Suffolk Escape to the Country

The county I'm in is famed for its big skies

which were the inspiration for one of the nation's best-loved

night-time nursery rhymes.

But which sparkly children's song am I referring to? And where am I?

Find out in just a few moments.

On today's show, we're helping a couple of busy Londoners

find a home, a business and a slower pace of life.

-Our properties appeal to both their interests...

-I like that.

-Wow.

-I love cooking. And he likes eating.

-I like eating.

THEY LAUGH

..but another leaves them tight-lipped.

I'm not going to say anything because I already really like it

and I don't want to give the game away.

Today I'm in Suffolk in the historic town of Lavenham.

Now, this beautiful building behind me is Shilling Grange,

home to the aspiring young poet Jane Taylor

who apparently penned the nursery rhyme

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

from her bedroom back in 1806.

Now, she'd find it hard to imagine how popular this poem would become

when it was added to an earlier melody of a French lullaby.

And it's amazing to think that this small poem, written here in Lavenham

back at the start of the 19th century,

has gone on to have such enduring appeal

and is still translated into languages all over the world.

But, as you're about to see,

poetry isn't all that this beautiful county

has to offer.

The East Anglian county of Suffolk

is bordered by Norfolk to the north,

Essex to the south and Cambridgeshire to the west.

Situated on the east coast,

the low-lying county has few hills and is largely agricultural.

There are no cities in Suffolk

but a scattering of beautiful market towns and villages, such as Kersey,

which prospered in the medieval period thanks to the wool trade.

Many of the historic buildings, some around 500 years old,

are painted in the traditional Suffolk pink,

a style first adopted by the local dyers.

On the coast, the attractive seaside town of Southwold

is popular with the rich and famous and, as such,

house prices command a premium.

Even a beach hut can set you back £70,000.

With trains running to London Liverpool Street

and journey times around 1 hour ¼ from Ipswich

and two hours from Bury St Edmunds,

Suffolk is well connected to the capital.

A vibrant arts and music scene,

including the world-famous Aldeburgh Festival,

makes it a popular destination

for those seeking an escape from the busier South East.

The average price for a detached house here in Suffolk

is just over £251,000,

which is around 16,000 below the national figure.

So, generally speaking,

this county offers pretty good value for money,

especially for those seeking an historic property

as there are over 12,500 listed buildings in Suffolk.

But what are today's buyers looking for?

Let's meet them and find out.

Gil, who's originally from Brazil,

and Phil have been a couple for two years.

Home is currently Phil's two-bedroomed flat in Shoreditch,

a trendy but very busy part of London.

This is an old artist's studio. We designed it all.

It's a bit Gothic.

We like a bit of Victoriana.

We've got Hoxton Market just outside our window

which has its upsides

because, if we want a bunch of flowers or some jellied eels,

it's the East End after all.

We can get them whenever we want. Um...

There's a very good vibe as well.

It's very noisy

and there are times when it, you know,

it just feels a little bit much.

Phil has recently given up a job as a deputy head teacher

and now runs an educational consultancy business from home.

Gil works in finance in the City Of London

and will continue commuting to the capital.

He first caught the country bug when he moved to Britain

19 years ago.

Well, when I first came to the UK, I went to visit to the Cotswolds

and I absolutely fell in love with the place.

But then Philip persuaded me to Suffolk.

The quality of life there, it does appeal to me.

I've done a lot in London and I think this is the time to move on.

And they've already dipped their toes into rural living.

We've got a little cottage in Suffolk

and we've been going there every weekend.

Lots of holidays.

We go on a Friday night, we hit the motorway,

we light the fire and that's it, you know.

It's a romantic getaway.

Swapping their weekend retreat for a permanent Suffolk home

will offer Phil the chance to relive his childhood.

When I was little,

I suppose I wanted to be a zoologist, or a vet,

or a jockey, or a show-jumper.

I've always been horse mad

and I used to participate in a sport called eventing.

About 15 years ago I sort of gave it up to focus on my career.

And I really want to go back and have another horse.

Nothing will make me happier than getting up in the morning,

going to feed my horse and going out riding.

Whilst Phil's saddling up, Gil will be down at the local court.

Being naturally Brazilian, you either play football or volleyball,

and I chose volleyball.

And volleyball has been my passion since I was a little kid.

And when I came to London, I joined a club.

We've been playing all over Europe, been national champion in the UK,

in Europe.

Something that keeps you fit but, as well, it's very...

give you a sense of community and I love it.

Absolutely love it.

