Dunseverick Parish was formed in 1831 from the adjoining Parishes of Ballintoy, (the northern townland) and Billy, ('Bile' a large ancient or pagan tree). Seven Townlands from Ballintoy and eight from Billy were grouped together to form the new Parish. The Parish name Dunseverick, comes from the ancient Irish 'Dun Sobharice', translating to 'The Fort of Severick', an ancient Irish king, the ruins of whose seat, Dunseverick Castle, are located on the North Antrim headlands just over one mile from the current church. It is recorded that St Patrick visited this ancient fort.
Dunseverick Parish Church was consecrated in 1832 and cost £670 to build.
Architecture
The original church comprised of two aisles which accommodated around 270 people, but by the 1856 the congregation had grown to such an extent that a new section known as 'the North Aisle' was added which provided seating for around an additional 80 parishioners.
The first Rector of the Parish was the Rev James Dunn O’Hara who moved from the Loughguile Parish and remained in Dunseverick until 1841. Rev O’Hara was the son of Lt Col Henry O’Hara, the High Sheriff of County Antrim, of O’Harabrook, at Ballymoney. Over the intervening years, seventeen Rectors have been appointed to Dunseverick with the longest serving being the Rev Chancellor John Herbert Templeton who served from 1933 to 1974.
The church now consists of the two original aisles following the conversion of the 'North Aisle' in 1991 to a meeting and hospitality section, Sunday School area and a kitchen, toilet and storage area.
The Bell Tower, at the western end, is an impressive structure with a castellated top, and the present bell, dating from 1815, was dedicated by the Bishop of Connor in 1961, following it being transferred from the dismantled Parish Church of Kilmurry McMahon, in Co. Clare.
The church interior is well maintained with a carpeted aisles, organ and piano for church services and a sandstone and marble font positioned in the main aisle for baptisms. The brass alms dish, used for collections was donated in 1949 by the Whiteabbey Boy’s Brigade and bears the inscription 'Presented to Dunseverick Parish Church by the 88th Company Boy’s Brigade, ( Whiteabbey Presbyterian Church) in recognition of the kindness of parishioners. 10th July 1949'.
The pitch pine pulpit was donated to the church by the Rector and Church wardens of Billy Parish Church in 1895 and the carved oak credence table near to the organ was presented to the church by Rev Wm Matchett from Ballyrashane Parish in 1916.
There are three brass plaques mounted on the North wall of the main church containing memorial information as follows –
• Edward Baron Macnaghten who died on 17th February 1913 and was one of the Parochial Nominators of the Church.
• Hill Mackenzie, died on 7th January 1872 and was one of the original Select Vestry of Dunseverick Church in 1830, and his son James who died on 28th December 1910 was a Parochial Nominator and a member of the Select Vestry.
• Anthony Traill, Provost of Trinity College Dublin and a Parochial Nominator of Dunseverick Church. Died 15th October 1914.
There are a number of commemorative items throughout the church interior to recognise people who have given significant service to the well-being of the church.
Sister Churches
Dunseverick Parish is grouped with the Ballintoy and Rathlin Island Parishes and the current Rector, the Rev Patrick Barton, B.A., B.Th., lives in the Rectory at Ballintoy and conducts services at all three churches on a rotation basis.
The Rectory
The Old Dunseverick Rectory, built in 1873, is located about one mile west of the Church on the main road leading to Bushmills. An impressive building, with superb views to the Causeway headlands and the surrounding countryside. It is privately let.
Canon John Linnegan was born in the Parish in 1915 and following his formative years, he started his theological studies at Trinity College Dublin in 1955 and he was made a Deacon of Kilmore Catherdral in Co Cavan in 1957. He was ordained in 1958 and was installed at Cappagh near to Omagh in 1959. He remained at the joint parishes of Cappagh and Lislimnaghan until he retired in 1990. He was made a Canon of S Columb’s Cathedral in Londonderry in 1982.
He died in 1999 and is buried in the church graveyard.
The roll of honour for those parishioners who both served and lost their lives during war times includes W Boyle, P Kane and D McCaughan who lost their lives during the First World War and Wm Smith and Wm Kerr who were killed during the Second World War.
Tragedy struck the Morrison family from the Crannag in February 1973, when their only son Constable Hamilton Morrison, age 26, was murdered by the IRA in 1973.
He is buried in the family grave at the west side of the church.
The Social Area and recent Developments.
The Social area was created by volunteer workers from the parish in the 1991. It is now used for morning Sunday School teaching for young parishioners, for after service coffee / teas, for meetings and is part of the church which is open to visitors on chosen days to facilitate genealogical research and graveyard records.
It has a kitchen and toilet facilities. The lap top computer in the 'Social Room' contains the graveyard layout and details of all burials which have taken place since the church was consecrated in 1832. Instructions on how to carry out research are located with the lap top.
The Church Bell Tower has been recently refurbished with considerable help from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The work was completed in 2018 by J S Dunlop, Contractor from Ballymoney, with Alastair Coey from Belfast, being the Heritage Architects overseeing of the project.