Real Home: Georgian gem in Beverley restored

As the hammer banged down and the auctioneer bellowed “sold”, Rachel and Neil McCracken had the same thought: “What have we done?” Keen to buy a holiday let as an investment, they had shunned easier options and made the winning bid for a Grade II-listed Georgian property that presented a multitude of problems.

The former art gallery next to Beverley Minster required both conversion and renovation and, although there had been many viewings, few felt brave enough to take it on.

“We knew there would be a lot of work involved but we loved the location next to the Minster and we both liked the feel of the place when we looked round,” says Rachel. “We were surprised when we won the bidding but maybe it was meant to be.”

The McCrackens bought Beverley Minster House in December 2016 and started work on it in November 2017. They spent 10 months transforming it into a stylish home full of charm and period features.

The couple live in the town and were hands-on with the project, which began with stripping back the cladding that covered walls and windows.

The gallery owner had specialised in expensive works of art and protecting the paintings was paramount. Many of the windows were boarded to prevent sunlight damaging the canvases and also to allow more space for hanging pictures.

“It was very dark and there was no heating or hot water in the building,” says Neil, who got help from Graham Binnington Architects in reconfiguring the commercial space for residential use.

On the ground floor, there is a hall and staircase. What was the main gallery is now a sitting room. Behind this, what was three separate areas, including an office, is now one large, open-plan area with a kitchen, dining area and a sitting area.

Neil came up with the inspired idea of lowering the ceiling in the dining section, which has created a room with enough head height for an en-suite upstairs.

On the first floor, there is a master bedroom with a window seat, the new ensuite, a second double bedroom and a bathroom with free-standing bath and a shower. On the second floor, there is a double/twin bedroom and an ensuite bathroom.

Outside, Georgian-style patio doors lead onto a courtyard garden.

Almost all the windows boast views over Beverley Minster. Completed in 1400, it is one of Britain’s finest Gothic churches.

“It’s a beautiful building and we’ve really enjoyed watching weddings and also the filming of Victoria,” says Rachel.

Before work began on the house, local historians were invited round to look at the building. They believe that there was a medieval, timber-framed house, possibly dating from when the Minster was built, which was then Georgianised in the late 1700s.

Neil and Rachel brought in contractors to help but had all the skills needed to convert the historic property into a holiday let. Neil, an engineer, can turn his hand to anything from woodwork and plumbing to decorating. He tackled everything from fitting the MKM kitchen units to tiling, painting and fitting coving.

Rachel, who works part-time for the Tourist Information Office in Beverley, understands the tourism industry so she knew what holidaymakers and those on a weekend break want from a property. “I knew there was a shortage of self-catering accommodation in Beverley, which is one of the reasons we wanted to a holiday rental rather than a conventional buy-to-let.”

She also knew that location, decor and facilities have to be top notch to exceed expectations.

The decor pays reference to the property’s past. Along with the original features they knew were there, Neil and Rachel discovered 18th century panelling and fireplaces behind the 1950s display cabinets on the first floor. They also recreated Georgian-style panelling elsewhere and used 18th century paint colours.

The Chesterfield sofas in the sitting room are from Love Sofas in Huddersfield and some of the oak furniture is from cut-price outlet the Clearance Zone in Hull.

Many of the soft furnishings and accessories are from high street shops, including Marks & Spencer, Next, The Range and Dunelm. Rachel also found some old pictures of Beverley, which she had enlarged before putting them in frames.

The McCrackens paid £225,000 for the property and spent £150,000 on the renovation. “We thought it would be about £120,000 for the work but it was impossible to be accurate because we really didn’t know what we would find when we stripped it back,” says Neil, who often worked 15 hour days on site.

The reward for their hard work includes a guest book full of praise for the house, a five-star rating from Visit England and an award. Beverley Minster House recently won the “Remarkable Newcomer” category in the REYTAs – Remarkable East Yorkshire Tourism Awards.

“It was completely unexpected and all the more enjoyable for it,” says Rachel.

Useful Contacts

Beverley Minster House sleeps six and prices start at £750 per week. Short breaks are available. www.beverleyminsterhouse.co.uk

Graham Binnington Architects, www.grahambinningtonarchitects.co.uk

Stephen Richardson Plumbing, www.srichardsonplumbing.co.uk

Kitchen and radiators, mkmbs.co.uk

Tiles, www.ceramictilemerchants.co.uk

Fires, www.dantonfireplaces.co.uk

Chesterfields, www.lovesofas.co.uk

Pine furniture, www.alexander-ellis.co.uk

Oak furniture, www.theclearancezone.co.uk

Flooring, Mr Carpets, Beverley

Blinds, www.blinds-2go.co.uk