Suffolk Escape to the Country

The water behind me inspired one of England's greatest 20th century authors to change his name.

Find out who he was and where I am in just a moment.

Today's property shopping pair has decided

to swap the big smoke for pastures new.

I think it's very quaint. It's a proper Suffolk looking building.

And they are hoping the right property will provoke some heartfelt reactions.

It's just doesn't give me that sort of...

-Warm type of feeling.

-Yes.

Today, I am in Suffolk and this is the River Orwell,

which gave the young writer Eric Blair the idea for his pen name,

under which he became a much more famous George.

Of course, it was Orwell's book 1984, published after the Second World War,

that gave us the ideas of doublespeak,

Big Brother and room 101.

And it's hard to connect those dystopian concepts with this

very bucolic and pastoral bit of England.

But the young writer Orwell did live here

when he was staying with his parents down the road in Southwold

and he would come on walks along the riverside to get

inspiration from the brooding skies and solitude of this bit of Suffolk.

Suffolk in East Anglia has a coastline that

runs along the North Sea.

Inland, it is bordered by Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Essex.

The low-lying undulating landscape is defined by huge structures

of farmland and those enormous skies, which this region is renowned for.

Suffolk's heritage coast sits in an area of outstanding natural

beauty and is lined by historic seaside towns such as Aldeburgh.

Attractive seafront buildings look out over stretches of shingle

beach and fishing boats, used to bring in the catch of the day.

This peaceful area wears its colourful history on its sleeve,

most notably in the distinctive Suffolk pink -

originally lime whitewash which was stained red using ox blood.

To the south, the coastal village of Orford has a tranquil quay

and a 12th century castle keep,

designed as a polygon to provide defenders with the most

vantage points when looking out for approaching attackers.

The mix of skyscapes, historic architecture,

countryside and coastline, makes Suffolk

an understated yet charming option for a peaceful existence.

Suffolk has strong and distinctive countryside

and at the last count, 12,500 historic listed buildings.

So you would be surprised to know

that it's still quite reasonable to buy property here.

The average cost of a detached house in the county is £270,000,

which is £13,000 less than the national figure.

So not massively cheaper, but still not too expensive.

That is unless you go across to the coast, where in places like Aldeburgh

or Southwold, houses can cost double the national figure.

So what is it that's exciting our buyers today

about moving to this lovely county?

Let's meet them and find out.

HR director Sheila and husband Gary, who owns his own design

construction business, met over two decades ago.

We have just recently had our 20th wedding anniversary.

We were both working at Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital.

Working on the new redevelopment project.

I was employed by the hospital and he was on the building site.

The contractor said to me,

"We have one of the hospital managers

"who is not particularly easy to get on with.

"We might need you to meet her to try and smooth her over a bit."

And, erm... I did.

Thus, we're here!

Sheila and Gary live in Wandsworth, south-west London.

After a lifetime of work,

they have decided they want to slow things down.

Maybe it's time to use the autumn of our lives

while we've still got good health and have a change.

It's the right time.

I don't want to wait until I'm 65 and then be too old to do the exploring.

Although they have loved city life,

it's no longer the place they want to call home.

We want to be a little bit more isolated, a little bit more rural

and enjoy that outside life rather than a cosmopolitan life in London.

We would like to own a dog as well.

Those people who own dogs tend to statistically live longer

and I'm up for that.

The two of them are free to make their rural move

as Gary's daughter is now grown up.

And Suffolk has many selling points that appeal to them.

It's got a mix of the things we like.

We like being near or with easy access to the sea,

but also easy access to lots of countryside and areas to walk.

Since giving up work,

they are already investing quality time in doing the things they love.

We have enjoyed the retirement for the last two or three months

and it's spending time together

and getting our routine out of a routine.

I do quite a bit of reading. Cooking, we do quite a lot of.

Gary has taken that up. We do that together.

I find it quite relaxing, to be honest.

I am looking forward to the better weather coming

so I can get out on the roads on my motorbikes.

I am very interested in those.

Sheila is also working on a new venture for when they move.

I am using the opportunity to do some retraining.

So I've chosen to do more pilates.

To me, it's totally different to anything I've ever done before,

from being a director to then doing an exercise and being a teacher.

So it's a huge learning opportunity

and then I'll be able to use that when I move to the country.

I'll be able to teach some ladies who live in the local community, in the church hall,

or to people in their houses on a one-to-one basis.

With their house under offer,

their Suffolk dream is an exciting step closer to becoming reality.

