Our Church

Our History

Past Times - McCready Presentation 1910

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In 1875, Quinton Hogg of London obtained possession of the limeworks at Ballylig, Magheramorne and soon afterwards made provision for a missionary to labour among his workers employed at the quarries. Services were held every Sunday evening at 5 o'clock in the local school room and conducted by James Orr, but this accommodation was found to be inadequate for the large congregation assembling for worship.

Consequently a Church building was erected at the sole expense of Mr Hogg. The contractor was A. McFerran of Bangor and the architect, S.P.Close of Belfast.

The Church was opened on Sunday, 4 February 1877 by the Rev Professor Crosskerry, Londonderry.

The church is about 4 miles from Larne and under 3 miles from Ballycarry, where the first Presbyterian Church in Ireland was established in 1613.

Local materials were used as far as practicable in the construction of the church with the building being of black, basalt stone and the wood work, pitched pine. The bell tower gives an air of completeness to the structure and the peal of the bell can be heard for miles around, calling the people to worship The exterior character of the building has not been altered, though it was re-slated in the summer of 1953 and the stonework was repointed in 1963. The re-slating was done by John McMurtry, Gleno, at a cost of £479 and the repointing by W Hunter & Co, Belfast, who charged £575.

For the first four years the congregation was non-denominational with services being conducted by a layman who was engaged by Mr Hogg.

There was a growing desire, however, by the Presbyterian families in the district to have a Presbyterian congregation established. At a meeting of the Carrickfergus Presbytery on 6 April 1880, a memorial, requesting this new congregation and an ordained minister to take charge, was presented. In support of the memorial the landlord, Sir James McGarel- Hogg, had agreed to augment the stipend.

The Presbytery agreed and the matter was transmitted to Synod and thence to the General Assembly. Subsequently the first minister, Rev David Graham McCrea, was installed on 10 May 1881. The ministers who have served in Magheramorne since that time are:

1. Rev David Graham McCrea
2. Rev John Carson
3. Rev John Thomas Doherty
4. Rev Douglas Hamilton
5. Rev James Wilson McAuley
6. Rev Leonard Paul McClenaghan
7. Rev Dr David Murphy
8. Rev Noel Matthew Williamson -
After linkage with Raloo congregation in 2009
9. Rev Neil Bingham

The first recorded baptism in Magheramorne was MARTHA, daughter of ROBERT and ESTHER McGAREL on 30 October 1880. The minister officiating at that event was Rev W J McCracken from 1st Ballyeaston.

The first marriage was that of THOMAS JUNIOR BEAUMONT, a wool buyer from Huddersfield and ISABELLA SHAW HARRISON from Magheramorne on 5 May 1881. The Minister was Rev David G McCrea.