0:00:02 > 0:00:05It took nearly three months to carve this enormous wooden structure
0:00:05 > 0:00:08that stands in the grounds of a stately family home
0:00:08 > 0:00:13that's been a 35-year labour of love. So, where am I?
0:00:13 > 0:00:15Join me in just a few moments and I'll let you know.
0:00:32 > 0:00:35Today's house hunters can't wait to switch city living
0:00:35 > 0:00:37for a new life in the countryside.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40Our properties seem to meet their seal of approval.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42I really love the beams here.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45That adds a certain amount of character to it.
0:00:45 > 0:00:48But the pressure's on to find the perfect country setting.
0:00:48 > 0:00:52- It's not what I had in my head when I thought rural.- No.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54Welcome to Escape To The Country.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56And today, we're in Suffolk,
0:00:56 > 0:00:58in the grounds of the beautiful
0:00:58 > 0:01:00red-brick Tudor manor house Kentwell Hall.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Now, originally built 500 years ago,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Kentwell had fallen into serious disrepair
0:01:06 > 0:01:09when it was bought by Patrick Phillips in the 1970s,
0:01:09 > 0:01:14who set about undertaking a complete restoration of the house and gardens
0:01:14 > 0:01:16that continues to this day.
0:01:16 > 0:01:18Now, as well as authentic repairs,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21the grounds also feature a few whims and follies,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24including the 60-foot sculptured yew tree
0:01:24 > 0:01:29and a two-dimensional maze made up of 30,000 bricks.
0:01:29 > 0:01:32Now, later in the show, I'll be back to uncover more
0:01:32 > 0:01:35about this beautiful and historic Suffolk home.
0:01:37 > 0:01:39The East Anglian county of Suffolk
0:01:39 > 0:01:42is bordered by Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Boasting beautiful landscapes and windswept beaches,
0:01:45 > 0:01:48the heart of Suffolk's heritage is apparent
0:01:48 > 0:01:51through its clusters of historic wool towns and villages
0:01:51 > 0:01:53which date back to the 15th century,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55when the textile trade was big business here.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Filled with its timber-framed buildings lining the streets,
0:01:59 > 0:02:04Lavenham is regarded as England's best-preserved medieval village.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08The seaside town of Felixstowe lies to the south of the county,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11which is believed to be the last place in English history
0:02:11 > 0:02:14where an invasion force of some 2,000 Dutchmen
0:02:14 > 0:02:17came to shore in 1667.
0:02:17 > 0:02:21Running along the coastline, Suffolk's National Nature Reserve
0:02:21 > 0:02:24is home to a variety of birds, otters and deer.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27Indeed, as a county so full of natural wonders,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30it's easy to see why it holds such a wide appeal
0:02:30 > 0:02:33for those in search of a country retreat.
0:02:35 > 0:02:39With beautiful countryside and a wealth of historic properties,
0:02:39 > 0:02:42you'd expect Suffolk to have house prices to match.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Yet the average price of a detached home at the moment
0:02:45 > 0:02:47is around £270,000.
0:02:47 > 0:02:52Now, that's about £11,500 below the national average.
0:02:52 > 0:02:55So I think it offers good value for money.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59However, with a train commute time to London of just one hour twenty
0:02:59 > 0:03:00from Sudbury and Stowmarket,
0:03:00 > 0:03:03properties in the south of the county
0:03:03 > 0:03:06tend to be a little bit more expensive than those in the north.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10So, what is it about Suffolk that excites today's buyers?
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Well, let's meet them and we'll find out.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16Laura and Chris first met in 2004 in Japan
0:03:16 > 0:03:20when both of them were at university studying Japanese.
0:03:20 > 0:03:24Chris had travelled over from his university in Alaska
0:03:24 > 0:03:27and I'd come over from my university in London to do a year abroad.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31And since then, we've been together ever since, pretty much, yeah.
0:03:31 > 0:03:34Three years later and sales advisor Chris
0:03:34 > 0:03:38moved to be with HR consultant Laura, living in London.
0:03:38 > 0:03:42I think Chris is a great kind of anchor for everything
0:03:42 > 0:03:45that I want to do and we work really well as a team together.
0:03:45 > 0:03:48She really wants to look after everybody, it's amazing.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50So that really draws me to her.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Based in Surbiton, a busy South West London suburb,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57and having endured the daily commute for just under a decade,
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Laura and Chris are keen to leave the rat race behind.
0:04:00 > 0:04:04Now we're older, we've had time to think about what we want from life,
0:04:04 > 0:04:08we'd like to move out and really kind of spend some time together
0:04:08 > 0:04:11in a bit more quieter environment and being a bit more relaxed.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13We'd get more out of living in the countryside
0:04:13 > 0:04:15than we would, say, in a town or a city.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18As ambitious Laura has already secured a new job
0:04:18 > 0:04:20in Suffolk, near to her family,
0:04:20 > 0:04:24now is the right time to move back to her roots.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Due to the pressures of work and having our lives down here,
0:04:27 > 0:04:30we don't get to see them as much as maybe I would like
0:04:30 > 0:04:33and probably definitely as much as they would like.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36So I see this move as a really good opportunity to see them more.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38And there's a lot of history out there, as well.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41There's old country homes you can go and walk around in,
0:04:41 > 0:04:42and the coast, as well.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45And just a really nice sort of place to be, it seems like.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48Having rented flats for many years, Laura and Chris
0:04:48 > 0:04:51are longing to find their own property and settle down.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54Especially Chris, who grew up in a military family,
0:04:54 > 0:04:56moving every couple of years.
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Born in Frankfurt, Germany. We were in Arizona.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02About a year after that, we ended up in Tehran in Iran.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05Lived in several places in Germany, lived in Italy,
0:05:05 > 0:05:07lived in four or five states in the States.
0:05:07 > 0:05:11In his youth, Chris lived with his sister on Kodiak Island
0:05:11 > 0:05:12off the coast of Alaska,
0:05:12 > 0:05:15where the wilderness lent itself to fishing and hunting.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19So he's relishing the thought of returning to the countryside.
0:05:19 > 0:05:21There'll be less people and fewer shops.
0:05:21 > 0:05:23And just going and seeing what's out there
0:05:23 > 0:05:26and maybe going into finding a nice little river somewhere,
0:05:26 > 0:05:28trying to go fishing again, that kind of thing.
0:05:28 > 0:05:30In a bid to get on the property ladder,
0:05:30 > 0:05:32Laura and Chris have saved hard.
0:05:32 > 0:05:37So now it's all systems go to find their ideal new house in Suffolk.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40This will be the first property either one of us has bought.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43I see it as being a big change, but a really exciting one.
0:05:48 > 0:05:50With Laura's new job starting in the near future,
0:05:50 > 0:05:53the move can't come soon enough for them.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55They're fairly open to living anywhere in the county,
0:05:55 > 0:05:58as long as it's a commutable distance
0:05:58 > 0:06:00to her work in Glemsford, near Sudbury.
0:06:00 > 0:06:03I'm meeting up with them to pinpoint exactly what they're after
0:06:03 > 0:06:05from their first home together.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09So, Laura and Chris, welcome to gorgeous Suffolk.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11But tell me, why have you decided
0:06:11 > 0:06:13that you both want to move to this part of the world?
