One of the best chapel conversions you'll ever see is for sale in Yorkshire

Converted chapels rarely work perfectly as homes but this property in the pretty village of Nawton, near Helmsley, is a rare and spectacular exception. It is, without doubt, one of the finest examples of what can be achieved if you choose your chapel well and are creative and sensitive when redesigning the interiors. Andrea and Howard Penn bought the Victorian property eight years ago after swapping the city of York for a new life in the country. “The chapel had been converted in the 1990s but it was in a poor state of repair and the layout didn’t suit our requirements but we could see the potential and the location was perfect,” says Andrea.
Sharon Dale
By Sharon Dale
Published 23rd Oct 2022, 22:00 BST

The couple brought in an architect who specialises in heritage buildings to help them reconfigure the space, which included moving the kitchen from a north-facing spot to a south-facing one.

The old kitchen area was then turned into a cosy snug and the Penns also added an oak extension to the property.

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While it may seem like the wrong way round, the couple tackled the garden first before they set to work on their new home.

The Old Methodist Chapel is now a sensational homeThe Old Methodist Chapel is now a sensational home
The Old Methodist Chapel is now a sensational home

“We got some help with the design and did the garden as we wanted it to be ready and looking good for Spring,” says Andrea.

Blenkin and Co., which is marketing the property say: “In effect, The Old Methodist Chapel is a modern, sophisticated and energy efficient home within an architecturally impressive, stone, Victorian building.”

Constructed in the late Gothic Revival style, the exterior and interiors are full of original features including stained glass, oak double doors, decorative stonework and Victorian beams and trusses.

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At the heart of the house is the kitchen/dining/living room, which has a bespoke Coast and Country kitchen with a Falcon range cooker.

The redesign and the interiors have delivered light and views while making sure the former chapel is cosyThe redesign and the interiors have delivered light and views while making sure the former chapel is cosy
The redesign and the interiors have delivered light and views while making sure the former chapel is cosy

Light pours into this space from three sides and there is also a sandstone fireplace housing a Dovre wood-burning stove.

The garden room has banquette storage seating, space for a dining table and French doors and there is also a utility room, two reception rooms, a study plus a snug with a Nordpeis wood-burning stove and its own independent entrance.

The ground floor also has a large shower room, which provides scope to create a ground floor bedroom suite.

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The first floor has four bedrooms and two bathrooms and the top floor has a huge, 980 sq ft bedroom suite with shower room .

The enormous bedroom suite on the top floorThe enormous bedroom suite on the top floor
The enormous bedroom suite on the top floor

Outside, the property has parking for at least four cars. There’s also a workshop, south-facing gardens plus a terrace with a log-burning stove.

Andrea and Howard are selling to move to Devon to be close to their son but they will miss their North Yorkshire home, which sits between Kirkbymoorside and Helmsley.

“We have loved living here at the chapel and we love the location. Nawton has a great community, plenty of amenities and there’s always something going on,” says Andrea. “It will be a real wrench to leave.”

*Contact Blenkin and Co, tel: 01904 671672, www.blenkinandco.com

Related topics:YorkshireVictorianYork