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St. Mark's
Church - Niagara-on-the-Lake
St. Mark's Anglican Church had its
beginnings in
1791, when Reverend Robert
Addison was commissioned as minister of Niagara. He brought with him
from
England a silver chalice and his library of more than 1,500 books,
which
today are located in Addison Hall at St. Mark's.
Addison's parish covered all of the little
settlements from Niagara to
Burlington and Brantford, including the Native People along the Grand
River.
The church built in the few years had among its congregation Sir Isaac
Brock, Daniel Claus, Joseph Brant, John Graves and Elizabeth Simcoe.
During The War of 1812, the church was used
as a hospital by the British
and as a barracks by the Americans. The Americans occupied the town in
1813, destroying Fort George and digging rifle pits in the cemetery
surrounding
St. Mark's. The rifle pits can still be seen today.
Before retreating, the invaders burned most
of the town and gutted St.
Mark's. The walls of the church remained and the British were able to
put
a roof on them and use it for stores until Fort George could be rebuilt.
St. Mark's remains the oldest Anglican Church
in continuous use in Ontario.
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