We both have the ability to be able to entertain ourselves

but be harmonious.

That will be amplified when we are away from London.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't got any issues with London.

I've had a great time here. We just know it's time for a change.

Sheila and Gary have decided that they would like to live towards the

west of the county, which is where we are concentrating our Suffolk search.

Before we start, I am meeting them in the county

in the village of Thorpe Morieux by the church of St Mary

to get to grips with exactly what it is they are looking for.

Welcome to Suffolk. You know the area quite well.

We were looking more east towards the coast originally

but as we've expanded our search, we have come more into central Suffolk.

We really like the countryside.

Have you thought about the pros and cons of actually moving out of London?

The actual reality of being away from away from your friends, out in the sticks?

Yes, and part of that is some of them will come and visit

and that will be a bit of interest for a short while,

and then we will make new friends.

I have retrained to do a completely different career in pilates,

so I want to meet the people in the local community and work with them.

So are you looking to be in a village or out in the sticks?

It would be nice to be in or near a village

so that yes, there would be a village hall.

-You could be a hit here, a pilates teacher.

-That would be good, yes.

So tell me about the house.

We really want something that has got a lot of character,

with some features and a nice fireplace and a large kitchen.

I would like to keep more motorcycles

so I will need a decent double garage at least.

And I like to lend my hand to a bit of DIY

so a bit of workshop space would be appreciated without doubt.

-So, outbuildings of some kind?

-Yes.

We are trying to stay away from a listed property.

It is difficult to heat and some of them have very few bathrooms.

Having enough bathrooms for when people come to visit is quite important.

That's interesting because obviously if you want an older property,

pre-Victorian, they often don't come with all those mod cons.

And it is those sort of compromises. It's seeing what's there

-and then trying to work out what is really important.

-Gary, you've been in the property trade.

Are you willing to do some work on the property?

Oh, without doubt, yes, I'm happy to put some effort in.

I don't want to sort of have to start knocking

-things down and completely reconstructing them.

-Remind me of your budget.

Well, ideally, we would like to be in the

£450-£500,000 marker.

Well, we've got three lovely properties lined up.

And they all sort of offer different things.

-We're looking forward to it.

-Come on then, let's go and get in the car.

Sheila and Gary's top budget is pretty generous for the area,

as they don't want to be on the coast.

They're looking for a house with lots of character, that provides

them with a large kitchen/diner for them

to embrace their love of cooking and entertaining.

Gary would like a garage and workshop space where

he can get his hands dirty, and store his motorbikes.

And also on the list is three-four bedrooms, an office,

a manageable garden, and they'd like to be near a village.

Best of all, they're open to compromise.

Taking their requirements on board, we've selected some fantastic

and varied properties, but the crucial price will only be disclosed

after they've toured the house.

The final stop will be at the mystery property,

which may at first glance be missing a vital ingredient,

but in fact could offer them even more than they could imagine.

We're kick-starting our property search in the rural village of Thorpe Morieux,

which is ten miles south-east of the market town of Bury St Edmunds.

Thorpe Morieux sits in a conservation area, and the countryside provides

plenty of potential dog walking opportunities.

From every vantage point in the village,

the tower of the church of St Mary's stands tall,

overlooking the surrounding fields and grazing livestock.

The nearest shops are around two miles away,

but there is a village hall, which could provide the perfect

setting for Sheila to hold her pilates lessons.

Close to the hall is this immaculate thatched cottage,

dating back, in part, to the late 17th century.

-Here we have it, offering number one.

-Beautiful.

-Chocolate box.

-Well, it is a proper Suffolk long house.

There is quite a bit of history.

It was the village shop for many years. It goes back about 350 years.

And it was originally just a two-bedroom cottage,

and it has been extended over the centuries as a Victorian

extension, and then this bit at the back is a very modern extension.

-Looks onto the countryside all round.

-I think it is very quaint, it is a

proper, sort of Suffolk-looking building. It is lovely.

And we do have a nice, good sized garage.

-Yes.

-Which is not always a given on these properties. Should we look inside?

Yes, it would be nice to see.

This whitewashed cottage is Grade II listed, which Sheila and Gary

weren't too keen on, but they did say they would be open minded.

It's been extensively updated by the current owners, and successfully

blends country cottage charm with comfortable, contemporary living.

Mind your heads. So there are a few beams in here.

So this is the dining room hall,

but I want to take you through to the sitting room.

-This is the oldest part of the house.

