Farmhouse, lots of barns and land

We're in Lottery win territory today. Full-on renovation daydreaming.
To be fair, the property I'm going to focus on did have a fairly significant price drop last week- down from £1.3m to a nicely-rounded £1 million. As I said, full-on day dreaming.
Cold Coats Farm (what a name!) is a whole bunch of properties with potential, on the market for the first time since the 18th century.
At its core is the Grade II listed, four bedroom farmhouse above. Attached to that (by an ugly and unnecessary kitchen extension) is a two-storey building that could easily be a second property for an extended family.

And beyond that are a series of BIG stone barns, set within a gated area, ripe for development as holiday lets or a wedding venue (there's one massive central party barn), or as multi-family living. 
And wrapped around all of it are 19 acres of farm land, looking out over the gorgeous Ribble Valley.

Honestly, if you dream of starting a commune, or a cult, this is the place.
The nearest villages are Wiswell and Whalley - both walkable, and the nearest town Clitheroe (four miles away) with Manchester a 40 minute drive.
Actually, it also seems pretty perfect for the rural arm of No 10 North. Because nothing would reassure our farmers more than seeing how Andy handles bulls.   
Here's some pictures from inside the farmhouse.

Downstairs are four reception rooms, a utility room (separated from the kitchen extension), with four bedrooms and two bathrooms upstairs, and a large attic above. The sort-of attached building next door has one room downstairs and one up, and ground floor store rooms with separate access.

The size of the property and its add-ons means there's limited space for pictures and information about the barns and outbuildings, but I do recommend having a look at the brochure, here, not least for the extra photos not online. Because the barns matter.
I mean, honestly, look at the scale difference between the farmhouse and that big party barn.

Cold Coats Farm is on the market at £1m through Ingham and Yorke. Details on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here. 

Two big houses in (sort-of) middle England

A lot of my posts are about outside edges. Properties that are located just outside villages, on hills and in wilder lands, on Britain's raggedy edges of coastline. I think it comes from having Hull as my hometown - my dad always said you only go through Hull to reach the rest of the world.
Which started me thinking about why I rarely feature properties in the middle of the UK. To be fair, I did live in the Midlands for about ten years, in Staffordshire. I felt land-locked.  
I started by consulting Wikipedia (obvs...) on what is the centre of the UK and, it's complicated.
Sort of depends on what you define as Britain's edges - our farthest islands or only the mainlands? And whether you use a flattened-out map or measure distances between borders (land or sea?). 
Anyway, Wikipedia lists nine possibles, depending on the calculations used, and none of them are the ones (Haltwhistle, Meridian or Morton) that have been claiming centre point status for decades. 
My favourite in the Wikipedia list is the wonderfully imprecise "field south of Calderstone Partnership NHS Trust, near Whalley, Lancashire" as the centre of Great Britain's mainland. So I'm going to start there. 
Couldn't find anything Wreck-worthy in Whalley itself, but the town is in the Ribble Valley and within a couple of miles you're in Pendle's hills. A glorious area and a bit of a footballer magnet.
The two properties I've chosen to show you have much in common - detached, five bedrooms, promising outbuildings, some land. Both on the market at offers over £450k (this bit of Lancashire isn't cheap), but in very different but equally attractive locations - a town house and a country house.
Town house first. 
North Bank House is in the Pleckgate area of Blackburn. Pleckgate, according to the agent's blurb is popular and prestigious - not sure what that means, but it does have a good school.

Downstairs are two good-size reception rooms and hall, plus two narrow rooms (one the kitchen) and a shower room. Upstairs are five bedrooms and a bathroom. It could all do with a bit of jiggle around rooms-wise, but lots of possibilities.

Added to those possibilities are the two storey, three-roomed outbuilding and that half-acre of garden.
Do we think this was the old-chap-gone's model railway/bus station hobby room, btw?

On the market through Stones Young at £450k. Details, more pictures and video tour on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.
My country house pick is the unfortunately-named Higher Buttock Farm in the hills above the village of Barley, in Pendle.

Gorgeous views, large garden to front (albeit with a public footpath through) and large, stepped garden to rear. 
Again, a little bit of a jaggle of rooms across it's wide length, but lots of options.
Downstairs are two reception rooms, a good-size kitchen, family bathroom and the "library" which would be a great contender for a grander new entrance hall. While the attached stone garage could be an annex or an extension. 

If North Bank House carries the echoes of its gentleman owner's retirement, Higher Buttock Farm showcases its lady owner's life and hobbies - crafting, cooking, reading, gardening.
Matching mobility scooters too; this pair would not go gently into their good nights.

On the market through Fine and Country at offers over £450k. Details, more pictures and video on the agent's site here and on Rightmove here.

Three churches to do-up, under £130K

I've often written about buying redundant churches and, indeed, interviewed some of you who have redeveloped an ex-church into a home. Coming across this Cumbrian gem today prompted me to return to the subject.

First the good bits. 

It is beautiful. And historic (but only Grade II listed - a bonus for church redevelopers). It already has a favourable nod from the local council towards residential redevelopment. It's in a gorgeous location in the ancient North Pennine village of Croglin, about 12 miles from Carlisle. It's packed with original, nineteenth century fixtures and features.
Here's a taste of all of that.

The church is currently three big rooms plus entrance hall, around 95 square metre. A long nave plus chancel and a separate vestry. There's a high roof and the potential to create a second floor within it (and outline plans that suggest that) but you're unlikely to get permission to extend. Maybe add a bit of something at the back, but can't see the council agreeing to one of those Grand Designs glass boxes. 

Here's the less good bits. It's a cash-only sale. It needs an unknown amount of work. It's only a nod so far from Westmoreland and Furness Council on residential use, you'll want to talk to them yourself.

You'll also need to be happy living with a graveyard - your neighbours aren't going anywhere. There's also the possibility that a handful more could join them (one patch is potential future burial space).  

However, a garden space has been earmarked and, to be fair, as long as you work out who'll be cutting the grass around the graves its not the biggest hassle you'll have to deal with. 

The Church of St John the Baptist is on the market with a guide price of £100k (cash), through PFK. More details, video and pictures on their website here and on Rightmove here.

And, if all of that sounds too lightweight for your development ambitions, I offer you the stone majesty of the Church of St Giles in the village of Darlton. OMFL!! (sorry, ML). 

Almost double the size of St John's in Croglin, it already has planning permission for residential redevelopment (see here) and a more central location that may make access for trucks and works easier.

There are restrictions - you'll have to pay to carefully relocate the gate above, and covenants you'll need to check (they can restrict reselling). It's also Grade II* listed which puts more responsibility on you to protect parts of it, and there is a protected graveyard, including three ancient tombs you're expected to renovate. But, it is a very, very beautiful space.

On the market through Brown & Co with a guide price of £75k. Details and more images here.

If churches are your thing, here's my reminder of the redundant church buildings lists to keep an eye on:
Church of England property list

Church of Scotland property list

And, from the latter list, the very sweet Fisherton Church in Ayr is on the market at offers over £125k. Well-maintained, plumbing, services and sea views. Even has its own carpark. Link here and PDF here.