Norfolk Escape to the Country

It's well-documented that, with each generation, the nation is gradually getting taller.

But I'm standing near the tomb of a Victorian celebrity who in the 1800s

was classed as extraordinarily tall.

So, who is he and where am I?

Find out in just a moment.

On today's show,

a father-and-daughter team are tasked with finding

the perfect country home for the whole family.

And there's definitely enough room

for all of them in one of our houses.

You've got that valuable thing here, just got that space.

There's lots of space to it.

-Mm.

-Yeah.

-A sense of space.

But they also have designs on a property with personality.

I said character, that's character.

Today I'm in Norfolk,

at the Church of St Mary in West Somerton,

the final resting place of Robert Hales,

more commonly known as the Norfolk Giant.

Born here in 1813,

he eventually reached the giddy height of 7'8",

and toured the country with his 7'2" sister,

before marrying one Elizabeth Simpson,

who towered over the both of them at an incredible eight feet tall.

As you can imagine,

the Norfolk Giant was quite an attraction in his day,

and makes up a small - or should that be tall? -

part of this county's rich and varied history.

Norfolk is one of six counties that make up the East Anglia region.

The others include Suffolk to the south

and Cambridgeshire to the west.

Norfolk is England's driest and flattest county,

with much of the land low-lying,

and a 93-mile coastline made up of long, sandy beaches

sheltered by undulating cliffs.

Coastal draws include the town of Cromer with its Victorian pier.

Stretching 500 metres out to sea,

it has changed little in its 100-year-plus existence.

Enchanting villages such as Blakeney

are dotted along the northern shoreline,

with those distinctive flint-fronted cottages

a recurrent theme across the county.

Inland is just as appealing.

The famous Broads -

125 miles of waterways -

were created by peat digging,

and are now a haven for wildlife and on the visitor map.

Norfolk is also the setting for some of Britain's finest stately homes,

including Houghton Hall, built in the 1720s

as a country retreat for the then Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole.

With such a diverse range of activities

and scenery to experience,

it's easy to see why Norfolk gets the vote from potential escapees.

When it comes to property prices here in Norfolk,

the average cost of a detached home is around £249,000.

Now, that's a remarkable £50,000 below the national figure.

But it's not just the current property prices

that make this county remarkable.

Because it's thought that the Norfolk coastline was

the first part of Britain to be settled by early man.

And some 1.2 million years later,

people are still keen to call this gorgeous region home,

including today's buyers.

Today's house-hunting duo are a father and daughter.

IT consultant and martial arts fanatic Anthony,

and 23-year-old design student Charlotte.

They're looking for a home large enough

to accommodate the whole family,

which also includes Anthony's wife Julie and Charlotte's older sister

Becky, who are the quieter half of the family.

Well, the relationship between Charlotte and myself,

we're both very similar in the outlook to life,

humorous and very quick-witted.

And we enjoy to be part of the life and soul of the party as well

and have fun and make life enjoyable.

My dad is funny, he's intelligent,

he's sometimes very annoying.

But overall, he's a great dad.

This family of four have lived in the same house

in Uckfield in East Sussex since the girls were children.

But recently, their hometown has undergone increasing development.

Uckfield, there's a nice environment, nice location,

but it's like most places, it's building up a lot more.

There's less places to walk the dog.

And it's just getting overcrowded, overpopulated.

The family have chosen to put down country roots in Norfolk,

after falling in love with the county's wide-open spaces

and stunning coastline.

We've actually picked Norfolk as an area because we went and

had a visit there last Christmas.

We were considering where to move to, and when we saw Norfolk,

we liked driving round it, the location, the walks.

One thing that my mum liked was the beaches.

Down here, we just get a lot of pebble beaches.

Whereas up there, they're all sand and you can take your dogs,

whatever time of year.

Charlotte is studying design and is considering a career in photography,

but she's also a keen rider and is already imagining country life

with her much-loved horse, Sydney.

I started horse riding since I was six

and it's been part of my life since then.

Part of the move is to take my horse with me.

And to have fields that we can just look over

from the kitchen and they would just be there.

And to actually ride on, like, the beaches around there

would be ideal.

Anthony, on the other hand, enjoys martial arts in his spare time,

and he's proud of his record-breaking achievement.

Like everybody else, see something about Bruce Lee,

into it from then on.

