St Nicholas' Church in Carrickfergus calls for community to back restoration efforts

The church is set to launch Be In‘spire’d, an innovative fundraising initiative which aims to carry out vital restoration work to the church tower and buildings.

As part of the campaign, this month St Nicholas’ are on a mission to encourage individuals, local businesses and other interested groups to back the ‘Buy A Brick’ summer challenge.

The historic building with its iconic spire is one of the most prominent landmarks in the Carrickfergus area.

Located at Market Place in the heart of the town, St Nicholas’ Church of Ireland is steeped in history, dating back over 800 years to the 12th Century.

Built around 1180, the church is full of intriguing features both old and new, and offers guided tours for those who are interested in learning more about its rich history.

It is a key part of the town’s heritage, and has been the venue for a large number of community events over the years.

They include the civic carol service at Christmas to hosting a commemoration event in memory of Her Majesty the Queen in September 2022.

St Nicholas’ also boasts an active church community, and supports many local people right across the Mid and East Antrim borough and beyond.

However, repair work is urgently required to shore up the building for future generations.

Rector, Christopher St John said, “We recently carried out a condition survey which indicated that there are vital areas of work that need to be addressed.

"The highest priority work includes pointing and stone repairs to the church tower and baptistry, which is going to be a very costly exercise.

“Given the importance of this beautiful historical asset which provides such a real sense of community and character to the town, we thought it was fitting to reach out to inspire the wider community of Carrickfergus to get behind this campaign.”

It is estimated that the first phase of the works will cost in the region of £35-50k.

The total cost will depend on further assessment and condition reports following the completion of the first phase.

The ‘Buy a Brick’ summer challenge invites members of the local community to buy one or more bricks for a donation of just £10 each.

“The good news is, they are virtual bricks, so no need to worry about deliveries,” said the organisers of the campaign.

"Donors will be rewarded with the knowledge that they are helping to protect one of the town’s finest buildings to leave a lasting positive legacy for the next generation.”

The Rector added: “We are very grateful to the generosity of our parishioners who have already stepped up to help raise crucial funds and we are planning to host several public events to also support the challenge.”

If you are interested in making a donation to the project, email [email protected] or phone the church office 028 93360061 for details of how to contribute.