0:00:02 > 0:00:04For over 500 years, a host of angelic wooden carvings
0:00:04 > 0:00:06have welcomed visitors and worshippers alike
0:00:06 > 0:00:08to this medieval church behind me.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11But, in which county does it stand?
0:00:11 > 0:00:14Find out in just a couple of moments when I'll be taking a step inside.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Today, I'm helping to relocate a couple of music lovers
0:00:33 > 0:00:35looking to ditch their urban lifestyles
0:00:35 > 0:00:38to live in harmony in the countryside.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40Maybe we could burst into song and...
0:00:40 > 0:00:43- Well, maybe I could burst into song. - Let me show you the kitchen!
0:00:43 > 0:00:47And once they've found their voices, there's no holding back.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50- I'd probably rip the whole thing out, if I'm honest.- Yeah.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57Today, I'm in Cambridgeshire, in the market town of March
0:00:57 > 0:01:02and this is St Wendreda church, with its beautiful carved oak roof.
0:01:02 > 0:01:05Featuring over 100 angels, it's thought the faces of each figure
0:01:05 > 0:01:09represent the profiles of the craftsmen that carved them.
0:01:09 > 0:01:12Now, during the time of the Protestant Reformation,
0:01:12 > 0:01:14King Henry VIII sent his commissioners here,
0:01:14 > 0:01:18intent on destroying this saintly imagery.
0:01:18 > 0:01:20But, the quick-thinking locals
0:01:20 > 0:01:23decided to ply the king's men with good food and wine,
0:01:23 > 0:01:27who were so impressed by the hospitality they received here,
0:01:27 > 0:01:29they decided to leave the roof here intact,
0:01:29 > 0:01:32preserved beautifully, as we see it now today.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39The county of Cambridgeshire is situated in East Anglia
0:01:39 > 0:01:42and is bordered by Lincolnshire to the north, Suffolk to the east
0:01:42 > 0:01:45and Essex and Hertfordshire to the south.
0:01:45 > 0:01:47The county boasts a varied landscape,
0:01:47 > 0:01:50from the gently undulating hills in the south
0:01:50 > 0:01:52to the unique flat Fens of the north.
0:01:53 > 0:01:57Once a large area of dense forest, the Fens would regularly flood,
0:01:57 > 0:02:01killing off the trees and leaving a rich and fertile peat soil.
0:02:01 > 0:02:02Nowadays, drainage schemes
0:02:02 > 0:02:05have created over 200 miles of stunning waterways,
0:02:05 > 0:02:08perfect for enjoying a leisurely boat trip.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11In the heart of the fenland, lies Whittlesey,
0:02:11 > 0:02:13an ancient market town
0:02:13 > 0:02:16featuring architecture spanning several centuries.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18The 17th century Butter Cross
0:02:18 > 0:02:21is a throwback to its trading and agricultural past.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24The county town is the city of Cambridge,
0:02:24 > 0:02:25built by the Romans
0:02:25 > 0:02:27and nowadays most widely known
0:02:27 > 0:02:31as the home of its world-famous university, founded in 1209.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34Its prominent and historic buildings
0:02:34 > 0:02:36have long been appreciated by visitors,
0:02:36 > 0:02:38who often take in the rich architecture
0:02:38 > 0:02:40in a punt along the River Cam.
0:02:42 > 0:02:46Sought-after villages, a vibrant, world-renowned university city
0:02:46 > 0:02:48and good transport links back into London,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51make Cambridgeshire a very popular place to set up home
0:02:51 > 0:02:53which, of course, as you might imagine,
0:02:53 > 0:02:56has a knock-on effect on property values.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59In fact, the average price for a detached house here in Cambridgeshire
0:02:59 > 0:03:02is some £17,000 above the national figure,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05coming in at around £285,000.
0:03:05 > 0:03:07So, if you want to get more for your money,
0:03:07 > 0:03:09you're better off travelling towards the north of the county,
0:03:09 > 0:03:12effectively further away from our capital.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15Time to meet today's buyers to find out what's drawing them
0:03:15 > 0:03:17to this beautiful part of the country.
0:03:18 > 0:03:20Newlyweds Ian, a warehouse solutions manager,
0:03:20 > 0:03:22and Nicki, a teacher,
0:03:22 > 0:03:25met eight years ago through their love of a mutual hobby.
0:03:25 > 0:03:26Barbershop singing.
0:03:26 > 0:03:29It's basically singing without any musical instruments.
0:03:29 > 0:03:34It's a complete performance, so we tend to emote.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37And we met because I was training to be a judge
0:03:37 > 0:03:39and I went along to his chorus.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41I was the presentation coach for the chorus
0:03:41 > 0:03:45and Nicki's judging is in presentation and it went from there.
0:03:45 > 0:03:47It's taken us eight years to figure out
0:03:47 > 0:03:49that we want to be together forever.
0:03:52 > 0:03:53They recently took the plunge
0:03:53 > 0:03:56and got married in their favourite city of York.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58It was in a 14th century Tudor building
0:03:58 > 0:04:01and we were surrounded by all of our best friends, close friends,
0:04:01 > 0:04:02there were about 60 people.
0:04:02 > 0:04:05- It was very musical, wasn't it? - Very musical. Very barbershop.
0:04:05 > 0:04:06Singing makes you feel good
0:04:06 > 0:04:09and it also gives you the opportunity to show off,
0:04:09 > 0:04:10if you happen to be that way inclined.
0:04:10 > 0:04:12And both of us are.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Not ones to do things traditionally,
0:04:15 > 0:04:19their current living set up is also somewhat unconventional.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23Nicki lives with her children in Bishop Stortford, Hertfordshire,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26and Ian six miles away in Dunmow, Essex.
0:04:26 > 0:04:28Now, we're a little bit alternative, to tell the truth.
0:04:28 > 0:04:30Yeah, it is frustrating.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Nicki's got a house to sell and I'm living in a flat.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36You know, we've been together for eight years,
0:04:36 > 0:04:39but we both had families to raise
0:04:39 > 0:04:41and we made the conscious decision
0:04:41 > 0:04:43that we wanted to put the children first.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46It's perfect, because when we get fed up with each other...
0:04:46 > 0:04:48Yeah, that's right. Yeah. I don't have to go...
0:04:48 > 0:04:51- You can go home.- Yeah, I don't have to go to the spare room.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54Between them, they have five children.
0:04:54 > 0:04:55Ian's two visit regularly.
0:04:55 > 0:04:58But, with two of Nicki's three now at university,
0:04:58 > 0:05:01they've decided it's finally time to focus on themselves.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05And they've chosen Cambridgeshire for their first marital home.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07We have quite a few friends that live in Cambridgeshire,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09particularly southern Cambridgeshire,
0:05:09 > 0:05:15and I know there are some absolutely idyllic villages in that area.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18We've always lived in cities or towns.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21And also, I think it's that Cambridge itself,
0:05:21 > 0:05:23- we just love going there, don't we? - Oh, yeah.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26We go punting with our friends, we go to the theatre,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28we love the restaurants.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30We just love the whole atmosphere of Cambridge.
0:05:32 > 0:05:35They might be singing from the same hymn sheet when it comes to location,
0:05:35 > 0:05:38but Ian and Nicki are less in tune with each other
0:05:38 > 0:05:40when it comes to property style.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43I have lived in new houses most of my life
0:05:43 > 0:05:46- and whilst they are very... - Practical.
0:05:46 > 0:05:47All the amenities are there, yes.
