"Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase.

"For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers."

Job 8, verses 7 and 8. 

The most successful Plantation of Ulster began in 1609. Among these settlers was Henry Acheson, a Scot, who obtained one of the grants of land consisting of one thousand acres, on 30th July 1610. Henry Acheson built a stone "bawn" or "fort" at Carricklane (close to the present town of Markethill) and settled nineteen Scottish families. It is most probably these nineteen Scottish families were Presbyterians and formed the nucleus of the congregation of Markethill Presbyterian Church, but they were to have somewhere in which to worship, and with other things on their mind, such as building the "bawns" and their homes, it is extremely probable that they worshipped in the Parish Church at Mullabrack and enjoyed the ministrations of pastors adhering to their own faith and discipline, although episcopally ordained.

It was 1693 before the Presbyterian congregation at Markethill had a properly constituted place of worship. The first minister of the newly organised congregation was Rev. Archibald Maclaine M.A., from Kilbride, Arran in Scotland. Mr. Maclaine had the serious distinction of having been one of the first Presbyterian ministers in Ireland to be prosecuted by the Bishops Court for celebrating marriages according to the Presbyterian form. In his day he was considered one of the best masters of the Irish language. Rev. Maclaine continued minister of the congregation until his death, on 20th. July 1734.

From 1734 onwards, the history of the congregation, for a period, remains a blank. During 1739 the original asked General Synod for permission to form themselves into two separately organised congregations and applied at the June meeting to have their own ministers. The Synod minutes state, "Those who adhere to ye old meeting house desired to be erected into a distinct congregation and put into a capacity to call a minister to themselves. They propose security for forty pounds and twenty bolls of oats per annum to a minister. Those who adhere to ye new meeting house also desired to be erected into a congregation and propose security for thirty pounds and fifteen bolls of oats". The Synod allowed those belonging to the old meeting house (Portnorris) to be erected into a congregation and those of the new meeting house (Second Markethill) to be put under the care of Armagh Presbytery.

First Markethill continued as a separate congregation until the Union of the two congregations in 1919. 

Second Markethill

A memorial was presented to the General Synod meeting on 18th June 1745, (by adherents of Second Markethill) asking that they be placed under the care of the Presbytery of Dromore, but this application was unsuccessful. The refusal of the General Synod to recognize the discontented members of Second Markethill did not extinguish their hope of obtaining a minister. They immediately turned their attention to the Associate Synod of Scotland (Seceders), and on 26th September of the same year, applied to it for preaching.  

Rev David Arrot was ordained on 22nd June 1749 by the Antiburgher (Seceders) Presbytery of Glasgow. He continued minister in Markethill until his death on 16th November 1807, aged eighty-two. Second Markethill continued as a separate congregation until the Union of the two congregations in 1919.  

First and Second Markethill

The old division now healed, the two congregations were united as one on 1st November 1919, and became known as First and Second Markethill Presbyterian Church. The Rev. William J.McConnell was inducted as minister of the united congregation on 12th November and continued until his retirement, due to a severe breakdown in his health, due to First World War injuries, on 15th June 1925. 

The congregation continued to have the same spirit and desire as their fore-fathers to keep the "Blue Banner" flying in their district and country, ever striving in the name of Jesus Christ, the sole King and Head of the Church, to serve His name to the best of their ability.

Psalm 44, verse 1.

Extracts from "The Kirk at Markethill" a history of the Congregation, published in 1981.