0:06:13 > 0:06:17Well, we've come out here really because Laura's getting a job
0:06:17 > 0:06:18- and has to relocate for it.- Yeah.
0:06:18 > 0:06:21And, Laura, you actually know this area quite well, don't you?
0:06:21 > 0:06:25Yeah. So I was lucky enough to have the chance to live up here
0:06:25 > 0:06:27when my parents moved up here when I was much younger.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29They live on the Essex/Suffolk border now.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Also, we've always wanted to move a bit further out of London.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36We've always lived in Central London because our work's been there.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39This was a really good opportunity to move out to the country
0:06:39 > 0:06:41and change our lifestyle a bit.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43Chris, at the moment, you work in Central London.
0:06:43 > 0:06:45Are you looking for new opportunities here work-wise?
0:06:45 > 0:06:49Ideally, I would, yeah. I'd love to come out and retrain
0:06:49 > 0:06:52rather than continue down, sort of the...
0:06:52 > 0:06:55- The commuting path. - Yeah, that sort of thing, you know.
0:06:55 > 0:06:57Always a huge move, a huge commitment
0:06:57 > 0:06:59moving to a different part of the country.
0:06:59 > 0:07:02What are you looking for when it comes to, say, the community?
0:07:02 > 0:07:05For me, I wouldn't mind not living in a community.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07I could be completely rural, for me.
0:07:07 > 0:07:10It would be nice for me to still have that sense of community,
0:07:10 > 0:07:12still have things going on that we can take part in.
0:07:12 > 0:07:15This is going to be the first time you'll buy a property together.
0:07:15 > 0:07:18- It is.- That's right.- What does the property itself look like?
0:07:18 > 0:07:23Preferably detached, um...with a reasonably large kitchen.
0:07:23 > 0:07:25We like to cook.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Two bedrooms and a sort of manageable-sized garden.
0:07:28 > 0:07:31Ideally, within commuting distance, within an hour of Glemsford,
0:07:31 > 0:07:35where I'll be working. And space, ideally, for two cars.
0:07:35 > 0:07:37How much is in the pot? Remind me.
0:07:37 > 0:07:40Top budget is £275,000.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43With some scope if we needed to do some work on top of that, but...
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Yes. Well, I think we should get started.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48We've got some splendid properties lined up.
0:07:48 > 0:07:50First-time buyers, shall we get started?
0:07:50 > 0:07:53- Sounds brilliant.- Yes, sounds great. - Come on, let's go.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57So, having a budget of up to £275,000,
0:07:57 > 0:08:01Chris and Laura are looking for a detached property with two bedrooms.
0:08:01 > 0:08:05Ideally, they'd like a large kitchen, a manageable garden
0:08:05 > 0:08:07and to be within an hour's drive
0:08:07 > 0:08:09from Laura's new job in Glemsford.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12We've got a great line-up of properties to show them
0:08:12 > 0:08:15that really showcases the best Suffolk has to offer.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17At the end of the house tours,
0:08:17 > 0:08:19I'll be asking them to guess the price of each.
0:08:19 > 0:08:21Our final offering is the Mystery House,
0:08:21 > 0:08:24which will challenge them to reconsider
0:08:24 > 0:08:26some of the elements on their wish list.
0:08:31 > 0:08:35We're beginning our search in the north of the county, in Stanton.
0:08:35 > 0:08:36On the edge of the village,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40Upthorpe Windmill has been a local landmark since 1751.
0:08:40 > 0:08:42Surrounded by open countryside,
0:08:42 > 0:08:47the community benefits from a local shop, two bakeries and a pub.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50With cinema evenings and regular events serving the residents here,
0:08:50 > 0:08:53this location could ease Laura and Chris's transition
0:08:53 > 0:08:56to country living from the buzz of the capital.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Right in the heart of the village is our first house.
0:09:00 > 0:09:04It's the start of our house hunt for your very first property together.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07Believe it or not, the whole property is one.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09- Oh, right.- Oh, OK.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12It's really attractive. It looks really interesting.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14It's a bit of red brick, yellow render.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16It's not a bad-looking property from the outside.
0:09:16 > 0:09:17Looks great in the sunshine.
0:09:17 > 0:09:19Wondering where the car parking might be...
0:09:19 > 0:09:21You have a driveway just through those gates.
0:09:21 > 0:09:23So they share this driveway.
0:09:23 > 0:09:26But you do often get that, shared ownership in the country.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29- So it's something you'll just have to bear in mind.- OK.- Fair enough.
0:09:29 > 0:09:32- Shall we step inside?- Yes. - Sounds great.- Love to.
0:09:32 > 0:09:36'This property comprises a Grade II listed cottage
0:09:36 > 0:09:38'that dates back to the 1700s,
0:09:38 > 0:09:41'as well as a former Victorian bicycle-repair shop,
0:09:41 > 0:09:42'which is where we're heading first.
0:09:42 > 0:09:45'Modernised internally throughout,
0:09:45 > 0:09:49'our couple might be pleasantly surprised by the interior.'
0:09:49 > 0:09:53- So as you walk in, you've got a wonderful glass porch.- Yeah.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55Quite a generous-sized study here.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59- And then you've got a large open sitting room.- Oh, wow!
0:09:59 > 0:10:02- Quite a good-sized room, it really is.- Yeah, it's lovely.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05I really love the beams here in the middle.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07That adds a certain amount of character to it.
0:10:07 > 0:10:10This originally was a barn.
0:10:10 > 0:10:12- OK.- OK.- About 20-30 years ago.
0:10:12 > 0:10:14But the current owners looked at it and thought,
0:10:14 > 0:10:17"Actually, this is a great living space for the family".
0:10:17 > 0:10:20It's been done sympathetically.
0:10:20 > 0:10:22- Bit of character, but it's nice and high.- Definitely.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24- It's a nice room. - It gets quite a lot of sunlight.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27- And then it's nice it looks on to the garden, as well.- Yes. Good.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29We're only through room one, aren't we?
0:10:29 > 0:10:32- Let's see what you make of the rest. - All right.- Cool.
0:10:33 > 0:10:37So here we are in the main body of the house.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39Oh, wow!
0:10:39 > 0:10:42Originally, this was probably a separate room
0:10:42 > 0:10:45and they've opened it out, but they've kept the structure.
0:10:45 > 0:10:48- That is your front door.- (Right.)
0:10:48 > 0:10:51But we're in the country, no-one ever uses their front door.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55My attention when I came in was just immediately drawn to the beams here
0:10:55 > 0:10:57- that divide the rooms, almost.- Yes.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01But this is a really good kitchen space, actually. All relatively new.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05You do have the Victorian quarter, shall we call it?
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Ideas of grandeur with your first home.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10And then as you walk into the main house, as I like to call it,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13you've got a huge family bathroom.
0:11:13 > 0:11:16In addition to that, you've actually got another sitting room.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19- Wow! That is a lot of space, yeah. - Quite a lot of space left to see.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21Well, I'll let you explore the ground floor on your own
0:11:21 > 0:11:25because I'm keen to take you upstairs, show you the bedrooms.
0:11:25 > 0:11:26- OK.- All right.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29And those bedrooms are up on the first floor,
0:11:29 > 0:11:32and give Laura and Chris three good-sized doubles.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34One more than they asked for.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37I wonder if they'll mind not having a bathroom upstairs?
