:21:28 > 0:21:31- Interesting one. Let's say interesting one.- Yes.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34Interesting is one of those great words, it's a real caveat for,
0:21:34 > 0:21:36- "I'm not really sure." - While sitting on the fence.
0:21:36 > 0:21:39I am not really sure.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43I hadn't envisaged anything as old as this,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45so this is quite different for me.
0:21:45 > 0:21:47But like I said, open to all sorts.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50The kitchen, which is through there, I think
0:21:50 > 0:21:53- is one of the real selling points. - Oh, wow. Let's have a look.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57OK, this I love.
0:21:57 > 0:22:02- It's this great sense of space that this room gives you.- Oh, wow, yeah.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05You come through from the dark, cosy end into this, well,
0:22:05 > 0:22:07fabulous kitchen, I think.
0:22:07 > 0:22:10- Gracious, it's a real country kitchen, isn't it?- Kitchen-diner.
0:22:10 > 0:22:15- The sink, range. Look at that.- This is a good space.
0:22:15 > 0:22:16This is good.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19- I think when you come into here this house starts to make sense.- It does.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Cos this is a space where you're going to spend an awful lot of time.
0:22:22 > 0:22:24- Yeah, you can have a banquet here. - Through here
0:22:24 > 0:22:27is the rest of the new extension, which offers you bags of room.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29- OK.- Wow.
0:22:31 > 0:22:36The extension consists of a kitchen-diner, two bedrooms,
0:22:36 > 0:22:40two bathrooms, the study and two utility rooms,
0:22:40 > 0:22:42which means, with the living rooms in the cottage,
0:22:42 > 0:22:46Jean and Mike would have complete single-storey living.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50There are, however, two upstairs bedrooms in the old house,
0:22:50 > 0:22:52which could be used for guests.
0:22:52 > 0:22:56Up in the eaves, they're accessed by a narrow staircase.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Back down on the ground floor, I'm showing them
0:23:01 > 0:23:03one of the other two bedrooms.
0:23:03 > 0:23:06I'm wondering if whether this could become something
0:23:06 > 0:23:08- of a sort of music room.- Right.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10It's certainly big enough
0:23:10 > 0:23:13and the shape of the ceiling would give you some good acoustics.
0:23:13 > 0:23:14- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18This is what we are thinking about in terms of internal music room,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21but let's have a look at the master bedroom.
0:23:24 > 0:23:26- So there we are.- Oh, wow.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Well, that's nice and light and airy, isn't it?
0:23:28 > 0:23:31- It's probably the lightest room in the house, actually.- I think so.
0:23:31 > 0:23:35With shower room en suite there. Could it work?
0:23:35 > 0:23:41- It's a space, it could work, yeah. - Yeah.- OK. How much is it worth?
0:23:41 > 0:23:44Let's go to the garden and discuss. Follow me.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51The house is set in a third of an acre of mature gardens.
0:23:55 > 0:23:58Well, the garden you got a pretty good look at when we first arrived.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02- Mm-hm.- It's pretty extensive, it would certainly incorporate
0:24:02 > 0:24:04the freestanding, brand-new music room
0:24:04 > 0:24:06that we discussed at property number one.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09- Plenty big enough. - Very manageable.- Yeah?
0:24:09 > 0:24:12- How much is it on the market for, then?- 350.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14- I would say a bit more.- Yeah?
0:24:14 > 0:24:19- I think it is nearer four, so 395. - 395.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21It is actually on the market at
0:24:21 > 0:24:25399,950.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29- Not too far out, then.- A very different proposition to number one.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32- Mm-hm.- It's more money, but does it give you more house
0:24:32 > 0:24:35and more of what you're looking for? That's the big question.
0:24:35 > 0:24:37- Go and explore those attic rooms. - OK.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40- And I'll catch up with you later on. - Right.- OK.
