The Old Kirk has been a church, then a bistro, and now, if the sellers get their way, it could become a family home.
uncertain
it → get → way
The property sits in the village of Fordyce, a few miles from Banff in north-east Scotland.
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property → sit → Scotland
Much of its original character has survived.
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Much → survive → character
Chris and Alison Temple bought the church in 2014 and undertook an extensive renovation to turn it into a home with a business attached.
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business → buy → home
Savills, the estate agency that listed the property, dates the conversion to around the same time, which fits the couple’s timeline.
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which → list → timeline
Pic credit: Savills/ on the market
The property extends to around 4,779 sq. ft. across two floors.
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property → extend → floors
While converting the church into a home and a business, the couple made sure they preserved what they could.
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they → convert → home
According to the listing, they carefully preserved many features of the original building, including the beautiful arched windows and soaring ceiling.
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they → accord → windows
These allow natural light to flood indoors.
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light → allow → ?
But they also ensured the property had modern elements.
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property → ensure → elements
“The conversion also embraces a strong contemporary design, creating a hugely impressive and substantial home,” the listing says.
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listing → embrace → home
The stone building still retains the shape of a church, with tall windows and high walls that give it presence from the outside.
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that → retain → outside
Pic credit: Savills/ on the market
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.
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which → open → dining
Engineered oak flooring and underfloor heating run throughout the house.
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flooring → run → house
The bespoke sliding barn-style doors combine traditional character with a modern touch.
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doors → slide → touch
A gallery sits above the kitchen, and that is where the lounge is located.
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lounge → sit → kitchen
The couple also upgraded the kitchen with professional-standard Siemens appliances, a stainless-steel island and a commercial-sized fridge.
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couple → upgrade → appliances
Pic credit: Savills/ on the market
The home has five bedrooms, two of which are at the rear of the ground floor, each with its own shower room.
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two → have → room
Upstairs, an oak staircase leads to a large living and dining room.
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staircase → lead → room
It has a high ceiling, a glazed balcony overlooking the kitchen and a double log stove.
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It → have → kitchen
The remaining three bedrooms each have their own character.
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bedrooms → remain → character
One has bookshelves with a library ladder, while the main suite has both a shower and a bath.
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suite → have → shower
The large tiled reception hall, reached through double doors, now serves as the bistro.
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hall → reach → bistro
It has individual tables and chairs, including green leather banquettes.
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It → have → banquettes
This space could be anything the new buyer wants it to be.
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it → want → ?
Until a buyer is found, the Old Kirk Bistro continues to serve lunches and evening meals.
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Bistro → find → lunches
For now, the family home and the restaurant share the same roof.
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home → share → roof
The house is surrounded by stone walls, flowerbeds and mature trees.
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house → surround → walls
“Occupying a peaceful and highly attractive setting, The Old Kirk enjoys beautifully landscaped grounds extending to approximately 0.35 acres,” the listing says.
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listing → occupy → acres
A stream runs through the nearby village.
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stream → run → village
The garden provides “a wonderful sense of shelter and privacy”, according to the listing.
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garden → provide → listing
Savills describes the setting as giving the property “a rare sense of tranquillity and timeless charm”.
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Savills → describe → tranquillity
It is hard to argue with that when you picture the garden in summer!
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you → argue → summer
The Aporia
