0:00:02 > 0:00:06The water behind me inspired one of England's greatest 20th century authors to change his name.
0:00:06 > 0:00:10Find out who he was and where I am in just a moment.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Today's property shopping pair has decided
0:00:30 > 0:00:33to swap the big smoke for pastures new.
0:00:33 > 0:00:37I think it's very quaint. It's a proper Suffolk looking building.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41And they are hoping the right property will provoke some heartfelt reactions.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44It's just doesn't give me that sort of...
0:00:44 > 0:00:46- Warm type of feeling.- Yes.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53Today, I am in Suffolk and this is the River Orwell,
0:00:53 > 0:00:56which gave the young writer Eric Blair the idea for his pen name,
0:00:56 > 0:00:59under which he became a much more famous George.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03Of course, it was Orwell's book 1984, published after the Second World War,
0:01:03 > 0:01:05that gave us the ideas of doublespeak,
0:01:05 > 0:01:08Big Brother and room 101.
0:01:08 > 0:01:11And it's hard to connect those dystopian concepts with this
0:01:11 > 0:01:14very bucolic and pastoral bit of England.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17But the young writer Orwell did live here
0:01:17 > 0:01:20when he was staying with his parents down the road in Southwold
0:01:20 > 0:01:22and he would come on walks along the riverside to get
0:01:22 > 0:01:27inspiration from the brooding skies and solitude of this bit of Suffolk.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31Suffolk in East Anglia has a coastline that
0:01:31 > 0:01:33runs along the North Sea.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37Inland, it is bordered by Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex.
0:01:39 > 0:01:43The low-lying undulating landscape is defined by huge structures
0:01:43 > 0:01:47of farmland and those enormous skies, which this region is renowned for.
0:01:48 > 0:01:52Suffolk's heritage coast sits in an area of outstanding natural
0:01:52 > 0:01:56beauty and is lined by historic seaside towns such as Aldeburgh.
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Attractive seafront buildings look out over stretches of shingle
0:01:59 > 0:02:04beach and fishing boats, used to bring in the catch of the day.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07This peaceful area wears its colourful history on its sleeve,
0:02:07 > 0:02:10most notably in the distinctive Suffolk pink -
0:02:10 > 0:02:14originally lime whitewash which was stained red using ox blood.
0:02:14 > 0:02:19To the south, the coastal village of Orford has a tranquil quay
0:02:19 > 0:02:21and a 12th century castle keep,
0:02:21 > 0:02:24designed as a polygon to provide defenders with the most
0:02:24 > 0:02:27vantage points when looking out for approaching attackers.
0:02:28 > 0:02:31The mix of skyscapes, historic architecture,
0:02:31 > 0:02:34countryside and coastline, makes Suffolk
0:02:34 > 0:02:39an understated yet charming option for a peaceful existence.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42Suffolk has strong and distinctive countryside
0:02:42 > 0:02:46and at the last count, 12,500 historic listed buildings.
0:02:46 > 0:02:48So you would be surprised to know
0:02:48 > 0:02:51that it's still quite reasonable to buy property here.
0:02:51 > 0:02:55The average cost of a detached house in the county is £270,000,
0:02:55 > 0:02:59which is £13,000 less than the national figure.
0:02:59 > 0:03:02So not massively cheaper, but still not too expensive.
0:03:02 > 0:03:07That is unless you go across to the coast, where in places like Aldeburgh
0:03:07 > 0:03:11or Southwold, houses can cost double the national figure.
0:03:11 > 0:03:14So what is it that's exciting our buyers today
0:03:14 > 0:03:16about moving to this lovely county?
0:03:16 > 0:03:18Let's meet them and find out.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23HR director Sheila and husband Gary, who owns his own design
0:03:23 > 0:03:26construction business, met over two decades ago.
0:03:26 > 0:03:30We have just recently had our 20th wedding anniversary.
0:03:30 > 0:03:34We were both working at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Working on the new redevelopment project.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41I was employed by the hospital and he was on the building site.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43The contractor said to me,
0:03:43 > 0:03:45"We have one of the hospital managers
0:03:45 > 0:03:48"who is not particularly easy to get on with.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52"We might need you to meet her to try and smooth her over a bit."
0:03:52 > 0:03:54And, erm... I did.
0:03:54 > 0:03:55Thus, we're here!
0:03:57 > 0:04:00Sheila and Gary live in Wandsworth, south-west London.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02After a lifetime of work,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05they have decided they want to slow things down.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09Maybe it's time to use the autumn of our lives
0:04:09 > 0:04:11while we've still got good health and have a change.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13It's the right time.
0:04:13 > 0:04:17I don't want to wait until I'm 65 and then be too old to do the exploring.
0:04:17 > 0:04:20Although they have loved city life,
0:04:20 > 0:04:22it's no longer the place they want to call home.
0:04:22 > 0:04:26We want to be a little bit more isolated, a little bit more rural
0:04:26 > 0:04:30and enjoy that outside life rather than a cosmopolitan life in London.
0:04:30 > 0:04:32We would like to own a dog as well.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35Those people who own dogs tend to statistically live longer
0:04:35 > 0:04:37and I'm up for that.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41The two of them are free to make their rural move
0:04:41 > 0:04:43as Gary's daughter is now grown up.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46And Suffolk has many selling points that appeal to them.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48It's got a mix of the things we like.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52We like being near or with easy access to the sea,
0:04:52 > 0:04:55but also easy access to lots of countryside and areas to walk.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57Since giving up work,
0:04:57 > 0:05:01they are already investing quality time in doing the things they love.
0:05:01 > 0:05:05We have enjoyed the retirement for the last two or three months
0:05:05 > 0:05:07and it's spending time together
0:05:07 > 0:05:10and getting our routine out of a routine.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13I do quite a bit of reading. Cooking, we do quite a lot of.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15Gary has taken that up. We do that together.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17I find it quite relaxing, to be honest.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20I am looking forward to the better weather coming
0:05:20 > 0:05:22so I can get out on the roads on my motorbikes.
0:05:22 > 0:05:23I am very interested in those.
0:05:25 > 0:05:28Sheila is also working on a new venture for when they move.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31I am using the opportunity to do some retraining.
0:05:31 > 0:05:33So I've chosen to do more pilates.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37To me, it's totally different to anything I've ever done before,
0:05:37 > 0:05:41from being a director to then doing an exercise and being a teacher.
0:05:41 > 0:05:43So it's a huge learning opportunity
0:05:43 > 0:05:46and then I'll be able to use that when I move to the country.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50I'll be able to teach some ladies who live in the local community, in the church hall,
0:05:50 > 0:05:52or to people in their houses on a one-to-one basis.
