Lisburn Churches

Lambeg Parish Church


Lambeg Parish Church, consecrated in 1737.	The Hilden Centre.

Rev. Ken McReynolds Rector

Lambeg Parish Church

(Ballyskeagh Road, Lisburn)and The Hilden Centre, Hilden

Rector: Rev. Ken McReynolds

Telephone: 9266 3872

Sunday Services:

September - June

July - August

9.30 a.m.	Holy Communion	(Service 1)	Each Sunday
11.00 a.m.	Morning Prayer	(Service 2)	Each Sunday
8.00 p.m.	Epilogue Service	Each Sunday

Hilden Centre:

Web site: www.lambeg.connor.anglican.org

HISTORY - Lambeg Parish Church

Historians tell us that a place of worship was in existence possibly as far back as 1306. The ‘Chapel of Lambeg’ was consecrated on 25th September 1737 and the only part remaining is the tower. In 1849, the church, with the exception of the tower, was completely rebuilt. In 1870, the church was enlarged increasing the seating capacity to 480.

The present rector, the Rev Ken McReynolds, who was instituted here in 1989, was appointed Canon of St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast in June 2008.

HISTORY - The Hilden Centre

The Lambeg parish area also includes the Hilden Centre at Hilden. Prior to 1911, a Sunday school for the children of Hilden district was held in the canteen dining room of the Hilden Thread Mill factory. In 1911, Mr. J. Milne Barbour, Managing Director built the E.M.B. as a memorial to his wife Elise Milne Barbour and on 18th February 1912, it was handed over and vested in the Session of Railway Street Presbyterian Church. In 1996 it was sold to Lambeg Parish to be used for Church extension work. The E.M.B. hall was later demolished and The Hilden Centre was built on the same site. The E.M.B. hall was later demolished and The Hilden Centre, built on the same site, was opened in 2001. Mrs Pat Harvey, who was appointed Pastoral Assistant in charge of the Hilden Centre in May 2000, retired in July 2008.

Historians assure us that there were monastic foundations, in the vicinity of the present Parish Church, dating from at least the fifteenth century and that a place of worship was in existence possibly as far back as 1306. However, the first definite mention of a Church is in 1598. A map of Ulster, made at that date and now in the possession of the British Museum, has “Lambeg Church” clearly marked. Besides this, a tombstone bearing the date 1626, has been discovered in the Churchyard. The fate of the original small church is uncertain, but, it is reported to have been in a ruinous condition before the beginning of the Civil Wars, which marked the end of the reign of Charles 1 (1649).

The year 1737 is an important date in the history of the Parish. On 25^th September of that year, Dr Francis Hutchinson, Bishop of Down and Connor, consecrated “the Chapel of Lambeg” and licensed a Mr Arthur to the curacy. The Church was an oblong building, measuring sixty feet in length by eighteen and a half feet wide. It accommodated a congregation of less than 200. The only part of it remaining is the tower, which was then surmounted by a wooden cupola complete with weathercock. The Church was completely rebuilt, with the exception of the tower in 1849 in the incumbency of the Rev. Alexander Orr. This was necessitated by the rapid growth of the population with the expansion of the linen industry. The old church was too small and could accommodate little more than one-fifth of the parishioners.

Just before the disestablishment of the Church of Ireland in 1870, the new church had to be enlarged to a seating capacity of 480 by the addition of a South aisle. The east end of this aisle was used as a chancel up to 1902 when at that date the old chancel was brought back into use. The pulpit, sanctuary chairs and lectern were the gift of the then Rector, the Rev. Chancellor Banks, whose long incumbency dates from 1877 to 1929. The present organ, erected in the east end of the South aisle in 1903, is the work of Messrs. Conacher and cost £418. The church bell, purchased from Ballymena Parish in 1895, was cast in 1866.It weighs 12cwt. The Sexton's house was built at a cost of £210.

The Churchyard was extended in 1921 through a gift of land from Sir Milne Barbour. Over one and a half acres were added and new paths laid. New entrance gates were erected in 1924 and later a second entrance with a broad avenue leading to the church was made. There are many old graves and gravestones in the Churchyard, the oldest dating to 1626 and reading “Here lyeth the body of Margaret Wilson, wife of Donnell Savage, who departed this life the 24 April 1626”.

In 1933, electricity was installed in the church and in 1949 the interior was redecorated. The Parochial Hall, which was opened in 1937, was a fitting conclusion to a long series of efforts, dating back to 1922, to raise funds for the project. In 1946 the derequisitioned school at Tullynacross was presented to the Parish by Sir Milne Barbour for to be used as a Sunday School as well as other Parish purposes.

Some other more recent developments:

1955 Old school at Church Hill demolished and car park constructed
1957 New Rectory constructed.
1964 Parochial Hall extended.
1967 Church roof re-slated and major refurbishment of interior of church.
1969 New robing room added
1976 Major renovation of Church stonework
2000 Extensive refurbishment of the church interior.
2001 The new Hilden Centre opened

The industrial ‘face’ of the Parish has changed greatly in recent decades with the demise of the linen industry and the disappearance of many of the mills and associated premises. However, these have been replaced by modern light industry ranging from the manufacture of soft drinks to Computers and business centres. To-day Lambeg parish ministers to some 450 families, the majority of whom actually reside outside the geographical boundaries of the parish.

Much has changed during the centuries of it’s history, but it’s task remains the same - to extend God’s Kingdom in the hearts and lives of it's people and to encourage worship in His house.

Brief history as recorded in a book ‘Lisburn’s Rich Church Heritage’ by John Kelly

There were monastic foundations, in the vicinity of the present church, dating from at least the fifteenth century and a place of worship was in existence possibly as far back as 1306. However, the first definite mention of a church is in 1598 and the fate of the small church is uncertain. On 25th September 1737 “the Chapel of Lambeg” was consecrated and with the exception of the original tower, the church was completely rebuilt in 1849 and enlarged just before 1870. The organ was installed in 1903; church bell in 1895, and the sexton’s house was built at a cost of £210. The churchyard was extended in 1921 and new entrance gates erected in 1924. Electricity was installed in 1933 and the church redecorated in 1949. The parochial hall was opened in 1937 and the school at Tullynacross was presented to the Parish in 1946. The old school was demolished and a car park constructed in 1955; a new rectory was built in 1957; the parochial hall extended in 1964; church roof re-slated and a major refurbishment of the interior of church in 1967; new robing room added in 1969; church exterior renovated in 1976 and the interior refurbished in 2000. The Rev Ken McReynolds, who was instituted as Rector in April 1990, was appointed Canon of St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, in June 2008. Mrs Pat Harvey, who was appointed Pastoral Assistant in charge of the Hilden Centre in May 2000, retired in July 2008. Canon McReynolds is assisted by Jack Hassard, Diocesan Reader and Dorothy Jackson, Parish Reader.

The Hilden Centre

The Lambeg parish area also includes the Hilden Centre. Prior to 1911, a Sunday school for the children of Hilden district was held in the canteen dining room of the Hilden thread mill. In 1911, Mr J Milne Barbour, managing director built the EMB Hall as a memorial to his wife Elise Milne Barbour and on 18th February 1912, it was handed over and vested in the session of Railway Street Presbyterian Church. In 1996 it was sold to Lambeg Parish to be used for church extension work. The EMB Hall was later demolished and the Hilden Centre, built on the same site, was opened in 2001.