Gracehill Moravian Church and Settlement has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status.

Current ICC President, Bishop Sarah Groves, Minister of Gracehill Moravian Church is “thrilled that the significance of the Moravian Church internationally and its culture, history and heritage have been recognised by the World Heritage Committee. For Gracehill it shows that what we have in terms of our history, buildings, layout and archives and, also in our living culture and faith is of local, regional and international importance. World Heritage status gives Gracehill the protection it deserves and will enable us to develop our research and international links further.”

The Irish Council of Churches and Irish Inter–Church Meeting congratulate all involved. ICC held its Annual Meeting in Gracehill in August at which Bishop Sarah was installed as President. The meeting was attended by about 80 representatives from ICC’s 15 member churches who had the opportunity to do a guided tour of the settlement and find out about the principles of equality, reconciliation and ecumenism which still are very much in evidence in the church today.

Gracehill is the only complete Moravian Settlement in Ireland and is Northern Ireland’s first designated Conservation Area is part of a Transnational Designation. This means there is one listing but several sites in different countries.  The Designation is entitled “Moravian Church Settlements” and includes Bethlehem, (Pennsylvania, USA), Herrnhut (Germany) and the already inscribed Christiansfeld (Denmark) in addition to Gracehill (NI/UK).

Gracehill Settlement is an early example of town planning reflecting the timeless values of education, equality, industry, tolerance, and spirituality that have been at the heart of this community since 1759. Its intact core of historic listed buildings, Moravian Church, central Square, and burial ground or God’s Acre as it is known, featured in the nomination. Each of the Settlements nominated demonstrate different phases in the development of Moravian planning.  Gracehill stands out as having been constructed in a grid plan with a central square and a very clear and complete ‘gender axis’. Since its foundation Gracehill was well known for its international links which continue today.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c8809jgn9d8o

More information from UNESCO here: https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1468