West End Chapel, Radway, Warwickshire

Once a Victorian Methodist chapel, this sublime home has been remarkably transformed under the current ownership to embody qualities of time, space and light. The use of natural materials throughout creates a feeling of total serenity, a tone matched by the quiet courtyard garden at the front. Located on the northernmost fringe of the Cotswolds National Landscape, the house is a peaceful foothold from which to explore the region’s varied countryside, while remaining within easy reach of Stratford-upon-Avon, Leamington Spa, Warwick, and Birmingham.



The Tour



The home’s handsome brick façade faces onto a village green and pond at the bottom of West End and is set back from the road by a private courtyard garden. Large windows and a sharp-pitched roofline give a sense of the light and volume contained within.



Entry is via an entrance vestibule at the front of the house, with built-in bench seating and coat pegs. Immediately, the home’s contemporary transformation becomes apparent. Something of a family affair, the renovation was designed by one of the owner's sons, a young architect, and largely built by their other son, a carpenter. The material palette is timeless and serene: English ash has been used alongside subtly textured lime plaster, part of the natural, breathable insulated building membrane.



The interiors have been shaped with great care and dedication. This is particularly evident in the open-plan living space, a beautifully composed room with original parquet floors and plenty of exposed joinery. The rear of the room is occupied by the kitchen extension, a particularly light space with skylights overhead. Granite worktops sit atop simple timber cabinetry, and built-in appliances include a Smeg induction hob, Bosch half-sized dishwasher and integrated fridge/freezer. There is also a neat downstairs WC tucked to one side of the kitchen and accessed by a space-saving pocket door.



The remainder of the space is flexible. A large, multi-purpose cupboard - used by the current owner as storage for art materials - sits adjacent a cleverly composed library and desk nook with an array of built-in drawers and neatly tucked in low level cupboards. Tongue and groove panelling, painted white, complements the timber and visually echoes the beams spanning overhead. Additional bench seating, formed using stained ash joinery, runs along one side and incorporates a full-size day bed with additional storage beneath. The large, efficient Di Lusso log-burning stove sits atop a concrete hearth, providing a focal point to the seating area and a warming presence on colder winter nights.



Predominantly timber (with a Cotswold stone first step), the staircase ascends to the mezzanine level. Here, the main bedroom area is located behind a distinctive ash timber screen that soars to the roof's apex, admitting light while maintaining a sense of privacy. Another ingenious built-in storage bench curves around the room. A beautifully presented en suite shower room with limestone floors has further built-in storage concealed behind mirrored fronts and beneath a marble topped counter. A separate walk-in wardrobe, hidden behind a large pivot door in the ash cladding, provides space for clothes and has plumbing for a washing machine.



On the attic level, accessed via a ladder, are two further useful spaces, one with an abundance of built-in storage tucked into the eaves.



Outdoor Space



At the front of the house is a delightful courtyard garden overlooking the village duck pond from behind the original wrought-iron railings and gate - both recently restored by the local blacksmith. Paved in brick and sandstone slabs repurposed from the renovations, the courtyard is awash with an abundance of the owner's beautiful plants. Custom-made trellising on both sides supports jasmine and clematis climbers.



There is a handy storage area to one side of the Chapel, useful for bikes, gardening equipment and bins.



The courtyard is lovely throughout the day, enjoying a perfect mix of sun and shade. Morning coffee can be enjoyed in beautiful early sunshine before it moves to a seating area for long, lazy lunches. This remains the perfect spot for an evening drink as the sun sets.



The Area



Radway is a charming village between Stratford-upon-Avon and Banbury. Rich in history, it appears in the Domesday Book and was the site for the important Battle of Edgehill in the English Civil War in 1642. The village is surrounded by woodland and fields and lies within the Cotswolds National Landscape (AONB) on its north-eastern border. There are stunning circular walks to enjoy directly from the garden gate and the nearest pub, The Castle at Edgehill, is less than a mile away but does involve climbing a steep hill. The views at the top are ample incentive.



The nearest village, Kineton, is 2.5 miles away with a small supermarket, post office, pharmacy, doctor’s surgery and other essential services. Banbury and Leamington Spa are both around 25 minutes away by car and have comprehensive facilities.



The wider area provides a wide variety of activities: The National Trust’s Upton House and Compton Verney are both close by and house renowned art collections set within beautiful gardens. Stratford-upon-Avon, home to the Royal Shakespeare Company, is a 30-minute drive away, while Oxford lies further south. The Cotswolds is close and has a growing food and restaurant scene, along with some of the best historic properties and picturesque towns and villages in the country.



For travel to the capital, Banbury station provides a direct service to London Marylebone in around 65 minutes and has a good taxi service. Birmingham Airport can be reached in around 45 minutes.



Council Tax Band: D