0:05:52 > 0:05:54With their house under offer,
0:05:54 > 0:05:58their Suffolk dream is an exciting step closer to becoming reality.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02We both have the ability to be able to entertain ourselves
0:06:02 > 0:06:04but be harmonious.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07That will be amplified when we are away from London.
0:06:07 > 0:06:10Don't get me wrong, I haven't got any issues with London.
0:06:10 > 0:06:13I've had a great time here. We just know it's time for a change.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20Sheila and Gary have decided that they would like to live towards the
0:06:20 > 0:06:24west of the county, which is where we are concentrating our Suffolk search.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27Before we start, I am meeting them in the county
0:06:27 > 0:06:30in the village of Thorpe Morieux by the church of St Mary
0:06:30 > 0:06:34to get to grips with exactly what it is they are looking for.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37Welcome to Suffolk. You know the area quite well.
0:06:37 > 0:06:41We were looking more east towards the coast originally
0:06:41 > 0:06:44but as we've expanded our search, we have come more into central Suffolk.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46We really like the countryside.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50Have you thought about the pros and cons of actually moving out of London?
0:06:50 > 0:06:54The actual reality of being away from away from your friends, out in the sticks?
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Yes, and part of that is some of them will come and visit
0:06:56 > 0:06:59and that will be a bit of interest for a short while,
0:06:59 > 0:07:01and then we will make new friends.
0:07:01 > 0:07:05I have retrained to do a completely different career in pilates,
0:07:05 > 0:07:09so I want to meet the people in the local community and work with them.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12So are you looking to be in a village or out in the sticks?
0:07:12 > 0:07:15It would be nice to be in or near a village
0:07:15 > 0:07:17so that yes, there would be a village hall.
0:07:17 > 0:07:21- You could be a hit here, a pilates teacher.- That would be good, yes.
0:07:21 > 0:07:22So tell me about the house.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26We really want something that has got a lot of character,
0:07:26 > 0:07:30with some features and a nice fireplace and a large kitchen.
0:07:30 > 0:07:33I would like to keep more motorcycles
0:07:33 > 0:07:35so I will need a decent double garage at least.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38And I like to lend my hand to a bit of DIY
0:07:38 > 0:07:41so a bit of workshop space would be appreciated without doubt.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43- So, outbuildings of some kind?- Yes.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46We are trying to stay away from a listed property.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50It is difficult to heat and some of them have very few bathrooms.
0:07:50 > 0:07:55Having enough bathrooms for when people come to visit is quite important.
0:07:55 > 0:07:59That's interesting because obviously if you want an older property,
0:07:59 > 0:08:03pre-Victorian, they often don't come with all those mod cons.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06And it is those sort of compromises. It's seeing what's there
0:08:06 > 0:08:10- and then trying to work out what is really important.- Gary, you've been in the property trade.
0:08:10 > 0:08:12Are you willing to do some work on the property?
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Oh, without doubt, yes, I'm happy to put some effort in.
0:08:15 > 0:08:17I don't want to sort of have to start knocking
0:08:17 > 0:08:21- things down and completely reconstructing them.- Remind me of your budget.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24Well, ideally, we would like to be in the
0:08:24 > 0:08:27£450-£500,000 marker.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29Well, we've got three lovely properties lined up.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32And they all sort of offer different things.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36- We're looking forward to it.- Come on then, let's go and get in the car.
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Sheila and Gary's top budget is pretty generous for the area,
0:08:39 > 0:08:42as they don't want to be on the coast.
0:08:42 > 0:08:44They're looking for a house with lots of character, that provides
0:08:44 > 0:08:47them with a large kitchen/diner for them
0:08:47 > 0:08:50to embrace their love of cooking and entertaining.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52Gary would like a garage and workshop space where
0:08:52 > 0:08:56he can get his hands dirty, and store his motorbikes.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59And also on the list is three-four bedrooms, an office,
0:08:59 > 0:09:03a manageable garden, and they'd like to be near a village.
0:09:03 > 0:09:06Best of all, they're open to compromise.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10Taking their requirements on board, we've selected some fantastic
0:09:10 > 0:09:14and varied properties, but the crucial price will only be disclosed
0:09:14 > 0:09:16after they've toured the house.
0:09:16 > 0:09:18The final stop will be at the mystery property,
0:09:18 > 0:09:21which may at first glance be missing a vital ingredient,
0:09:21 > 0:09:24but in fact could offer them even more than they could imagine.
0:09:26 > 0:09:30We're kick-starting our property search in the rural village of Thorpe Morieux,
0:09:30 > 0:09:35which is ten miles south-east of the market town of Bury St Edmunds.
0:09:35 > 0:09:39Thorpe Morieux sits in a conservation area, and the countryside provides
0:09:39 > 0:09:42plenty of potential dog walking opportunities.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44From every vantage point in the village,
0:09:44 > 0:09:47the tower of the church of St Mary's stands tall,
0:09:47 > 0:09:51overlooking the surrounding fields and grazing livestock.
0:09:51 > 0:09:54The nearest shops are around two miles away,
0:09:54 > 0:09:57but there is a village hall, which could provide the perfect
0:09:57 > 0:10:01setting for Sheila to hold her pilates lessons.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04Close to the hall is this immaculate thatched cottage,
0:10:04 > 0:10:07dating back, in part, to the late 17th century.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13- Here we have it, offering number one.- Beautiful.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16- Chocolate box.- Well, it is a proper Suffolk long house.
0:10:16 > 0:10:18There is quite a bit of history.
0:10:18 > 0:10:21It was the village shop for many years. It goes back about 350 years.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24And it was originally just a two-bedroom cottage,
0:10:24 > 0:10:27and it has been extended over the centuries as a Victorian
0:10:27 > 0:10:30extension, and then this bit at the back is a very modern extension.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34- Looks onto the countryside all round.- I think it is very quaint, it is a
0:10:34 > 0:10:37proper, sort of Suffolk-looking building. It is lovely.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40And we do have a nice, good sized garage.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44- Yes.- Which is not always a given on these properties. Should we look inside?
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Yes, it would be nice to see.
0:10:46 > 0:10:50This whitewashed cottage is Grade II listed, which Sheila and Gary
0:10:50 > 0:10:54weren't too keen on, but they did say they would be open minded.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57It's been extensively updated by the current owners, and successfully
0:10:57 > 0:11:02blends country cottage charm with comfortable, contemporary living.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Mind your heads. So there are a few beams in here.
0:11:05 > 0:11:06So this is the dining room hall,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09but I want to take you through to the sitting room.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15- This is the oldest part of the house. - Very cosy.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17And a nice wood burning stove.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20It is cosy, kind of low ceilings, but this is the older part.
0:11:20 > 0:11:24The ceilings get a bit higher at the more modern end.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28It looks in a beautiful condition, it is really nice. It is a proper cottage.
