First Derry Blue Coat School Heritage Centre EHOD 2026
Date: 12 September 2026 - 13 September 2026
Venue: 6 Magazine Street Upper, Derry~Londonderry, County Londonderry, BT48 6PH
The property consists of First Derry Presbyterian Church, Listed Historic Building Grade B+ and the former Blue Coat School building behind the Church established in 1773 to educate boys who sang in the Church choir.
The property consists of First Derry Presbyterian Church, Listed Historic Building Grade B+ and the former Blue Coat School building behind the Church established in 1773 to educate boys who sang in the Church choir.
There has been a Presbyterian presence on this site since 1690 when the first Presbyterian Meeting House within the City Walls was constructed with financial assistance from Queen Mary ,wife of William of Orange ,as an appreciation of the major role played by the Presbyterians in defending the City against King James 2nd.and his Jacobite army during the siege of Derry 1688-89.
The present Church was closed in 2002 due to a severe infestation of dry rot in the roof trusses. Following extensive refurbishment works which retained many of the original architectural features the Church re-opened in 2011 with a service of rededication attended by a wide cross-section of political, religious and community leaders.
First Derry Presbyterian Church is now publicly promoted as a shared space accessible to everyone as part of our efforts to build better community relations.