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THE RECTORY AT HOLY TRINITY

 

The Rectory at Holy Trinity is a large Victorian building next to the church. The Rector and his family moved out of the Rectory two years ago in order to live in a smaller and easier to heat house. Since then it has been rented out, while renovation work was carried out.

 

There has long been a discussion on whether the Rectory should be sold and a more modern building should be bought, where maintenance and heating would be easier.

 

While this discussion was taking place, the opportunity to explore the purchase of Number 22 High Cross Avenue came up. This house is on the other side of the church, and is of a more modern construction. In accordance with the procedures of the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Diocesan property committee came to inspect this house. The report from the Dean of the diocese is below. It recommends the purchase of this house and the selling of the Rectory in order to enable it to happen.

 

As a result of the vestry discussion, it was unanimously decided by the Vestry that the church should go ahead and seek to sell the current Rectory and if possible purchase number 22.

 

It is vital that the Vestry hear the thoughts of the congregation on this before we finalise this decision. In order to do that, there will be a short General Meeting on Sunday 17th November immediately after the service to discuss this.

 

Below is provided (a) the report on the Rectory which formed the discussion for the Vestry and (b) the report from the Diocesan Property Committee.

 

REPORT FROM THE DIOCESAN PROPERTY COMMITTEE ON THE POSSIBLE PURCHASE OF NUMBER 22 HIGH CROSS AVENUE, AND IT’S SUITABLITY AS A RECTORY

 

Three members of the Diocesan Buildings Committee (Frances Burberry (Dean), Paul Goode and Alex Stewart (Convener)) visited 22 High Cross Avenue on Wednesday, 16 October 2024 to assess its potential as a new rectory for Holy Trinity Melrose, replacing 20 High Cross Avenue. As a general ‘rule of thumb’ the Heritable Property Trustees (Bishop, Dean, Chancellor and Registrar) – in consultation with the Diocesan Standing Committee – are not averse to a charge replacing its current rectory if a better rectory can be found near to the church.

 

Our summary assessment of number 22 is as below –

 

· Number 22 High Cross Avenue is a four bed, stand-alone, 1970s property on a quiet street on the same side as the church and just next door, could not be any closer.

· In our opinion it would be totally suitable for a rector and family.

· The property has been modernised and well maintained by the current owners, and benefits from the installation of a lift which does not compromise ground floor storage space and the bedroom provision upstairs.

· It has a separate external access to a heated, large room, previously a double garage, with an adjacent utility/ kitchen area.

· There is also internal access to the kitchen of the main house.

· The garden at number 22 has been well maintained and the trees, though large have also been cared for.

· This property is a real find and if the exchange of properties is affordable, we would encourage the Vestry to obtain this property and dispose of the old rectory at number 20 which requires substantial work, costing – we estimate – many thousands of pounds.

 

Please note, although the Dean has reported the above to the Bishop, and the Bishop has raised no objection to the proposal at this point, the two other Heritable Property Trustees (Chancellor and Registrar are not yet ‘in the picture’; noting too the new Chancellor – Gavin McEwan – will be taking up office from 1 December 2024).

 

The Scottish Episcopal Church has the ambitious target of making major strides towards reducing our overall carbon production to zero by 2030. We all have a part to play in caring for and renewing our precious planet and the wonderful life it supports. Therefore, all congregations should aim to use energy efficiently and reduce the carbon produced by their church buildings while meeting the needs of all the people who use them and - in the case of rectories - live in them. Which means Vestries should look to make changes which are practical, worthwhile and can be afforded.

 

The rectory at 20 High Cross is poorly equipped to face today never mind the future, and because of that fact the Rector and family – with the Bishop’s permission – moved out some time ago to live in their own property nearby. The 2018 Quinquennial Inspection Report of the rectory noted,

The type of stone chosen for this building is of poor quality and will be an increasing issue in the future. The roof covering is in reasonable order, but the chimney stacks are deteriorating and require attention. The windows and doors generally are in fair order but would benefit from redecoration in parts internally.

