Leap of faith and a twist of fate

"We viewed the cave when it was first on the market but decided not to buy it," says Liz, who previously owned a tyre and exhaust centre in Doncaster. "Three years later we had put a deposit on a boat business in Falmouth and were all set to move there when I visited a local saddlery in Doncaster.

"The lady there told us the cave was up for sale again. She'd seen in on TV the night before and we ended up buying it.

"We'd only gone in for some Cowboy Magic and it changed our lives. I believe it was fate and one of those crossroads you get in life."

After deciding their future lay in North Yorkshire, the Sayers revamped the tourist attraction and moved to the area. Having already tackled a variety of property renovations, the couple, who have a daughter Adele, 25, and sons Joe, 22, and Joshua, nine, were keen to find somewhere "a bit different".

So when they spotted a redundant Wesleyan chapel and school house in

the pretty hamlet of Shaw Mills, near Harrogate, they were smitten. "I loved the location and the gothic look of the chapel from the outside," says Liz, who bought the property in 2006. Built in 1904, it was in good structural order but still took a year to convert to the Sayers' exacting standards. The results are stunning and the chapel and school house has been sensitively divided into living space.

It includes a split level sitting room area with a new mezzanine. The dramatic wood and wrought iron staircase to the upper level was designed by Adrian and made by John Cowell Ltd. It leads to the master bedroom, en-suite and dressing room and its galleried area. A new hallway separates the sitting area from two bedrooms and features original stained glass panels that once split the chapel from the adjoining schoolrooms.

What was a small area at the side of the chapel is now a separate garden room leading to a patio and lawn. The school room has been converted into a beautiful living kitchen complete with Aga, units from Harrogate Pine, a snug area with wood burning stove and a dining section overlooking meadows. There's also a study, laundry room and a house bathroom.

Luckily for the Sayers, the building wasn't listed, which left them free to remodel the insides and to insulate the walls and roof. "We wouldn't have bought if it had been listed because there would've been too many restrictions but we have been very sensitive," says Liz.

The couple have preserved all the original features, including the pitch pine ceiling in the sitting area, the posts and decorative struts and the windows. They have also replaced rotten windows with replicas in powder-coated aluminium.

"The windows are stained glass but they are simple in design. There are no images of Christ or Biblical scenes. I couldn't have lived with anything like that," says Liz.

Though it is decorative by austere Wesleyan Methodist standards, the chapel interior is not overtly ecclesiastical. To complement its simplicity, Liz painted the walls in off white teamed with pale green woodwork. "I did 95 per cent of the painting in here. I love it. I get my roller out and start singing. It's not a chore."

The furniture is period and reproduction and much of it came from Liz's grandmother. Other pieces are from local antique shops and Barker and Stonehouse. The only clue to their quirky business interest is a tiny teddy who lives in the laundry. He was "turned to stone" by the high mineral content in the petrifying well on the Mother Shipton estate. Liz, whose own mother is a practising medium and healer, believes there are supernatural elements at the site.

"I've grown up with it so I'm sympathetic. I believe Mother Shipton was clairvoyant, though she was lucky to have been born in 1488. A hundred years later she'd have been burned as a witch."

There have been some strange experiences at the former home of the prophetess though.

"One thing that has happened a lot is seeing orbs on photographs, which is a sign of a spirit. We had one guy take a picture of the Mother Shipton statue and there was a light around it, and there are numerous tales of cameras not working in the cave," says Liz.

"Psychics come to sit in the cave and by the well because they say it recharges their batteries."

There is nothing remotely spooky about the chapel. It has never been used for burials and has a warm, friendly feel. The Sayers will miss it when they move, which they're doing after fate led them in yet another direction.

"Adrian had a health scare last year so we decided to sell the Mother Shipton estate and the house and do what he's dreamed of doing and that's spending more time sailing.

"We also used to have motorbikes years ago and we want to get back

into that," says Liz, whose last bike was a Kawasaki ZX6.

"It's another lifestyle change and we're really looking forward

to it."

Chapel House, Shaw Mills, near Harrogate, is for sale for 645,0000 through Knight Frank tel: 01423 530088.

Mother Shipton's estate is set in 12 acres and includes the cave, petrifying well, tea room, gift shop, picnic areas, parking and playgrounds plus a three bedroom gatehouse. It is for sale through Humberts Leisure for 1.5m. www.humberts-leisure.com

Liz and Adrian's useful contacts:

Conversion Works: P.S. Construction Ltd., Doncaster. 01302 300100

Powder Coated Leaded Windows: Danum Windows Ltd. 01709 772080

Bathrooms: Bathstore.com

Stone: Sam Cryer Ltd. 01423 770711

Paint: The Decorating Centre, Wetherby. 01937 580980

Bedroom Furniture: Barker and Stonehouse, www.barkerandstonehouse.co.uk

Kitchen: Harrogate Pine. 01423 885196

Decorative Iron Balustrades: John Cowell Ltd. www.john-cowell.com

YP MAG 3/7/10