My main forte is jujitsu

and I also gained the martial art world record in the '90s

on a couple of TV programmes,

and I still hold that world record now.

Beats stamp collecting.

This close-knit family would also like their new property to include

a separate annexe for the girls,

but Anthony is also taking the long view.

So the way that we can see things panning out

is that we'd be living in obviously the main house,

myself and my wife, Julie.

Rebecca and Charlotte will be actually potentially in the annexe.

And it could be that when we're old and decrepit, we just swap places.

Anthony and daughter Charlotte would like to cast their property net

along the Norfolk-Suffolk border.

I'm meeting up with them in Norfolk

to find out their property particulars.

Well, Anthony and Charlotte, welcome to Norfolk.

I think we've picked the most beautiful day

to start our house search.

Now, Charlotte, this is about moving the whole family to Norfolk, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-All four of you - mum Julie, your sister, Becky,

plus all the animals.

How many people are we going to be looking after?

Well, four together, but the animals are kind of people themselves.

How many cats, dogs, horses?

Four cats, a dog and a horse.

And possibly another horse as well when we move.

So, what exactly are you looking for in this new family home?

Something that's got about four bedrooms,

ideally with a large entertaining space,

a kitchen-diner, and obviously

the land is important.

And anything else that you're after, Anthony?

Well, ideally, an annexe or outbuildings that could be converted.

I've always wanted to have a martial arts centre as well in an outbuilding.

So there's a couple of things that would be nice to have

that will add value.

Any of the family keen gardeners?

-HE CHUCKLES

-No.

-No?

No, I don't mind dabbling in the garden,

but not too much in the way of managing gardens on a large scale.

What does this property look like, architecturally?

What's the style that you're after?

I probably should ask you, Charlotte, shouldn't I?

Yeah, something with period features.

We don't mind elements of contemporary.

But just to have that sort of old look to it,

even if it's a new build that's done nicely to look old.

Now, you certainly have a healthy budget with this search,

but we've got to keep a lot of people happy.

Remind us how much we've got to spend.

Well, we're looking at a limit of £700,000.

And do you think that's realistic?

I think certainly.

If you ask Charlie, she'll probably go for the £1.5 million properties.

-Ideally, yeah.

-Will you?

Well, we do have three splendid properties to show you.

The sun is shining, the sky is blue.

I think we should get started.

Sounds good. Thank you.

With a £700,000 budget,

Anthony and Charlotte's family home

in rural Norfolk should ideally

incorporate a mix of period features

with a modern interior.

The property should include four bedrooms

and a large kitchen diner for mum Julie.

Although the garden isn't a top priority,

the outside space should include enough land for two horses,

an outbuilding for Anthony's martial art studio,

and, ideally, separate annexe accommodation

for Charlotte and her sister, Rebecca.

With this extensive wish list in mind,

we found three fantastic family properties

that should appeal to Anthony and Charlotte,

but they'll have to wait until the end of each tour

before I reveal the price to them.

Our final property stop, as always,

will be the mystery house,

where it could be two for the price of one.

Our first property is situated in the village of Starston

on the Norfolk-Suffolk border.

The closest option for a range of amenities

is the market town of Harleston,

located on the old coaching road between London and Great Yarmouth.

Featuring a diverse mix of characterful buildings,

ranging from medieval to Georgian architecture,

the town is centred on a colourful high street

with a range of independent shops.

Market day is every Wednesday,

a tradition that began in the year 1259,

when the town was granted its charter.

A five-minute drive from Harleston,

and back in the village of Starston,

house number one is tucked away in a peaceful setting.

So, let me introduce you to our very first property here in Norfolk.

-It's very nice. I like the style.

-I like that.

It's unusual, isn't it?

-It is.

-Yeah.

-But very attractive.

The actual house itself dates back to the early 17th century.

Oh, wow! That's very impressive.

-Yeah.

-Well, I said character, that's character.

-It's definitely got character.

-And, as you can see,

we're sort of surrounded by this wonderful countryside,

but also garden.

-It's beautiful.

-OK.

All right. Let's start.

Thank you.

'Despite its redbrick Victorian facade,

'the Grade II listed farmhouse has a timber frame

'dating back to the 1600s.

'And inside offers up an array of period features

'from across the centuries.

'For Anthony's wife Julie, the kitchen is important,

'so we're starting our tour at the back of the house.'

So, come on in.

I like the range.

I love that brick around...

