Norfolk Escape to the Country

This statue of a wolf symbolises a king who died a martyr to his faith

and was the first patron saint of England.

Find out who that was, who he is,

and where we both are in just a moment.

One of the key property requirements for today's couple

is space to accommodate their horses.

But it soon becomes evident

there's something that's quite high on their priority list.

-Look at the sink.

-Oh, Belfast sink!

-Your dream!

-I've always said to you about a Belfast sink, haven't I?

-Yeah.

Luckily, our properties deliver on that front.

-Got your sink again.

-Yes! Wow.

Do you do all the washing up?

-Because you are obsessed by sinks.

-Belfast sinks.

I'm in the seaside resort of Hunstanton in Norfolk

and it's believed that this coastline behind me

is where St Edmund landed back in 855AD

to claim the throne of East Anglia.

After a relatively peaceful reign,

Edmund was forced to defend his kingdom from Vikings.

He was defeated in battle and later executed

for refusing to denounce his faith.

Now, as legend has it, his remains were later found guarded by a wolf,

and his followers were then able to honour their devout king

and give him a sacred Christian burial.

Now to commemorate the legacy of St Edmund,

the town have created a walking trail

depicting scenes from his life.

This carved statue of the wolf here, marks the end of the trail

and stands as a timely reminder of a captivating story

deeply rooted in this historic county.

In the East of England, jutting out into the North Sea,

Norfolk is bordered by Lincolnshire, Cambridge and Suffolk,

with wide atmospheric skies

and unbroken horizons,

the county is defined by some uniquely beautiful landscapes,

including the Fens,

which before systematic drainage began in the 17th century,

were an impenetrable boggy wilderness,

but now represent close to half

of the most fertile agricultural land in England.

Gateway to the Fens is age-old Downham Market,

renowned during the Middle Ages for its butter market,

and today known affectionately as the gingerbread town,

thanks to the local ochre-hued sandstone used to construct

many of its fine buildings.

Not far from here is the unassuming village of Burnham Thorpe,

birthplace of Norfolk's most famous son Lord Horatio Nelson.

His father was the rector of the church here

and in 1793 before returning to sea,

Nelson held a farewell dinner for locals at the village pub

which is still open for business today.

Home of heroes,

ancient settlements

and gorgeous vistas

Norfolk is understandably desirable county to escape to.

The beautiful open countryside of Norfolk

certainly rates above the average,

and that is balanced by its property prices,

which are currently some £40,000 below the national average figure,

coming at around £222,000 for a detached house here.

And regionally the county scores too, being the less expensive

option out of neighbouring Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.

So, an undiscovered gem?

Well, today's buyers certainly seem to think so.

Let's find out why they in particular want to move

to this part of the county.

14 years ago, IT specialist Mark

and wife Sara who's a marketing manager,

bought this four-bedroom house in Milton Keynes.

They've raised nine-year-old daughter Jessica here,

but have always dreamt of a rural lifestyle.

So, before Jessica gets to high-school age,

they're keen to make the move.

-Milton Keynes has been very good for us.

-A town of convenience.

-It is.

Very modern. Very fast.

It's got a lot of facilities here,

and it's close to London.

Great for a young family.

I'm not sure I'd want to spend the rest of my life here.

Making the rural escape along with them

will be their two dogs Roxy and Otis,

their cat Kizzy, and Sara's beloved horses Turtle and Jamie

who are currently kept in stables eight miles away,

and are a major motivating factor for the move.

It's my dream to have the horses just there outside the back door.

Every day I get in the car and I drive, you know, ten minutes there

and I do them, and I spend so much time at the horses.

It's just been my dream for ever to just have them there.

And have everything as part of your family, really.

Same as the dogs and the cats...

It's something I share with Sara as well, a dream for that...

every man dreams of his castle.

-And your astronomy.

-Oh, yes.

-You can do astronomy!

That's very good point, yes.

Both Mark and Sara work from home,

but Sara will still need to return to her office in Milton Keynes

every one or two weeks, which is part of the reason

why they've chosen Norfolk.

It's close to some major routes,

and it's that lovely village, rural community.

You've got the beach nearby...

Jessica's very excited about having the beach.

And within an affordable price range.

Realistically, what we're looking at.

Because we're not just looking for a house in the country,

we need land for Sara's horses.

While Mark and Sara are more than ready to leave urban life behind,

they have natural parental concern about how their daughter

will respond to the change.