0:24:43 > 0:24:48For just shy of £400,000, this attractive thatched cottage
0:24:48 > 0:24:50with a modern extension offers four bedrooms,
0:24:50 > 0:24:54with the potential for one to be used as a music room,
0:24:54 > 0:24:57two bathrooms, a large kitchen-diner,
0:24:57 > 0:24:59as well as a third of an acre of land.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03Wow, look at this.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05- Oh, this is quaint.- It's very quaint.
0:25:05 > 0:25:07Mind you, after a couple of glasses of wine,
0:25:07 > 0:25:09I don't know if I could negotiate those stairs.
0:25:09 > 0:25:13- Maybe this is the guest room. - I agree.- Guest room.
0:25:13 > 0:25:18The first room was a nice snug, obviously very quaint with the beams.
0:25:18 > 0:25:20It had that typical cottage feel.
0:25:20 > 0:25:25The old part of the house, that was full of character.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31And that was the opposite to the new part, which was very extensive.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33But I didn't feel there was a good flow.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36Thinking about the knees for the future, the practicality of
0:25:36 > 0:25:40going up and down the stairs, um, I think
0:25:40 > 0:25:42slightly put us off a little.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48- Ah! Are we all done?- We are. - We're all done.- Very good.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51Well, an interesting way to finish our first day of house hunting.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54- Very much so.- One more to come tomorrow, though.- Yeah.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56- Ready for the mystery house? - BOTH: Absolutely.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58Come on then.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07It's the second day of our house hunt in the Norfolk Broads,
0:26:07 > 0:26:11where Jean and Mike are escaping suburban Northamptonshire
0:26:11 > 0:26:15with a budget of £425,000 to spend on a rural home.
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Coming up, is it job done with the mystery house?
0:26:18 > 0:26:22- All right, when are we moving in, then?- Well! Are we now?
0:26:22 > 0:26:26And I discover some of the county's dark secrets.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28- This, we think, is a curse.- A curse?
0:26:31 > 0:26:35Well, there is no getting away from the fact that for Mike and Jean
0:26:35 > 0:26:39this move has been a long time in the making - 20 years, in fact.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42But their sense of passion and urgency to finally get on with
0:26:42 > 0:26:46what Mike describes as their third life is clear for all to see.
0:26:46 > 0:26:48Now, yesterday went well.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51We were certainly onto something with property number one,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54but we're really going to push the boat out for our final offering,
0:26:54 > 0:26:56our mystery house, for our couple who love water
0:26:56 > 0:26:58and the Norfolk Broads in particular.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00This one is a cracker.
0:27:07 > 0:27:09Now, yesterday I thought was very interesting.
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Two very different properties.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Has that provoked a discussion that has gone on into the evening?
0:27:15 > 0:27:17Well, it did.
0:27:17 > 0:27:20We were very taken with property number one
0:27:20 > 0:27:24to the degree that we actually redesigned it over dinner.
0:27:24 > 0:27:28We decided where we were going to put the new music room, that would
0:27:28 > 0:27:31be right at the back. And even a few changes internally.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34So, Mike, what do you think our mystery house might comprise?
0:27:34 > 0:27:38We are hoping that we're maybe going to be able to see
0:27:38 > 0:27:41water from this mystery house.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44Almost. Almost, that's all I'm going to tell you.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48But if water is what you want, water is what I'm going to give you.
0:27:48 > 0:27:49Thank you.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55For today's mystery house, we're going back into the centre
0:27:55 > 0:27:58of Norfolk Broad territory to the village of Ranworth.
0:27:59 > 0:28:03Situated alongside Malthouse Broad on the River Bure, Ranworth is
0:28:03 > 0:28:07a popular place both to live and to take a holiday.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10Its impressive 15th-century church, St Helens,
0:28:10 > 0:28:12is known as the Cathedral of the Broads.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16The village is also home to a unique wood-and-thatch village hall.
0:28:16 > 0:28:18And just ten minutes' drive away,
0:28:18 > 0:28:20we're getting closer to the mystery house.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26Well, you wanted a taste of the Broads. Look at where we are.
