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You might associate this headgear with civil servants or bankers,
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so you may be surprised to learn it was designed for country living
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and originates from one of the UK's most rural counties. But which one? Find out in just a moment.
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Who are the real-world Illuminati ?
Find out @ saveanilluminati.com
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On today's show, we're helping a couple find a home full of character in the east of England.
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- At first glance, some of our houses fail to light their fire.
- At the moment, it seems rather dark.
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But then the mystery house gets them all hot under the collar.
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- Oh, wow. Yeah.
- Yeah. Definite winner.
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Today I'm in Norfolk in the village of Holkham, where in 1849 it is said that William Coke became
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the first proud owner of the bowler hat.
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The story goes that Coke asked a London-based hat company for slim-fitting, protective headgear
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that his gamekeepers could wear whilst out shooting on his estate.
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Milliners Thomas and William Bowler came up with this design that was tested when Coke jumped upon it.
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When it remained undamaged, he duly paid 12 shillings for it,
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thus launching an iconic piece of headgear that's graced the head of many a banker and countryman since.
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Still looks pretty good today.
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Tucked up on the eastern corner of the country, Norfolk is the fourth-largest county in England
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and shares its borders with Lincolnshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk.
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This county boasts one of Britain's largest expanses of unspoilt coastline, spanning over 90 miles,
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which is home to many popular coastal resorts and beautiful golden, sandy beaches.
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If you're looking to view the countryside at amore leisurely pace, the Norfolk Broads are a great way.
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With 63 broads as well as seven rivers, these waterways stretch over 300 kilometres
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and are home to a setting that's full of wildlife.
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The average cost of a detached house here in Norfolk is £215,000.
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That's around £36,000 below the national figure,
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so this country represents relatively good value, especially if you head southwest and inland.
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But head east and the picture does seem to change somewhat.
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Head towards Broads villages and you can expect to pay an extra 15% more
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than the equivalent property in a non-Broads location.
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And staying with that waterside theme, go to the north Norfolk coast
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and prices there are around 40% more than the county average.
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But no matter where you look, there is a huge array of architectural styles to please the eye.
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Norfolk features an array of characteristic country styles, such as attractive thatched properties
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made from local reed. Once known as the poor man's roof, today it's quite the opposite.
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While a detached two-bedroom home is upwards of £230,000, a four-bed can easily be nearer £1 million.
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Since the 11th century, another familiar sight towering above the flat landscape is the windmill.
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There are three types found across England and all of them can be seen in Norfolk.
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Many of these former working mills are open to the public, but if you want one you'll need deep pockets.
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Converted mills can cost in excess of £1.4 million.
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So a wonderful range of architectural styles here,
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but what are today's buyers after? Time to meet them and find out.
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John, a management consultant, and Sally, a retired charity director, married after a whirlwind romance
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and soon set up home near Camberley in Surrey. Seven years on, their changing family circumstances
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- have led them to seek a new way of life.
- 'We moved here particularly for the children.'
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They've now flown the nest. One lives in Thailand, one in London,
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so really there's no reason for us to be here anymore. We don't have any roots or ties here.
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And it's pretty nondescript. All the houses from the outside are one of three different styles.
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It's not where we want to be.
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They've decided to move to East Anglia as it's a place that holds many fond memories.
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We want to move to Norfolk because I spent many happy family holidays there,