What We Do
Image above: The front facade of the Dunfermline Abbey Church Hall. Credit: Fife Historic Buildings Trust.
Since its establishment in 1997, Fife Historic Buildings Trust (FHBT) has helped deliver over £60 million in historic environment regeneration projects across Fife. Its successful track record of creating viable futures for heritage buildings and their communities helped secure the organisation a spot as one of 12 Heritage Development Trusts across the UK, which are supported by a strategic partnership between the Architectural Heritage Fund (AHF) and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Through its work as a Heritage Development Trust, FHBT is specifically focused on working with partners to identify and develop a pipeline of historic building regeneration projects in Dunfermline, which is both Scotland’s ancient capital and its eighth and newest city.
Rich in history, culture and creativity, with an abundance of fascinating historic buildings and sites to offer, Dunfermline has seen a rapid expansion in its visitor economy since it was granted modern city status in 2022.
The AHF is delighted to announce that it has recently awarded new grants through the Heritage Development Trust programme to support the early stages of three distinct projects being undertaken by FHBT in the new City of Dunfermline. Located in close proximity to each other within the heart of the Heritage Quarter in the city centre, the proposed end uses for each of these projects will support ambitious plans to further expand Dunfermline’s growing visitor economy. The latest grant (for St Margaret’s House) was awarded at the AHF’s March Grants Panel, where, overall, seven awards were made to projects across the UK, totalling £446,375.
You can find out more about the three projects in Dunfermline by reading on below.
St Margaret’s House
St Margaret’s House is a Victorian detached villa that was built sometime after 1841. Originally named ‘Abbey Gardens Cottage,’ it was 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. Today, the building is empty and inaccessible to the public, and Fife Council has sought FHBT’s help to explore options for its future.
In 2023, FHBT led on the first phase of works to St Margaret’s House, delivering a programme of external repairs to the building to ensure that it is secure, wind and watertight, and ready for a new future use.
Now, following the completion of an AHF-funded viability appraisal, Fife Council has set out its preferred option to convert St Margaret’s House into a mixed-use heritage and visitor welcome centre at the heart of the Abbey Precinct. This use will complement existing heritage visitor attractions, including the Abbey itself, Abbot House, and the Carnegie Birthplace Museum.
An AHF Project Development Grant will enable FHBT to commission a comprehensive business plan; undertake discussions with city and Heritage Quarter partners about the story that the heritage centre is going to tell and decide the focus of its interpretation; appoint a conservation-accredited design team to develop the necessary building adaptations; and issue briefs and assess proposals for these pieces of specialist work.
Gardener’s Cottage – Monastery Street
This detached, three-storey cottage served as a home for the Head Gardener of Pittencrieff Estate from its construction in approximately 1875 right up until 2025, when the retired Head Gardener moved out. The property is important to the community as it forms part of the Pittencrieff Estate, given to the people of Dunfermline in 1903 by Andrew Carnegie, and is in close proximity to the historic ruins of Dunfermline Abbey and the nearby C-listed War Memorials. Currently unoccupied, the building is in danger of falling into significant disrepair.
With the expansion of Dunfermline’s visitor economy, there is an increased demand for holiday accommodation in the city. To address this need, FHBT is proposing to assist the Carnegie Dunfermline Trust to sensitively repurpose the Gardener’s Cottage and its large one-acre garden as holiday accommodation. There is also the potential to install eco-pods to the rear of the property to increase the accessibility of the site and appeal to walkers of the Fife Pilgrim Way. Any future income generated from letting the cottage would be invested back into Pittencrieff Park to secure its long-term sustainability.
An AHF Project Viability Grant will fund a feasibility study to assess the most appropriate way to convert the cottage and associated land.
Dunfermline Abbey Church Hall
Constructed in late medieval Anglo-French style, the Abbey Church Hall was provided by the estate of William McLaren, a prominent local retailer, around 1900. Originally gifted to the congregation for the principal purpose of the religious education of young people, it has been in use ever since and currently supports a range of congregational and community activities. Despite this, the building is currently underutilised and is considered unaffordable in the long term. Dunfermline Abbey Church and Fife Council are keen to see it developed for a sustainable new use that complements existing activity, especially within the Heritage Quarter.
FHBT is currently considering options for converting the Church Hall into affordable visitor accommodation. The Fife Pilgrim Way has raised demand for low cost accommodation in the area, however there are currently no bunkhouse options available in the centre of Dunfermline.
An AHF Project Viability Grant will fund a feasibility study to investigate options for the building’s conversion into visitor accommodation and explore economic viability. The completed appraisal will include a roadmap for next steps, including an understanding of next stage survey work and potential funding sources for delivery.
