Suffolk Escape to the Country

Today I'm in a county where this breed of horse has lived since the 16th century,

and they've been ploughing the fields and tilling the land ever since.

This gorgeous gelding even shares its name with the county with which it has become so closely associated.

So have you guessed where I am yet?

Well, to find out, keep watching as I leap into the saddle and we escape to the country.

In today's show I'll be helping a couple find a dream home

in the country for the new life ahead of them.

-I really love it.

-I love it, I love!

I love it. We've only seen the first part of the house.

I'll be taking them on a tour of three tempting rural properties.

Impressive, isn't it?

It is a wow, isn't it?

And the last of those will be the mystery house.

But will any of our properties inspire them enough to take on a new set of keys?

There you go.

Well, today I'm in Suffolk where the celebrated Suffolk Punch has been bred for 600 years.

It's their stocky bodies and short legs that make them ideal for tough work,

perfect for helping out on the farm.

Suffolk sits amongst its East Anglian county neighbours

and was part of the historic Anglo-Saxon kingdom of East Angles.

With an eastern coastline, it has an important seafaring history of trade with Europe.

Ipswich, the county's capital, sits on the River Orwell.

It's long been a popular safe harbour for sailors navigating the tricky waters of the North Sea.

The majority of the land is low-lying, with acres of environmentally significant wetland.

Further northwest lies Bury St Edmunds.

A church has stood on the site of St Edmundsbury Cathedral since 1065

but was largely rebuilt in the 16th century.

Amazingly, the Gothic revival tower stood as a stump for much of the 20th century,

until it was finally completed in 2005, using traditional techniques.

As a county, Suffolk enjoys a mix of architectural styles,

with Tudor beam buildings and thatch cottages being predominant,

and of course, the pink paint-wash buildings that are so prevalent

throughout the area provide it with a distinctive look.

So at what price comes house and home in Suffolk?

With the price of the average detached house coming in at

2% higher than the national average,

your money will stretch even further than you think.

Whatever your budget, there are a range of fantastic properties available - take a look at these.

If you're lucky enough to have £1.75 million,

then how about this five-bedroom farmhouse in Milden?

The living area oozes character and the games room is a handy accessory.

But best of all, the 15 acres of garden are home to a swimming pool,

and your very own airstrip.

If you can't quite afford that lifestyle but are chasing a slice of history,

then maybe this 17th century home in Hundon, up for £750,000

might be to your taste.

Sitting in a quiet, rural location, the property is tastefully decorated

and offers spacious accommodation.

Or finally, if your budget is a more modest £250,000,

then this 19th century cottage in Fressingfield might be up your street.

The three-bedroom home is cosy and tidy

and for garden lovers, there's a good-sized lawn

with well-stocked borders.

There's certainly a fabulous selection of properties on offer in Suffolk,

so hopefully we'll be able to pick up some real gems for today's property hunters.

Ricky and Liz are engaged to be married and live in a large,

six-bedroom home in Witham in Essex, with their dog, Molly.

They bought this show home just four years ago.

But now, with a new married life just around the corner, they're dreaming of a smaller home in the country.

Witham is a town that's built up. People don't really know each other.

They all go to work each day, they come back again.

We just feel that somewhere smaller with a community spirit

would be somewhere more pleasant to live. Get to know people, get involved with the village.

Ricky will be joining Liz in retirement next year,

and with all their spare time they hope to indulge in their passion

for antiques and collectables.

I collect glasses and china, so it would be nice to spend some time

and some fun in the auction house.

It would. I would like to buy some old toys and perhaps get rid of them

on internet auctions and make a bit of money, which will be nice.

Although they're downsizing, they'll still need enough room to house their collections and as ever with a move,

there are plenty of factors to take into account.

I really love this room. It's one of my favourites in the house.

With the dual aspect, we get the sun in the morning and in the afternoon.

Brilliant fireplace and very spacious, and this is really what I want in my new home as well.

We live in a built-up area, with a lot of traffic around.

It's a shame that Molly can't be let off the lead.

It's too dangerous around here. We'd love to move somewhere rural, where I can let her run free in the grass.

They would also like a reasonable-sized private garden,

a large kitchen with a separate dining room,

and Ricky is keen to have a double garage and workshop.

As an addition to his current set of wheels, he has aspirations of owning a classic car.

It all sounds pretty straightforward.

But in a nutshell, what's their ideal property?

A detached house, with some character. Nice rural surroundings, open countryside.

-A nice big kitchen, three to four bedrooms.

-A homely feel, really,

as this house has been.

We're eager to hunt down that perfect home.

But first we've asked a local estate agent to give a valuation for their current home,

which they bought 4 years ago for just under £420,000.

This five/six bedroom family detached home, with double garage,

within close proximity to two highly-regarded primary schools,

would be valued in the region of £395,000.

It's a strange period in house-selling at the moment.

So, although it's actually less than we paid for it,

I wasn't really surprised.

No, it's what we were expecting.

The market is in free-fall at the moment. I guess that's the only figure we can expect.

It's hard times but we need to fix the budget.

Our maximum budget would be £350,000.

So this is what today's property search is all about.

They're looking for a three to four-bedroom character property in a village.

They'd like a separate dining area, and a large kitchen,

and, for Ricky, we've got to find a garage with a workshop.

Although Ricky and Liz are looking to escape to a rural haven,

they don't want to be too far away from family and friends in Essex

and London. So we're focusing our property search

to the south of the county, around the Stowmarket area.

Over the course of a couple of days, they'll be joining me on a tour of three country homes.

As ever, I'll be keeping tight-lipped about the prices until after they've given the properties the once-over.

The last on the list will be the mystery house,

our little twist of their criteria that might just make them think beyond their boundaries.

-Good morning, Ricky and Liz.

-Hi.

-Hi.

Thank you for bringing me to Suffolk, a gorgeous part of the world.