0:11:39 > 0:11:42This is the master. Fair to say this is the largest.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45- It's big, isn't it?- Yeah. That's another good-sized room.
0:11:45 > 0:11:47If it bothers you that the bathroom's downstairs,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50you could always convert one of the bedrooms into a bathroom.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53It would be a shame to lose the third bedroom, almost.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56There's plenty of space downstairs already, in some ways.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59You could easily get a shower room in here and make it an en-suite.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02- Yeah.- Mm. It would have been nice to have a bathroom up here.
0:12:02 > 0:12:04Keep you from having to traipse up and down.
0:12:04 > 0:12:08- Let's go outside. You have to guess the price for this property.- OK.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11'So far this property has received
0:12:11 > 0:12:14'some pretty positive reactions from our couple.
0:12:14 > 0:12:18'They seem genuinely impressed with the amount of space inside,
0:12:18 > 0:12:21'so hopefully they'll be equally pleased with what outside offers.'
0:12:21 > 0:12:25Now, one of the requirements was, I seem to remember, a garden,
0:12:25 > 0:12:29not too big a garden - we don't want maintenance.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31I think this is great - I love the size of it.
0:12:31 > 0:12:33I love the fact that it's not overlooked
0:12:33 > 0:12:36and I love the fact as well that the house
0:12:36 > 0:12:38you can look at over the garden.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41And, Chris, how do you feel? You know, the access point
0:12:41 > 0:12:44is unusual for the cars, you share that access.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46To be honest, it... That's the biggest downside.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50But you feel pretty good about the actual property itself?
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Yeah, the property itself has been really good so far, yeah.
0:12:53 > 0:12:57How much do you think this property is on the market for?
0:12:57 > 0:13:00Oh, definitely 275, maybe up to 280.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04- OK. Chris?- I don't think it's going to be quite as much as that,
0:13:04 > 0:13:06I think I'd go 265.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08Not a bad guess.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11It has come down, actually, recently, in price -
0:13:11 > 0:13:14it's on the market for £268,000.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17- Oh, right.- All right. That's a... It's a good price for what you get.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21Why don't you have another look around? There's still plenty to explore.
0:13:21 > 0:13:24- Brilliant.- And I'll catch up with you when you're ready.
0:13:24 > 0:13:26- Brilliant, thank you.- Thank you.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30'At £7,000 under budget, this sympathetically modernised
0:13:30 > 0:13:33'and extended character cottage with three bedrooms also has
0:13:33 > 0:13:38'a manageable garden, is located within a semi-rural village
0:13:38 > 0:13:42'and is a 45-minute drive to Glemsford for Laura's new job.'
0:13:42 > 0:13:43Cool.
0:13:43 > 0:13:46It's another decent-sized bedroom, isn't it?
0:13:46 > 0:13:48Yeah, so it's good storage space as well.
0:13:48 > 0:13:49Another door in the wall there.
0:13:49 > 0:13:51Yeah.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55- Is that to the other room, do you think?- Um?- We'll have to find out.
0:13:55 > 0:13:56OK, so this is the third bedroom,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59so that definitely was an adjoining door.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Yeah, at some point, yeah.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03- But again it's not a bad size. - Good size.
0:14:03 > 0:14:04Could be a bathroom maybe.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Yeah, potentially. HE LAUGHS
0:14:07 > 0:14:08It's good.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11I love the character and I love the fact that even with
0:14:11 > 0:14:14the character the rooms are still a regular size, there's still a lot
0:14:14 > 0:14:18of good space and there's nothing that really needs doing, it's great.
0:14:18 > 0:14:20I thought that kitchen into the dining room thing was
0:14:20 > 0:14:23pretty spectacular, the massive fireplace and everything
0:14:23 > 0:14:24and I think that's really nice.
0:14:24 > 0:14:27It really is a contender, didn't expect that on the first house
0:14:27 > 0:14:30that we saw, but really impressed.
0:14:30 > 0:14:33The house is not in a rural setting.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37Ideal would be detached house away from everyone else,
0:14:37 > 0:14:39just, you know, plenty of space, plenty of quiet,
0:14:39 > 0:14:40that sort of thing.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43But it is an awful lot of house for the money.
0:14:43 > 0:14:44Here you are, have you seen enough?
0:14:44 > 0:14:47- Yeah.- Yeah.- It's really... - Really good.- Really good place.
0:14:47 > 0:14:50- It's a good start, isn't it? - Yeah.- Fantastic.
0:14:50 > 0:14:52- Right, let's keep going.- All right.
0:14:58 > 0:14:59Travelling around Suffolk,
0:14:59 > 0:15:02you're almost certain to see a Mill Road or Mill Street,
0:15:02 > 0:15:06and although many of the mills that once peppered the county are no more,
0:15:06 > 0:15:10nestled into the countryside in the village of Pakenham remains not one,
0:15:10 > 0:15:15but two of the county's hidden gems, a historic windmill and watermill.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Now the last working watermill in Suffolk,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21and one of the oldest in operation in England,
0:15:21 > 0:15:24the watermill uses the simple technology of water power
0:15:24 > 0:15:28to produce stone-ground wholemeal flour from locally grown wheat.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Mindful of our buyers' desire to learn more about the heritage
0:15:33 > 0:15:35of the county, we've arranged for
0:15:35 > 0:15:39Laura and Chris to meet the mill's curator, David Eddersham.
0:15:39 > 0:15:42- Nice to meet you.- And you. - My name's Chris.- Chris.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44Have you ever been in a watermill before?
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Yeah, we've visited a small one down near Winchester.
0:15:47 > 0:15:51- A small one?- But not on the same scale as this, I don't think.- No.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53It probably wasn't as old as this either.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56This building has been here about 200 years
0:15:56 > 0:16:00but there's been a mill on this site for 1,000 years.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Wow. So who runs the mill nowadays?
0:16:03 > 0:16:08Well, today it's owned by the Suffolk Building Preservation Trust
0:16:08 > 0:16:10and it's run by a team of volunteers.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13I'm one of the volunteers, we have about 50 altogether
0:16:13 > 0:16:17who help to look after this whole site and mill flour.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19So I'll take you round, show you how the mill works.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23- Sounds great.- Right.- All right. - Let's start with the waterwheel.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27It's the natural flowing water from Pakenham Fen
0:16:27 > 0:16:29that collects in the millpond,
0:16:29 > 0:16:31and drives the five-metre-high iron waterwheel
0:16:31 > 0:16:36which was built locally in Bury St Edmunds in 1898.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38There's the water coming in.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41- Oh, wow. - And the buckets fill and off we go.
0:16:41 > 0:16:43THEY LAUGH
0:16:44 > 0:16:47This is called a breastshot wheel.
0:16:47 > 0:16:50- OK.- The water is coming in at about this height,
0:16:50 > 0:16:53more than halfway up one side of the wheel...
0:16:53 > 0:16:54Oh, wow.
0:16:54 > 0:16:57..filling the buckets and the clever thing about it
0:16:57 > 0:16:59is that it's the weight of water,
0:16:59 > 0:17:01not the force of the water, that's driving it.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04So you don't need a current or anything, it's just...
