St Martin-in-the-Fields, London

Interior of St Martin-in-the-Fields

St Martin-in-the-Fields and Charing Cross, circa 1562

The ceiling of the café in the crypt

St. Martin-in-the-Fields by night, from Trafalgar Square

St Martin-in-the-Fields is a Church of England church at the northeast corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. St Martin-in-the-Fields, exterior view Image by ChrisO File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... St Martin-in-the-Fields, exterior view Image by ChrisO File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Interior of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London Image by ChrisO File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Interior of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London Image by ChrisO File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Stmartins_1562. ... Image File history File links Stmartins_1562. ... The Victorian Eleanor Cross at Charing Cross The name Charing Cross, now given to a district of central London in the City of Westminster, comes from the original hamlet of Charing, where King Edward I placed a memorial to his wife, Eleanor of Castile. ... Events Earliest English slave-trading expedition under John Hawkins. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2588x1815, 2422 KB)Photograph by Colin Gregory Palmer in 2005 This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License v. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2588x1815, 2422 KB)Photograph by Colin Gregory Palmer in 2005 This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License v. ... Crypt is also a commonly used name of water trumpets, aquatic plants. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 1050 KB) Summary Londons Church of St. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2592x1944, 1050 KB) Summary Londons Church of St. ... The Church of England is the officially established Christian church[1] in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... Trafalgar Square viewed from the northeast corner. ... The City of Westminster is a London borough with city status, situated to the west of the City of London and north of the River Thames. ... London (pronounced ) is the capital city of England and the United Kingdom. ...

The earliest reference to the church is recorded in 1222, with a dispute between the Abbot of Westminster and the Bishop of London as to who had control over it. It was decided in favour of Westminster, and used by the monks of Westminster Abbey. The church was rebuilt by Henry VIII in 1542. At this time, it was literally "in the fields" in an isolated position between the cities of Westminster and London. Centuries: 12th century - 13th century - 14th century Decades: 1170s 1180s 1190s 1200s 1210s - 1220s - 1230s 1240s 1250s 1260s 1270s Years: 1217 1218 1219 1220 1221 1222 1223 1224 1225 1226 1227 See also: 1222 state leaders Events Foundation of the University of Padua Completion of the Cistercian convent in Alcobaca... The Abbey at night, from Deans Yard. ... Arms of the Bishop of London The Bishop of London is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of London in the Province of Canterbury. ... The Abbeys western façade The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, which is almost always referred to as Westminster Abbey, is a mainly Gothic church, on the scale of a cathedral (and indeed often considered one), in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. ... For the play, see Henry VIII (play). ... Events War resumes between Francis I of France and Emperor Charles V. This time Henry VIII of England is allied to the Emperor, while James V of Scotland and Sultan Suleiman I are allied to the French. ... Coat of arms The City of London is a small area in Greater London. ...

The church survived the Great Fire of London due to its isolated position, but was replaced with a new building, designed by James Gibbs in 1721. The design was criticised widely at the time but subsequently became extremely famous, being copied particularly widely in the United States^[1]The church is essentially rectangular, with a great pediment in the Classical style supported by a row of huge Corinthian columns. The high steeple is topped with a gilt crown. Gibbs was certainly inspired by Sir Christopher Wren as the interior is very similar to St James's in Piccadilly. Detail of painting from 1666 of the Great Fire of London by an unknown artist, depicting the fire as it would have appeared on the evening of Tuesday, 4 September from a boat in the vicinity of Tower Wharf. ... St Martins-in-the-Fields, London, is the prototype of many New England churches. ... // Events Pope Innocent XIII becomes pope Johann Sebastian Bach composes the Brandenburg Concertos April 4 - Robert Walpole becomes the first prime minister of Britain September 10 - Treaty of Nystad is signed, bringing an end to the Great Northern War November 2 - Peter I is proclaimed Emperor of All the Russias... From the point of view of modern times, the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean sometimes seem to blend smoothly into one melange we call the Classical. ... The Corinthian order as used for the portico of the Pantheon, Rome provided a prominent model for Renaissance and later architects, through the medium of engravings. ... Steeple is a the name of a number of settlements: In the United Kingdom Steeple, Cumbria Steeple, Dorset Steeple, Essex Steeple is also an architectural term. ... Sir Christopher Wren, (20 October 1632–25 February 1723) was a 17th century English designer, astronomer, geometrician, and the greatest English architect of his time. ... Piccadilly is a major London street, running from Hyde Park Corner in the west to Piccadilly Circus in the east. ...

