St Mark's Church, Darling Point facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mark's Church |
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| St Mark's Church, Darling Point | |
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 St Mark's Church
Location in Sydney
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| 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. It is located in Darling Point, a suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. This church is part of an important group of historic buildings. These include the church, its rectory (the priest's house), and a small cottage nearby.
This group of buildings is very important to the history and culture of the area. They are great examples of late 19th-century architecture. Other notable buildings in the area include the former St Mark's Crescent School and Bishopscourt.
History of St Mark's Church
St Mark's Church was built between 1848 and 1880. The famous architect Edmund Blacket designed it. He was the Colonial Architect for New South Wales.
The church was built in an early Victorian Gothic Revival style. It features a main hall (nave), a special area for the altar (chancel), and rooms for priests (vestries). It also has an organ chamber, a tower, and a spire.
The church is made of Sydney sandstone. Its roofs were originally covered with hardwood timber shingles. The main part of the church was finished in 1854. The tall spire was added later as a gift from William Laidley.
In 1861, the church was made bigger. A porch and a gallery were added to the west side. Before the church was fully built, people in this part of the parish worshipped in a cottage. Thomas Ware Smart of Mona had turned one of his cottages into the Chapel of St Mark. In 1863, William Bradley of Lindesay paid for the current vestries to be built.
St Mark's Church is one of the most famous Anglican churches in Australia. It is a very popular place for weddings. Famous people, like Elton John, have had their weddings there. The church was also used for a fictional wedding in the movie Muriel's Wedding. During the 1930s, photographer Sam Hood took many pictures of socialite weddings at the church.
Church Leadership
The church was started with the support of Bishop William Grant Broughton. The first priest at St Mark's was Reverend George Fairfowl Macarthur. He also ran St Mark's School. He first held the school at the rectory, then at Macquarie Fields, and later at The Kings School, Parramatta.
The current rector (head priest) of St Mark's Church is Reverend Michael Jensen. He has been the rector since 2013. His father, Peter Jensen, was a former Archbishop of Sydney.
See also
- List of Anglican churches in the Diocese of Sydney
- Anglican Diocese of Sydney