-Very cosy.

And a nice wood burning stove.

It is cosy, kind of low ceilings, but this is the older part.

The ceilings get a bit higher at the more modern end.

It looks in a beautiful condition, it is really nice. It is a proper cottage.

And it is nice to have that sunlight flooding through that window.

This is a nice sized living room.

This side, you've got the boot room,

but the kitchen and everything goes on through this way.

So there are rooms off there. There's...

a utility room and a toilet.

-Then you come into the kitchen, which is in the centre of the house.

-OK.

-Nice size.

-Yes, very good. Very welcoming.

-It's got a nice range.

-The work surfaces are quite narrow.

-Yeah.

We were hoping to be able to have a table in the kitchen,

and this would be a little bit smaller to achieve that,

but of course, with that right next-door, then that kind of works.

It is interesting what they have done in the Victorian end, in the extension.

If you come through here. Mind your head.

Look, you've got a second sitting room at this end,

because you've got this Victorian extension, and through here...

-This is the extension they've put on for their teenage son.

-Oh, right.

-More space than you'd think from the front.

-Exactly, yes.

It is a bit of a Tardis, this property.

There's lots of light, isn't there? It is very nice.

Need to see the rest.

This downstairs bedroom, with its en suite shower room, could easily

become an office for Sheila and Gary.

Upstairs, there are a further three bedrooms, accessed by two stairways.

One which leads straight up into the master in the eaves.

The room is dual aspect with a Victorian style fireplace

and a bright en suite bathroom.

A second double with feature beams also has two windows,

allowing light to flood in. And it also has its own en suite.

Finally, there's a slightly smaller room with

views across the garden to the neighbouring church.

But downstairs, we are heading outside, into the garden,

which has been home to a wheelwright, a cart maker, and a forge.

Along with established flower beds and a greenhouse,

there's even a well.

The garden runs alongside the road, it is quite long and thin,

but is it about the right size for you guys?

It's a lot bigger than what we've got at the moment,

but it is something to move to the country to get used to, and

learn to look after lots of different plants.

I would say it is manageable for us pair of townies. It is a good place to start.

How much do you think it is on the market for, this property?

Difficult to gauge because I haven't looked at listed properties, so 465.

I'm going to go a little bit higher than that, I think 470.

Ah, well, it is actually on at a bit more. It is on at £485,000.

-Mmm.

-But if you think, there's absolutely nothing you need to do,

you could move in and everything would be perfect.

-Why don't you go and look at the inside?

-OK.

£15,000 under the top end of their budget,

this delightful extended cottage started life 500 years ago,

and gives Sheila and Gary the character they are after.

It has just the number of bedrooms they need, and with a dining room

adjoining the kitchen, they get the large entertaining space they want.

The garden gives them a manageable project,

and the garage would provide a home for Gary's precious motorbikes.

-Lots of rafters.

-Very different to the other side of the house.

-The twin room.

-Very cottagey.

I had to duck when we came in, which was a bit of an issue,

but I was pleasantly surprised to find,

when we went upstairs, there were none of those problems at all.

I guess I just have to get used to a little duck...

to go from room to room.

It is surprising how many big, large double bedrooms there were.

Most of which had en suite.

From the outside, you thought it was much smaller.

Quite interesting layout, and quite nice

because you could split one end to the house for us, and when people

come to visit, the other end because of the two separate staircases.

Interesting for me because it is a listed property, which

we had kind of thought, "Well, maybe that's a bit of a risky area."

But being as it is in such a lovely condition

and has been cared for so well, I'm not too daunted by that.

It is on the road, but it is super quiet.

I don't think it is going to be a problem. Are you ready, guys.

-Yeah, that's great.

-So that's all done with, this one.

-We are going to go see another house.

-OK, great.

-Lovely.

Got to hold your thoughts.

Timber framed architecture is one of the great

hallmarks of Suffolk's heritage buildings.

Preserving them so they look just as striking as they did centuries

ago is a skilled and lengthy process.

Sarah Partridge runs a restoration project, which offers

courses in traditional timber framing and restoration skills.

Sheila and Gary have come to meet her in the shade of St John's Grove

woodland, in the village of Battisford, right in the heart of Suffolk.

With his background in construction, Gary is looking forward to

learning all about this centuries-old technique.

Sarah, how old are these trees?

The younger ones are about 50 years old,

they are seedlings from some older oaks.

There's been a wood here for 500 years.

