New images show inside St Mark's Church after fire

Grade II* listed St Mark’s Church in Hamilton Terrace, St John’s Wood, went up in flames on January 26.

Structural engineers were called in amid fears over the safety of its spire and the Grade II-listed Victorian church has been encased in scaffolding since.

The vicar, Mother Kate Harrison, at the site (Image: Ecclesiastical)

The photos, taken from the scaffolding erected around the church, show what remains of the Victorian gothic building.

The vicar, Mother Kate Harrison, visited the site in late September and had mixed emotions when given a chance to go on top of the scaffolding to see the extent of the damage.

An inside look of St Mark's Church (Image: Ecclesiastical)

She said: “It was really moving to be back inside the church.

“I was able to go up onto the scaffold and see the scale of the damage below.

 “It really brought home the devastation caused by the fire and the task ahead – but we’re hopeful for the future.”

The damage at St Mark's Church (Image: Ecclesiastical)

Specialist insurer Ecclesiastical said that due to the scale of the damage, the “priority” has been making the site secure and ensuring that the church is stable.

The company explained that structural engineers and demolition firms have been consulted and work will soon begin to remove several roof trusses.

The damage at St Mark's Church (Image: Ecclesiastical)

Once that work is completed, debris clearance will begin, with archaeological and heritage experts identifying what can be preserved and restored as the project progresses.

It is hoped work will be carried out to restore the building to its former glory.

The church will also be carrying out a consultation to establish whether any changes or modifications to the fabric of the building should be made as part of the restoration.

The damage at St Mark's Church (Image: Ecclesiastical)

Helen Richards, church operations director at Ecclesiastical, visited St Mark’s alongside colleagues from the claims team.

She said: “I was lost for words at the scale of the devastation when I visited the church. It’s always difficult for a community to see their church like this and it can be hard to look past the damage caused.

 “However, we have a huge amount of experience working with churches on these complex restorations. Our expertise is what sets us apart from other insurers.

The damage at St Mark's Church (Image: Ecclesiastical)

“We understand that historic buildings often need complex solutions to help preserve the heritage and prevent further damage and we’ve engaged with specialists to safely develop a plan to progress with the project.

"That’s the reason customers choose to insure with us and we will be there to support them every step of the way as we bring the church back to life so it can serve the community for another 200 years and beyond.”

The damage at St Mark's Church (Image: Ecclesiastical)

Ecclesiastical has had experience restoring other historic churches damaged in fires, including the Church of the Ascension in Salford, which was gutted in 2017 and completely restored in 2022.