Christ Church

A place of prayer for 1,300 years.

Set amid rolling farmland just outside Strabane, Christ Church, Urney offers visitors a rare chance to step into a landscape where more than thirteen centuries of Christian worship have shaped the ground beneath your feet. Even the name Urney - from the Irish urnaí, meaning “place of prayer” - hints at the sacred history that surrounds this quiet rural parish.

The present church, built in 1865, is a graceful Gothic Revival structure designed by the renowned architectural partnership Welland & Gillespie. Though elegant and Victorian in appearance, it stands in the shadow of far older stories. Its predecessor, an 18th century church built in 1734, lies in evocative ruins in the nearby cemetery on Urney Road - itself founded on the site of an early Christian monastery linked to St Cognat and the celebrated St Samhthann of Clonbroney, who served here in the 8th century. Few churches in Ulster can claim such depth of spiritual heritage.

Inside, light falls softly through stained glass, including the Baptistery window dedicated to the famous Herdman family, pioneers of fine linen yarn whose mills left a lasting mark on the local community. Prayer desks in the same chapel echo this connection, offering visitors a tangible link between the parish’s industrial and spiritual history.

Recent conservation efforts, aided by the National Churches Trust, have protected the church from serious water damage and preserved its distinctive character. Although further restoration will continue as funds allow, the building today is safe, cared for, and very much alive with worship.

Visitors will find a peaceful, welcoming space that invites reflection, discovery, and a sense of continuity with the countless generations who have prayed here before. Whether you come to explore its ancient roots, enjoy its architecture, attend a service, or simply find a quiet moment among its historic walls, Christ Church Urney offers an experience that is both deeply rooted and warmly alive.