0:17:04 > 0:17:05We don't need a strong current,
0:17:05 > 0:17:09and in Suffolk, which is a very low-lying, flat county,
0:17:09 > 0:17:12you don't get a lot of fast-flowing streams
0:17:12 > 0:17:17so this system works perfectly in Suffolk.
0:17:17 > 0:17:19- Great.- That's amazing.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22The power of the waterwheel is also harnessed to hoist up grain
0:17:22 > 0:17:24to the fourth floor of the mill.
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Then it's placed into chutes that funnel it down
0:17:26 > 0:17:29to where millstones grind the wheat grain into flour.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33It takes around an hour to fill four 20kg sacks.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38So the flour comes down this chute straight into the sacks,
0:17:38 > 0:17:42and as it comes down, the miller is testing it all the time
0:17:42 > 0:17:45to make sure it's the right consistency.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48Just feel that, how soft it is.
0:17:48 > 0:17:51- Wow, it's like sand, it's really fine.- That is wholemeal flour.
0:17:51 > 0:17:54- It's got everything in it. - That's really smooth.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57We mill it very fine and so you get a much lighter wholemeal loaf.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59Now we're going to go into the miller's house,
0:17:59 > 0:18:02into the old kitchen, where we've got the oven going
0:18:02 > 0:18:05and we're going to bake something with this flour.
0:18:05 > 0:18:07- Great.- Sounds great. - OK? So come this way.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12Laura and Chris are making Suffolk rusks,
0:18:12 > 0:18:16a scone-like snack historically eaten by farm workers.
0:18:16 > 0:18:20A mixture of flour, lard, egg, milk and sugar,
0:18:20 > 0:18:21they're baked for 20 minutes
0:18:21 > 0:18:24before being halved and baked again to crisp up.
0:18:26 > 0:18:27- Here we are, then.- Wow.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30They smell really, almost savoury, even though there's...
0:18:30 > 0:18:32- Yes, yes.- ..sugar in there.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35- Yeah, it's kind of almost like a popcorny, like....- It is.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37That kind of smell, almost.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Mmm. That's surprisingly good, actually,
0:18:43 > 0:18:46kind of biscuity, bready flavour.
0:18:46 > 0:18:47They're all right
0:18:47 > 0:18:50- but they don't really taste much of anything, really.- No!
0:18:50 > 0:18:53No, but if you'd been working all day in the fields
0:18:53 > 0:18:55you'd be glad of this by tea-time.
0:18:55 > 0:18:57- I can see how it could be quite satisfying, actually.- Yes.
0:18:57 > 0:19:00- They've come out really well. - They did.- Well, you made them.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02- Well done.- Thank you very much!
0:19:06 > 0:19:08We're staying close to Pakenham
0:19:08 > 0:19:10as our house hunt continues
0:19:10 > 0:19:11in the nearby village of Ixworth.
0:19:11 > 0:19:15Here, the River Blackbourne meanders around its outskirts,
0:19:15 > 0:19:18providing opportunities to fish with the local angling club,
0:19:18 > 0:19:20which could be great for Chris.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24With two pubs, a post office and a local butchers,
0:19:24 > 0:19:27there are useful amenities within range for Laura and Chris.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30Just over a five-minute drive away,
0:19:30 > 0:19:33our second property is set amongst working farmland
0:19:33 > 0:19:34and open countryside.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37As you can tell, we're in the country.
0:19:37 > 0:19:39You've got animal noises, you've got a tractor!
0:19:39 > 0:19:43- Chris, I'm thinking rural just for you, what do you reckon?- All right,
0:19:43 > 0:19:45yeah, yeah, this will fit the bill.
0:19:45 > 0:19:48Because this here is our next property.
0:19:48 > 0:19:50- Oh, wow.- Oh, wow.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52It's nice, obviously semidetached.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55- Yes. You've probably noticed we have...- Oh, OK.- ..the garage,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58you've got parking here for at least three cars.
0:19:58 > 0:19:59Yeah, it's quite remote here.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01The property itself, lovely.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03- We're right on the edge of the village, actually.- Oh, OK.
0:20:03 > 0:20:07So I wonder if this is the rural idyll that Chris is after.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09Could be, yeah, could very well be.
0:20:09 > 0:20:11- OK, well, follow me.- Cool.
0:20:12 > 0:20:16'Dating back to the 17th century, this cottage has undergone
0:20:16 > 0:20:19'extensive renovation by the current owners to not only modernise
0:20:19 > 0:20:23'but also enhance the original features of the property.'
0:20:23 > 0:20:25- Come on in, step inside.- Wow.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29- A lot more character than the first. - Yeah, all the beams and the...
0:20:29 > 0:20:31- what we assume would be a partition wall.- Yes.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34It's the first time I've actually ever seen this...
0:20:34 > 0:20:37This is called clunch, which is sand, lime water,
0:20:37 > 0:20:41there'd be straw... It's a bit like wattle and daub.
0:20:41 > 0:20:43- Yeah.- But that was originally a wall
0:20:43 > 0:20:46and the owner's thought, "Why not open it up, make it a feature?"
0:20:46 > 0:20:48And it leads beautifully into a dining room.
0:20:48 > 0:20:50It really opens the room up.
0:20:50 > 0:20:52Yeah, and it's nice that you can see out to the back
0:20:52 > 0:20:55and you've got the light coming in from the garden as well.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57- That's really nice. Yeah.- Really good.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- Keen to see a little bit more, Chris?- Yeah, very.- Definitely.- OK.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08The all-important kitchen, you've got a very small hallway...
0:21:08 > 0:21:11and then this kitchen has been newly fitted, well, relatively recently.
0:21:11 > 0:21:13I mean, this granite is beautiful.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15It's lovely, very modern.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18It's a lovely space, yeah, I like that it's got lots of light.
0:21:18 > 0:21:20I'm pleasantly surprised.
0:21:20 > 0:21:25I thought I was going to get a slight, "It's a bit small, Nikki."
0:21:25 > 0:21:27Chris?
0:21:27 > 0:21:28It probably is just a tiny bit small
0:21:28 > 0:21:30but it looks like it's been well thought out.
0:21:30 > 0:21:33I'm going to take it that you like it and not ask you again.
0:21:33 > 0:21:34I think so, yeah!
0:21:34 > 0:21:37But I'm also going to sell you the utility room next door.
0:21:37 > 0:21:38- Oh, right.- With access outside.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40One more room to mention -
0:21:40 > 0:21:45you do have a really good-size study just along the hallway.
0:21:45 > 0:21:48- Brilliant.- Yeah, we'd have to have a good look at it and make sure.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51Good. Well, I guess it's time to go upstairs. Let's take a look.
0:21:55 > 0:21:57'On the first floor there are two double bedrooms
0:21:57 > 0:22:01'and a bathroom, which was recently relocated from downstairs.'
0:22:03 > 0:22:06That probably is one of the smallest
0:22:06 > 0:22:09and steepest staircases you've ever been in,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11quite bijou but the good news is,
0:22:11 > 0:22:14when you get upstairs, you've got a good-size master bedroom.
0:22:14 > 0:22:16- Yeah.- Storage cupboards?
