Unique homes come in all shapes and sizes, and this week’s selection of unusual homes for sale in the UK includes the city, countryside and coast across a centuries-long timeline that spans medieval history and futuristic vision.
Whether it’s converted factories and warehouses, repurposed stables, or restored Huguenot glory, the nation’s diversity of unique property is boundless, and our curated collection of unusual homes for sale showcases that rich and varied tapestry.
Step inside a converted army barracks in a magnificent military compound, or explore a modernist house nestled amidst tranquil Essex woodlands. Experience the arresting stature of a Victorian windmill with a connected family home and tea rooms in rural Lincolnshire, or fall in love with the ingenuity of a contemporary houseboat on a serene London waterway.
Telling a story of innovation, creativity, and individuality, each of these unusual homes for sale in the UK is a chance to own a piece of British architectural heritage. So let’s dive right in right to find your favourite.
1. Military might
There’s a real sense of arrival as you step inside this one-bedroom duplex loft, followed by a major wow moment as you enter the central living space where the ceiling soars 4 metres up. Converted from the spellbinding Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, the interior covers 739 sq ft (68 sq m) with a timeless modern aesthetic reflecting the building’s historic roots and more recent reinvention.
Asking price £435,000 – discover Parade Ground
2. On the waterfront
You’d be hard pressed to find a property developer today who’d leave 3,000 sq ft of prime riverfront warehouse as a single apartment, so what a delight to stand in such a massive space as this with the river lapping at your feet below the loading bay doors in the very heart of Bankside and just a few steps from Borough Market.
Asking price £3,750,000 – discover Clink Wharf
3. Bread winner
Seeking a new start away from the rat race? How about a historic Victorian windmill, working bakery, modern tea rooms and a four-bedroom family home sitting together among fields and countryside between Lincoln and the Humber River?
This successful local business is ready for a change of hands so you can hit the ground running with an enthusiastic crowd of existing customers, and the house offers plenty of room for a large family to stretch out. Meanwhile, the machinery and bakery in the windmill are spellbinding introductions to artisanal food production.
Asking price £975,000 – discover Mount Pleasant Mill
4. Under lock & quay
Can you imagine saying anything cooler to a cab driver than: “Take me to The Mothership”? You might have to explain, but show them a picture of your luxury craft’s nameplate, and you’ll soon be heading home… to your permanent mooring at Regents Park. Waiting for you is a modernist two-bedroom vessel of exquisite craftsmanship with a walnut and rosewood interior, windows seemingly everywhere, and two large rooftop decks.
As well as being an extraordinary craft in a phenomenal location, The Mothership has the benefit of the houseboat exemption from Stamp Duty, which works out to an upfront cash saving of £17,500 on a purchase price at this level.
Asking price £600,000 – discover The Mothership
5. Drinking den
In the heart of Hastings Old Town with the beach and sea at the end of the road, this irresistible 15th-century property once had a colourful turn as the Merry Christmas Beer House. Today, the 2,712 sq ft interior bursts with charisma and has been lovingly restored and renovated to celebrate its history and quirks with a reassuringly contemporary level of comfort across three floors and a flexible collection of ten rooms.
This Grade 2 listed property is huddled among the streets of historic buildings and character homes that make Hastings Old Town such a magical and atmospheric place to live, with the new wave of wonderful independent retailers, artisans and creative community right on your doorstep alongside plenty of well-known high street names.
Asking price £950,000 – discover All Saints Street
6. Shady secret
Hidden away in historic woodland on the outskirts of Billericay in Essex, this 1,300 sq ft two-bedroom detached house with a separate 210 sq ft creative studio makes for a marvellous modernist retreat that’s hunkered in the shadows of the forest canopy. When it was built in 2016, the house was given its own episode of Grand Designs – need we say more?
Asking price £825,000 – discover Dapple House
7. Factory floor
You don’t hear the term ‘rugged penthouse’ that much, which is a shame given the original industrial character and authentic bohemian nature of this duplex 1,151 sq ft loft in a former Clarks Shoes factory. Centred around a large, 36ft living space with factory windows to one end and in the roof, perhaps we need more unpolished gems like this gracing our skyline.
Asking price £1,200,000 – discover Tudor Road
8. Stable influence
Gravel crunches under your tyres as you pull into the drive of these converted outbuildings on a private estate that’s deep in the Hertfordshire countryside and yet just 15 minutes by car from an Overground station. Across the 1,850 sq ft interior, you’ll find four bedrooms, two living rooms and a massive dining kitchen, while outside, it’s green and serene among ancient oaks and willows.
Asking price £1,100,000 – discover Stables Courtyard
9. Eco-centric
A self-build zero-carbon project in the Norfolk countryside designed as one of the most energy-efficient eco-homes ever seen in the UK. This 0.78-acre plot has planning consent for a single-storey three-bedroom house of 1,937 sq ft with views over a meadow-like garden and pond from every window. High-tech insulation, futuristic body-heat recycling tech and a twin carport with electric charging add more future-looking currency to this groundbreaking family home.
Asking price £195,000 – discover Dial Corner
10. Dickensian darling
The Huguenot houses of Spitalfields are legendary in London’s prime property market, and getting hold of one is no mean feat. This wonderful example unfolds over approximately 4,700 sq ft and has been subject to an extensive, expensive, and sympathetic restoration. As well as highlighting the considerable glories and distinctive atmosphere, the artful reinvention upgrades the levels of comfort and convenience to a high contemporary standard.
Guide price £5million – email Simon to join the wait list
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