St Mark's Church, Newport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mark's Church |
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| St Mark the Evangelist | |
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| 51°35′22.5″N 3°00′10.1″W / 51.589583°N 3.002806°W | |
| Location | Newport |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| Previous denomination | Church of England (before 1920) |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 20 July 1872 |
| Dedication | St Mark the Evangelist |
| Consecrated | 4 July 1874 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II (Cadw) |
| Architect(s) | Habershon, Pite, Fawckner |
| Style | Neo-gothic |
| Years built | 1872–74 |
| Completed | July 1874 |
| Construction cost | £6,000 (approx) |
| Specifications | |
| Number of floors | 2 (balcony at West end) |
| Number of spires | 1 (tower) |
| Bells | One |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Newport North West Ministry Area |
| Deanery | Newport North West |
| Archdeaconry | Newport |
| Diocese | Monmouth |
| Province | Wales |
St Mark's Church is a special church in the Gold Tops area of Newport, Wales. It is also known as Eglwys Sant Marc in Welsh. This church belongs to the Church in Wales, which is part of the worldwide Anglican Christian family. St Mark's is an important building in Newport. It is also part of the Newport North West Ministry Area, which helps connect several local churches.
Contents
History of St Mark's Church
This beautiful Victorian church was built in the 1870s. It was needed because the population of Newport was growing. More people meant more churches were required.
Building the Church: Early Years
The land for the church was given by Charles Morgan, 1st Baron Tredegar. He was a very important person in the area. He had one condition: £4,000 needed to be raised for the building by the end of 1870. Even though they were still £1,000 short, the building work began.
Lady Tredegar, Charles Morgan's wife, laid the first stone on July 20, 1872. The church building was finished by 1874. It was officially opened and blessed by Bishop Alfred Ollivant on July 4, 1874. Because the church is close to Newport Civic Centre, it has often been used for important city events. These include special gatherings for Scouts and Guides.
Changes and Renovations in Recent Years
Over time, the area around St Mark's Church changed. It became more of a business area than a place where people lived. Also, fewer people were attending church. By 2013, there were worries that the church might have to close.
However, during the time of Vicar Canon Andrew Willie, many improvements were made. The heating system was updated, and the church was redecorated. The stone walls were repaired. A large, three-manual organ was also rebuilt. Church members created beautiful quilted banners showing the life of St Mark. These banners now hang on the balcony. Old plaques about Newport's history were saved and placed in the church.
The church also sold its Church Hall. The money from the sale, along with funds raised by the community, helped improve the inside of the church. They added a kitchen, a secure room for church items, and a meeting room. This work was finished in the summer of 2013. Canon Willie retired in 2013, but the church stayed open for services. In 2014, Revd Dr Paul Thompson became the new vicar. The church then reconnected with Newport Cathedral.
St Mark's Church Today
In 2020, Newport Cathedral became a separate organization. St Mark's Church then became part of the Newport North West Ministry Area. This area includes several churches and communities on the western side of the River Usk in Newport.
The churches in this area are:
Important Clergy at St Mark's
Many important religious leaders have served at St Mark's Church over the years. Here are some of them:
- John Roland Lloyd Thomas was vicar from 1949 to 1952. He later became the Dean of Monmouth.
- Raymond Ellis Evans was vicar from 1952 to 1953. He also later became the Dean of Monmouth.
- Noël Debroy Jones was an assistant curate from 1957 to 1960. He later became a Bishop.
- Gareth Lewis was vicar from 1978 to 1982. He later became the Dean of Monmouth.
- Kenneth Sharpe was vicar from 1982 to 1997. He later became the Archdeacon of Newport.