I think she's very split between excited

and nervous.

She's lived here all her life.

It will be a change.

But there are things that she's really excited about -

like having swings in the garden and having chickens.

She's even talking about another dog. Did I mention that? Er...

Sara and Mark might have quite different careers and interests,

but for both of them, family is very much at the heart

of their decision to move.

I think a move to the country will increase our family strength.

I think the change could really... really do us well.

The thing that excites me most about the move

is having our whole family together, and that includes the horses.

To me they are sort of hairy children.

So that it's easy for Sara to travel back to her office in Milton Keynes when she needs to,

we're keeping our search within two hours of the town.

I'm catching up with them to learn some more about their move.

So, welcome both of you to Sunny Norfolk.

Why are we stood here?

I was born near London, so I have experienced living in the city,

but I think my heart has always been more than living in the countryside.

This outdoorsy life's not just about you two, but about family, as well.

For a better family environment for your daughter?

Yes. Jessica wants swings.

Our garden isn't big enough.

Outside space to play in.

Preferably a theme park!

There's a fair nearby.

Now, how much land are we talking about?

-Minimum two acres.

-Minimum two acres.

Let's talk about the house.

It would be lovely to have sort of a Georgian property,

or something along those lines.

I think my thoughts are for a character type of property.

I guess because with such a big change,

why not go the full hog?

What about a project?

As long as there's money in the pot, and we can see the potential.

-All right.

-It's almost certain that we'll have to do some work,

with regards to the horses, as well.

-Like fencing and posts, perhaps even stables.

-OK.

Now, the size of the house?

We're looking for minimum three-bed with a study.

-Or four bed.

-But, ideally, two working spaces for myself and Sara.

I guess it's even possible to build something,

if you've got enough land to do that.

How soon can you make this move? Are you ready to go?

We are, really.

-We've got an offer on a house.

-Brilliant.

Sounds like you've a lovely little package in mind

for your escape here -

remind me how much you're looking to spend.

-500,000.

-£500,000.

500,000, and a little left over for some improvements.

You mentioned improvements - do you agree changes you'd want to make?

Do you have different tastes on things to do with the house or land?

Mark usually comes round to my way of thinking.

In the end.

I have a barrier, initially, and Sara has to break down.

No pressure. Well, we've got three fantastic properties lined up.

Let's make away to first one.

-OK.

-Thank you.

-This way.

With a budget of £500,000,

Mark and Sara are looking for a characterful home for themselves,

their daughter and Sara's much-cherished horses.

They would like minimum of three bedrooms,

plus a room that could be used as a home office.

Outside they're hoping for a garden

that could fit those swings Jessica is angling for,

and to accommodate the horses they'll need at least two acres.

And stables would be a bonus.

Finally, for Sara's work

they'll need to be within reasonable driving distance of Milton Keynes.

We've lined up three excellent properties for them to look at,

and after each house tour

I'll be asking them to guess the price before I reveal it.

One will be the mystery house, with everything they asked for,

and much, much more,

but will that be too much for them?

Now, Sara, are you going to try and drag poor old Mark

into the world of horses?

Well, he may need to get more involved.

There's no real excuse, if they're just there outside the back door.

"No real excuse"?!

You're basically giving poor old Mark some groom duties, aren't you?

-Well, maybe.

-That's what it sounds like to me.

Tell Johnny what you want to do about the astronomy?

Ah, yes. I've always thought about building an observatory.

Right.

Where would you build your telescope. Your observatory?

As far away from the muck heap as possible!

We're starting our search in the little village of Necton,

which is just under a two-hour drive

from Sara's work base in Milton Keynes.

The nearest town, six miles away, is Swaffham,

which has all the amenities the family will need.

During the 14th and 15th centuries the town grew prosperous

thanks to a flourishing sheep and wool trade.

And that wealth is reflected in the fine detail and grand dimensions

of its impressive late medieval church.

A ten-minute car journey from the town

at the end of a long driveway is our first house -

which started life as a farm building.

I like it. I like barn-y type conversions.

-Yeah.

-And I notice there's some land.

A big garden for Jessica. Even chickens!

Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick.

The house is a little smaller than I was expecting,

but I like how it's presented.

-It's got some character from the outside.

-Let's look inside.

The house was originally a cow shed,

but the current owners who used to live in the nearby farmhouse,

stored their tractor in it.

12 years ago when they were looking to downsize,

they sold the farmhouse, converted the tractor shed, and moved in.

