In the nineteenth century in the Maritimes a community didn't have to be very large to warrant the construction of a church. For Mill Cove it seems it was a question of "They have a church, it's time we had a church." So, in 1889, on land by then in use as a cemetery for nearly a quarter century, the community of Mill Cove built their own church.
Very much a seaside church, St Mark's is separated from St. Margaret's Bay only by Mill Cove Shore Road and a few feet of shore line. It is surrounded by the houses of the community of Mill Cove. Patterned after earlier, circa 1850s, churches, St Mark's was built with a straight sided bell tower centred in the front facade of the building and topped with a flat roof, a widow's walk, and four small spires. The style was much more common among protestant denominations in the mid nineteenth century and had mostly fallen out of favour by the time St Mark's was built. Otherwise Gothic Revival in style, all windows and vents in the building are Gothic in form, save for the entrance in the tower, which has above it a small gabled pediment over a triangular transom.
To the north side of the church is the Anglican cemetery, like the church, still in use after all these years.
Roote Web lists a total of 69 interments here as of 1998. Still in use, the cemetery will have accepted a few more burials since that time. The earliest burial in the cemetery occurred in 1872, eight years after the cemetery was purchased, that of infant Susan Florence Verge, who died on November 9, 1872 at the age of 3 years, daughter of William & Charlotte Verge.
The Rev. Henry Stamer, born in Northern Ireland, came to the parish from Pugwash, and served for 30 years as Rector here. During this time a Rectory was constructed and the momentum that resulted in the construction of a second church began to grow. The building of a Church school in Northwest Cove further down the shore may have provided impetus for the people of Mill Cove to begin work themselves.
A lot was first purchased in 1864 from John Jollymore and William Cyrus Jollymore, for use as a cemetery. Philip Harnish and George Jollymore were among those who promoted the project of a new Church. Work began in early 1889, and was completed by September of that year. The Church stood on footings of stone hand cut by William Jollymore, and the plaster for the interior walls was mixed by John Harnish. The people of Mill Cove were helped in their undertaking by the interest and gifts of friends in other communities. In 1890, an excursion ship from Halifax arrived with visitors who took part in one of the 2—3 day picnics held to raise funds. Josiah Harnish and Simeon Johnson rowed a 16 ft. boat to Indian Harbour and Tancook Island and back seeking donations. Under the rector the Rev. C.W.F. Stone, who later became Divinity Professor at King's College, Halifax, a St. Mark's Boys' Club was formed. A Church Hall for the club was planned, with the wood for it cut from Si Harnish's land, and cut into lumber by Stanley Harnish. However the Hall was not built.
From the St. Luke’s Parish