Gillian Noble never intended to buy a church.
But that changed when a landmark building in Monifieth appeared on the market during her hunt for a venue to open a cafe – her dream after 35 years in the financial services industry.
“I always had a drive to do something a bit more creative than investments,” she says.
“So for a while, I was looking for a property that might be in keeping with that type of thing.
“I thought it would be something more like a little unit on the High Street – just like a normal kind of little coffee shop – but it developed when we saw this building.
“It’s quite something. It’s very grand. And the windows are just spectacular.”
Gillian bought St Rule’s Church on Church Street for £143,000 in the summer of 2022.
Two years and a £260,000 renovation project later, she is now running The Culdee – a cafe, art gallery and events space.
Its name references a monk settlement believed to be on the site from 600 AD up to the Reformation.
The gorgeous new joint – which features a gleaming baby grand piano and sparkling chandeliers – opened shortly before Christmas.
Six-month-renovation of The Culdee, Monifieth, was a team effort
Following a full strip-out conducted by Gillian’s husband Simon and some friends, the six-month renovation was led by Dundee property developer West Development.
The team worked closely with architect Daryl Barr of Gauldie Wright & Partners and quantity surveyor Ross Howie of Howie Construction Limited to create Gillian’s vision.
“I was quite involved, probably more so than everybody would have wanted,” she chuckles.
“But when it is your baby and you’re trying to get this really high-end feel on a budget, you just have to be there for all the decisions and physically getting stuck in and getting whatever you can done.
“So I’ve been kind of hands-on all the way through.”
“I wanted to be really sympathetic to the building and enhance the features that are already here,” she says.
The end result?
A cosy coffee bar, several comfortable dining areas, an elegant events space and a meeting room for corporate gatherings.
The walls are covered in stunning artwork by local artists which customers can buy.
And among the antique furniture and tumbling plates of comfort food are charming reminders of the building’s history, including the old pulpit and a replica of a stone cross.
Sustainability has been at the centre of The Culdee‘s transformation.
“It evolved into a piece of work that used a lot of the church materials,” says Dundee-born Gillian, who moved to Monifieth in 2005.
“Whether it be old choir gates or ecclesiastical panels that were sitting about – we’ve reused them.
“For example, some of the handrails and our shelving are made out of pew seats.
“The hand basin unit in the bathroom is crafted from an original pew, too.
“It’s all really skilfully done without feeling like a museum.”
Likewise, the majority of furniture in the building has been bought from Dundee auction house Curr & Dewar and Facebook marketplace.
“A lot of our tables are effectively what might have been your granny’s old dining table,” she laughs.
“Often you will find auction houses have got these beautiful, big tables – and no one’s got anywhere to put them.”
Gillian also reupholstered much of the furniture herself, including updating the fabric on second-hand chairs. “Everything’s ended up being quite kind of vintage, and it’s got a really nice feel about the place.”
Monifieth cafe features ‘spectacular’ listed stained glass windows
She adds: “All the colours we’ve used really set off the amazing stained glass windows.”
Yes, those stained glass windows. Perhaps the jewel in the crown of the 1812 building.
Gillian says: “They are listed, of course, so it wasn’t a choice to keep them – but when we saw them there was never any question that they would absolutely be maintained and preserved.
“They are spectacular.”
The Culdee, which employs a team of 10, has been flat out since it opened in November.
How have locals reacted to the new venue?
“The customers have all been 99.9% delighted,” Gillian says.
“Many of the old parishioners are overwhelmed that we’ve kept so much of the original building and tried to lift it, rather than fight against it, or make it too modern or clinical.”
What’s next for The Culdee?
Gillian is already thinking about what she might do next – namely with the unused upstairs gallery space.
“I think there’s a possibility that we’ll go down the retail route – maybe interiors.
“But we’ll play about with that idea before we decide.”
Not to mention, she and Simon, parents to 12-year-old son Seb, have recently launched their second renovation journey.
“We’ve bought the neighbouring building, the Gerard Hall, and we’re converting that into a house.
“We like a project and we like these beautiful buildings.
“The purchase of them is quite good value for money – it’s the renovation works that cost an absolute bomb.
“We are living there with no heating at the moment.”
To be continued!
Conversation