St Mark's Church, Connah's Quay

St Mark's Church, Connah's Quay

St Mark's Church, Connah's Quay, from the northwest
Coordinates: 53°13′16″N 3°03′49″W / 53.2212°N 3.0637°W / 53.2212; -3.0637
OS grid reference SJ 290 698
Location Connah's Quay, Flintshire
Country Wales
Denomination Church in Wales
Website St Mark's Church, Connah's Quay
History
Dedication Saint Mark
Consecrated 13 August 1837
Architecture
Status Parish church
Functional status Active
Architect(s) John Lloyd, John Douglas
Architectural type Church
Style Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking 1836
Completed 1933
Specifications
Capacity 200
Administration
Parish Connah's Quay
Deanery Hawarden
Archdeaconry Wrexham
Diocese St Asaph
Province Church in Wales
Clergy
Vicar(s) Rev Robert F Dennis
Laity
Reader(s) L. Whitehead, W. Harrison
Churchwarden(s) A. Price, B. Macaskill

St Mark's Church, Connah's Quay is in the town of Connah's Quay, Flintshire, Wales. It is an active Anglican church in the deanery of Hawarden, the archdeaconry of Wrexham and the diocese of St Asaph. The church is the parish church for Connah's Quay and the mother church of St David's Church, Connah's Quay.[1] It is designated as a Grade II listed building by Cadw.[2] The new Vicar, Revd Robert Dennis, will be inducted in January 2014.[3]

History

St Mark's was built in 1836–37 to a design by John Lloyd.[4] The church then consisted of a nave with a small apse and a tower at the west end.[5] Between 1876 and 1878 the Chester architect John Douglas added the chancel and refitted the church.[4] The choir vestry was built in 1933 with stone from the former Kelsterton Brewery. The lych gates had been built in 1917 but in 1974–75 they were moved towards the church when a lay-by was constructed. At this time a memorial garden was laid out and gravestones were moved. It is believed that the clock by J. Benson of London was installed in 1837. This was repaired and refurbished in 1991 by JB Joyce & Co of Whitchurch. The bells which had been donated in 1891 were removed in the 1990s because they had become unsafe.[5]

Fittings and furniture

The font at the front of the church dates from 1876. The pulpit is made from carved Caen stone and dates from the same period, as does the lectern.[5] There is a portable Nave Altar used at most services, which is moved for weddings and funerals. The original reredos dating from 1878 was covered up - the current reredos was painted in 1924 and installed as a gift from the Choir in memory of the Fallen from Connah's Quay following the Great War. The organ was built by Whiteley Brothers of Chester in 1879. It was renovated in 1974 and restored in 2000. The Memorial Doors in the gallery were given in 2000 in memory of the deceased of the parish. In the church is a monument dated 1839 by William Spence.[4]

External features

In 1917 a lych gate was built in Arts and Crafts style in memory of a previous vicar of the church. It is in sandstone with a timber superstructure. The lych gate is designated by Cadw as a Grade II listed building.[6]

Services

The Parish Church holds an 8:00am Said Holy Eucharist, an 11:00am Parish Eucharist, at which the choir are present, and a 6:00pm Evensong every Sunday. There is also a Holy Eucharist service every Thursday morning at 10:00am.[7]

See also

References

  1. Connah's Quay, Church in Wales, retrieved 29 January 2014
  2. Church of St Mark, Connah's Quay, Cadw, retrieved 29 January 2014
  3. New Vicar for Connah’s Quay, Church in Wales, retrieved 8 November 2013
  4. 1 2 3 Hubbard, Edward (1986), Clwyd, The Buildings of Wales, London: Penguin, p. 339, ISBN 0-14-071052-3
  5. 1 2 3 A Guide to St Mark's, The Parish of Connah's Quay, archived from the original on 24 February 2012, retrieved 29 January 2014
  6. Luchgate at Church of St Mark, Connah's Quay, Cadw, retrieved 29 January 2014
  7. Connah's Quay Parish Profile (PDF), Church in Wales, retrieved 8 November 2013
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