 

It would seem the congregation of Holy Trinity is being offered more or less first refusal on number 22. If Vestry wishes to explore its purchase of 22 High Cross Avenue, I would suggest Vestry:

· obtains formal valuations and home reports for 20 and 22 High Cross Avenue

· finds out from the current owners, the acceptable offer

and reports back to me and the Diocesan Buildings Committee.

 

Meantime, I will raise the prospect of a rectory exchange with the Chancellor and Registrar.

 

Frances Burberry, Dean

28 October 2024

 

REPORT WRITTEN BY THE RECTOR ON THE FUTURE OF THE RECTORY, 13TH OCTOBER 2025

 

PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT

 

This report concerns the current Rectory and explores the options of selling it or keeping it and renovating it. It does not come to any conclusions. It is the Vestry’s responsibility, having read this report and discussed it, to make a recommendation to the congregation, and then for the congregation to decide share their opinions to the Vestry for an final decision.

 

I have tried as far as possible to provide facts and figures where available, and where they are not available to outline the parameters of discussion.

 

PURPOSE OF THE RECTORY

 

The primary purpose of a rectory is simple – to provide tied housing for the Rector and their family, in order to enable them to live within the parish. The stipend is presumed to include this payment in kind.

 

There is no expectation in the provincial guidelines that the congregation has use of the Rectory as a “public place”. Where there is a habit of using the rectory as a meeting place, the provincial guidance suggests that (a) this is with permission of the Rector and their family and (b) this can only be done if the rectory is suitably equipped with accessible toilets and is disabled-friendly.

 

The house that the current Rector lives in in Darnick is used for meetings or individuals about four times a week, but a different Rector may feel differently about this. For personal safety reasons it is increasingly less common for a rectory to be used as a meeting place.

 

 

WHO OWNS THE RECTORY ?

 

The Diocese owns almost all of the property in the diocese, churches and rectories alike. This is the case with us, according to our constitution (article 4 and 13). We as a vestry are required to keep the properties in good order, and the diocese does not normally provide funds for this.

 

In the event that we desire to sell a property, it must first gain permission of the Diocese. This is given or refused via the Finance and Fabric Committee, and delegated to the Property committee. They also decide whether purchasing a building is in the interests

of the charge and diocese and have final say over the suitability or otherwise of a potential property.

 

 

WHAT ARE THE REGULATIONS ON RECTORIES?

 

There are a number of stipulations made on a provincial level concerning the standard of clergy housing.

 

Here are some pertinent points from the various documents available via the Provincial website (in order of the documents, not order of importance)

 

· Rectories should have “three principal rooms comprising: a lounge, a dining room, a study: four bedrooms (at least two of which should be double bedrooms), a bathroom with bath/shower and flush toilet, a separate second flush toilet, kitchen and utility room (the kitchen and utility room need not be separate,” (Minimum standards for clergy, Housing Standard point 1)

 

· Housing should comply with the Province's environmental and climate change policies. (SEC Document on Clergy Housing Responsibilities) P1, Point 3 ie the church and the rectory are required to be net zero by 2030.

 

· The property should have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of at least C. Should the rating be lower than C then the vestry should consider taking remedial action or offering an appropriate heating allowance. (ibid. Point 7)

 

· All rooms with windows should, where possible, contain double-glazing or where this is not possible secondary glazing should be fitted, but ensuring always that adequate ventilation exists where such secondary glazing is fitted. Alternatively, where the installation of double glazing would be inappropriate or disallowed (e.g., a listed building or a building in a conservation area) refurbishment of windows – draughtproofing, overhaul and tightening of moving parts – and the provision of working shutters or heavy curtains should be considered. (ibid. point 8)

 

· Dioceses should regularly review with the clergy the suitability of their housing. Where problems are encountered then vestries should be encouraged to upgrade the property or, if this proves impractical, to acquire a replacement rectory . (ibid. “Property maintenance” point 8)

 

OPTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

 

1) Retain the current building and improve it to make it warmer and more fuel efficient, meeting net zero targets.

