Naturalist, broadcaster and prolific author Roger Tabor had no idea how close he was to his roots as he neared the end of more than a dozen years renovating a magnificent watermill near Braintree.

“It was 12 years hard labour,” said the self-confessed cat enthusiast, “and then we had to decide whether we wanted to do another 10, or move to somewhere with straight walls. Having spent that long in what was, after all, a working building, the idea of having everything square was rather appealing and we started to look around.”

Both Roger and his partner, Liz Artindale, a photographer, have spent much time travelling in their professions but Essex continues to draw them home.

Roger first made a name for himself co-presenting Animal Magic with Johnny Morris. Later, his groundbreaking BBC series Cats took him to 14 countries in the three years it took to film and, last month, he was featured as resident expert in Joanna Lumley: Catwoman. His numerous books explore animal behaviour and wildlife and he is currently chairman of the British Naturalist’s Association .He also has a television series, Animal Attractions, running in America.

The house he and Liz eventually stumbled on was Greythorpe, a Grade II Listed former vicarage in the estuary-mouth Cinque Port town of Brightlingsea on the Essex coast, 30 miles or so from their watermill.

It was while researching the history of the house and the surrounding area that Liz made a remarkable discovery; Roger is directly descended from a long line of oystermen operating out of Brightlingsea since 1640.

“I have reason to believe that one or more of my ancestors might well have had connections to the occupants in this house,” Roger said. “In particular, in the late 19th Century, there was one high-church vicar called Mr Arthur Pertwee living here, who gained much favour with local fisherman by going out nightly across the field to the church to light a brazier on the tower to help guide the boats home. He commemorated those who died with an individual named tile in the church and was a frequent visitor to the families.

“When London sewage contaminated the oyster beds around this time, my branch of the Tabor family moved away but others remained and it is still a well-known name in the town – only seven other remaining family names go back as far as ours.”

Built in the early years of the 19th Century, Greythorpe was a replacement for a medieval residence, which fell into disrepair and eventually burnt down.

An elegant and attractive house, largely built of gault brick and with an imposing pillared portico, Greythorpe stands well back from Church Road on the outskirts of town, shielded from the road by mature trees.

Accommodation begins in a gracious reception hall more than 26ft long, from which an elegant staircase rises to the upper floor. There are two main reception rooms either side of the door, each having tall, shuttered sash windows and open fireplaces. Towards the rear of the hall, a study, again with a tall sash window and fireplace, is still redolent of long-ago meetings between the clergyman and members of his flock.

The light and spacious kitchen has an extensive range of fitted oak-fronted units and granite worktops. An archway leads to the adjoining breakfast room, which has double-glazed doors out to the garden.

To the rear of the kitchen, an additional wing built on the footings of the former stables and coach house now provides an attractive family room, plus a large study or extra bedroom with dressing room and en suite shower room.

The former cellar is now a home cinema and Liz maintains this was what sold the house to her! Created by a former owner who was a film producer, the cinema was funded by a major Hollywood studio and has stripped pine walls and ceiling, screen and projection room.

On the first floor there are four bedrooms. The principal guest room has en suite facilities, while the master bedroom has a dressing area leading on to a refitted en suite containing a large walk-in shower. The family bathroom, also recently refitted, is in Victorian style with a high-level cistern, free-standing bath, and corner shower cubicle.

The garden of around two-thirds of an acre is divided into various distinct sections, including a large patio outside the breakfast room, a seating area beneath a large gazebo, a summerhouse overlooking an ornamental pond and vegetable and herb gardens. Footpaths lead across the fields in one direction to the magnificent church, and in the other to the seafront, 30 minutes walk away.

The house is for sale through agents Fenn Wright at £675,000. Contact them on 01206 763388 for full details.