0:11:28 > 0:11:32And it is nice to have that sunlight flooding through that window.
0:11:32 > 0:11:34This is a nice sized living room.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36This side, you've got the boot room,
0:11:36 > 0:11:39but the kitchen and everything goes on through this way.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42So there are rooms off there. There's...
0:11:42 > 0:11:44a utility room and a toilet.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48- Then you come into the kitchen, which is in the centre of the house.- OK.
0:11:48 > 0:11:53- Nice size.- Yes, very good. Very welcoming.- It's got a nice range.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56- The work surfaces are quite narrow. - Yeah.
0:11:56 > 0:11:59We were hoping to be able to have a table in the kitchen,
0:11:59 > 0:12:02and this would be a little bit smaller to achieve that,
0:12:02 > 0:12:07but of course, with that right next-door, then that kind of works.
0:12:07 > 0:12:11It is interesting what they have done in the Victorian end, in the extension.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14If you come through here. Mind your head.
0:12:14 > 0:12:16Look, you've got a second sitting room at this end,
0:12:16 > 0:12:20because you've got this Victorian extension, and through here...
0:12:20 > 0:12:24- This is the extension they've put on for their teenage son.- Oh, right.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27- More space than you'd think from the front.- Exactly, yes.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29It is a bit of a Tardis, this property.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32There's lots of light, isn't there? It is very nice.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Need to see the rest.
0:12:34 > 0:12:37This downstairs bedroom, with its en suite shower room, could easily
0:12:37 > 0:12:40become an office for Sheila and Gary.
0:12:40 > 0:12:45Upstairs, there are a further three bedrooms, accessed by two stairways.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49One which leads straight up into the master in the eaves.
0:12:49 > 0:12:52The room is dual aspect with a Victorian style fireplace
0:12:52 > 0:12:55and a bright en suite bathroom.
0:12:56 > 0:12:59A second double with feature beams also has two windows,
0:12:59 > 0:13:03allowing light to flood in. And it also has its own en suite.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06Finally, there's a slightly smaller room with
0:13:06 > 0:13:09views across the garden to the neighbouring church.
0:13:09 > 0:13:12But downstairs, we are heading outside, into the garden,
0:13:12 > 0:13:17which has been home to a wheelwright, a cart maker, and a forge.
0:13:17 > 0:13:20Along with established flower beds and a greenhouse,
0:13:20 > 0:13:21there's even a well.
0:13:23 > 0:13:27The garden runs alongside the road, it is quite long and thin,
0:13:27 > 0:13:29but is it about the right size for you guys?
0:13:29 > 0:13:31It's a lot bigger than what we've got at the moment,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34but it is something to move to the country to get used to, and
0:13:34 > 0:13:36learn to look after lots of different plants.
0:13:36 > 0:13:40I would say it is manageable for us pair of townies. It is a good place to start.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43How much do you think it is on the market for, this property?
0:13:43 > 0:13:48Difficult to gauge because I haven't looked at listed properties, so 465.
0:13:48 > 0:13:53I'm going to go a little bit higher than that, I think 470.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57Ah, well, it is actually on at a bit more. It is on at £485,000.
0:13:57 > 0:14:01- Mmm.- But if you think, there's absolutely nothing you need to do,
0:14:01 > 0:14:03you could move in and everything would be perfect.
0:14:03 > 0:14:05- Why don't you go and look at the inside?- OK.
0:14:08 > 0:14:10£15,000 under the top end of their budget,
0:14:10 > 0:14:15this delightful extended cottage started life 500 years ago,
0:14:15 > 0:14:18and gives Sheila and Gary the character they are after.
0:14:18 > 0:14:22It has just the number of bedrooms they need, and with a dining room
0:14:22 > 0:14:26adjoining the kitchen, they get the large entertaining space they want.
0:14:26 > 0:14:29The garden gives them a manageable project,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32and the garage would provide a home for Gary's precious motorbikes.
0:14:35 > 0:14:39- Lots of rafters.- Very different to the other side of the house.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44- The twin room.- Very cottagey.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48I had to duck when we came in, which was a bit of an issue,
0:14:48 > 0:14:50but I was pleasantly surprised to find,
0:14:50 > 0:14:53when we went upstairs, there were none of those problems at all.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55I guess I just have to get used to a little duck...
0:14:55 > 0:14:57to go from room to room.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00It is surprising how many big, large double bedrooms there were.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02Most of which had en suite.
0:15:02 > 0:15:04From the outside, you thought it was much smaller.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06Quite interesting layout, and quite nice
0:15:06 > 0:15:09because you could split one end to the house for us, and when people
0:15:09 > 0:15:13come to visit, the other end because of the two separate staircases.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16Interesting for me because it is a listed property, which
0:15:16 > 0:15:21we had kind of thought, "Well, maybe that's a bit of a risky area."
0:15:21 > 0:15:23But being as it is in such a lovely condition
0:15:23 > 0:15:28and has been cared for so well, I'm not too daunted by that.
0:15:28 > 0:15:29It is on the road, but it is super quiet.
0:15:29 > 0:15:32I don't think it is going to be a problem. Are you ready, guys.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34- Yeah, that's great. - So that's all done with, this one.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37- We are going to go see another house. - OK, great.- Lovely.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Got to hold your thoughts.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47Timber framed architecture is one of the great
0:15:47 > 0:15:50hallmarks of Suffolk's heritage buildings.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Preserving them so they look just as striking as they did centuries
0:15:53 > 0:15:56ago is a skilled and lengthy process.
0:15:56 > 0:16:00Sarah Partridge runs a restoration project, which offers
0:16:00 > 0:16:04courses in traditional timber framing and restoration skills.
0:16:04 > 0:16:08Sheila and Gary have come to meet her in the shade of St John's Grove
0:16:08 > 0:16:12woodland, in the village of Battisford, right in the heart of Suffolk.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15With his background in construction, Gary is looking forward to
0:16:15 > 0:16:18learning all about this centuries-old technique.
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Sarah, how old are these trees?
0:16:22 > 0:16:24The younger ones are about 50 years old,
0:16:24 > 0:16:26they are seedlings from some older oaks.
0:16:26 > 0:16:31There's been a wood here for 500 years.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Towards the end of the 16th century, Sir Thomas Gresham,
0:16:34 > 0:16:38the wealthy merchant who owned these woods, used the trees to create
0:16:38 > 0:16:41the timber framing for London's first Royal Exchange.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44Are most of these trees oak?
0:16:44 > 0:16:47There's a lot of oak in this wood, but we've also got some
0:16:47 > 0:16:51hornbeam coppice, and we've got an understory of thorn.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55The oak used for the distinctive beams in Suffolk's traditional
0:16:55 > 0:16:57buildings is called green oak.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02It's usually sawn from newly felled trees and hasn't had time to dry,
0:17:02 > 0:17:05so it is easier to cut with traditional hand tools.