-Mm.

-That's nice.

-I like that.

-Yeah, it's a nice area as well.

I'd probably do more with the kitchen for my wife,

for her cooking and everything else,

but there's space here to do and add more to it.

You have a wonderful pantry there.

Ah! That's the magic word.

My wife has always wanted a pantry.

-Yeah?

-She loves pantries cos of what you can get in there.

-Of course.

-So that'll be a big thing, definitely.

-Especially if you're baking cakes and things like that.

-Yes.

'With the baking practicalities dealt with,

'I want to show Anthony and Charlotte

the main part of the house,

'where the history really starts to reveal itself.'

You've actually got a cellar under here.

You can see there's like a trap door.

-Yeah.

-You got your dining area,

and I truly believe as you walk into this part of the house -

the main body of the house, if you like -

you are stepping back in time.

Yeah.

Yeah, you've got these different periods on the outside,

which is terrific, and you come back, stepping in time,

further inside.

I like this. It's really nice. Lovely beams. I love beams.

Yeah. I love the beams.

The outside has been changed quite considerably,

but the fact that it's probably wattle and daub,

you can actually see...

-Can you just see that glass panel behind the sofa?

-Yeah.

It shows what it's like behind the plaster.

-Oh, brilliant.

-That's a nice feature.

-Yeah.

It's beautiful. Really lovely.

'Anthony and Charlotte are clearly warming to the character of our farmhouse.

'As well as the sitting room,

'there's also a separate study on the ground floor.

'Bearing in mind the family want more space,

'I've got a surprise around the corner - another reception room.'

So far, I'm impressed.

-Are you?

-It's really, really, really nice.

-Charlotte?

-Yeah, I love the character.

-Do you?

-It's lovely.

'So far, this light and spacious family home

'is proving a hit with father AND daughter.

'Upstairs there are four bedrooms, as requested,

'including a double and a twin,

'both with exposed beams,

'and a single with feature Victorian fireplace.

'The three-piece bathroom could be shared by the girls

'because the master has an en-suite shower room for Anthony and Julie.'

This is the master bedroom

because it has the en suite.

Lovely light coming through there and beautiful view out of the window as well,

the trees in the garden. That is really nice.

I like that willow tree that's out there.

But what do you think your wife, Anthony, would think of it so far?

She'll like it, all in all.

What about Becky, your sister?

I think she would love it. She loves characterful properties.

Well, there's still plenty to show you outside.

Shall we head into the garden and talk about access for the horses,

stables and all the other projects that you've got going on?

-Sounds good.

-Lovely.

-After you.

With two generations catered for inside,

it's time to think about their needs for outside.

The house sits in a 2.4-acre plot of land.

The grounds include an enclosed paddock

for Charlotte's horse, Sydney,

there's an outbuilding for Anthony's martial art studio,

as well as a garage and carport.

But there's no separate annexe to house the girls.

The rest of the land features an extensive wraparound garden,

which could offer an option for another horse.

I wonder whether I've left the best till last,

cos I adore this garden,

for two reasons.

I think it's been beautifully done because behind us,

you've got that cottagey feel with all the planting.

But in front of us,

you actually have the potential to turn this into a paddock

without ruining what's already here.

Yeah. Yeah, definitely.

-A lot of space.

-Gives a lot of scope for that, for the two horses.

And this garden is beautiful.

The surrounding trees, whether you've got a paddock in the middle or not,

those trees are amazing.

-Yeah.

-When you say this is the starting point, I tell you what,

-where do you go from here? This is terrific.

-Oh!

-Lovely.

-Thank you, Anthony.

-Let's see how we get on with the price.

-Uh-huh.

I'm going to say 675.

-OK.

-I was thinking more like 695.

All right. In actual fact, you are the closest, Charlotte.

You're bang on the money. The asking price is £675,000.

Are you pleasantly surprised? It's a lot of house, isn't it,

-for that budget?

-Very, actually.

Very impressed by the whole layout and structure.

-And that is a house to die for, to be honest.

-Thank you.

Would you like to have another look around together this time?

-Yes, please.

-Dad and daughter.

-Thank you.

-Be my guest.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Well, such a brilliant start to our house-hunt here in Norfolk,

but what a splendid home.

It does mean the whole family are going to be living under one roof,

but with the outbuildings,

the stable block, the additional land,

I think it gives them everything they want, and it's under budget.

