Exterior

Following the death in 1856 of John Sinclair, a wealthy Belfast merchant and philanthropist, his widow along with his brother (and business partner), Thomas donated £1,000 towards the building of a new church named in John’s memory. 

On 14 October 1856 the formal laying of the foundation stone of the church was performed by the Right Hon. James Moncrieff, the Lord Advocate of Scotland, in front of a huge crowd.  In his speech, Moncrieff commented on the fact that the church would be "dedicated to the worship of God, according to the doctrines of the Scottish Reformation" and would be used for the benefit of "a most interesting and important class of the community". 

The opening service in the new church was held on 7 October 1857 when the preacher was the Rev. Dr Thomas Guthrie of Edinburgh, a minister of the Free Church of Scotland.

Sinclair Seamen’s Church today is one of the most idiosyncratic and charming churches in Belfast.