Chapel Lane — Church Conversion
Rayleigh, Essex
Project Overview
Conversion of a redundant 1870s Congregational chapel into a four-bedroom family home. The nave forms a dramatic triple-height living space with the original gothic lancet windows retained as architectural centrepieces. A new mezzanine level provides bedrooms overlooking the main space, while the former vestry has become a self-contained guest suite. Original pitch-pine pews were repurposed into kitchen joinery and a statement dining table.
Obstacles We Overcame
The gothic windows were protected and could not be replaced or altered. Achieving Building Regulations thermal performance within the constraints of single-skin stone walls.
How We Solved It
Internal insulated lime-render system applied to all walls, maintaining the external stone appearance. Bespoke secondary glazing designed to sit behind the gothic tracery without visual impact.
Project Photography
“Living in a building with this much character is a privilege. The way they've woven old and new together is genuinely artful.”