As well as running his own consultancy business,

Phil also has plans to run a bed and breakfast,

a complete change of life for the busy Londoners.

For me, it's a life make over.

I want to make jam...

-GIL LAUGHS

-..I want to look after horses,

I want to look after our bed and breakfast guests and...

Excuse me, what about me?

-Yeah, I know...

-You should say, "I'm going to look after you too."

Well, you can say nothing now.

Our Suffolk property search

will be somewhat dictated by Gil's commuting time to London.

Ideally, he wants to be no more than two hours away from his desk

in the City, so we'll be looking within

reasonable distance of towns like Bury St Edmunds and Ipswich.

I'm meeting up with them on Suffolk soil

to discuss the finer details of their big move.

-It's stunning here, isn't it?

-Hmm.

-It is. Amazing.

What is it you like about it so much, Gil?

I love it. I just love the peaceful...

the fields, the horses and, you know, having the animals around us.

Well, you'll need to like horses cos Philip here...

It's a huge passion of yours, isn't it, Philip?

-Yeah, I've always been horse mad.

-Yeah.

As soon as I could, I learned to ride

and, ever since then, horses have been an obsession really.

So, that obsession is being bolted on to this new home, isn't it?

-Absolutely.

-Now, talk me through that a bit.

Yeah, well, our objective is to buy a place that has the potential

to be an equestrian bed and breakfast.

Right. OK. So we're looking for a house with some land.

-You know, land with some outbuildings or...

-Uh-huh.

-Yeah.

-..space to build outbuildings?

Ideally, we'd like to have them ready-made but, certainly,

if we can get planning permission relatively easy,

we don't have a problem with that.

We're kind of open minded, put it that way.

You've got a consultancy business.

Yes, yes. I'm an education improvement consultant.

And that's based at home?

It's based at home.

-You're quite different, aren't you, Gil?

-I am, yeah.

-You work in the City.

-Yes.

-Right in London, don't you?

-Yes.

I will continue initially the planning...commute to London.

So, let's talk about the house itself.

What, Gil, in your mind's eye does this look like?

Um, very rural.

We don't really like modern,

no bungalow whatsoever.

-Don't say the word B.

-Oh!

How many bedrooms do you think you need?

Um, four minimum.

Talk to me about the budget.

Well, our budget is the bottom end of 750

but we can go up to 850

provided we don't have to spend too much on it.

-That's a really healthy budget, guys.

-Hmm.

But we're looking for a lot. You know what I'm going to say?

We'll have to maybe look at compromises along the way.

-Yes.

-No pain, no gain.

-No pain, no gain!

Yes. It sounds like it's going to be my pain and your gain, Gil.

-I'd love that!

-That's the way...

-THEY LAUGH

Let's look at the first one and see what you think. This way.

Thank you.

For a generous top budget of £850,000,

Gil and Phil are after a property with character in a rural location,

ideally with three acres of land and outbuildings

to run an equestrian bed and breakfast business

in the future.

They'd like a minimum of four bedrooms

and need to be close to a train link

into London for Gil's job.

We've lined up three lovely Suffolk properties to tempt our buyers

but I won't be revealing the price of each until the end of the tour.

Our mystery house will give Phil and Gil plenty of property

but not necessarily in the right places.

Our first house is located in the village of Somersham,

seven miles from Ipswich railway station,

with a journey time of 1 hour ¼ to London by train.

The closest town is Hadleigh,

one of a series of attractive East Anglian settlements

that derived its wealth from the wool trade

and, as such, has a range of preserve,

timber and brick listed buildings as well as a leisure centre

with hard court areas for volleyball fanatic Gil.

The property can be found on a quiet country lane

just outside the village of Somersham.

First impressions, gentlemen?

-I like the look of it.

-Yeah.

-Good.

-Good size.

Yeah, no, it's a really lovely house actually.

What a lovely setting.

-A good place for the setting but...I'm keeping cool.

-Hmm.

It's hard to place it

because it's been completely refurbished,

and to a very good standard.

Parts of the house, the far side of it,

date back as far as 1580.

Now, when you get inside suddenly that history comes alive.

-All right.

-Great.

So far, so good. I can't wait to see inside.

-I want to see more.

-This is where we find out.

You said you wanted character. We'll find out how much you really like it.

-Follow me.

-All right.

-Let's go.

Our first property is a grade two-listed

Tudor Suffolk farmhouse

and is built to the classic stout oak frame.

So the first thing you'll see, lovely little snug area.

-That's cosy.

-That stove works. Solid fuel burner.