 

2) Sell the current building and use the money to purchase a more modern building, which is easier to adapt to net zero etc.

 

The Vestry has previously discussed the possibility of either getting planning permission to build a new rectory on the current rectory grounds, or selling off ground with planning permission, in order to fund the necessary improvements to the current building. However planning permission has been refused for a wide number of reasons, and the refusal was of a nature that it is unlikely to succeed at any time in the future.

 

FACTORS IN WHETHER TO SELL ORE RETAIN THE CURRENT RECTORY

 

1) Cost of housing in Melrose – could selling the rectory provide us with enough money to purchase an improvement which meets the provincial requirements?

2) Cost of renovation of current rectory to comply with the same provincial requirements

3) Future costs of both options – ie what costs may we reasonably infer within a given period of time (eg fifty years) from the options above.

4) Costs of net zero with either option – how much would converting a new rectory to be in accordance with the provincial net zero guidelines cost, compared with that for the current Rectory?

5) Welfare of subsequent Rectors – ie which of the above options would be more likely to appeal to someone applying for the post of Rector of Holy Trinity, and how much of a difference does it make to their decision?

6) Suitable areas for any proposed new rectory ie what is a reasonable distance between the church and any new rectory. Would the lack of close proximity be a bar to future rectors wishing to live in a new rectory?

 

 

1) COST OF HOUSING IN MELROSE

 

The most recent estimates for the valuation price of the current Rectory was given on 30th June of 2024. The estimate was between £550,000 and £600,000.

 

We should bear in mind that there will be a percentage taken by the selling agents.

 

Looking at the properties currently for sale in the area, there are four houses for sale within this price which would fit the provincial guidelines, and are within the canonical boundary (parish) of the church (ie St Boswells, Bowden, Gattonside, Melrose etc) but few close to the church. In Melrose location counts for a great deal.

 

There is one potential property within the price range which is very close to the church, but it cannot be guaranteed. Most of the houses available are in the upper limit of what we may expect to receive for a potential sale of the Rectory.

 

2) COST OF RENOVATION

 

 

Much of the work in the Quinquennial has been done concerning the rectory. Outstanding work relates to the nature of the stonework, which requires repair. Although no estimate has yet been sought on this, we have received estimates for

similar work on the church. It is not unreasonable to suggest repair work on the Rectory may be in the region of £100,000.

 

Are there any grants available?

 

Diligent efforts have been made by the Fabric Convenor to find grants for the church and rectory. There are some grants available for reducing our carbon footprint, and other grants are being sought. Generally speaking it is easier to get grants for the church than it is for a rectory.

 

Current grants being investigated relate to the installation of new heating systems and insulation. The grants we may reasonably expect to receive will be for 75% of up to £60,000 in total. One of these grants (up to £30,000) must be spent solely on the church, and the other must be spent solely on heating solutions, but can be spent on either the church or the rectory.

 

 

3) FUTURE COSTS OF REPAIR TO BUILDINGS OF THE CURRENT OR POTENTIAL RECTORIES

 

This is not a matter which can easily be enumerated. Much has been done to the current rectory which one might hope would future-proof it to a certain extent, and we do not know whether any other house would fare better or worse. New build houses generally have better insulation and some improved building standards, and again generally speaking older houses cost more to upkeep, but other than this being a factor we might need to bear in mind, it is not something which can specifically be determined numerically.

 

4) COSTS OF NET ZERO FOR THE CURRENT RECTORY AND SPECULATION ON POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS.

 

We do not have very recent figures available for the work required in making the Rectory net zero. It seems reasonable to suggest that to become net zero the Rectory would need (i) upgrading of the windows and doors to provide more “u-value” ie have them better retain heat (ii) replacing the gas boiler with something more environmentally friendly (ii) upgrading the insulation if possible.

