Located at the north-eastern corner of Trafalgar Square, St Martin-in-the-Fields was first referenced in 1222, surrounded by fields and used by the monks of Westminster. Around 1542, King Henry VIII built a new church on the site and extended the parish boundaries to keep plague victims from being carried through his palace. Many famous people were buried here, including: Charles II’s mistress, Nell Gwynne; painters William Hogarth and Joshua Reynolds; and cabinet-maker, Thomas Chippendale. The current church was designed by James Gibbs and completed in 1726, and Gibbs’ design has been frequently imitated as the model for the Colonial-style church seen throughout America. Today, St Martin-in-the-Fields is an active Anglican church, regularly involved in charitable organisations including The Vicar’s Christmas Appeal which currently raises over £500,000 a year for disadvantaged people across the country. In addition to worship services, visitors to St. Martin-in-the-Fields can attend a number of classical concerts, tour the Gallery exhibition space, create art at the London Brass Rubbing Centre, browse in the gift shop, or dine in the Café in the Crypt.
- St Martin-in-the-Fields
- Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JJ
- www.smitf.org
- Underground: Charing Cross