0:17:05 > 0:17:08This is what Sarah and her team of volunteers are using
0:17:08 > 0:17:13to restore a barn dating back to the 1600s in a neighbouring village.
0:17:13 > 0:17:17We have been able to source timber for our roof rafters
0:17:17 > 0:17:19- from these woods.- Right.
0:17:19 > 0:17:22So, I like that there's a direct link throughout history
0:17:22 > 0:17:24that we are continuing.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27What would make a good tree for the purposes of construction?
0:17:27 > 0:17:30- If you'd like to follow me, I'll show you.- Perfect.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35So, let's have a look at history. It's a nice size.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Nice big trunk.
0:17:37 > 0:17:40So, out of this tree, usefully, probably... What?
0:17:40 > 0:17:45- There's three decent length beams, is there?- I would hope so.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48It depends on the amount of sap wood.
0:17:48 > 0:17:53The sap wood is the wood sandwiched between the bark and the heart wood.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57It's soft and full of juicy sap, which insects love to eat,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00so it has to be discarded, leaving less wood to build with.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04New trees are planted to replace the ones chopped down,
0:18:04 > 0:18:10and Sarah's used around 20 trees from here to restore Orchard Barn.
0:18:10 > 0:18:11We have done some repairs.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14We've done them as a series of training courses.
0:18:14 > 0:18:16What techniques do you use for the construction?
0:18:16 > 0:18:19We're using a range of traditional building methods here,
0:18:19 > 0:18:24and we make our own shingles, and we have reclad our roof here.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27It looks like there's an awful lot of them on there.
0:18:27 > 0:18:29There's 20,000 shingles up there.
0:18:29 > 0:18:31They've all been hand cleft.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35That roof is the work of over 70 people.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38It took those 70 people a long nine months to get the job done.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41And now it's Sheila and Gary's turn to leave their mark on this
0:18:41 > 0:18:47historic barn, and see how a log is transformed into a shingle or tile.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49Shingles are very durable.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52What we've got on the roof here is three deep.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55The tiles could last around 60 years without rotting.
0:18:55 > 0:18:58And Sarah's using different trees from the Suffolk woodlands
0:18:58 > 0:19:00to make one.
0:19:00 > 0:19:04Here we have a sweet chestnut log, and a froe.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06And I'm going to use the froe.
0:19:06 > 0:19:08I'm going to hit it quite hard with this maul.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14That went very quickly, didn't it, at the end?
0:19:14 > 0:19:17And I'm going to start cleaving the shingles.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20We're aiming to cut thin slices of pie.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24Start it off... Oh! And it's gone.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26- There we go. Nice and simple.- OK.- Yeah.
0:19:26 > 0:19:29- If you'd like to come round here? - Yeah.
0:19:29 > 0:19:30We're looking for a slice of pie.
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Hurray! Your first shingle!
0:19:37 > 0:19:39Yep, just about usable, I think, that one.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41That's a lovely looking shingle.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44Next, the sap wood is removed.
0:19:44 > 0:19:45Like so, OK?
0:19:45 > 0:19:47So, here we have the shingle minus sap.
0:19:49 > 0:19:50Very clean.
0:19:50 > 0:19:53You can still smell... It feels damp.
0:19:53 > 0:19:56I suppose it's fresh, green sweet chestnut.
0:19:56 > 0:19:59Lastly, the site of the shingle flattened so they can butt up
0:19:59 > 0:20:01against each other.
0:20:01 > 0:20:02There we go.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05- That looks like a nice shape to me, Sarah.- It is the perfect shingle.
0:20:05 > 0:20:06This one is ready to go.
0:20:10 > 0:20:12For our second house, we're journeying just over 18 miles
0:20:12 > 0:20:15north-east to be pretty village of Wattisfield,
0:20:15 > 0:20:19which is just under 13 miles north-east of Bury St Edmunds.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22The land here is rich in mica clay,
0:20:22 > 0:20:24giving the village a history of pottery making
0:20:24 > 0:20:29with a long established family-run pottery still open for business.
0:20:29 > 0:20:33Under a 10-minute drive away is the attractive village of Botesdale,
0:20:33 > 0:20:35which provides the nearest amenities.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Back on the edge of Wattisfield,
0:20:37 > 0:20:41our second property is a neat and much newer proposition.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44- Very different from the first one.- Yes.- Yes.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46We've got a modern property here.
0:20:46 > 0:20:50So, this was built in 1999, and actually just had one owner.
0:20:50 > 0:20:51Very different, as you say, to the other one.
0:20:51 > 0:20:56But, again, quite a nice view and only a couple of properties nearby.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59First thoughts, not the sort of place that we would ordinarily
0:20:59 > 0:21:02look at, but I'm sure it fits the brief in all sorts of other ways.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06- One of the things we struggled with is getting you your double garage. - Yep.- Right.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Because a lot of these sort of more charming properties
0:21:09 > 0:21:10just don't have double garages.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13You have a shared access with your neighbour.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16But you do have a whopping great double garage.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19So, that was one of the kind of factors that brought us here.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23- But it also gives you a lot of space. - OK.
0:21:23 > 0:21:26- Shall we look inside?- Love to.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28'This extensive home may be more youthful
0:21:28 > 0:21:31'than Sheila and Gary were hoping for, but what it lacks in years,
0:21:31 > 0:21:34'it makes up for in plenty of other aspects.
0:21:34 > 0:21:36'We're entering through the side door.'
0:21:36 > 0:21:38In through the utility.
0:21:38 > 0:21:41In through the utility into a very big kitchen/diner.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44- Good layout.- It is.
0:21:44 > 0:21:45Lots of work surfaces.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49While this doesn't have the cosy period charm of the first one,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51if you think about the bones of it,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54you can always add the kind of cosiness with furniture.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- And you have got the head height here.- Exactly.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00Yeah, it's very functional. The layout is what you're really looking for.
0:22:00 > 0:22:02The kitchen onto the dining area.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04But if you step through here...
0:22:05 > 0:22:08You've got a very big conservatory here.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11OK. Bright, nice, big space.
0:22:11 > 0:22:15But a nice size of garden and good view over farmland again.
0:22:15 > 0:22:17How are you feeling about it?
0:22:17 > 0:22:20OK, yeah. It's very modern.
0:22:20 > 0:22:22So we'd need to look at, again,
0:22:22 > 0:22:26how we'd tweak it to make it country-feel.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30As I said outside, it's not the sort of thing we would ordinarily
0:22:30 > 0:22:34think of looking at, but I can see why you guys think it's of interest.
0:22:34 > 0:22:38Behind the conservatory, a later addition, and just ten years old,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41is a large sitting room with French windows to the garden.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43Well, that was the dining room.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46They knocked through and made it one L-shaped living space.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49- OK.- With a log burner.- Right.
