Saint Mark’s Church is located in Widcombe, an area to the south of the World Heritage City of Bath, originally granted by King Edgar to the Priory of Bath in 970AD. Following the Reformation significant parcels of land were sold off, and by the C19 the majority of land beneath Beechen Cliff was underdeveloped and agricultural.

Early building work in the area consisted of terrace houses along Claverton Street and villas along the lower end of Lyncombe Hill (then Lyncombe Lane) including the first of the area’s poor houses circa 1721 and by contrast villas such as Southcot House, built by wealthy merchant John Evill to reflect Bath Abbey in 1777.

The parish of Lyncombe & Widcombe purchased a mansion and extensive grounds owned by the Von Luders family in 1825, and additional land from Henry Mant in the late 1820’s upon which Saint Mark’s Church was built between 1830-32. The original mansion was converted into one of the area’s poor houses, whilst the gardens became burial grounds. Designed by G.P.Manners, Saint Mark’s Church was consecrated in 1832 by the Bishop of Bath & Wells and could accommodate approximately 800 parishioners.

An expanding population saw the construction of several more churches in the area between 1847-1893, leading to a decline in use and it’s eventual de-consecration in 1970. The Grade II Listed building was adapted internally in 1975 and is now utilised as a community centre run by local volunteers as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation.

Saint Mark’s Road

Land owned by Henry Mant in the early 1800’s was utilised to progressively construct a southern terrace of two and three storey dwellings between 1830 and 1865. By 1838 four houses had been constructed at the eastern end of the terrace increasing to 17 by 1852. Between 1852 and 1865 a further 8 were constructed, the last of these was the now No.26, the then 18 Saint Mark’s Place West.

The street name has changed several times throughout history and included Saint Mark’s Buildings, Saint Mark’s Place West and now Saint Mark’s Road.