~ Over 300 Years of Worship in Aghalee ~


What's in a name?

Page 8 of the History of Aghalee Parish Church published by the Reverend SJ Brennan in 1977 states 'It (the Church) was built by Lord Conway in 1666/67, consecrated on 1st May 1677, and dedicated to the Trinity by Essex Digby, Bishop of Dromore'.

Unfortunately, the original seventeenth century Deed of Consecration no longer seems to exist. The 1977 Parish History goes on to state that the Church was completely renovated in 1899. What it doesn't mention however, is the fact that the Church was officially and legally rededicated at this time.

The anomaly came to light when the Rector discovered that depending on where he looked, two different titles were being used for his new Church!

A later Deed of Consecration was subsequently unearthed and it reads as follows, below the petition for the new chancel which precipitated it:

Petition to Consecrate New Chancel

The Petition of the Rector, Churchwardens and Parishioners of the Parish of Aghalee in your Lordship's Diocese of Dromore. Humbly Shewth

That the Parish Church of Aghalee, hath been lately enlarged by the addition of a Chancel to meet the requirements and convenience of the Parishioners, by the subscriptions of the Parishioners and other friends, and by a grant from the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London:

That your petitioners have accepted charge thereof whenever the same shall have been consecrated

That the same has been adorned and furnished with all things decent and necessary for the Worship of God.

May it therefore please your Lordship, by virtue of your Episcopal Office:

1. To separate the said Chancel from all common and profane uses, and to consecrate and Dedicate the same to the Worship of God, by the name of Holy Trinity.

2. To assign same to perpetually a part or parcel of the said Church of Aghalee for use of the inhabitants of the said Parish.

Signed: William Sleator, Incumbent (1882-1906) Thomas Bunting & Thomas Ellis, Churchwardens

Also: John McDonald, Stafford Gorman, John Hull, John Walsh, James Moffett, Jas Patterson, John Moffett, George Hillis and William Edmund Best.

DEED OF CONSECRATION of Chancel as an addition to the Parish Church of Aghalee, Diocese of Dromore

In the name of God, Amen, whereas the Parish Church of Aghalee in our Diocese of Dromore hath been lately enlarged by the addition of a chancel to meet the requirements and convenience of the Parishioners from funds provided by the Parishioners and other friends, and by a grant from the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, London; the said chancel being adorned and furnished with all things decent and necessary for the Worship of God.

And whereas the Rector, Churchwardens and other Parishioners of the said Parish have requested of us to separate the said chancel from all common and profane uses, and to consecrate the same.

Now therefore we, Thomas James, by Divine permission Lord Bishop of Down and Connor and Dromore, willing to comply with their pious and religious desire, Do for ever separate the said Chancel from all common and profane uses, and Do consecrate, Devote and Dedicate the same to the worship of God and the Celebration of Divine Service: and we further ordain that from henceforth for ever public prayer be openly read in the said Church according to the use of the Church of Ireland, the Word of God sincerely preached, and the sacraments administered, and that other matters be done and performed which by the Laws of God and the Canons of the Church and or may be done towards Divine Worship to the Glory of God and to the edifying of the Church: and we ordain and constitute the said Chancel ever hereafter a part or parcel of the said Church of Aghalee to and for the use of the Parishioners of the said Parish; and we do consecrate the said Chancel to the Honour of God and to holy uses; and we also dedicate the said Church by the name of Holy Trinity. And we do pronounce, decree and declare that the same is consecrated, and that it ought to remain so in future times, reserving nevertheless to ourselves and our successors, Bishops of Down and Connor and Dromore, the power of visiting the same when we or they shall think fit in our office to do so, in order that we might see that the same be taken care of in its repairs and ornaments, and that all things be observed therein canonically and orderly and which we declare and confirm for us and our successors, Bishops of Down and Connor and Dromore.