0:22:49 > 0:22:53- And again, that double aspect. - I'm not getting so many oohs and ahs.
0:22:53 > 0:22:56No, I guess it's partly cos you move to the country,
0:22:56 > 0:22:59you want some country characteristics.
0:22:59 > 0:23:03Yes, it's got a nice wooden hearth over the fireplace,
0:23:03 > 0:23:06but it looks a modern piece of wood.
0:23:06 > 0:23:10The house may not have historic features, but the ground floor
0:23:10 > 0:23:14does have a study and upstairs, there are four bedrooms.
0:23:14 > 0:23:17At the top of the stairs, there are two sunny doubles
0:23:17 > 0:23:21and a bright single, which all make use of the family bathroom.
0:23:21 > 0:23:24And on the other side of the house, there's the master.
0:23:26 > 0:23:28Nice size.
0:23:28 > 0:23:30- Oh, yes. Decent size room. - Lots of storage.
0:23:32 > 0:23:33Shower room.
0:23:33 > 0:23:35It's quite spacious.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Yeah, decent size master bedroom.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41Upstairs, do you get a vibe from this space?
0:23:41 > 0:23:45I can see it's practical, but it just doesn't give me that sort of...
0:23:45 > 0:23:46Warm type of feeling.
0:23:46 > 0:23:47Yeah.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50Maybe it would be interesting to go out and look at the land
0:23:50 > 0:23:53- and the garage and think... - Most certainly. Most certainly.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55After you.
0:23:57 > 0:23:58The garden's the star here,
0:23:58 > 0:24:01with a paved terrace overlooking a large paddock.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05Chickens.
0:24:05 > 0:24:10They are sort of betraying the fact that actually this all
0:24:10 > 0:24:14- belongs to this. - Wow!- Goodness me! Good gracious!
0:24:14 > 0:24:17- One and a half acres of land. - A lovely tree at the end.
0:24:17 > 0:24:19- Yes, that's a 500-year-old oak. - Beautiful.
0:24:19 > 0:24:21And then, looking back,
0:24:21 > 0:24:25you've got the kind of double garage with your own access on the garden.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29So, I'm getting the vibe that you're not that keen on the house,
0:24:29 > 0:24:32but out of interest, how much do you think it's on the market for?
0:24:32 > 0:24:37I'm going to go with where we were the last time, another one, 470,000.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39450.
0:24:39 > 0:24:44450. Interesting. This is actually £50 short of your top budget.
0:24:44 > 0:24:46It's on at 499,950.
0:24:46 > 0:24:50OK. Bit more than I would have thought.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52But I guess that's with the value of the land.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55Why don't you have a look inside the double garage, just for interest's sake?
0:24:55 > 0:24:59- And mooch around inside and I'll see you out the front.- OK.- Thank you. - Thank you.
0:24:59 > 0:25:03This generous property comes in under their budget and although it's more
0:25:03 > 0:25:07modern than they had hoped for, they could add that internal character.
0:25:07 > 0:25:10They want a large kitchen/diner and they get it here,
0:25:10 > 0:25:14plus there's a study and four bedrooms.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18The double garage, often absent in period properties, gives Gary not
0:25:18 > 0:25:22only housing for his bikes but also plenty of room to tinker around in.
0:25:24 > 0:25:27- Big garage.- It is a big garage. - Lots of space.
0:25:27 > 0:25:32But it's got all of the facilities that we would want.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35Having somewhere for Gary's motorbikes is very important,
0:25:35 > 0:25:39but actually how we live in a house and how we feel in a house - this
0:25:39 > 0:25:43is a family home, there are only the two of us, most of the time.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45We'll have family coming to visit,
0:25:45 > 0:25:48but the majority of the time, it would just only be him and I.
0:25:48 > 0:25:51The land came as a bit of a surprise and in some respects,
0:25:51 > 0:25:56that's a bonus. In other respects, it isn't to me.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59I don't really want to have that responsibility
0:25:59 > 0:26:03and maintenance, particularly with this style of house.
0:26:03 > 0:26:07Unfortunately, for me, the property is not the style of property
0:26:07 > 0:26:11I really appreciate and I think you have to feel for a house to want it.
0:26:14 > 0:26:19Okey-dokey. That's all our houses today. So, a sort of mixed bag.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- But we've got the mystery house tomorrow.- OK. Look forward to that.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24Look forward to that.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32It's day two of our house hunt in Suffolk
0:26:32 > 0:26:36and with a healthy budget of £500,000 in their pockets, we're
0:26:36 > 0:26:40hoping to find Sheila and Gary a country home that wins their hearts.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43Coming up, there's our mystery house to unwrap...
0:26:43 > 0:26:48- I say! Now, that is a surprise! - Wasn't expecting this.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51And I'll be trusted at the helm of a 130-year-old vessel.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56- So you steer this way and it goes that way.- No, no.
0:26:56 > 0:26:59It's not a tiller, it's the same as a car.
0:26:59 > 0:27:03Reading between the lines, I get the feeling that Gary
0:27:03 > 0:27:05and Sheila are using our show as a sort of fact finding
0:27:05 > 0:27:08mission about property here in Suffolk, which is fine,
0:27:08 > 0:27:11although they do have their house in London pretty much sold,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14so the pressure's on for them to find somewhere to live.
0:27:14 > 0:27:17What is clear is that they don't really like modern property
0:27:17 > 0:27:21and they do have a penchant for the older, so we are going to
0:27:21 > 0:27:25take them today to the quintessence of period English housing,
0:27:25 > 0:27:26which is just over there.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34For our mystery property, we're travelling around 25 miles
0:27:34 > 0:27:38south to the other side of Bury St Edmunds and the village of Lavenham.
0:27:38 > 0:27:40It's one of the most beautiful
0:27:40 > 0:27:42and best preserved medieval villages in England.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45With many of the timbered facades harking back to a time
0:27:45 > 0:27:48when this was a centre for silk weaving.
0:27:48 > 0:27:52Nowadays, its streets are home to an array of thriving local businesses.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55I've brought Sheila and Gary to the heart of the village.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58One of the things we picked up emphatically yesterday was
0:27:58 > 0:28:01- that you weren't so keen on the modern property.- No.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05So we've brought you to the epicentre of ancient, beautiful,
0:28:05 > 0:28:08period properties in Suffolk, which is Lavenham.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11It's great. I mean, some of these properties with the gilt
0:28:11 > 0:28:12all over them are really iconic.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15But also it is a great community.
0:28:15 > 0:28:16Right.
0:28:16 > 0:28:19So you've got the church, very famous church,
0:28:19 > 0:28:22lots of things that go on there, great village hall, film club.