Now,

what do you think of this?

-Wow.

-There is a bit of wow factor.

I hoped for something like this standing outside.

The first thing I think it's like Christmas time.

That's a beautiful room for... Very Christmas.

-Love those beams as well.

-Can imagine being here.

The kitchen is a magnificent room. Look at this.

Oh, yeah. Wow, that is lovely.

-I like that.

-Wow.

-I love cooking.

-Do you?

I do. I love it.

-And he likes eating.

-I like eating.

THEY LAUGH

That's the perfect combination.

And I guess it's quite easy if you are entertaining

and having a dinner party,

it's just, you know...

Yeah, you get the best of both worlds

because you're not separated.

-It's still an entertaining space.

-Hmm.

-Hmm, yeah, it's good.

Let's take a look quick peek at the living room through here.

As well as the snug, dining room and kitchen,

there's a utility room to house the white goods

and an oak-framed sunroom which is adjacent to the main living room.

-Just mind your step coming down here.

-Thank you.

Hmm.

What's your thoughts?

Um, it's a...living room.

Yeah, I guess you've got a small window there.

-If you left that open, you've got dual aspect.

-Mm-hm.

-Cosy.

-Yeah.

I like the floor a lot.

Cosy sounds like you were expecting maybe a bit bigger.

-Don't...

-We like cosy but

maybe I was for the living area. I was a little bit...

I've always been partial to sort of slightly claustrophobic places.

THEY LAUGH

Upstairs certainly isn't claustrophobic

as there are four decent-sized bedrooms

and a family bathroom with roll top bath.

One of the doubles offers some space above it in the eaves,

and another leads to a further bedroom beyond that.

Finally, there's a room that might suit Gil and Phil.

The master suite kind of starts from here, so you've got an en-suite...

..and then you've got a big duck.

This is your master bedroom.

Yeah, no, I like that. Definitely.

I love the chimney breast.

Cos that'd be warm when the house is warm when the fire's on.

-Good size.

-Yes.

-And I love that.

I'm not sure in the dark how it's going to be

but I love that. HE LAUGHS

This is your home first.

I know you've got ideas of having a B&B business in the future.

I think this house could adapt to be your B&B business,

-if you like.

-Mm-hm.

-Mm-hm.

My plan for the equine bed and breakfast business

would be to turn the two adjacent double bedrooms

into a self-contained suite

with the furthest room becoming an en-suite bathroom.

Outside, the garden is spread out to the rear of the property

and there's a large three-acre paddock

offering plenty of room for a horse or two

as well as a couple of outbuildings.

Now, let's talk about everything we've got here.

As you can see, remember when we came in, there was a brick building?

-Yeah.

-You've also got this building here.

-Yes.

That's a good size building with a brand-new roof

with power and water. OK?

Now, going to your business idea, you'd initially think stables.

I actually think if you put stables elsewhere,

-that would be great accommodation for guests...

-It would.

..subject to obtaining the planning consents.

Yeah, it would.

-And behind those trees in a way would be good for the stables.

-Yeah.

It'd be perfect, wouldn't it?

-Hmm.

-How much do think it's on the market for?

775.

I'm going around 750.

Good guess. It's on the market for £750,000.

Even at the asking price, it gives you that float of £100,000

-to muck around with it.

-Hmm.

-Yeah.

Without me, why don't you go around the house on your own,

-but then go and explore all these outbuildings.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

Concentrate on it being a home first.

This business idea of yours, that's something for the future.

-Right, yeah.

-Help yourselves and we'll catch up

-when you're finished.

-Thank you.

-Thanks.

£100,000 below their maximum budget,

our first property gives Gil and Phil

a sizeable character home full of original features,

including a large kitchen to cook breakfast for paying guests,

four good-sized bedrooms plus plenty of space and outbuildings

to develop the equine holiday business.

And it's reasonably situated

for the mainline railway station.

I loved the...the space.

The outside space. The look of it, the situation.

The kitchen is amazing.

The living room - a little bit underwhelming.

The more I look at it and take into account the outbuildings,

which I've kind of fallen in love with, it's growing on me.

The living area, I was kind of not quite there

but, saying that, it's something that we could work on it.

Overall, good start.

Do I love the house?

Not sure yet.

We'll see what comes next.

But I like it. Good start.

Now, then, Philip,

you're spoilt for choice, I figure, for where to put your stables.

Did you find anywhere to put a volleyball court?

HE LAUGHS Well, there's space. That's for sure.

Nice. Nice space there.

