Anglican Church sells North Adelaide mansion Bishop’s Court for new state record price
This is the most expensive residential property ever sold in SA. The Anglican Diocese’s 164-year-old mansion Bishop’s Court has topped the previous record of $7 million – and we can reveal who the new owner is.
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The state has a new residential property record, after prominent North Adelaide property Bishop’s Court sold to an SA businesswoman.
The Anglican Diocese of Adelaide announced today their iconic Adelaide property at 45 Palmer Place – which hit the market in February and was expected to fetch more than $10 million – had sold to local businesswoman Mary Kotses.
Mrs Kotses – the founder and owner of homewares and lifestyle stores Wheel & Barrow and Karma Living – today acquired the grand 164-year-old mansion, which sits on more than 5300 sqm of prime land overlooking Palmer Gardens.
Mrs Kotses said in a statement she had not planned on moving from her current property when the stately home hit the market.
“We had just started to embark on an extensive renovation of our existing French-inspired home, just around the corner,” Mrs Kotses said.
“My husband and I would often walk past and admire the beauty of Bishop’s Court.
“It certainly is a rare and unique estate, constructed in traditional Gothic style architecture.
“South Australia has some amazing late Victorian mansions. However, nothing quite
compares to the scale of Bishop’s Court.”
A spokeswoman for Mrs Kotses said the property would be used as a family home and would be renovated in time.
Neither the church, nor Mrs Kotses’ spokeswoman would reveal the property’s final sale price, although The Advertiser was told this would be made a matter of public record in due time.
However, The Advertiser understands it has broken the state’s residential real estate record, last set by Gilberton mansion Ivanhoe, which sold for $7 million in 2016.
Built in 1856 for the diocese’ first bishop, Augustus Short, Bishop’s Court has since housed a total of 10 church leaders. Its most recent residents were Archbishop Geoffrey Smith and his wife Lynn, who have called the sprawling estate home for the past three years.
The property’s sale has been the subject of debate among the church for decades, with the Anglican Synod overwhelmingly voting last year to sell the asset.
Archbishop Smith told The Advertiser in February that the time was right to finally sell the property.
“We want to release its value so that we can put that value, that money, into the work that we’re doing,” he said.
“This is not a fire sale, we don’t need to sell, (but) there’s so much that we want to do in terms of the ministry that we don’t think we can leave that (value) locked up.”
Mrs Kotses said in a statement she felt “blessed” the purchase opportunity has come up.
Mrs Kotses opened her first kitchenware store in Adelaide in 1993, resigning from her position as managing director in 2011 for health reasons.
She has since worked behind-the-scenes at her family’s other tourism ventures, including cellar doors and accommodation, and also assists with her husband and business partner, Angelo’s regional food and beverage industry projects.
The property is listed by both the National Trust of South Australia and State Heritage, and is set over three levels including a cellar.
It has seven bedrooms, two studies, a family room, a dining room, a formal sitting room, a drawing room, a kitchen, a grand entry hall and lobby, and an attached chapel. A double garage, a shed and a spacious workshop are located nearby.
The property was sold through Jamie Brown of Booth & Booth Real Estate.
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