Rev Kate Harrison

A VICAR at a historic church devastated by a huge fire has vowed that it will be rebuilt and thrive for another 175 years.

Rev Kate Harrison struck a defiant tone this week after St Mark’s in Hamilton Terrace, St John’s Wood, was all but destroyed on Friday.

The roof caved in with structural damage that has prevented the London Fire Brigade from carrying out a full investigation.

“It was a church that had served us for the last 175 years,” Rev Harrison told the Extra.

“This is an opportunity to make sure it will serve well for the next 175 years. Proper disabled access, proper loos, which the insurers aren’t going to cover, but fundraising may help provide that, and it will help us for events like our comedy night.

“This is an opportunity now to make things better.

“This is not going to stop us. We are defiant. We are not going to stop, we are still going to be here, we are still going to be worshipping and available for people. This is not the end.”

Rev Harrison, 52, had been relaxing on Thursday night after a busy few days, by watching The Apprentice, while her husband David had taken their daughter to see the Newsies the Musical at the theatre in Wembley.

Not long after they returned, they were alerted to the fire by a knock at the door by a late-night dog walker.

Mr Harrison had opened the doors to the church to see it thick with smoke, and he called the fire brigade, with firefighters arriving “quickly” on the scene just after 11.30pm.

A Candlemas service – celebrating the presentation of Jesus to the Temple after his birth at Christmas – was held in the shadow of the burnt out St Mark’s.

A cross was assembled with burnt timbers from the church floor.

More than 300 people joined and held candles, as their far more gentle flames flickered in the breeze yards away from the scorched chapel.

Rev Harrison thanked God at the service for, among other things, waterproof mascara as she broke down while giving out communion.

Rev Harrison’s vestments were retrieved from a less-damaged part of the church by a fire officer.
Jeremy Trott, claims director at the church’s insurance firm Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “It’s always horrible to see catastrophic church fires, not only because of the damage caused to a beautiful Grade-II listed building but also the impact on the local community.”

A comedy night that was due to be held at the church will take place at St Mary’s in Kilburn on Tuesday night.