Chapel House, Halesworth, Suffolk

This exceptional four-bedroom home in Halesworth, Suffolk, has its roots in the mid-19th century. Once a chapel and later used for commercial purposes, it has been transformed into a characterful home filled with colour. Spanning over 3,000 sq ft, its idiosyncratic layout encompasses a dramatic double-height living space, a mezzanine and a private roof garden. A quiet garden upholds the home's cheerful feel, with trees and flowers that lend year-round interest. Halesworth station is a short walk away, and provides regular services to London Liverpool Street.



Setting the Scene



Originally built as a chapel in the 1850s, this building has a storied history. After being deconsecrated in 1918, it served as an egg-packing shed and a tyre retread business, before it was converted into an expansive residential home.



Inside, a vaulted ceiling with exposed roof trusses forms part of the building’s original structure.



The Grand Tour



From the quiet approach, a sunshine-yellow front door leads through the entrance hall to a welcoming reading room; parquet flooring flows from here into a magnificent double-height living room. Large windows flood the space with light, amplifying its already towering proportions. A log burner with exposed chrome pipework occupies a central position, while a spiral staircase curves up to the first-floor gallery.



In the kitchen, appliances include a cherry-coloured Rangemaster cooker. On this floor, there is also a utility room, a shower room and a garden room.



On the opposite side of the plan, a voluminous bedroom with a ground-floor library has a wealth of bookshelves on its lower level. Stairs ascend to a generous sleeping platform, with original timber beams, and access to a roof garden. Three further double bedrooms and a shared bathroom are awash with colour. The delineation of the sleeping quarters into two wings allows for especially versatile configurations.



The Great Outdoors



There are charming gardens at both the front and rear of the house. The former is filled with tall grasses and varieties of bamboo, while the latter is awash with tropical and other unusual plants, including an area of New Zealand tree ferns and palms. To one end rests a handy potting shed.



Both wings of the house are connected by a peaceful roof terrace, providing opportunities for reclining in the sun during the warmer months. From here, views extend across the village allotments to the rear of the house.



Outside the front is space to park two cars.



Out and About



The market town of Halesworth is well equipped for daily life; there are several shops, a greengrocer and a pharmacy. Many shops are independently owned, including Focus Organic and the ever-popular Black Dog Deli. There is also a brilliant local butcher. Halesworth is home to some fantastic antique shops, as well as The Cut; a vibrant community arts centre in a 19th-century former maltings building, offering a full programme of exhibitions, dance, theatre, music and workshops.



Approximately a 20-minute drive from the house is Southwold, a celebrated coastal town with beautiful architecture and sandy beaches. It is home to the Electric Picture Palace, a small but remarkable independent cinema. Popular pubs here include The Sole Bay Inn and The Lord Nelson, while Two Magpies Bakery is a brilliant spot for a weekend coffee and pastry. The Southwold Flower Company also runs seasonal pick-your-own flowers sessions.



For pursuits in nature, the Suffolk Wildlife Trust manages land on 50 nature reserves in the county. Church Farm Marshes and Winks Meadow Nature Reserves are both close by, the former encompassing grazing marshes that erupt in a show of colour and scent every summer, while the latter is rich in wildflowers, ancient grasses and hedgerows. The nearby Blyth Estuary is one of the best spots around for birdwatching in Suffolk.



There are several schooling options in the area, including Edgar Sewter Primary, Holton St Peter Community Primary and St Felix all-through school. Halesworth rail station is approximately a 17-minute walk from the house. From here, there are connections to London Liverpool Street via Ipswich, with a total journey time of around two hours and 15 minutes. Regular buses connect to other Suffolk towns such as Beccles, Southwold and Lowestoft.