Churches used to take the breath away as places of worship. Now they do so as magical homes
Buying and converting a church is almost always a passion project — and the people who've taken on the job at these homes show just what can be done.
In 1851, the UK Census showed that 10.1 million people regularly attended church services of some kind — that's 55% of the population. Today, it's around 5% . We live in secular times, and the number of churches with dwindling congregations is a fact of life. The only recent report that claimed otherwise turned out to be based on data that was later debunked.
It's hardly surprising, then, that religious institutions have been selling their buildings off for some decades — a decision which often leads to people wringing their hands, but which is usually unarguable from the point of view of those running the Church of England, Church of Scotland and the other grand old ecclesiastical institutions.
What's more surprising is the prices that some of those buildings are being sold for. Last year eyebrows were raised at the Church of Scotland's 'property for sale' page, which included magnificent buildings such as Culross Abbey on the market for as little as £35,000.
The prices explained by the difficult questions that come with these buildings: what will you do with them? And how will you do it?
Lucy Denton wrote about this exact problem for Country Life last year, and got some fascinating answers. 'Churches have a unique buyer type who see the conversion of a historical building such as this as a project of passion,’ Tom Stewart-Moore of Knight Frank told her. 'Some buyers may be fortunate enough to have deep pockets, but others will very much have a budget to work to.
'It might seem as if the asking prices are low, but, with higher building costs, the heritage and planning implications, and, of course, the general state of repair of the building at the point of purchase, there is a lot for a buyer to think about’.
In some instances, the approaches taken by those brave buyers have led to the creation of truly beautiful homes. Take the case of Greystead Old Church in Northumberland, for example, has been beautifully done and came up for sale earlier this year.
Greystead Old Church is currently on the market at £695,000 through Finest.
Another example is on the market in Manchester at £325,000, where St George's on Arundel Street has been turned into 25 modern flats.
St Georges makes for an extraordinary apartment block. This 200-year-old church has quite a few original windows, beams and more preserved, particularly in the communal areas.... though as the pictures show, far more has been stripped out and replaced.
That's a solution at one end of the spectrum; many others are at the other end, where the feel is of an almost-untouched church that's simply had pews replaced with sofas and kitchen islands. The best tread the line somewhere in between; here's our pick of some of the finest converted churches on the market today.
Hampshire — £1.25 million
For 93 years, Woodlands Chapel welcomed worshippers, until, in 1982, its doors closed and it was transformed into a comfortable family home with a difference. How many homeowners, for example, can boast of having stained-glass windows that catch the sunlight and cast colour across their rooms? There is even a triptych, which forms part of the show-stopping double-height sitting room/dining room and where the former sanctuary has been turned into a raised seating area.
The nearby kitchen/breakfast room plays host to a Neptune fitted kitchen with granite worktops and whatever is prepared here can easily be carried to the terraced and paved areas outside that are perfect for alfresco dining. One of the four bedrooms is on the ground floor, although it doubles up as a study.
Woodlands Chapel is in the eponymous hamlet close to the market towns of Alresford and Petersfield and within the South Downs National Park, guaranteeing an abundance of natural beauty.
For sale via Carter Jonas — see more details and pictures.
Norfolk — £1.5 million
The Chapel near North Elmham was built with brick and flint elevations in 1883 on the former site of Norfolk County School. Although the school was intended to educate the sons of farmers and artisans, numbers were low and it closed in 1895, only 21 years after opening.
Afterwards, the nearby chapel witnessed the school becoming an orphans’ home and then Watts Naval School, until it shut in 1953. The new owner, therefore, is buying a site with a rich history, as well as a chapel with spectacular proportions that has been tastefully converted and modernised.
Perhaps the pièce de résistance is the first floor’s vaulted 70ft reception room with its stone window that leads out to a balcony where guests and family alike can gaze over the grounds, which run to just over 5¾ acres.
In all, there are four reception rooms and five bedrooms (four of which are on the ground floor). There is also two-bedroom annexe.
For sale via Strutt & Parker — see more details and pictures.
Cambridgeshire — £775,000
St Mary Magdalene’s Church dates back to the 11th century, so the new owners of what is now a Grade II*-listed conversion will certainly be buying themselves a piece of ancient history, as well as walking in the footsteps of generations of worshippers from the nearby village of Caldecote.
Victoria Short, the agent, says: ‘Church House is far more than a home of exceptional architectural importance; its breathtaking rural position and beautiful grounds create a sense of complete privacy, making it a truly special retreat.’
New arrivals will enjoy seeing the gardens with their lawns and terraces and then, once inside, the principal living areas, including the vaulted sitting and dining rooms and modern, well-appointed kitchen, which are arranged within the nave and historic core of the building.
Three bedrooms and two bathrooms are sited across two floors. Peterborough is about 11 miles away.
For sale via Savills — see more details and pictures.
Devon — £875,000
As befits a property within the surroundings of a converted Trappist monastery, the lower ground floor of Vespers in Woodleigh near Kingsbridge has been designed as a sanctuary. It contains three bedrooms, each with its own private garden terrace reached via doors that create seamless connections between indoor and outdoor living.
The impressive, light-filled 25½ft by 27½ft sitting room, which is centred around a Portland-stone fireplace, is located on the first floor, as is the open-plan kitchen/dining room, from which elegant arched doors open onto a balcony, offering those sitting there — perhaps enjoying morning coffee or evening supper — idyllic views over some of the 80 acres of landscaped grounds.
The second floor currently contains a study with mezzanine and the third an office. In the restored chapel, the new owners will enjoy exclusive access to a leisure complex that includes an indoor swimming pool, sauna and jacuzzi.
For sale via Marchand Petit — see more details and pictures.
London — £1.65 million
Who wouldn’t love to come home to The Chapel on Munster Road, SW6, after a long day in the office? Where better to perch at this quieter point of the day than in the open-plan kitchen, dining and living space beneath the glorious vaulted ceiling and exposed timber beams, glass of wine or G&T in hand? Whereas some London properties can be gloomy, The Chapel is flooded with natural light — all the better for seeing the building’s period detailing, which marries perfectly with its modern finishes.
The flexible accommodation consists of two or three bedrooms — the third lending itself to use as a study if required. ‘Every detail has been considered to deliver effortless contemporary living, from the bespoke kitchen and premium fittings to the sophisticated bathrooms and high-quality finishes throughout,’ says the agent. As this property forms part of a new development, a separate Land Registry title has yet to be issued.