Walking around the house Philip was like,

"Oh, I can see a horse from here. I can see a horse from that angle."

So I was thinking, where is the volleyball court going?

Sounds like we need to go away from here.

Remember all you liked and all you had question marks over.

-We're going to go to the next property, so follow me.

-OK.

-Cheers.

Suffolk's low-lying, flat terrain suits arable farming.

For centuries, a common feature in the rural landscape

was the Suffolk punch,

a heavy draught horse that was bred to pull the plough

and carry the wheat.

First bred in the 16th century,

it's the oldest kind of heavy horse in Britain.

A century ago, there were several hundred thousand Suffolks

but, today, there are approximately 400 breeding animals left.

In order to protect the breed, a charity, the Suffolk Punch Trust,

was set up in 2002 on 180 acres of farmland near Hollesley.

As Phil is passionately interested in horses, we sent him and Gil

to meet the trust's head groom, Jemma Martin,

to find out why the Suffolk punch is on the critical list.

Is it true that the breed is more rare than the giant panda?

Yes, it is. There's about 2,000 giant pandas

compared to just over the 400 mark of the Suffolk punches.

They're actually critical on the endangered list,

so it's quite vulnerable at the moment.

And what made the breed so ideal for working?

They're very short and compact with a lot of power,

so they're pulling power is about 2½ times their own weight.

Why are they such an endangered species now?

Obviously, when mechanisation came around with your big tractors

and things, which can do things so much quicker than your horses,

unfortunately, loads of these horses were sold on from farms

and, at that point, weren't bred anymore

cos there was just not the demand for them,

so the numbers dwindled immensely.

So, Jemma, what does the Trust do to protect the horses?

Well, we've got an active breeding system

where we try and put all of our mares in foal every year

to up the numbers.

Also, finding them jobs to do in today's world,

so they're trained in logging and sorts of things like that.

And we've recently started riding one of our mares as well.

As well as being used for farm work,

the breed also pulled heavy artillery

during the First World War.

To prevent the Suffolk punch from dying out,

the Trust has developed a unique programme to encourage

its recreational use,

turning it from a workhorse to a riding companion.

This involves breaking them to saddle,

a process also known as backing.

This five-year-old mare is called Colony Vee.

Jemma, how long has she been backed?

About five months ago now.

But, prior to that, as a two-year-old,

she's done some harness training, so she's done a bit beforehand.

-So do you think she's ready for another rider?

-I think so.

-Shall I go and get changed?

-I think that's a great idea.

Colony Vee is aiming for her first county show

in a couple of months' time.

Phil is an experienced rider

but he's never ridden a Suffolk punch before

and they're both a little nervous.

Is there anything I need to be aware of when riding her?

Just that, although she's five,

she's still quite green in herself, so she hasn't done a lot.

-Be nice and gentle with her mouth as well.

-OK.

-So no contact really, just light contact.

-Just a slight one, yeah.

-OK. I'll get on then, yeah?

-Yeah.

A mature Suffolk generally stands at between 16 and 17 hands

and can weigh up to 1,000 kilos, the same as a small car.

And they are always chestnut in colour.

In fact, you're quite a good size on her.

-I think we'll steal you back to ride her in shows.

-Yeah, I'd love to ride her.

So, how did it go?

Yeah, lovely.

Are we buying one then?

The Trust relies heavily on the help of volunteers,

so, even if they don't buy a Suffolk punch,

there'll be plenty of chances to help out at the stables

and visitor centre.

But, first, we need to return to the business

of finding our buyers a home.

For our second offering, we're heading east,

deeper into the Suffolk countryside and to the hamlet of Sternfield.

The closest market town, Saxmundham, is two miles away

and offers a wide range of amenities and a train station.

It's a 40-minute rail journey to Ipswich,

where you have to change for the London train.

The famous Snape Maltings Concert Hall is nearby,

which attracts visitors from around the world

and is one of the venues for the famous Aldeburgh Festival,

so a good spot for a potential bed and breakfast business.

Sternfield itself is a peaceful village

and our second house is situated on its fringes on a quiet lane.

So, in order to mix things up a bit,

we thought we'd show you a Georgian farmhouse.

This is it.

-I like it already.

-Gorgeous, isn't it?

-I absolutely like it.

Wow.

-Yeah. No...I...yeah.

-THEY LAUGH

-You can see the big smile on his face.

-Yeah.

-Definitely like it.

There is a compromise. There always is,

especially when you're looking for period properties with land.

-And that's where we are.

-Do we need to...