0:05:47 > 0:05:49They're very practical. They're cheap to run.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52Yes. And there's lots of good reasons to having a new house.
0:05:52 > 0:05:53Yes.
0:05:53 > 0:05:57We're looking for something older, with character.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00I like the beams, I like the thatched roof.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06I'm looking for something that can inspire me.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11But this melodic duo aren't worried about disagreeing.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13In fact, they're used to it.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Sometimes we just agree on something immediately.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19And then, other times, we equally get frustrated
0:06:19 > 0:06:20when the other one can't see why
0:06:20 > 0:06:22we want to go down, you know, this path.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25I'm really not sure whether we're going to agree or not.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28I said to her when we first met, I said,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31"We're going to be really fiery together."
0:06:31 > 0:06:32And it certainly is.
0:06:32 > 0:06:34In fact, when we got engaged, we were on top of a volcano,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37so that kind of started the whole process off.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39- Very apt!- It was very appropriate, yeah. Very appropriate.
0:06:42 > 0:06:44Ian and Nicki are seeking a village lifestyle
0:06:44 > 0:06:47that's within commuting distance of London for Nicki's work
0:06:47 > 0:06:49and with good access to Cambridge.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52So, we're concentrating our search on the market towns and villages
0:06:52 > 0:06:54with road links to the M11 motorway
0:06:54 > 0:06:57and within an hour-and-a-half of East London.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00Before we begin, I need to know more about what they're looking for
0:07:00 > 0:07:02in their dream property.
0:07:02 > 0:07:06- So here we are in Cambridgeshire. Excited?- Very excited.- Extremely.
0:07:06 > 0:07:09Whereabouts do you want this property to be situated?
0:07:09 > 0:07:11Central village location? Edge of town?
0:07:11 > 0:07:12What are we talking about here?
0:07:12 > 0:07:14We feel, at this stage of our lives,
0:07:14 > 0:07:17that we'd like to move to a village, have a village location.
0:07:17 > 0:07:19So you want people nearby?
0:07:19 > 0:07:22Yeah. And we want somewhere with a bit of character.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24What does character mean to you, then, Nicki?
0:07:24 > 0:07:27I've lived in new houses most of my life.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29We recently got married
0:07:29 > 0:07:31and so this is sort of a new start, so I want something different.
0:07:31 > 0:07:33- You want old.- I want old, yeah.
0:07:33 > 0:07:34That's why she married me!
0:07:36 > 0:07:38So, this house, how big is it?
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Well, we have five children
0:07:40 > 0:07:43but, although they don't all live with us at the same time...
0:07:43 > 0:07:45- Yeah.- There is going to be a time when everybody's there.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48Like Christmas, for example, or certain school holidays or...
0:07:48 > 0:07:52Have you seen the sofa beds that are popular these days?
0:07:52 > 0:07:53- Futons. Futons.- Yeah.
0:07:53 > 0:07:55- We'll get futons, yeah. - Come on, how many beds, minimum?
0:07:55 > 0:07:57- It needs to have four, minimum. - Four bedrooms. OK.
0:07:57 > 0:08:00That'll probably come with a couple of reception rooms.
0:08:00 > 0:08:02What are you going to do with all that space?
0:08:02 > 0:08:04I need a study to work.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07A lot of the time I work from home or I drive across the whole country.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Now, one thing that strikes me
0:08:09 > 0:08:11is the fact that you're both very busy people
0:08:11 > 0:08:14and while you're looking to make this wonderful escape to the country,
0:08:14 > 0:08:16you still have your careers.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19And that seems to be like an umbilical cord
0:08:19 > 0:08:20still back towards London.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24Definitely, because I need to bomb it down the M11 to get to Newham.
0:08:24 > 0:08:27How far away from London are you prepared to move?
0:08:27 > 0:08:30Well, at the moment, on a good run, it's about 45 minutes.
0:08:30 > 0:08:33I think I'd be willing to probably double it
0:08:33 > 0:08:35because, looking at my career prospects for the future,
0:08:35 > 0:08:38I'll be looking to move out of London in the future.
0:08:38 > 0:08:40So, let's talk budget. Can you confirm that?
0:08:40 > 0:08:42500,000.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44So, that's a really healthy budget.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47How flexible is it? I know I might be pushing my luck here.
0:08:47 > 0:08:49- Depends how right the place is. - Yeah.
0:08:49 > 0:08:54If it's really right, maybe 525, 520, something like that.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57- OK. Is this the first property you're buying together?- Yes.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59I think we have got a little bit of battle going on
0:08:59 > 0:09:01- with the new and the old.- Yeah.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04Well, that's up to me to try and find a happy medium.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07All I ask from you guys is to speak up about what you do like
0:09:07 > 0:09:09and what you're challenged by.
0:09:09 > 0:09:10- Happy?- Very.- Very.
0:09:10 > 0:09:11- Let's get going.- Thank you.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Ian and Nicki have a budget of £500,000,
0:09:17 > 0:09:19which they hope will secure them their first marital home
0:09:19 > 0:09:22in a lovely Cambridgeshire village setting.
0:09:22 > 0:09:24They're after a property with character
0:09:24 > 0:09:27and a minimum of four bedrooms for when their children come to stay.
0:09:27 > 0:09:30They'd like a study for Ian, who works from home,
0:09:30 > 0:09:33and good motorway access, so Nicki can get to work in East London
0:09:33 > 0:09:35in under an hour-and-a-half.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37I've got three fantastic properties lined up for them,
0:09:37 > 0:09:41from character cottages to quirky conversions.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43But, I won't be telling them the price of each
0:09:43 > 0:09:45until they've had a guess themselves.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48For our final visit, I'll be turning things on their head
0:09:48 > 0:09:49with our mystery house.
0:09:54 > 0:09:57We're kicking off our Cambridgeshire search in the west of the county,
0:09:57 > 0:10:0140 minutes from Cambridge in the village of Bythorn.
0:10:01 > 0:10:03A small conservation village with character properties,
0:10:03 > 0:10:07Bythorn offers a community centre and a church.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11Nearby Titchmarsh, five miles west, provides further amenities,
0:10:11 > 0:10:12including shops and a pub.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Our first property is next to the church grounds in Bythorn.
0:10:19 > 0:10:20Righty-ho.
0:10:20 > 0:10:23Now, someone here said they fancied looking around an old property.
0:10:23 > 0:10:24Mm-hm.
0:10:24 > 0:10:26- Old enough?- Definitely.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28It looks pretty old to me.
0:10:28 > 0:10:31- How old is it?- 1640s, parts of it.
0:10:31 > 0:10:32OK.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35So, what do you think of how it looks?
0:10:35 > 0:10:38- It's really pretty. - Yeah, it's beautiful.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41The setting is perfect. It's really beautiful.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43- Is there a "but" in there? - Yeah, there is a "but".- Go on...
0:10:43 > 0:10:44I don't know if you can hear it
0:10:44 > 0:10:48but, the A14 is really quite close and we can hear the...
0:10:48 > 0:10:51Yes. But, if you look on the sat nav,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54from this house to Newham, on a clear day,
0:10:54 > 0:10:58one hour 23 minutes, because you're on the A14.
0:10:58 > 0:11:02- Well, there is that.- I think it depends what it's like inside.
0:11:02 > 0:11:03- Yeah. Follow me.- Thank you.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07Our buyers are attracted to this county
0:11:07 > 0:11:09for its market towns and villages.