0:28:22 > 0:28:24You've got a butchers, a bakers,
0:28:24 > 0:28:25probably a candlestick makers as well.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28- There are two pilates teachers in the area.- Oh, OK, a bit of competition.
0:28:28 > 0:28:32- We had a look for the motorcycle group and couldn't quite find... - Not one of those.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35- I'm sure you could set one up. - Could do.- What would you feel about living here?
0:28:35 > 0:28:37It's certainly a very nice town and, as you say,
0:28:37 > 0:28:39it's got everything there.
0:28:39 > 0:28:41There's a number of pubs, a number of restaurants.
0:28:41 > 0:28:43A lot of history, it's true Suffolk.
0:28:43 > 0:28:46Well, we are actually going towards the edge of the village,
0:28:46 > 0:28:48- so come with me.- All right, OK.
0:28:48 > 0:28:50Our mystery house is tucked away in a quiet location,
0:28:50 > 0:28:53just a short stroll from the centre.
0:28:53 > 0:28:55Along with plenty of original features,
0:28:55 > 0:28:59it also had a new extension added to the back three years ago.
0:28:59 > 0:29:02- You remember the concept of the mystery house?- We do.
0:29:02 > 0:29:05- It's slightly challenging, putting a spanner in the works.- Right.
0:29:05 > 0:29:07I'm going to flag up all the, kind of,
0:29:07 > 0:29:09red spots about this property first.
0:29:09 > 0:29:13- Firstly, it's- semidetached. Right.
0:29:13 > 0:29:17- Secondly, at the moment, there's no garage...- Right.- OK.
0:29:17 > 0:29:20- ..but there are plans for a quite ingenious garage...- OK.
0:29:20 > 0:29:21..which we can look at inside.
0:29:21 > 0:29:23But those are the two bad points up front.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Right, OK, that's good to know. Interesting.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29Now that I've got that out of the way, what do you think about the
0:29:29 > 0:29:31location? Obviously, it's a, sort of, grisly day but...
0:29:31 > 0:29:34It's lovely, the location and it's peaceful.
0:29:34 > 0:29:36- There's no road noise. - In terms of the period?
0:29:36 > 0:29:39It's got some of those, sort of, Suffolk designs, doesn't it?
0:29:39 > 0:29:42With the marks on the wall, which is quite interesting.
0:29:42 > 0:29:45Yeah, it is. It's a lovely looking building, without doubt.
0:29:45 > 0:29:46Let's look inside.
0:29:46 > 0:29:50'Our grade II listed mystery offering is to the right of the front door,
0:29:50 > 0:29:52with the neighbour's house to the left.
0:29:52 > 0:29:57Through a small hallway lies a striking sitting room with a handsome
0:29:57 > 0:30:00inglenook fireplace as a focal point.
0:30:00 > 0:30:04Here you can see why this property is listed,
0:30:04 > 0:30:06because these beams are extremely old.
0:30:06 > 0:30:09This would have been the original footprint of the entire cottage.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12- No low head height issues.- No. - Very good.
0:30:12 > 0:30:14Unusual in these properties.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17Although, actually, a lot of the Lavenham properties were quite grand
0:30:17 > 0:30:20- because it was a very wealthy place.- That's a nice sized room.
0:30:20 > 0:30:22But interestingly, the owner, considering
0:30:22 > 0:30:23it's a grade II listed house,
0:30:23 > 0:30:26managed to get planning to almost double the footprint
0:30:26 > 0:30:28out into the garden.
0:30:28 > 0:30:31So it's a much more spacious property than it would have been historically.
0:30:31 > 0:30:33- Well, we look forward to seeing this.- Yes.
0:30:33 > 0:30:38- You won't have to look forward very long, it's through here.- After you.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41- So this is the... - Oh, another sitting room.
0:30:41 > 0:30:44..second sitting room, but it all leads into this.
0:30:44 > 0:30:47I think this is a really nice addition.
0:30:47 > 0:30:49Oh, I say!
0:30:49 > 0:30:52- Now, that is a surprise! - I wasn't expecting this, no.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54Very contemporary, fabulous.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56Great French doors out into the garden.
0:30:56 > 0:30:59This room that we came through is also part of the extension.
0:30:59 > 0:31:02- This is technically the third bedroom.- Right.
0:31:02 > 0:31:06- Actually, it would be a great place for pilates.- It could be, yes.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08- It could be a little studio. - A studio, yes.- It's a good size.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11It is, yes.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14Off the kitchen there is a utility room and a shower room.
0:31:14 > 0:31:18Heading upstairs, there's a master bedroom with en suite.
0:31:18 > 0:31:22Next to the family bathroom is a fantastically quirky double bedroom.
0:31:22 > 0:31:25I mean, they actually use the other one, which is an en-suite,
0:31:25 > 0:31:29as their master but I think this is probably slightly more charming room.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32- With the chimneybreast. - It's a good-sized room.
0:31:32 > 0:31:35- Two windows.- We've seen everything inside, let's go outside
0:31:35 > 0:31:39and think about that all-important garage.
0:31:39 > 0:31:43The building Gary can't wait to see hasn't actually been built yet.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47We're walking round the back of the garden here.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51Essentially, what the builder...
0:31:51 > 0:31:53The owner, who is also a builder,
0:31:53 > 0:31:55has done some very clever planning.
0:31:55 > 0:31:58I mean, you can see how cleverly he's used the space inside,
0:31:58 > 0:32:03so essentially because we've got this big drop here, he's got these plans
0:32:03 > 0:32:07to put in... Well, at the moment he's got plans for a one 1/2 garage here.
0:32:07 > 0:32:09It would go up against that wall and effectively
0:32:09 > 0:32:11be an underground garage.
0:32:11 > 0:32:13You know, you're thinking,
0:32:13 > 0:32:16"Gosh, in historic Lavenham whether that's likely."
0:32:16 > 0:32:18But actually the parish council are quite keen
0:32:18 > 0:32:20- to get cars off the road. - Right.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23If you look, there's not really anything here
0:32:23 > 0:32:25- that is of historic importance.- No.
0:32:25 > 0:32:28So these plans have not been approved, I need to tell you that.
0:32:28 > 0:32:31'It looks promising on paper but Gary needs to do the sums.
0:32:31 > 0:32:34'We'll step into the garden and take stock from the side.'
0:32:34 > 0:32:38- This would be the roof of your garage.- Yes.- Oh, OK.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41And underneath this bit of grass in the corner here...
0:32:41 > 0:32:43- With the steps coming up. - With the steps coming up here.
0:32:43 > 0:32:45Then this would all be your garden.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47So it's not a huge garden but it sounds like you don't
0:32:47 > 0:32:49- want a huge garden.- No.- Not really.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Big enough space to have a couple of areas to sit at.