0:22:16 > 0:22:20Storage, yes, hanging in that one, you've got shelves in that one,
0:22:20 > 0:22:22and as you can see, we've got a visitor, the wonderful cat.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25Sadly, he doesn't come with the house.
0:22:25 > 0:22:27Yeah, it doesn't look like it's going anywhere.
0:22:27 > 0:22:29- Doesn't look like it wants to leave.- It doesn't look it.
0:22:29 > 0:22:31- And views across the fields.- Yeah.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35- Oh, yeah.- That's nice. - Which is important because...
0:22:35 > 0:22:39Tell me, take yourself back to Surbiton, just outside of London,
0:22:39 > 0:22:41what can you see from your windows?
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Into other people's flats, mostly!
0:22:44 > 0:22:46There we are. Do you like it?
0:22:46 > 0:22:47- Yeah.- I like it, actually, yeah.
0:22:47 > 0:22:50- Surprised, again, the size of this room is quite nice.- Right, well,
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Chris, if you don't mind leading the way, we're going to head outside.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56Mind your head and be careful of that staircase.
0:22:56 > 0:22:59'The character features inside this property
0:22:59 > 0:23:02'seem to have worked their magic. All that remains is to find out
0:23:02 > 0:23:07'whether the various features of the garden will also be a hit.'
0:23:07 > 0:23:10So I really like the way, actually, this garden has been laid out.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12- Yeah.- Not too big.
0:23:12 > 0:23:13Ever wanted chickens?
0:23:13 > 0:23:16- It's one of the things we thought about, yeah.- Yeah.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18You've got the chicken coop there already done,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21safe from foxes etc, as much as it ever can be,
0:23:21 > 0:23:24you've got your fruit trees there, you've got a vegetable patch,
0:23:24 > 0:23:26greenhouse, and then behind us,
0:23:26 > 0:23:29you probably saw as we came up, the little pathway, you've got
0:23:29 > 0:23:31more of a sort of formal garden.
0:23:31 > 0:23:34A bit more maintenance required of this garden, I guess.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38I quite like the size of it but it does feel a bit more overlooked
0:23:38 > 0:23:40because you're very close to the neighbours.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42And from a location point of view, Chris,
0:23:42 > 0:23:44is this more you, do you think?
0:23:44 > 0:23:47- It's not what I had in my head when I thought rural.- No.
0:23:47 > 0:23:49Maybe that's a... Coming from Alaska, maybe,
0:23:49 > 0:23:52there's a little bit more "house with nothing around it", really.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56- Yeah.- So we should really discuss the finances now.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59What price are we going to put on this property?
0:23:59 > 0:24:01I think, given its location
0:24:01 > 0:24:04and the size of the garden and things like that,
0:24:04 > 0:24:06it's going to be a bit closer to the top of our budget.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09I think I'm going to say £270,000.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13- OK.- I think maybe 260?
0:24:13 > 0:24:16OK, well, to put you out of your misery,
0:24:16 > 0:24:20the asking price is £267,000.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22- Right, OK.- OK!
0:24:22 > 0:24:25OK, so, very close to the first house.
0:24:25 > 0:24:28- Yeah, so why don't you take another look around?- Great.
0:24:28 > 0:24:31- Take your time. Off you go. - All right, then.- Great.- Thank you.
0:24:32 > 0:24:34£8,000 below budget,
0:24:34 > 0:24:38this semidetached cottage with two bedrooms is chock-full of character.
0:24:38 > 0:24:39Set at the edge of a village
0:24:39 > 0:24:41with rural views
0:24:41 > 0:24:42and surrounded by farmland,
0:24:42 > 0:24:45it's just a 40-minute commute to work.
0:24:47 > 0:24:48That's not a bad-sized room.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50Yeah, it's not bad.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52Plenty of space in here for your parents to come and stay.
0:24:52 > 0:24:56Yeah, good for that or having friends over.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58I really like the view of it from the front,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01I really like the love and attention that's gone into it.
0:25:01 > 0:25:04It had a pretty sensible layout, despite being quite an old property
0:25:04 > 0:25:06and I do like the bricks and the beams
0:25:06 > 0:25:09even though you had to duck a little bit here and there.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12- Wow.- Bathtub AND a shower.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Coming to this property has made me reassess how much character
0:25:16 > 0:25:18I probably want in a property.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22When we went up the really small staircase, tilted rooms,
0:25:22 > 0:25:26really low clearance on some of the doorways, that's more
0:25:26 > 0:25:30of a burden day-to-day than I think we'd really be looking for.
0:25:30 > 0:25:34I suppose you have all the ruralness, so you are properly
0:25:34 > 0:25:37in the country, but you're still attached to your neighbour.
0:25:37 > 0:25:39Ah, all finished?
0:25:39 > 0:25:41- Yeah.- Seen enough?
0:25:41 > 0:25:42- Yeah.- Yeah, I think so.
0:25:42 > 0:25:45Good. Well, it's the end of the day, that's it.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47- It's been quite good, I think, we've done well.- Yeah.- I think we have.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51- It has been good.- Got you thinking, that's for sure.- Definitely.
0:25:57 > 0:26:02Laura and Chris from London have a budget of £275,000 to leave
0:26:02 > 0:26:07the city behind and build a new life for themselves in the country.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11Coming up, our mystery house will give them a different perspective.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14I really like the light that's coming in from the front
0:26:14 > 0:26:15and the view over the fields.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19And I meet a homeowner who has undergone a lifelong project
0:26:19 > 0:26:22to bring Kentwell Hall back to its former glory.
0:26:22 > 0:26:26It's taken 43 years and it's cost a...bit.
0:26:26 > 0:26:27THEY LAUGH
0:26:28 > 0:26:32Well, it's the second day of our house hunt here in sunny Suffolk.
0:26:32 > 0:26:37Laura and Chris are keen to purchase their first ever home together
0:26:37 > 0:26:40but I think are still unclear exactly what it is they're after.
0:26:40 > 0:26:45Yesterday I thought we'd got off to a pretty good start. We showed them
0:26:45 > 0:26:49two relatively small but beautiful characterful period properties.
0:26:49 > 0:26:54We still have one more card up our sleeve - it is the mystery house.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01- So we're nearly at the mystery house, not too far.- OK.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03Any ideas what we're taking you to see?
0:27:03 > 0:27:07I'm curious if it'll be more of a, like, a fixer-upper, maybe,
0:27:07 > 0:27:12because the properties we have seen have been in very good condition.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Because we were fairly vague on our requirements,
0:27:15 > 0:27:18I don't really have any idea, to be honest.
0:27:18 > 0:27:20What are you dreading, Chris?
0:27:20 > 0:27:22Um, a flat, I think.
0:27:22 > 0:27:24OK. Good answer!
0:27:24 > 0:27:29I never, ever give anything away but I promise you it's not a flat.
0:27:32 > 0:27:33For our mystery house,
0:27:33 > 0:27:35we're heading to Barnham,
0:27:35 > 0:27:37which lies on the Norfolk-Suffolk border.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43This beautifully preserved village has a strong sense of community
0:27:43 > 0:27:45which I know Laura will love.
0:27:45 > 0:27:47Close by is the market town of Thetford,
0:27:47 > 0:27:52home to many scenes from the classic TV series Dad's Army.