0:11:09 > 0:11:11But, they also want motorway access for commuting,
0:11:11 > 0:11:15so there's got to be a trade-off in terms of proximity to main roads.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17Mind your step...
0:11:17 > 0:11:19I hope they give this cottage a chance,
0:11:19 > 0:11:21because I think it could work well for them.
0:11:21 > 0:11:22It's the old property Nicki wants
0:11:22 > 0:11:25but, having been updated in the 1980s,
0:11:25 > 0:11:27it comes without the maintenance issues that concern Ian.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32This is the first reception room.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34I like the fireplace.
0:11:34 > 0:11:35- Good. I do.- This feels newer.
0:11:35 > 0:11:37Well spotted, my friend.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39What I like is they've managed to find
0:11:39 > 0:11:40some reclaimed timbers and use those.
0:11:40 > 0:11:43You still get that semblance of character,
0:11:43 > 0:11:44- which is all-important to you.- Yes.
0:11:44 > 0:11:46You might have noticed, as you walked through,
0:11:46 > 0:11:48- there's a study just by that door. - Yes.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50So, you've got your dedicated office area.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53But, you'll be pleased to hear, this isn't the only reception room.
0:11:53 > 0:11:55You've got a few to choose from.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57Can you see yourselves using this room?
0:11:57 > 0:11:59And what about when you're practising singing.
0:11:59 > 0:12:01Do you prefer a small room or a big room?
0:12:01 > 0:12:04You have to think about the height of the ceiling
0:12:04 > 0:12:06because that's going to affect the sound.
0:12:06 > 0:12:08- This is as high as it gets.- OK.
0:12:08 > 0:12:10Maybe we could burst into song and...
0:12:10 > 0:12:11Well, maybe I could burst into song.
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Let's show you the kitchen!
0:12:15 > 0:12:18Downstairs also provides a utility room,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21a snug with stone fireplace
0:12:21 > 0:12:23and a substantial dining room,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26leading to the kitchen and breakfast room at the back of the house.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30Well, you can see where you do your dining, just off this...
0:12:30 > 0:12:31Wow!
0:12:31 > 0:12:33..rather nice kitchen. What do you think?
0:12:33 > 0:12:36I like the way it goes up into that space up there, actually.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38- Yeah, it's good.- That's really nice.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40- I like this preparation area.- Yeah.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42It'll stop us fighting over the work surfaces.
0:12:42 > 0:12:45But this kitchen, as you can see, it looks quite modern.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48This was fitted, again, two, two-and-half years ago.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51So, if you like it, that's one massive job you don't have to do.
0:12:51 > 0:12:52- Yeah, absolutely.- Yes, that's true.
0:12:52 > 0:12:56I like the idea of being able to work in the kitchen but still be able to socialise as well.
0:12:56 > 0:12:58What do you think, though? I mean, are you getting a...
0:12:58 > 0:13:00- Good vibes.- Yeah. - ..good vibe from the place?
0:13:00 > 0:13:03It's some very good vibes. It's got a warmth to it.
0:13:03 > 0:13:04Feels like a home.
0:13:04 > 0:13:05- Yes.- Doesn't it, so far?
0:13:05 > 0:13:07So, let's go up to the bedrooms, OK?
0:13:07 > 0:13:08OK.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12I was confident this house would go down well with Nicki,
0:13:12 > 0:13:15but I'm really pleased to get such a positive response from Ian as well.
0:13:15 > 0:13:19Upstairs, the property has four double bedrooms.
0:13:19 > 0:13:22Now, the owners have done the sensible thing here
0:13:22 > 0:13:24and put the master in the modern extension.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26So, they get all the modern facilities
0:13:26 > 0:13:28and the proportions you'd expect.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31- It's a good-sized room. - It is, isn't it?
0:13:31 > 0:13:33And really lovely with the windows. It makes it look...
0:13:33 > 0:13:36- Very bright, isn't it? - ..really light.- Yeah.
0:13:36 > 0:13:38It's not a poky en-suite, it's a really good size.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40- Double vanity units.- Oh! Like that.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42- His and hers sinks.- Yes!
0:13:43 > 0:13:46Now, you've also got three double bedrooms and a family bathroom.
0:13:46 > 0:13:47Right.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50- Which gives you your minimum requirement, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52Let's go outside and look at the garden. Come with me...
0:13:54 > 0:13:57Outside, terraces lead off both the breakfast room and the sitting room,
0:13:57 > 0:14:01with steps up to a lawned garden overlooking the churchyard.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Well, on a glorious day like today, this garden is ideal, surely?
0:14:07 > 0:14:09- Yeah.- It is a good size.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13I love that there's a willow tree there that is just spectacular.
0:14:13 > 0:14:14Love that.
0:14:14 > 0:14:18- Now, what about the house? Do you like what you see?- Yeah.- Yes.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20The very beginning, when we first started talking,
0:14:20 > 0:14:22we said the word "character".
0:14:22 > 0:14:23- It's got lots of character.- Yeah.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27How much do you think this house is on the market for?
0:14:28 > 0:14:32I'm thinking maybe £490,000.
0:14:32 > 0:14:33OK.
0:14:33 > 0:14:36I think maybe a little less. I'm going to go for 480.
0:14:37 > 0:14:41Well, Ian's spot on. It's on the market for offers around £490,000.
0:14:41 > 0:14:43Well done. Have a good look around it on your own.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46Start to have the conversation with yourselves about
0:14:46 > 0:14:47"Could we live here?"
0:14:47 > 0:14:50- You've never done that before as a couple.- No, that's true.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52All right? I will meet you.
0:14:52 > 0:14:56I'll probably be sitting outside in the sun somewhere, I don't know.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58- Anyway, I'll see you later on. Fill your boots.- OK, thank you.
0:15:00 > 0:15:01Well, very good reactions
0:15:01 > 0:15:05from a couple who haven't seen a property together before.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07We're a long way to go, but I think this...
0:15:07 > 0:15:09Well, it feels like a contender, doesn't it?
0:15:11 > 0:15:13Under budget by £10,000,
0:15:13 > 0:15:16this grade-two listed cottage, dating back to the 17th century,
0:15:16 > 0:15:19offers our buyers the character they both asked for,
0:15:19 > 0:15:23giving a sense of the past that Nicki wanted but with no work to worry Ian.
0:15:23 > 0:15:25It has four bedrooms, a study
0:15:25 > 0:15:28and with a travel time to London of under an hour-and-a-half,
0:15:28 > 0:15:31they could have a classic village lifestyle
0:15:31 > 0:15:33within commuting distance for Nicki.
0:15:33 > 0:15:34It looked quite small.
0:15:34 > 0:15:38But, when I actually got in and I looked at the extension at the back,
0:15:38 > 0:15:40the whole thing just took on a much more open aspect.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43There's lots of little rooms, interesting little rooms,
0:15:43 > 0:15:45and I love that interesting look about the whole place.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48I liked the kitchen. I liked the quirkiness of the split level.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50The views are fantastic.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53The bedrooms are a good size.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56But then, when I thought about our larger family,
0:15:56 > 0:15:59then I began to have a few little niggles and doubts,
0:15:59 > 0:16:02particularly the main bathroom is really small.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06I was snoozing off then. All done inside?
0:16:06 > 0:16:07- Yep.- Yep.
0:16:07 > 0:16:09- How did you get on? Do you like it? - Love it.
0:16:09 > 0:16:12Rooms are a bit small. But, again, there's a lot of them.
0:16:12 > 0:16:13So, it's good.
