This wonderful four-bedroom home, a converted Wesleyan Chapel of over 3,000 sqft, occupies a quiet position in the Derbyshire village of Middleton-by-Wirksworth in the Peak District. Extensive renovation over the past decade has transformed the internal living space into a warm and characterful home. Original coloured and textured glass has been retained and restored, enhancing the quality of light internally, and the building has been heavily insulated, resulting in an above-average EPC rating. Set over three storeys, the house has a large workshop extending across the entire lower level, ideal for an artist or craftsperson. A private walled garden and off-street parking lie to the rear, and the location offers easy access to the surrounding landscape, famed for its walking, cycling, sailing and wildlife watching, and the Peak District.

The Tour

Wrought-iron gates lead through to the private front courtyard, where a flowering border lines one side of a paved front terrace. The original chapel door, set within the handsome front façade, provides the primary entrance.

Original solid floorboards run underfoot throughout. A large hallway with a wide staircase leads to the gallery and entrance. A cloakroom is tucked under the staircase. Beyond is the living room and kitchen, accessed via high double doors, which can be folded back to join the two spaces. Here, the quality of natural light is exceptional, streaming in from several angles through full-height decorative glass windows.

Through the high doors, on the right, is the kitchen area, where white cabinetry forms a peninsula and is topped with bespoke yellow Formica worktops with thick edge-grain birch ply. The dining and lounge areas are loosely organised opposite, where a large Dowling ‘Sumo’ multi-fuel burner provides a cosy, natural focal point. Pendant light fittings softly illuminate the space, and original stained glass windows frame fantastic views across the surrounding landscape. An en suite bedroom, currently utilised as a study, lies adjacent, and there is a utility at the furthest end.

The central staircase ascends to a large open gallery area with a high ceiling. This is a quiet and naturally welcoming part of the house which lends well to reading or music, with deep-set windows inviting colourful shards and ribbons of light to dance across the walls throughout the day. A wide passage leads to three bedrooms and a family bathroom. The main bedroom has an en suite bathroom. It is a wonderfully tranquil room that catches plenty of sunlight and has dual-aspect views.

The lower-ground floor of the chapel unfolds across about 1,000 sq ft. Originally the chapel school room, it is accessed via a separate external entrance. It has large windows allowing swathes of light to pour in and currently houses a huge wood workshop, a studio space/gallery and a utility room; it is fitted with three-phase electricity. Stud walls form the division of space, offering great flexibility of use, meaning it could easily convert to a self-contained living space.

Outdoor Space

From the front, a side gate, steps and a path lead to the back door and the area behind the chapel, consisting of an off-road double parking space, a useful stone-built outhouse and a walled garden. The outhouse, currently used for storage, has a water connection and a WC.

The charming, sunny and secluded walled garden is mainly lawn, with a pond, herbaceous borders, shrubs, trees and raised beds for growing vegetables. Wonderful views stretch out across the surrounding landscape.

The Area

There is excellent access to Derbyshire and the Peak District National Park, an area of outstanding natural beauty. Centrally, the landscape is limestone with steep-sided valleys and dales, including Dovedale, Monsal Dale, and Lathkill Dale, among others. East and west, the edges rise to steep gritstone crags and moorland. The Derwent valley is a world heritage site with fascinating industrial archaeology as the birthplace of the industrial revolution.

Middleton has a lively and friendly community, with two pubs, an excellent local primary school and a Grade I-Listed church. The National Stone Centre and the Derbyshire ECO Centre are nearby, and Carsington Water, with its sport and leisure facilities, is about four miles to the west. There are magnificent local walks and a cycle hire centre for trips along the High Peak Trail. The village was famous as the source of Hopton Stone, used extensively in art, architecture and for memorials.

Wirksworth is also nearby and has a good selection of shops, schools, leisure facilities, and its annual Arts Festival. Nearby Matlock rose to popularity as a Victorian spa town and continues to thrive on tourism, attracting visitors to its warm springs, hiking trails and rural views. The area is also home to the knitwear manufacturer John Smedley, which continues to produce hand-crafted knitwear from its Lea Mills factory, powered by a neighbouring brook just outside Matlock. Derby lies around fifteen miles to the south.

Derby, Sheffield, Buxton, Chesterfield and the M1 are all within easy driving distance. Rail, and bus connections are good, with the nearest station at Cromford linking to the primary Sheffield-London line at Derby. Road connections via the A6, A38 and M1 offer easy access to the north and south.

Council Tax Band: A

Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.