In fact, £25,000 below budget.

The first property is a Grade II listed Victorian family farmhouse,

with parts dating back to the 17th century.

There's a sizeable kitchen for mum Julie and four bedrooms.

Outside, the grounds include outbuildings and enough acreage

to potentially keep two horses.

It's a good size.

Could be a couple of options here. Could actually be a really good gym.

It was a lovely property, great character.

Nice size. It was airy,

it was bright for an old property,

which I loved. And it had a lot of potential to it.

You had one sort of period on the outside

and an earlier period on the inside.

And the space and capacity in there is certainly adequate for what

our needs are, I think.

Terrific property for the first one to look at.

Really impressed.

-Have we seen enough?

-We have.

-Yeah, are you happy?

-Oh, indeed, thank you.

-Yeah?

-Good first house?

-Oh, indeed.

-Try beating that.

-Oh, I know.

Let's see how we get on.

-Come on.

-Thank you.

The rich, fertile soil of Norfolk

sustains a thriving arable crop-growing industry,

with half of its farmland given over to wheat and barley.

But it's also good for growing asparagus.

One of those love-it-or-hate-it foods,

demand has soared in Britain over the last decade,

and as a result, producers have trebled the amount they grow.

Just outside Thetford is Rowdham Farm,

a family-run business which has been growing the crop since 1989.

Keen to explore Norfolk's culinary delights,

Anthony and Charlotte have chosen the ideal time to get some tips

on asparagus growing.

-Hello, welcome to Rowdham Farm!

-Hi, Tim.

They're meeting third-generation farmer Tim Jolly.

So, what exactly is asparagus?

Botanically speaking, asparagus is a herbaceous perennial.

So, perennial means that we don't have to plant it every year.

So we have it in the fields for up to 15 years.

So I gather there's a lot of health benefits from asparagus?

Asparagus is a fantastic vegetable.

It has a lot of vitamins and minerals, particularly B3,

and a whole range of other things, like high in fibre,

low in carbohydrates.

So it's a fantastic vegetable, health-wise.

-Sounds pretty good to me.

-Good, good stuff.

Tim is clearly passionate about asparagus,

but he's got a job on his hands convincing Charlotte.

Now, I actually love asparagus, but obviously,

some people like it and hate it,

my daughter does not like it.

Can you convert my daughter into an asparagus lover?

Absolutely. It's a challenge I'm very willing to take on.

Tim begins by showing Anthony and Charlotte how fast-grown spears are collected.

Although with around 60 acres of asparagus to cover,

it's a case of where to begin first.

So, why is Norfolk so good for growing asparagus?

Two things. First the soil, second the weather.

Here we have really light sandy soil.

Asparagus likes sandy soil.

Good drainage. The weather...

..warm days, cool nights.

It really enhances the flavour of the asparagus

if you have that difference in temperature.

So, how do you know when these are ready to be cut?

When it is that length, the length of the knife.

So, let's have a look at this one here.

So, we've got at least the length of the knife.

Take it, cut it,

put it in the basket. OK, is that fairly straightforward?

-Yeah.

-Sounds good to me.

Right. Have a basket, have a knife...

-Thank you.

-..and let's see what you can do.

-OK.

-Thank you.

Easy to cook, yet considered a delicacy by many,

asparagus is a rich source of iron,

which helps boost the immune system.

It's also packed full of fibre and potassium,

as well as vitamin A and folic acid,

all believed to play a role in the fight

against cancer and heart disease.

Right, guys, come this way.

But for Charlotte, it's the taste that puts her off.

Tim hopes the freshly cut crop might convert her.

It's been steamed, which helps retain the flavour.

Anthony, you're itching to try some.

-Shall we go for it?

-It looks very tasty. I think we might as well give it a whirl, please.

OK. So, the steamed one.

What do you think?

-It's actually OK.

-Oh, nice.

Do you think that's approval, Anthony?

"It's actually OK" is approval?

What do you reckon?

She's committed to eating it at home now as well.

This is roasted with black pepper

and Parmesan, with a bit of chilli sauce.

Just dip into the chilli sauce.

Mm, that is delicious.

-What do you think, Anthony?

-I like it with the sauce.

-You like it with the sauce!

-That's amazing.

Fantastic flavours.

-It's good, isn't it?

-I much prefer that.

At the end of the day, like most veg,

cover it in sauce and the children will be happy.