0:16:13 > 0:16:15Yeah, it's a really good start.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Oh, "really good start"? That sounds like "room for improvement".
0:16:18 > 0:16:20Let's see if I can do you just that. Come with me...
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Sitting in an unassuming village
0:16:26 > 0:16:29in the heart of Cambridgeshire's scenic countryside
0:16:29 > 0:16:31is a little-known historic gem.
0:16:32 > 0:16:34Hemingford Grey is home to one of the oldest
0:16:34 > 0:16:37continuously-inhabited houses in Britain.
0:16:38 > 0:16:39Built in the 1130s,
0:16:39 > 0:16:42the Manor House still retains many of its original features
0:16:42 > 0:16:45and has been home to the Boston family since 1939.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49We arranged for Ian and Nicki to meet current owner, Diana Boston,
0:16:49 > 0:16:51to visit this remarkable property
0:16:51 > 0:16:55that might just pique both their historical and musical interests.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58- Oh, hello!- Hello.
0:16:58 > 0:17:03Well done. You landed up at the original front of the house.
0:17:03 > 0:17:08So, you're standing in front of a house that's nearly 900 years old.
0:17:08 > 0:17:09Wow...
0:17:09 > 0:17:12And what's your connection with the house?
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Oh, well, my mother-in-law, Lucy Boston,
0:17:15 > 0:17:19she first saw it in 1915
0:17:19 > 0:17:22and thought it looked rather unloved, but very tranquil,
0:17:22 > 0:17:27and often thought of it off and on for the next 25 years.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31She got possession of it on May the 31st 1939.
0:17:31 > 0:17:33So how long did Lucy live here?
0:17:33 > 0:17:36She died in 1990, so 51 years.
0:17:36 > 0:17:37Wow.
0:17:37 > 0:17:39And then the house was passed to you?
0:17:39 > 0:17:41Well, inheriting this house
0:17:41 > 0:17:44is like finding a very difficult baby on your doorstep,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46you've just got to keep looking after it.
0:17:47 > 0:17:50Once owned by Oliver Cromwell's great grandfather,
0:17:50 > 0:17:53the Manor House has seen many interesting characters
0:17:53 > 0:17:55throughout its 900-year history.
0:17:55 > 0:17:59But Lucy Boston is perhaps one of its most fascinating custodians.
0:17:59 > 0:18:01Aged 47, she took on the restoration
0:18:01 > 0:18:04of the ancient four-bedroom house on her own
0:18:04 > 0:18:07and used it as the inspiration for her award-winning
0:18:07 > 0:18:08Green Knowe children's books.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11First published in 1954,
0:18:11 > 0:18:14the books take place in the fictional house of Green Knowe,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16based on the Manor House.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19But there's also a musical side to Lucy's story,
0:18:19 > 0:18:21which might interest Ian and Nicki.
0:18:22 > 0:18:25And it was in this room
0:18:25 > 0:18:29that Lucy gave gramophone record recitals during the war.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32So, every Tuesday and Friday night,
0:18:32 > 0:18:35all through the war,
0:18:35 > 0:18:38she played from her collection of records,
0:18:38 > 0:18:43of which there are a huge number to choose from,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46on the old EMG gramophone.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50When working as a nurse in France during the First World War,
0:18:50 > 0:18:54Lucy held recitals for recovering soldiers in the military hospital.
0:18:54 > 0:18:56They were so well-received that,
0:18:56 > 0:18:58when back in the UK at the start of the Second World War,
0:18:58 > 0:19:02she decided to revive them here at the Manor House.
0:19:02 > 0:19:05Diana, who was it that came to the recitals?
0:19:05 > 0:19:07It was the RAF.
0:19:07 > 0:19:10Lucy wrote to them suggesting that, maybe once a week,
0:19:10 > 0:19:11they'd like to come.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15And they said, "Yes, please. We'll send a bus full of airmen."
0:19:15 > 0:19:19And that's why this room is furnished in such a strange way,
0:19:19 > 0:19:21because she only had the sofa for them to sit in.
0:19:21 > 0:19:25The most I've counted in the visitors' book
0:19:25 > 0:19:29is 36 airmen here in one evening.
0:19:29 > 0:19:31In this little room?
0:19:31 > 0:19:33But, of course, they were youngsters,
0:19:33 > 0:19:37they could sit on the floor and they just loved it.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Is this a list of the kind of music that would be...
0:19:39 > 0:19:41That's what they listened to.
0:19:41 > 0:19:42Beethoven, Chopin.
0:19:42 > 0:19:43Yes.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45Tuesday March the 30th 1943.
0:19:46 > 0:19:48I know.
0:19:48 > 0:19:49The people.
0:19:49 > 0:19:51- Takes you back a bit.- Yeah.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55Lucy's recitals lasted for around two hours.
0:19:55 > 0:19:58They were so popular, they ran beyond the end of the Second World War.
0:19:58 > 0:20:03Nowadays, the Manor House receives up to 3,500 visitors a year.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07Whether they're brought here by her books, the architecture
0:20:07 > 0:20:09or the stunning landscaped gardens,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12they must be struck by the character and the sense of history here
0:20:12 > 0:20:14in the music room.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17Hopefully, our buyers won't have to wait 25 years, like Lucy did,
0:20:17 > 0:20:20for their dream character property.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26Next, we're travelling an hour east,
0:20:26 > 0:20:2814 miles north-west of Cambridge to Ely.
0:20:30 > 0:20:32Granted city status in 1974,
0:20:32 > 0:20:36its famous cathedral lies next to Cambridgeshire's only palace.
0:20:36 > 0:20:38Dating back to the 15th century,
0:20:38 > 0:20:42the Bishop's Palace was occupied by successive bishops until 1941.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47Ely was also home to Oliver Cromwell for ten years.
0:20:47 > 0:20:49His former residence is now open to the public
0:20:49 > 0:20:52and provides a recreation of life in the 17th century.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56Our second property offering is situated four miles from Ely,
0:20:56 > 0:20:58in the village of Coveney.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01Now then, Nicki, you must be getting rather excited at this moment.
0:21:01 > 0:21:05I am indeed. That's my thatched-cottage dream, isn't it?
0:21:05 > 0:21:10But, I'm worried that it could be Ian's thatched-cottage nightmare.
0:21:10 > 0:21:12It really depends how much work is involved in it.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15This thatch should last around 60 years.
0:21:15 > 0:21:16- Wow.- OK?
0:21:16 > 0:21:18And this was done back in 1999.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22Although, the ridge always needs to be replaced more regularly,
0:21:22 > 0:21:23and that can last 15 to 20 years.
0:21:23 > 0:21:27- So the ridge'll need to be done over the next few years.- Right.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29- But it's a much smaller job.- OK.
0:21:29 > 0:21:30OK?
0:21:30 > 0:21:32It already looks quirky from the outside,
0:21:32 > 0:21:33because you've got this main bit,
0:21:33 > 0:21:35probably with a false front door, I imagine.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37Yes, it's the old front door.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39But, as you might expect, we'll go in through the side.
0:21:39 > 0:21:40- Let's do just that.- OK.
0:21:43 > 0:21:44Laid out in an L-shape,
0:21:44 > 0:21:47the reception rooms run along the front side of the house,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50but we're beginning our tour in the kitchen at the rear.
0:21:52 > 0:21:54So, let's start off with the kitchen.
0:21:54 > 0:21:55Let's see what you think of it.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57Hm... Not great.
0:21:58 > 0:22:00It looks tired. Looks a bit tired.