-I'm stretching your commute, I'm afraid.

-OK.

Saxmundham

is only a couple of miles down the road

and it has a train station there.

-You'd be better driving to Ipswich...

-Mm-hm.

-..40-odd minutes and then getting a train there.

-Hmm.

-OK.

Sorry.

Yeah, you will be. Only joking!

Anyway, I always said, you know, if the location or the house

is the house of our dreams,

I'll be willing to compromise I would say.

But I have already a good feeling and I just hope this flow...

-Will continue through it.

-..will continue when we go inside.

Let's have a look. Come on. Follow me.

'Well, Gil seems open to the idea of a longer commute.'

In we come. 'So, that's the major stumbling block out of the way.'

We're heading to the back of the grade two-listed farmhouse

which has been recently extended.

So, in we come to...

-..the newest part of the house actually.

-Uh-huh.

Look at you, you're comfortable already.

You can see my smile continues there.

I like it.

I'm not going to say anything

because I already really like it and I don't want to give the game away.

Come on, man! That's what we're here for.

-So far, I could see us here having our friends and family...

-Yeah.

-Two fingers up, in a good way.

-Two thumbs up. Good.

So, do you like what they've done with it cos it's modern...

Much more modern than we've seen so far, but does it work?

-It's gorgeous.

-It works. Even the part with the little window there.

-It's quite quirky. I like it.

-Do you want to see more?

Well, I'll tell you what we'll do - you can do a complete circuit,

if you like, of the ground floor before we go upstairs.

-Let's do just that.

-Sounds good to me.

The kitchen leads on to a stunning dining room

with glass doors along one side and fantastic views out onto the garden.

Adjacent to the dining room is a cosy snug with wood-burning stove.

Now you've got a much bigger reception room here.

That's more like it.

I like it. Lovely fireplace. As you say, you kind of go around the house.

Yeah. Well, this would have been...

It might've felt a bit long and thin before

but because you got that extension...

-Look, there's the old external wall.

-Yeah.

Cos you have that extension, in the short term,

you've got a snug and a living room.

In the long-term, talking about maybe having guests to stay,

you've got a sanctuary there, haven't you?

Well, that's their living room, isn't it?

Cos you can have that for the guests.

Fair enough.

Either way, keeping the bed and breakfast business in mind,

there are plenty of reception rooms without compromising their privacy.

Upstairs, the spacious theme continues,

as there are five bedrooms spread across two floors.

So, let's start with the master bedroom.

-It's a good size.

-Yeah.

-Yeah, it's lovely.

To give you an idea which got - you've got an a en-suite here,

an en-suite bath with a Jacuzzi in it with shower. And you've got...

a bedroom in the middle and a bedroom right at the end.

Beyond that bedroom is an en-suite,

-but it's the size of another family bathroom.

-Right.

So, the middle bedroom will have to come through one of these bedrooms

-to use this en-suite so maybe that becomes an office or an...

-OK.

..or study or whatever.

But upstairs, you've got two other bedrooms that share a bathroom.

-Wow, OK.

-So, you got all the bedrooms you asked for.

I can't add those up. How many does that make?

You've got five bedrooms

but I think essentially you've kind of got four

if you're starting to think about guests

and walking through other people's bedrooms and stuff.

-Mm.

-So you've we got all the bedrooms up here.

Let me take you back outside, if I may.

-Start thinking about price, as well, guys.

-Yeah.

-Hm.

To the side of the house, there's a large timber-framed outbuilding

that could be converted into stables.

The outside space includes a south-facing patio

and the rear garden is mainly lawn with a footbridge

across a small river to a further garden and meadow.

There are three acres of land in total.

But, there's also an option to rent a paddock

at the back of the property for Phil's longed for horse.

-Look at it.

-Yes, it's idyllic.

-You can see the volleyball court here.

I suppose now...

They've almost given you a volleyball net there, haven't they?

-No, no, no.

-Look at that.

-That would spoil it, actually.

If you said to someone, you know, "Show me a meadow"...

This would be it, wouldn't it?

It's just... You'd be so proud to live here, wouldn't you?

So how much do you think this spectacular Georgian property

with its three acres is on the market for?

I'm going to say £785,000.

I'm going to go a bit higher, actually. £825,000.

This house is on the market for offers around £795,000.

-Oh, wow.

-Hmm.

-That surprised me, actually.

-Yes.

-You need to go back into this house.

-Yeah.

Think about whether you guys could live here

and commute to and from here, as well, most importantly, Gil.

-All right?