Towards the end of the 16th century, Sir Thomas Gresham,

the wealthy merchant who owned these woods, used the trees to create

the timber framing for London's first Royal Exchange.

Are most of these trees oak?

There's a lot of oak in this wood, but we've also got some

hornbeam coppice, and we've got an understory of thorn.

The oak used for the distinctive beams in Suffolk's traditional

buildings is called green oak.

It's usually sawn from newly felled trees and hasn't had time to dry,

so it is easier to cut with traditional hand tools.

This is what Sarah and her team of volunteers are using

to restore a barn dating back to the 1600s in a neighbouring village.

We have been able to source timber for our roof rafters

-from these woods.

-Right.

So, I like that there's a direct link throughout history

that we are continuing.

What would make a good tree for the purposes of construction?

-If you'd like to follow me, I'll show you.

-Perfect.

So, let's have a look at history. It's a nice size.

Nice big trunk.

So, out of this tree, usefully, probably... What?

-There's three decent length beams, is there?

-I would hope so.

It depends on the amount of sap wood.

The sap wood is the wood sandwiched between the bark and the heart wood.

It's soft and full of juicy sap, which insects love to eat,

so it has to be discarded, leaving less wood to build with.

New trees are planted to replace the ones chopped down,

and Sarah's used around 20 trees from here to restore Orchard Barn.

We have done some repairs.

We've done them as a series of training courses.

What techniques do you use for the construction?

We're using a range of traditional building methods here,

and we make our own shingles, and we have reclad our roof here.

It looks like there's an awful lot of them on there.

There's 20,000 shingles up there.

They've all been hand cleft.

That roof is the work of over 70 people.

It took those 70 people a long nine months to get the job done.

And now it's Sheila and Gary's turn to leave their mark on this

historic barn, and see how a log is transformed into a shingle or tile.

Shingles are very durable.

What we've got on the roof here is three deep.

The tiles could last around 60 years without rotting.

And Sarah's using different trees from the Suffolk woodlands

to make one.

Here we have a sweet chestnut log, and a froe.

And I'm going to use the froe.

I'm going to hit it quite hard with this maul.

That went very quickly, didn't it, at the end?

And I'm going to start cleaving the shingles.

We're aiming to cut thin slices of pie.

Start it off... Oh! And it's gone.

-There we go. Nice and simple.

-OK.

-Yeah.

-If you'd like to come round here?

-Yeah.

We're looking for a slice of pie.

Hurray! Your first shingle!

Yep, just about usable, I think, that one.

That's a lovely looking shingle.

Next, the sap wood is removed.

Like so, OK?

So, here we have the shingle minus sap.

Very clean.

You can still smell... It feels damp.

I suppose it's fresh, green sweet chestnut.

Lastly, the site of the shingle flattened so they can butt up

against each other.

There we go.

-That looks like a nice shape to me, Sarah.

-It is the perfect shingle.

This one is ready to go.

For our second house, we're journeying just over 18 miles

north-east to be pretty village of Wattisfield,

which is just under 13 miles north-east of Bury St Edmunds.

The land here is rich in mica clay,

giving the village a history of pottery making

with a long established family-run pottery still open for business.

Under a 10-minute drive away is the attractive village of Botesdale,

which provides the nearest amenities.

Back on the edge of Wattisfield,

our second property is a neat and much newer proposition.

-Very different from the first one.

-Yes.

-Yes.

We've got a modern property here.

So, this was built in 1999, and actually just had one owner.

Very different, as you say, to the other one.

But, again, quite a nice view and only a couple of properties nearby.

First thoughts, not the sort of place that we would ordinarily

look at, but I'm sure it fits the brief in all sorts of other ways.

-One of the things we struggled with is getting you your double garage.

-Yep.

-Right.

Because a lot of these sort of more charming properties

just don't have double garages.

You have a shared access with your neighbour.

But you do have a whopping great double garage.

So, that was one of the kind of factors that brought us here.

-But it also gives you a lot of space.

-OK.

-Shall we look inside?

-Love to.

'This extensive home may be more youthful

'than Sheila and Gary were hoping for, but what it lacks in years,

'it makes up for in plenty of other aspects.

'We're entering through the side door.'

In through the utility.

In through the utility into a very big kitchen/diner.

-Good layout.

-It is.

Lots of work surfaces.

While this doesn't have the cosy period charm of the first one,

if you think about the bones of it,

you can always add the kind of cosiness with furniture.

-And you have got the head height here.

