St Martin-in-the-Fields

St Martin-in-the-Fields is an English Anglican church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. It is dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. There has been a church on the site since the medieval period. The present building was constructed in a Neoclassical design by James Gibbs in 1722–1726.

History

Roman era

Excavations at the site in 2006 led to the discovery of a grave from about 410 AD. The site is outside the city limits of Roman London (as was the usual Roman practice for burials) but is particularly interesting for being so far outside, and this is leading to a reappraisal of Westminster's importance at that time. The burial is thought by some to mark a Christian centre of that time (possibly reusing the site or building of a pagan temple).

Medieval and Tudor

The earliest extant reference to the church is from 1222, with a dispute between the Abbot of Westminster and the Bishop of London as to who had control over it. The Archbishop of Canterbury decided in favour of Westminster, and the monks of Westminster Abbey began to use it.

St Martin in the Fields (parish)

St Martin in the Fields was a civil parish in the metropolitan area of London, England. It took its name from the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields and was within the Liberty of Westminster. It included within its boundaries the former extra-parochial areas of Buckingham Palace and St. James's Palace.

Adjustments

It was an ancient parish. In 1542 it gained the territory between the church of St Clement Danes and the Palace of Westminster from the parish of St Margaret.

It originally included the following, which were carved out as new parishes:

  • St Paul Covent Garden (1645)
  • Westminster St James (1685)
  • St Anne Within the Liberty of Westminster (1687)
  • St George Hanover Square (1724)
  • Poor law

    It was a single parish for poor law following the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834 until 1868 when it became part of the Strand Poor Law Union.

    Reform

    In 1855 the parish vestry became a local authority within the area of responsibility of the Metropolitan Board of Works.

    Under the Metropolis Management Act 1855 any parish that exceeded 2,000 ratepayers was to be divided into wards; as such the incorporated vestry of St Martin in the Fields was divided into three wards (electing vestrymen): No. 1 (12), No. 2 (12) and No. 3 (12).

    St Martin-in-the-Fields (painting)

    St Martin-in-the-Fields is a painting of a child street vendor in Trafalgar Square, painted by William Logsdail from 1888.

    References

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