Church of the Week
Whiteabbey , County Antrim
Whiteabbey Presbyterian Church was built in 1834; a community without anywhere to go worship pulled together to build this stunning Italianate church. In the 1830s, industrialisation was transforming the quiet fishing village of Whiteabbey into a hub of hand-loom weaving. With the nearest churches miles away in Carnmoney and Carrickfergus, most of the new residents had nowhere to attend services. For years, they met in a schoolhouse until Revd Dr Henry Cooke, a famous Presbyterian minister in Belfast came to preach and knew immediately that something had to change; he advocated strongly for a real church building for the growing community. The community stepped in, raising £905 – around £140,000 today – in a single year to build a church. By August 1834, the new church was already open for worship. Today, a dedicated and enthusiastic community continues to take care of Whiteabbey Presbyterian, including by commissioning a conservation architectural survey – supported by a grant from the National Churches Trust – to help ensure the future of the building.
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