0:22:00 > 0:22:01The cooker looks fantastic.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04Yeah. We like the cooker.
0:22:04 > 0:22:07And it isn't a bad size, is it? And the way it's designed as well.
0:22:07 > 0:22:12This whole house, it dates back, parts of it, some 300 years.
0:22:12 > 0:22:16And it was done up some 14 years ago, all right?
0:22:16 > 0:22:19So, this is not an old kitchen, it's just solid oak.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22Some of this work surface, you'd probably replace with slate
0:22:22 > 0:22:23or some kind of marble, maybe.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25- So, it's not putting you off?- No.
0:22:25 > 0:22:29No? Good. Let's walk past the small office into the reception rooms.
0:22:29 > 0:22:30Follow me...
0:22:30 > 0:22:33On the other side of the house is a good-sized family room,
0:22:33 > 0:22:35which could offer Ian a larger office space,
0:22:35 > 0:22:39as well as a dining room and a separate sitting room.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42So, very cosy, cottagey proportions in here.
0:22:42 > 0:22:46Come right in, get to have a good look at that inglenook.
0:22:46 > 0:22:48- Yeah, that's nice, isn't it? - Oh, wow.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50- Again, another sort of cosy sitting room.- Yeah.
0:22:50 > 0:22:52Which we like, don't we?
0:22:52 > 0:22:54Yeah, we like the cosy cottage feel to it, yeah.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Your style, then. This is what you're after?
0:22:56 > 0:22:57- Yes.- Effectively, yeah.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01So, now you've got this room, the dining room next door,
0:23:01 > 0:23:03maybe an office here,
0:23:03 > 0:23:05how does that figure for your ground floor?
0:23:05 > 0:23:07That's what we liked about the last house as well.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09- We liked all those different rooms. - Yes.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12With such a large family, you know, with lots of different uses.
0:23:12 > 0:23:13Escape.
0:23:13 > 0:23:16Yeah, escape from them, they escape from you.
0:23:16 > 0:23:19But also, the house, the home, needs to be versatile, doesn't it?
0:23:19 > 0:23:20Mm, definitely.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- So, the more rooms, the better, by the sounds of it.- Yeah.
0:23:23 > 0:23:24- Let's go upstairs.- OK.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29A common feature of properties of this age and style
0:23:29 > 0:23:33is that they do tend to have a number of smaller rooms.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35Upstairs, the property offers four bedrooms,
0:23:35 > 0:23:39including two good-sized doubles, served by a family bathroom,
0:23:39 > 0:23:41and a small, but very attractive single,
0:23:41 > 0:23:43served by its own staircase.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51Right above the kitchen, we find our master bedroom.
0:23:51 > 0:23:52Uh-huh.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Little en-suite shower room and loo.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56It's good to have the cupboard space.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59It's not as big as the master in the last room.
0:23:59 > 0:24:00Nowhere near as big, no.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03- But it has got that sense of character.- It has indeed.
0:24:03 > 0:24:07- Feels a little bit small, if I'm honest.- It does, yes.- Yeah.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09With a house like this, you'd want to spend more time
0:24:09 > 0:24:11in the rest of the house
0:24:11 > 0:24:13and I'm thinking, maybe even the garden.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16He seems more positive than you. What's going on?
0:24:16 > 0:24:18No, it's not that I'm being negative.
0:24:18 > 0:24:19I'm just saying it is a smaller room.
0:24:19 > 0:24:22And, as I said, you've got to put everything in perspective
0:24:22 > 0:24:23and weigh it all up.
0:24:23 > 0:24:24The whole package.
0:24:24 > 0:24:25Exactly.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28Well, I tell you what, it's got some amazing gardens.
0:24:28 > 0:24:30- Let me squeeze through and I'll show you.- OK.
0:24:31 > 0:24:35Not quite the reaction I was hoping for or expecting from Nicki,
0:24:35 > 0:24:38but there are still a couple of surprises to come outside,
0:24:38 > 0:24:39which might just swing it.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Well, a slightly bigger garden than the first house.
0:24:46 > 0:24:48Slightly, yeah!
0:24:48 > 0:24:50It's amazing. It's really beautiful.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52You can see you've got that wonderful patio
0:24:52 > 0:24:54that you'd spill out of the kitchen on to.
0:24:54 > 0:24:56But then, you've got a double garage.
0:24:56 > 0:25:00And then, upstairs, you've got a self-contained office suite
0:25:00 > 0:25:04or maybe even an apartment, if you wanted to go that far.
0:25:04 > 0:25:06I do like that idea because, when you work from home,
0:25:06 > 0:25:09it's always great to be able to go out and back in somewhere,
0:25:09 > 0:25:11because it feels like you're going to work.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14- The commute to work would be six paces.- Yeah.
0:25:14 > 0:25:15- Do you like it?- Yes.
0:25:15 > 0:25:16- Do you like it?- Yes.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19- So how much would you pay for a house like this?- Oh...!
0:25:19 > 0:25:21There's the question.
0:25:21 > 0:25:24I think that that garage with the room over
0:25:24 > 0:25:26and the size of the garden is going to put it up a bit.
0:25:26 > 0:25:30I'm thinking maybe 515,000-ish.
0:25:30 > 0:25:31OK.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33I think possibly more.
0:25:33 > 0:25:35525.
0:25:35 > 0:25:36You two are good!
0:25:36 > 0:25:40This place is on the market for offers around £520,000.
0:25:40 > 0:25:42- Bang in the middle.- Yay!- Well done.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45Now, there's a lot of property to look at here.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47Go and have a look around this house
0:25:47 > 0:25:49and I will meet you whenever you're finished, all right?
0:25:49 > 0:25:51- Thank you very much.- Thank you.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56This cottage scores high
0:25:56 > 0:25:59on Ian and Nicki's number-one requirement of character.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02It has four bedrooms, a number of study options for Ian
0:26:02 > 0:26:05and, although it's slightly over budget by £20,000,
0:26:05 > 0:26:09they did say they'd be willing to stretch for the right property.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12The only compromise will be a slightly longer commute time
0:26:12 > 0:26:13to London for Nicki.
0:26:14 > 0:26:15Oh, wow...
0:26:15 > 0:26:17Now, this would make a good office.
0:26:19 > 0:26:20I could live in here.
0:26:20 > 0:26:24Or an older child returning home...
0:26:24 > 0:26:25Yeah.
0:26:25 > 0:26:28..could have it as their living space. Independence.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31I still like my office.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35Think the house is a contender.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38It has so many things that I would look for in a house.
0:26:38 > 0:26:43That building with the garage in it, with the extra room above,
0:26:43 > 0:26:45that could really make the difference.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48And the garden... That's tremendous.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Bit scary for someone that doesn't do a lot of gardening,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54but I'm sure I could get used to it, along with a team of kids, anyway.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56I'm not quite sure about the village.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59I'd want to investigate that further.
0:26:59 > 0:27:02And then I'm just worried it's a bit too far out for us
0:27:02 > 0:27:03in terms of its location.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08- Now then, all done?- Yep.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11- You enjoyed looking round this house, didn't you?- Very much so.- Absolutely.
0:27:11 > 0:27:14Good. Well, that's all we're going to do today. So, let me take you back.
0:27:21 > 0:27:23It's the second day of our search with newlyweds Ian and Nicki,
0:27:23 > 0:27:26who are looking for a countryside character property
0:27:26 > 0:27:29on a budget of £500,000.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32They're leaving their urban lives in Hertfordshire and Essex
0:27:32 > 0:27:35and coming together in Cambridgeshire to buy their first marital home.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39Coming up, my mystery property whets Ian's appetite...
