In 1751 Mr John Tennett, from the Edinburgh Presbytery was ordained to the pastoral oversight of the Secession Synod congregation in the parish of Ballyrashane. The first church building for this congregation was erected at Carnaboy on the Coleraine/Bushmills road: only a few stones of this building now remain. At that time the congregation was known as Carnaboy.
The congregation later moved to the present site at Ballywatt and became known locally as ‘Ballywatt’ although this was not its official name until 1900.
The first building on the present site was constructed for the total cost of £590. This building was 54 feet long and 34 feet wide with the pulpit in the centre of the wall opposite the entrance doors: it had a gallery round three sides, supported by cast metal pillars and could seat 600. It continued in use until the early 1890s when, after considerable debate, the congregation decided to demolish it and replace it with a new building on the same site. The new church building was erected by R. Young of Ballymoney, to the design of the architect, Vincent Craig. It was built of local black basalt with the vivid red Scotch sandstone which Craig liked, and the roof tiled with red Ruabon Terra Cotta tiles.
We think that our Peacocks attended the Presbyterian Church at Ballywatt. The above church was built in the 1890s replacing the one they would have attended.
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