Church Of St Mark

The Church of St Mark is a parish church located on Church Road in Cheltenham, built between 1860 and 1866, with transepts added in 1888. It was designed by architect John Middleton, marking his earliest work in Cheltenham, and constructed by builder John Alcock, with the tower and spire completed by Messers Wingate and Sons of Gloucester at a cost of £3,540. The church is built from drilled Cotswold stone, featuring Bath stone quoins and dressings, with alternating polychromy in the voussoirs made from Forest of Dean stone, and has a red tile roof. It is designed in the Gothic Revival, Decorated style.

The exterior includes a 5-bay aisled nave, double transepts, and a 2-bay chancel, along with a 3-stage tower at the west end that has corner pinnacles and a broach spire. There is a central gabled south porch and circular clerestory windows adorned with cusped and foiled tracery, as well as angle buttresses. The chancel features carved head-stops for drips and decorative carvings on the buttresses.

Inside, the church showcases a Decorated style with a tall chancel arch and a west tower arch. Notable interior elements include a stone pulpit with naturalistic carving, medieval-style red and buff tiles in the sanctuary, choir stalls, a font with naturalistic carving, and benches in the nave. There is a raked gallery in the west tower, and the east window, dating from around 1880, features stained glass by Kempe.

Historically, John Middleton is known for designing several churches in Cheltenham, including All Saints on All Saints Road, St Philip and St James on Gratton Road, St Stephen on St Stephen's Road, and Holy Apostles on London Road in Charlton Kings.