London church described as ‘historical treasure’ destroyed by fir
No injuries reported after 80 firefighters battle blaze at St Mark’s church in St John’s Wood, north-west London
Authorities are investigating after a heritage-listed church in north-west London, described as an “architectural and historical treasure”, was destroyed by fire.
Eighty firefighters battled the blaze at St Mark’s church in Hamilton Terrace, St John’s Wood, from 11.19pm on Thursday until it was under control at 2.22am on Friday, the London fire brigade (LFB) said.
The brigade said there were no injuries, though it noted the whole two-storey Anglican building was “destroyed”.
Firefighters tackling a blaze at St Mark’s church
Residents were earlier asked to keep doors and windows closed due to the significant amount of smoke produced by the fire.
The LFB said it used three ladders, including the tallest in Europe at 64 metres (210ft), as towers to distribute water evenly and extinguish the blaze.
The National Churches Trust had listed St Mark’s as a grade II Victorian church, describing it as an “architectural and historical treasure” which finished construction between 1846 and 1847. It contained “stunning” mosaics by the Italian Salviati family as well as highly decorative marble flooring in the chancel, with the overall Gothic-styled design the work of the architect Thomas Cundy Jr.
Located near Abbey Road studios and Lord’s cricket ground, it had links to the author Lewis Carroll and Queen Victoria’s youngest son, Prince Leopold.
Firefighters had originally been tackling the blaze after being called out just before midnight, with crews going through the front entrance, underneath the church’s belltower, but were pulled back for safety reasons after its main roof collapsed.
The church has been declared structurally safe by surveyors for the fire service, but further checks are taking place.
Despite the chaos of the night before, a Christmas tree still stood next to the doorway, unmoved as if nothing had happened. Meanwhile, a Remembrance Day poppy remained fixed to a nearby lamp-post. A woman collected cinders from the fire from the pavement as a mememto of the church.
Stunned parishioners arrived at the church on Friday morning to take stock. Robert Tyerman, who had been part of the church council which appointed Rev Kate Harrison in 2018, said: “I didn’t know what to expect because I had seen some terrible pictures but I was relieved that the spire was still standing. I was quite shocked by the way the roof has been completely gutted. I don’t know how a fire can start like this.
“I was just incredulous when I saw the news this morning. The photos with the fire coming out were just shocking. I was completely baffled.”
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Writing on Twitter, Rev Harrison said she was “broken” by the fire at the church, where she has been vicar since 2015.
Tyerman, who has been attending St Mark’s since 1991, said: “We will have to decide what happens next. There are other churches nearby but what it means for St Mark’s, I don’t know. It’s sad, all those people who got married, christened, buried here.”
Tyerman’s friend, Maya Arputham, said: “When I came here this morning I cried, this church means so much to me, they are such good people and it’s so nice. I can’t believe this, the whole church. I thought it might have just been part of it. I just wanted to come myself and see and pay my respects.
“I am transgender and the church here, both the vicar now and before, have been so welcoming of me. Even if I go to another church it won’t be the same.”
The LFB said the cause of the fire was under investigation
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