0:28:26 > 0:28:30This is Upton Dyke, and it leads up there about a half mile
0:28:30 > 0:28:33to the River Bure, which I think you know quite well.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36- Mm-hm.- We do. We've motored the river many times.
0:28:36 > 0:28:38We've gone past the dyke many times,
0:28:38 > 0:28:41but we've never actually come down here.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44So it's really nice to come here and see the yachts.
0:28:44 > 0:28:45The reason we are here
0:28:45 > 0:28:48is to tease you with our mystery house,
0:28:48 > 0:28:51because we love this place and it really sets the scene for what
0:28:51 > 0:28:54might be your future, cos our mystery house is just down the road.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56- Wow.- Wow.- Shall we?- Let's.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02And as ever, today's is a wildcard, and something I know
0:29:02 > 0:29:05Mike and Jean would never have considered themselves.
0:29:05 > 0:29:06Can I look?
0:29:08 > 0:29:11You can look. You can look that way.
0:29:11 > 0:29:12Good grief!
0:29:12 > 0:29:16We are in classic mystery house territory here with our chapel.
0:29:16 > 0:29:17Very much.
0:29:17 > 0:29:22- Look at that!- Didn't know we were going to church, did you?- No, dear.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24- Wow!- Wow.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27The only compromise with this one is that it is not a bungalow,
0:29:27 > 0:29:28obviously.
0:29:29 > 0:29:33It is this cavernous chapel, which has been beautifully converted.
0:29:34 > 0:29:38I love the outside, Jules. That is captivating, it really is.
0:29:38 > 0:29:41We always said that we were open to all suggestions,
0:29:41 > 0:29:48and I don't think we expected this, but it's not a problem.
0:29:48 > 0:29:52- Just now really eager to see inside. - Well, there's an awful lot of it.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Come and have a look.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57Well, their interest is definitely piqued with
0:29:57 > 0:30:02the exterior of this 1874 Methodist chapel, and I think
0:30:02 > 0:30:06their desire for space and character will be rewarded on the inside.
0:30:06 > 0:30:07Do you see what I mean?
0:30:08 > 0:30:10Gracious me!
0:30:13 > 0:30:15I am speechless.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18- Look at the fireplace.- I know.
0:30:18 > 0:30:19Now, the fireplace is really clever.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23What they've done in dividing it up is to create the fireplace there,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26which obviously is off-centre and at an angle,
0:30:26 > 0:30:30and then behind that is a separate snug or music room.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33- Oh, my!- It breaks up the box, and it's really clever.
0:30:33 > 0:30:36- I love these iron pillars.- So do I.
0:30:36 > 0:30:40- Staircase.- I know, I'm just looking. - Spiral staircase.- Glorious.
0:30:40 > 0:30:42I think it's absolutely beautiful.
0:30:42 > 0:30:44You could have lovely recitals in here.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47Quite, because of the space and the height of the ceiling.
0:30:47 > 0:30:51- Think of the parties!- The acoustic in here would be good, I think.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54Oh, yeah. Very much so.
0:30:54 > 0:30:57- I'm loving this. Yeah, I'm loving this.- Absolutely.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00Great. Let's have a look at the kitchen, then.
0:31:00 > 0:31:02The chapel was converted six years ago
0:31:02 > 0:31:06and has kept the large dimensions Mike and Jean are after.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08Look at this one.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12Oh!
0:31:12 > 0:31:13It's a cracker.
0:31:13 > 0:31:16- Isn't it just?- I love it. - This is incredible.
0:31:17 > 0:31:20- Right, when are we moving in, then? - Well... Are we now?
0:31:20 > 0:31:23Yeah, it's a beautiful house.
0:31:23 > 0:31:25It's a really good option for the both of you.
