St Mark's Church, Great Wyrley
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| St Mark's Church | |
|---|---|
 The church in April 2006 | |
 | |
| 52°39′58″N 2°01′25.02″W / 52.66611°N 2.0236167°W | |
| OS grid reference | SJ 984 076 |
| Location | Great Wyrley |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | www |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Mark |
| Consecrated | 22 July 1845 |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Johnson |
| Style | Early English |
| Groundbreaking | 1844 |
| Completed | 1845 |
| Construction cost | £2,800 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Lichfield |
| Archdeaconry | Lichfield |
| Deanery | Rugeley |
| Parish | Great Wyrley |
| Clergy | |
| Vicar(s) | Revd. Graham Horner |
St Mark's is the parish church of Great Wyrley, South Staffordshire, England. It is known for having had the first South Asian vicar of any Church of England parish, Shapurji Edalji, and for its association with Edalji's son George, who was falsely convicted on a charge of injuring a pony, and cleared after the intervention of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The Edaljis
The stone church, in early English style,[1] its vicarage and an adjacent school were built in 1845[2] to designs by the architect Thomas Johnson of Lichfield[3] and consecrated on Tuesday 22 July 1845 by John Lonsdale, Bishop of Lichfield.[4]
The church's early baptism, marriage and burial registers are held by Staffordshire Records Office, the Bishops' transcripts at Lichfield Records Office.[5]
Shapurji Edalji was given the 'living' as vicar of St Mark's by Lonsdale's successor George Selwyn. Edalji obtained the position though the previous incumbent, his wife's uncle, who arranged it as a wedding present. 'Livings' were scarce, conferred valuable emoluments and were much sought after.[6]
Edalji moved into the vicarage, a large house with its own grounds, in late 1875; George, the first child, was born there soon after. The Reverend Edaji was more assertive than his predecessor and was sometimes involved in controversy about parish business.[6]
Edalji senior died at the vicarage in 1918 and is buried in the churchyard.[7]