St Mark's Church, Darling Point facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mark's Church |
|
|---|---|
| St Mark's Church, Darling Point | |
 |
|
 St Mark's Church
Location in Sydney
|
|
| 33°52′33″S 151°14′09″E / 33.8758°S 151.2357°E | |
| Location | Darling Point Road, Darling Point, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Country | Australia |
| Denomination | Anglican Church of Australia |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Founded | 1848 |
| Founder(s) | Thomas Sutcliffe Mort |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Architect(s) | Edmund Blacket |
| Architectural type | Academic Gothic Revival |
| Completed | 1854; 1861; 1864 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Sydney |
St Mark's Church is an active Anglican church located in Darling Point, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Anglican Church is a Christian church that is part of a worldwide group. This church is an important historical building in the area.
It is part of a special group of old buildings. This group includes the church, the rectory (where the church leader lives), and a small house next door. These buildings are important because they show what architecture was like in the late 1800s. They also have a lot of history and cultural meaning for the area. Other buildings in this group are the former St Mark's Crescent School and Bishopscourt.
Contents
History of St Mark's Church
St Mark's Church was built between 1848 and 1880. It was designed by Edmund Blacket, who was the main architect for the government in New South Wales at the time. The church was built in a style called Rustic Gothic Revival. This means it looked like old European churches, but with a simpler, more natural feel.
Building the Church
The church has a main hall (nave), a special area for the altar (chancel), and rooms for the clergy (vestries). It also has an organ room, a tall tower, and a spire. The building is made from Sydney sandstone, which is a local stone. Its roofs were originally covered with timber shingles.
The main part of the church was finished in 1854. The tall spire was added later as a gift from a person named William Laidley. In 1861, the church was made bigger. A porch and a gallery (an upper seating area) were added to the west side. Before the church was fully built, people in the area worshipped in a small chapel. This chapel was set up by Thomas Ware Smart in one of his cottages. In 1863, William Bradley paid to build the current vestries.
Famous Events at St Mark's
St Mark's Church is one of the most well-known Anglican churches in Australia. It is a very popular place for weddings. Famous events have taken place here, like the first wedding of singer Elton John. A fictional wedding in the movie Muriel's Wedding was also filmed here. During the 1930s, a photographer named Sam Hood took many pictures of important socialite weddings at the church.
Church Leadership
The first leader of St Mark's Church was Reverend George Fairfowl Macarthur. He was chosen by Bishop William Grant Broughton. Reverend Macarthur also ran St Mark's School. He first held the school at the Rectory, then moved it to other locations.
The current leader of the church is Reverend Dr Michael Jensen. He has been the rector since 2013. His father, Peter Jensen, was also a very important leader in the Anglican Church, serving as the Archbishop of Sydney.
See also
- List of Anglican churches in the Diocese of Sydney
- Anglican Diocese of Sydney
