Baildon home has had many uses (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Baildon home has had many uses

6:08pm Wednesday 13th January 2010

Keith and Susan Copland have lived in their character home in the hamlet of Baildon Green for nearly 35 years, but it wasn’t until recently that Keith discovered a family connection.

Built in around 1800 as a farmhouse and stables under one continuous roof, this stone-built period home has had a number of uses down the years.

“Some time before the mid-19th century, the farmhouse was converted into a school house and two cottages,” Keith says. “Then in 1845 it was conveyed to trustees, who converted it into a chapel and cottages.

“We never knew, but my great-grandfather was born there in 1854 in one of the cottages.

“In 1924, the Baildon Green Wesleyan Methodist Chapel and cottages were sold to private owners, who converted them into four homes,” adds Keith, who came across the property half a century later in 1975.

“The four cottages were in considerable disrepair,” says Susan. “But it was obvious that it could be converted into a sizeable family home, so that is what was done.

“Within the original footprint we created a sitting room, dining kitchen and triple-aspect living/dining room on the ground floor.

“There is a stone staircase at either end of the house leading to the first floor where we had four – now three – bedrooms, two bathrooms and a study.”

Original oak beams and joists were revealed, stripped and hand-waxed, and two internal stone walls revealed and pointed. Gas central heating serves every room, and later a garage was built and hardwood framed double-glazed windows installed.

Set at the western end of Baildon Green, with common land on two sides, there are views over the green to Midgley Wood and Saltaire, and up to Baildon Bank to the north.

The house is a charming mix of the old and new, with the original stone flagged keeping cellar complete with stone shelves on the lower ground floor, as well as the beams and stone staircase.

With windows on three sides, the split-level living/dining room is a light and airy space with an exposed stone wall and timber door, which was reclaimed from a Methodist church. A large picture window offers views across the valley, and in the corner is a flight of stone steps with wrought-iron banisters to the first floor.

Unlike many cottage-style homes where there are ceiling beams, there is no need to duck down here as all the rooms are a generous height.

Upstairs is the master bedroom, house bathroom with oak floor and roll top bath, two further bedrooms, a shower room and study with built-in shelving.

“The house has been around for 200 years and has a wonderful atmosphere and fascinating history,” says Susan.

“The kitchen is where the family always dines and is the focal point for all gatherings. But our favourite room is the living/dining room, which looks west over the green, and where, if we are lucky, we occasionally see deer.

“We have created an enclosed garden at the south-facing front, with mature shrubs, a terrace, decking and pond. I do the planting and Keith does the pruning, and we have tried to attract as many birds and butterflies as possible – not to mention the 50-odd frogs in the pond last spring!”

It’s a typical cottage style garden, with mature specimen shrubs and climbing plants, plus a decked area from where the garden steps down onto a series of York stone flagged pathways leading through specimen trees and shrubs to the wildlife pond.

Having lived here for around 35 years, the Coplands say they will be taking away some great memories.

“The atmosphere, peaceful location and ease of access to all the amenities we need are what we will miss the most,” says Susan.

This house in Lower Green, Baildon, is on the market for £330,000 with Dacre, Son & Hartley, Baildon, telephone (01274) 532323.