An incredible chapel conversion that pulls off the trick of blending cosiness and comfort with the building's innate grandeur
Chapel House in Winslow, near Buckingham, combines original features with plenty of living space and magnificent rural views.


Buyers looking for a property with a difference should look at Chapel House, in Winslow, Buckinghamshire: this five-bedroom house, which is on the market with Knight Frank at an asking price of £1.5 million, was originally a chapel.
Converting a chapel is a tricky job: how much do you keep the original feel? How much fo you make the new place feel like a home? In this case, they've veered towards the latter, and we have to say this conversion is one of the cosiest converted churches we've ever seen — yet they have still kept intact many original features, including the former belfry.
The 4,400sq ft interiors are arranged across three floors. The main rooms are all on the ground floor, which harbours a magnificent open-plan kitchen, dining and living area.
There is also a separate sitting room and five bedrooms, including the large master suite with its dressing room and fine bathroom — not to mention leaded, stone-mullioned windows highlighted with stained glass elements.
The first floor is entirely taken up by a striking family room, while the top floor houses a study and enjoys long views across the surrounding countryside from all four sides.
The gardens — very private, which is unusual for a property set in the middle of a market town — are arranged into two courtyard areas, with paved terraces and a small lawn.
Chapel House is for sale at £1.5 million via Knight Frank — see more pictures or enquire with the agent for further details.
Sign up for the Country Life Newsletter
Exquisite houses, the beauty of Nature, and how to get the most from your life, straight to your inbox.
Winslow: What you need to know
- Location: Winslow is situated 6.4 miles from Buckingham, 11.1 from Aylesbury and 28.5 from Oxford
- Atmosphere: A market town, Winslow combines period thatched houses, the market square (there's still a weekly market) and cattle markets with a good selection of shops, restaurants and pubs.
- Things to do: Walking, cycling and riding routes abound in the glorious countryside that surrounds Winslow, while Buckingham and, a little farther, oxford, provide a huge range of culture and entertainment opportunities.
- Schools: There is plenty of choice, both locally and a little further afield, with the Royal Latin School in Buckingham, Aylesbury High for Girls, Aylesbury Grammar School for Boys and The Sir Henry Floyd Grammar School in Aylesbury, plus Akeley Wood and Stowe and, in Oxford, Lynehams, The Dragon School, Oxford High School, Ashfold Preparatory School and St Edward’s. Find more properties in the area.
Credit: Strutt and Parker
Best country houses for sale this week
An irresistible West Country cottage and a magnificent Cumbrian country house make our pick of the finest country houses for
Carla must be the only Italian that finds the English weather more congenial than her native country’s sunshine. An antique herself, she became Country Life’s Arts & Antiques editor in 2023 having previously covered, as a freelance journalist, heritage, conservation, history and property stories, for which she won a couple of awards. Her musical taste has never evolved past Puccini and she spends most of her time immersed in any century before the 20th.
-
17 outstanding homes for sale across Britain, from under £250k to £6.5 million, as seen in Country Life
Something for every budget in this week's round up of homes across the country that have come to market via Country Life.
By Toby Keel Published
-
'We started thinking: if we were going to design a bike for Aston Martin, what would it look like? And then we simply couldn’t stop': Aston's new bike has everything you could ever dream of — except a price tag
The new Aston Martin .1R bicycle, a collaboration with manufacturer J.Laverack, leaves Paul Henderson stirred rather than shaken.
By Paul Henderson Published
-
17 outstanding homes for sale across Britain, from under £250k to £6.5 million, as seen in Country Life
Something for every budget in this week's round up of homes across the country that have come to market via Country Life.
By Toby Keel Published
-
An utterly charming island home in Scotland with gardens so beautiful they made the cover of Country Life
An Cala on the Isle of Seil has a fascinating history that is only enhanced by its amazing setting.
By James Fisher Published
-
Soft tones and a sense of place: A Mayfair duplex that breaks the modern mould
A new designer-led residence at 60 Curzon in Mayfair reminds us that everything new doesn't necessarily have to look it.
By James Fisher Published
-
'The very best North Yorkshire has to offer': The £25 million Kirkham Estate
With 1,103 acres and on the market for the first time in a century, we've got a new frontrunner for the sale of the year.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
The reality of 20 years of house price rises in Britain, from the places that have had a charmed life to the spots where it's a struggle to move back home
At first glance the ups and downs of the property market seem to even out over time — but dig in to the numbers and you'll see wild regional variations which paint a very difference picture. Annabel Dixon analyses new research which tells the story.
By Annabel Dixon Published
-
A historic Yorkshire hall, meticulously restored to its former 18th-century magnificence
Womersley Park is a masterpiece and one of Yorkshire's great historic houses. And it could be yours.
By Penny Churchill Published
-
Rowing past dreams: An idyllic riverside home with a boathouse, croquet pitch and Olympic pedigree
The Manor in Long Wittenham is a perfect Thames-side getaway. Comes with a free boat.
By James Fisher Published
-
A bucolic Sussex home that's 'like stepping into a fairytale', yet just 30 minutes from central London
Felmere House is a playground for nature and only 30 minutes from London.
By James Fisher Last updated