Home Buying
The Cape Cod property also boasts trompe-l’œil ceilings, an enchanting outdoor space, three bedrooms, and 3.5 baths.

Strawberry Hill House may be a trip across the Atlantic, but two designers brought its signature Gothic revival architecture to a Yarmouth church.
In the 1970s, theater set designers Herbert Senn and Helen Pond bought the 1836 property and renovated it, drawing inspiration from the UK house. The home at 17 Church St. was a Universalist church, but now it has three bedrooms, 3.5 baths, and most notably, one of the oldest working pipe organs in New England.
The property has hit the market for $1,990,000.
The organ is older than the church itself. If you’ve ever dreamed of channeling your inner “Phantom of the Opera,” here’s your chance.

The 3,442-square-foot home’s exterior has a steeple and intricate windows, including a floor-to-ceiling display that pours light into the home’s living and dining areas. The organ is the centerpiece in the hall, a 1,427-square-foot open space used as an additional living area that also features built-in bookshelves and checkerboard flooring.
“A lot of times converted churches lose the feeling of the vaulted space because it’s separated into components for bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens. But this one benefited because of the ell added in 1934,” said Lisa Hassler of Sotheby’s International Realty, the listing agent for the Yarmouth property.
The ell houses the 153-square-foot kitchen and three bedrooms ranging from 134 to 234 square feet. Each one has its own bath. The kitchen mixes new technology with old charm: modern appliances but wooden cabinetry original to the 1934 addition.

The current owners have kept the trompe-l’œil panels Senn and Pond painted and installed, including displays that cover the entire ceiling in the primary bedroom and great hall.

Step outside to the whimsical garden area. A seating area framed by lush perennials adds to the enchantment of the property. The overall impression is one of elegant functionality.
The 0.2- acre property falls within the Old King’s Highway Historic District, one of the oldest in the nation, according to Hassler. It is also a popular area for walking.
“It’s going to take that special person to love it,” Hassler said of the Yarmouth property.
Address Newsletter
Get the latest news on buying, selling, renting, home design, and more.