Church of St Mark, Mark
Encyclopedia
The Church of St Mark in Mark
, Somerset
, England dates from the 13th century, but is mainly a 14th and 15th century building with further restoration
in 1864. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.
There may have been a chapel in the village from the 12th century however the current church was dedicated by William
, Bishop of Bath and Wells
in April 1268 as The Church of the Holy Cross. The title changed with a new dedication to St Mark in 1853 but reverted to the earlier dedication in 1939. The building was expanded over the subsequent centuries. The nave
has a Barrel roof
decorated with the heads of religious figures. In the Choir is a wooden sculpture of the Four Evangelists
made by a Belgian sculptor named André in 1524 for St. Salvator's Cathedral in Bruges
, which was moved in 1794.
The tower was built around 1407. It contains a peel of eight bells. The clock celebrates the jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887.
The former market cross in the churchyard dates from the 15th century.
The parish is part of the benefice
of Mark with Allerton
within the Axbridge
deanery.
Mark, Somerset
Mark is a village and civil parish which lies approximately from Bridgwater, from Axbridge, and from Highbridge in the Sedgemoor district of the county of Somerset, England...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England dates from the 13th century, but is mainly a 14th and 15th century building with further restoration
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in 1864. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.
There may have been a chapel in the village from the 12th century however the current church was dedicated by William
William of Bitton I
William of Bitton, usually known as William of Bitton I was a medieval English Bishop of Bath and Wells.-Life:...
, Bishop of Bath and Wells
Bishop of Bath and Wells
The Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England.The present diocese covers the vast majority of the county of Somerset and a small area of Dorset. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of Saint Andrew in...
in April 1268 as The Church of the Holy Cross. The title changed with a new dedication to St Mark in 1853 but reverted to the earlier dedication in 1939. The building was expanded over the subsequent centuries. The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
has a Barrel roof
Barrel roof
A barrel roof is a curved roof that, especially from below, is curved like a cut-away barrel. They have some advantages over dome roofs, especially being able to cover rectangular buildings., due to their uniform cross-section....
decorated with the heads of religious figures. In the Choir is a wooden sculpture of the Four Evangelists
Four Evangelists
In Christian tradition the Four Evangelists are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the authors attributed with the creation of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament that bear the following titles:*Gospel according to Matthew*Gospel according to Mark...
made by a Belgian sculptor named André in 1524 for St. Salvator's Cathedral in Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, which was moved in 1794.
The tower was built around 1407. It contains a peel of eight bells. The clock celebrates the jubilee of Queen Victoria in 1887.
The former market cross in the churchyard dates from the 15th century.
The parish is part of the benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
of Mark with Allerton
Chapel Allerton, Somerset
Chapel Allerton is a village and civil parish, south of Cheddar in the English county of Somerset. The parish includes the hamlets of Ashton and Stone Allerton.-History:...
within the Axbridge
Axbridge
Axbridge is a town in Somerset, England, situated in the Sedgemoor district on the River Axe, near the southern edge of the Mendip Hills. The town population according to the 2001 census was 2,024.-History:...
deanery.