Couple turned Scottish church into home and bistro; now asks over £550,000

The Old Kirk has been a church, then a bistro, and now, if the sellers get their way, it could become a family home. The property sits in the village of Fordyce, a few miles from Banff in north-east Scotland.

The five-bedroom detached house is now up for sale with offers over £550,000.

Old-world charm and modern rooms

In the 1700s, this building was a place of worship. Much of its original character has survived. Chris and Alison Temple bought the church in 2014 and undertook an extensive renovation to turn it into a home with a business attached. Savills, the estate agency that listed the property, dates the conversion to around the same time, which fits the couple’s timeline.

The property extends to around 4,779 sq. ft. across two floors. While converting the church into a home and a business, the couple made sure they preserved what they could. According to the listing, they carefully preserved many features of the original building, including the beautiful arched windows and soaring ceiling. These allow natural light to flood indoors. But they also ensured the property had modern elements.

“The conversion also embraces a strong contemporary design, creating a hugely impressive and substantial home,” the listing says. The stone building still retains the shape of a church, with tall windows and high walls that give it presence from the outside.

The Old Kirk opens through double doors with an attractive fanlight into a tiled entrance hall, which leads to a large reception room ideal for dining. The open-plan kitchen and living area, with a double-height ceiling and a mezzanine gallery with glass balustrades above, is another highlight of the home.

Engineered oak flooring and underfloor heating run throughout the house. The bespoke sliding barn-style doors combine traditional character with a modern touch.

A gallery sits above the kitchen, and that is where the lounge is located. The couple also upgraded the kitchen with professional-standard Siemens appliances, a stainless-steel island and a commercial-sized fridge.

The home has five bedrooms, two of which are at the rear of the ground floor, each with its own shower room.

Upstairs, an oak staircase leads to a large living and dining room. It has a high ceiling, a glazed balcony overlooking the kitchen and a double log stove. There is room for three large sofas and a big dining table. The remaining three bedrooms each have their own character. One has bookshelves with a library ladder, while the main suite has both a shower and a bath.

The bistro

The large tiled reception hall, reached through double doors, now serves as the bistro.

It has individual tables and chairs, including green leather banquettes. This space could be anything the new buyer wants it to be. Until a buyer is found, the Old Kirk Bistro continues to serve lunches and evening meals. For now, the family home and the restaurant share the same roof.

The house is surrounded by stone walls, flowerbeds and mature trees. “Occupying a peaceful and highly attractive setting, The Old Kirk enjoys beautifully landscaped grounds extending to approximately 0.35 acres,” the listing says. A stream runs through the nearby village. The garden provides “a wonderful sense of shelter and privacy”, according to the listing. Savills describes the setting as giving the property “a rare sense of tranquillity and timeless charm”.

It is hard to argue with that when you picture the garden in summer! The property is on the market with offers over £550,000.