CHAPEL’S DIVINE TRANSFORMATION
A DERELICT chapel that dates back to the 1930s has been saved from the bulldozers and transformed into part of a modern home.
The former place of worship was once part of a memorial care home, for the NATSOPA (National Society of Operative Printers And Assistants) in Wellsborough.
When the care home closed, the abandoned chapel was broken into, vandalised and covered with graffiti, much like the rest of the estate, with the main building hit by arsonists.
But Springbourne Homes decided to invigorate the building with new life, as part of its new £20 million estate of 19 luxury homes on the site.
The chapel has now been fitted with a kitchen area, with two ovens and a sideboard and sink along one of the walls, along with several cupboards.
The building also has a long table island with several cupboards, with space for a living area as well.
The original shape of the arched windows and doorway has been retained, to honour the spiritual history of the chapel.
An extension has been built at the side of the chapel to form the rest of the home, including three bedrooms.
Springbourne chairman Adrian Burr said: “It would have been easy to have bulldozed the chapel to the ground and built a big, fivebedroom home on the plot instead.
“However, I believed we could redesign and extend the chapel to create a stylish, modern home while retaining the vast majority of its original features to reflect the history and heritage of the site.
“The results have been even better than expected and I’m proud that we have combined the old with
I believed we could redesign and extend the chapel to create a stylish, modern home while retaining the vast majority of its original features
the new to deliver a unique home full of character and style.”
Springbourne also retained a cedar tree on the site, which was planted by King George VI, and restored and re-sited a vandalised, damaged First World War memorial.
The memorial was erected in the memory of 380 printers who died during the conflict.
Mr Burr added: “Hornsey Rise has a fantastic history dating back almost a thousand years to the days of Lady Godiva and Leofric, Earl of Mercia.
“That’s why I wanted to do the right thing and maintain as much of the original history on the site and incorporate it into our Hornsey Rise development.”
The home including the chapel has now sold.
A new wider entrance and private access road has been constructed as part of the development, near Market Bosworth.