Get thee to a Cotswolds nunnery
Look out for religious relics from the Convent’s past;
PHOTOGRAPHS: FRANCO BANFI/NATUREPL.COM
The chapel, which dates to 1869
The Poor Clares nuns of South Woodchester might be a bit perturbed to see what’s become of their former home. Where sermons were once delivered to the devout in the pews of the 19th-century chapel, musicians including Van Morrison and The Magic Numbers now play. The Convent occupies a magnifcent Grade-II-listed building, half-hidden down a quiet country lane in the Cotswolds, and is now home to Matt and Charlotte Roberts. They’ve transformed the place of worship into a lively new music venue, members’ club and boutique hotel. Bright bedrooms offer luxuries like roll-top baths and Apple TV, but it’s clear the focus is all about the music here, from the pianos adorning the front garden to the organ centrepiece in the main bar. Surprises abound here – during a stay, you may fnd yourself in an impromptu jam around the fre pit, or laughing with band members over dinner in the moodily lit restaurant.
A master suite