St.Patrick's is part of European Heritage Day

St. Patrick's Church in Castle Street will open its doors next weekend as part of European Heritage Open Day 2025.

European Heritage Open Days is an annual celebration of local architecture, history and culture. This year the European wide theme for 2025 is "Architectural Heritage: Past Structure, Future Connections".

This year EHOD events will take place on the weekend of 13th and 14th September.

Over 300 heritage buildings and events are opening free of charge.

Many of these buildings are not normally open to the public, so this is a fantastic opportunity to explore what we have around us.

For the first time, one of Ballymena's famous 'Seven Towers' will open up to the public.

St Patrick's Church of Ireland Ballymena is a product of the 19th Century Industrial revolution. A revolution that saw Ballymena grow from a village in 1800 to a thriving industrial and market town by 1850.

When the original church in Church Street was too small for the congregation, the only solution was a new church on a new site - a bold idea and an expensive one.

Rector was Dr. Reeves

The Rector at the time (1841-1858) was Dr William Reeves. He was a man of bold ideas who relished the challenge of carrying out such a plan.

Reeves was an outstanding scholar with a Europe wide reputation as an antiquary.

The new church could not begin without the support of the landlord of Ballymena, Sir Robert Shafto Adair.

He proved to be most enthusiastic and offered to donate the site for the new church from the land of his own castle demesne.

A commanding site at the east end of Castle Street was chosen. The foundation stone was laid by Adair in March 1853 and the church was ready for consecration by August 1855.

Despite a fire in 1879, and the subsequent rebuilding, the church today remains largely as it was in 1881.

Structural addition

The only major structural addition was the Choir Vestry and connecting Cloister which was opened in 1957.

The addition was made possible by the acquisition of an area of land at the south side of the church from the old castle demesne.

The Choir Vestry and the Cloister are built of blue basalt recovered from the ruins of Ballymena Castle, the home of the Adairs who had so much to do with the building and restoration of the church.

The church will be open from 10.00am to 4.00pm on Saturday 13 September, and 2.00pm to 4.00pm on Sunday 14 September.