So, the owners use this entrance

pretty much on a daily basis.

It's larger than our lounge in Milton Keynes.

I think this is perfectly acceptable.

I am more than happy with this room.

Just through that door, you've got a downstairs bedroom.

-OK.

-All right? Which I think would make an ideal office.

-Let's take a look in the kitchen, next.

-OK.

A big space here to play around with.

Oh, wow. Look at this.

Yeah. And look at the sink.

-Oh, a Belfast sink.

-Your dream!

-I've always said to you about Belfast sinks, haven't I?

-Yeah.

That we hadn't got room for in Milton Keynes.

Well, even the utility room, has its own Belfast sink, as well!

OK, well...spoilt, then.

Is this what you had in mind?

I actually quite like it.

-I'm more of a kitchen/breakfast and then dining room person.

-Ooh.

But, it does work.

This feels nice and open.

-Yeah.

-Very sociable.

Personally, I would perhaps have a bar area here.

As part of the kitchen. But then you've got room here to do that.

Upstairs we do get a bit smaller,

-so let me show you that now.

-OK.

The ground floor has just over 1,000 square foot of, I think,

quite flexible space to play with.

Which hopefully makes up for the slightly more limited

bedroom space on the next floor.

So, just the two bedrooms on this floor,

both of which are en suite.

-Oh, lovely.

-Lucky Jessica.

-Yeah.

Now, this is the master.

You've got a slightly bigger en suite, with a bath in it.

OK.

-The bedroom, I think, is a slightly more interesting shape, certainly.

-Yeah.

I was just thinking if there was any other position

the bed could occupy within the room.

You normally expect a bed to be

the dominant piece of furniture within a room

whereas here it's almost tucked away around the corner.

But, to be fair, it's what, in hindsight,

when we did the build we would have done.

-And that we've discussed we would have done.

-Would we now?

-Yes.

-Oh-ho-ho. Slight difference of opinions.

-Yeah.

Because I think this gives us the floor space,

and actually works really nicely.

Mark, bearing in mind that Sara said that in time you normally

-come round to her way of thinking...

-Yes, there is some truth to that.

And Sara's liking what she sees...

I couldn't agree more with Sara!

There's three bedrooms in this house.

At present, that means we have to think

of other locations for the offices.

That's when the project starts, and it will go...

Well, the building would need to be done outside, I think.

-Let me show you.

-OK.

A bit of a tricky situation here with Mark and Sara's

quite different reactions to this place.

But maybe the space outside will help to reunite them

because there's plenty of land for Sara's horses

and for Mark's stargazing ambitions.

So, chickens.

Yep. We like the chickens.

There's a good amount of land not actually dedicated

to the horses at the moment.

-You've 3½ acres here, my friend.

-3½ acres?

Now, you have got a lovely building there.

That's sweet, isn't it?

Which would be excellent for a home office, wouldn't it?

That might have to be our guest suite.

How much do you think this whole property as a package is on the market for?

I'm going to say...

470.

I would maybe go for 480.

Well, I've got some good news for you both, then.

This place is on the market for offers around £425,000.

That's a lot of room to make improvements.

Yes.

OK, go back inside to have a look around,

-and meet me by the front door.

-OK.

-Thank you.

This charming converted farm building

is a significant £75,000 below

Mark and Sara's maximum budget.

It has plenty of living space

and the three bedrooms they want.

It doesn't have an office

but they could easily create one

in a characterful outbuilding.

1.5 acres MORE than they hoped for.

Wow, this is a really good size for an office, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-What about guest bedroom?

I know. That's what I'm thinking.

At the moment the property doesn't offer

exactly what we're looking for,

but a lot of the key features we asked for are here,

and there is plenty of potential for development that intrigues me.

What do you think Jessica would make of it?

Well, you've got plenty of room.

Oh, this is nice.

It's big, as well.

There is a door there. Do you want to...see where that leads?

-This is like the play space, or the...

-Storage.

-Or your office.

My office?!

You're smaller.

I really like this property.

The outside space is fantastic.

3½ acres is brilliant.

Sara and myself have a slightly different view.

For me, I think the property requires further extension and work.

It feels to me like a project that is still in progress in some way -

that the original owners completed the first phase,

but there's still some more work to be done.

It needs stables, it needs a menage,

but I've got certainly plenty of room to do that.

So, I'm quite excited about that.

So, for someone who was pretty positive

all the way round that property, Sara, have you talked him round?