-It certainly is.

-Good choice! This is a big move for you, isn't it?

-It is.

-A lot happening. Tell me why it's so exciting.

Lots of things, really. Ricky retires next year.

-We're getting married.

-Yeah.

We've been together five years and...time for a change.

-That is a lot happening. Some really big moves.

-It's a big year.

Retirement, marriage - very nice, and moving to a new part of the world.

We have got a decent budget, haven't we?

-Not too bad, yeah.

-£350,000. But we are downsizing.

Yes. We're going for somewhere a little bit smaller,

see if we can release a bit of cash from our house sale,

and use that for our retirement and more holidays.

We're going to do our best to find your dream home on this journey.

Lovely properties, and of course, the mystery house.

-Oh, yes.

-I know you're looking forward to that one! So let's get a move on.

Ricky and Liz have a budget of £350,000

and they're looking for a home that offers them plenty of character.

Liz is keen to have a large kitchen

and they both agree they need three to four bedrooms.

They'd like a reasonable-sized garden for their dog Molly to run around in,

and, finally, they'd like a double garage.

And as they've had the luxury of living in a brand new show house,

they're looking to avoid a DIY project.

So we're on the first part of your journey, out here in Suffolk, how are you feeling?

Excited, aren't we?

Absolutely. We can't wait to see what you've found for us.

What is it exactly about Suffolk that makes it the place for you?

I think it's a very pretty county, quite near to the coast

and it's got good links to London and just a generally nice area.

That's right.

It's very rural countryside but it has got lovely pretty villages,

which is where we want to live.

Our first property is in the heart of the village of Old Newton,

three miles north of Stowmarket.

This place will certainly offer Ricky and Liz a sense of community.

The pub, village hall and sports and social club are all important to this village

and will provide plenty of opportunities for them to mix with the neighbours.

So things are looking good already for house number one.

-The property I want to show you is right here.

-Wow.

Have a look at this!

-That is nice.

-It actually used to be the blacksmith's cottage.

-Really?

-Yes. It was built in 1674.

-Goodness me.

-I know! There have been extensions so it's not ALL that old.

It's got a lot of history to it.

-It does look lovely.

-Does it fit the picture you've had in your head of what you might move into?

-Yeah it certainly could do, yeah.

-Really?

-Depends on the DIY really!

Depends on the DIY. So it depends on what's inside. Let's find out.

Let's find out.

In we come.

-Nice, country-style living, straight into the kitchen.

-Yeah.

-Lovely.

-And what do you think?

-Not a bad size.

-It's not a bad size, is it?

It's not the hugest kitchen but they've still made space for a table.

-And it's fairly recently done, but quite sympathetically.

-Very nicely.

Is this what you're looking for? There's a lot of character here.

-I would have maybe liked slightly larger.

-Right.

-But it's fine.

-Not necessarily what I was looking for, but it's fine.

-It is lovely.

Very nice, very workable. Lots of light with the two windows.

-Yeah.

-I did notice the barn door.

That's right, it's got a stable door.

Can you picture yourself here, cooking up a storm?

-Yes. I think so, definitely, yeah.

-This is a good start. I like it.

-Very good start!

-We're impressed.

-Well done.

-You wanted something a bit bigger...

-Yeah.

..presumably so you'd have some dining space.

Yeah, when you've got family and friends round, and you're cooking in the kitchen, that sort of thing.

-What if it was just next door?

-Not too bad.

-That might work!

-Let's have a look.

-OK.

-This could be, I think, a stunning dining space.

Wow!

THEY LAUGH

-Stunning fireplace. Stunning.

-That is something else altogether.

-It is. It's such a great feature for the room, isn't it?

-It is.

Lovely. I love the fireplace.

It's just such a great feature for the room, isn't it?

It is.

This isn't your only living space.

There's more. We're still in the 17th century part.

Let's move into the 19th century.

-This way.

-OK.

Come through this lovely hallway with another impressive floor, and we're into the second reception room.

-It's another bright room.

-Decent size, and very bright.

They're quite big windows for a cottage. Very big windows, aren't they?

-Another fireplace.

-Wood-burning stove there.

Again, in working order.

Beautiful cottage. Beautiful doors.

It's a lovely room.

-Tucked over there, just have a look.

-I can see a little door.

Through there, they've got a study, a storage area, the boiler's in there.

I was thinking - there isn't a downstairs cloakroom.

You could potentially put one in there.

I think that would work quite well. It's got a water supply already.

-A little bit of DIY.

-Not for me, I'll pay somebody.

-All sorted!

All in all, you've seen downstairs, almost all of it, there's a little bit more I want to show you.

'But before I show them the extra downstairs room,

'we're going to take a look at what upstairs has to offer.'

You've got a nice, wide staircase here.

-Very steep.

-It doesn't feel

-too

-cottagey, does it?

-No.

-You've still got all the space.

-Lovely stripped floorboards.

And come on through...

-to this good-sized room, I thought, could be your master.

-Oh, yes.

-Another bright, light room.

-It is, isn't it?

-Built-in wardrobes.

-We can get our big bed in here.

Have you got a king size?

-Yes, about the same size as this one.

-OK, lots of room for that.

As you said, the built-in wardrobes,

if you felt the need to go shopping...

She does need a lot of space.

-Nice view out the window again.

-High ceilings.

This room is doing really well.

-The only thing that would make it a bit better would be...

-An en-suite.

It would be, wouldn't it? Have a look in there.

-Ah!

-Ah-ha.

-Hidden delights.

Yes! And you've got your en-suite!

Yeah, shower, toilet, sink.

-Heated towel rail.

-Yeah, it's good.

-Luxury.

-Very nice.

-It's the small things that count, isn't it?

-Heated towel rail..

-You need your comforts.

-..And you're happy!

Well, that's gone down a treat.

