History of Christ Church with Mariners

Christ Church with Mariners dates back to the mid 1800s. It was built as part of a cohort of seven churches to serve the rapidly growing local population following the opening of the pioneering Dublin and Kingstown[1] railway in 1835. The foundation stone laying of the Mariners’ Church was the first, followed by our church later in the same year,1836. We were then called “The Bethal Episcopal Free Church, Kingstown, Co Dubin”(commonly known as “The Bethal”). Over the next 50 years, significant remodelling took place in line with ecclesiastical policy. In 1870 the name was changed to “Christ Church”. In the same year the clergy residence, then known as the Parsonage was demolished, the nave extended and the Parochial hall was built. 2 Longford Terrace (Now  2 Park Road)  was purchased as a clergy residence which it still is, and is now called “The Rectory”. The nearby Mariners’ church closed at Easter 1972 and on 8th June 1975 a Chapel dedicated to St. Columba was inaugurated in Christ Church creating the link with Mariners’. In 1986 we became know as “Christ Church (with Mariners’)”. Later the name Mariners’ was given equal prominence as in now referred to as Christ Church with Mariners’.

[1] Kingstown officially became Dun Laoghaire in August 1920.