Following Bishop James Chapmen’s visit to Badulla and conducting a church service at the local courthouse in 1846, he organised a public meeting to discuss the requirement of a church in Badulla. District officials, planters and government officials who gathered for the meeting initiated the construction of St. Marks Church and erected it in memory of late Major Thomas William Rogers, the government agent for Badulla district. The church was consecrated on April 25th of 1857 on St. Mark’s day.
Major Thomas William Rogers was known as a ruthless hunter who killed about 1, 500 wild elephants in Sri Lanka. However he didn't get to live long and had to die at the age of 41 in 1845 due to being struck by a lightning bolt while he was working at Sherwood estate Haputale. He was buried in Nuwara Eliya, folklore suggests that his gravestone attracted lighting bolts at numerous occasions.
The church consists of a few interesting memorials and a small well maintained graveyard. The church however has closed gates most of the time except Sunday mornings.
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