A chapel with sea views and a cottage to renovate

Thought I'd show you this rather lovely Welsh chapel with sea views today.
I've featured former churches and chapels several times in the past and they have their particular challenges in terms of planning permission and change of use. But they, and this seems particularly to be the case with Welsh chapels, are also pretty inspiring spaces to work with.
This particular chapel sits in the village of Llaneilian, about two miles from the Anglesey port of Amlwch.

Capel Selio is a good-size, single storey building with entrance, main chapel and attached school room, and with much of the original pews and features still in situ.

It's Grade II listed and there are covenants in place - no details given by the agent but my guess would be the restrictions are either on the future use of the premises or on future sale profits.
It's been recently re-roofed and there's mains electricity to the building, but beyond that you're on your own. There's no suggestion of toilets or kitchen for example which may mean no mains water or drainage. The property seems to have been sitting on the market for a good year which suggests there are issues, but potentially issues that a fair bit of information has already been gathered on.
Outside is a small forecourt and it looks like a little bit down the side, with a store, but no suggestion of a garden or rear outside space.

However the views over the village and across to the sea are lovely and it's in a great location.

It's on the market through Morgan Evans at offers around £99k. Details here and here.
Incidentally, Morgan Evans also have for sale this rather less pretty (but with more land) cottage on Anglesey.

A bit of a wreck, obviously, but it does have designated rooms and key services.
And the neighbours look friendly.

The Llangaffo cottage has two rooms downstairs, plus kitchen and shower room, and two bedrooms upstairs. There's an attached store, which could make a garage or extension, and two gardens - one of which has parking potential.
On the market at offers over £125k. Details and more pictures here.

Faded, glorious West Yorkshire manor for sale

It's a while since I was last in Sowerby Bridge. I've lived in and around Bradford in the past, and that whole area of West Yorkshire is dotted with old friends and old memories.
All with a strong seam of creativity running through it - from jobs in the arts sector, to amazing maker friends, to regular trips to Salts Mill, and the Piece Hall, and the Hepworth. A beautiful area of England producing beautiful things.
So when I was sent Wood Lane Hall ("a beaut of a house up by us") by reader Aaron, I knew it would be something lovely and in that gorgeous dark West Yorkshire stone I remembered.
The five bedroom house is Grade I listed, built (or re-built) in the 17th century by the Deardens who, it seems, were quite the party animals.

It is also said by Oliver Heywood, the local vicar, after he had recorded the death of Joshua Dearden (John's eldest son) aged 36, that he "prejudiced himself with brandy", and of John he write: "Buried September 13, aged sixty six, rich." (Source)

It is quite, quite stunning with (as befits its protective listing) original and rare features such as the galleried hall and rose window still in place.

Many of the original windows remain, as does the "ship's cabin" bedroom, fitted out as a 1930s' Pacific steamship cabin with salvaged material in a pre-internet version of an eBay vintage hunt (this post has more on the house's architecture).

Some of the house appears to have been recently lived in, but much of it has been left to gather dust

There's no mention of land, other than a reference to gardens, but it had been on the market several years earlier with three acres attached. Presumably that's gone elsewhere.
Back in 2014, it had been on the market at £750k, but doesn't appear to have been sold. The last listed sale was in 1995, for £160k. This time around, it's been waiting for a buyer since 2018.

Wood Lane Hall is on the market through Edkins & Holmes with a guide price of £550k, albeit up for sale through that weird "Modern (sic) Method of Auction" business. Given the time it's been on the market, I reckon just making a sensible offer would do the job. 
Anyway, details and more pictures here and here.

Gorgeous Scottish cottages to renovate

Two cute-as-buttons Scottish cottages for you today - in honour of our holiday in Scotland next week (thanks, Nicola).
First up, Old Faskally Cottage, in Killiecrankie (what names!). The two-bedroom cottage is a quite stunning positively brimming over with original details. I spent ages just looking at these pictures...

All on one level, there's a lounge, kitchen, two bedrooms and a shower room, plus a lean-to storeroom offering extension possibilities.

Lovely, lovely place and reminds me of so many traditional cottages we've holidayed in over the years, in Scotland and Wales.
Outside are gardens on all sides, and lovely open views, with the A9 and historic Killiecrankie a mile or so away.

Old Faskally is on the market through Irving Geddes with a guide price of £150k. Details and more pictures here and here.
Also in Perthshire, and a tad larger with three bedrooms over two floors (you'll want to change that), is this cottage in Blairgowrie.

Rather more of the original features have been removed or covered, but this handsome-looking traditional stone house does sit in its own, enclosed courtyard/driveway with stone outbuildings and a walled garden.

Who needs the privacy of open views when you've got chunky walls ; )
Inside is that slightly odd layout, but some lovely big rooms to work with - and I love the hall.

On the market with Hodge Solicitors at offers over £173,500. Details and more pictures here and here.