0:27:39 > 0:27:41- Maltings. Beer?- Beer.
0:27:41 > 0:27:42Excellent!
0:27:42 > 0:27:44- None left, I'm afraid.- Oh...
0:27:44 > 0:27:45Long since gone.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49..and I pay a visit to one of the biggest Bronze Age sites in Britain.
0:27:49 > 0:27:52Oh, wow! This isn't someone's first attempt at making something.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54These people knew what they were doing.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Well, out of the two houses we looked around yesterday,
0:28:00 > 0:28:01I was a bit concerned that property two
0:28:01 > 0:28:04could split the camp, being thatched.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06But Ian got on board pretty much straight away,
0:28:06 > 0:28:10which has emboldened me, really, to show them both the mystery house.
0:28:10 > 0:28:14Now, it's got lots of aspects I think Nicki and Ian will like -
0:28:14 > 0:28:16central village location, which has a pub,
0:28:16 > 0:28:18it's the closest of all three properties to London
0:28:18 > 0:28:21and the house itself has bags of character and history.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26But it also has something to it that could turn this search upside down.
0:28:29 > 0:28:32So, what do you think we might be going to have a look at today?
0:28:32 > 0:28:35I'm thinking maybe, in this part of the world, it might be an old mill,
0:28:35 > 0:28:37a converted mill or maybe a converted barn.
0:28:37 > 0:28:42How fixed are you in terms of layouts of a house?
0:28:42 > 0:28:43Not at all. I like quirky.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46So, I mean, if there's a long way between the rooms
0:28:46 > 0:28:49or the rooms are in different shapes or different levels...
0:28:49 > 0:28:51- I think that's better. - That'd be better, yeah.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55For our mystery house, we're heading west again
0:28:55 > 0:28:58to the village of Alconbury, six miles from Huntingdon.
0:28:58 > 0:29:02Situated along the Alconbury Brook, this attractive, leafy village
0:29:02 > 0:29:05has an active community, with a pub and a number of sports clubs.
0:29:05 > 0:29:09Its close proximity to the junction of the A1 and A14
0:29:09 > 0:29:12means it's less than an hour and 20 minutes to London,
0:29:12 > 0:29:13the best commute yet for Nicki.
0:29:14 > 0:29:19On a quiet road in a converted old barn, we find our mystery property.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24So, the mystery property is a conversion.
0:29:24 > 0:29:25It's a converted maltings.
0:29:26 > 0:29:28- Oooh...- Ah! Maltings.
0:29:28 > 0:29:29- Beer?- Beer.- Excellent.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31None left, I'm afraid.
0:29:31 > 0:29:32- Oh.- Long since gone.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35What do you think of the property?
0:29:35 > 0:29:37Looks quite big.
0:29:37 > 0:29:40It's not the whole maltings. Do you see that black downpipe?
0:29:40 > 0:29:42- Yes.- Yup.
0:29:42 > 0:29:43- It's up to there.- Oh...
0:29:43 > 0:29:46OK. Those windows are very small.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49The mystery property is always a gamble. Let's go inside.
0:29:50 > 0:29:54Conversions of character properties do often present compromise,
0:29:54 > 0:29:57due to what needs to be retained from the original building.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00But they also offer features you wouldn't get in a new house.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03That's just one of the reasons this is our mystery house.
0:30:03 > 0:30:07Now, you know you said you wanted quirky?
0:30:07 > 0:30:11You're probably noticing now that this house seems to be upside down.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14So, what do you think of having the bedrooms downstairs, then?
0:30:14 > 0:30:17- I haven't got a problem with that. - No. Doesn't bother us.
0:30:17 > 0:30:19All right. So what's going through your minds, then?
0:30:19 > 0:30:22It's a big enough room. I like the orientation of it.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25So, you've got storage space here and there.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27You've got an en-suite just there.
0:30:27 > 0:30:30So, this is the master suite and then you've got...
0:30:31 > 0:30:34..I would say two to three bedrooms that are spare.
0:30:34 > 0:30:37This is marketed as a three- to four-bedroom house.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39One of the rooms doesn't have any natural light.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43So, I think that becomes a storeroom.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45So, you're not getting your key four bedrooms here.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47What do you think of that?
0:30:47 > 0:30:49Is that a massive compromise for you?
0:30:49 > 0:30:52Yes. And also it's semidetached.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55OK. What is your aversion to being semidetached?
0:30:55 > 0:30:56What are your fears?
0:30:56 > 0:30:58Because we make a lot of noise as a family
0:30:58 > 0:31:00and we know other people do as well.
0:31:00 > 0:31:01And also with our singing,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04we might have a quartet or we're coaching
0:31:04 > 0:31:06or we're singing in a quartet ourselves
0:31:06 > 0:31:08and we don't want to disturb the neighbours.
0:31:08 > 0:31:12- Sure. If you wanted something quirky, this is it.- This is it.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15- All right? Let me just squeeze through here.- Go on.- Thank you.
0:31:15 > 0:31:16Although the bedroom space
0:31:16 > 0:31:18doesn't seem to have hit the right note with these two,
0:31:18 > 0:31:22they don't seem phased by the upside-down layout.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25Off the ground floor corridor are the other two main bedrooms
0:31:25 > 0:31:27and a family bathroom.
0:31:27 > 0:31:29At the back of the property, by the entrance hall,
0:31:29 > 0:31:33is the study or fourth bedroom, as well as a cloakroom and utility area.
0:31:34 > 0:31:38The staircase leads to three good-sized living spaces upstairs.
0:31:38 > 0:31:42So, on the first floor, we have your kitchen.
0:31:44 > 0:31:45Wow.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49Wow? That doesn't sound like a good "wow" to me.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53Well, I've never seen that many utensils hanging up before.
0:31:53 > 0:31:55OK, they're not going to be here, I know...
0:31:55 > 0:31:57The beams, I love the beams across.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59- They're staying. That's good. - Exactly.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01- That's good.- Yeah.
0:32:01 > 0:32:05And it is a decent size, but I would think to change things.
0:32:06 > 0:32:07- Yeah.- Like what?
0:32:07 > 0:32:10- I'd probably rip the whole thing out, if I'm honest.- Yes.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Well, you weren't singing and dancing in the bedroom,
0:32:13 > 0:32:15you're certainly not doing that in the kitchen.
0:32:15 > 0:32:16I'm sinking!
0:32:17 > 0:32:19Come with me...
0:32:19 > 0:32:21With no upstairs hallway,
0:32:21 > 0:32:24the kitchen leads straight through the dining area
0:32:24 > 0:32:27into a large living room with exposed original timberwork
0:32:27 > 0:32:29and a ceiling height of over four metres.
0:32:30 > 0:32:34- So, at last we get the genuinely... - Wow!
0:32:34 > 0:32:36..big reception room, don't we?
0:32:37 > 0:32:40- It's a decent-sized room. - Isn't it just?
0:32:40 > 0:32:42Yeah. Love the height.
0:32:42 > 0:32:45I mean, it's a fantastic room for our size of family.
0:32:45 > 0:32:48- Yeah.- And good to have the light coming from above.
0:32:48 > 0:32:53But, I still feel that the whole house has a suppressive feel.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56- Is it lack of natural light, do you think?- Yes.
