This converted church is now a heavenly home and retreat with superhost status on Airbnb

God works in mysterious ways and Tina Hodges and her husband Jasper are certain that he had a hand in guiding them to their latest home. Both are Anglican priests who retired from full-time ministry and gave up the clergy residence that went with it. So when it came to buying their own property, the last place they expected to end up was a converted church.All Hallows is in an idyllic, rural setting in the village of High Hoyland, near Barnsley. Its tower with bell chamber dates from 1679 while the body of the church was rebuilt in 1904.The Grade II-listed property was converted into a home and art gallery in the early 2000s and it came with potential to create the sort of home that the couple wanted. “We had a wide search area but hadn’t found anything we felt was right. We drove past this place one day and saw the for sale sign,” says Tina, a former nurse who was ordained in 1999.

The views from the grounds

“It wasn’t what we were looking for but as soon as we came in we felt such a sense of calm. It just felt right. I always say it was a God prompt that made me become a minister and I’m sure it was a God prompt that brought us here.”What Tina calls her “Damascus road moment” came after she nearly died in a car accident. “I was already a church-goer when I had a profound experience where I felt God was telling me to go into ministry. I have had a lot of brokenness in my life and that has helped me connect with people who are hurt.”Tina worked as a vicar in Staffordshire before moving to Sheffield, where she teamed ministry with work as an award-winning life and leadership coach. It is also where she met and married Jasper.The couple bought All Hallows two years ago, together with Tina’s mother. They have now opened up the beautiful building to guests to generate an income that helps with the considerable running costs.

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The property is now a successful Airbnb and is often used as a retreat. “We could see it would make a great Airbnb. It’s ideal for people who travel to visit the Yorkshire Sculpture Park and we are close to the M1, so it’s a good base from which to explore Yorkshire. It is also being used as a stop-over point for people from the south who are travelling to Scotland,” says Tina.Its former owner had done an excellent job on the original conversion, including adding insulation. “She did most of the hard work and made it a mix between an authentic church and a practical and pretty home,” says Tina, who has made some changes to suit her family and their guests.

Jasper adds: “Tina’s mother is also disabled so we had to make it more suitable for her needs and in the process we discovered a 13th century arch. That meant changing where we were going to put a loo. What was a £2,000 project turned into a £16,000 one.”The boiler also needed replacing and Tina spotted an opportunity to move the kitchen into what was a toilet and shower room hidden behind a partition wall. That freed up space for a spacious hall.With the budget tight, the couple couldn’t afford the £2,000 needed for new kitchen cabinets, but Tina managed to find top-notch second-hand ones for £800 on Facebook Marketplace in Cheshire.

What was the nave is a dining area. It features a cross that was made for Tina when she was ordained, along with lots of candles. “I love them for creating ambience,” she says.Above the dining area is a raised sitting room with storage underneath. It also features stone panels from Celtic gravestones.Beyond is an Airbnb room complete with an en-suite that features a memorial stone for former Vogue editor Anna Wintour’s great-aunt Isabel, one of a number of Wintours in the graveyard.

Tina and Jasper in the self-contained apartment with a stained glass window depicting The Ascension.

A self-contained apartment, also for let, is at the rear of the former church. It has a kitchenette plus a bathroom fashioned from what was the vestry. A king-size bed sits beneath the standout feature – a spectacular William Morris stained glass window depicting The Ascension.Tina has also turned a room part way up the church tower into a quirky guest bedroom. Those staying in it must be able to climb the centuries-worn steps and anyone visiting the converted church is welcome to venture to the very top of the tower where there are incredible views.“There were 17 phone lines leading to what is now our tower bedroom. The only explanation is that it was a secret war room during the Second World War,” says Jasper.

The door to the bedroom in the church tower

Peace is now paramount and to that effect Tina has added signs on all the doors. Each sums up an attribute of a person or community living in accord with the Holy Spirit, according to chapter 5 of the Epistle to the Galatians. They include peace, love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Practising what they preach has worked and guests have been fulsome in their praise for All Hallows thanks to its location, character and tranquillity.“We treat everybody like the queen. If they want to chat we do and if not we leave them in peace,” says Tina.Find All Hallows, High Hoyland, at www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/21757485 or tel: 07850 660513, www.eaglesriseinternational.com