Fife Historic Buildings Trust

Our guest speaker was Deborah Kent, Project Officer, Fife Historic Buildings Trust. The trust is an independent charity working to find new uses for buildings based in Kinghorn. The trust is funded project by project.

Funders include Historic Environment Scotland, Fife Council, Scottish Government, UK Government.

Objectives include maintaining masonry trades, spreading and maintaining messages of heritage and managing holiday lets in Cupar, Dysart, Kinghorn

There is a wide ranging set of skills in the team. Current projects include Inverkeithing Heritage Regeneration, Inverkeithing Town House, St Monans, Silverburn Flax Mill, Buckhaven and Historic churches.

Deborah explained in detail the external repairs to St. Margaret’s House in Dunfermline between 2022 and 2023. FHBT worked with Fife Council to deliver a programme of external repairs to this Victorian detached villa, which overlooks the grounds of Dunfermline Abbey.  Originally named, ‘Abbey Gardens Cottage’, St. Margaret’s House was built sometime after 1841, having been designed by Architect Thomas Bonnar for his client George Birrell, former Lord Provost of Dunfermline. The property remained in domestic use until 1966 when it was purchased by Fife Council and adapted as office space.

Works included installing historically appropriate sash and case windows, high level roof and chimney work, repairs and repointing of the walls, refurbishment of the boundary railings, and reinstatement of the decorative wooden bargeboards at the eaves, based on historic photographic evidence.  

Deborah also touched on the Church of Scotland Fife Presbytery Plan 2022 that included intentions to sell 40 churches by 2027.

FHBT has received funding from AHF to focus on the 7 A listed churches under threat including in Culross, Burntisland and St Monans. Different ideas but common theme with buildings too important to not be accessible to the community. FHBT is trying to pull together a sustainable business plan.

The club’s vote of thanks was proposed by Alastair Durkie. More information at 

https://fifehistoricbuildings.org.uk/