St Mark's Church, Brighton

St Mark's Church
The church from the southeast
50°49′03″N 0°06′43″W / 50.8176°N 0.1120°W / 50.8176; -0.1120
Location	Eastern Road/Church Place, Kemptown, Brighton and Hove BN2 5JF
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
History
Status	Church
Founded	1838
Founder(s)	Frederick Hervey, 1st Marquess of Bristol
Dedication	Mark the Evangelist
Consecrated	21 September 1849
Architecture
Functional status	Chapel & Arts Centre of St Mary’s Hall School
Heritage designation	Grade II listed
Designated	26 August 1999
Architect(s)	Unattributed; possibly George Cheesman Jr., Thomas Cooper or Thomas Shelbourne; additions by W. Gilbert Scott
Style	Early English Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1838
Completed	1849
Construction cost	£4,800
Closed	29 April 1986
Specifications
Materials	Stone, ashlar, concrete

St Mark's Church is a former Anglican church in the Kemptown area of Brighton, part of the English city of Brighton and Hove. Originally intended as the private chapel of the adjacent St Mary's Hall school, it was partly built in 1838 at the request of Frederick Hervey, 1st Marquess of Bristol; but arguments over whether or not it should also be open to the public delayed its completion for more than 10 years. It became the parish church of Kemptown in 1873, but declining attendances resulted in a declaration of redundancy in 1986. At that time it was taken over by the school and became its chapel, nearly 150 years after this was first proposed. The Early English-style stone and concrete structure has been criticised by architectural historians, but has been listed at Grade II by English Heritage for its architectural and historical importance.