Success at last.

For the second property,

we're venturing across the county towards The Wash,

to the small village of Marshland St James.

Situated in the Fens, an area of flat low-lying land,

the larger village of Emneth, about a ten-minute drive away,

features an imposing parish church,

as well as a range of amenities,

including a post office and butchers.

The second house is located in a remote spot,

around a 20-minute walk from Marshland St James.

Although it's a more modern affair than our first house,

I think it provides the family and potential animals

with all the space they would need.

Built in 1994. It was a bungalow,

it's been extended into a chalet.

So it does give you space for a family.

-Yes.

-Yes.

-What do you think, Anthony?

-What's going through your mind?

-I'm thinking that it's...

It is big, it's a nice-sized property.

It is modern, compared to the previous one,

but treat everything independently.

And yeah, it'll be interesting to see what the space gives as well

on the inside, as well as the outside, of course.

Yeah. I mean, I think the other property is more characterful,

so it brings you in a bit more, and this is less of that, I think.

Yeah. Shall we start having a look around?

-Yeah.

-Certainly. Yes, please.

-Let's go this way.

-Thank you.

What it might lack in visual appeal,

it more than makes up for in layout and space.

Again, we are starting off in the kitchen,

and it's quite an eye-opener.

-Big space.

-Oh, quite bright.

-Yes.

-I think I need my sunglasses out.

-Yep.

Yes. If you like that sort of tomatoey red colour...

you're in luck with this kitchen.

Look at the space.

Now, Julie is passionate about baking and cooking, isn't she?

-Yeah.

-Your mum. What do you think she would make of it?

I think she'd love the space.

And to have an island to work around as well would be good for her.

We're going to call this the space house.

-The space house, that sounds pretty good to me.

-Plenty of it.

'Because it started life as a bungalow,

'most of the living areas and sleeping accommodation

'are found on the ground floor,

'including three of the five bedrooms.

'These downstairs bedrooms include two doubles and a single,

'currently converted into a music room.

'There's also a family bathroom and dining room,

'as well as two large reception rooms.'

So, we've said it's the spacious house.

Is this going to be big enough?

This is big, in here.

This is a terrific piece there, that fireplace, it's amazing, it's great.

It's a double wood burner, because one isn't good enough.

-No.

-THEY LAUGH

You've got that valuable thing here, just call that space.

Yeah. Now, if this wasn't big enough for you,

I can actually offer you a second sitting room, just the other side,

so if the girls want a bit of their own time, a bit of space,

-they can go there.

-Yeah.

-Yes.

-Spread out more.

So, three bedrooms on the ground floor.

-Let's see how many there are upstairs.

-OK.

'Although Anthony is as chipper as ever,

I'm getting a sense that this house

'isn't quite having the same effect as our first property did.

'Upstairs is smaller than downstairs,

'featuring two double bedrooms,

'both of which have en suites.'

This is the master,

with the largest en suite/bath, I have ever seen,

I think, through there.

-Nice size.

-There's plenty of storage space, which is really good.

But that is a huge bonus as well.

So, your overall impressions?

I think there's lots of space to it.

A sense of space.

It's ample, isn't it, for all of you?

-Oh, yes.

-But there's even more for you to consider outside.

With the property covered, it's time to explore outside.

The grounds aren't small either,

with 7½ acres of land to play with,

much of it already established for keeping horses.

I think you can see why I brought you here,

because this is an equestrian property.

So you've got a 60-foot barn here,

you've actually got a stable block.

-So you could keep at least three or four horses.

-Yeah.

You could have the potential to convert that into a separate annexe,

if you wanted to. There's certainly the space.

You'd need to look into planning permission.

-Yeah.

-But that could be something to do in the future.

Yeah, there's a lot you can do with those areas.

Huge martial arts centre.

Ah! I forgot Dad, didn't I?

I was so preoccupied with you, Charlotte.

-I was thinking hay barn myself, but...

-The thing is...

The barns that are already there,

there's plenty of room, they're big. They're not pokey little barns.

-Yeah.

-How much though do you think all of this is going to be?

Eh...

The land makes a big difference.

680.

680, interesting. Right.

I would actually say 650.

Even though it's got more land, I would say 650.

I wonder if I'm going to have to catch you two

when I give you the actual amount.

Because the asking price is...

..£595,000.

-Really?

-Really?

-For seven acres?

