Why would you want to live in a church?
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In these godless days when it would take divine intervention to get most of us inside a church, it seems odd that so many people want to move into them.
But churches and chapels offer many of the qualities that modern home developers would love to be able to provide.
Firstly, location. While many churches are following their congregations and moving to the suburbs, it is the central locations, whether they are in the middle of a city, or the heart of a village that make them so attractive to the right buyers.
Then there's the space.
Cavernous double-height reception rooms with dizzyingly high ceilings offer a grandeur and atmosphere lacking in most warehouse conversions - though you do have to wonder how you would change the light bulbs.
And lastly, there are the bespoke architectural features.
Stone-mullioned stained glass windows, arched brick beams, stone staircases, galleried landings, and, yes, you could even have your very own belfry and a few gargoyles.
Where do I find one?
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The good news is that finding one, either already converted or redundant and ripe for renovation, is not too difficult.
The Victorians built more churches than they really needed. Some villages even had two standing together so that rival villagers could attend different services.
The Methodists, particularly, over built because, until 1937, the Methodist church was fragmented, with the various factions occupying small chapels, often on opposite sides of the road from each other.
Add to that the more recent declining numbers of worshippers, the increasing maintenance costs that cannot be met by English Heritage, and the exodus from the city centres, and that leaves many buildings each year to be disposed of.
How they sell off their properties varies from church to church.
1. The Church of England
From Save Britain's Heritage Buildings at Risk register
About 30 Anglican churches are closed each year.
The Church of England takes a very pragmatic view of their redundant buildings, providing information on their website on the process of buying a church, and a page where you can search for one near you.
However, the Church of England does insist that they approve plans for any conversion, and they can apply covenants preventing demolition of the building or disturbance of the graveyard.
2. The Methodist Church
On the market: converted parish church: 700,000
Former Methodist churches and chapels are plentiful, particularly in Cornwall. They make especially good houses because they tend to be on a manageable scale and are not usually listed, making alterations simpler to carry out.
In addition, the Methodist Church imposes no restrictions on how the building can be used after it has been sold.
But there's no easy way to find one. The sale of Methodist buildings is handled through local estate agents, so you have to keep an eye out in the area of your choice.
3. The Catholic Church
Grade II listed (not Catholic): 425,000
There are no overall rules on property sales and restrictive covenants for former Catholic properties.
If you want to find out if there are any properties for sale in your area you can contact whichever of the 22 local dioceses deals with your region.
The telephone numbers are available on the Catholic Church website.
4. Other religions
On the market: chapel in Grade I listed convent
As for appropriating the buildings of other faiths, it’s a bit less likely.
Mosques tend to be opening, rather than closing, but it is not unheard of for apartments within former synagogues to be available, especially in London.
Religious wrecks
If you have a yen to rescue a derelict church have a look at the Buildings at Risk Register, available for £12 from Save Britain's Heritage. Some on the list are directly for sale, but most are not, although their owners may be open to reasonable offers.
Issues for religious conversions
1. Planning Permission
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Firstly, make sure you would be given permission to convert the building. A good starting point is to check the local planning records. If it has already been refused permission, forget it.
Then, before you start negotiating, talk to your planning department. They may have already decided on whether or not they will allow a conversion to domestic use.
Once you are serious, you will need to submit detailed drawings to the planning department. You may also have to negotiate with English Heritage, and possibly the Church Commissioners too.
2. Design
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(Property removed from site)If you don’t like the building's character the way it is, don't buy it.
Externally, any alterations you want to make will probably cause a major fall out with the planning office, not to mention upsetting local sensibilities, so if you want anyone to talk to you in the village pub plan to restore, rather than replace.
Internally, stick with open plan living wherever possible, or you risk destroying the integrity of the building.
Mezzanine levels can be used to create half storey bedrooms, and galleried walkways allow for family living without destroying the feeling of space.
As the many successful conversions show, it is possible to create a homely, modern feel while respecting the building. If you find yourself dividing a beautiful stained glass window you may be missing the point.
3. Graveyards
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What to do with the graveyard will have to be decided during negotiations, but, generally speaking, human remains aren't usually moved unless building work would disturb them.
With permission, tombstones can sometimes be removed or re-positioned within the churchyard, while the remains are left in the ground.
But you may have to allow relatives access to the gravestones, so ask yourself whether you could live with visitors popping regularly into your garden.
Finance
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(Property removed from site)Funding the purchase of your heavenly home will depend on its state at the time you buy it. If it's already converted you should be able to approach any bank or building society.
But if you are buying an unconverted house of worship your options will be more limited; lenders may ask for a 15-20 per cent deposit, and release your funding in stages.
Be careful when you budget. Lead roofs and stone masons don’t come particularly cheaply, so make sure you get a realistic quote before you apply for a loan.
The good news, though, is that if if it a conversion, rather than a renovation job, you should be exempt from VAT.
High street lenders such as the Halifax and Abbey are worth a try, but smaller building societies can sometimes be more flexible, Norwich and Peterborough and Harpenden, for example, have a reputation for lending on less conventional buildings.
If your church or chapel is a wreck the Ecology Building Society should be able to help. Buildstore offer a useful project management service.
Whoever you turn to, you are more likely to be successful if you can show that you have the planning permission, plans, and quotes in place for the work you intend to carry out.
Who wants one?
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Jenna Dooley, negotator at Statons estate agents in North London is currently selling the former St Mary's Church in Mill Hill, NW7, which was recently converted into four luxury homes.
So, what sort of people are in the market for this particular religious conversion? "Downsizers," says Jenna. "They want large entertaining rooms, but don't need lots of bedrooms."
But they’re not to everyone's taste. "We've had a few comments, especially from the Jewish market, that it's too Gothic. But it has been so well done. They've really worked with what was there. It's not eerie at all."
Three of the four units have already sold, at an asking price of between £1.9 and £2.3 million. Jenna isn't surprised. "They definitely command a premium. They are enchanting. And it's a one off opportunity."
What's it like living in a church?
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The Halliday-Coppin family are reluctantly leaving the Sanctuary their four-bed parish church conversion near Burton On Trent in Staffordshire, because they plan to move abroad.
"Our friends partly converted it and we finished it. We’d always really wanted to live in it and we've loved it," says Rebecca Halliday-Coppin.
"There is a feeling of being totally away from the hustle of normal life."
The house has been converted with a new 'shell' inside the ancient exterior, so, says Rebecca, in terms of repairs and heating costs, it’s like living in a new house.
And though there are gravestones in the garden, Rebecca says they don’t keep them awake at night. "We’d rather live with the quiet dead than surrounded by the noisy living!"
Nikki Sheehan
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On the market: Churches & Chapels Click pics for full details