Portaferry Presbyterian Church in County Down is to hold its final services, ending over 400 years of unbroken Presbyterian worship in the town. The Presbyterian Church in Ireland (PCI) confirmed the decision, stating that the congregation had been declining for years and that the Presbytery of Ards had acted after consulting the church's remaining elders.

Congregation members expressed disappointment at the forced closure. Barbara Ferguson, a member of the church, said the decision was imposed by the presbytery rather than taken by the congregation itself. She said members had invested both financially and spiritually in the church for generations and described the congregation as integral to the town's mixed-denomination community. She added that members were exploring options for future worship while feeling left in limbo.

The current church building on Meetinghouse Street dates from 1840, constructed on land gifted by the Savage family on the site of two earlier churches. It is considered a notable example of Greek Revival architecture in Britain and Ireland. In 2007, supporters formed the Friends of Portaferry Presbyterian Church to open the building for arts and heritage events. More than £1.6 million was subsequently raised to restore the landmark, which is now owned by the Portico Ards charity and hosts a variety of cultural activities.

A PCI spokesperson acknowledged the sadness around the closure but noted that the congregation had been declining. He explained that Portaferry is unusual within the denomination because the congregation is a tenant of a social enterprise, better known as the Portico venue. The spokesperson said difficult decisions on closures, mergers and linkages are being taken across Ireland as part of a wider review of ministry provision.