-Absolutely.

-All right.

The house is that way, but don't forget to walk around, as well.

-All right, then.

-Thank you.

-Let's go that way.

-Do whatever you want.

-Cheers.

£55,000 below their maximum budget,

our second property, a Grade II listed Georgian farmhouse

gives Gil and Phil the character they asked for in a rural location.

It features five bedrooms, a large kitchen,

and land and outbuildings for an equine holiday business,

but it is a longer commute for Gil, just over two hours door-to-door.

Walking in, architecturally, the kitchen is a wonderful space

flooded with light.

Definitely somewhere where I could imagine pottering around,

spending time.

We're spoilt for choice were to stay

because we could probably live in the third floor,

but I can imagine just wanting to sleep in each room

a different night of the week

because I'd like all of them to be my bedroom.

Walking around the house, it feels really well. The layout worked.

You're kind of going around and wherever you looked at

was just nice and bright. It just worked.

It's like being on holiday, actually,

just looking around and those bridges.

A romantic getaway, really. I'm speechless for that. Love it.

-So, look at that. Is that a contented smile there, Philip?

-Yes.

But are you both happy?

-Yes, we are.

-Yes? Something to think about tonight?

-Absolutely.

-Yeah, definitely.

-Good news. Let's go back.

It's the second day of our property search

and on a generous budget of £850,000,

we're helping Gil an Phil from London

escape the bustle of the capital for the serenity of Suffolk.

Coming up, we go off-piste with the mystery house.

It's like a ski lodge.

Yeah, you know what? It's a good point, actually.

I get that. Yeah.

And I head back to the Stone Age.

Well, we looked around two fantastic properties yesterday, didn't we?

Although I don't think it takes a genius to work out

which of the two houses is coming out on top.

Now with that in mind, I think we can afford

to take a bit of a risk today. And let's face it,

that's what the mystery property is all about, isn't it?

Now, with this house itself,

there are a couple of issues, first of all.

Now, for Philip, there's not a great deal of land for his horses,

although there is an opportunity to get hold of some on a later date.

And then, for Gil, he seems to have an acute dislike for bungalows.

And let's face it, this house is built all on the same level.

But, if they're able to get over these issues,

they could get their hands on a character property

with so much space.

It'll offer them fantastic potential for their business.

Let's see how we go.

You want something quite different.

You want land around you and da-da-da.

You know there's going to be compromises, don't you?

-Yeah.

-Oh, right. OK.

-We're fully aware of that.

So, are you hinting at a project?

I'm hinting at a compromise.

We're not showing you this house because we think it's unsuitable.

We are just approaching it from a slightly different angle.

Yeah, I know. We like that.

I did say to you at the very beginning that we are open minded.

Well, let's see how far they're willing to go.

For our mystery house, we're heading northwest

to the village of Laxfield,

a 30-minute drive to the nearest train station.

Nearby Dennington has a vibrant community

which is reflected in the number of activities and societies on offer,

including a sports club for Gil.

Our final offering is situated a mile south from Laxfield village

in open countryside.

So the mystery house...

is this.

Well, almost looks like a collection of barns, doesn't it?

-I know.

-It does.

-First impressions?

Erm, I like it. I mean, is it a bungalow?

-Well, funny you should say that. It's a converted barn.

-Yes.

OK? Which those words seem to get people jumping for joy

a lot of the time, but, yeah, you're quite right.

It is all on one level, so it's a bungalow in its truest sense.

These are two very different men that I saw yesterday, aren't they?

You're not jumping for joy at the moment, are you?

I'm looking forward to seeing the stables

and the equestrian centre that's behind it.

Yeah, me too.

Well, this is the mystery house, and yes, the land could be an issue.

On the plus side, the actual property is huge -

over 4,000 square feet,

and so offers lots of potential to accommodate guests,

either friends from London, or income-generating holiday-makers.

-Right, so the hub of the house when you first walk in.

-Mm-hm.

First impressions?

Yeah, it's a spacious entrance, but the ceiling feels a bit low.

That's because there's a gallery above it.

There's a mezzanine level, if you like.

Just through that door you've got a utility.

A good size utility with deepfreeze

and a ground floor shower room and loo.

Just through those doors there, there's a snug.

We'll have a quick peek at that later.

Let me take you to the separate living room first.

The accommodation is arranged around a central courtyard

with the bedroom quarters on one side,

and on the day-to-day living areas on the other.

The main living room is accessed via a formal dining area.

Right, then.

This is the furthest part from the kitchen, if you like.