-Yeah.

-That is surprising.

-Worth a second viewing, I think, on that price, isn't it?

-Yeah.

So, please do, and I'll find you at the front when you're ready.

-Off you go.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Under budget by £100,000,

this much extended and modernised property offers lots of scope

for the family to spread out in.

There are five bedrooms in total,

as well as two large reception rooms.

What's more, it's set in a 7½ acre plot,

with stabling allowed for horses.

Certainly property two has got a lot more modern features in it,

which are not necessarily negative things,

it just means that you've got more to work with.

I mean, personally, I would prefer something that was already more characterful.

I think with the land around it,

it sort of makes up a little bit for it.

I think the land is the main feature of this property.

I hope one of you does like gardening cos it's quite beautiful,

-isn't it?

-It's lovely.

-Well, that is it for today.

It's been quite a success.

-It has.

-I wonder how we are going to get on tomorrow.

-We'll have to wait and see.

-Indeed.

-Right, hit the road.

-Thanks.

We're in Norfolk,

helping dad Anthony and daughter Charlotte

find their new family home for a budget of £700,000.

Coming up, our mystery property is easy on the eye.

It's good, and you don't need your sunglasses for this one.

And it's all hands on deck aboard Norfolk's floating heritage.

You don't need to go to the gym.

The Albion is going to keep you fit.

It's always a challenge trying to keep everyone in a family happy

when looking for a new home.

But I think yesterday's properties were pretty well received

by Anthony and Charlotte,

so today it remains to be seen

if our mystery house can truly win them over.

Brushing into the neighbouring county of Suffolk,

we've had to travel a little further afield for this equestrian gem.

One of the reasons we've driven so much around this county

is trying to satisfy your requirements to get a home

but also the land, and, you know, a small equestrian centre.

-Yeah.

-In actual fact, you might have noticed with the mystery house,

we've just crossed the border...

-Yes.

-..into Suffolk.

-Yeah.

Hopefully, this is going to be a journey worth making.

Our mystery house is literally just at the end of this road.

Lovely.

For our final choice, we're heading to Hopton.

A small, pretty Suffolk village,

it's dominated by an impressive parish church,

a real architectural gem due to its rare Tudor brick nave.

The remainder of the village is characterised by quaint cottages

painted in pastel colours, including Suffolk pink,

and a scattering of shops and cafes.

Located in the heart of the village is our mystery house,

or should I say, mystery houses?

So, our final proposition is this.

-That's pretty.

-Yeah, I love the frontage on it.

Now, in actual fact, these are two houses in one.

They have separate deeds.

-But they're being sold together.

-Oh, right.

-OK.

So you've got one property here that used to be the old coach house -

it was converted I think in the 1990s -

and then you've got a separate annexe next door to it.

So the mystery house is the mystery

because there's actually two properties.

-Lovely.

-Very good proposition.

Can I invite you for a tour around the house?

-Yes, lovely.

-Yes, please. Thank you.

The main property, the coach house, dates to the mid-19th century

and provides the family with a practical living space.

So, it's not every day that I can say house number one...

But I can with the mystery.

Because this is the main house, if you like.

This is the larger of the two.

-Right.

-So, in a way, I'm thinking Anthony and Julie,

-perhaps this could be your property.

-Yes.

Starting off with our sitting-room.

Pretty good size. Dominated by that very impressive fireplace.

-Yeah. I love that fireplace.

-That's magnificent, that.

-Isn't it?

-Lovely solid beam.

-Yeah.

-Lovely focal point as well of the room.

-It's nice.

-Really nice.

-It's good.

A positive start to our two mystery houses.

From the living room, we weave our way through a large garden room.

We do like this room.

Look at that view.

-It is a good room, good view.

-Yeah. I'm going to drag you away

-because we're going to see the kitchen next.

-Thank you.

-Nice size.

-It's good and you don't need your sunglasses for this one.

Would we get Julie's approval?

I think so. I think, probably, fit in an island.

Yeah. She'd probably look at this and say, it's great,

the units there, but make use of the space to put some more units in

to maximise her storage for cooking facilities.

Yeah. Right.

OK. Let's continue.

-Please, after you.

-Thank you.

As well as a substantial kitchen space,

there's also a utility room and a study on the ground floor.

Upstairs, there are three bedrooms in total -

all of them are decent-size doubles -

and there's a family bathroom with a raised mosaic tiled bath.