Just next door to the master is the family bathroom

which is not a bad size and has the ever-popular white suite.

And next door again is the second of the three bedrooms up here,

which takes a single bed and would work as a guestroom.

Then there's the final room.

And here's your third bedroom, which is another good-sized double.

-It is, isn't it?

-Two windows, so bright again.

So much light in here, isn't there?

Light, big rooms. You really can't fault this property.

-Nice...beam.

-Gives a real spacious feel to it.

-With all the character.

-Yeah. It's got the country feeling to it.

-A really lovely cottage.

-So far, marks out of ten?

-Eight, nine?

-Eight, nine, that's right.

I'm going to try and nudge it up to a ten!

Let's head back downstairs. There's something special I want to show you.

'The next room isn't something they'd asked for, but I think it's a real bonus.

'And it's on our way out to the garden.'

So, what do you think of this?

This is very pretty.

Oh, it is, isn't it? Very nice.

-A bonus.

-A bonus room.

-Exactly!

Really brings the garden into the house.

I think it's time we took a look outside because this plot goes almost all the way around the house.

There's quite a bit to it.

And another little extra that I want to show you. Come this way.

We like extras!

You have got quite a bit of space outside, I've got to say. It wraps right the way around the house.

We'll start here with...

what's being used as a vegetable plot at the moment.

That will be good for you, Ricky.

And a nice seating space for some outside dining, al fresco, and lots of mature trees.

You can share it, but I think this could be just for you, Ricky.

-Oh, I think this is my part.

-This is the blacksmith's old forge.

Oh, wow, what a space!

I thought you might say that, Ricky!

-Wonderful.

-I thought this was something you'd particularly like.

Oh, yes! Plenty of space here for a classic car and workshop.

I could be out here for a long time, I think.

That was my last, special, extra surprise twist for you. Have I nudged it up from an eight and a half, nine?

You have for Ricky. This doesn't appeal to me.

Spiders and corrugated roof - it's not my style.

We'll go back to the kitchen for you, I think.

This is it, you've seen it all, so you know what's coming next.

-Oh, yes. Let's head back out there and guess the price.

-OK.

So, guys, I think we're off to a pretty good start.

It was nice. Very nice.

-An impressive looking property.

-It certainly is.

In the heart of a lovely village. So, how much do you think it's worth?

Well, based on our maximum of 350, I'd say it was probably worth a tiny bit more, maybe 360.

-OK. You, Liz?

-I think I'd go slightly under to about 355.

355. Do you like it enough to pay that amount for it, if you had it?

Maybe, depending on further research into the village and what it's like.

-Yeah.

-What if I told you it's actually on the market for £325,000?

-Really? That is a surprise.

-A nice surprise.

-Very nice.

That would leave plenty of money for alterations and improvements.

-Furniture.

-Shopping.

-Yeah.

-Holidays.

That's my last big surprise for you, and I think it's a good one.

-We've had a lot of surprises!

-With that new information,

I think you'll enjoy having another wander round,

without me following you around.

And then I'll catch up with you later on and see what your thoughts are.

-OK. Thanks very much.

-See you later on.

We are off to a flying start.

And I think now that they know the price is under budget,

this one could be top of their list, although there are more to see.

So this former blacksmith's cottage

is comfortably under budget at £325,000.

It has the character features they're looking for,

three bedrooms, the bonus of a conservatory,

and a workshop/garage

which I've no doubt Ricky will be able to fill very easily.

I like the way the conservatory leads off the kitchen.

Yeah, it's so full of light with those two windows.

It's got a real old-fashioned feel to it but the units are modern.

It's certainly got the wow factor.

It's got some fantastic features in it and the garden is great.

I love the workshop. I could spend happily lots of hours out there.

This house is amazing, really.

Nothing like I expected from the outside.

Looked quite small from the outside. But inside, lovely-sized rooms.

Very light, airy. A couple of very special rooms.

I did like the house and I was quite surprised about the price.

I thought it would be more expensive than it was.

So it's definitely a possibility.

Kitchen possibly could be a bit larger but that can be sorted,

maybe a bit of DIY and building.

But very impressed overall.

Lovely window on the outside as well.

-I love this house.

-Yeah, so do I!

-Hey, guys, I was just enjoying that blacksmith's forge.

-It's wonderful.

But there's a lot more to see. So I know you love this property

-but let's check out some more.

-OK!

Although Ricky and Liz aren't moving a million miles away,

they aren't too familiar with Suffolk so they're calling in

at Bury St Edmunds to see what it has to offer.

The historic market town grew up around a large abbey

which was one of the richest Benedictine monasteries in the country.

All that exists now is the abbey gate.

Built in the 11th and 12th centuries,

it went into decline within 200 years and now lies in ruin.

So this is the abbey ruins.

Bit too much of a project for you!

It's not just the ruins that attract visitors.

The beautifully-manicured gardens are an attraction in themselves.

The history continues just round the corner in the cathedral grounds

where there stands a statue of King Edmund,

the last king of the East Angles,

who was killed by the Danes in 869 AD.

Formerly a place of pilgrimage, nowadays, Bury St Edmunds

has lots to offer visitors, with history, culture and charm.

Moyse's Hall Museum, sitting in the market square,

is one of England's few surviving Norman houses,

and dates back to around 1180.

The great hall holds exhibitions on fashions and trade throughout the years.

Whilst the west gallery focuses on Bury St Edmunds from the medieval times,

through to the present day.

There's a treat for Ricky.

Oh, wow, Dinky toys.

I've got those four.

I haven't got those ones, though.

Fantastic.

The narrow-paved streets breathe the town's history

and Liz is starting to feel at home here.

I think I'd enjoy living near Bury St Edmunds. The shops are lovely, the side streets.

And for those chasing a greater fix of history,

just a ten-minute drive up the road is the Anglo-Saxon Village in West Stow.

