St Mark's Anglican Church Cemetery, Port Hope

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: [unknown]
Surnames/tags: Cemeteries Ontario

The wooden frame church was built between 1822 and 1824 and dedicated to St John the Evangelist in 1828. The first rector, the Reverand Jonathan Shortt served the church with great energy from 1836 until his death in 1867.

In 1865, a new location was purchased on Pine Street and a new Anglican Church of John the Evangelist opened in 1869. The frame building was used as a Parish Hall until 1871, then abandoned in disrepair.

In 1872, a group of parishioners petitioned the Diocese of Toronto to reopen the church as a new parish. After a quick restoration, the church was dedicated to St Mark’s in 1873. In 1925, the church was damaged in a devastating fire. St Mark’s rectory at 50 King Street was gifted to the church in 1949 but later sold and the current rectory at 51 King St purchased in 1956. The first Parish Hall opened in 1957. St Mark’s has survived a major fire, economic hardship and threatened closure thanks to parishioners such as the Right Honourable Vincent Massey who supported the church from the 1920s until his death and burial in St Mark’s cemetery in 1967.