-Exactly.

Yeah, it's very functional. The layout is what you're really looking for.

The kitchen onto the dining area.

But if you step through here...

You've got a very big conservatory here.

OK. Bright, nice, big space.

But a nice size of garden and good view over farmland again.

How are you feeling about it?

OK, yeah. It's very modern.

So we'd need to look at, again,

how we'd tweak it to make it country-feel.

As I said outside, it's not the sort of thing we would ordinarily

think of looking at, but I can see why you guys think it's of interest.

Behind the conservatory, a later addition, and just ten years old,

is a large sitting room with French windows to the garden.

Well, that was the dining room.

They knocked through and made it one L-shaped living space.

-OK.

-With a log burner.

-Right.

-And again, that double aspect.

-I'm not getting so many oohs and ahs.

No, I guess it's partly cos you move to the country,

you want some country characteristics.

Yes, it's got a nice wooden hearth over the fireplace,

but it looks a modern piece of wood.

The house may not have historic features, but the ground floor

does have a study and upstairs, there are four bedrooms.

At the top of the stairs, there are two sunny doubles

and a bright single, which all make use of the family bathroom.

And on the other side of the house, there's the master.

Nice size.

-Oh, yes. Decent size room.

-Lots of storage.

Shower room.

It's quite spacious.

Yeah, decent size master bedroom.

Upstairs, do you get a vibe from this space?

I can see it's practical, but it just doesn't give me that sort of...

Warm type of feeling.

Yeah.

Maybe it would be interesting to go out and look at the land

-and the garage and think...

-Most certainly. Most certainly.

After you.

The garden's the star here,

with a paved terrace overlooking a large paddock.

Chickens.

They are sort of betraying the fact that actually this all

-belongs to this.

-Wow!

-Goodness me! Good gracious!

-One and a half acres of land.

-A lovely tree at the end.

-Yes, that's a 500-year-old oak.

-Beautiful.

And then, looking back,

you've got the kind of double garage with your own access on the garden.

So, I'm getting the vibe that you're not that keen on the house,

but out of interest, how much do you think it's on the market for?

I'm going to go with where we were the last time, another one, 470,000.

450.

450. Interesting. This is actually £50 short of your top budget.

It's on at 499,950.

OK. Bit more than I would have thought.

But I guess that's with the value of the land.

Why don't you have a look inside the double garage, just for interest's sake?

-And mooch around inside and I'll see you out the front.

-OK.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

This generous property comes in under their budget and although it's more

modern than they had hoped for, they could add that internal character.

They want a large kitchen/diner and they get it here,

plus there's a study and four bedrooms.

The double garage, often absent in period properties, gives Gary not

only housing for his bikes but also plenty of room to tinker around in.

-Big garage.

-It is a big garage.

-Lots of space.

But it's got all of the facilities that we would want.

Having somewhere for Gary's motorbikes is very important,

but actually how we live in a house and how we feel in a house - this

is a family home, there are only the two of us, most of the time.

We'll have family coming to visit,

but the majority of the time, it would just only be him and I.

The land came as a bit of a surprise and in some respects,

that's a bonus. In other respects, it isn't to me.

I don't really want to have that responsibility

and maintenance, particularly with this style of house.

Unfortunately, for me, the property is not the style of property

I really appreciate and I think you have to feel for a house to want it.

Okey-dokey. That's all our houses today. So, a sort of mixed bag.

-But we've got the mystery house tomorrow.

-OK. Look forward to that.

Look forward to that.

It's day two of our house hunt in Suffolk

and with a healthy budget of £500,000 in their pockets, we're

hoping to find Sheila and Gary a country home that wins their hearts.

Coming up, there's our mystery house to unwrap...

-I say! Now, that is a surprise!

-Wasn't expecting this.

And I'll be trusted at the helm of a 130-year-old vessel.

-So you steer this way and it goes that way.

-No, no.

It's not a tiller, it's the same as a car.

Reading between the lines, I get the feeling that Gary

and Sheila are using our show as a sort of fact finding

mission about property here in Suffolk, which is fine,

although they do have their house in London pretty much sold,

so the pressure's on for them to find somewhere to live.

What is clear is that they don't really like modern property

and they do have a penchant for the older, so we are going to

take them today to the quintessence of period English housing,

which is just over there.

For our mystery property, we're travelling around 25 miles

south to the other side of Bury St Edmunds and the village of Lavenham.

It's one of the most beautiful

and best preserved medieval villages in England.