The original dwellings were built when the settlers arrived 1,500 years ago

and today, reconstructed houses stand on the original site.

-Beautiful, isn't it?

-Suffolk sun.

Rough-sawn wood. No planing machines or planks in those days.

All held together by pegs.

It is an inspirational place, but it isn't going to home Ricky and Liz.

Let's hope we can find them something more substantial.

Our second property is just on the outskirts

of the village of Coddenham, eight miles from Stowmarket.

If Ricky and Liz are looking to throw themselves into village life,

then this could be the ideal place.

The local Suffolk Council has rated its community spirit so highly

it was awarded Suffolk Village of the Year, in 2002.

It's surrounded by acres of countryside, perfect for those much-longed-for walks with Molly.

-Take a look at this.

-Wow, a barn!

-Well spotted!

-I love barns.

-You love barns?

-We do.

Barn conversions aren't for everyone.

-I think they are for us.

-Very good, so we've got a big tick.

It's clearly semi-detached.

It's not a fully detached property.

It was converted in 1989.

Let's look inside.

'The fact this barn is semi-detached doesn't seem to worry them,

'so at least we're on the right track.'

-Fantastic.

-Take a look at that.

Oh, I love it!

THEY LAUGH

-It speaks for itself, really, doesn't it?

-Fantastic entrance hall.

Oh, so impressive, isn't it?

-It is a wow, isn't it?

-It certainly is.

-And this is just the hallway.

-Yeah!

-I'll have it!

THEY LAUGH

-You'll have it? Already?

-Yeah.

I hope you're equally impressed by everything else I show you.

This is a great start. Now, take a look in here.

-Another very, very, very impressive room, I think.

-Goodness.

Even better.

-That's a big smile.

-What an impressive room.

All our dining room furniture would fit in here wonderfully.

We might have to buy some extra.

-I can do that!

-It is a nice, big room, isn't it?

Wonderful. I don't think you could do any better than this.

Wonderful views out to the garden.

-Great French doors.

-Lovely. Absolutely lovely.

I love it. I really love it.

I love it, I love...

They love it. We're only seen the first part of the house.

Are you two big on entertaining?

-A lot of people around?

-Yes.

We do. We have a lot of family.

Coming up to 10, 14 people and this is big enough.

I can't wait to see the rest of it.

You can't, can you? If we're going to be cooking a big dinner, I think we should check out the kitchen.

After you, out to the left.

-This is the kitchen.

-This is unusual.

It is, coming down these steps.

How many times would you fall down that?

-Not too many, I hope.

-Once you know they're there.

-It's a good size, though.

-Nice square kitchen.

Nice and square, makes it easy. Plenty of wall space units.

-Is this going to be more your space? Are you the chef?

-50/50.

Liz does more than I do. But once I'm retired, that may change.

-Lovely!

-It will change!

-It will change, sorry.

-But you'll both be in the kitchen together, cooking up a storm.

-Yeah.

They've managed to get space for a table in here,

it's quite a good size. And for extra space outside there's a utility room.

-That will certainly help.

-Good with the dog.

Of course, let's not forget Molly!

THEY LAUGH

We're doing very well, so far. There's another good-sized room on this floor.

-We need a living space, don't we?

-We do.

-Out that door and turn left.

-OK. Up the stairs.

-Oh, yes, very nice.

-Another great room.

-It is, isn't it?

-This is a lovely room.

-The theme continues.

It does. It's a great sized room.

-Look at this lovely...

-Oh, a log burner!

-It's actually quite a big room. There's a lot of furniture in here, isn't there?

-It's big but cosy.

-Yeah.

-Lots of window light. Lovely.

Windows on three sides.

I think you're taken with all the beams, aren't you?

-I just love the wood.

-If you love wood, it's the house for you.

-I'm liking this, it's all positive.

-It's all too much.

I don't think I have to give you much more but, out the back, is a small room that's used as a study.

-Brilliant.

-A base to do your paperwork and still be quite near to the living room.

We do have another floor to look at.

We've got to head upstairs, check out all the bedrooms.

I don't think it's going to disappoint you. But, let's find out.

Go that way.

On our way to the stairs, we go past the first of the three bedrooms in this barn,

which is a reasonable sized double

and has the bonus of an en-suite shower room, which will go down well with guests.

I love this galleried walkway up here.

You can really take in the grandeur of your hallway! SHE CHUCKLES

It's wonderful, isn't it?

-And there's so much space!

-We've got a lovely cabinet that would fit there perfectly.

-Perfect. Very good.

While we're up here, as well as the hallway,

let's check out the bedrooms - starting with this one in here,

which is another guest room.

Et voila.

-Oh, it's a good-sized room.

-It's a double room, isn't it?

-Yeah.

-Really, really nice again.

-Yes, it is a good room.

-I love the latch doors.

-Yeah.

-These are nice, aren't they?

-Lovely feature.

One thing I do find strange is the beams inside the windows.

Certainly a feature!

-Well, it's a talking point.

-Yeah.

-For when you have visitors over.

-Something you think you could live with?

-Yes,

-I

-could.

-Not a problem.

Just next door is the family bathroom, which is modern

but unfortunately, not large enough to take a separate shower.

If Ricky and Liz are looking for extra storage,

there's a very handy room at the end of the landing, with built-in wardrobes.

And finally on our tour, a room for them.

Now, check out the view in this master bedroom.

-Goodness, that's lovely, isn't it?

-That is lovely.

Isn't that gorgeous? Imagine waking up to that.

Yeah, that would be nice.

A bit concerning here is the bed.

We've got a six-foot wide bed - it would just about fit.

-It would be tight.

-I did promise you something else, didn't I?

-A stand-up shower.

-You did.

-Yeah, come this way.

-Oh, right.

-So there is a stand-up shower.

-Oh, right.