 

The nearest cost for upgrading the windows is the quotation given for a single window in the bathroom of the Rectory. To replace this window with a double glazed window (in keeping with a listed building) was £2,270, less for a single glazed upgrade – ie £1,750. This estimate was given in April of 2022.

 

It would be unwise to extrapolate too specifically from this single estimate. There are a variety of windows in the Rectory, some of which are original, some of which are bigger sash and case windows which may be cheaper. In total there are twenty five windows in the Rectory including the window areas above the doors.

 

An overall cost for renovating windows and doors would be likely to be in the region of £30,000-£50,000.

 

In terms of insulation, it is a relatively cheap matter to put more insulation in the attic space. Were there a requirement to insulate the walls, this would be a prohibitively expensive matter, and as such we would have to discount it from our plans. As such it is not worth getting specific estimates.

 

The current rectory is fitted with a gas boiler. Net Zero stipulations would require us to change this to a non-carbon based system such as air source heat, or electric boiler. This cost is hard to gauge, but is likely to be around the £15,000 mark. It is also likely that other properties will need similar work, costing based on house size and age of radiators etc.

 

 

5) WELFARE OF INHABITANTS/ATTRACTING SUBSEQUENT RECTORS

 

A number of questions arise here which again are not easy to enumerate but should be noted and discussed if useful.

 

It seems no diocese province or denomination in the SEC or the C of E (or indeed the C of S) has invited a survey from clergy as to the type of houses they may wish to live in. As a result the only insights I can offer are anecdotal and should be treated as such. I have asked all the clergy I know within the diocese of Edinburgh and beyond, and a number of other clergy from the C of S.

 

There is of course the matter of aesthetic taste, ie whether people would prefer to live in a rather beautiful old building, or a more modern one. I do not believe it would be useful to try and discuss this unduly, as it did not come up as a priority for any of the clergy I spoke to.

 

I sought to ask clergy what the major factors are concerning a rectory which may attract you to a job (or which might make you think again). This was not a scientific survey, but the priorities are as below.

 

1) Warm and cheap to heat

2) Some level of privacy/congregation respectful of boundaries

3) In good condition

4) Safe for children/ secure garden not on a busy road.

5) Not so big that a lot of furniture buying is required.

 

Generally speaking there was a significant preference for modern building rather than older, largely because they are cheaper to heat, but this may change with the new net zero requirements being fulfilled.

 

Also generally speaking, these factors mattered more to younger clergy and clergy who had been more recently ordained than older/more experienced clergy.

 

More than this cannot really be usefully said – it is largely a matter of taste and individual preference.

 

 

6) SUITABLE AREAS FOR RECTORIES/REASONABLE DISTANCE FROM CHURCH

 

Again this is largely a matter of preference for Rectors, but congregations may feel differently about this, as may the diocese.

 

Within the Edinburgh diocese, seven Rectories are within a hundred yards or so of the church. A further twenty-three are within four miles of their churches. Of the rest, the rectories that were more than four miles away from the church were due to there being joint incumbencies. That is, a rector that had charge of two or more churches tended to live within four miles of one of the churches, and therefore a distance from the other.

 

Of the charges outwith the bypass, four rectories are within a hundred yards of the church, nine are within four miles, and seven are more than four miles away.

 

SUMMARY

 

1) It is possible, but not easy, to find a more modern house of the price estimated for the sale of the rectory which satisfies the provincial requirements. We would be lucky to find somewhere within easy walking distance.

2) The cost of converting any house to satisfy net zero requirements will be a challenge. An older house such as the rectory presents possibly more difficulties than a newer house.

3) It will be expensive to perform the work required on the current rectory for the quinquennial repairs. Some funding may be possible but will need work.

4) Many potential Rectors will welcome a rectory which is relatively cheap to run and offers some level of privacy. It is hard to assess the level of importance ie whether this is a significant factor when applying for a post.

5) A Rectory need not be next door to the church but within a very short car journey is normal.

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