I think he's changing his mind to little.

I'm certainly beginning to see the benefits.

I think potential for me's the keyword for this property.

I think you're right, actually.

OK, well that's one down.

-Two more to go. Let's go.

-Great.

For centuries, East Anglia has had a strong association with horses.

The Suffolk Punch, one of the oldest-known working horses

has its origins here, and the abundance of level terrain

has helped make the region a world-famous centre for horse racing.

Seven years ago, a brand-new equine sport emerged here

called for horse-boarding.

It was dreamt up by Norfolk local and professional stuntman

Daniel Fowler-Prime,

who honed his technique at a very special place

known as World Horse Welfare,

the largest horse rescue and re-homing charity in Britain,

where one of the top horses he competes with

used to be a resident.

Sara, a keen rider from the age of nine, and husband Mark,

are joining the charity's deputy chief executive Tony Tyler.

The charity was founded in 1927

by an amazing lady called Ada Cole.

It was set up originally to deal with the issue of horses

being transported live for meat.

She saw horses suffering on the docks

in Antwerp and decided to do something about it.

Since then we've expanded into the charity we are now,

and we actually have four centres across the UK.

Hall Farm is the largest of those four centres.

The charity doesn't operate as a sanctuary,

the aim here is to return horses to full health

and rehabilitate them until they can be matched

with new responsible owners

which, on average, takes around six months.

Overseeing the rehabilitation process is centre manager

Sue Hodgkins.

Our team of specialists - which includes the vet,

the farrier, the physiotherapist and the equine dentist -

carry out a full assessment

and from that assessment we're able to put together an individual

rehabilitation programme for each of the horses.

We'll then allocate a member of staff to the horse

and that person is responsible for the horses treatment

on a daily basis.

So where do the horses go onto from here?

Throughout the rehabilitation programme

we're continually assessing what future job

that horse may be able to do, once it is ready to re-home.

So we've got Candy here.

Candy came into us in 2008.

She went through an extensive rehabilitation programme with us.

Candy arrived at the centre as a frightened and neglected foal,

but after receiving a huge amount of care

she made a full recovery and now, with new owner Rachel,

and horse-boarding inventor Daniel

she's formed a winning partnership,

successfully competing in this unique new adrenaline sport.

This is your board.

Hoping to tempt a new recruit,

Daniel is giving Mark brief, gentle taster,

replacing horse power with more manageable human power.

Off we go.

Ramping up the action, it's Candy, Rachel and Daniel's turn

to take up the reins and show how it's done.

It's good. It's good. Drop in, drop in, drop in...

To control speed, which can reach 35mph,

this exhilarating team sport

relies on it clear communication between the rider, the boarder and the horse.

It's a bit faster, isn't it?

OK, good, good, good, good, good...

The sport is steadily gaining thrill-seeking devotees,

and recently in the second-ever UK Horse Boarding Championships,

20 teams competed.

That was exactly right!

After this inspiring display, maybe Mark will have found a way

to join Sara in her equestrian pursuits,

and when they moved to the area the two of them

will form a horse boarding team of their own.

Continuing on our search,

we journey 25 miles west of the village of Wiganhall St Germans

an hour and three quarter drive from Milton Keynes.

This appealing settlement is nestled in the fertile farmland of the Fens,

along banks of the Great Ouse

which was once a major navigation route through East Anglia.

There's an excellent general store here, a cosy pub

and an impressive 14th century church.

Just over a mile from the village

is our second house, another converted farm building -

this time a barn.

Now then, best placed to take it all in is from here.

And what you see, is what you get.

-Yeah.

-That's quite a scene, actually.

-Mm.

-Almost a Mediterranean-like feel to it, with the tiles.

Yeah, I get that.

Would you live somewhere like this?

Yes.

-This feels more homely to me.

-Let's go inside.

The barn was converted by the current owners a few years ago,

and it already seems to have got the seal of approval

from both Sara and Mark.

Let's see if they share the same feelings about the interior.

So, you've got a big kitchen...

Oh, yeah.

-This is cracking. Your sink again.

-Yeah.

That's an even bigger Belfast sink.

-Do you do all the washing up?

-No!

I flipping hope so, because you are obsessed by sinks.

BELFAST sinks.

-Yes.

-No, it's right.

-All right?

The whole style of the kitchen has got a very real country feel to it.

Yeah, it's a proper country kitchen.

A lot of it's new.