-That'll do nicely.

-I think it really adds something to the bedroom.

-It does.

-Although it's a bit smaller than you might like, it makes a lot of difference.

That's it. We've seen the interior of the house.

-So far, so good?

-So far, so good.

You've seen the views from the inside. It's time to head outside.

Wonderful, can't wait.

It's certainly an unusual property and my guess is it's got them thinking.

So we're out into the outside space.

-Your garden.

-It's a lovely size.

-Lovely views.

-Great views for you, and a good space for Molly.

-Molly would love this.

-She can romp around.

-Just the kind of garden you're looking for?

-Absolutely perfect.

In that case, there's one of the one last thing on your wish list

that we have to deliver on, and it's over here. Come this way.

-That's what I call a garage!

-THEY CHUCKLE

A nice big double garage.

-That's a big garage. Could have lots of cars here.

-You certainly could.

-All your classic cars lined up.

-Wonderful.

-And even room for you to store furniture!

-Yeah.

-It's just perfect!

-It is!

And that is it. Everything on the wish list.

-Now it's time to head this way.

-OK.

-We can have another look at the front of this

-really quite gorgeous barn conversion.

-It's a very pretty house.

And think about how much you'd pay for it.

-OK.

-How much you think it's worth?

I would say, judging by the wonderful views

and the beautiful downstairs,

I'm guessing it's going to be about 370.

OK. What do you think?

It is a lovely property.

Semi-detached and a little out of the village,

and I think about 360.

You've both gone over budget.

I've got to tell you it's even more over your budget.

-It is on the market at 379,950.

-Right.

But it's been on the market for eight months.

And I think you'll agree, in the current market, there's definitely room...

-Must be room for manoeuvre.

-Exactly.

I'm sure we can go in and negotiate.

-You've got a bit to think about now, haven't you?

-We have.

Go back in. Have a wander round those rooms - you have got that downstairs one as well -

-and we can talk about it later.

-OK.

-See you later.

Well, they were really taken by that house, but it is over budget.

I think the main issue, though, is not the money -

it's the rooms upstairs. That's something they may have to compromise on. Let's see.

So this barn conversion is on the market

for £50 short of £380,000

and would certainly offer them a characterful home.

It has an impressive beamed dining room,

three bedrooms - with master en suite,

a garden large enough for Molly their dog to run around in,

and a double garage, which will keep Ricky happy.

I think this is one of my favourite rooms. It's absolutely stunning for a dining room, isn't it?

As you come through the front door...

-You see it in front of you, and it just opens out.

-Wonderful.

There's lots of positives here -

you know, really, really positives -

but obviously, we're a bit concerned about upstairs being a bit smaller.

But then, we do have the downstairs bedroom to use, you know, if we didn't convert it to a study.

Yeah, we've got lots to think about. Very nice property.

The whole downstairs was really nice. The kitchen was OK.

And the lounge with the log burner was absolutely fantastic.

Unfortunately, when we went upstairs I was a little disappointed.

The bedrooms were a bit small and I wasn't really keen

on the en-suite and the bathroom - also a bit small.

There's lots of positives here - lovely fireplace, log burner,

beautiful garden, fantastic views. Ricky will get his double garage.

My one concern - my major concern -

is the two barns opposite, which you look out onto from the front.

Lots of plusses, but a couple of quite large negatives.

This last house of the day seems to have put Ricky and Liz in a quandry.

As the afternoon sun melts away,

it's time to head to the pub to ponder the day's events.

-What did you think of the cottage today?

-Looked very nice, but I was immediately concerned about the age.

But actually, when we got inside, I loved the features

and it was quite liveable. There's some things I'd like to do,

but it was not a project.

-And the garden was lovely.

-That was very nice.

The cottage sat nicely in the plot as well, which was nice,

and it was walking distance to everything in the village.

-You felt part of the community there.

-It was right in the centre.

-Yeah.

-And that garage forge was also very, very nice.

-Yeah.

What did you think of the barn?

The barn, I thought, was fantastic downstairs.

It really had the wow factor when you walked in.

-Upstairs, a little disappointing.

-The bedrooms I couldn't have got on with at all.

I couldn't see any way of solving it. Garden views are fantastic.

Still, we've got another day tomorrow, so here's to tomorrow -

another interesting day.

A mystery house!

Ricky and Liz from Witham in Essex are getting married next year

and searching for their new rural home in Suffolk. They have a budget of £350,000

and so far have viewed two very different properties.

Coming up, an opportunity to get to grips with a traditional local product.

Keep it under control, Liz.

-Ooh!

-LAUGHTER

And a mystery house that's in a class of its own.

I'm very, very, very impressed.

-Had you imagined anything like this?

-No!

It's the beginning of a new day and I think we got off to a cracking start with Liz and Ricky.

They seemed to really love the properties we've shown them so far, but today we'll mix it up a bit.

With Ricky and Liz's forthcoming move to Suffolk, we thought they

should get a taste of one of the local delicacies, the famous Newmarket sausage.

So we've come to meet Grant Powter, whose family have been hand-making these since the 19th Century.

And he's going to show us what makes a good sausage.

We've been here for four generations, so we like to think we know a thing or two about sausages.

-What's special about Newmarket sausages?

-The Newmarket sausage is an iconic regional product.

It's special because of its unique recipe, the blend of herbs and spices which gives it the distinct

peppery flavour, spicy flavour, and also the quality of the meat which

we use, which is all hand-boned fresh pork, boned on our premises.

We make them in exactly the same way as in a traditional butcher's shop,

as it would have been made all those years ago, except it's just on a larger scale.

And that shines through, I think, in any artisan product.

We are going to be having a go, but before we do, I think we should taste the sausages -

see how they should end up.

Here's some I cooked earlier.

-Very good. After you.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Delicious.

Very good.

-Marks out of ten?