0:31:25 > 0:31:29Behind me in here, quite a generous study.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32- Oh!- Wow.- Could be a music room again, if you wanted it to be,
0:31:32 > 0:31:34whatever, or another snug.
0:31:34 > 0:31:36Yeah. I really, really love it.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39Now, as I said on the outside, the only compromise is that it's not
0:31:39 > 0:31:42- a bungalow, but I don't think we care any more.- No.- No.
0:31:42 > 0:31:44- Absolutely not. - Shall we use the stairs, then?
0:31:44 > 0:31:45OK. After you.
0:31:48 > 0:31:49A downstairs wet room
0:31:49 > 0:31:53and a generous utility room make up the rest of the ground-floor layout.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Upstairs, there is another large bathroom
0:31:58 > 0:32:02and two double guest rooms, in addition to the main suite.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07So, this is your bedroom.
0:32:08 > 0:32:11- Aren't they lovely, these beams? - Beautiful.- Really...
0:32:11 > 0:32:14And they've retained them, that's the main thing. Really lovely.
0:32:14 > 0:32:18You've also got a really nice en-suite through there.
0:32:18 > 0:32:22- Oh, does it?- I think we are on to a bit of a winner with this one.
0:32:22 > 0:32:24I think you could well be.
0:32:24 > 0:32:27- You've really, really taken us by surprise on this one.- Uh-huh.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30And we don't care about bungalows any more.
0:32:30 > 0:32:32- No.- Bungalows, what are they?
0:32:32 > 0:32:35You see? I thought that might disappear. Excellent.
0:32:36 > 0:32:40Their enthusiasm is music to my ears,
0:32:40 > 0:32:42but we have yet to discuss the price tag.
0:32:44 > 0:32:47- A little bit of deck, as you can see.- Mm-hm.
0:32:47 > 0:32:48Not a huge garden,
0:32:48 > 0:32:51but I'm thinking you're going to be busy out on the water.
0:32:51 > 0:32:54- Absolutely.- This is plenty. - This is lovely, look at that.
0:32:54 > 0:32:58- Just enough.- The way they've done that. It's enough. Wonderful.
0:32:58 > 0:33:00How much do you like it? You know what's coming now, don't you?
0:33:00 > 0:33:03I know, I know!
0:33:03 > 0:33:05OK, Jean, short and sweet,
0:33:05 > 0:33:09- make me an offer for our mystery chapel.- Right.
0:33:09 > 0:33:12- 425 grand.- 425.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15- Mike.- 450.- 450.
0:33:15 > 0:33:18- 435.- Oh, really?!
0:33:18 > 0:33:21- Really?- Oh, wow!- It's 435.
0:33:21 > 0:33:24Now, of course, it's technically over your budget of 425,
0:33:24 > 0:33:27but I think it's a stretch worth making.
0:33:27 > 0:33:32I should also tell you that they have had an offer on it,
0:33:32 > 0:33:34but it has been rejected.
0:33:34 > 0:33:39So, if this is for you, you may need to think and act fairly...
0:33:39 > 0:33:41- Quickly.- ..swiftly, yeah.
0:33:41 > 0:33:44I hadn't expected anything like this.
0:33:44 > 0:33:47You really surprised us, but you really pulled it out of the bag.
0:33:47 > 0:33:48- Well done.- Absolutely.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50Well, look, this is clearly a building you have enjoyed.
0:33:50 > 0:33:54Go and spend some time and indulge it to your hearts' content.
0:33:54 > 0:33:57- Thank you, we will.- Off you go. - Thanks.- Brilliant.
0:33:57 > 0:34:01Well, there we are, our mystery chapel is everything they wanted,
0:34:01 > 0:34:03but everything they weren't expecting
0:34:03 > 0:34:07Sometimes with mystery houses that's just the way it goes.
0:34:09 > 0:34:14So, at 10,000 over budget, at £435,000,
0:34:14 > 0:34:18Mike and Jean would get an impressive converted chapel
0:34:18 > 0:34:21with three to four bedrooms, three downstairs living rooms,
0:34:21 > 0:34:23one of which would make a perfect music room,
0:34:23 > 0:34:26and all located just five minutes from the water.
