St Mark's Church, Nottingham Explained

St Mark's Church, Nottingham
Coordinates:52.9583°N -1.1456°W
Country:United Kingdom
Denomination:Church of England
Churchmanship:Broad Church
Dedication:Mark the Evangelist
Consecrated Date:8 April 1856
Architect:Robert Jalland
Style:Early English Period
Groundbreaking:15 June 1853
Completed Date:1856
Demolished Date:1958
Capacity:1,100
Parish:Nottingham
Diocese:Diocese of Southwell
Province:York

St Mark's Church, Nottingham, was a Church of England church in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire, England between 1856 and 1958.[1] The section of Huntingdon Street where the church was located was formerly called Windsor Street.

History

The foundation stone was laid in the presence of the Lord Bishop on 15 June 1853 by Robert Holden Esq of Nuthall Temple.[2] The foundation stone included an inscription deposited in a cavity of the stone which read

Hunc Lapidem Templi, Christo Salvatori consecrati, de Sancti Marci Evangelistæ nomine nuncupati. Robertus Holden, Armiger, locavit; Die Ivnii xv., A.D. MDCCCLIII

It was formed as a parish in 1855, from the parish of St Mary's Church, Nottingham. The site was a free gift from G. J. P. Smith. It consisted of 3176 sq yards of the old Clay Field and cost £375. The church building cost £4,000 (equivalent to £ in).

It was built as a Trustee's Church under the Act of Parliament of William IV. The trustees were Henry Kingscote of Spring Gardens, London, Francis Wright of Osmaston, Derbyshire, Revd. Charles Eyre of Rampton Hall, Nottinghamshire, and Revd. Joshua William Brooks, vicar of St Mary's.

It was designed by the architect Robert Jalland in the early English thin Gothic perpendicular style, with twin octagonals at the west end, crowned with pepper pots with crockets. There were 1,100 seats, half of them free from pew-rents. The church contained a nave with two aisles, and a chancel in a recess at the eastern extremity. The nave was separated from the aisles by two rows of octagonal piers with groined arches. A sculptured stone font was at the west end of the south aisle. The bell in the turret was rung for the first time on the morning of the consecration. There were galleries on each side supported against the middle of the piers. The large eastern window was divided by a transom, and exhibiting five under and five upper elongated lights with pointed arches. The four windows on either side were similarly divided with three upper and three lower lights each.

The church was consecrated by Rt. Revd. John Jackson, Bishop of Lincoln on 8 April 1856,[3] three months after St Matthew's Church, Talbot Street. The singing was led by the choir of St Mary's.

List of vicars

Organ

The organ was installed by Samuel Groves of London, and was opened on 1 November 1857.[4]

List of organists

Closure

On the resignation of James Lewis in 1927, Canon Holbrook of Holy Trinity took charge of the parish. By order in Council 29 January 1930, the two parishes were united.

The church was demolished in 1958.[10]

Notes and References

  1. The Buildings of England. Nottinghamshire. Nikolaus Pevsner
  2. News: . The New Churches - Laying the Foundation Stone . Nottingham Guardian . England . 16 June 1853 . 5 November 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  3. News: . Consecration of St Mar's Church . Nottingham Guardian . England . 10 April 1856 . 5 November 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  4. News: . New Organ for St Mark's Church . Nottinghamshire Guardian . Nottingham . 1 October 1857 . 9 June 2015 .
  5. News: . Local intelligence . Nottinghamshire Guardian . England . 1 October 1857 . 1 June 2017 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  6. News: . Presentation to an organist . Nottinghamshire Guardian . England . 3 May 1867 . 1 June 2017 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  7. Nottingham Evening Post - Friday 29 April 1887
  8. News: . Mr. Smeeton's Ill-Health . South Notts Echo . England . 27 October 1934 . 5 November 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .
  9. Dictionary of Organs and Organists. Frederick W. Thornsby. 1912
  10. News: . St. Mark's Church . Nottingham Guardian . England . 2 June 1958 . 5 November 2022 . British Newspaper Archive . subscription .