St Monans Auld Kirk

 A transformation in progress

The Auld Kirk

St Monans Auld Kirk has been a place of worship since 1265, but ceased being used by the local congregation in 2022, when the Church of Scotland finalised Presbytery Plans to sell off 400 churches across Scotland.

The St Monans Community Council set plans for community ownership and with the help of Fife Historic Buildings Trust (FHBT), a group of 6 local residents, with representation from the congregation, Community Council and local businesses, formed SMAKE (St Monans Auld Kirk Enterprise), a company limited by guarantee and with charitable status.

SMAKE

Since 2023, SMAKE has held regular open days in the Kirk and attended village events to talk to the community about how the Auld Kirk could best serve the needs of St Monans. It is clear that there is strong support for community ownership of the Kirk, and a compelling vision for how the Kirk could be sustainably run.

In early 2024, with the assistance of FHBT (enabled by the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) and Historic Environment Scotland (HES)), SMAKE secured funding from the Scottish Land Fund (SLF) and AHF to commission a valuation, business plan, conservation statement and to architects to design the necessary improvements to make the Kirk accessible and useful to everyone in the village. On the basis of this, a second application has been submitted to the SLF in early 2025 to fund the purchase and reopen the doors of the the Auld Kirk.

Our vision for the Auld Kirk

The community of St Monans has voiced that it wants the Kirk to remain in the community, open to all and available for important life events, such as weddings, funerals and christenings.
Our vision and business plan sets out how this will be achieved, including:

  • Ensuring the east end of the Kirk remains a sacred space for contemplation and reflection.
  • Sensitive, climate- conscious addition of kitchen facilities in a discreet corner of the northwest transept, and accessible WC facilities in the vestry
  • A community café serving locals and visitors, and providing a welcoming, intergenerational meeting space 
  • Availability for concerts, conferences and festivals 
  • A heritage display sharing the rich history of St Monans and the Kirk, with space for hosting rotating exhibits.

We envisage that the transformation will take places in phases over 4 years (dependent on funding), will retain the character of the building and reflect its past; and hope that for the majority of the time the Kirk will remain open, serving the community.