In Faith and Testimony hereof we have signed our name and caused our Episcopal Seal to be affixed hereunto this twenty seventh day of May in the year of our Lord one thousand, eight hundred and ninety nine and of our consecration in the eighth.

Signed: Thomas Down and Connor and Dromore, David XXXXX (illegible) Diocesan Registrar

While in many other parishes in the Church of Ireland the dedication is used in everyday conversation and reference, this has never really been the case for us.

No doubt, our beloved little place of worship will remain known to everyone as Aghalee Parish Church!

Incumbents of Aghalee - Part I

After our 'What's in a name?' article in the first edition of the Beacon, we are indebted to Mrs Joyce Best for these fascinating personal notes concerning our list of former Rectors and Vicars.

The present Parish Church of Aghalee was first consecrated in 1667 and in 1688 the incumbent is shown as Lemuel Matthews MA. Following him the succession is as follows:

(the figure in brackets shows their place on the list)

1675 (2) William English BA
1694 (3) John Winder
1697 (4) Charles Ward MA
1704 (5) William Walkington BA
1731 (6) John Welsh BA
1753 (7) John Arthur BA
1763 (8) Edward Fletcher MA
1778 (9) Philip Fletcher MA, son of Edward Fletcher above
1830 (10) John Corken BA
His obituary says "...to the poor of every denomination, he was a humane & liberal benefactor."
1834 (11) Robert Hill MA, the last Vicar of Aghalee
Old Mrs Hillis told Joyce when she first came to Aghalee in 1946 that she remembered him as a very kind and knowledgeable friend. He remained for 48 years.
1882 (12) John William Sleator MA, the first Rector of Aghalee
He began his ecclesiastical career as a Methodist Minister. Rather a sad man who suffered from poor health. One night when working with the Church records, he upset a candlestick and the resulting fire destroyed many of the parish records which were irreplaceable. He resigned in 1905 after 24 years in the Parish and left the Rectory to the care of two curates. As many of you will know, the distinction between the titles 'vicar' and 'rector' is a technical one. Historically, the style 'rector' was given to a clergyman who was supported by income from the tithe and glebe land of a parish which had always belonged to the benefice itself. Where the legal rights to such income had belonged elsewhere, for example to a local squire or landowner, a deputy or vicar (from vicarious) had to be appointed to carry out the cure of souls.
1906 (13) Archibald Douglas Andrew Scott MA
Mrs Best remembers Mrs Scott well. She took a great interest in the parish and its parishioners and knew them all. In latter life she lived near Armagh Cathedral and Joyce used to see her at the Royal School at Sports Day celebrations, where her husband (Joyce's) had been a pupil. Their daughter was always called Girlie and took great care of her mother. Rev Scott and his family are buried just outside the Church door.
1918 (14) Frederic Basil Aldwell MA, LLD
Stayed for five years. Had a daughter and son, also named Basil who was a fellow pupil with Joyce's husband Bill at the Royal School, Armagh. After the war he offered his very dashing red sports car to Bill, but it was not suitable for taking their small daughter in a carrycot! He later went to live near Bangor and became incumbent of St George's Church in Belfast and a Canon of St Anne's Cathedral.
1923 (15) John Balfour Bradshaw BA
Mrs Best's husband once told her that Mrs Bradshaw was not only "a lovely lady" who always smelt nice, but that she was the first person he had kissed without being told to! During the war their paratrooper son was killed when his parachute failed to open.
