St. Mark's Episcopal Church

Designated a National Historic Landmark in 1985, St. Mark's Episcopal Church is an outstanding example of Gothic Revival architecture. It was designed to resemble Christian buildings from the high Gothic period which dates from around 1350 to 1450. St. Mark's was constructed in 1849 and built of brown and red sandstone. Notable features include a 90-foot tall bell tower, numerous arched stained glass windows with tracery, buttresses, and a beautiful chapel on the south side built in 1902. The church is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is a part of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania.

In June 1847, a group of young Philadelphia Anglicans met to establish a new church, one that adhered to the principles of the Anglican Reform Movement (also called the Oxford Movement) which sought to revive Christian traditions and incorporate them into liturgy services. To reflect this return to old Christian spirituality, the movement also called for churches to be designed in the medieval Gothic style. The group raised money for the new church and hired local architect John Notman to design it. Notman, who was born in Scotland and also a stonemason and carpenter, modeled the design after St. Stephen's Church in London, England (an illustration of St. Stephen's was widely published at the time). St. Mark's was completed in 1849 (the tower spire wasn't finished until 1851) and the first service was held on October 21.

The church contains several notable items. Three of these are organs: an Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ built between 1936-1937; a screen organ, and a string organ. The adjoining chapel, which is called Lady Chapel and built in 1900, contains a silver altar featuring numerous saints and images depicting the life of Mary. St. Mark's also has several altar frontals (tapestries that hang on altars) created by Englishman Charles E. Kempe, who designed church furnishings and was also a prolific stained glassmaker. Kemp created the light green and white alabaster altar in the Lady Chapel as well.

Local businessman Rodman Wanamaker donated funds to build the chapel in honor of his wife, Fernanda, who attended St. Mark's and died suddenly. The cloister on the north side of the church was built in 1894.

Pitts, Carolyn. "Saint Mark's Church." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. April 19, 1982. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/35b5e799-8e0b-4741-a22f-96e1b685a17f.

"Saint Mark's History." Saint Mark's Church Accessed December 23, 2022. https://www.saintmarksphiladelphia.org/history.