With many of the timbered facades harking back to a time

when this was a centre for silk weaving.

Nowadays, its streets are home to an array of thriving local businesses.

I've brought Sheila and Gary to the heart of the village.

One of the things we picked up emphatically yesterday was

-that you weren't so keen on the modern property.

-No.

So we've brought you to the epicentre of ancient, beautiful,

period properties in Suffolk, which is Lavenham.

It's great. I mean, some of these properties with the gilt

all over them are really iconic.

But also it is a great community.

Right.

So you've got the church, very famous church,

lots of things that go on there, great village hall, film club.

You've got a butchers, a bakers,

probably a candlestick makers as well.

-There are two pilates teachers in the area.

-Oh, OK, a bit of competition.

-We had a look for the motorcycle group and couldn't quite find...

-Not one of those.

-I'm sure you could set one up.

-Could do.

-What would you feel about living here?

It's certainly a very nice town and, as you say,

it's got everything there.

There's a number of pubs, a number of restaurants.

A lot of history, it's true Suffolk.

Well, we are actually going towards the edge of the village,

-so come with me.

-All right, OK.

Our mystery house is tucked away in a quiet location,

just a short stroll from the centre.

Along with plenty of original features,

it also had a new extension added to the back three years ago.

-You remember the concept of the mystery house?

-We do.

-It's slightly challenging, putting a spanner in the works.

-Right.

I'm going to flag up all the, kind of,

red spots about this property first.

-Firstly, it's

-semidetached. Right.

-Secondly, at the moment, there's no garage...

-Right.

-OK.

-..but there are plans for a quite ingenious garage...

-OK.

..which we can look at inside.

But those are the two bad points up front.

Right, OK, that's good to know. Interesting.

Now that I've got that out of the way, what do you think about the

location? Obviously, it's a, sort of, grisly day but...

It's lovely, the location and it's peaceful.

-There's no road noise.

-In terms of the period?

It's got some of those, sort of, Suffolk designs, doesn't it?

With the marks on the wall, which is quite interesting.

Yeah, it is. It's a lovely looking building, without doubt.

Let's look inside.

'Our grade II listed mystery offering is to the right of the front door,

with the neighbour's house to the left.

Through a small hallway lies a striking sitting room with a handsome

inglenook fireplace as a focal point.

Here you can see why this property is listed,

because these beams are extremely old.

This would have been the original footprint of the entire cottage.

-No low head height issues.

-No.

-Very good.

Unusual in these properties.

Although, actually, a lot of the Lavenham properties were quite grand

-because it was a very wealthy place.

-That's a nice sized room.

But interestingly, the owner, considering

it's a grade II listed house,

managed to get planning to almost double the footprint

out into the garden.

So it's a much more spacious property than it would have been historically.

-Well, we look forward to seeing this.

-Yes.

-You won't have to look forward very long, it's through here.

-After you.

-So this is the...

-Oh, another sitting room.

..second sitting room, but it all leads into this.

I think this is a really nice addition.

Oh, I say!

-Now, that is a surprise!

-I wasn't expecting this, no.

Very contemporary, fabulous.

Great French doors out into the garden.

This room that we came through is also part of the extension.

-This is technically the third bedroom.

-Right.

-Actually, it would be a great place for pilates.

-It could be, yes.

-It could be a little studio.

-A studio, yes.

-It's a good size.

It is, yes.

Off the kitchen there is a utility room and a shower room.

Heading upstairs, there's a master bedroom with en suite.

Next to the family bathroom is a fantastically quirky double bedroom.

I mean, they actually use the other one, which is an en-suite,

as their master but I think this is probably slightly more charming room.

-With the chimneybreast.

-It's a good-sized room.

-Two windows.

-We've seen everything inside, let's go outside

and think about that all-important garage.

The building Gary can't wait to see hasn't actually been built yet.

We're walking round the back of the garden here.

Essentially, what the builder...

The owner, who is also a builder,

has done some very clever planning.

I mean, you can see how cleverly he's used the space inside,

so essentially because we've got this big drop here, he's got these plans

to put in... Well, at the moment he's got plans for a one 1/2 garage here.

It would go up against that wall and effectively

be an underground garage.

You know, you're thinking,

"Gosh, in historic Lavenham whether that's likely."

But actually the parish council are quite keen

-to get cars off the road.

-Right.

If you look, there's not really anything here

-that is of historic importance.

-No.

So these plans have not been approved, I need to tell you that.

