WHEN Paul and Shirley Quinlan sealed the deal on their Pole Moor home they literally felt on top of the world.
And they had good reason for the couple had become the proud new owners of part of a converted chapel perched on a hillside 1,100ft above the Colne Valley.
The property was a world away from the traditional semis the couple had been accustomed to when they had been living in Oldham.
Shirley, 53, says: “Seeing this chapel sat on top of the hill as I drove in from Huddersfield just reminded me of somewhere you would expect to find Cathy and Heathcliff!
“It was absolutely stunning and it felt like a real privilege to be able to call it home.”
Paul and Shirley soon found that their new three-bedroomed home formed an important part of local history.
The Grade II listed property was originally Pole Moor Baptist Church and known for over 200 years as the Tabernacle on the Hill.
The original chapel was built in 1790 with the newer chapel added in 1859 to accommodate increasing numbers of parishioners.
In its heyday the church had a membership of over 200, but dwindling attendance eventually forced its closure in 1992.
The chapel was then converted into six apartments in 2001 and Paul and Shirley moved in two-and-a-half years ago.
Shirley said: “We liked the idea of living in a converted property, of having a home that was old but with all the modern features inside. Some conversions can feel quite small, but this has been very well done and there’s a huge amount of space.
“It’s an apartment, but feels like a house with its own front door.
“We’ve also got the beautiful chapel windows which flood light into the property and each of the apartments have some of the original stone work exposed.”
The chapel – which appeared in a funeral episode of Last of the Summer Wine – also benefits from some particularly quiet neighbours.
Shirley says: “There are two graveyards – a very old one on the other side of the chapel and one across the road which is still used for burials.
“All the old families were buried in the old graveyard – including a few of the Broadbent ancestors – and there have been rumours of some ghostly goings on there, but I’ve never seen anything!
“You can definitely say it’s very peaceful. Our side of the chapel has views out towards Halifax rather than the graveyard.
“The strangest thing I’ve actually heard is that part of the old organ is built into the old walls of the centre of the chapel because they couldn’t move it.”
The couple’s spacious property is imaginatively laid out over four floors.
The space includes a contemporary dining kitchen where the couple had a raised seating area created to make the most of the stunning rural views and a cosy first floor living room above with a glazed galleried area looking down onto it.
“The main bedroom is absolutely beautiful,’’ said Shirley. “It has two huge arched windows and we didn’t want to spoil the views by putting curtains up!
“The views from the chapel are stunning and you can see all the way to the wind turbines in Halifax.
“They say that being up here you always get the weather 2°C colder than everywhere else, but it’s worth it. I’d never seen sunsets like the ones we see here.”
The couple love their home, but have decided to sell it because they are planning a move to north Wales to start a new sun decking business.
Shirley said: “It’s going to be an exciting new challenge for us, but if we could pick up the chapel and take it with us to Wales then we would.
“It’s been wonderful to have lived somewhere that’s such an important part of the history of the area.
“We’ll just have to settle for the views of Snowdonia rather than Halifax!”
The Chapel, Pole Gate, Pole Moor, is on the market with Simon Blyth estate agents. To arrange a viewing call 01484 651878. The price is £255,000.
l Grade II listed property forming part of a chapel conversion
l Wonderful rural position commanding fine open views
l Beautifully presented accommodation over four floors including three bedrooms
l Lovely first floor living room with galleried area
