Saint-Mark’s Church

Nestled on the outskirts of Versailles, in the charming Porchefontaine quarter, stands Saint-Mark’s Church. A beacon of the Anglican faith in France, Saint-Mark’s has a history as rich and layered as the stained-glass windows that adorn its modern structure. Saint-Mark’s Church wasn’t always located here. Its story begins far earlier and involves a journey across different locations in Versailles. The earliest roots may stretch back to a plot of land purchased in 1710 by the British Ambassador to Louis XIV’s court. It is believed that a chapel existed then, possibly at 31, avenue de St Cloud. While records remain unclear, the thread of the Anglican presence appears in 1814 through church registers. These registers, though unnamed, refer to the church as both the “English Church at Versailles” and the “British Episcopal Church Versailles.” In 1821, a significant change occurred. The burgeoning Anglican community was granted use of an abandoned royal oratory on Rue Dauphine, previously used for religious processions. This building later became the Protestant Église Réformée on Rue Hoche. Saint-Mark’s continued its journey, finding a new home in 1859 when Rev. C.C. Glascott purchased land on rue des Bons Enfants, now rue du Peintre Lebrun. A church was built here of iron and wood, materials shipped all the way from England. The church truly became Saint-Mark’s around 1875, when the property was sold to The Colonial and Continental Church Society, now the Intercontinental Church Society. Disaster struck in 1911 when a fire ravaged the building. From the ashes, a new Saint-Mark’s arose thanks to Rev. Vivian Evans. The current structure on rue du Pont Colbert emerged in stages. Beginning in 1985 under chaplain Jonathan Wilmot, a plot of land with an old house was purchased. A small chapel within the stables served the congregation as the building project commenced. The first phase, completed in 1993, established the main worship area. Further expansions followed, culminating in the dedication of the completed church in 2013 by Bishop David Hamid. Saint-Mark’s Church, therefore, represents not just a building but a testament to the perseverance and dedication of the Anglican community in Versailles. Its journey across the city reflects a vibrant history.