History is woven into the ancient Cotswolds village of Broadway, where a settlement is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086.
Later, the region's thriving wool and cloth industry brought great wealth to its merchants, who built their houses either side of the wide thoroughfare from which the village takes its name. Turn down a narrow alleyway leading from the main street, and you will find an unobtrusive little building that has borne witness to all of this and more over the centuries. There was an ancient chapel on this site,' explains Gareth Cooper-Prentice, who lives here with his husband, Crawford, but the bones of the building date back to the 1700s, when a Methodist church was established here. Later, in 1846, it became a schoolhouse for a number of years, so it really was an integral part of local life.' Sadly, the property fell into major disrepair during the last century and little more than a few exterior walls remained. In the 1980s it was the subject of a compulsory purchase order and bought by a developer, who undertook a sympathetic renovation of the exterior. By the time Gareth and Crawford became aware of the property in 2001, it was a solicitor's office, with a longstanding tenant in a flat above.
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Denne historien er fra March 2024-utgaven av Homes & Antiques.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Collecting Dioramas MINIATURE WORLDS
From elaborate taxidermy museum displays to humble folk art creations, a diorama can transport us to another time and place
Pride of place LEEDS CREAMWARE
In its heyday the pre-eminent rival to Wedgwood's Queens ware, Leeds creamware is still much revered by collectors for its understated elegance
Bohemian Rhapsody
An exuberant approach to decor, with rooms enveloped in colour and pattern, has brought this historic home merrily into the 21st century...
THE ANTIQUES THAT SHAPED ME Rory Hutton
The accessories designer on his love of silver spoons and Sévres porcelain
European HERITAGE B&Bs
Is there anything more inspiring than staying somewhere that's both beautifully stylish and imbued with history? Rhiannon Batten explores five gems across Europe, from Sweden to Spain...
STAR SALES
A Hitchens painting, a museum-quality teapot and a Parisian chocolate box are all top of the lots
Textile designs by artists
Influential 20th-century fine artists and sculptors, from Picasso to Barbara Hepworth, gained additional status as textile designers until decline set in during the 1970s
Period DRAMA
A painstaking renovation has brought this 1725 former Huguenot silk weaver's house in London's Spitalfields back to life
An artist's RESIDENCE
Rustic details and a restrained palette lend a sense of simplicity to this lovingly restored Friesian bakery
Carefully Curated LIVING
This lovingly restored Gustavian manor has become both home and showroom for its owners, Maria & Jan Åke, who deal in European antiques