Property description

Sowerbys are delighted to offer this truly unique former Victorian chapel, occupying around six acres (sts) and surrounded by beautiful countryside at the site of the old County School to the north of North Elmham, just 9 miles from Dereham and 15 miles from the pretty market town of Holt.



This is a chapel conversion like no other, with over 7,000 square-foot of accommodation abound with original features; in fact the property (and the story behind it) even featured in the New York Times. The original chapel was built c.1883 to serve the needs of the young men attending the school before its closure in 1895. Following the schools closure, the site was used as a Dr. Barnardo's Home and then as Watts Naval College, where the chapel continued to play an important role. However, after the naval school closed in 1953 the chapel fell into disrepair and by the time the current owners found it in the mid-1980's, it was being used to house pigs. An eight year period of painstaking restoration and refurbishment followed to create the residence that stands today.



The property retains a sense of ecclesiastical grandeur, particularly in the reception hall and in the first floor drawing room where Portland stone columns and the vaulted timber roof stand out. Also of note are the leaded arched windows, the handmade solid oak staircase and the impressive timber parquet floor.



In terms of the accommodation, the features are too numerous to list individually. The majority of the upper floor is a dramatic open-plan family area with a balcony at one end which overlooks the surrounding countryside. The kitchen is a large farmhouse style room with an Aga. The master bedroom on the first floor enjoys a sense of luxury, whilst five more bedrooms can be found from an inner hall which extends throughout the spine of the ground floor. There is also a conservatory, snug, dining hall and a cellar; as well as an independent annexe which includes a sitting room, kitchen, bathroom and three bedrooms, built over a double garage and workshops.  

NORTH ELMHAM North Elmham lies on the west bank of the River Wensum with its Medieval church of St Mary, which stands on the grounds of the old cathedral and the ruins of the Bishops Chapel close by. There is a primary school, pub and a railway station serviced by the Mid Norfolk Railway. Dereham is approximately five miles away, a busy market town, with a good range of shops, restaurants and cafes. There is also a golf course, swimming pool, secondary schools, hospital and a cinema. 

ACCOMMODATION COMPRISES:-  

ENTRANCE PORCH  

RECEPTION HALL 18' 11" x 14' 8" (5.77m x 4.47m)  

DINING HALL 30' 11" x 18' 5" (9.42m x 5.61m)  

SNUG 14' 1" x 9' 11" (4.29m x 3.02m)  

KITCHEN/BREAKFAST ROOM 17' 11" x 16' 1" (5.46m x 4.9m)  

CONSERVATORY 15' 10" x 14' 4" (4.83m x 4.37m)  

UTILITY ROOM 11' 9" x 5' 3" (3.58m x 1.6m)  

CLOAKROOM  

CELLAR  

BEDROOM TWO 13' 9" x 13' 8" (4.19m x 4.17m) including en-suite  

BEDROOM THREE 13' 9" x 13' 8" (4.19m x 4.17m)  

BEDROOM FOUR 13' 11" x 13' 8" (4.24m x 4.17m)  

BEDROOM FIVE 13' 6" x 9' 11" (4.11m x 3.02m)  

BEDROOM SIX 12' 8" x 10' 0" (3.86m x 3.05m)  

FIRST FLOOR  

OPEN-PLAN DRAWING/FAMILY ROOM 66' 3" max x 28' 7" (20.19m max x 8.71m)  

MASTER BEDROOM 17' 11" x 16' 7" (5.46m x 5.05m) including en-suite  

ANNEXE  

SITTING ROOM 19' 6" x 18' 10" (5.94m x 5.74m)  

KITCHEN 14' 0" x 7' 8" (4.27m x 2.34m)  

BEDROOM ONE 12' 2" x 9' 8" (3.71m x 2.95m)  

BEDROOM TWO 9' 0" x 8' 9" (2.74m x 2.67m)  

BEDROOM THREE 9' 8" x 5' 7" (2.95m x 1.7m)  

BATHROOM  

OUTSIDE The chapel sits within approximately six acres (sts) of private grounds which provide the most delight of backdrops to this special property. The beautiful grounds roll down to the banks of the River Wensum, where the current owners have enjoyed canoeing and fishing. There are paddocks, wildlife areas and woodland which have stimulated the local wildlife to the extent that over 50 species of bird have been spotted. There are also a range of barns and out-houses, as well as a summer house which overlooks the water.  

ENERGY EFFICIENCY RATING D. Ref:- 0988-2884-6533-9109-9431

To retrieve the Energy Performance Certificates for this property please visit https://www.epcregister.com/ and enter in the reference number above. 

COUNCIL TAX Band H. 

SERVICES CONNECTED Mains electricity, private borehole water supply and private drainage. Telephone connected. 

Property Info:

• FLOOR PLAN