First Kilrea Presbyterian Church


First Kilrea Presbyterian Church is a church building of the Coleraine and Limavady presbytery of Presbyterian Church in Ireland. It is located in the village of Kilrea, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

History

The first Meeting House built for Presbyterians in the Kilrea district was at Moyknock. In 1642 the first church building at Moyknock was burned down. A second church was built in the townland of Boveedy, just outside modern-day Kilrea. This building served the parishes of Kilrea, Tamlaght, Boveedy and Desertoghill. The third meeting house, the first in Kilrea was built in 1770. The building stood a short distance in front of the present church.
The present-day church building or "Scot's Kirk" as it was called had its foundation stone laid in 1837 and opened for worship in 1839. The funding for the church was provided by the Mercers' Company and built to a design by William Barnes of London.

Ministers

IncumbencyMinister
c1680William Gilchrist
1697–1729Matthew Clerk
1732–1741Robert Wirling
1744–1748Alexander Cumming
1749–1785John Smith
1789–1794Arthur McMahon
1794–1821John Smith
1825–1851Hugh Walker Rodgers
1852–1869James Maxwell Rodgers
1869–1873James Heron
1874–1932James Stewart
1925–1962Hans Hadden
1963–1967Ivan James Wilson
1967–1975John Oscar Bridgett
1976–1985Ivan James Wilson
1986 –Trevor John McCormick