Heavenly home! Grade II 1837 Gothic-style church converted into stunning three-bed home in quaint Somerset village hits the market for £600,000

• e-mail

A Grade II listed former church converted into a family home in Somerset has been listed for £599,950.  

The 182-year-old building was transformed by architectural historian Warwick Rodwell, who has been a consultant archaeologist for Westminster Abbey, Bristol Cathedral and Glastonbury Abbey, in the late 1990s.

Downside Old Church has since been turned into a three-bedroom property in the quaint village of Chilcompton is now up for sale. 

The Gothic-style church was built in 1837 by John Pinch the Younger and it was a commissioners' church, meaning it was built with money voted by Parliament after the Church Building Acts of 1818 and 1824.

A Grade II listed former church converted into a family home in the quaint village of Chilcompton, Somerset has been listed for £599,950. The 182-year-old building was transformed by architectural historian Warwick Rodwell in the late 1990s

Downside Old Church has since been turned into a three-bedroom property in the quaint village of Chilcompton is now up for sale. Mr Rodwell kept many of the period features and combined them into the design of the home

When it was converted Mr Rodwell kept many of the period features and combined them into the design of the home, such as the limestone carved screen and two carved angels in the entrance hall, art nouveau fireplace in the kitchen and the original stained glass windows.

He also added reclaimed features from other historical buildings he had previously worked on, such as grates in the floor that came from Coventry Cathedral

The property has 2,735 sq ft of accommodation with a hall, large open-plan sitting anddining room, kitchen room, study, three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

The current owner of the home, IT consultant Craig Parker, bought the house from Mr Rodwell in 2001 but is selling up as he lives in Edinburgh. 

Some of the original features include the limestone carved screen and the original stained glass windows 

The property has a spacious open plan sitting and dining room with six pillars and a gallery looking down 

The room's tall windows provide the space with ample lighting, contrasted with the original stained glass

There is also another two-bedroom cottage which the Parkers converted from a garage to create another 1,164 sq ft of living space.

It has a kitchen, sitting/dining room, conservatory, two bedrooms and a bathroom. This sits to the side of the property, separated by the former church graveyard, which remains open to the public.

Mr Parker, 51, said: 'When Warwick Rodwell bought it, I think it had been empty for some time.

 The property's historical architect Warwick Rodwell also added reclaimed features from other historical buildings he had previously worked on, such as grates in the floor that came from Coventry Cathedral

Timber flooring in the living room of the property give the home a rustic feel 

The room also features a corner fireplace, perfect for warming the space during cold nights 

Another perspective of the room shows off the spacious dimension of the room 

'It had holes in the roof and would have fallen to bits if it had been left. He sympathetically restored and converted it so that all the alterations blend in and used salvage from other buildings.'

Speaking of the property, Mr Parker said: 'When you walk in the front door it definitely has the wow factor.

'The main living room is incredibly dramatic, a stunning space with a magical light filtered through the sensational original stained glass windows. We completely fell in love with it when we first walked in.'

The open plan living space leads to the kitchen with parquet flooring and timber beams 

The spacious kitchen features light blue painted cabinets, and is fitted with appliances 

Another original feature of retained in the charming home is the art nouveau fireplace

'It is split into four areas by six decorated cast iron columns and the tall Gothic moulded stone chancel arch.

'We converted the garage into a two-bedroom house with a conservatory, which is a lovely place to sit. We used the same builder who did the original church conversion.

The owner said he recently rented out the home on Airbnb and have made good returns, but this time he is hoping for the property to sell the converted home. 

On the second floor is the master bedroom which has old church design features 

The home also features a mezzanine level which has space for two single beds on each side of the staircase 

The property features another two-bedroom cottage which the current owners converted from a garage to create another 1,164 sq ft of living space. Mr Parker said: 'We converted the garage into a two-bedroom house with a conservatory, which is a lovely place to sit. We used the same builder who did the original church conversion

Mr Parker added: 'The buyer could be someone who wants to live in the garage and rent out the church, or a family who have several generations living together. 'It's a great place for entertaining, we've had some huge parties there and you can make lots of noise because the walls are 2ft thick so you can't really hear anything outside'

'The buyer could be someone who wants to live in the garage and rent out the church, or a family who have several generations living together.

'It's a great place for entertaining, we've had some huge parties there and you can make lots of noise because the walls are 2ft thick so you can't really hear anything outside.

'We will be very sad to leave both these superb buildings, which are completely unique in different ways and have given us so much pleasure,' he added.