It's been put in retrospectively, but it works, doesn't it?

Little touches like this.

It feels like an old post that was in a barn with the hinges on...

-These beautiful wide boards.

-I love the floorboards.

Who's the cook here?

-Now, Mark! Really?

-Yes.

Your domain, look cooking on gas here, as well.

So much surface to leave rubbish on, as well.

Sounds like a bloke, yeah.

Now, you don't have to dine here,

because we've got loads of receptions. Let me show you.

Now, this is where the house really opens up.

Dining, and after supper maybe...

a game of billiards?

Wow, that's great.

Now, another big room.

My word. This is... Yeah. This is big.

Need more furniture.

And the fireplace, as well.

I like this, Johnny. This is nice.

The character. Just... We're moving in.

-Are you?

-Yeah.

-It's got a good feel about it.

-Good.

-It feels right.

-Yeah.

-So let's go upstairs and have a look at the bedrooms, OK?

-OK.

-OK.

Also on the ground floor, just off the kitchen,

there's a fully set up study.

But there are more home office possibilities for Sara and Mark

in another part of the house which I'll talk more about later.

Upstairs, there's a family bathroom

and three double bedrooms.

All of which have that wonderful stripped wooden flooring

we admired downstairs in the kitchen.

Now, the master bedroom.

Yeah, that's nice.

-Yeah.

-It's got an en suite.

-It's lovely.

-I'm glad you like it.

I mean, look... Waking up to those views.

Now, there is some other accommodation to this.

As we walked in? That long single-storey extension?

-Yeah.

-Now that is a self-contained unit.

-Wow.

-Bedroom, bathroom, kitchenette, living area.

Or it could be just office space for you guys.

Or Jessica's personal space as she gets older, perhaps.

She'll never move out, if you show her that, I tell you!

But that gives you so much room to grow into in this house.

-Yeah.

-It does.

There's so much you can do with this.

-Let's go out the back, and look at the land, OK?

-OK.

I'll just squeeze past you, there.

Well, I'm delighted that this house

seems to have these two singing from the same hymn sheet.

But I'm hoping this sweet harmony, isn't a set of balance

by what's on offer outside,

because there is less land here than the first property we showed them.

There's a total of 1.5 acres,

including the formal garden

which I'm sure Jessica would agree,

has more than enough room for her swings.

-Now, outside space you wanted, didn't you?

-I did.

So, you've got an acre there...

-OK.

-OK.

-..and then this land here.

-OK.

-OK.

So it's smaller than your ideal requirement.

OK.

Any opportunity to get a bit more?

-Yes.

-Ah!

This land - all that land -

is for sale.

So, how much do you think this place is?

I think...

probably 490.

And I'm going to say slightly less

because the land is less than what we've seen.

485, would be my estimate.

Good guesses! Pretty impressed.

This place is on the market with a guide price

of £495,000.

OK.

Now, there's lots of this house you haven't yet seen.

You haven't seen the annexe yet,

but hopefully that will help you fall in love with this place.

But take as much time as you want,

-and I'll see you out front when you're ready.

-OK.

See you in a mo.

Look, this is a different proposition for them.

It's a big move coming to the countryside,

and they've got to think about maybe negotiating

with another landowner to get hold of that parcel there.

But if they did that,

they've got everything they asked for, and more.

Not a bad shout, is it?

Superbly renovated barn conversion.

£5,000 below maximum budget.

Interior offers space they hoped for

and more.

Large country kitchen,

separate formal dining room,

and even a billiard room.

The annexe would accommodate

a home office for each of them.

Not the two acres they wanted

but there is neighbouring land

available for purchase.

The interior of the house was, I think, close to ideal.

Exactly what I had in mind.

Then there's the whole annexe, as well.

This is great for an annexe kitchen.

I mean, this is quite substantial, isn't it?

This is really good.

Crikey, I'm struggling to find fault with it.

It is just a fabulous house.

-Perfect man-cave. What do you think?

-What, this?

You're not getting the annexe!

I knew this house would seduce Mark.

He does love it, and it's really important

that he buys into it, because obviously, he doesn't do the horses.

The horses...

It's slightly more of a challenge.

The fact we'd have to buy more land

is more of a concern to us,

because we'd have to negotiate with somebody else,

and try and get the right package and the right price.

But, to be fair, the house may well be worth it.

Well, that seems to be an end to a very successful day.

-What do you think?

-Yeah.

-Enjoy walking round here?