When built the church was on St Martin's Lane and it was only much later, with the building of Trafalgar Square that its spectaclar architecture attained the evidence that it has today.

The church has a close relationship with the Royal Family – King George I was a churchwarden and Queen Mary attended regularly – and with the Admiralty, which falls within its parish. The White Ensign of the Royal Navy hangs above the altar, accompanied by the flag of the Admiralty Board. Traditionally the church's bells are rung to proclaim a naval victory. This article describes the British monarchy from the perspective of the United Kingdom. ... George I (Georg Ludwig) (28 May 1660 – 11 June 1727) was Elector of Hanover from 23 January 1698, and King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 1 August 1714, until his death. ... A Churchwarden is a lay official in an Anglican parish. ... Mary of Teck (Victoria Mary Augusta Louise Olga Pauline Claudine Agnes; later Queen Mary; 26 May 1867 - 24 March 1953) was the Queen Consort of George V of the United Kingdom. ... Old Admiralty House, Whitehall, London, Thomas Ripley, architect, 1723-26, was not admired by his contemporaries and earned him some scathing couplets from Alexander Pope The Admiralty was historically the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. ... The White Ensign. ... The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British armed services (and is therefore the Senior Service). ... The Admiralty Board is a committee of the Defence Council of the United Kingdom responsible for the administration of the Royal Navy. ...

A number of notables were buried in the church, including Robert Boyle, Nell Gwynne, Roubiliac, Jack Sheppard and Thomas Chippendale. Robert Boyle Robert Boyle (January 25, 1627–December 30, 1691) was an Irish natural philosopher (chemist, physicist, and inventor) noted for his work in physics and chemistry. ... Nell Gwyn (or Gwynn or Gwynne), was born Eleanor Gwynne, (February 1650 - 14 November 1687), the most famous of the many mistresses of King Charles II, was called pretty, witty Nell by Samuel Pepys. ... Louis-François Roubiliac (more correctly Roubillac) (1695 - January 11, 1762), French sculptor, was born at Lyons and became a pupil of Balthasar of Dresden and of Nicolas Coustou. ... Jack Sheppard in Newgate Prison Jack Sheppard (December 1702 – 16 November 1724) was a notorious English robber, burglar and thief of early 18th century London. ... Thomas Chippendale, the elder (June 5, 1718 - November 1779) was a furniture designer and maker from Otley, West Yorkshire. ...

Because of its prominent position, St Martin-in-the-Fields is the most famous non-cathedral church in London. It is well known for its "open door" policy under which the church is open to the public at all times of the day and night, its work for the homeless, and its regular lunchtime concerts. Many today famous ensembles performed at the church, including the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, the New Trinity Baroque, and the London Soloists Orchestra. A homeless man pushes a cart down the street. ... The word ensemble can refer to a musical ensemble an ensemble cast (drama) a statistical ensemble in mathematical physics, for example a thermodynamic ensemble a quantum ensemble a fluid mechanical ensemble a Climate Ensemble ensemble forecasting (meteorology) ensemble averaging a distribution ensemble (maths) a neural ensemble a DAB ensemble Ensemble... The Academy of St. ... New Trinity Baroque is an American orchestra based in Atlanta. ...

There is a popular Café in the Crypt, where jazz concerts are held. All profits from this goes to the activities of the church with the homeless. The Crypt is also home to the London Brass Rubbing Centre, and art gallery and a book and gift shop. Jazz is an original American musical art form that originated around the start of the 20th century in New Orleans, rooted in African American musical styles blended with Western music technique and theory. ... Brass rubbing was originally a British mania for reproducing brasses -- commemorative embossed brass reliefs found in church memorials from the 14th and 15th centuries -- onto paper. ...

In January 2006 work began on a £36 million restoration and expansion project. This includes cleaning and repair to the church itself and redevelopment and expansion of its visitor, music and hostel facilities, which encompass not only the crypt of the church itself, but a row of houses to the north and some underground spaces in between. The funding includes a grant of £15.3 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund. For details of notes and coins, see British coinage and British banknotes. ... A play here! sign outside a newsagent, incorporating the National Lotterys logo of a stylised hand with crossed fingers. ...

Notable Performances

As noted before, St. Martin-in-the-Fields holds regular concerts. The church has hosted many famous players and composers throughout the years.

See also

• List of churches and cathedrals of London
• Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields

St. ... The Academy of St. ...

References

1. ^ Sheppard, F.H.W. (1998). London : a history. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0198229224.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

St Martin-in-the-Fields

• St Martin-in-the-Fields website
• Mystery Worshipper Report at the Ship of Fools website