Nestled in one of the Cotswolds\u2019 most notable villages, this unique historic property has seen numerous changes over the years, but is now a welcoming home, thanks to its industrious owners. Feature Sharon Parsons. Photographs Richard Gadsby <\/p>

History is woven into the ancient Cotswolds village of Broadway, where a settlement is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. Later, the region\u2019s 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. <\/p>

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. \u2018There was an ancient chapel on this site,\u2019 explains Gareth Cooper-Prentice, who lives here with his husband, Crawford, \u2018but 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.\u2019<\/p>

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\u2019s office, with a longstanding tenant in a flat above. <\/p>

\u2018When 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.\u2019<\/p>

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. \u2018We knew exactly what we wanted to do \u2013 we\u2019d spent long enough thinking about it, after all,\u2019 says Gareth. <\/p>

The first thing was to get rid of the warren of office spaces downstairs, thereby revealing the large open-plan room originally intended. \u2018It was fantastic to take out all those walls and doors, and really appreciate the space we were left with,\u2019 he says. \u2018Then we could start thinking about the decor.\u2019<\/p>