1930 (16) Frederick Richard McCullough MA
Bill Best recalled one day during the Italian campaign in WWII that a busy Colonel stopped in his tracks at the sight of a Royal Engineer officer directing his troop to build a bridge. The two soldiers, in the midst of their serious wartime responsibilities, greeted each other as old friends and reminisced about playing together on the lawn at Aghalee Rectory. The Colonel was Mervyn McCullough, son of the Rector, and the Engineer officer was Bill Best from the Cairn, Aghalee.
1944 (17) Hugh Frederick Woodhouse MA, DD
A distinguished scholar who only stayed in the parish for 3 years. He later went on to become Regius Professor of Divinity at Trinity College Dublin. Mrs Best remembers that he would not allow her to take Holy Communion, because she had not received confirmation in the Church of Ireland as her father was a Methodist Minister. He later went to live in Canada, where he now lives aged 90.
1947 (18) Ronald E.W. Thornton BA, BD, H Dip Ed
Mr Thornton is chiefly remembered as the founder of the Mothers Union in the parish. He also instituted an afternoon service with the help of Mrs Fiona Cromie for the older members of the parish. He had a very interesting sister who was a teacher at Mrs Best's former school, Trinity Hall in Southport. Joyce also remembers going to his wedding in Shankill Parish Church to Miss Ann Boston, just before he took up his appointment as Rector. His Best Man was Rev J Hodgins, who later also became Rector of Aghalee.
1953 (19) Francis Simon Ebbitt MA
A native of Co Cavan who remained as Rector for 6 years. He became Godmother to Will and Joyce Best's daughter Joanna. He and his wife later moved to Spain before returning to live in the Home Counties.
1959 (20) Robert Harold Lowry MA
Mr Lowry came to Aghalee very quietly, and a friend of Joyce's thought he was a holy man who breathed goodness. He had a very friendly family and one of his sons told Joyce recently that he was only 3 years old when they left here. He always saw good in everyone.
1962 (21) Richard Samuel Morris MA
Stayed only a very short time. He was a former Methodist Minister. As Joyce had been brought up as a Methodist, he arranged for her to be confirmed in Belfast Cathedral. He used to preach most interesting sermons - Joyce remembers him saying that Jesus never said nothing we didn't like would happen to us, but that he'd be with us when it did.
1964 (22) John Henry Hodgins BA, BD
The former head of a large mission school in Uganda during the rule of Idi Amin. He was a most unusual Rector and many people have different memories of him. He went on to become Dean of Killala after he left Aghalee and then to Queen's University to the now defunct office of Canon Theologian. He became a Canon of St Anne's Cathedral and retired to Belfast.
1969 (23) Samuel James Brennan GOE
Having spent his early life in business and as a Lay Preacher, he decided to make the Church his full-time profession. He and his family obviously enjoyed parish life and he was a very popular Rector. During his incumbency the Parish Hall was built which was a much needed facility. Mr and Mrs Brennan stayed in Aghalee until his retirement when they went to live in Newtownards.
1984 (24) James Alexander Harron GOE, HNC, GIMechE
Prior to Aghalee he had been Secretary of the Bible Churchmen's Missionary Society. A devoted pastor, his much loved wife Ellen died in 1997, a loss to the whole parish and of course their children Paul and Alison. Shortly before his resignation in 2003 he was made a canon of Dromore Cathedral. In 2002 he married the Reverend Elizabeth Mayes and they continue to enjoy the prayers of the parish for a happy retirement together.