Which just leaves Anthony and wife Julie's potential master.

So, our master bedroom here...

Yeah, it's nice, actually.

What I find straightaway here is nice storage units for clothes.

That's hugely valuable.

So you've got your en-suite in here.

Now, how would you feel about having a house on your own?

Oh, dear me.

Look at that smile.

Could be a good idea.

You could have your much-loved daughters living with you here.

The other option is that the girls

actually have their own accommodation,

separate accommodation, right next door.

Yes, terrific idea actually because if the girls were to move on later

and settle down and get married,

then we've got the option to rent out the next-door property,

so for income, that would be the perfect option.

Yeah. I think the two of you should take a look next door

and have a wander around there.

Then I'm going to meet you out by the stable block.

-I've given it away, haven't I?

-You have.

-Anthony, we're going to follow you.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

The second house is attached to the main coach house

and is a little smaller,

but still offers Charlotte and her sister

a completely self-contained living space.

There's an open-plan kitchen diner.

-Yeah, I think this is an ideal thing for you two girls, actually.

-Yeah.

A separate living room.

I like these beams here.

-Nice old beams.

-Yeah. They're lovely.

And a conservatory.

This is a handy space.

You quite like it as well, don't you?

Yeah, it's lovely.

Also on the ground floor is one of two bedrooms in the property

which comes with an en suite.

And upstairs there's a further double bedroom

and a generous family bathroom.

But what about the accommodation for the horses?

To the rear of the property is equine heaven,

with numerous stables and outbuildings as well as paddocks.

I imagine Charlotte will be spending most of her time out here.

The final part of the jigsaw is the land.

We have five acres in total here.

As you can see, it's been separated out as paddocks.

-You've also got a menage with lighting.

-Ah!

And then behind these stables, in actual fact,

there's another part of the barn,

which you could actually convert if you wanted to,

for your martial arts studio.

-Yes.

-Yeah.

There's a lot of flexibility here.

On a scale of one to ten, how appealing is this set-up,

-this equestrian set up?

-The equestrian set-up is ten.

-Is it?

-Definitely, yeah.

Yeah, I love the idea.

Out in the back garden.

-Brilliant.

-So, I suppose now we've got to talk finances.

Two houses, five acres, what are we thinking?

I'll go for something like...

659.

-OK.

-I was thinking more...

665.

Well, the asking price is...

-£650,000.

-Ah!

Ah! That is...

-That's pleasant.

-Yeah?

-Yes.

-Have a wander.

I know it's a lot to take in. We've shown you an awful lot.

But have a quick look at the horses and we'll all meet a bit later on.

-Thank you.

-Thank you, Nicki.

Under budget, the mystery option gives the family two separate homes.

The main house has a large garden room and three bedrooms,

whereas the smaller house has two bedrooms

and a self-contained living space.

The five acres of land would be ample for horses.

I thought it was quite an intriguing one

with the two properties with it

and all that you get with it - the stables and the menage and the land.

I think it's a great potential property.

And it's something that I think as a family we would comfortably live in.

I think it's a very, very good contender actually.

Just got to make sure that the rest of the family are interested in

going slightly over the border into Suffolk

to get what is basically more value for money, to be honest.

I think you've seen everything, haven't you?

-I think so.

-We have indeed. And a lot to see, there is.

Yes. So, I'm intrigued to find out,

not only what you think of our three properties

but also what you think Julie and Becky are going to think as well.

So, shall we make a move?

-Lovely.

-Terrific. Thank you.

The network of inland waterways that make up the Norfolk broads

attracts around eight million visitors each year.

Engine-powered holiday cruises are a common sight today,

along the 125 miles of accessible water.

But around a century ago, before tourism,

the broads were navigated by

large wooden sailing boats called wherries.

At their peak, there were over 300 vessels

crisscrossing the countryside

but today only two working boats remain.

I've come to see one of them, Albion,

built in 1898 and moored just outside the village of Loddon.

Peter Jermy chairs the trust

that cares for this unique heritage craft.

She's an old girl but she looks in pretty good condition to me.

What would she have been used for?

She would have been used primarily for carrying agricultural cargoes or

things like that. They would carry everything

that was available to be carried.

Albion itself was built for the grain trade. To carry grain.

I suppose the broads were the perfect sort of infrastructure

for transport on water at that time.

That's right. That's right, perfect.