-Yeah.

Very pleased. It's been a good day.

You look quietly confident about this place.

Now, something to think about tonight. Let's take you back.

OK.

It's the second day of our house-hunt in Norfolk,

and with a budget of £500,000,

Sara and Mark are looking to leave a busy life in Milton Keynes

for a rural home that suits them, their nine-year-old daughter

and their horses.

Coming up, the mystery house offers

a little more than they were bargaining for.

I think a whole community could live here!

Yeah, yeah.

It's ginormous!

And I get to take control of some serious heavy machinery

at the UK's largest privately owned military collection.

It's a lot better off-road than my car!

Well, I'm pretty happy with yesterday

we had good reactions from both properties.

Today we're off to the mystery house,

and as there's usually a compromise,

let's start with that.

This property doesn't have the pre-requisite amount of land

for Sara's horses, although not far off it.

And the property requires quite a lot of work from Mark,

and that's because there's quite a lot of house.

And it has the sort of character

they could fall head over heels for.

How did you go through things last night?

Well, last night Mark went to the spa...

and I ended up with pen and paper

and started doing lists.

Pros and cons for both houses.

That's a really good idea. Pros and cons.

It's sort of how I work with things.

I try and take a step back and look at it, realistically.

-And Mark takes a massive step back and goes for a swim.

-Yeah.

Continuing our trajectory west,

we reach the village of West Walton,

an hour and a half's drive from Milton Keynes

and the final stop on our search.

Established by the time of the Norman conquest,

this quiet settlement doesn't offer many amenities,

but it does have a decent pub

and a unique 13th century church

with an unusual detached and delicately carved belltower

that can be seen for miles around.

And half a mile down the road,

there is another towering landmark,

which happens to stand in the grounds of our mystery house.

Now, Mark, I think you like Georgian properties,

so you should appreciate this specimen.

I am a big fan of that design and style, yes.

And this is the real deal, isn't it?

It's a genuine Georgian farmhouse.

It was actually attached to the remains of that old mill tower.

It's huge!

It is big.

-Fantastic.

-Yeah? Big is good, isn't it?

I don't know.

-I suppose big means more work, and maintenance, doesn't it?

-Yeah.

I'm looking at a wobbly chimney and the ivy and...

I don't know.

But, being a true mystery house,

it gives you a lot of what you're after, and then some.

Land-wise, it comes with that field.

-Oh, OK.

-The owner reckons there's just under two acres there,

although I think he's being a bit modest.

Sounds like all the basics are there.

All the basics are here.

-And some!

-Yeah. Basics is maybe a good word to use.

Let's take a look inside.

The three-storey mill house and the mill,

were built in 1822.

During the Second World War, the sails of the windmill were removed

because it was thought to be too much of a prominent landmark,

but after electrical grinding equipment was fitted,

the mill continued to produce flour until the mid-1960s.

The last miller still lives in the village.

Well, Sara, I think you like to have a separate dining area,

so you've got that here.

Then, mind the step up to the kitchen...

which I rather like, actually. What do you think?

Yes, it's a nice kitchen, actually.

It's got a very homely feel to it. Yeah, I like it. I like it a lot.

Nice floor. It's more than adequate for us,

and it's got some really nice features.

I think it's a good country kitchen, yeah.

Just through there, you've got another double reception room,

which you could use

for formal dining, if you like.

Then this way you've got other reception areas - let me show you.

Right, then.

This is when it starts to feel a little more boho, if you like.

Yeah, its reality is kicking in a bit now.

The decoration, in particular.

I think there's some plastering work that needs done,

but that can probably be fixed.

Mark, this place is your new hobby.

-You're right.

-So, look, you've got loads of space

on the ground floor.

-We've got two more floors to have a look at.

-Two more floors.

-Let's go and take a peek at one of them.

-OK.

At the other end of the ground floor,

there's yet another reception room,

and there's plenty more space upstairs.

On the next floor there's a family bathroom,

and five double bedrooms,

one of which looks pretty much ready for Jessica to move into.

All the rooms have basins in them,

because before the current owners bought the property 18 years ago,

it was being used as a B&B.

But we're going to carry on up to the second floor

which pretty much mirrors this one,

because it also has five bedrooms.

Personally, I absolutely love this room.

Look at the views out here.

-It is nice.

-That's really, really good.

But, who says it has to be bedrooms?

Why can't this be an amazing office?

-Yeah.

