Bid by kirk’ s new owner to turn B-listed building into stylish family home

Abid has been launched to transform a near 170-year-old Angus kirk into a modern home.

Maule Memorial Church lies near Tarfside, towards the head of Glen Esk.

The B-listed church sits on the approach to the hamlet, surrounded by trees.

It is 12 miles from the village of Edzell.

The building dates back to 1857 and was erected following the Church of Scotland split that led to the foundation of the Free Church.

It stands on land granted by Fox Maule Ramsay to his friend and leader of the Free Church, Thomas Guthrie. Both men are commemorated in the church’s stained glass windows.

Maule Memorial was one of a number of small kirks which once proliferated in the Angus glens.

It remains in good condition internally, with new toilets and kitchen facilities added around 2012.

Regular monthly services there ceased around five years ago.

It held its final Christmas Eve service at the end of 2022 and was officially closed the following month.

And it was put on the market by the Church of Scotland last year with a price tag of offers over £75,000.

The Kirk suggested it could have a number of potential uses, ranging from a creche to community venue.

Now, Angus-based Voigt Architects have submitted designs in an application by its new owners to turn it into a modern house.

But they say it is important to retain features including the exposed wooden trusses.

Designs show the nave being used as living and dining space. The master bedroom would be on the first floor and a slate-roofed conservatory will be added to take advantage of the south-facing aspect.

The majority of the windows are to be retained, repaired if necessary, and receive secondary glazing.

Ground-mounted solar panels are planned to reduce any visual impact on the building.

Angus Council will consider the application for planning permission and listed building consent in due course.

ROOM WITH A PEW: A digital illustration of how Maule Memorial Church would look upgraded into a modern home, and below, the building as it stands today, and the architect’s plans for the interior conversion.