Carlisle Memorial is a former Methodist church in Belfast and an active regeneration project of the Belfast Buildings Trust. Many people in the city recognise the building, but few know its story. Its name derives from its benefactor, James Carlisle. Born into poverty in rural County Derry/Londonderry in 1810, he moved to Belfast for work in the 1830s. The once-small town was expanding with opportunities in the burgeoning textile, linen and building industries, and Carlisle profited handsomely from his work as a builder, working on high-profile projects such as the Crumlin Road Courthouse.
James Carlisle married Anne Hall in 1839. The Hall family, prominent Methodists in the city, had made their fortune from owning cotton-spinning mills. In 1851 Carlisle opened Brookfield Mill, on the Crumlin Road, with a friend. From very humble origins, Carlisle became incredibly wealthy, well respected in the business community and renowned for his good and religious character. He was even asked on several occasions to become mayor of Belfast, although he declined in favour of living a simpler life.
In 1870 his only son, James Henry Carlisle, died, followed by his grandchild, Anne Hall Johnston, in 1871, and his daughter, Mary Johnston, in 1874. The Carlisles struggled with their grief and vowed to create a memorial to their lost loved ones: a new Methodist church for Belfast. Construction of Carlisle Memorial Church took just over a year, starting in March 1875 at Carlisle Circus (coincidentally named after the Earl of Carlisle). It was designed by prominent Victorian architect W.H. Lynn, whose work includes such recognisable buildings in Belfast’s skyline as the Central Library. Ornate in design and scale, Carlisle Memorial became known affectionately as the ‘Methodist Cathedral’.
Carlisle Memorial Church opened for service in May 1876. In an emotional opening speech, James declared:
‘This is a memorial Church to my son, who was as dear to me as life. When I parted with him I thought I parted with everything else … I next lost an only daughter whom I loved equally dear, and following in that course I next lost a grandchild. This day to me is painful.’
Reminders of Carlisle’s lost family members were apparent throughout the church, including a stained-glass window reading ‘The lord gave and the lord hath taken away. In pious remembrance of an only son this church is erected and dedicated to the service and glory of God by James Carlisle …’, and a painting behind the communion table that read ‘This do in remembrance of me’. James and Anne continued to attend the church together, seated at every service in row 71, until his death in 1882.
The church continued to serve the Methodist community for decades with few changes to the building and services, withstanding some of the most challenging episodes in Belfast’s twentieth-century history. For example, it remarkably escaped the Belfast Blitz of April/May 1941 with only a few broken windows despite considerable damage being sustained elsewhere in the city.
Carlisle Memorial was not, however, able to withstand the Troubles and the changing demographics of 1970s Belfast. Inner-city areas were particularly susceptible to violence during this period of sectarian conflict, and the area around the church was especially politically charged, being located on a dividing line between communities. The congregation at Carlisle Memorial all but disappeared, with the final service in 1980, and the contents of the building were stripped and given to other Methodist churches across the region. The empty space was then used by artists as studios and apartments until the mid-1990s, after which Carlisle Memorial lay unused for years. Decaying under the onslaught of weather, antisocial behaviour and time, it seemed that James Carlisle’s gift to Belfast might not survive.
The Belfast Buildings Trust (BBT), a heritage regeneration charity with experience in delivering capital projects in the city, first expressed concern about Carlisle Memorial Church in 1997. It successfully nominated the building for the World Monument Fund Watch in 2010, placing it amongst the hundred most endangered historic and cultural sites in the world (alongside the Great Wall of China!).
The Trust acquired Carlisle Memorial in 2011, then in a state of considerable disrepair, and has delivered over £1.6 million of work to safeguard the building, including the installation of a new roof, floor and facilities. As a phased regeneration project, many of these fixes are temporary, but the building has since been in frequent use for creative and cultural events, including music performances, film and TV recording, exhibitions and more.
The BBT is working closely with local people to help shape the building’s future, from making Christmas decorations with nearby schoolchildren to commissioning new music inspired by stories from the city’s residents to be performed in the space. The work stems from a collective vision to see the building used for skills development and other creative uses.
For further information, see www.belfastbuildingstrust.org, @bbtbelfast, or info@belfastbuildingstrust.org.