Old Coach Road, Ford, Wiltshire

This Grade II-listed former church sits proudly on the bucolic hillside on the outskirts of Ford, Wiltshire. Constructed in 1896, the four-bedroom home was the subject of a recent sensitive conversion that created spectacular spaces for living and entertaining across its 2,844 sq ft plan. Externally, a private driveway has ample space for parking, and there is an extensive and private rear garden. There is also a large ancillary building with lapsed planning on an adjoining plot, which is included in the sale.

Setting the Scene

Something of a local landmark, the Church of St John was designed by C.E. Ponting in 1896 and built entirely out of distinctive, honey-coloured local stone, with Bath stone dressings. It has a barrel-vaulted ceiling, an uncommon feature for the time, as standard practice favoured rib-vaulted ceilings, and a slope of the nave from West to East, following the natural geography of the site. Originally designed to seat 170 worshippers, the space was impeccably converted into a home in 2001. For more information, please see the History section.

The Grand Tour

The home is set back from the road, a stone’s throw from the Bybrook River and nestled among neighbouring fields. A kissing gate and a commanding porch lead to a set of Gothic arched front doors and an entrance hallway.

In the hallway, a contemporary stairway is bathed in light from a vast window with perpendicular tracery and stone mullions. An original Victorian Charles Portway ‘Tortoise’ stove sits in the hall and is still used for heating the house. A long corridor runs the length of the church and leads to the bedrooms and entertaining spaces.

A spectacular kitchen occupies the old chancel. At the end of the soaring, double-height space is a spectacular Grade II*-listed stained-glass window with panel by Edward Burne-Jones. A rood screen is alleged to have been supplied by William Morris’s company; both the windows and the screen have decorative tracery, carved head stops and mouldings. The screen has been cleverly glazed, dividing the room while keeping the volume of the spaces intact. A spiral staircase leads to what was the organ loft, now a study space and reading nook.

The first floor is accessed by a curved staircase. From here, the intricacy of the impressive barrel-vaulted ceilings can be seen up close; each of the individual hand-carved bosses has its own design. The vast yet comfortable space is perfect for entertaining, with a wood-burning stove and dual-aspect views. Through the main living space, there is a gym/study, which would also make a good bedroom. From here, it is possible to access the bell tower with its working church bell.

On the ground floor, the original vestry has been converted into a charming snug/bedroom with a wood-burning stove. Three additional bedrooms overlook the private back garden and feel quiet and secluded. An en suite adjoins the largest of the three bedrooms, while a further family bathroom and smaller shower room lead off the main hall.

The Great Outdoors

The extensive garden sits at the back of the plot and is surrounded by bucolic pasture. Predominantly lawn, the current owners have created intimate patio spaces for entertaining or alfresco dining; a thicket surrounds the plot, leading to its sense of privacy and seclusion, and wildflowers grow in the adjoining beds.

A private side driveway is accessed via arched oak posts and a gate; this leads to a large gravel driveway and a side dormer entrance, which houses a spacious utility room.

Beyond the garden hedge, there is a secondary plot of land that is home to an existing building in need of repair, which has lapsed planning consent for an ancillary building.

Out and About

One of four small villages and hamlets that surround North Wraxall Parish, Wiltshire, Ford has a wonderfully active local community. The house is in the catchment area for a good selection of both private and state, primary and secondary schools.

Old Church Road is perfectly positioned for easy access to the surrounding Wiltshire and Somerset countryside. Dyrham Park and the National Arboretum at Westonbirt are on the doorstep, with the Peto Gardens at Iford Manor, The Tithe Barn and the Saxon Church at Bradford-on-Avon also easily reached. Bath is a 20-minute journey by car and the popular Cotswold towns and villages of Tetbury and Malmesbury are a 30-minute drive away. There is a good selection of supermarkets, farm shops, cafés and restaurants all within reaching distance, and Malmesbury Waitrose is some 20 minutes by car.

Chippenham’s train station is around 12 minutes’ drive away, with journeys to London Paddington taking 70 minutes on the fast and direct mainline, calling at only three other stations.

Council Tax Band: F