Luxury Net Zero Holiday Accommodation in Northumberland

Opening Autumn 2024 – Now Available For Advance Bookings

Warksburn Old Church is a luxury holiday rental now being created at Wark-on-Tyne, close to Hadrians Wall in rural Northumberland, England. It’s a world first project to convert a Victorian church to the Passivhaus standard for ultra energy efficiency. The project is still in progress, and will be completed over the few coming months.

We are now taking advance bookings for stays after property opens in early September 2024.

We are publishing ongoing updates about the project here, including media coverage and events featuring Warksburn Old Church. You can also follow the progress of the renovation project at http://instagram.com/warksburn_old_church/.

Property Overview

Warksburn Old Church is a three bedroom luxury holiday rental home, sleeping up to six guests.  It has been designed and equipped to the very highest standards.  During 2023-24 it was converted from a redundant Presbyterian church, which was originally built in 1875.  

This refined and distinctive home was comprehensively renovated by Anne and Alan James, the owners, who are the hosts at Warksburn Old Church. The rebuilding programme not only repaired and retained historic features, such as the stained glass windows and soaring timber roof trusses, but also transformed the former church into one of the most energy efficient buildings in the UK, which generates more energy than it consumes.

• Architect designed and historically sensitive conversion of an 1875 church.  Completing in 2024, the conversion sympathetically balances restoration and retention of heritage features with a first-in-world Net Zero transformation of a church, creating a luxury home which produces and conserves more energy than it consumes. 
• Stunning and exceptionally spacious open plan living on the ground floor.  This impressive space features 10 metre high ceilings to the full height of the original church roof. The subtle tones of the the interior design resonate with the lustrous colours of the imposing windows by the renowned Victorian stained glass master, Charles Eamer Kempe.  
• Ground floor living space comprises three zones, each functionally distinct but designed to seamlessly flow together.  There’s a craftsman-fitted kitchen; a dining zone with a designer table seating eight; and a relaxed lounge area where comfortable sofas and mood lighting invite socialising or immersion in the ultra high definition infotainment. 
• Three luxury bedrooms, each individually styled. One bedroom is located on the ground floor, two on the first floor.
• Luxury porcelain tiled en suite bathrooms to all bedrooms. The design and decor of each bathroom is themed holistically with its adjoining bedroom. 
• Craftsman-built oak and glass staircase connecting the ground and first floors. 
• Reading/study/workspace area on the first floor.
• Utility room on ground floor.
• Curated North East art and ceramics integral to interior design, and showcased in display space.
• Items of antique and bespoke-made furniture featured in various locations throughout the property. 
• Private garden for guest use, with feature planting and extensive views to open countryside.
• Private off-street parking, with two EV charge points provided.
• Secure outbuilding for guest use, e.g. for storage of bikes and other equipment.
• Ultrafast full fibre internet and mesh WiFi provided.

Rebuilt to the extremely demanding Passivhaus retrofit standard for super-insulation, airtightness, and ultra-low energy consumption, the reborn Warksburn Old Church enables guests to experience for themselves how the highest levels of comfort and luxury can be achieved in a Net Zero building, whilst enjoying a holiday in beautiful and historic Northumberland.

By an extraordinary twist of history, the church which now combines comfort and luxury with cutting edge Net Zero technologies, was originally funded by the very first engineer on Earth to articulate the concept of renewable generation and storage of electricity.  That eminent Victorian was Sir George Barclay Bruce, who became President of the Institution of Civil Engineers in the late 1880s. For anyone interested, there’s an article on his 1887s vision of a renewable energy future, and how Warksburn Old Church turned it into reality 136 years later, here. 

Experience a Passivhaus Smart Home for yourself

For anyone who is considering a new build energy efficient home, or transforming an existing home to 21st Century standards, a stay at Warksburn Old Church offers an opportunity to experience the comfort and efficiency of such a home for themselves. 

So, if you’re thinking about an energy efficient, ultra low carbon home, staying as a guest at this exceptional Passivhaus property will enable you to ‘try before you buy’, so to speak. If you would like to delve a little deeper, the hosts are happy to share their knowledge with guests during their stay.  Anne and Alan’s conversion of a former church to a domestic property was the first time in the world Passivhaus standards had been applied to such a project, so they learned a lot along the way. 

If you would like to book a stay when the property opens in September 2024, please click here.