0:34:27 > 0:34:31The minute I got inside, I felt at home. I thought, "This is me."
0:34:31 > 0:34:35This is so homely, yet elegant.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38The character feel is here.
0:34:38 > 0:34:42And the open space, the light... I could go on forever.
0:34:42 > 0:34:43But I really, really like it.
0:34:43 > 0:34:49Walking into the lounge area, it was just a real, real pleasure.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52The height of the ceiling and an amazing fireplace.
0:34:52 > 0:34:53I think the highlight for me
0:34:53 > 0:34:58is I could never, ever have imagined living in a chapel.
0:34:58 > 0:35:03I can't find anything wrong, and I'm being totally honest there.
0:35:03 > 0:35:04There's nothing that I would change.
0:35:04 > 0:35:09- After you, Mike.- Thank you. - After you, Jean.
0:35:09 > 0:35:11Well, our chapel seems to have stolen your hearts, hasn't it?
0:35:11 > 0:35:13- Absolutely.- Yeah.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16But we have given you in total three fantastic options,
0:35:16 > 0:35:19each of which deserve your full consideration, so
0:35:19 > 0:35:21- let's go think, shall we? - Yeah, let's do that.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35The old chapel isn't the only religious building causing
0:35:35 > 0:35:37excitement in the county.
0:35:37 > 0:35:41I'm visiting Norwich's spectacular cathedral to learn about a revealing
0:35:41 > 0:35:46graffiti project that is shedding new light on medieval society.
0:35:46 > 0:35:48The project archaeologist is Matthew Champion.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52- Matthew.- Jules. - Nice to see you.- Pleasure.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Now, you're running this graffiti survey, which is
0:35:55 > 0:35:56an odd thing in many respects,
0:35:56 > 0:36:00cos I suppose today we take a fairly dim view of graffiti,
0:36:00 > 0:36:04but for you, it has really given us a whole new window on the past.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06What we've been doing is looking at pre-Reformation
0:36:06 > 0:36:10and medieval graffiti, and it has given us a whole new understanding
0:36:10 > 0:36:12of what was going on with the medieval parish.
0:36:12 > 0:36:17The Norfolk Medieval Graffiti Survey began in 2010.
0:36:17 > 0:36:19Since then, its volunteers have been uncovering
0:36:19 > 0:36:22thousands of fascinating inscriptions.
0:36:22 > 0:36:25Here's a really good place to start looking.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28If you stand back and look at a wall like this
0:36:28 > 0:36:32with our natural daylight on it, you can't really see a great deal.
0:36:32 > 0:36:34- Just a few scratches.- Absolutely.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37However, if you get in close and if you start using one of these,
0:36:37 > 0:36:39suddenly it all changes.
0:36:39 > 0:36:40Here we go.
0:36:40 > 0:36:44Ah! Yeah. Isn't it amazing? Just the simple addition of light...
0:36:44 > 0:36:46- Absolutely. - ..but it picks it out a treat.
0:36:46 > 0:36:47It's what we call a raking light survey.
0:36:47 > 0:36:49The first thing you can see here,
0:36:49 > 0:36:52and the most obvious thing on this particular pier, is this ship.
0:36:52 > 0:36:57- Yeah.- And it dates back to about 1450.- But why ships in a cathedral?
0:36:57 > 0:36:59The idea was, we'd find a lot of these by the coasts,
0:36:59 > 0:37:02however we are now finding them as far inland as Leicestershire.
0:37:02 > 0:37:05We think these are devotional in nature,
0:37:05 > 0:37:08whether they were thanks for a voyage safely undertaken or
0:37:08 > 0:37:11whether they were asking for a safe passage yet to come.
