A New Lease of Life

Recently photographer Ruth Kelly had the opportunity to capture the beautiful Quarry Hill Church in Strangford and here she chats to owners Marty and Melanie Hamill.

- RUTH KELLY/NATIVE IVY

Marty and Melanie Hamill came across a worse for wear looking Strangford Presbyterian Church when they bought the house right next door. Built in 1845, the Church had been lying derelict for many years. Being natives of Strangford, the couple were familiar with it and in January 2017 they began the first phase of restoring, conserving and converting it themselves. They worked together over the course of two years, to complete the incredible task of turning it into the stunning holiday rental that can be found there today. Deciding to keep so many of the original features, they have transformed this Presbyterian Church into a totally unique guest house.

Marty, tell me a little bit about yourselves and the story behind Quarry Hill Church.

We are a local couple with a young family. My wife Melanie was born in Strangford and I grew up on a farm in the countryside nearby, we both went to school in the village hardly 50 metres from the church. We had noticed the church slowly falling into disrepair over the years but it was when we moved next door in 2016 we saw close up what a bad state it was in. It had been for sale for years, but perhaps the listed status and the scale of the challenge had deterred anyone from taking it on. Whether brave or stupid we decided to buy it and take up that challenge! There was a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but thankfully we didn't regret it.