Carlisle Memorial

Carlisle Memorial is a unique and spectacular example of a high-Victorian gothic church. It was built between 1872 and 1875 at the request of a Belfast based merchant, James Carlisle, in memorial of his children who died. It was his gift to the city of Belfast, in memory of them. Carlisle Memorial was designed by W.H. Lynn, one of Belfast’s pre-eminent Victorian-era architects, and became known as the ‘Methodist Cathedral’. The church closed in June 1980, after a difficult period following the onset of the Troubles. It quickly fell into disrepair. BBT first expressed concern about the building in 1997. The Trust conducted a community consultation in 2008-09. This established the strength of local affection for what people in north Belfast regard as the gateway building to the area. BBT successfully nominated the building for the World Monument FundWatch 2010, placing it amongst the 100 most endangered historic and cultural sites in the world.