Some church conversions can be memorable, from the point of view that the transformation can be truly amazing or truly awful. But this Pembrokeshire church conversion is memorable because viewers followed its stressful journey on prime time television.
George Clarke's The Restoration Man on Channel 4 was a popular property show that ran from 2010 to 2017 across seven series. The programme followed the rollercoaster ride of renovating and restoring a historic building by brave people looking to make a home from old properties that ranged from a pumping station to a water tower, from an old school to a World War II bunker.
There were a number of church conversions on the show, but this pretty little rural building near the village of Mathry, caught the attention of viewers for a number of reasons.
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The story of the church featured in the very first series as episode two so was one of the trailblazers of the programme, but it also featured Gareth Williams who, despite no experience at all, was planning to convert the building into a family home with a very tight budget of just £55,000.
The location was a unique aspect of the renovation story too. The church is surrounded by stunning scenery being located between St David's and Fishguard in is a secluded spot off a quiet country lane, so peace as well as sweeping views is guaranteed.
Other intriguing parts of the story included the graves that were going to have to stay in the garden and that the church came with its own natural water spring, found while using a dowser.
This was a fabulous find at the site as the core of the renovation project was to think about sustainability - so the church has been converted to include a solar panel, underfloor heating, double glazed glass windows and the walls are all well insulated.
The owner, when chatting to WalesOnline in 2016, said: "The home has an air to water heat pump, it takes heat out of the air via a heat recovery unit, like a reverse fridge effect. The unit removes stale air and replaces it with warm clean air. There is a bill to run the unit but it's not a big bill."
At the time George was very sceptical that Gareth could complete the conversion for just £55,000 and, as always, the architect and popular TV presenter was right, with the final bill coming in at around £77,000.
The church featured on the show in 2010 and was finished by the time the programme visited again in 2012 for a catch-up on the story, but was put up for sale in 2016 and sold in July that year for £180,000. And now, six years on, the latest owner is selling up, with the home about to go under the hammer with a guide price of £250,000.
This rural church is not just special because its most recent chapter was followed by a TV production crew and thousands of Channel 4 viewers, its star quality dates back centuries. Its origins are said to date back to the 11th century and the site was considered the last stop for many worshippers on their long pilgrimage to St David's Cathedral.
Back to the present day, and the church has been loved and lived in since its last sale, with the interior design given a pretty makeover that creates a peaceful and calm atmosphere, assisted greatly by the views of the beautiful Pembrokeshire countryside that envelope the building.
The graveyard is still a public area where the headstones can be visited, but the home has a dedicated garden area where the expansive views roll out in front of you, enticing you to sit out and watch nature put on a wildlife and weather show through each season. At night, with no-one around to pollute it with light, the sky is a dark blanket backdrop to mesmerising star-gazing; until you get a stiff neck.
Inside, the conversion that Gareth toiled to complete hasn't changed in its structure, only in its decor, with the open-plan ground floor offering a kitchen at one end that still includes an island unit.
This area has been well-thought out because although the addition of the first floor does chop the church in half horizontally, the characterful church window at the far end in the kitchen has survived intact in full. The newly added floor above stops before the window, allowing a full view of the full window and the exposed stone surrounding it from this end of the church.
The kitchen is also blessed with the addition of a door to the garden and it's an amazing, solid wood arched door complete with robust metal furniture and a lock and handle mechanism that screams its vintage. It adds character to the already charming space.
The kitchen has more of a broken-plan layout to the rest of the ground floor of the church. It is connected via a large open doorway which is the best choice to define the cooking zone and give it some defined space but also to connect it to the dining area and lounge that occupy the remaining ground floor area.
This large, single reception room is visually divided to some extent by the spiral staircase that leads up to the additional floor. The lounge happily nestles around the good-sized log burner next to the kitchen, and the dining area is a sociable spot within the far corner at the other end of the space, past the stairs. There's even enough space for a piano in this area.
The pretty blue walls reflect the sky, on a good weather day, that bursts through the church windows. This colour choice brings an extra layer of peaceful calm to balance the more stark, white walls.
The space is filled with vintage pieces, furniture with classic design, upcycled elements, personal curios and a visually and practical layer of warmth through tactile fabrics, rugs and cushions.
This building was obviously once a church and this has not been forgotten by the current occupant, using a church pew as seating at the dining table and the inclusion of a religious statue that takes pride of place in the centre of the living area.
Ascending the stairs it might be a puzzle to contemplate that there are actually three bedrooms and a shower room waiting for you at the top, but again the design of the conversion has been thoughtful.
The pretty, vintage inspired interior design follows you up the stairs but up here it gets bolder with deeper and more sumptuous tones of blue adorning the walls.
The landing is white-washed from top to bottom, with lighting at waist level to show you the way rather than cluttering up the ceiling space with fitting. And each space on this upper floor has been extended into the church's roof, so there's ample head height as well as gorgeous exposed beams to enjoy.
The main bedroom is a real gem, lavished in a jewel-like shade of teal that frames the stone church window beautifully. There's more stripped back furniture to add even more character, and mirrors and bed-side tables have been given a teal make-over too, blending them into the overall scheme.
The bed is the centrepiece of the room, under the exposed roof beams and a suspended teal feature light. It is a copper framed structure that is the perfect place for a warm Welsh tapestry blanket to be joined by pretty vintage floral patterns.
The wardrobe is built into the structure of the room and it's an enticing feature, commanding attention via two solid wood doors with panels framed with decorative carvings - they ooze character and surely no-one can leave the space without peeking inside?
This room epitomises the home's design - there are elements of character popping up in each space to delight you, and in this action-packed room they include a slice of another original arch window, now at floor level, and an additional cute window that follows the slope of the roof.
Down the landing you will find two doors, and one of them is to the next bedroom and this is another unusual space, inside this one-off church conversion.
This bedroom has a mezzanine level built into the roof space and accessed via a duo of ladders that leads to two crog loft beds - a perfect bedroom for a child who is desperate for something unique to call their own space.
Opposite this bedroom is the shower room and this space is a delight to enter, showcasing the use of copper pipes and utilitarian fixtures and fittings softened with pattern, paint and wood.
The sink unit is a unique statement piece, with a scalloped, hand-beaten copper bowl and upcycled cupboard complemented by a 'window shutters' above that surely open to reveal a mirror once opened. The shower is a one-off piece too, featuring handcrafted copper shower heads.
This space has a duo of windows that light up its unique interior design, from the top section of the original arched window to the addition of a roof window.
Down the corridor again and at the end is the third bedroom, currently being used as a yoga space. In this room the choice to ensure the large, original church window was not chopped into two via the addition of the first floor is totally rewarded.
The room has a 'false' end wall that does not extend to the end of the church. Instead it has a stud wall that contains three windows that allows this space to enjoy the character of the large, original church window, as well as the sharing of light and views that this clever design allows.
If the thought of a unique home with many chapters of history and a location that is stunning fills your heart with joy, then maybe this character-packed church now called Ty Cwsg Mawr, is the perfect property to bid on when it goes to auction with a guide price of £250,000, with online bidding ending at midday on Wednesday, November 30.
There are scheduled viewing dates and times, on November 4, 11, 18 and 25, and more information about the property, the viewings and the auction are available from West Wales Properties, call their Haverfordwest branch on 01437 762626 to find out more. And don't miss the best dream homes in Wales, auction properties, renovation stories, and interiors - join the Amazing Welsh Homes newsletter , sent to your inbox twice a week.
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