The advent of railways and roads heralded the end of the wherry

as a means of cargo transport.

But Albion has been preserved by the trust

and today operates as a charter boat for tourists.

Measuring 58 feet along with a mast that's almost as high,

she's a mighty vessel and it needs a crew of three just to get her going.

Once she's on her way,

they hoist the heavy half-tonne sail with a little help from me.

You don't need to go to the gym.

The Albion is going to keep me fit!

Albion's first freight was coal from Lowestoft to Bungay.

She was allowed to carry up to 36 tonnes

but later bettered that, on one occasion making the same trip

with 41 tonnes of cattle fodder.

I haven't sailed for many years, I think, since my teenage years.

I was always the crew.

I wonder how I'm going to do today.

-You'll need to save your breath if you're going to do that.

-Oh, really?

Is that your polite way of saying be quiet and get on with the job?

Go on, Peter.

-You can be honest.

-Yes!

It's a long way to go.

Time to hand over to the experts.

A few more turns and the sail is up.

Boys, we're all out of breath and this is a hobby.

Like other wherries, Albion has a distinctive black sail.

Historically it was treated with a mixture of tar and fish oil

to protect the material from the elements, hence the colour.

With the wind picking up, I'm joining skipper Ian Scowen

who first started sailing the boat ten years ago.

If you want to take over the helm...

-Can I?

-You can.

Oh, my goodness. All right.

You can use your back to push the helm over.

Gosh, this is heavy, isn't it, this tiller?

Yes, the rudder is about 1.25 tonnes.

And you've got a very large area there that you're acting against,

with the water flow round the hull.

I can really feel it against my body.

-Yeah.

-Really do need to put your back into it.

Push, nice and hard. Really hard.

Yeah.

Are there still other Norfolk wherries in existence, in disrepair?

Yes. At the end of the wherry period,

a lot of them were used for bank protection.

So, when you say bank protection, they literally were left to rot...

They were abandoned on the banks and they rotted away.

Although most wherries met a sad end,

it's great to see Albion is still sailing strong 100 years on.

May she keep sailing.

-Ian, thank you very much indeed.

-Thank you very much indeed.

Well, we've certainly had a very positive reaction

to all our properties, from our father-and-daughter team.

But do they have one particular favourite?

Let's find out.

Well, Anthony and Charlotte,

you've certainly got a big budget for this move.

You've also got a big requirement list.

How did we do?

Which of the properties have caught your eye?

Well, I think we certainly caught that first one,

magnificent building.

Certainly restriction in the size of the space around it and the land

but the building's magnificent.

And of course there is the...

The mystery property.

Yeah. I think the land won us over with that one at the moment.

And that was an interesting scenario, the mystery.

One of the reasons we picked it was the fact that it was two properties.

Two separate properties.

But you could purchase them together.

Which is unusual.

So you could have your own house, if you like.

And you could have yours as well.

It does. It certainly gives a lot of scope for options that we could want

for both the short term and indeed the long term.

So it is a valuable point on there.

I do appreciate we've only got half the family here and you've got to

feed back your thoughts and your emotions of what you've seen.

But what happens next?

Well, we'd like to try and see them again tomorrow.

-Really?

-Tomorrow and Saturday.

So, is your wife coming up tonight?

Yes. At this moment in time, she's on the way up here with Becky.

-Yeah.

-You've taken my breath away. I knew you liked them,

but you were polite about all our houses.

-So...

-The thing is, they all had positives.

There was nothing really negative as such about them.

It's just the variations of positiveness.

Well, that's you, Anthony.

I'm going to take you house-hunting every time.

That's what I love to hear.

Well, enjoy those additional viewings tomorrow.

-I'll be keeping everything crossed.

-Thank you very much.

-Thank you.

Well, I'm thrilled that Charlotte and Anthony

have arranged for the whole family to join them tomorrow

for a second viewing of not one,

but two of our properties, and let's be honest,

Anthony is the most positive man ever

and I'm sure he's going to do a great job showing them around.

Because, well, there's a lot of people to please

with this move but, in my opinion,

he's definitely the man for the job.

So, that's it from me from sunny Norfolk

and I'll see you again soon on Escape to the Country.

Julie and Rebecca joined Anthony and Charlotte for those second viewings

but they collectively decided to pass on both houses.

They've since put an offer in on a property near the Norfolk broads.

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