-Definitely ten.

-No pressure.

Definitely ten out of ten.

The first meal that Liz ever cooked me was sausages.

-Really?

-It brings it all back.

Really? That's lovely!

Is that when you first fell in love?

-Yeah.

-THEY CHUCKLE

-Over a plate of sausages!

-Over a plate of sausages!

We are rekindling that moment. This is very special. And now,

-to make it really special, we should go and make some.

-That's right.

-After you.

We had no idea we had chosen such a significant a dish.

Over at the factory, it's time to get dressed up, all in the name of hygiene.

First of all, the meat is taken from the bone and then it's minced,

ready to be mixed with Grant's family secret ingredients.

Looks like you've got more coming out than went in. How do you do that?

That's our secret!

It's a very expensive machine.

-Little bit of water. Over the nozzle.

-Right.

'Now for the real test, filling the natural pig intestines with the sausage mix.'

Just hold it lightly at the end but with control, and then...

Ooh! SHE CHUCKLES

That's not fair.

You made that look too easy.

-I can do this.

-Bring a bit more skin on.

-That's it.

-OK.

Ah! There we go. I've got a rhythm going.

Is that enough?

-Yes.

-OK. So I've got the skins.

-Take that off there.

-Thank you.

-A little bit over the edge.

-Right.

-Fingers, and then your knee.

-And then... There I go.

Are you ready?

Ooh! LAUGHTER

Went too far but until I went too far, that's not bad.

That's good.

Over your nozzle.

'And now I've made a fool of myself, it's time to see if Liz can do any better.'

Push it up. Keep it under control.

LAUGHTER

You like a nice fat one, don't you?

-You've had a good laugh at us but it's your turn. You're up next.

-OK.

Come on, Liz. Let's put him off.

-Here he goes.

-Yay!

-Oh!

-There you go.

Not one of us managed to end on time.

'Oh, yes. And what a mess, but it is all good fun.

'And once we've tied and knotted them, it is time to be judged on our efforts.'

Voila. What do you think?

Very good for a first attempt.

-OK. Marks out of ten?

-Six.

-Six? For all of us?

-For all of you.

-You're too diplomatic. Thank you very much.

It's been a pleasure. We won't hold you up any more. We've got more properties to look at.

Come on, you two. Off you go.

It's time for the mystery house and this is my favourite part of the show, especially for Liz and Ricky,

because they've quite categorically said they don't want to see a chapel.

So let's see what they make of our mystery house.

We're coming up to that time - what do you think it'll be?

Well, I thought it would be a barn but we've obviously seen a barn.

So, I possibly think a bungalow.

-OK.

-And I reckon it could be a new-build. A brand-new house.

Because that would be completely off-spec for you.

Yeah, but certainly not out of the question.

-Is that something you'd consider?

-Oh, absolutely, cos no DIY!

And your worst nightmare?

A chapel with a graveyard.

A chapel with a graveyard. We do try to avoid those.

THEY CHUCKLE

Well, I can assure her she doesn't have to worry about that.

So the time has come to make it known that the mystery house

is in the hamlet of Combs.

Combs Ford, just a mile away, is the place to pick up the milk and the papers.

There are a couple of pubs - ideal for making new friends.

Conveniently, there's a vet for Molly, so it seems everyone is taken care of here.

The mystery house forms one half of a converted building, so let's see what they make of it.

Now, mystery house time. One of my favourite parts of the show.

It is not the Suffolk pink behind us with the thatched roof, which I know would probably worry you, Ricky.

-Certainly would.

-But it is...this!

And Liz, what do you think of that?

It could be a church... Panic.

-Panic is setting in.

-Certainly is chapel or churchy-like.

It certainly looks like that but I'll put you out of your misery.

If you look up there, it's actually a school, a converted Victorian school.

So now you know it's not a church, first impressions?

-Great.

-Really?

-Fascinating. I can't wait to see inside.

-The window looks fantastic.

-It is impressive.

The rain is just starting to come down so I think we should head in. Let's go.

-Into school.

-Yep.

-Isn't it impressive?

-It is, isn't it?

-What a door!

-Look at this for a door!

It's Gothic, the door. Churchy door.

-It's a good front door, isn't it?

-It is. Very impressive.

Through here are little modern touches, a downstairs cloakroom.

But I've got something I think is going to really wow you.

-I can't wait!

-This way.

-Come on through.

-Whoa!

It's massive.

-Look at this.

-Gosh, what a room.

-Fire, split level.

-And it goes right the way up.

A very big room.

-A lot to take in, isn't it?

-Yes!

-Amazing window.

-Very, very nice.

-Could you have imagined anything like this?

-No.

-Good.

So the mystery house is working! LAUGHTER

Come over here, because there's a bit more to see. Have a look up there.

A galleried walkway up there.

A lovely place to use as a library or a study for you both.

This isn't original - it was put in during the conversion. It was converted in the '80s.

So, you know - 20, nearly 30 years ago.

It's nice to see a conversion where they've kept the full-height windows, rather than coming

across and upstairs just having half of the glass. It's lovely.

-You just can't wait to take your shoes off and sit in front of the fire!

-That's what I like -

settling in already!

Not what you expected, but something you could do?

-Possibly.

-Ooh!

-Possibly.

Let me show you the rest of the house and we can change that "possibly" into a "definitely". Come this way.

So here we have the kitchen. Clearly.

For me, not as much as a wow as that big room that you've just come from, but what do you think of it?

I think it's a nice size kitchen but obviously I'd want to strip out.

You'd want to modernise it? And just around here, you have a utility space as well.

So not a bad size kitchen and this would be an opportunity for you both to make your mark.

I know you don't want to do DIY but would you be willing to do that?

Yes, putting a kitchen in is not really a big deal and it's...

Not for me, I mean, but somebody else will do it!

-Who are we talking about?