0:32:52 > 0:32:55So how much do you think it costs? That's the crucial element.
0:32:55 > 0:32:58480.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02That's interesting, I'm going to stick with where I was yesterday
0:33:02 > 0:33:04because I want to ring-fence
0:33:04 > 0:33:0830,000, roughly, to do the garage work.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12- So I'm going to stick with my 470. - Tried and tested.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Well, in this instance both of you are a bit pessimistic,
0:33:15 > 0:33:19- because actually this is on the market for 450.- Oh, OK.
0:33:19 > 0:33:22- Oh, that is a surprise. - Quite interesting. Different than I thought...
0:33:22 > 0:33:25- 450!- ..for being so close to the centre of the village.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28I think this is a really interesting property for you guys.
0:33:28 > 0:33:31Not what you are looking for, but nonetheless thought-provoking.
0:33:31 > 0:33:35- Yes.- So go inside and be provoked. - OK.- We'll do that.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38- And shelter out of the rain. - Thank you.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42Yes. That is the response I wanted.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44A bit of a risk, because obviously no garage
0:33:44 > 0:33:47and only two bedrooms, but I think
0:33:47 > 0:33:51it's an exceptional property and I think it's going to shake up what
0:33:51 > 0:33:53they are looking for, which is exactly what
0:33:53 > 0:33:55the mystery house should do.
0:33:57 > 0:33:59Our grade II mystery listed property
0:33:59 > 0:34:02is a gratifying £50,000 under Sheila
0:34:02 > 0:34:04and Gary's top budget.
0:34:04 > 0:34:05It may be semidetached
0:34:05 > 0:34:07but its mix of historic bones
0:34:07 > 0:34:09and a modern airy kitchen
0:34:09 > 0:34:11exceeded their expectations.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13There are only two bedrooms but
0:34:13 > 0:34:15there is a perfect space downstairs
0:34:15 > 0:34:17which could double up as a
0:34:17 > 0:34:18spare room for guests
0:34:18 > 0:34:20and a pilates studio for Sheila.
0:34:20 > 0:34:22The size of garden wasn't
0:34:22 > 0:34:24a deal-breaker, but the garage was.
0:34:24 > 0:34:26So luckily plans have been drawn up
0:34:26 > 0:34:27that would make it just
0:34:27 > 0:34:28the trick for Gary.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30It's quite a surprise.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32It's a house we wouldn't have normally chosen to go to,
0:34:32 > 0:34:34a listed property and from outside,
0:34:34 > 0:34:38being semidetached, very narrow.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41But then when you come inside it just keeps on going,
0:34:41 > 0:34:42there is room after room.
0:34:42 > 0:34:45And the kitchen/diner is a fascinating room.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49The great surprise was coming through into the new extension area
0:34:49 > 0:34:53and walking into the kitchen and it's been very nicely done.
0:34:53 > 0:34:56It's very contemporary and because Sheila and I spend,
0:34:56 > 0:35:00like most modern families, most of our time in the kitchen/diner,
0:35:00 > 0:35:04this definitely ticks that box.
0:35:04 > 0:35:07The plot and the location in the village is ideal.
0:35:07 > 0:35:10To be right in the centre of the village is actually something
0:35:10 > 0:35:12we hadn't considered, we haven't looked at any properties
0:35:12 > 0:35:14in a village before.
0:35:14 > 0:35:17I'd say the mystery house was more of a surprise house, really.
0:35:17 > 0:35:21It's certainly something for us to consider very, very seriously.
0:35:22 > 0:35:25That was your mystery house in Lavenham.
0:35:25 > 0:35:28- That was very nice, I enjoyed that. - Yeah?- Yes.- Lots of smiles.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30- Good fun.- Good fun. - Good fun, indeed.
0:35:30 > 0:35:34- Let's find somewhere to have a cup of tea in this lovely village.- OK.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43Suffolk's River Orwell, so loved by the author George Orwell,
0:35:43 > 0:35:45runs from Ipswich to Harwich harbour.
0:35:45 > 0:35:50And in the first half of the 1900s, it was a hive of commercial activity,
0:35:50 > 0:35:53with cargo being carried by Thames barges,
0:35:53 > 0:35:59vessels around 80 foot long designed to carry a 200-ton load.
0:35:59 > 0:36:04One of the few barges to survive is the Victor, built in 1895
0:36:04 > 0:36:06near the wet docks here in Ipswich.
0:36:06 > 0:36:10I'm meeting her skipper, David "Wes" Westwood to find out
0:36:10 > 0:36:13more about these iconic vessels.
0:36:13 > 0:36:15- Hey, Wes.- Hello there. - Nice to see you.
0:36:15 > 0:36:17What a beautiful barge.
0:36:17 > 0:36:21- Isn't she great?! - Yep, built here in Ipswich in 1895.
0:36:21 > 0:36:24- So she is like 120 years old. - 120 this year, yep.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27- And how much of it is original? - The name.
0:36:29 > 0:36:32There is some original woodwork in there,
0:36:32 > 0:36:35but a 120-year-old lump of wood in the water has not got
0:36:35 > 0:36:37a lot of life left in it.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40Well, the Victor certainly looks very comfortable docked here
0:36:40 > 0:36:45at the waterfront, but in her day, she definitely earned her keep.
0:36:45 > 0:36:49If you look at a barge, it was like the white van of its day.
0:36:49 > 0:36:51These zoomed in and out of ports,
0:36:51 > 0:36:54took cargo to them and brought cargo back. This one was collecting
0:36:54 > 0:36:59flaks from around the farms and then up to London Docks for export.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03How long did it take a barge to get from Colchester up to London?
0:37:03 > 0:37:08Anything from about 15 hours to about six weeks
0:37:08 > 0:37:10depending on the weather.
0:37:10 > 0:37:1315 hours to six weeks!
0:37:13 > 0:37:16Well, if there weren't no wind, or fogbound or something,
0:37:16 > 0:37:18then you weren't going nowhere.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21When was the end of it? Because presumably that wasn't trains...
0:37:21 > 0:37:25- Because trains were already around at the turn of the century. - Trains were already around.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28I guess the lorries what really probably killed them.
0:37:28 > 0:37:33Over a 300-year period, around 2,500 barges like this were built.
0:37:33 > 0:37:36The water here is now mainly used for leisure.
0:37:36 > 0:37:41The Victor was restored in 2005 and her cargo is now people.
0:37:41 > 0:37:45She's a pleasure boat, taking around 4,500 tourists up and down
0:37:45 > 0:37:48the river each year.
0:37:48 > 0:37:52She usually sports a grand red sail but she's in the middle of her
0:37:52 > 0:37:56annual overhaul, so today she's running on a motor.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00'Wes is taking me out for a trip on the water.'
0:38:00 > 0:38:02So have you been your whole life on the boats?