'It looks promising on paper but Gary needs to do the sums.

'We'll step into the garden and take stock from the side.'

-This would be the roof of your garage.

-Yes.

-Oh, OK.

And underneath this bit of grass in the corner here...

-With the steps coming up.

-With the steps coming up here.

Then this would all be your garden.

So it's not a huge garden but it sounds like you don't

-want a huge garden.

-No.

-Not really.

Big enough space to have a couple of areas to sit at.

So how much do you think it costs? That's the crucial element.

480.

That's interesting, I'm going to stick with where I was yesterday

because I want to ring-fence

30,000, roughly, to do the garage work.

-So I'm going to stick with my 470.

-Tried and tested.

Well, in this instance both of you are a bit pessimistic,

-because actually this is on the market for 450.

-Oh, OK.

-Oh, that is a surprise.

-Quite interesting. Different than I thought...

-450!

-..for being so close to the centre of the village.

I think this is a really interesting property for you guys.

Not what you are looking for, but nonetheless thought-provoking.

-Yes.

-So go inside and be provoked.

-OK.

-We'll do that.

-And shelter out of the rain.

-Thank you.

Yes. That is the response I wanted.

A bit of a risk, because obviously no garage

and only two bedrooms, but I think

it's an exceptional property and I think it's going to shake up what

they are looking for, which is exactly what

the mystery house should do.

Our grade II mystery listed property

is a gratifying £50,000 under Sheila

and Gary's top budget.

It may be semidetached

but its mix of historic bones

and a modern airy kitchen

exceeded their expectations.

There are only two bedrooms but

there is a perfect space downstairs

which could double up as a

spare room for guests

and a pilates studio for Sheila.

The size of garden wasn't

a deal-breaker, but the garage was.

So luckily plans have been drawn up

that would make it just

the trick for Gary.

It's quite a surprise.

It's a house we wouldn't have normally chosen to go to,

a listed property and from outside,

being semidetached, very narrow.

But then when you come inside it just keeps on going,

there is room after room.

And the kitchen/diner is a fascinating room.

The great surprise was coming through into the new extension area

and walking into the kitchen and it's been very nicely done.

It's very contemporary and because Sheila and I spend,

like most modern families, most of our time in the kitchen/diner,

this definitely ticks that box.

The plot and the location in the village is ideal.

To be right in the centre of the village is actually something

we hadn't considered, we haven't looked at any properties

in a village before.

I'd say the mystery house was more of a surprise house, really.

It's certainly something for us to consider very, very seriously.

That was your mystery house in Lavenham.

-That was very nice, I enjoyed that.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

-Lots of smiles.

-Good fun.

-Good fun.

-Good fun, indeed.

-Let's find somewhere to have a cup of tea in this lovely village.

-OK.

Suffolk's River Orwell, so loved by the author George Orwell,

runs from Ipswich to Harwich harbour.

And in the first half of the 1900s, it was a hive of commercial activity,

with cargo being carried by Thames barges,

vessels around 80 foot long designed to carry a 200-ton load.

One of the few barges to survive is the Victor, built in 1895

near the wet docks here in Ipswich.

I'm meeting her skipper, David "Wes" Westwood to find out

more about these iconic vessels.

-Hey, Wes.

-Hello there.

-Nice to see you.

What a beautiful barge.

-Isn't she great?!

-Yep, built here in Ipswich in 1895.

-So she is like 120 years old.

-120 this year, yep.

-And how much of it is original?

-The name.

There is some original woodwork in there,

but a 120-year-old lump of wood in the water has not got

a lot of life left in it.

Well, the Victor certainly looks very comfortable docked here

at the waterfront, but in her day, she definitely earned her keep.

If you look at a barge, it was like the white van of its day.

These zoomed in and out of ports,

took cargo to them and brought cargo back. This one was collecting

flaks from around the farms and then up to London Docks for export.

How long did it take a barge to get from Colchester up to London?

Anything from about 15 hours to about six weeks

depending on the weather.

15 hours to six weeks!

Well, if there weren't no wind, or fogbound or something,

then you weren't going nowhere.

When was the end of it? Because presumably that wasn't trains...

-Because trains were already around at the turn of the century.

-Trains were already around.

I guess the lorries what really probably killed them.

Over a 300-year period, around 2,500 barges like this were built.

The water here is now mainly used for leisure.

The Victor was restored in 2005 and her cargo is now people.

