Maison Dieu Church of Scotland (Former), Witchden Road, Brechin

Late classical-neo Georgian revival, with Greek detail at frontispiece on elevated site. Rectangular 6-bay plan, 2-storeyed treatment, pedimented frontispiece centre of W gable, 3-bay pilastrade of doors bearing distyle in coupled antis portico of fluted Ionic columns main entablature of flanks threaded through as lintels of main windows, small square windows above; flanks plain coursed rubble, small lower windows, large upper windows lintelled by main entablature, severe treatment except at westmost bays which have lower bipartites with their own entablature, tall tower eastmost bay of S flank, square with domed octagonal belfry stage, louvred round-arched openings in Doric pilasters, splayed sides blind with urns at angles. Hall at right angles to rear projecting S, tripartites in gables.

Large churchyard with dwarf boundary retaining wall. Good main gatepiers fluted on inner face, panel-pilastered on outer face, panelled banded rustication, short plain banded curved flank walls linking outer piers with ball finials; footgate lower down, banded piers with ball finials. (Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)

September 1995: The church is marketed by the Church of Scotland, having lain unused since the early 1980s. 9 January 1997: The Brechin Advertiser reports that the church has been purchased by an American sailor who plans to restore. February 2001: The Maison Dieu Church Building Preservation Trust is established, and is awarded £4,975 by the Architectural Heritage Fund towards feasbility studies. The private owner has indicated that he would be willing to transfer the building to MDCBPT, were a viable scheme identified. Possible uses include an arts centre or a centre for traditional music. February 2003: SCT understands that MDCBPT is carrying out a feasibility study into potential use as a Scottish fiddle centre. November 2003: Local planners report no change. May 2004: The MDCBPT reports that it is awaiting letters of support from interested parties prior to making further submissions to the Architectural Heritage Fund. September 2004: Local planners report that the church has been purchased by a restoring purchaser. May 2005: Local planners report that they are optimistic that the new owner will progress the development proposals for the building. October 2006: Historic Scotland report an LBC application is currently being considered for the conversion of the church to flats.

July 2008: External inspection finds the church appears to remain vacant.

August 2008: The planning application for conversion to residential use, 06/00989/LBC, is withdrawn.

June 2009: External inspection finds the church‘s condition deteriorating rapidly. There are a number of slipped slates, gutters are choked with vegetation, downpipes choked or broken and most of the window glazings have been broken. The masonry walls are generally in good condition but showing distress where there are leaking downpipes/ gutters. The church is being marketed for sale at time of survey.

June 2011: A member of the public advises the former owner of the site is understood to have gone into liquidation. The church is now up for sale via Ryden office in Dundee, offers invited. The Church is advised to continue to deteriorate and floors are thought to have collapsed internally.

August 2011: The Courier reports on a prospective purchasor for the former church, along with another BAR, former St Columba‘s Church and an unlisted former school in Brechin. The article goes on to note that the former church was last occupied in the 1980s.

22 October 2012: External inspection finds that other than some gutters have been cleared, there is no significant change from the previous site visit. A marketing board advertising the site for sale is erected within the grounds through agent Ryden.

7 June 2016: External inspection finds the building remains in much the same condition as seen previously.

26 July 2016: The site is under marketing for sale by auction, through Future Property Auctions, at a guide price of £55,000.

7 December 2016: Listed Building Consent for the conversion of the building to form 7 flats is being sought ref: 16/00848/LBC

6 June 2017: The property is being marketed for sale through auction at Future Property Auctions as a development opportunity. Guide price £80,000.

8 May 2018: The site is being marketed for sale by auction by Future Property Auctions at a guide price of £60,000.

22 August 2018: The property is being marketed for sale through auction at Auction House Scotland. A guide price of £45,000+ (plus fees) has been set.

16 July 2019: Listed Building Consent for conversion to form 7 dwellings (alteration of 16/00848/LBC) is being sought (19/00444/LBC). Consent for conversion to 7 dwellings were conditionally consented 2017 (16/00850/FULL & 16/00848/LBC).

22 August 2019: Full Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent for conversion to dwellings have been conditionally approved (ref: 19/00444/LBC).

17 February 2020: The property was removed from sale in October 2018.

5 November 2021: The Courier reports (04/11/2021) that the Maison Dieu church is set to be on the market soon, with offers over £69,000 being accepted.

10 December 2021: Currently being marketed for sale through Verdala. Accepting offers over £69,000.

11 April 2024: The courier reports (10/04/2024) that the building is set to go up for auction at £75k.