-You wouldn't mind coming to work with these views, would you?

-This is a room that you could write a book in, I think.

-Yeah.

Yeah. It's a massive house

and I just think about the maintenance costs,

and just day-to-day...

I suppose it does come down to price.

There's aspects of it I really like,

but I am still twitchy about it.

But, Mark, you kind of love the character of this place?

Love the character of this property.

I'd be fully up for DIY decorating

within the limits of my experience and skills.

Look, let's go outside and talk about the out buildings, OK?

-See if you're still twitchy.

-Yeah.

So between this floor and the one below

there's a grand total of ten bedrooms,

but aside from the room we've just seen,

this top floor is the part of the house

that requires the most decorative work.

Outside, apart from the paddock over the road,

there is an attractive garden

which leads to a large enclosed yard

where there's an array of outbuildings

including a two-storey farm shed,

which could convert into nice stables,

and another dwelling which is known as the old bakery.

Last, but by no means least,

there is the magnificent

Grade II listed seven-storey mill,

which at the moment is pretty much derelict,

but with planning permission

could be restored to create a very unique holiday let.

So, do we think we could make this into some sort of stable yard?

Look at the outbuildings there?

-I think a whole community could live here.

-Yeah!

It's ginormous!

-Is this the start of your new Norfolk commune?

-Yeah!

I think so.

It's fantastic.

So, excited about this place, Mark?

Yeah, very excited, actually.

It wasn't what I was expecting, at all.

So, who wants to have a go at guessing the price

of this house along with the land?

After you.

It's difficult to value a property such as this.

More to the higher end of the budget - so 480,000.

All right. Sara?

I know it's huge, there's so much work to be done,

and I know our budget,

so I'm going to say 410.

This place is on the market with that land

for around £475,000.

Good guess.

Look, you've so much property to have a look at.

But enjoy it. Go and have a good look around the place.

-Try those buildings first.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Well, just like any mystery property

it was a gamble bringing them both here,

but what a splendid property!

And it does have that land over the road.

It also has a lot of work to be done, doesn't it?

£25,000 under their maximum budget,

this extraordinary property offers Mark and Sara an awful lot.

There are five reception rooms and ten bedrooms,

which more than takes care of their request for three bedrooms

plus an office space.

Outside, there's a paddock for Sara's horses

and with a range of outbuildings,

there's plenty of scope for stabling them.

There's also the mill itself, which at the very least

offers an intriguing focal point to the property,

but could also be converted into yet more accommodation.

It's a beautiful property and I think it's a fascinating property.

You know, classic Georgian features.

This is the real deal - so much character and history here.

The inside space is more than meets our needs.

It's almost too large and I'm wondering whether,

like a kid looking at a big cream cake,

my eyes are bigger than my appetite.

-This is your office.

-Big.

Really big. I'm now thinking business.

Business?

Yeah, I'm thinking this is accommodation waiting to happen.

It's a great place, isn't it?

It's a good idea.

I'm the type of person that's always looking at business possibilities,

but we couldn't afford to take on this project

without some business capital behind it.

I think, if I had the capital,

I'd be right up for the challenge.

But that's the balance I have to really get to grips with.

Have we warmed any more to this wonderful property?

-Well, I'm now seeing it as a business opportunity.

-Oh!

OK, well, that's got to be music to your ears, hasn't it?

I'm more of a private person myself, but I'm taking a look at it now

and just wondering how to get up there and maybe bring my telescope.

Of course, telescope! Wow.

Maybe this is something to think about.

Sounds like you've got a lot to talk about yourselves,

so let's find you somewhere to have a chit-chat.

-We'll catch up later on. After you.

-Thank you.

Since the days of the Spanish Armada in 1588

through to the First and Second World Wars,

large stretches of Norfolk's coastline

have been seen as vulnerable to invasion.

One of the most determinedly defended locations

was Weybourne Hope to the north of the county,

where a military camp was set up

training as many as 300,000 personnel

over the course of four decades.

The camp was finally closed in 1959,

but in 1988, the site was bought and is now home

to the largest private military collection in the UK

and the man behind it all is Michael Savory.

To build a collection of tanks and militaria such as you've got here,

you have to be English and you have to be eccentric

and I'm a combination of both of them.

I'm starting to get you qualify there.

This began really at the Boer War years,

so you're looking at the turn of the century, 1900,

for infantry training.