0:32:56 > 0:32:58I don't feel this house is for you.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01But let's go out to the garden, it's a good-sized garden,
0:33:01 > 0:33:02and start thinking about price,
0:33:02 > 0:33:05- because this, I think, will be tricky to value, won't it?- Yes.
0:33:07 > 0:33:10Sitting in a plot of approximately half an acre,
0:33:10 > 0:33:12outside, the gardens include a large section of lawn
0:33:12 > 0:33:16as well as a paved patio area and a useful outbuilding.
0:33:18 > 0:33:19I thought you'd like this garden
0:33:19 > 0:33:22- because there's different bits to it, again.- Yeah.
0:33:22 > 0:33:23It goes right round the side.
0:33:23 > 0:33:26You've got some mature trees there, you've got another space there.
0:33:26 > 0:33:27All in all, the plot size
0:33:27 > 0:33:30is just only a bit smaller than the second property.
0:33:30 > 0:33:31OK.
0:33:31 > 0:33:34Clearly, the gamble hasn't paid off, but we're here.
0:33:34 > 0:33:38And I want to put you through some of the suffering I've been put through.
0:33:38 > 0:33:40So, you've got to guess the price now.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42How much do you think this mystery house is on the market for?
0:33:43 > 0:33:49I think 450.
0:33:49 > 0:33:50OK, go on.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52I'm going to say 495.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56Well, you win. This place is on the market for offers around £500,000.
0:33:56 > 0:33:57Oh!
0:33:57 > 0:33:59Has this house made you think any differently
0:33:59 > 0:34:03about what you're after or has it confirmed what you're after, maybe?
0:34:03 > 0:34:05It's definitely confirmed what we like.
0:34:07 > 0:34:10Coming in bang on budget, our upside-down mystery house
0:34:10 > 0:34:12was always going to be a gamble.
0:34:12 > 0:34:15But, for a couple who were set on a character property,
0:34:15 > 0:34:17it would certainly give them that.
0:34:17 > 0:34:19They could have up to four bedrooms
0:34:19 > 0:34:22and extensive living space for their large family.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24The property is in a great village location
0:34:24 > 0:34:27which, along with a commute of just an hour and 15 minutes for Nicki,
0:34:27 > 0:34:30means they really could have the best of both worlds.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38Wow. This is a much lighter room.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42- Still got the small window but that feature, there...- Yeah, that is...
0:34:42 > 0:34:45- That's spectacular, isn't it? - Yeah, that really makes the house.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49- Yeah, it does.- And this is fantastic for all our family.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51Because the house is turned upside down,
0:34:51 > 0:34:55you've got this whole walking into what effectively is a living area.
0:34:55 > 0:34:56It felt odd.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00You'd probably get used to it, but I'm not sure I would want to.
0:35:00 > 0:35:04Although I love the space of some of these rooms in the upstairs,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07the downstairs is more of a concern for me.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10It just doesn't work for us.
0:35:13 > 0:35:17- She's still smiling. You don't hate me?- No, I don't hate you.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19Good. So, finished up here?
0:35:19 > 0:35:20I think so.
0:35:20 > 0:35:22Well, it's decision time coming up,
0:35:22 > 0:35:25so let's find you a place to have a bit of a chinwag, shall we?
0:35:25 > 0:35:26Let's go...
0:35:31 > 0:35:34For centuries, the vast and flat landscape of the Fens
0:35:34 > 0:35:37has been quarried to extract Lower Oxford Clay
0:35:37 > 0:35:39to make high-quality bricks.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42But one quarry at Must Farm in the town of Whittlesey
0:35:42 > 0:35:45has unearthed artefacts buried deep beneath the wet Fens
0:35:45 > 0:35:48that tell us something about Britain's lost pre-history,
0:35:48 > 0:35:52in particular, about our early Bronze-Age ancestors.
0:35:52 > 0:35:54I'm visiting the archaeology park at Flag Fen
0:35:54 > 0:35:56to meet the archaeologist Mark Knight
0:35:56 > 0:35:59and find out about their recently-discovered treasures
0:35:59 > 0:36:01that have been preserved in the Cambridgeshire Fens
0:36:01 > 0:36:03for thousands of years.
0:36:04 > 0:36:06Mark, thanks very much for seeing me today.
0:36:06 > 0:36:07Now, driving round the Fens
0:36:07 > 0:36:09you see it's very much an agricultural environment.
0:36:09 > 0:36:13But thousands of years ago, this would have looked very different, wouldn't it?
0:36:13 > 0:36:14Yes. And a lot wetter.
0:36:14 > 0:36:17Essentially, it's been drained for agriculture.
0:36:17 > 0:36:20That's when they started unearthing artefacts, I suppose, isn't it?
0:36:20 > 0:36:24Yeah. Essentially, as the peat started to blow away and denude,
0:36:24 > 0:36:26the archaeology came back to the surface.
0:36:26 > 0:36:28How old was it? What was being found, then?
0:36:28 > 0:36:31OK. So, first of all, it was sort of Roman archaeology
0:36:31 > 0:36:32and then it became pre-historic.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35And then, most famously, within this particular site
0:36:35 > 0:36:36it was the Bronze Age.
0:36:36 > 0:36:39- So, we're talking 4,000 or 3,000 years ago.- Goodness me.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43So, this was a bog and people built elevated structures, piles, causeways
0:36:43 > 0:36:46and started living in this space in the Bronze Age.
0:36:46 > 0:36:49Here at Flag Fen, excavations started in the 1980s
0:36:49 > 0:36:51and it's now one of the largest and most important
0:36:51 > 0:36:53Bronze-Age sites in Britain.
0:36:53 > 0:36:56The causeway, discovered in 1982,
0:36:56 > 0:37:00was believed to have been built between 1300 and 900 BC.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02The waterlogged nature of the Fens
0:37:02 > 0:37:05has meant is has been remarkably well-preserved.
0:37:05 > 0:37:06The main area of excavation
0:37:06 > 0:37:09can be viewed in the aptly-named preservation hall.
0:37:10 > 0:37:14So, Mark, I mean, here we're looking at a very big, dark, damp hole.
0:37:14 > 0:37:15What are we looking at, really?
0:37:15 > 0:37:18Well, here are the preserved timbers of the Flag Fen causeway.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22So, a series of rows of uprights of oak and alder posts,
0:37:22 > 0:37:25creating a causeway across the marsh.
0:37:25 > 0:37:26And then the laterals,
0:37:26 > 0:37:29the sort of planks you can see lying in the flat there,
0:37:29 > 0:37:31are the former remnants of the structure itself,
0:37:31 > 0:37:33so the bridge, the causeway itself.
0:37:33 > 0:37:38So, Bronze-Age man and woman would've pile-driven these timbers in
0:37:38 > 0:37:40and then lain timbers across?
0:37:40 > 0:37:42Yeah. And, you know, the people that excavated this site
0:37:42 > 0:37:45have found real elaborate carpentry and things,
0:37:45 > 0:37:47- so mortise and tenon joints and things like that.- Really?
0:37:47 > 0:37:51So, with the bog as it is, being wonderful at preserving,
0:37:51 > 0:37:54I imagine lots of things have been found since.
0:37:54 > 0:37:56Yes. And contemporary with this site,
0:37:56 > 0:37:58a site that we've been doing just down the road,
0:37:58 > 0:38:00we've found log boats also made from tress
0:38:00 > 0:38:03and probably from the same trees as the causeway itself.
0:38:03 > 0:38:05- And can we look at those now? - Yes, they're on this site.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07- Let's have a look.- Let's go.