-OK. I like this better.

-Yeah, this is nice. It's like a ski lodge.

Yeah, you know what? It's a good point, actually. I get that.

One of the reasons why we brought you here

is cos we thought this might give you a really good opportunity

of an up and running B&B

-or some form of hospitality-based business.

-OK.

We've not really centred on that a great deal.

But we think this is your dedicated living room

away from your paying customers.

-This is just you guys.

-OK.

-OK.

-Yeah, we'll bear that in mind.

-All right. So, let's see more.

There's probably 3,500 square feet still to come, isn't there?

Good maths! I think you're about right.

Let's go have a look at some of it.

Despite its size, the third property

doesn't appear to have captured the hearts of our buyers just yet.

The kitchen is quite different.

-It's massive, isn't it?

-Yeah.

Now for you guys, looking at your home/business,

you've got your sanctuary away from people at the far end

with that living room we've just been to.

You got a snug here looking out to the garden.

And then your standard dining/kitchen here.

-Yeah.

-Put the Georgian house from yesterday to the back of your mind.

Let's try to see this as it is, all right?

-This is the sort of kitchen you could see yourselves in?

-Oh, yeah.

I mean, this is a fab kitchen, isn't it? What's not to like.

All right, let's go and have a look at the bedroom stock

because there's quite a bit to see. Follow me.

There are six bedrooms in total and not surprisingly,

they're all a good size.

Three of those bedrooms are found in a self-contained wing

of the property which also features a living room

with kitchenette and bathroom.

This section could be entirely reserved for guests,

leaving the three remaining bedrooms and family bathroom

for Gil and Phil.

-Now as it stands, it's the master bedroom.

-OK.

It's the biggest and it's en-suite

with a sunken bath in there, actually.

Sounds good.

-I like the exposure of the beams and all that. It's cute.

-Yeah.

What's been your feeling when you've been walking around?

I haven't got to grips with the geography of the house yet.

-It feels very sprawling.

-Yeah, it's labyrinthian almost.

Because it's also all in one level, it's spread out quite a lot.

But when you consider that you could probably

shut bits of the property off as when guests come to stay,

either paying or non-paying, it could work quite well.

In terms of land,

this property is the smallest we've seen at around 1.25 acres.

The gardens are mainly laid to lawn and bordered by an open meadow.

There is a garage but no immediate space and shelter for a horse,

however there are rentable options nearby.

What are your thoughts on this house?

Well, I mean, fair dues, it's a good attempt.

I feel like I'm being home-schooled now.

This is the teacher in you coming out, isn't it?

Do I get a cross or a tick at the moment?

-A little smiley face.

-Right, OK.

But not a big beaming smile. Just a little half.

Yeah, all right.

How would you price this house?

I mean, you both been very good in the pricing so far.

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

-I think £725,000.

-OK. Philip?

£695,000.

Very good guesses.

It's on the market for a guide price of £725,000.

Why don't you go back into the house? You've seen the land.

Why don't you go back into the house

and look at some of the areas we haven't seen like the bedrooms,

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

-All right.

-OK. Thanks.

Substantially below budget by 125,000,

our one-level barn conversion

gives a Gil and Phil a 4,000 square feet of accommodation to play with,

including six bedrooms and a separate wing for guests,

but comes with only 1.25 acres of land.

Location wise, it did look good.

But then we realised it was only one level...

It was a challenge.

The feel of the house for me...

It's a great family home, potential B&B...

I have to say from my heart, I didn't get the feeling

that it's the home that I would dream of.

-Well then, gentlemen, enjoyed your tour around on your own?

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

You know, it's a beautiful house.

-It just didn't work for us, but huge potential there.

-OK.

Well, there's something else praying on your minds, I shouldn't wonder.

Sounds like there's a big decision looming.

Let's find you somewhere to have a bit of a think

and then we'll get together and have a discussion.

-Good.

-Sounds good.

In 2005, the cliffs overlooking Suffolk's North Sea coast

at Pakefield hit the headlines.

Two amateur archaeologists stumbled on a remarkable discovery

that would rewrite history.

A collection of stone tools similar to these and made from local flint,

show that humans were living in Britain

700,000 years ago, far earlier than previously thought.

The process of shaping, or knapping, flint continues today

and the stone is often used as a building material in the county.

I've come to Bury St Edmunds to meet master flint knapper,

Will Lord, who runs workshops in prehistory

to find out how Stone Age man would have made these tools.

This is amazing. Let's talk about this environment.

Stone Age, we're talking about up to...