0:27:52 > 0:27:53With its art gallery and museum
0:27:53 > 0:27:56as well as a pub, butchers and local stores,
0:27:56 > 0:28:00the amenities here, combined with the surrounding countryside,
0:28:00 > 0:28:03might just suit Chris's ideals too.
0:28:03 > 0:28:06Three miles away and a stone's throw from the centre of the village
0:28:06 > 0:28:08is our mystery property.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10I thought I'd bring you to this area
0:28:10 > 0:28:13because, well, the people of Suffolk are very proud of it.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15It's called the Brecks.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18All around here you have acres and acres of forestry.
0:28:18 > 0:28:21- I'm looking at you, Chris. This appeals, I'm sure.- It does, yeah,
0:28:21 > 0:28:25just looking out there and seeing all the wide open space.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27- Yeah.- Really nice.- Good. Well,
0:28:27 > 0:28:31our mystery house isn't actually that far from where we're standing
0:28:31 > 0:28:33cos if you just want to look up this road,
0:28:33 > 0:28:36- there she is, right at the end.- Wow. OK.- Shall we go a little bit closer
0:28:36 > 0:28:39- and you can tell me what you think? - Yes.- Fantastic.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43'For the mystery property, we've chosen a much more modern affair,
0:28:43 > 0:28:45'and though it lacks the age-old character,
0:28:45 > 0:28:48'we've really upped the ante when it comes to space.'
0:28:48 > 0:28:50- It's lovely, isn't it?- It is.
0:28:50 > 0:28:53Detached is great, you know, it's nice and quiet,
0:28:53 > 0:28:55we've seen all the space round here and everything.
0:28:55 > 0:28:59- Any idea, Laura, why we've picked this as the mystery?- Um...
0:28:59 > 0:29:03I think it's a bit more modern, so obviously less character in some ways
0:29:03 > 0:29:07but from what we can see at the moment, looks really interesting.
0:29:07 > 0:29:10- Let's see how we get on inside, shall we?- Sounds good.
0:29:11 > 0:29:16'Built in 1973, this modern property hasn't been lived in for a while
0:29:16 > 0:29:19'so it's ripe and ready for new owners to make their mark,
0:29:19 > 0:29:21'which could be ideal for our couple.'
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Slightly different from the previous properties,
0:29:26 > 0:29:29a mere 40 or so years old this time.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31Yeah, big difference.
0:29:31 > 0:29:32No beams!
0:29:32 > 0:29:33THEY LAUGH
0:29:33 > 0:29:36Yeah, a little bit more modern in terms of the space.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38I quite like the L shape, actually,
0:29:38 > 0:29:41but I really like the light that's coming in from the front
0:29:41 > 0:29:44- and the view over the fields. That's lovely.- That's really good.
0:29:44 > 0:29:46It's ready to have a little bit of love, bit of care taken to it,
0:29:46 > 0:29:48but you could move in quite happily,
0:29:48 > 0:29:52- live here and then make those changes when you're ready.- Yeah.
0:29:52 > 0:29:54It's clean, tidy, beautifully presented.
0:29:54 > 0:29:57Yeah, looks lovely, just a bit of paint and you're away, really.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00I'm just going to point out that wall to you cos I'll come back to it
0:30:00 > 0:30:03but that's a wall I might consider knocking down,
0:30:03 > 0:30:06- for good reason.- OK. - For good reason.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08- Follow me and you'll see why.- Cool.
0:30:10 > 0:30:11On the ground floor and to the rear,
0:30:11 > 0:30:14through the kitchen, is a large family room and garden room,
0:30:14 > 0:30:16so there's plenty of scope
0:30:16 > 0:30:20for Laura and Chris to reconfigure the living areas to suit them.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22Here is our kitchen.
0:30:22 > 0:30:23Lovely.
0:30:23 > 0:30:28Which leads us into even more space.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30- Wow.- Yeah, a fantastic room.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33It's lovely. It looks out over the garden,
0:30:33 > 0:30:36loads of natural light, really is nice and bright and airy.
0:30:36 > 0:30:39- So this originally was the outside wall.- Yeah.
0:30:39 > 0:30:42And they decided to extend out,
0:30:42 > 0:30:45so at the moment you still have that very compact kitchen
0:30:45 > 0:30:47- but remember the wall?- Yeah.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49Knock it through, so you could either knock it through there
0:30:49 > 0:30:53and have a wonderful kitchen-diner/living space, or
0:30:53 > 0:30:55- you come out here with the kitchen. - Bring it further back.
0:30:55 > 0:30:58- Then you've got a conservatory as well.- Yeah, it's lovely.- Wow.
0:30:58 > 0:31:00Is this more you?
0:31:00 > 0:31:01It's definitely more me,
0:31:01 > 0:31:04yeah, the practicality of the thing really appeals to me.
0:31:04 > 0:31:07I like the space and I like the possibility of, you know,
0:31:07 > 0:31:09- having a bigger kitchen as well. - Yes.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Good. We're on the ground floor -
0:31:11 > 0:31:14as we came in, there was a really good size study.
0:31:14 > 0:31:16Now, that on paper is the third bedroom
0:31:16 > 0:31:19- because next door to it is the downstairs cloakroom.- Yeah.
0:31:19 > 0:31:22Well, talking of the bedrooms, let's take a look. After you.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24- All righty.- Lead the way.
0:31:24 > 0:31:29'On the first floor there are two double bedrooms and a bathroom.'
0:31:29 > 0:31:31So, spacious downstairs -
0:31:31 > 0:31:34pleased to say it continues with the master bedroom.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37- Lovely, isn't it? Wow. - Yeah, very nice.- Yeah, I like it.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40I was expecting the eaves to impact on the room more
0:31:40 > 0:31:43- but they really don't. - No, it's a really nice space.
0:31:43 > 0:31:44I love, again, the framing
0:31:44 > 0:31:48through those windows of the scenery and the kind of countryside
0:31:48 > 0:31:51but it's lovely to have light coming in from both sides.
0:31:51 > 0:31:55- Yes. We have another bedroom, which is of a similar size.- Oh, OK.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58Well, we're going to head back outside, and also talk to you
0:31:58 > 0:32:00about how much the mystery house is on the market for.
0:32:02 > 0:32:06'Laura and Chris don't seem to have a bad word to say about this property.
0:32:06 > 0:32:08'I wonder if the garden is to their liking too.'
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Well, I'm hoping that the garden doesn't disappoint either.
0:32:13 > 0:32:15No, it's lovely.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18It's a really lovely space, much bigger than I expected, actually.
0:32:18 > 0:32:20You can see your neighbours back this far in the garden,
0:32:20 > 0:32:22but as you get closer to the house,
0:32:22 > 0:32:24there's a little bit of a, almost like patio space,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27- where you are completely blocked away from them, you know.- Yeah.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30Getting quite a good vibe from the two of you
0:32:30 > 0:32:33so I wonder how we think about the price.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35Yeah, I mean, I really like it.
0:32:35 > 0:32:39I can't help but think there must be a premium on this kind of setting
0:32:39 > 0:32:41to have that balance of community,
0:32:41 > 0:32:44to have such a lovely environment around you,
0:32:44 > 0:32:47so I think it's top end of our price range, maybe,
0:32:47 > 0:32:51so I'm going to say 275-280, I think.
