Vicars of Belfast Cathedral 1632 to 1904

Introduction
At the start of the 1600s there was no church in Belfast - save the Shankill church. The area of what is now central/downtown Belfast was served by the Shankill Parish church. The old ecclesiastical building (a friary) in the vicinity of what is now St George's church is thought to have been used for the rest and refreshment of travellers waiting for low tide to sail from Belfast.

In 1603 Belfast's fortunes changed when Sir Arthur Chicester obtained a substanial grant of land and decided to establish a strong point - doubtlessly aware of the site's strategic importance, using the old castle. In addition to the Castle he decided to have a retinue of supporting settlements on three parallel streets Ann St. High St and Broad St (now Waring St).

When Chicester's settlement was occupied, the inhabitants did not like the journey to the Shankill, so they refurbished the old friary. The old friary was opened for worship in 1616. Since most of Chichester's immediate followers (like himself) came from Devon, the church would have been protestant espiscopalian and was possibly regarded as a satellite of the Shankill church and supplied from there.

Click on the links below for each person. *Indicates there is no further information about this person.

Morley, Rev Robert. 1622 -1632.*

Chichester, Rev Simon. 1632-1642

Downes, Rev. Louis. 1642 - 1654.*

Digby, Rev Essex. 1654-1666.*

Jones, Rev Roger. 1666 - 1668.*

Gilbert, Rev Claudius. 1668-1690.

Echlin, Rev James. 1690 - 1706.*

Tisdall, Rev William.1706-1736.

Stewart, Rev Richard. 1736-1747.*

Saurin, Rev James. 1747-1772.

Bristow, Reverend William. 1772 - 1808

May, Rev Edward. 1809 - 1819

Macartney, Rev Arthur Chichester. 1820-1843

Walker, Rev Thomas. 1843 - 1847

Miller, Rev Thomas Fitzwilliam. 1848-1872

Hannay, Rev Robert. 1972 - 1894

O’Hara, Rev Henry Stewart. 1894 - 1899.

D'Arcy, Rev Charles Frederick 1900 - 1903.