0:38:08 > 0:38:11Since 2011, a total of eight log boats
0:38:11 > 0:38:13have been discovered at Must Farm,
0:38:13 > 0:38:16the earliest dating back to 1600 BC.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18All within a 200-metre stretch of channel.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20It's a huge find.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23Now undergoing a two-year preservation programme,
0:38:23 > 0:38:26a cold store has been built to protect the vessels
0:38:26 > 0:38:28at a temperature of around three degrees Celsius,
0:38:28 > 0:38:31to prevent bacteria damaging the ancient timber.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34This looks like a big fridge. Is it?
0:38:34 > 0:38:35Yes, it is a big fridge.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38Basically, we're trying to keep these things wet and cool
0:38:38 > 0:38:39as part of their conservation.
0:38:39 > 0:38:42You read, sometimes, about archaeological finds.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44- You've not got one boat, you've got loads.- Yes.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46Is this just a very lucky find
0:38:46 > 0:38:49and that maybe they just dumped all the boats here
0:38:49 > 0:38:51or was this just a massively-populated area?
0:38:51 > 0:38:54Our impression is that these are the sort of white vans
0:38:54 > 0:38:56of the Bronze Age, effectively,
0:38:56 > 0:38:58and that we're going up and down these channels.
0:38:58 > 0:39:00But, maybe we're making our way to the Wash
0:39:00 > 0:39:02or to the sea to cross the Channel to go to the Continent.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06So, you're learning, again, so much about the Bronze-Age man.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09I mean, well, they're intelligent people,
0:39:09 > 0:39:11who travelled an awful lot,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14- bearing in mind their very primitive transport mode.- Yes.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17- You just don't feel that we're talking about cavemen any more.- No.
0:39:17 > 0:39:20We're actually talking about a cultured society,
0:39:20 > 0:39:22living within a wetland landscape.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24So, one boat on its own could almost be like a chance find,
0:39:24 > 0:39:27but you're getting to see a river in use.
0:39:27 > 0:39:28You haven't just found something,
0:39:28 > 0:39:31you've found communities-worth of history.
0:39:31 > 0:39:33- I imagine you must've found other things along the way.- Yes.
0:39:33 > 0:39:36By the boats, there were fish weirs and fish traps.
0:39:36 > 0:39:37But also personal adornments.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39We started seeing daggers and swords and spears.
0:39:39 > 0:39:41- Tell me you've got some of those. - Yes, we have.
0:39:41 > 0:39:42- Let's have look.- OK.
0:39:47 > 0:39:51These, Mark, look remarkably well-preserved, don't they?
0:39:51 > 0:39:53So, we have a rapier from the middle Bronze Age.
0:39:53 > 0:39:56We have a leaf-shaped sword from the later Bronze Age.
0:39:56 > 0:40:00And then we have this big, flat sword from the late Iron Age.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07Oh, wow! This isn't someone's first attempt at making something.
0:40:07 > 0:40:10- This looks like these people knew what they were doing.- Oh, absolutely.
0:40:10 > 0:40:13I'm now, you know, carrying this weapon.
0:40:13 > 0:40:16I'm glad I'm not meeting these people, certainly.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18Now...this looks like a much more modern weapon.
0:40:18 > 0:40:20Yes. And look what happens.
0:40:20 > 0:40:22We leave bronze and we enter iron,
0:40:22 > 0:40:24we're into the Iron Age.
0:40:24 > 0:40:26It is stunning, in the sense that, you know,
0:40:26 > 0:40:30even the brass fittings and so on, the hilt and the pommel and things.
0:40:30 > 0:40:31And some of that's decorated.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34It's unbelievable. So, how much have you discovered?
0:40:34 > 0:40:35Is there much more to go?
0:40:35 > 0:40:38I think there's a sense that... How deep do you want to go, basically?
0:40:38 > 0:40:41- So, there's even more to come, if you keep digging?- I think so. I think so.
0:40:41 > 0:40:43- Thank you very much. - No worries.- Fascinating.
0:40:49 > 0:40:51Well, from my perspective,
0:40:51 > 0:40:54I saw the best reactions from Ian and Nicki in the second property,
0:40:54 > 0:40:55the thatched house.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58Time to find out from them if it's a real contender.
0:41:00 > 0:41:02Look at this. Lovely spot.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04Got me a cup of tea as well.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07It's like we're old friends now, isn't it?
0:41:07 > 0:41:10Now, after a bit of time to think things through,
0:41:10 > 0:41:12I think we can cast aside the mystery house,
0:41:12 > 0:41:14but what do you think of the first two properties I showed you?
0:41:14 > 0:41:16- They were both really lovely, actually.- Yeah.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18But the second one...
0:41:18 > 0:41:20Yeah, the second one had the edge
0:41:20 > 0:41:22- and I surprise myself when I say that.- Why, though?
0:41:22 > 0:41:24Because it's thatched, isn't it?
0:41:24 > 0:41:26And that costs a lot of money and, you know, and...
0:41:26 > 0:41:29But inside the building, it was really...
0:41:29 > 0:41:32It was all the quirky things that I love about cottages.
0:41:32 > 0:41:33Mm. It was beautiful.
0:41:33 > 0:41:35It seemed...ideal?
0:41:35 > 0:41:38The house itself was ideal, but the location...
0:41:39 > 0:41:44..was just perhaps that bit too far for us at this stage in our lives,
0:41:44 > 0:41:46- which is such a shame. I know. - I know.
0:41:46 > 0:41:51You said, initially, that you could go up to an hour-and-a-half away.
0:41:51 > 0:41:53It's just too far away from London, then?
0:41:53 > 0:41:57I think we need to have a serious discussion about, you know,
0:41:57 > 0:42:01balancing short-term pain with long-term gain.
0:42:01 > 0:42:03Are we prepared to do that
0:42:03 > 0:42:05or do we need to look at our budget
0:42:05 > 0:42:08and think maybe we need to afford, you know,
0:42:08 > 0:42:11work out a way to afford a bit more, to be able to come nearer.
0:42:11 > 0:42:13Is your plan, then, to reassess your budget
0:42:13 > 0:42:15and then maybe look closer to London, then?
0:42:15 > 0:42:18I think that's the first thing we'll investigate.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20You've got, clearly in your mind's eye,
0:42:20 > 0:42:21what you know you want, haven't you?
0:42:21 > 0:42:24So, good luck in your continued search.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26- Let us know how you get on. - Thank you.- Thanks, Jonnie.
0:42:26 > 0:42:27Thank you very much.
0:42:31 > 0:42:33There's often quite a bit of pressure on a couple
0:42:33 > 0:42:36when they're looking to buy their first home together.
0:42:36 > 0:42:38So, Nicki and Ian should be fairly relieved to discover
0:42:38 > 0:42:40they like exactly the same things in a house.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42It's just a shame that their favourite seemed to be
0:42:42 > 0:42:45just outside their comfort zone geographically.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47But, the good news for them moving forward is,
0:42:47 > 0:42:51they know exactly what they want and, most importantly, where it should be.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54And I think the property probably needs to be
0:42:54 > 0:42:56just that little bit closer to London.
0:42:56 > 0:42:58See you next time.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01If you would like to escape to the country
0:43:01 > 0:43:03in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, England
0:43:03 > 0:43:06or, perhaps, even further afield to the Continent
0:43:06 > 0:43:07and would like our help,
0:43:07 > 0:43:12please apply online at...