| London Town Guide |
St Martin's-in-the-Fields
Trafalgar Square, WC2
Nearest Tube: Charing Cross
This church, located on the north-eastern side of Trafalgar Square, dates from the 18th century, when it was designed by James Gibbs. But there has been a church on the site since the 13th century - and so the name dates from when the site was 'in the fields' between Westminster and The City.
The present church is most famous for its attractive white stone exterior and elaborate spire, which comes into its own when it is floodlit at night. Inside you can see the Royal Box for this is the official parish church for the nearby Buckingham Palace.
There are lots of famous names buried in this church including Charles II's mistress Nell Gwynne, the writer and satirist William Hogarth, Highwayman Jack Shepherd and the cabinet maker Thomas Chippendale.
Since the early 20th century the church has had a strong association with charitable work, and today this continues with the work it does to help the homeless.
This church is open daily from 10am-6pm. There is a craft market, a brass rubbing centre, a bookshop and a café available. Free lunchtime concerts take place each day at around 1pm.
| St Martin's-in-the-Fields church is also the location for the annual Harvest Festival of the Pearly Kings and Queens. It is the best opportunity you will have to see their elaborate costumes, some of which have over 30,000 buttons sewn on to them! |
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