London Churches - St. Martin-in-the-Fields
Brass Rubbing, Cafe, Free Lunchtime Concerts
Aug 10, 2008
The original medieval church on this same site was ‘in the fields’ when this area was outside the main city perimeter. Should you experience a rainy day in London, head for St. Martin-in-the-Fields. There’s lots to do and see here.
London Churches - St. Martin-in-the-Fields - A Bit ot History
American visitors to this church will feel right at home as it became the blue print for hundreds of colonial churches all over the United States. Building began in 1722 and was completed in 1724, fifty-two years before the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776.
Many famous people from earlier days were buried on this site, including the painters Hogarth and Joshua Reynolds and that infamous royal mistress, Nell Gwynne.
London Churches - St. Martin-in-the-Fields - Lunchtime Concerts
The very first radio broadcast made from a church took place here in 1924. Nowadays the church is famous for recordings of music performed by the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields. It is also renowned for its its excellent lunchtime concerts. These were started by the pianist Dame Myra Hess during the Second World War bombing of London. Entrance to the concerts is free but a donation is appreciated.
London Churches: St. Martin-in-the-Fields - The Crypt
Be sure to visit the Crypt. During the Second World War it was used as an air raid shelter and several people were killed when it was hit by a bomb. Today it is much more pleasantly used and there’s a good reasonably priced cafe. Many of the large stone slabs which make up the floor are marked graves which have been here a very long time. But this does not make for a gloomy place. The cafe is very popular and sometimes there are jazz concerts to entertain you while you dine.
London Churches: St. Martin-in-the-Fields - The Brass Rubbing Centre
The Crypt is also home to the London Brass Rubbing Centre where you can buy paper and crayons and make some very attractive rubbings. There are replica brasses of knights in armour, St. George and the Dragon or William Shakespeare. Children really enjoy this and they have somethng nice to take home with them. Brass rubbings are created by laying a sheet of paper on top of a brass and rubbing the paper with crayons or chalk.
London Churches: St. Martin-in-the-Fields - Anna Swan the Canadian Giant
Ome of the most unusal events to be held in the church was the happy occasion of the wedding of Anna Swan who was born at Mill Brook, Nova Scotia in1846. By the time she was 22 she was 7 feet 6 inches tall and at that time was the only female giant in the world. In 1862 she was offered a well paid job by P.T.Barnum to join his circus.
Anna found love while crossing the Atlantic. On board was a Kentucky giant named Martin Van Buren Bates. In 1871 they were married at St. Martin’s and it was quite an event, blessed by Queen Victoria who invited her to Buckingham Palace. The Queen was so delighted with them that she gave Anna a diamond ring and a watch and chain to her husband, Martin.
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