The land was acquired from the local farmers by the War Office,

as it was then called,

and it gradually developed to becoming a residential camp

and one of the reasons why this bit of the coast was heavily defended

was that we have very deep water here.

Deep water allowed the ships to come straight up to the shingle bank

and unload troops.

There is a 16th century English saying

which is, "If ye, old England, wish to win,

"first at Weybourne Hope begin,"

and this is Weybourne Hope.

Michael's collection includes 150 military vehicles,

25 of which are tanks,

but he also has a huge number of other military-related exhibits,

which are sourced from all over the world

and are painstakingly restored before going on display.

You are standing amongst a collection of Second World War tanks,

ranging from the Soviet T-34 to the American Sherman.

Surrounded also by a lot of light tanks.

It's a collection which is unusual to the extent that everything works.

Often, when you go into museums,

they're just illustrations of a vehicle,

-but all of these we keep in running order.

-Wow!

As well as the regular military display days held here,

the public are offered the rare opportunity to get hands on

and actually drive a tank themselves.

Today, Michael's very kindly given me the chance

to experience that for myself.

-Do I shut this behind me?

-Yes, please.

Appropriately attired, I'm ready for basic training.

Pull the two levers forward, no thumbs on the top,

till the buttons click up.

Meantime, with your left hand,

you put it into the first notch, first gear.

We're in business.

The vehicle I'm driving is a British Army Fighting Vehicle 432,

which is an armoured personnel carrier.

They were first introduced in the 1960s

for transporting infantry on the battlefield.

This particular one was used in the Middle East

during the first Gulf War,

and it would have carried nine to ten troops, a commander,

a driver and all of their weapons,

which would have made for a very claustrophobic journey.

I feel firmly in control. It's finger-touch accurate, isn't it?

Tanks aren't generally built for speed.

Their top acceleration doesn't usually go beyond 35mph,

but what they do have is power - between 500 and 800bhp.

Yeah, go on right.

It's been a real privilege getting to drive this formidable vehicle,

especially when you think of the troops it once carried

and all that they must have endured.

And to experience it in such a beautiful, historic part

of the county has made it all the more memorable.

Well, we looked at three fantastic properties,

culminating in, of course, the mystery house,

which I think even Sara warmed to towards the end.

Let's catch up with them and find out their thoughts.

-Is this all to do with all the houses we've seen?

-Yep.

-Do you mind if I have a quick look?

-You can do if you want.

-These are comprehensive.

-Are they?

Has this helped you make your mind up?

It's focusing me.

-OK.

-It's proved very useful,

I think particularly with property number three.

My heart still is attached to that,

but when you actually see it written down,

some of the needs and the work that is necessary,

it brings you back to reality a little bit.

Do either of you have a favourite?

The only property where my heart and my head agree with one other

is number two.

Number two is probably my strongest pull,

-but number one I see a lot of financial sense in...

-Yeah.

..and the mystery house, from my point of view,

I would see it as a business.

I would see it as B&B, holiday let, do up the external buildings.

We'd have to get a business loan to do that

and then, would we recoup that money?

I'm just trying to balance my view. I think, fundamentally,

I don't think the mystery house works for us financially.

What is your next step?

We're definitely going to go back to house number two.

I think I'm going to drag Mark kicking and screaming

back to house number one,

because I see a lot of potential there and even with the work,

-there's still room in our budget.

-Yeah.

It's a been a really interesting process. With just three houses,

you've seen how your differences in taste and challenges have come out.

Of course, you're horsey,

you really care about the land.

Of course, you love the idea of a character property.

It's just finding a house that gives you both.

-Maybe that's house number two, maybe not.

-Maybe.

Look, you're going to come back here for a second viewing.

Please, please let us know what you decide. I can't wait to find out.

-Good luck!

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

I'm pleased to hear Sara and Mark are agreed on one thing

and that's that they both want to go back to house number two.

Let's face it, they really enjoyed looking around that place.

I'm also interested to hear that Sara also wants to go back

to property number one, taking Mark kicking and screaming if needs be.

I think they've both realised

that it's not just about the house or the land,

it's the whole package,

so second viewings of both houses and their areas is what's needed

in order for them to decide which way they need to go as a family.

So I'm sure, just like me, you wish them both the very best of luck.

I'll see you next time.

Mark and Sara returned to view our second house

and they loved it just as much the second time round.

They were keen to put in an offer,

but after investigating the price of the additional land,

they felt it pushed their budget too far beyond

what they were comfortable with,

so their search continues.

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