0:32:51 > 0:32:55I agree, I think its location and what you're getting...
0:32:55 > 0:32:58I'm going to stick to the top of the budget and say 275.
0:32:58 > 0:33:01Well, in actual fact, the asking price is £280,000.
0:33:01 > 0:33:05- Right, yeah.- However, we have taken the liberty of speaking to them
0:33:05 > 0:33:10and making them aware of your budget, that it's £275,000,
0:33:10 > 0:33:14so they're happy to negotiate between the 270, 280 mark.
0:33:14 > 0:33:17- Right.- OK.- Really good to hear, thank you.- Really good to hear that.
0:33:17 > 0:33:20I guess you two want to have another look this time on your own,
0:33:20 > 0:33:22- don't you?- Yeah. - Please do.- Thank you.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27Although the mystery house nudges a fraction over their budget
0:33:27 > 0:33:29at £280,000,
0:33:29 > 0:33:31it could be within reach, as
0:33:31 > 0:33:33the owners are open to negotiation.
0:33:33 > 0:33:35It's a more modern property than
0:33:35 > 0:33:36Laura and Chris were looking for,
0:33:36 > 0:33:40but if they are happy to take on a refurbishment project,
0:33:40 > 0:33:41it would give them everything
0:33:41 > 0:33:44they've asked for, including space.
0:33:47 > 0:33:49- Nice and big.- Yeah.
0:33:49 > 0:33:50Quite a lot of storage, actually.
0:33:50 > 0:33:53I like the alcove around the window again.
0:33:53 > 0:33:57- It's exactly what we were looking for, two doubles.- Absolutely.
0:33:57 > 0:34:00From the first moment we saw the mystery house,
0:34:00 > 0:34:01really liked the setting.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04It's a lot larger than you think it is from the front,
0:34:04 > 0:34:05loads of space inside
0:34:05 > 0:34:09and that space inside gives us scope to really put our mark on it.
0:34:10 > 0:34:13So this is the study, third bedroom, possible.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15Yeah, it'd be quite a good guest room,
0:34:15 > 0:34:18again, really nice light at the front of the house.
0:34:18 > 0:34:20Small double or a large single, I guess.
0:34:20 > 0:34:23I think both Chris and I have been really impressed with it.
0:34:23 > 0:34:26Maybe a modern property is the right choice for us.
0:34:26 > 0:34:29This is the only one where I walked in and thought,
0:34:29 > 0:34:30"Yeah, I really could be here."
0:34:32 > 0:34:33Happy? Seen enough?
0:34:33 > 0:34:35- Very happy.- Yeah, very happy.
0:34:35 > 0:34:38I know we've bombarded you with a lot but we like to get you thinking.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41You two should have some time on your own and collect your thoughts
0:34:41 > 0:34:44- and then tell me what the outcome is.- Sounds great.- Sounds good.
0:34:44 > 0:34:46- Shall we hit the road? - All right.- Yeah. Thank you.
0:34:49 > 0:34:52In the heart of the Suffolk countryside lie many charming
0:34:52 > 0:34:56towns and villages awash with attractive half-timbered buildings.
0:34:56 > 0:35:00These were built for prosperous wool merchants in the 16th century,
0:35:00 > 0:35:03when the county was the centre of the English wool trade.
0:35:03 > 0:35:07One historic hallmark from this time is Kentwell Hall,
0:35:07 > 0:35:11built by the wool trader John Clopton during the 1500s.
0:35:11 > 0:35:15Over the centuries, the property has changed hands many times,
0:35:15 > 0:35:19yet the house has remained essentially the same for 500 years.
0:35:19 > 0:35:21The Phillips family now live here.
0:35:21 > 0:35:23They bought the house in the 1970s,
0:35:23 > 0:35:28and have spent decades restoring and maintaining this Tudor landmark.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30I'm meeting up with owner Patrick
0:35:30 > 0:35:34to find out why he's so passionate about his piece of history.
0:35:34 > 0:35:36Welcome to Kentwell, Nikki.
0:35:36 > 0:35:39Lovely to see you, Patrick. Thank you for the kind invitation.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42It really is a magnificent home
0:35:42 > 0:35:45and that's what it is for you, isn't it? It's your family home.
0:35:45 > 0:35:48It is. It's been that for nearly 45 years.
0:35:48 > 0:35:49We've brought up four children here.
0:35:49 > 0:35:52So what was it, though, about this property that you decided
0:35:52 > 0:35:55that you wanted to take it on? It's such a huge project.
0:35:55 > 0:36:00I think it is just one of the most beautiful, romantic,
0:36:00 > 0:36:03come-and-get-me buildings you'll ever see, you know,
0:36:03 > 0:36:06with the moat and the gardens and everything about it, it is
0:36:06 > 0:36:11just warm and embracing, you know, you feel really happy being here.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14Did you realise when you bought it how long it was going to take
0:36:14 > 0:36:17to restore something of this size and magnitude?
0:36:17 > 0:36:20No. It had holes in every roof.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24The general plasterwork that you can see here, we've redone.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27It looked very tired and ancient and neglected.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31It's taken, so far, 43 years.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33That must have cost a pretty penny.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34And it's cost a...bit.
0:36:34 > 0:36:36THEY LAUGH
0:36:36 > 0:36:39We ended up by having to open the house or give it up.
0:36:39 > 0:36:42Kentwell underwent some structural restoration
0:36:42 > 0:36:46in the early 19th century, when Victorian architect Thomas Hopper,
0:36:46 > 0:36:48a favourite of King George V,
0:36:48 > 0:36:50was employed to make changes following a fire.
0:36:50 > 0:36:54Today, the Phillips have a small, skilled team of craftsmen
0:36:54 > 0:36:57who are responsible for the Great Hall's authentic renovations.
0:36:57 > 0:37:01We're now in the Great Hall, which is my favourite room in the house
0:37:01 > 0:37:04because, in the wintertime, we use this as our sitting room.
0:37:04 > 0:37:06So you change it for your visitors?
0:37:06 > 0:37:09We roll up the carpet, we move all the furniture out
0:37:09 > 0:37:13and it becomes a much simpler Tudor Great Hall.
0:37:13 > 0:37:17We had to repair the whole of the floor that we're standing on,
0:37:17 > 0:37:19we had to take it all up
0:37:19 > 0:37:22and the timbers underneath had all rotted away,
0:37:22 > 0:37:24so we had to re-timber it.
0:37:24 > 0:37:26And your much-loved tapestries, I mean, how old are those?
0:37:26 > 0:37:28These are 1600.
0:37:28 > 0:37:31Having those colours there is very, very rare
0:37:31 > 0:37:35and so we're anxious that we shouldn't lose those colours at all,
0:37:35 > 0:37:38so it means we live sort of in the dark here
0:37:38 > 0:37:41with electricity always, cos we have all the blinds down.
0:37:41 > 0:37:43So just looking through that splendid hallway
0:37:43 > 0:37:45and the open door, what's through there?
0:37:45 > 0:37:48That used to be service rooms - the pantry, the buttery
0:37:48 > 0:37:51and the corridor through to the freestanding kitchen,
0:37:51 > 0:37:55that now is almost a perfect cube of a dining room.