0:37:11 > 0:37:13But what fascinates me is here we are, let's face it,
0:37:13 > 0:37:15in an elite building -
0:37:15 > 0:37:17how did people get away with this?
0:37:17 > 0:37:21Back then, I think we have to assume it was both accepted and acceptable.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24In the Middle Ages, just about every inch of this cathedral
0:37:24 > 0:37:25would have been painted.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28So, far from being hidden away and hard to see, it would have been one
0:37:28 > 0:37:31of the most obvious things you saw as you walked into this cathedral.
0:37:31 > 0:37:34Matthew's team have created reconstructions of what
0:37:34 > 0:37:36they believe that churches
0:37:36 > 0:37:40and these inscriptions would have looked like when they were made.
0:37:40 > 0:37:43Now, one thing that I see a lot of in historic buildings, particularly
0:37:43 > 0:37:47in beams above fireplaces, are what we would call witches' marks.
0:37:47 > 0:37:49Presumably, the cathedral has got a few of those.
0:37:49 > 0:37:52Absolutely. And it has probably got some of the finest ones
0:37:52 > 0:37:54we have ever come across in the country.
0:37:54 > 0:37:57- In fact, I can show you one of the best I've ever found.- Right.
0:37:57 > 0:37:58Go on, let's have a look.
0:38:00 > 0:38:04In Norwich Cathedral alone, there are thought to be between 2,000
0:38:04 > 0:38:08and 5,000 inscriptions, and some have a darker side.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15Take a seat, Jules, and we have got a very special piece just here.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19Now, if I run that light across the surface, you can see in here,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22we've suddenly very clearly got a medieval text.
0:38:22 > 0:38:25It's quite difficult to read, and that's because it's upside down.
0:38:25 > 0:38:27- I was going to say, it's back to front.- It is.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30It's not back to front, but it has been inverted.
0:38:30 > 0:38:33And just below it, you can just make out this other symbol here.
0:38:33 > 0:38:35This is an astrological symbol
0:38:35 > 0:38:37and it's a symbol associated with the moon.
0:38:37 > 0:38:39Now, when you were talking about your witch marks
0:38:39 > 0:38:41and your protection marks,
0:38:41 > 0:38:43I think what we've got here is one step beyond.
0:38:43 > 0:38:45This, we think, is a curse.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47- A curse? - This is a late medieval curse.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51- Directed at somebody or something specific?- Very specific.
0:38:51 > 0:38:53In this case, if you can read the text backwards,
0:38:53 > 0:38:56we have got the letters K-A-Y-N-F-F-O-R-D.
0:38:56 > 0:38:57But it is clearly produced
0:38:57 > 0:39:00by somebody who is literate in a time when not everybody was.
0:39:00 > 0:39:02There is a suspicion that these were actually produced
0:39:02 > 0:39:04by members of the clergy, clerics.
0:39:04 > 0:39:07So you could effectively order a curse upon somebody
0:39:07 > 0:39:09by having a chat with the clergy.
0:39:09 > 0:39:11You have to remember, the medieval church was
0:39:11 > 0:39:15quite into cursing. Many of their services involved curses.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18"Cursed be he who moves his neighbour's boundary stone."
0:39:18 > 0:39:21So, it is only a very short step away in the medieval mind
0:39:21 > 0:39:25from actually bringing down God's wrath and God's curse on something.
0:39:25 > 0:39:29So actually being able to bring a specific wrath on a specific person.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31But why is it upside down?
0:39:31 > 0:39:34It's this idea that it is something that is broken and inverted.
0:39:34 > 0:39:36So, where your wonderful witch marks
0:39:36 > 0:39:39and protection marks were the right way up, when you invert it,
0:39:39 > 0:39:41it brings down the opposite effect.
0:39:41 > 0:39:42Absolutely fascinating.
0:39:42 > 0:39:47A genuinely unique window on the medieval past here.
0:39:47 > 0:39:50A genuinely unique window on the medieval mind.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53- CHURCH BELLS RING - Matthew, I could spend all day here. And on cue, the bells.