Fixtures & Fittings

These notes came into my possession shortly after we came to live in Aghalee in 1979. A note attached to them says "Information obtained from William Ferris, late Church Warden, James Reid, Clerk of the church, and also from church books, John Watson, Thomas Hannon, John McCartney and many others".

The Church History published by Rev SJ Brennan in 1970 states that the church was completely renovated in 1899, which means that the notes were probably written before then as there is no mention of the alterations made at this date. The italics in the text note my own alterations/additions.

Aghalee church, more commonly called Soldierstown church, is situated about 7 miles west of Lisburn, on a leading road from the latter town to Aghalee and Lough Neagh.

It is an oblong edifice, one storey high and slated, with a handsome tower attached to the west end. It measures 64 and a half feet by 22 feet 3 inches on the inside. Walls 3 feet thick and built of stone and lime. The alley is laid with tiles and the pew floors boarded.

The interior is lit by two gothic windows on each side, one of which on the North side was boarded up following the building of the Youth Hall and one large gothic window on the east gable where the communion table stands. There is a gallery on the west end, supported in front on timber columns. The stairs ascending to it are situated in the tower, and are made of timber also.

The pulpit stands against the north side wall elevated some feet above the floor. The baptismal font is of marble and the pedestal on which it stands of capstone. The vestry is attached on the north side of the church. It stands 1 storey high and slated, and measures 16 and a half by 7 and a half feet inside. It is lit by two oblong windows.

The principal part of the pews and seats on the ground floor are of oak timber, and of great age, as is also the reading desk and communion table. Ventilation is afforded by letting down the windows. The stairs ascending to the gallery originally stood in the west end of the body of the church until 1836. Their removal at the latter period to the tower not only gave space for new pews on the ground floor, and one new pew in the gallery, but also much improved the west end of the church generally.

The entrance to the church is by a gothic door on the south side of the tower, and secondly by a large oblong opening from the from the tower into the body of the church (Does this mean that the doors between the tower and the church were added later?). The entrance to the tower up until 1836 was by a gothic doorway on the front, which doorway was closed (and where there is now a small memorial window?) and other improvements made, when the present door was opened on the south side at a later date.

The tower measures 106 feet by 10 feet 4 inches inside. The walls built of stone and lime are 3 feet thick, cornices and pinnacles of capstone. It stands 4 storeys high and lit by 4 gothic and 1 square windows. The original windows were oblong but very narrow.

The exterior of the church with its handsome spire and large gothic windows are all in good order, and from the handsome eminence on which they are situated, surrounded by lofty sycamore and other forest trees, commands a majestic appearance and an ornament to the neighbourhood in which they stand.

It is locally said that this church was built about 1686 and that the original roof was of oak and shingles. That roof remained on up to 1792, at which time the shingles were taken off and a slate roof put on. However in 1827 it was again unroofed. The old oak with which it was originally roofed was sold by auction for the benefit of the new repairs. The side walls were raised 6 feet and an entire new roof put on, together with considerable improvements in other respects at an expense of 164 pounds.

The present spire was also put on at the latter period, at an expense exceeding 100 pounds. Both these sums were levied on the united parishes of Magheramesk, Aghalee and Aghagallon and paid in 3 instalments; this being the only church in the above union.

The date of erection 1827 is cut in the vane over the present spire; 1713 was cut in the vane which stood over the old spire. The weather vane was damaged in a severe storm around 1966, but it was replaced ten years later. The latter spire was composed of timber and covered with shingles similar to the original roof of the church. The 1827 weather vane was left on the spire after the renovations in 1999 although it no longer revolves in the wind.

The neighbourhood on which the church is situated, and from which it takes its local name of "Soldierstown" church, derived that term from a troop of horse and two companies of foot soldiers having been stationed for some time in a hamlet, near the church, during the 1641 wars.

Many years ago a finely wrought gold officer's gorget was found in the area which gives credence to the idea that troops were once stationed in the area. It was also thought that these troops were responsible for the destruction of Trummery Church tower.

In 1899 a major refurbishment of the church was carried out - new seating was installed, the old ceiling removed, and the roof lined with pitch pine. A new pulpit and prayer desk were installed and the old chancel replaced by the present one. It should be remembered that prior to 1899, the pulpit was on the North side of the church, where the present prayer desk is situated.

The present vestry was built nine years earlier, but the location of the earlier vestry is not noted so I assume that the building of the new vestry and the move of the pulpit to its present site on the South side of the Church are connected.

In 1923 the exterior of the church was roughcast and the stable at the church gate was re-plastered. The electric lighting was installed in the church in 1975 by Mr Joe Lavery and was dedicated at a most impressive service by the Archdeacon of Dromore.