She's a pleasure boat, taking around 4,500 tourists up and down

the river each year.

She usually sports a grand red sail but she's in the middle of her

annual overhaul, so today she's running on a motor.

'Wes is taking me out for a trip on the water.'

So have you been your whole life on the boats?

All my working life I've worked afloat on one thing or another,

whether it be dredgers, marinas, on the port equipment here.

-You are an Ipswich man?

-I'm Ipswich through and through, yep.

-So you must have seen this change a lot.

-Very much so, yeah.

Wes may have spent his life on the water, but I haven't,

and as we pass through the lock gate, which takes us

from the wet dock into the open river, he's putting me in charge.

-Right, if you want to take the wheel now for a minute.

-All right.

-See the big blue crane?

-Yep.

-Don't hit it.

HE LAUGHS

-So shall I come this side?

-Stand whatever side you feel comfortable.

So let me remember, if I steer this way, it goes that way.

No, no, no, no. It's not a tiller, it's a wheel, same as a car.

-I want to go back a bit.

-A little bit more. Stop for turning.

-That's it.

-So back in the day when it was under sail,

-a bit more tricky with the sails, how big was the crew?

-Two.

-Two?! A man and a boy.

-Well, a man, a boy and a dog, actually.

The man told the boy what to do, the dog bit him if he didn't do it.

-And you've been on her for?

-Ten years I've been skipping this one.

What's the magic of the Victor?

-What's the magic of being on this one?

-That's a hard question.

They are all magical. They've all got something to them,

but I've put a lot of time and effort into this one.

So it really is hard to let it go.

I'm trying to imagine what life on the barges would have been like.

Well, if you want to go and talk to Merv.

Merv actually lived the life. He was a mate on barges

in the '40s and '50s.

So, if you want to go and talk to him,

-he's the best bloke to talk to.

-I'll surrender the wheel.

-Thank you.

-Merv, hello.

-Pleased to meet you.

-Wes says that you were a proper bargeman.

-Oh, yes.

I did all these things from cook right up to mate.

So what sort of period of time are we talking about?

About 1960, 1961.

As the mate, what were you responsible for?

Virtually everything. I looked after the barge, trimmed all the lights

because they were all paraffin lights.

I washed it down and when you've discharged, helped cover up,

put the ropes all back.

So what is the attraction? Because you are still on a barge now.

Well, it's just the fact it's in me.

From six years old being aboard a barge, you don't never lose it.

-I thoroughly enjoy it.

-I can see.

A life on waterways is clearly in Wes and Merv's blood.

And in this beautiful Suffolk setting, I can see why.

Lavenham's magnificent church.

It might be the magnet to pull Sheila and Gary into the village,

because they really did like the mystery house,

but did they like it enough? Let's find out.

-This has been a very interesting week in Suffolk.

-It has.

-Certainly.

It's been quite an education and opening us

up to things we wouldn't have looked at before.

It's helped us prioritise.

I got the impression that the Lavenham property,

the mystery house, was your favourite. Is that correct?

When we turned up initially it didn't entirely fit the brief,

as you pointed out, it is a semidetached.

But it was great fun and the journey through the house

was a complete surprise.

The modern extension that has been put on there is contemporary, suits

the way we live quite well.

The issue, of course, is this business that

there isn't a garage and I must have one,

but there is this potential, as you pointed out, to construct one.

It's interesting because in many ways it didn't give you

-any of the things you were after.

-No.

-Strangely.

-Yes.

-But it was the one that you liked.

What might happen next? Would you put an offer in

-if there was planning?

-I think it's something we need to consider

and mull over and mull over very, very quickly,

but it's certainly not ruled out.

Your search criteria has limited you quite a lot

but particularly around listing.

Because everywhere you go in Suffolk they mostly look like this

and they are listed.

No, I think that's less of an issue than it was.

I think we have to be realistic.

Well, I hope it's been more than just educational. But all the best,

-and I hope it goes well because the clock is ticking.

-It is, yes.

-It is, Alistair.

-A bit of a worry.

Thank you very much pointing that out.

-Sorry.

-Thank you.

It's been great being here in Suffolk during the spring.

It does seem like the market is picking up

and I do hope by the time the season turns and these little chaps

have turned into teenagers,

Gary and Sheila will have found a place to live in this lovely county,

and I hope you can join us next time for more Escape To The Country.

Sheila and Gary decided not to revisit our mystery house

and have since expanded their search

and had an offer accepted on a converted cider barn in Norfolk.

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