Born on 5 January 1814 at Easington in East Yorkshire she married Robert Gray, rector of Whitworth in Durham in 1836. In 1845 he was selected for one of the new colonial bishoprics in South Africa and in 1847 the couple reached the Cape of Good Hope. Sophy had brought along architectural plans of churches that could be adapted in South Africa and took on the role of chief architect.
While she favoured the popular neo-gothic style and disliked ornate Romanescue she understood the need for diversity. Of the 53 churches built in South Africa during Robert Gray’s bishopric more than 40 were designed by Sophy. These include St Paul’s in Rondebosch, St Mark's in George, St Peter’s in Plettenberg Bay and St Judes in Oudtshoorn.
Sophy’s plans for St Mark’s were based on Littlemore Church, near Oxford in England, designed by Henry Jones Underwood. Three stonemasons were used to build the church and it was completed in 13 months. The windows might be the oldest in South Africa as it dates back to before Van Riebeeck arrived in the Cape of Good Hope. It was recovered from a church in Germany during the French Revolution, brought to England and then found its way to South Africa.
She was buried at St Saviour’s in Claremont – also one of her church designs.
In the churchyard to the rear of the Cathedral are a number of historic graves; Bishop Sidwell, Henry Fancourt White, the builder of the Montagu Pass who died in 1866 and Major H D Warden who founded Bloemfontein while serving as British Resident of the land beyond the Orange River.
In 1948 Queen Elizabeth also paid a visit to the cathedral on her Royal visit to the Union of South Africa.
Note: Gates might be locked over a weekend. There are also gates at the back of the church where you can gain entrance if the main gates are closed.