The present Parish Hall was built in 1982 on land donated by Mr Richard Hayes and dedicated by the present Archbishop of Armagh when he was Bishop of Down and Dromore. At the same time the Bangor Blue slates on the church roof were replaced and damaged rafters repaired at a cost of £4,300.

The latest repairs to the church fabric were made in 1999 when the tower was completely renovated, re-plastered and made weather proof.

Holy Trinity Church, Aghalee has stood on its present elevated site overlooking the Broadwater for over 300 years, although the Broadwater as we know it today probably looked rather different from how we see it today, before the advent of the Lagan Canal.

Distinguished local historian Dr Francis X McCorry is currently researching the social history of this area and we are honoured that he penned what follows specially for the 'Beacon'. Frank is due to be the guest of the Mothers' Union next year and is no stranger to the Church of Ireland parishes of the wider Lurgan district.

On the road from Banbridge to Newry, roughly thirteen miles in extent, Loughbrickland is the only settlement. This was a stretch of the ancient Slighe Mhidhluachra, a road which led from Tara, in Royal Meath, to Dunseverick in north Antrim. Similar in length and also associated with the ancient roadway is the road between Lurgan and Crumlin. Four settlements grace this road, namely Aghagallon, Aghalee, Lower Ballinderry and Glenavy. All four were early Christian or mediaeval church sites. Why the greater number locally?

Lough Neagh was undoubtedly the principal factor. It was a major transport system, criss-crossed by a network of routes used by missionaries, by men of military might, by mendicants in search of sustenance, by fishermen, and by those simply in search of peace and freedom. Fish and wildfowl were in abundance. Adjoining bogland provided an adequate supply of turf. The great woods of Killultagh which embraced the shoreland yielded the means of building and comfort. Further inland, the ground was elevated and fertile. Such features ensured that the districts east of Lough Neagh were desirable places to inhabit and perhaps to rule.

As time progressed, land reclamation and development led to a gradual increase in the need for skilled and labouring employment. The domestic linen industry developed rapidly and this was accompanied by major increases in population. Not everyone benefited during this new era, and poverty, poor housing and subdivision of small holdings existed in parallel with the generation of unprecedented wealth on medium-sized and large farms with splendid outhousing and impressive dwellings.

Within the various local parishes and settlements, denominational groupings and individual family gatherings were establishing their particular social and economic roles within society at large. The principal religious denominations erected worthy churches and established proper schools. They also sought to establish the Christian principles and practices which would ultimately benefit all, regardless of status or achievement. In every sphere of society, opportunities arose for material and spiritual development. The betterment of one generation became the first step on the ladder for the next. People of considerable eminence emerged.

The late and highly esteemed Professor Mollie McGeown (1923-2004) set international standards in renal care and surgery. Professor James Canlin Beckett (1912-1996), from Ballinderry, was a greatly respected Professor of Irish History at Queen's University. Professor ERR Green (1920-1981) from Hillsborough and a son of ET Green was Director of the Institute of Irish Studies at Queen's University, and was as happy discussing the Aghagallon Montiaghs and the Lagan Valley as he was leading academic discussions in the great American universities. And then there was Sir John Lavery (1856-1941).

Sir John Lavery, the famous painter who was welcomed into the great social circles of Ireland, England and France, was orphaned at the age of two years and was reared for some years in a family home on the periphery of Aghalee.

No doubt mindful of the vagaries and uncertainties of life, and even in later years remembering his kin in Aghalee, he wrote the following in a letter to his cousin, Kate, about her son who hadn't achieved the heights in sculpting and painting and who was concerned about his 'failure':- "Tell Eddie not to worry about failures because success is an empty thing compared with the joy that is to be got out of work especially if bread and butter is secure." From Sir John Lavery, in Brighton, to his cousin Kate Clenaghan, in Aghalee, 17th May 1934, when aged 78 years.

Couldn't this be a thoughtful motto for many in this frantic modern era when disappointments and expectations often go hand in hand?