Gracehill

Gracehill Moravian Church (Image: Gracehill Old School Trust)

GRACEHILL, a Moravian village or settlement, in the parish of Ahoghill, barony of Lower Toome, County Antrim.

It stands on the river Maine, two miles west of Ballymena.

It owes its origin to the Rev John Cennick, who, in 1746, founded here an establishment of Moravians, or United Brethren, who hold under Lord O'Neill, on lease renewable in perpetuity, about 200 plantation acres of land, which are divided in small portions among the brethren.

The land was originally leased from Mr Charles O'Neill, of Shane's Castle, whose descendants were elevated to the peerage as Barons, Viscounts, and Earl O'Neill.

In 1840 the village consisted of 39 family residences, of which the greater number were small cottages.

Gracehill Village Trust, in its history, remarks that a settlement founded by the Moravians in 1759, and the layout of the buildings and the unique Georgian style of architecture remain very much the same today.

The Moravian church remains at the hub of the village, facing the square and flanked by the Manse and the Warden’s House.

The Brothers' and Sisters' Walks, on either side of the Church, meet at the burial ground or “Gods Acre,“ which is still in use today.

In the 18th century the village was highly structured, all the inhabitants belonging to the Church.

They were divided into different groups or “Choirs,” each with specific duties and dwellings places, hence for example, the single brethren and sisters’ houses and the widows’ cottages.

The residents followed trades and crafts for the benefit of the settlement and in return were provided with a home and the essentials of life.

The intention was that the settlement should be self-sufficient and support its local evangelical work.

The Moravians were renowned for their high standard of education and there were for sometime, day and boarding schools for both boys and girls.

Gracehill ca 1830 (Historic OS map).  Click to enlarge.

The two principal houses, for unmarried brethren and sisters respectively, occupied three sides of a quadrangle, of which the area was ornamented with shrubs.

The sisters supported themselves by various kinds of needlework, particularly tambour and embroidery, which were much admired, and also superintended an extensive boarding-school for young ladies.

The inhabitants of the brethren's house having greatly diminished in number, the greater part of the building had been appropriated as a boarding-school for young gentlemen, conducted by the minister of the establishment and several assistants, and a daily school for boys and girls of the surrounding country.

A small linen manufacture and several other trades were carried on.

Single Brethren House in the foreground.

The church, at the west side of the village square, has a cupola and clock.

(Timothy Ferres, 2023)

The Single Brethren House stands to the left of the church; the Single Sisters' House, to the right.

Single Brethren House of 1768 (Timothy Ferres, 2023)

The Single Sisters' House was erected in 1765.

Single Sisters' House of 1765 (Timothy Ferres, 2023)

Today the Single Sisters' House operates as the Millside Restaurant.

(Timothy Ferres, 2023)

The chapel [built in 1759] is a neat and commodious building; the burial-place is on the summit of a rising ground, at a distance from the village.

Village shop (Timothy Ferres, 2023)

The former village shop of 1787, on the northern side of the Square, has a Victorian (replica?) pillar-box outside.

Grave of Sir William Wright CBE (Timothy Ferres, 2023)

God's Acre, the burial-ground on a gently rising slope at the back of the church, contains the grave of Sir William Wright CBE, founder of Wrightbus.

(Timothy Ferres, 2023).  Click to enlarge.

Dr Cossart's house of ca 1769, on the west side of the Square, became the Single Brethren House in 1819.

Dr Cossart's House (Timothy Ferres, 2023)

The former hotel on the east side of the village square is now a private dwelling.

Former Hotel (Timothy Ferres, 2023)

The Ladies' Academy and erstwhile Single Sisters' House, on the east side of the Square, was built in 1797. 

Ladies' Academy (Timothy Ferres, 2023)

The ecclesiastical government and discipline are Moravian; and the police are a small number of experienced men, under the superintendence of the ministers and elders.

The village is sometimes called Ballykennedy, in consequence of standing in the townland of that name; and it is connected by a bridge of four arches across the Maine, with the village of Galgorm.

In a bog in this townland is a curious artificial mount; and within its limits may be yet seen the ruins of an ancient church.