A couple renovating a church into a dream home found 83 bodies buried inside - and covered them with underfloor heating.

Lucy, 53, and Rhys Thomas, 45, regularly drove past the Grade I listed St Peters Church - then saw it was for sale.

The listing said it was a five bedroom house and they assumed the work had already been done at the 900-year-old religious building.

But at the viewing they were stunned to find it was still a church and needed a complete overhaul - but bought it at auction for £405,000.

They were warned there might be 'five or six' bodies under the floor as historically influential or rich people were buried inside a church.





Lucy and Rhys were left 'shocked' when they dug up the flooring and 'body after body' appeared - a total of 83.

Mum-of-five Lucy says that out of respect for the dead they decided to leave the bodies there - and then re-laid a new floor on top of them "along with underfloor heating''."

She said: "We needed to have an archeologist present when we started digging up the floor."

"They said to me, 'because we were digging down 40 centimeters, we would inevitably going to find a body somewhere as in the past often influential, religious or rich people in the community would be buried within the floors of the church'."

"We didn't know this, so we were a bit apprehensive - but they said we would only find about five or six bodies, when they started digging, it became apparent there was a lot more than we first envisioned. "

"The first few were uncomfortable but we gradually warmed to the process."

"People were buried together - husbands and wives, parents with children, so we decided to leave them in their final resting places and continue the build around them."

The church at Peterstone Wentlooge, in Wales, was founded in 1142.

Lucy described the four-year-project, which they have only just finished after buying it back in 2021, as a 'huge battle and accomplishment'.

The Welsh family bought the church, which was listed on Rightmove, just after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ahead of the viewing the couple thought they were going to be looking at a church which was already converted into a home.

It was marketed as a five-bed family house - but the work hadn't been done, there was simply planning permission in place.

Lucy said: "We were surprised to find that it was still a church."



"When we finally got to see inside it, it was apparent the work hadn't been done - we thought we were viewing a five-bed house!"

"Planning was in place for a change of use to a residential dwelling."

"We'd gone with no intention of doing a lot of work - let alone converting the whole church."

''But by then it was too late and we had both fallen hook, line, and sinker for the building and its charms.''

For the first 18 months they were only able to 'chip away' at the property because they were waiting for planning permission from the council.

Rhys said: "It was a bit of a challenging job - we just learnt as we went along."



"We spent lots of time googling and joining listed building groups."

Lucy and Rhys removed the 100-year-old floor themselves and the stonemason laid it outside the property as a patio - with all the original engravings and stone maintained.



A local builder was contracted to lead the conversion that's anchored around a mezzanine flitch frame - a mix of metal and wood frame.

Lucy explained this enabled them to maintain a lot of the church's original features.

She said: "We employed builders to do the works as between us we can barely change a bulb!"

"Due to the mezzanine flitch frame, we were able to leave the church as it was - the old original church walls are untouched."

"We also have a bell tower and bell ringers to maintain them - but we had to repair the bells and install new ropes to ring the eight bells!"

"It been a bit of a challenge - but we've got there eventually!"

Despite keeping all of the original church features, the family have added in modern features - such as secondary glazing on the windows and underfloor heating, a snooker table, grand piano, bar area and a large hot tub.

The once-dilapidated church is now a breathtaking six-bedroom, six-bathroom property that is currently listed on Airbnb (https://www.airbnb.co.uk/wishlists/707024534).

Lucy added: "We are very proud of this and everyone has helped - our children, the architects, and the builders and of course my husband, Rhys, who has been in charge of all the finances and paperwork!"

"We have put our hearts and souls into this - and would do it again in a heartbeat.''"

You can follow their journey here: https://www.instagram.com/operationrenovationoldstpeters/