0:39:55 > 0:39:58It certainly is a project that has sparked my imagination.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02And with another 400 medieval churches in Norfolk still
0:40:02 > 0:40:05to survey, who knows what else will be found?
0:40:07 > 0:40:10Well, it is of course now decision time for our musical duo
0:40:10 > 0:40:13of Jean and Mike, and they are so obviously
0:40:13 > 0:40:17excited about trying to turn their future dreams into some
0:40:17 > 0:40:21sort of reality that I can't wait to hear what happens next.
0:40:26 > 0:40:28Well, what a fun time we have had.
0:40:28 > 0:40:31I've really enjoyed showing you two around Norfolk
0:40:31 > 0:40:34and I have learned a lot about Norfolk from you two as well.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37It has been tremendous, Jules, I can't tell you.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40I mean, we never expected to see what we have seen.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43We started with a property which remained
0:40:43 > 0:40:45a front-runner for most of our search.
0:40:45 > 0:40:47Our second property...
0:40:47 > 0:40:51- Didn't quite do it for it you, did it? Our thatch.- No.- Not really.
0:40:51 > 0:40:53Not really, and I was frightened to death of the stairs.
0:40:53 > 0:40:56- Were you?- Yeah, I've got this thing about stairs, you see.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58Well, stairs were the moot point
0:40:58 > 0:41:02because you did say endlessly how much you wanted a bungalow.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04- I know.- And then we went to our mystery house.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07- Which had a spiral stair.- Yeah.
0:41:07 > 0:41:10But all objections flew out the window with that one.
0:41:10 > 0:41:14They certainly did. You captured us totally.
0:41:14 > 0:41:16The minute I walked in, that was it.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19I just felt, "I'm at home, this is it."
0:41:19 > 0:41:22We didn't expect to see a chapel.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24I mean, a chapel was not on the radar at all.
0:41:24 > 0:41:26And it has got everything.
0:41:26 > 0:41:28We can make a music room inside,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30- we don't need to put a music room outside.- Yep.
0:41:30 > 0:41:33But of course, it is challenging your budget somewhat at 435.
0:41:33 > 0:41:34Can you do it?
0:41:34 > 0:41:38Well, I think what we would probably like to do, Jules, is go in
0:41:38 > 0:41:40with an offer and see how we go from there.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Fabulous. Guys, I wish you all the very best of luck.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47I do hope to hear in the not too distant future that you have
0:41:47 > 0:41:49- done it and you have moved in. - Thank you, Jules.
0:41:49 > 0:41:51We have had a great time, thank you.
0:41:57 > 0:42:00You know, people often ask me to describe what it's like
0:42:00 > 0:42:02house hunting on Escape To The Country,
0:42:02 > 0:42:06and I suppose, in many ways, I'd liken it to the Grand National.
0:42:06 > 0:42:08But of course, in our case, it is
0:42:08 > 0:42:10only ever going to be a three-horse race.
0:42:10 > 0:42:13Occasionally, nobody reaches the finish line.
0:42:13 > 0:42:17Sometimes it's a photo finish between two or indeed all of them.
0:42:17 > 0:42:20And every now and then there is of course a clear winner.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22And that is what has happened this week.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24In the final furlong,
0:42:24 > 0:42:28our mystery house has come storming up the outside to take the prize.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31And now with any luck, and very soon,
0:42:31 > 0:42:33Mike and Jean will be calling it home.
0:42:33 > 0:42:38So that's it from me, from the Norfolk Broads and the rain.
0:42:38 > 0:42:39I'll see you next time.
0:42:41 > 0:42:44And I'm happy to say that Mike and Jeanne have made
0:42:44 > 0:42:47an offer on the mystery house which has been accepted.
0:42:47 > 0:42:48So I'm hoping it won't be too long
0:42:48 > 0:42:52until they're making music in their new chapel home.