Yours for £50,000: Grade II-listed church which can be turned into a home... as long as you don't mind funerals taking place in the garden
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•St Paul’s Church in Staverton, Wilts, closed after parishioner numbers fell
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•The 13th century building is now being sold by the Diocese of Salisbury
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•But the buyer will not own the graveyard which remains open to mourners
PUBLISHED: 17:13, 8 May 2013 | UPDATED: 02:02, 9 May 2013
With an 18ft-high ceiling, stained-glass windows, whitewashed internal walls and an estimated price of only £50,000, it looks like a property developer’s dream.
But being surrounded by gravestones could make selling it something of a problem.
St Paul’s church in Staverton, Wiltshire, is being sold by the Diocese of Salisbury, with bids invited from developers to convert the Grade II listed building into a private home.
Picturesque: Grade II-listed St Paul's Church in Staverton, Wiltshire, is being sold by the Diocese of Salisbury with a guide price price of just £50,000
Small catch: But any buyer would not own the surrounding graveyard which would remain open to mourners and have burials for people who have reserved plots
Future inhabitants will have to get used to grieving relatives visiting burial sites – as well as actually holding funerals in the grounds.
The 19th-century building closed its doors in March 2011 because of dwindling parishioner numbers and a dilapidated structure.
Whoever buys the building will not own the graves – and will have to allow mourners to visit the headstones and allow for the burial of people who have already reserved plots.
The church boasts stained glass windows, a nave and vestry, and is listed as being of Special Architectural and Historic Interest along with its iron churchyard gates.
Estate agent Colliers International is handling the sale and expects the building to go for around £50,000.
Unusual: The property boasts traditional iron gates, stained glass windows, a nave and vestry, and is listed as being of Special Architectural and Historic Interest
On the market: The church could be transformed into the ideal home but buyers have been slow in coming forward
Spokesman Sam Williams said: 'It would not be their responsibility to maintain the churchyard itself, but it would have to remain open for those attending the graves.
'I think there will still be a few more burials at the church. It is near capacity, but there are still a few plots which have been reserved.
'I don’t think people will really mind the graveyard. Of course it is not to everyone’s taste, but it is up to people’s own preference.
'The sale would not come with the church yard, but they would get a 1.5 metre strip around the building.
'I think it would make a good community use for the village, but also it would make an ideal house, but a sensitive house which would not involve too much alteration to the interior.
'The new owners will have to abide by the covenants - just generally promising to maintain the building and keeping it in good repair.'
However, potential buyers have been slow in coming forward because of the unusual nature of the building.
Future funerals: The graveyard is near capacity but there are still a few empty plots that have been reserved
Development: The buyer of St Paul's Church would get a 1.5 metre strip of land around the building but the headstones will remain where they are
'We have had interest, a little bit, but unfortunately so far people haven’t been able to follow it through,' said Mr Williams.
'It is quite a big challenge. It’s quite a long process buying it, and it is quite difficult to find the right buyer who has the patience.'
Rev Stephen Ball, the priest in charge of the church, said: 'Until we get all the proposals in we won’t have any idea of its use.
'All I want to see is the people who care about the church be happy about what happens next, and a use for it that will conserve the building and recognise it has been a special place for a lot of people.'
Challenging: Any new owners would have to abide by the covenants and strict rules surrounding any development of Grade listed buildings
Local history: Another one of the graves in the graveyard of St Paul's Church in Staverton, Wiltshire
Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd
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