Spectacular conversion of a Victorian church, for up to 6 guests, close to Hadrians Wall. Stunning interiors blend heritage with modern style. Luxury meets low carbon living in the world's first Passivhaus-certified church conversion. 3 bedrooms boast porcelain-tiled bathrooms. Magnificent stained glass sets the colour palette for the stunning living/dining space, with 10 metre high ceiling, and the adjoining the high end kitchen. VisitEngland 5-Star & Gold Award for outstanding quality.
The space
Style and Sustainability meet at Warksburn Old Church, a spectacular three bedroom luxury property near Hadrians Wall in beautiful rural Northumberland, as featured on TV, the Sunday Times and Grand Designs Magazine.
A £1M renovation of this 1875 former church has created a truly breathtaking home. Heritage features include magnificent stained glass windows and soaring roof trusses, in a transformed historic structure which is now at the cutting edge of low carbon living, generating more energy than it uses. It is the only Passivhaus-certified church conversion in the world. The building is also historically significant, with its original construction funded by a Victorian engineer who made the world's first documented reference to the renewable generation and storage of electricity: key net zero technologies now incorporated into the building 150 years later.
Warksburn Old Church holds the prestigious VisitEngland 5 Star Self-Catering Rating and the highly coveted VisitEngland Gold Award. We also hold the Green Tourism Gold Award. This collection of accolades recognises the uncompromising standards of luxury, quality, and guest experience we offer at our unique Northumberland retreat, underscoring our commitment to both exceptional comfort and sustainable living.
The 5 Star rating confirms that Warksburn Old Church operates at the pinnacle of self-catering accommodation in the UK. The Gold Award goes further, signifying exceptional quality, outstanding customer service, and a commitment to maintaining the highest levels of immaculate presentation and luxury facilities.
Warksburn Old Church is also shortlisted for Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year in the 2025/26 North East England Tourism Awards.
The stunning main living space has 10 metre (33 ft) high ceilings. The comfortable lounge area features designer lighting, UHD infotainment (55-inch OLED TV + soundbar), and refined interior design picking up the lustrous colours of the Victorian stained glass. The living area flows into the high-end kitchen and the dining area with its statement 8-seat dining table.
Three sumptuous bedrooms each have a luxury porcelain-tiled en suite bathroom. One bedroom is on the ground floor; two on the first floor with full height church ceilings, and can be configured as 1 superking or two single beds. An oak and glass staircase links ground and first floors, where there's a quiet space for reading or work, and a gallery showcasing a curated collection of North East art and ceramics. Artworks feature throughout the property along with antique and bespoke-made contemporary furniture.
A well-equipped utility room forms the 'muddy boots' entrance. The private garden offers extensive views to open country, with a patio for al fresco dining . Private off-street parking, 2 EV chargers, and an outbuilding offering secure storage for guest bikes, fishing tackle, and other outdoor/sports equipment, are all provided for guests.
The property is 5 minutes drive to the Northumberland National Park boundary. The main Hadrians Wall attractions are between 12 and 18 minutes away. The historic market town of Hexham is 15 minutes drive, and the picturesque village of Corbridge is 20 minutes. All drives are on rural roads with very little traffic. The International Dark Skies Park centred on Kielder Water and Forest is immediately adjacent, and the property itself offers superb stargazing from its own garden on a dark night.
The hosts are happy to liaise with guests in advance of arrival to arrange any special requests or additional services they may require. They are also happy to make recommendations of specialist local service providers, including professional chefs, expert local guides, etc. Guests wishing to bring their own external service providers into the property must advise the hosts in advance. Additional services, when arranged by the hosts, are provided at an additional charge to guests.
Please note the following details. Ball games are not permitted in the guest garden due to the risk of damage to the irreplaceable stained glass windows. The property is unsuitable for children under 5 years of age, except by prior arrangement. We absolutely do not accept bookings for stag or hen parties . And please do not wear high heeled shoes indoors.
Guests may interested to know that a TV documentary was made about the renovation of Warksburn Old Church – Series 2, Episode 3 of 'Derelict Rescue', available to stream on Discovery+ in the UK. It's also available on the infotainment system in the property, enabling the rather extraordinary experience of watching a TV programme about the making of very building in which you are staying.
Guests are advised that there is currently some house-building in progress on the opposite side of the road. The construction site is not visible from inside the property or the guest garden. The work is completely inaudible from inside the building and only low level noise is occasionally perceptible from the garden. Work is only permitted between the hours of 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday. No weekend work is permitted.
Guest access
Check in instructions. Guests receive an electronic door code in advance of arrival, along with travel directions and a request to let the hosts know of any special requirements or additional services.
Check in is normally from 4pm. However the hosts are happy to accommodate requests for early check-in when possible.
Access to the property is gained by entering the code into an electronic keypad. The hosts provide a 'meet and greet' service to welcome guests on arrival and are happy to explain the many unique features of this Net Zero Passivhaus church conversion.
Guests have exclusive use of the entire property, the adjoining private garden with patio and the guest car park. There is ample parking for 3 cars. Free EV charging is provided for the convenience of guests.
Guests may also use the lockable outbuilding for storing outdoor and/or sports equipment during their stay. Racks for 8 fishing rods are provided. There are also hangers for waders. Bikes and golf clubs can be stored in the outbuilding during your stay. 3-pin sockets in the outbuilding can be used by guests for plugging in their own eBike chargers. Guests have the key to the outbuilding and are themselves responsible for ensuring it is locked and secure. The owners accept no liability for loss or damage to guest property, howsoever or whomsoever caused.
Check out instructions. Simply make sure you have all your belongings, turn on the dishwasher and close the door behind you. Check out is normally 10am, but can be extended when possible.
Other things to note
There is ample private off-street parking. Two 7.4 kW electric vehicle chargers, with standard Type 2 connectors are provided for the exclusive use of guests. EV charging is provided as a courtesy by the hosts, at zero cost to guests.
Although the property can be reached by public transport, with 6 buses a day connecting the village of Wark to the national rail network at the local market town of Hexham, 12 miles away, use of a car is highly advisable given the rural location.
The nearest mainline railway stations are at Newcastle (East Coast Main Line, 2h 47m from London & 1h 25m from Edinburgh) and Carlisle (West Coast Main Line, 3h 18m from London & 1h15m from Glasgow). The cross-country 'Hadrians Wall Line' travels East-West between Newcastle and Carlisle. Our local station, Hexham, is about 40 minutes from Newcastle and 55 minutes from Carlisle. Hexham station is 17 minutes drive from the property by car.
Guest arriving by air should use Newcastle International Airport (IATA: NCL, ICAO: EGNT) which is located only 33 minutes drive on empty rural roads from the property. NCL offers direct flights by flag carrier airlines to the major hubs of London Heathrow, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol and Dubai, as well as services to wide range of UK and European destinations. A full private jet FBO facility is available 24/7/365. Car hire is available at the airport.
A local taxi service is available. The hosts provide contact numbers and other information about local transport to guests.
