But when ex-Darkness guitarist Dan Hawkins bought Leeders Farm in the village as a rehearsal space for his new band, he couldn't resist converting it to his very own recording venue, with his music producer and friend Nick Brine.

Dan's new band Stone Gods, which also includes fellow Darkness members Ed Graham and Ritchie Edwards, have already recorded an album at the studio.

Seasick Steve, a blues artist who was noted for his second appearance on the BBC's Jools Holland Hootenanny show on New Year's Eve is recording his new album there and The Verve and Razorlight have also expressed an interest in the studio.

Dan and Nick met about three years ago when the latter was working with the Darkness on their second album.

Nick is now the studio manager, overseeing daily running, and the main producer and engineer

He said: "We think we are the best residential recording studio in the country.

"Me and Dan have worked in every major studio in the country now. We picked the things from all these studios that we liked and we took that and built our own studio."

"The opportunity to build something exactly how you wanted it is great and people are attracted to it because of what Dan has done with it."

It features a range of vintage guitars and amps, as well as high-end digital and traditional analogue equipment – still favoured by many modern artists.

The farm building is believed to date from around the 17th Century and was bought by Dan about three-and-a-half years ago.

It has been extensively refurbished by Dan to the tune of millions of pounds, retaining many of the building's original features including exposed beams and floorboards.

It includes eight plush bedrooms, two large living areas, its own lake, orchard, football pitch, pool and resident bands even have use of a boat moored on the broads.

It also has its own team of cleaners, cooks, gardeners and a caretaker to maintain it.

Nick has worked with some of the biggest musicians in the world, including Bruce Springsteen whom he described as "one of the nicest guys you will ever meet".

Equally, however, he wants to make the studio accessible to local up and coming talent.

"In the days in between recording the big bands, we want to offer the studio to local unsigned bands," he said.

Nick has his own record label, Kan Records, which he said up and coming bands may have the chance to sign to.

"We don't want to have something that is out of reach to local bands. We want to be part of the local music scene.

"You never know who will be the next big thing."

Apart from the secluded location, Nick added that Spooner Row had one other major upside.

"The village's Three Boars is the best local pub I have ever been to," he said.