1814-1960's rue Peintre Lebrun
St.Mark’s story stretches back at least to 1814, to a time just before the Battle of Waterloo. The first records available concern the funeral of a British soldier who died in hospital – and there is a note that “the above was taken prisoner”. These and several other records were (thanks to another soldier) snatched from a fire in 1911 that destroyed what appears to have been the original St.Mark’s Church - an iron-structured building in rue Peintre Lebrun.
The church of St.Mark’s was rebuilt in 1912 on the same site. The photos of that event can be seen in the downstairs lobby of the current church building: Rue Peintre Lebrun is situated just to the north of the main entrance of the Chateau, and the tiny church is still there!
Two Views of 'Old St Mark's'
1970's - Need for More Space
From the time of chaplain G.B.Vivian Evans who rebuilt the church, St.Mark’s was served by a succession of chaplains and the congregation was established and gradually increased. By the 1970’s, the old St.Mark’s could no longer cope with the growing numbers and so by arrangement with the catholic Bishop of Versailles, St Marks was given the use of the large chapel at the Lyceé de Notre Dame de Grandchamp, Rue Royale in the charming Quartier St.Louis. The school chapel served our Church well until the mid-1980’s.
1980's - Move to Pont Colbert
In 1985, under the chaplain Jonathan Wilmot, the large plot of land at 31 rue du Pont Colbert with its pre-1900’s house was finally purchased on the outskirts of Versailles. The old church was sold to the Nazarene Church, who are still its present occupiers in rue Peintre Lebrun.
Official Start on Building the Current (New) Building, 1992
A building plan in stages was set in motion as funds became available. The first stage was completed in 1993; this is the 150-seater worship area and the two Sunday school rooms which we are so familiar with.
Outdoor Function at the Current (New) Building, 1993
The second stage was completed in 1998 when the foyer, sacristy, counselling room, kitchen & toilets were added, and the whole complex was linked to the office and the chapel (which had been installed from the first days of Church occupancy in a pre-existing stable).
The third stage of the project, of course, is still to come! The vision is to add a large room for worship, effectively upstairs on the roof, and thereby release the area now used for worship for more Sunday school classrooms. Space for around 250 worshippers is envisaged “upstairs” (click here for more details of the Building Project).
Some dates for reference
1710 Land thought to have been bought by the British Ambassador to the Court of Louis XIV from the Abbé Dubois (No documentary evidence)
1814 Oldest Register entry, in a register taken from “the old iron church”
1825-1859 Rented the Eglise Reformée in rue Hoche
1860 St.Mark’s opened a “wood and iron church” on Easter Day, situated on a road
formerly known as rue des Bons Enfants, (now rue Peintre Lebrun)
1911 Jan 29th – the Fire, which burnt the old iron church at rue Peintre Lebrun to the ground. A soldier saved some charred and damaged registers from the ashes. Rev.Vivian Evans, chaplain of Maisons-Lafitte was also appointed Chaplain of Versailles in August 1911
1912 On November 21st the new church building was opened; the date was Harvest Thanksgiving
1964 150 years were celebrated
c.1975 Congregational growth led to using the chapel of Lycée de Notre Dame de Grandchamp until mid 1980’s
1985 Purchase of the site at 31 rue du Pont Colbert, and the installation of a small chapel in the former stable
1993 Completion of Phase 1 – the worship centre and Sunday School room
1998 Completion of Phase 2 – foyer, kitchen, toilets etc.
2008 What next - Phase 3?(click here for more details of the Building Project).
Some Recent Chaplains
1912-1924 G.B.VivianEvans1968-1974 Ph Walton
1974-1977 Canon Alan Lindsay
1977-1982 David Vail
1982-1988 Jonathan Wilmot
1988-1992 Martin Oram
1992-2004 David & Angela Marshall
2005- Paul Kenchington
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