For sale: Chapel house with history of adventure
ACONVERTED chapel which belonged to one of Britain’s greatest adventurers has gone on the market.
The stunning Edwardian church, nestled in the Macclesfield countryside, has been turned into an amazing three-bedroom home. But buyers will get an added bonus: an historic connection with one of Britain’s most adventurous families – including a fearless hero who sailed with Ernest Shackleton to the Antarctic.
The Grade II-listed property in the village of Swythamley belonged to the Brocklehurst family, who lived at Swythamley Hall estate from the 19th century.
Lady Brocklehurst had commissioned the building in memory of her husband, Sir Philip Lancaster Brocklehurst. It then passed to his heir, Sir Philip Lee Brocklehurst, 2nd Baronet, who was famed for his adventures in the Antarctic.
He was one of the brave crew who travelled with Sir Ernest Shackleton on the famous Nimrod Expedition between 1907 and 1909.
Armed with basic equipment, they endured bone-chilling temperatures to reach further into the polar region than anyone else had at that time.
Although the two-year mission failed, Shackleton would later attempt the South Pole again in the Endurance – his most famous mission.
As for Sir Philip, after returning to England from the epic voyage his preparations for the next trip were cut short by war.
Instead, he served in the first and second world wars – and was shot in Flanders in 1914. But it wasn’t just Sir Philip who had tales to tell – his wife, Lady Brocklehurst, also had a fierce appetite for danger.
In 1930, accompanied by her husband, she took on the challenge of crossing the perilous sands of the Sahara Desert.
The couple completed the 5,000-mile journey, from Algiers to Khartoum, without a guide and just 100 gallons of water.
Since then the church has undergone major refurbishment by owner Peter Robinson, 54, who first spotted the derelict chapel in 1987. The exterior has been left almost untouched, retaining its grandeur.
It looks almost exactly how it was when Sir Philip left for his two-year voyage to the Antarctic.
The property has kept the original stained glass windows, along with the wooden doors and beams.
Now extensively modified, the chapel boasts three bedrooms, a spacious living area, a study and large garden.
Potential buyers are advised that due to the age of the property, the lower ground floor is in need of some work.