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.
‘When we discovered the entire building was for sale, we decided it was worth the investment: the terms of the sale, however, meant we did so with the tenants in situ, so for many years we were simply landlords. We had to play the long game! We loved it, but continued to hope we could make the entire property into one home at some point.’
Finally, a few years ago, when the couple were based on Jersey, they obtained planning permission to turn the entire property into one, and could put their plans into action at last. ‘We knew exactly what we wanted to do – we’d spent long enough thinking about it, after all,’ says Gareth.
The first thing was to get rid of the warren of office spaces downstairs, thereby revealing the large open-plan room originally intended. ‘It was fantastic to take out all those walls and doors, and really appreciate the space we were left with,’ he says. ‘Then we could start thinking about the decor.’
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Kaleidoscopic colours are combined to great effect against the exposed Cotswold-stone walls and new painted panelling, however it’s the antique pieces, artwork and collectables gathered over the years that truly give this eclectic home its individuality.
‘We bought our first piece – an 18th-century oak chest, which we still have – when we were in our early 20s and setting up home together,’ recalls Gareth. ‘Everyone else was going off to Ikea, but we loved pottering around antiques shops, galleries and markets to see what we could find. It’s a passion that’s never left us.’
Statement furniture, combined with objects displayed in unexpected corners, create an easy dynamic. ‘We’re both great fans of classic mahogany Georgian furniture, but we felt that a more English-country style was better suited here, so we’ve introduced oak, particularly on the ground floor, and combined this with just a few of our favourite mahogany pieces,’ explains Crawford.
Some antique or vintage pieces have also been cleverly adapted. In the kitchen, for instance, the island is an old haberdashery unit that the couple found in Yorkshire and adapted with a granite top, while two Georgian oak wardrobes placed on either side of the Smeg range now serve as larder and china cupboards.
The house today is comfortable and welcoming, easily accommodating modern-day life, while fully respecting the legacy of its past. ‘This building has seen so many changes over time, but we hope it will now stay just as it is in the years to come: a proper home that is enjoyed and cared for,’ says Gareth. ‘If we’ve played any part in its long history, it would be good to think we’ve helped to ensure that.’
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