Was it divine intervention that brought Tony to buy this house? (From Warrington Guardian)

Was it divine intervention that brought Tony to buy this house?

WHO lives in a house like this?

Well the answer could be you...if you have got about £450,000 spare.

Built in around 1845, this former church on Hob Hey Lane in Culcheth is up for sale and with many of its long-standing features still in place it would make a spiritual and rather unusual home for anyone.

The building is currently owned by Tony Broomhead, who lives there with his wife and children. They spotted the, at that time, dilapidated building in 2001 while on their way to view another property.

Despite never having converted a building before, they decided to buy the property and bring it up-to-date.

Mr Broomhead said: "I started work on it in about 2001 and it took about two years.

"It was quite dilapidated when I bought it. It had no upstairs. It's a great place to live and it is quite big: like a little Tardis, really."

Some of the church features maintained within the house include an inscription above the bed, which may help ensure a good night's sleep and the church doors have also been kept.

Indeed to all intents and purposes, from the outside it still looks like a place of worship.

Mr Broomhead added: "I am not sure why we decided to go for a church, perhaps because of my Catholic background! It is quite a spiritual place; there is a nice feeling to it when you go in. I have also been told there is quite a bit of history to it. I think it was rebuilt in 1845 but it goes right back."

His family have decided to move on from the property as some of their children are leaving home.

For more information about the property, contact Migratio estate agents in Culcheth on 768887.

Do you live in a more unusual house than this? If so, contact Helen Cartwright on 434110 or via e-mail at

hcartwright@guardiangrp.co.uk