0:38:02 > 0:38:05All my working life I've worked afloat on one thing or another,
0:38:05 > 0:38:09whether it be dredgers, marinas, on the port equipment here.
0:38:09 > 0:38:13- You are an Ipswich man?- I'm Ipswich through and through, yep.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16- So you must have seen this change a lot.- Very much so, yeah.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20Wes may have spent his life on the water, but I haven't,
0:38:20 > 0:38:23and as we pass through the lock gate, which takes us
0:38:23 > 0:38:27from the wet dock into the open river, he's putting me in charge.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30- Right, if you want to take the wheel now for a minute.- All right.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32- See the big blue crane?- Yep. - Don't hit it.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34HE LAUGHS
0:38:34 > 0:38:38- So shall I come this side?- Stand whatever side you feel comfortable.
0:38:38 > 0:38:41So let me remember, if I steer this way, it goes that way.
0:38:41 > 0:38:43No, no, no, no. It's not a tiller, it's a wheel, same as a car.
0:38:45 > 0:38:48- I want to go back a bit.- A little bit more. Stop for turning.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52- That's it.- So back in the day when it was under sail,
0:38:52 > 0:38:55- a bit more tricky with the sails, how big was the crew?- Two.
0:38:55 > 0:39:00- Two?! A man and a boy.- Well, a man, a boy and a dog, actually.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04The man told the boy what to do, the dog bit him if he didn't do it.
0:39:04 > 0:39:08- And you've been on her for?- Ten years I've been skipping this one.
0:39:08 > 0:39:10What's the magic of the Victor?
0:39:10 > 0:39:14- What's the magic of being on this one?- That's a hard question.
0:39:14 > 0:39:17They are all magical. They've all got something to them,
0:39:17 > 0:39:20but I've put a lot of time and effort into this one.
0:39:20 > 0:39:24So it really is hard to let it go.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28I'm trying to imagine what life on the barges would have been like.
0:39:28 > 0:39:30Well, if you want to go and talk to Merv.
0:39:30 > 0:39:32Merv actually lived the life. He was a mate on barges
0:39:32 > 0:39:34in the '40s and '50s.
0:39:34 > 0:39:37So, if you want to go and talk to him,
0:39:37 > 0:39:42- he's the best bloke to talk to. - I'll surrender the wheel.- Thank you.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44- Merv, hello.- Pleased to meet you.
0:39:44 > 0:39:49- Wes says that you were a proper bargeman.- Oh, yes.
0:39:49 > 0:39:53I did all these things from cook right up to mate.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55So what sort of period of time are we talking about?
0:39:55 > 0:39:59About 1960, 1961.
0:39:59 > 0:40:02As the mate, what were you responsible for?
0:40:02 > 0:40:06Virtually everything. I looked after the barge, trimmed all the lights
0:40:06 > 0:40:08because they were all paraffin lights.
0:40:08 > 0:40:12I washed it down and when you've discharged, helped cover up,
0:40:12 > 0:40:14put the ropes all back.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17So what is the attraction? Because you are still on a barge now.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20Well, it's just the fact it's in me.
0:40:20 > 0:40:25From six years old being aboard a barge, you don't never lose it.
0:40:25 > 0:40:29- I thoroughly enjoy it.- I can see.
0:40:29 > 0:40:32A life on waterways is clearly in Wes and Merv's blood.
0:40:32 > 0:40:36And in this beautiful Suffolk setting, I can see why.
0:40:37 > 0:40:40Lavenham's magnificent church.
0:40:40 > 0:40:43It might be the magnet to pull Sheila and Gary into the village,
0:40:43 > 0:40:45because they really did like the mystery house,
0:40:45 > 0:40:50but did they like it enough? Let's find out.
0:40:50 > 0:40:54- This has been a very interesting week in Suffolk.- It has.- Certainly.
0:40:54 > 0:40:56It's been quite an education and opening us
0:40:56 > 0:40:59up to things we wouldn't have looked at before.
0:40:59 > 0:41:00It's helped us prioritise.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03I got the impression that the Lavenham property,
0:41:03 > 0:41:06the mystery house, was your favourite. Is that correct?
0:41:06 > 0:41:09When we turned up initially it didn't entirely fit the brief,
0:41:09 > 0:41:12as you pointed out, it is a semidetached.
0:41:12 > 0:41:15But it was great fun and the journey through the house
0:41:15 > 0:41:18was a complete surprise.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22The modern extension that has been put on there is contemporary, suits
0:41:22 > 0:41:24the way we live quite well.
0:41:24 > 0:41:27The issue, of course, is this business that
0:41:27 > 0:41:30there isn't a garage and I must have one,
0:41:30 > 0:41:34but there is this potential, as you pointed out, to construct one.
0:41:34 > 0:41:36It's interesting because in many ways it didn't give you
0:41:36 > 0:41:38- any of the things you were after. - No.- Strangely.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41- Yes.- But it was the one that you liked.
0:41:41 > 0:41:43What might happen next? Would you put an offer in
0:41:43 > 0:41:48- if there was planning?- I think it's something we need to consider
0:41:48 > 0:41:50and mull over and mull over very, very quickly,
0:41:50 > 0:41:52but it's certainly not ruled out.
0:41:52 > 0:41:55Your search criteria has limited you quite a lot
0:41:55 > 0:41:58but particularly around listing.
0:41:58 > 0:42:02Because everywhere you go in Suffolk they mostly look like this
0:42:02 > 0:42:03and they are listed.
0:42:03 > 0:42:05No, I think that's less of an issue than it was.
0:42:05 > 0:42:07I think we have to be realistic.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10Well, I hope it's been more than just educational. But all the best,
0:42:10 > 0:42:13- and I hope it goes well because the clock is ticking.- It is, yes.
0:42:13 > 0:42:15- It is, Alistair.- A bit of a worry.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17Thank you very much pointing that out.
0:42:17 > 0:42:18- Sorry.- Thank you.
0:42:22 > 0:42:24It's been great being here in Suffolk during the spring.
0:42:24 > 0:42:26It does seem like the market is picking up
0:42:26 > 0:42:30and I do hope by the time the season turns and these little chaps
0:42:30 > 0:42:31have turned into teenagers,
0:42:31 > 0:42:35Gary and Sheila will have found a place to live in this lovely county,
0:42:35 > 0:42:38and I hope you can join us next time for more Escape To The Country.
0:42:39 > 0:42:43Sheila and Gary decided not to revisit our mystery house
0:42:43 > 0:42:45and have since expanded their search
0:42:45 > 0:42:50and had an offer accepted on a converted cider barn in Norfolk.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53If you would like to escape to the country in Scotland, Wales,
0:42:53 > 0:42:56England or Northern Ireland and would like our help,
0:42:56 > 0:43:01please apply online at...