-Choosing it and style would be fun, yeah.

-That's quite fun, I think.

Great. A bit of work hasn't put them off.

And finally, downstairs is the first of the four bedrooms in this house,

which takes a double bed and which will work well for their weekend visitors.

But we're heading upstairs to have a look at the three other bedrooms.

The first is a reasonable size and has the arched windows which make for an unusual feature.

The room next door is slightly smaller but is light and bright.

And just further down the landing is the family shower room.

There's no need to worry if they need a bath, as I have something up my sleeve...

So finally, the last bedroom, which I'm keen to see their reaction to.

-Ooh, silence?

-It's...a decent sized room.

-It certainly is.

-Lots of character.

I quite like the eaves.

I think you could do a lot with it.

-With this property, you've got a great space.

-Yeah.

Yes, you'd need to maybe change the decor and freshen this up.

If you move that wardrobe and put your bed in there, you're looking out to lovely countryside.

-And I did promise you a bath, didn't I?

-You did.

Ricky, lead the way - that door.

Oh, right.

-Ah!

-This will do. Bath.

-That's good.

-Unusual steps.

Down the steps but into a good space.

So you've got a full-size bath, a nice size bathroom, fairly modern.

-Very nice.

-And it adds a lot to the bedroom.

-It works fine.

-Good.

There's one more thing up here I need to show you.

You could see it from downstairs but we need to get up to that gallery - a lovely space.

This is one of the unique features of this conversion.

I think it might just work well for Ricky.

You can really take it in up here.

Can you imagine yourselves working up here?

The dog would be howling from downstairs, wondering where we were.

Molly's got the fireplace to keep her happy.

It feels a bit like a castle, looking down there, that big table.

-Huge windows.

-King of your castle, if you were living here.

As well as a study, I thought maybe you could house all your collectibles up here.

It would be a good place for the model cars.

-Exactly.

-We didn't ask for a balcony.

-We didn't. It wasn't on the list.

We've thrown one in. That's what we do with the mystery property.

Garden's quite important. Molly needs space to run around.

Let's head out there and have a look.

And start to put into perspective what you could do with this property.

It's difficult to gauge exactly what they're thinking about this house.

Ricky is always so positive and Liz isn't giving much away.

But there's still the outside to come.

Out into the garden. It is a fairly small space. You can't deny that.

But it's been landscaped nicely and it wouldn't take much looking after.

-It's very nice.

-And it comes with a garage and a workshop for you, Ricky.

That's good.

Nice sturdy structures but I really think this property is more about this. Turn around.

It's all about that.

It is a lovely look.

It's a great look.

-The windows...

-Very spectacular.

You'd really get a special property.

I'm giving you that look because how much would you be willing to

hand over so that you could own your very own special property?

This is a real problem.

Nothing to base it on at all, so I'll have to pick a figure out of the air...

and I will say...

-375.

-375. Over budget.

What about you, Liz?

There's bits to be done in there and a new kitchen.

I think it would be on budget. 350.

350. OK.

That's quite a bit above your budget. If you had to do that work, you'd have to find the money.

-Which is quite tricky.

-Mm-hm.

-And would I be that cruel?

-You might be.

-Surely not!

-So, consider this...

-Yep.

It's on the market for £310,000.

-310?

-Yes.

-Wow. That is a surprise.

-It's a big shock?

-Yes.

I find that quite hard to digest.

You could get your hands on something as amazing as this for that amount.

Which, on my reckoning, leaves you £40,000 to play with,

-of your budget.

-That's right. Which may be something we'd quite enjoy doing.

-40,000 - it'll look like a palace!

-Yeah. Oh, yeah!

-So you could do something really good.

-That's really interesting!

We've given you something to think about. That's the point of the mystery house.

So get thinking. Go back in there, start thinking about what you'd do with all that spare cash.

Well, that threw them, didn't it?

SO far under budget, they could do something spectacular in that property.

Now, I think that Ricky has the appetite,

but the question is - has Liz?

At £310,000, this converted school

offers attractive and unusual accommodation.

It has a split-level living area,

a galleried landing-cum-office, four bedrooms and a garage and workshop.

-Good size - takes the double bed.

-Be room for a wardrobe.

-Small wardrobe.

-Yeah.

The mystery house, it's a bit of a mystery to me.

One half of me thinks, "What a fantastic space.

"I can see myself living here, being here, enjoying the lounge."

Er...

And part of me says, "Are you sure this is really what you want?"

We probably could get the bed in here.

-We might have to compromise with the bedside tables.

-Yeah.

Eaves storage.

Yeah, there's room for storage.

-Certainly.

-Well...

-Yeah.

-Nice.

When we drove up to the house, I thought it was a church.

So I was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be a converted school.

So, I loved the look of it from the outside,

I was quite excited at coming inside.

It's a temptation, and...

the idea of doing it up, making it nicer,

could be so spectacular.

Then, the other side is the garden's not that big.

Just a single garage, not a double one.

Again, is this what I really want?

When we came inside, into the lounge, it's an outstanding room.

Beautiful. The windows, the light,

the two-level lounge was absolutely fantastic.

But I was quite disappointed as we went round the house.

The kitchen was quite dark and upstairs was quite dark.

OK, I'm afraid that's it. You've seen all the properties.

-It's been a bit of a journey.

-It has.

And now we've given you something to think about,

-so let's find somewhere to sit down, have a think, make some decisions. Let's go.

-OK.

Ricky and Liz are looking for a house in which they can enjoy married life for the years to come.

They've now seen all three properties on our shortlist

and there's plenty to consider, so we've given them some time to think over their options.

And as Suffolk and farming go hand in hand,

I'm keen to get down on a farm and get to grips with some living history.

Suffolk Punches were the workhorses of the English farm for 200 years

and Nigel Oakley still uses his to work his land,

so I'm meeting up with him to find out more about this special breed.