What, to one million years ago, goodness me.

It's mind-boggling, isn't it?

What was it like around here? What was the environment like?

It was a lush savanna,

but the problem was, is the animal kingdom was far different.

What sort of animals were roaming here then, Will?

You had mammoths, woolly rhino, you've got hyenas, you've got bears,

you've got lions...

Now, of course we are talking about, Stone Age man and woman, here.

At the heart of this process is stone

and here in Suffolk we have bountiful supplies of flint.

-Now you do something here called flint knapping.

-Well, yes.

We've got the flint knapping over there

and if we approach a stone well,

within five minutes time we can be holding in our hands

something called a hand axe,

which sounds like it's used for chopping trees down,

but basically it was used as a butchery tool

for cutting up things like a great big mammoth.

-Can I have a go at this?

-You can have a go at this, too.

-Let's go. Come on.

-Let's go.

Flint is a fine-grained form of the mineral quartz,

usually found as lumps in chalk.

It's one of the hardest natural materials there is,

making it the perfect stone from which to craft a tool.

The first step of knapping involves breaking open

a piece of parent material called a core.

-How old is this?

-100 million years old.

100 million years old?!

That's amazing.

OK, so, you've got your raw material.

We need to bust it open

-and look at the geometry of how to break it apart.

-OK.

So with that in mind, let's put that down and make your hammers,

-cos they're quite interesting.

-All right.

First of all, it's quartzite. It's the oldest stone on the planet.

-Quartzite.

-Quartzite.

It is very, very, very hard.

Will is going to start me off, but not before I get kitted out

as flint can shatter and spark when struck.

What I'm going to ask you to do now -

I want you to hold this on your leg as I held it on mine.

So, about there?

-Yeah, that looks great. Then hold on to this.

-Right.

I'm going to use my finger as a pen to mark where to hit it.

You're going to hit it there.

Now hit it hard.

That was the one!

Lovely job.

'The next step is to strike flakes off the core

'and then to shape those flakes into the intended tool.'

That, Will, looks...

That looks terrifying! Look at the edges!

You don't want to run your finger across the tip of that.

No way! Look at that.

'All this work has made me hungry, so what better way to test out

'our prehistoric carving knives than on a leg of fire cooked venison?'

-Goodness me, that's sharp.

-It's just falling apart, isn't it?

Wow! That is absolutely amazing.

Thank you so much.

Normally I'd say, "Look, I wish you the very best of luck.

"I'll see you again." But I'm going nowhere.

-Should we do some more carving?

-Let's get into it, shall we?

Well, after looking around three stunning properties,

I think it's fair to assume that there is still one clear favourite.

Let's find out what Philip and Gil want to do about it.

I'm pretty sure that your favourite house is house number two

that we saw yesterday afternoon.

What I want to know is, what do you want to do about it?

Well, we are still mulling it over.

It is a lovely house

and I knew from the moment that I saw it that you were presenting us

with a real dilemma which was why

I was kind of nervous going around the house,

because I didn't want to love it as much as I did.

But the payoff of the two hour commute is such a big consideration.

What I would love to do is actually to try to commute

and see how long it actually would take.

We started out a couple of days ago and we were looking for a house

with this potential to become a business in a few years' time

and in a lot of ways I think that...

That took the focus away from what we should've been looking at.

I've seen this journey go from this potential business to,

no, actually what we want is a home, first and foremost.

It's that home part of house number two

that you both seemed to really fall for.

Probably the deciding factor

is always going to be emotionally based.

That's what this process is about, though. It's a journey, isn't it?

And got us into bungalow.

Yes! I forgot about that. The big surprise. I totally forgot about it.

Well, look, I wish you both the very best the very best

with that second viewing.

Whatever you decide to do, please let us know, won't you?

-We will.

-It'll be on a sunny day. That's for sure. It'll help.

Don't do it in the wet. Please don't do it in the wet.

Perhaps that's what you should do then. Look, good luck.

-All right, thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Admittedly, it was a bit of a gamble showing Gil and Philip

the second property bearing in mind

the commute time back into London for Gil.

But I'm glad we took that risk.

I certainly think it was worth it

because in showing them that house,

it's got both of them to refocus on what's important to them -

and that's the house or business

needs to be a home for them both first.

And what a home that Georgian property would make.

And in going back for a second viewing,

doing a dummy run on that commute,

if Gil is able to put up with an extra 10 or 15 minutes on a train,

you never know, we may well have found them a new home.

I sure hope so. See you next time.

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