About St. Mark’s Church, Wyke

A Legacy of Faith and Heritage

The Founding of St. Mark’s Church

St. Mark’s Church, Wyke, stands as a testament to faith, community, and rich historical tradition. Completed in 1847. our church has been a cornerstone of worship, history, and local heritage for over 175 years.

The land given by the Coussmaker family for the building of St. Mark’s, Wyke, during a period of national upsurge in church and chapel construction, enabled work to start in 1846, including the setting out of a churchyard. A young architect by the name of Henry Woodyer, with an office in Guildford and related to both the Coussmaker and Halsey families, was commissioned to design this church for Wyke. St. Mark’s was his first venture into designing and constructing a church, having been previously concerned only with restoration work. He went on to design many other churches in Surrey and neighbouring counties.

St. Mark’s, Wyke, was consecrated in 1847 and obtained full parish status in 1867. It was endowed principally by the Coussmaker and Halsey families and with contributions from the Incorporated Church Building Fund and the Winchester Diocesan Fund. The church immediately became the focus of life in Normandy, as early records of baptisms, marriages, and funerals reflect. The 1851 census records 105 attendees for the morning service and 114 in the afternoon, signed by Henry Freeman Cheshire, the resident minister who lived with his family in what is now Wyke Lodge. Although he and his wife later moved to Bath after his retirement in 1877, they are both buried in the old churchyard.

Architectural Significance

As befits a first foray into church design from scratch, St. Mark’s is an unpretentious building consisting of a chancel, a north vestry, and a nave. It is in the then-fashionable Geometric Decorated or Second Pointed Gothic style and is built of Bargate Stone rubble with Heath Stone foundations and quoins and Bath Stone dressings. The roofs are tiled, and there is a small bell turret at the west end. The Coussmaker family maintained their Memorial Chapel and private mortuary, added to the main building in 1848, until 1962, when the family relinquished the rights of the chapel to the Parochial Church Council. The Coussmaker monument stands against the south wall of this chapel. There is also a memorial tablet to Henry Woodyer’s parents, Caleb and Mary Woodyer (née Halsey).

A Place of Worship and Community

Until Woking Crematorium was opened to the public in 1886, most people of all faiths in the area around St. Mark’s were buried in the churchyard. As the population grew, additional burial land was needed, leading to the acquisition of a quarter-acre from Colonel George Coussmaker in the late 19th century and further expansion in the 1930s. A church room was later built on part of this land.

Since 1977, part of the burial ground has been set aside as a Garden of Remembrance in memory of Cyril Dyson, a devoted church member and long-serving choir member. The churchyard, now a designated Site of Natural Conservation Interest, allows limited grass cutting to preserve its native flora, including cowslips and wild orchids.

Historical Burial Grounds and Memorials

To commemorate the addition of the burial ground to the churchyard, Major Leslie Gordon-Alexander, a local resident until 1937, produced a Register of Graves. He meticulously documented it with detailed notes and illustrations, designed in a unique style symbolic to the church. The book contains 13th-century-style decorated borders with illuminated capital characters. The heraldic bearings of Venice, representing St. Mark, the church’s patron saint, adorn the ornate initial T on the front page.

The coats of arms featured in the register include those of the successor Patron Bishops of Eton, Winchester, and Guildford, as well as the Coussmaker family. Also depicted are three Zodiac signs: Scorpio, marking the date of the Order in Council constituting the Parish of Wyke; Taurus the Bull, symbolising the Deed of Gift of land by the Coussmakers; and Sagittarius the Archer, representing 24th of November, the date the church was consecrated. The Register of Graves was entrusted to Miss Emily Booty, the church’s organist and choir mistress for 40 years until 1954, and came to be known as “Miss Booty’s Book.”

Music and Worship Through the Decades

The church's first organ, non-electric and manually pumped, required a dedicated person—often a young boy—to maintain the air reservoir. The Booty sisters, Emily and Alice, were well known in the village, with Alice, though lame, often accompanying her active sister. Emily and her other sister Mary, who were co-principals of Denehyrst School, Guildford.

Between 1964 and 1967, extensive renovations took place under Reverend Donald Faulkner. The original 1887 organ was replaced by a James Chettle Gomme organ with an electrically operated pump. However, in 1992, discussions began about replacing it with a traditional pipe organ, which was eventually installed.

Notable Burials and the Pirbright Tomb

In the northeast corner of the churchyard stands the elaborate chest tomb of Henry de Worms, Lord Pirbright of Henley Park. A prominent political figure and the first Jewish Privy Councillor, he later distanced himself from Judaism by marrying a Christian. His Christian burial led to his funeral being boycotted by the Jewish community. A representative of King Edward VII attended the service.

The Grade II-listed tomb is nine feet long and features Jacobean-style strapwork with ribbon bands and swags of pomegranates. It rests on a plinth with ogee-molded edges, covering a sealed vault containing two caskets. Surrounding the tomb are inscribed tablets commemorating Lord Pirbright’s relatives.

A Church for All Generations

Throughout the years, St. Mark’s has evolved while remaining deeply connected to its historical roots. The church has seen dedicated clergy, including Reverend Graham Hawkett, who championed music and interdenominational worship, and Reverend Pauline Godfrey, Normandy’s first female priest. In 1996, a celebration service marked the 150th anniversary of the church, attended by the Bishop of Guildford.

St. Mark’s Church Hall, built in 2000, replaced the church rooms of the 1950s, which started as an army hut. The first church room, located near the old vicarage in 1910, met an untimely end in December 1952 when a large oak tree was accidentally felled onto it by soldiers trying to assist.

Visit Us

St. Mark’s Church welcomes visitors, historians, and those seeking a place of worship. Whether you come to explore our history, reflect in our peaceful surroundings, or join us for a service, we invite you to be part of our enduring legacy of faith and community.

Join us

St. Mark’s Church is more than a place of worship—it’s a welcoming community where you can find peace, connection, and inspiration. Whether you're seeking spiritual growth or meaningful friendships, you’ll find a warm and openhearted congregation ready to welcome you. Join us for uplifting services and the opportunity to be part of something greater. Come as you are and experience the love and support that makes St. Mark’s a home for all.