Come on. Now, then. Come round.

-Get over.

-Hello, Nigel.

Gosh!

-So this is a Suffolk Punch, then.

-Good morning to you.

-Good morning.

-It is indeed.

-HUGE hunk of a horse!

Quite a lot to keep control of there.

Yeah. When he's mature, which, in fact, he is, about -

he's eight years old, so he's there -

he goes very close on a tonne.

-A tonne?

-One tonne, yeah.

How long have you been working with them?

-Er, 30-odd years.

-What are they used for, these days?

We plough with them, we cut the corn with them.

Traditionally, these horses were used right throughout the region.

Yes, and draught horses were used throughout the British Isles.

Prior to the tractor, there were three million of these horses working in the British Isles.

Today, the numbers have fallen drastically and there are now only 80 breeding mares,

so Nigel is not only using them to work his land,

but he's also part of a nationwide breeding programme.

We have something like 40 live foals per annum.

When you think the gestation period of a horse is 11 months,

even with the best will in the world, you're not going to improve numbers overnight,

so it's a steady build-up of numbers.

Nigel is keen for me to see how they were - and still are - prepared for work.

The first task is knotting the tail,

and Bill has had more than a few years of practice.

The braid that Bill's put in we term as a plough knot.

This is purely to go to work. It doesn't take many minutes to put in.

It keeps the horse's tail up out of the muck when you're working him.

How long has the tradition of this particular style of knot been going?

I've got several old traditional books of horses and the plough knot has never changed since...

-Well, the 1800s, anyway.

-Well, great technique there. Shall we get him harnessed up?

Harnessing the horse is a skill in itself.

An incorrect fit for a horse working long hours in a field could result in serious injury.

Attaching the horse's harness to Nigel's wonderful old carts also needs a great deal of care.

I've thoroughly enjoyed learning more about this precious breed.

And just before I leave, there's time for me to take the reins.

When you hold him, hold him just in the one hand.

Keep him a little bit away so he can't stand on you.

Don't wrap this round your hand, for obvious reasons.

Hold him like that and when you're about to go, tell him "walk on".

And he's going fairly fast,

but keep over this side so that you don't hit the fence.

-The best of British!

-Thank you.

I love that you trust me with him.

Samson, it's just me and you, babe.

OK.

Shall we go?

It's been fun. Let's go. Walk on!

'After a slow start, Samson is picking up speed.

'Time for me to bow out and maybe leave it to the professionals.'

Ooh, he does go very quickly! I think I'll hand him back to you.

Thank you. Whoo-oo.

It's so pretty out here and we've seen some pretty gorgeous houses too, in the last couple of days.

Everything from barn conversions and cottages to that lovely converted school.

I think Liz and Ricky seemed to like them all.

The question is, has any one of them taken their fancy? Let's find out.

We've had a lot of fun this week, haven't we? I've really enjoyed

the property search with you, but it's time for us to go through all the properties

and see if you've made any decisions. Let's start off with that lovely cottage. What did you think?

I wasn't a great fan of old property, thinking about DIY.

But I admit I was quite taken with the cottage.

The way it was laid out, the size of the ground, and the lovely garage - the blacksmith's forge.

I really took to it.

I was a little disappointed with the kitchen when we went in but obviously we can do alterations.

But I really liked the character.

Bright and light and had the high ceilings.

I could see the possibilities. It was already nice - could be better.

It was also right in the village, easy walking distance to the centre of the village,

which we've now found is something which is very important to us.

Talking of community spirit, let's move on to the barn conversion in the lovely village of Coddenham.

You couldn't be help but be knocked out by the appearance of the outside -

the garden, the garage were all absolutely wonderful.

And you get knocked out as soon as you walk in, with the hall and the dining room.

Downstairs was fantastic. Upstairs, I had a bit of a problem.

Much smaller footprint than downstairs and I felt it was a bit too cramped.

-The main problem, that I hadn't thought of, Liz pointed out to me.

-You would never see anybody.

You were at the far end, which was very nice but you felt as though you were isolated.

And we want somewhere where there's people walking by.

The final property was a building that was the heart of the community, the converted school.

What did you think of that?

That was a really interesting building and I'm really glad that we saw it.

Stunning, fantastic windows but as we went into the kitchen,

I found the rest of the house quite disappointing, a bit dark.

At the end of the day, I think it would be more for a family.

Couldn't help but be knocked over by the downstairs room.

Fabulous. But the rest of the house was a bit disappointing.

The outside space wasn't enormous and we just had a vision of the two of us sitting in the enormous room

at night with this big space behind us.

It's more for a family but not for us.

Have we helped you along the journey deciding what you want

and more importantly, are you going to pick any of our properties?

It would be the cottage.

-And we haven't ruled it out.

-We haven't, no.

We're going to take a ride back to the village and spend a bit of time driving around that particular area.

-And we will see the cottage again, so...

-Of course, yeah.

-It's a possible. A possible possible.

-A possible possible?

That's fantastic. I'm really pleased.

We have been surprised at what we can actually get in Suffolk for our budget, downsizing.

-And it's confirmed that Suffolk is the place we want.

-Definitely.

This time next year, you could be married and

moving into your dream home, which will hopefully be our cottage.

-Carry me over the threshold.

-LAUGHTER

Let us know. We'd love to know how you get on.

-Best of luck.

-Thank you very much.

-We've had a lot of fun this week.

-Thank you.

-We've had a giggle.

-Yes.

We've been on a journey with Liz and Ricky this week and discovered lots of things.

They now know exactly what they're looking for in their dream home

and I know just how much I love Suffolk. What a fantastic county!

Who knows - maybe this time next year they'll not only be married,

but also be living in their ideal home and have escaped to the country.

I'll see you next time.

If you would like to escape to the country and would like our help,

please contact us through our website at...

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