0:37:55 > 0:37:58Patrick, is there ever a day that you and Judith, you have time to
0:37:58 > 0:38:02take a step back and reflect on what you've achieved, what you've done?
0:38:02 > 0:38:04We're sharing what we do with everybody
0:38:04 > 0:38:07and if they really get great pleasure out of being here
0:38:07 > 0:38:10and can see what we see, we are thrilled by that.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14As well as the house itself,
0:38:14 > 0:38:17there are 900 acres of grounds at Kentwell.
0:38:17 > 0:38:19Patrick and his wife Judith reintroduced livestock
0:38:19 > 0:38:22and rebuilt the farm in the 1970s.
0:38:22 > 0:38:27This is a working farm run on a non-intensive sustainable ethos.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30Meat from their sheep, pigs and cattle is used alongside produce
0:38:30 > 0:38:34from the garden to make the estate as self-sufficient as possible.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37Now, Judith, I am passionate about my animals,
0:38:37 > 0:38:39and you've got a really interesting project
0:38:39 > 0:38:42going on here at your farm, haven't you, concerning rare breeds?
0:38:42 > 0:38:45We found Norfolk horned sheep.
0:38:45 > 0:38:47There were just six ewes left.
0:38:47 > 0:38:49- Is that all?- Only six. - In the whole country?
0:38:49 > 0:38:52In the whole country, and there are now over 3,000,
0:38:52 > 0:38:57so the programme to bring the Norfolk horned sheep
0:38:57 > 0:38:58back from extinction has worked.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01And this is the breed that you would have seen here grazing
0:39:01 > 0:39:03when the house was built?
0:39:03 > 0:39:05It was the wool from these sheep
0:39:05 > 0:39:08that produced the wealth in this area, and so
0:39:08 > 0:39:11it was the wealth in this area that built houses such as Kentwell.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14Now, I particularly like donkeys
0:39:14 > 0:39:16but this is a breed that I've never seen before.
0:39:16 > 0:39:17Are they girls or boys?
0:39:17 > 0:39:20These are girls, this is mother and daughter.
0:39:20 > 0:39:23They're called Poitou from the Poitiers region of France
0:39:23 > 0:39:26where it's very cold in the winter,
0:39:26 > 0:39:28can be very stormy, and very hot in the summer,
0:39:28 > 0:39:30so they have this dreadlock coat,
0:39:30 > 0:39:32they're often referred to as the dreadlock donkey.
0:39:32 > 0:39:34Yes, I've never seen anything like it.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37- Well, the weather runs off them. - And are they very rare?- They are.
0:39:37 > 0:39:39What other animals do you have here on the farm?
0:39:39 > 0:39:43We've got Suffolk punch horses, the heavy horse of this area.
0:39:43 > 0:39:47We've got Tamworth pigs. The Tamworth is the nearest pig
0:39:47 > 0:39:50to that which would have been around in the 16th century.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54More recently we've crossed the Tamworth with other pigs
0:39:54 > 0:39:58and produced a spotty pig, which are also a very old type of pig.
0:39:58 > 0:40:02We are here to show people the rare breeds that would have been here
0:40:02 > 0:40:04on this estate way back in time.
0:40:05 > 0:40:09If it wasn't for the dedication of the Phillips family,
0:40:09 > 0:40:11this beautiful manor wouldn't be
0:40:11 > 0:40:13the splendid example of Tudor architecture
0:40:13 > 0:40:15that stills stands today.
0:40:17 > 0:40:21So we've shown Chris and Laura all our properties here in Suffolk,
0:40:21 > 0:40:23and what a great week we've had.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27Started off well in that beautiful village with our first home,
0:40:27 > 0:40:29both seemed to like that one.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32When it came to the second, I think they were struggling.
0:40:32 > 0:40:35Personally, I thought it was a splendid property
0:40:35 > 0:40:36but perhaps not quite for them.
0:40:36 > 0:40:39Lastly, we showed them our mystery house.
0:40:39 > 0:40:43Now, this is the house that they seemed to be united on,
0:40:43 > 0:40:45but were they prepared to take it to the next step?
0:40:45 > 0:40:48Well, let's go and ask them and find out.
0:40:50 > 0:40:51So, Laura and Chris,
0:40:51 > 0:40:54forget Alaska, forget Surbiton, just outside London,
0:40:54 > 0:40:56it's all about Suffolk, isn't it?
0:40:56 > 0:40:58- Yeah, that's right.- Yeah, absolutely.
0:40:58 > 0:40:59And I've brought you to this spot
0:40:59 > 0:41:02because it is rather beautiful, it's quite remote,
0:41:02 > 0:41:05I thought this might focus your minds, especially yours, Chris,
0:41:05 > 0:41:09cos you love the countryside! How have we got on with our houses?
0:41:09 > 0:41:12Has one caught your eye, or perhaps even two?
0:41:12 > 0:41:15I think for us overall the mystery house...
0:41:15 > 0:41:18- Yeah.- ..is definitely the one that appealed to both of us...
0:41:18 > 0:41:20- Did it?- ..the most.- Good.
0:41:20 > 0:41:22So I think we're definitely looking to go forward
0:41:22 > 0:41:25- and put an offer in on that house. - Oh, my word!
0:41:25 > 0:41:27Sorry, is that a bit skipping ahead?
0:41:27 > 0:41:30That's tremendous news, taken my breath away.
0:41:30 > 0:41:32What is it about that house that works?
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Cos I knew you liked it. I could see that warm glow on your faces
0:41:35 > 0:41:40- when you first saw the mystery house.- You're in a village
0:41:40 > 0:41:43but quite rural as well, as there's loads of space round it.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46The property itself has quite a lot of space inside,
0:41:46 > 0:41:47loads of garden space.
0:41:47 > 0:41:49Yeah, I think one of the things we didn't realise is...
0:41:49 > 0:41:51we talked a lot about our specific requirements
0:41:51 > 0:41:53for inside the property itself
0:41:53 > 0:41:56but the setting's actually really important to us,
0:41:56 > 0:41:59I think that's what's come out in terms of the properties we've seen
0:41:59 > 0:42:02and so the mystery house actually was the best balance of
0:42:02 > 0:42:07good property itself but also nice setting that met all of our needs.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09A little bit of work planned straightaway or do you think
0:42:09 > 0:42:12- you're just going to move in? - I think it'd be nice to get a feel
0:42:12 > 0:42:14for it before we make any significant changes.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Well, I hope everything goes according to plan,
0:42:17 > 0:42:20and most importantly, all the best with your new life here in Suffolk.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22- Thank you.- Thank you very much.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29Well, I couldn't be happier than that end result.
0:42:29 > 0:42:31I did have a sneaking suspicion
0:42:31 > 0:42:35that the mystery house was by far the favourite for Laura and Chris,
0:42:35 > 0:42:37which was great news,
0:42:37 > 0:42:40but I had no idea they were going to put an offer in quite so soon.
0:42:40 > 0:42:42To me, that's a job done.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45I've had a fantastic time here in Suffolk
0:42:45 > 0:42:48and I'll see you again on Escape To The Country very soon.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53If you'd like to escape to the country in England, Scotland,
0:42:53 > 0:42:55Wales or Northern Ireland
0:42:55 > 0:42:57and would like our help, you can apply online at...