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CHURCH OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS

CHURCH OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS, TRAFALGAR SQUARE WC2

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

Overview

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: I
List Entry Number:: 1217661
Date first listed:: 24-Feb-1958
List Entry Name:: CHURCH OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS
Statutory Address:: CHURCH OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS, TRAFALGAR SQUARE WC2

User submitted image — Uploaded by David Lovell This photo may not represent the current condition of the site
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Archive image, may not represent current condition of site.

Date:: 2004-09-05
Reference:: IOE01/12604/24
Rights:: © Mr John Bird. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:: Listed Building
Grade:: I
List Entry Number:: 1217661
Date first listed:: 24-Feb-1958
Date of most recent amendment:: 05-Feb-1970
List Entry Name:: CHURCH OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS
Statutory Address 1:: CHURCH OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS, TRAFALGAR SQUARE WC2

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:: CHURCH OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS, TRAFALGAR SQUARE WC2

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:: Greater London Authority
District:: City of Westminster (London Borough)
Parish:: Non Civil Parish
National Grid Reference:: TQ 30102 80541

Details

TQ 3080 NW CITY OF WESTMINSTER TRAFALGAR SQUARE, WC2 72/135 Church of St Martin-in- 24.2.58 the Fields G.V. I Parish Church. 1722-26 by James Gibbs. Portland stone, leaded roof. Highly influential design combining (incongruously) Vitruvian temple with steeple and very restrained, minor use of Baroque detail (in tactfully judged political contrast to St Mary-le-Strand). Giant Corinthian hexastyle, 2 column deep portico, on podium of steps, carrying the pediment-gable end continuation of the roof line. The west front proper has one extra bay each side (of portico) and staged tower and steeple rise above it behind the portico. These end bays are flanked by giant Corinthian pilasters and their returns are emphasised as the tower bay by giant Corinthian columns in antis; 5 bays of 2 tiers of semicircular arched "Gibbs surround" windows then express the body of the church, terminating in a similarly emphasised bay to that of tower. Large Venetian east window. Fine interior, evolving from Wren's St Clement Danes and St James's Piccadilly, with a giant order as used by Hawksmoor carrying arches and the segmental tunnel vault, the inevitable galleries butting into column shafts. The chancel is narrower than the nave with noteworthy and theatrical feature of boxes to sides (that to north the Royal Pew) set on splay as a transition between nave and chancel. Fine plasterwork by Artari and Bagutti, fittings and momuments, lowered box-pews, etc. It was Nash who isolated the church as part of his West Strand Improvements, integrating it with the composition of Trafalgar Square. Survey of London; Vol XX Georgian London; John Summerson. London Vol I: N Pevsner.

Listing NGR: TQ3010280538

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:: 207262
Legacy System:: LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Cherry, B, The Buildings of England: London I - The Cities of London and Westminster, (1973)
Summerson, J, Georgian London, (1945)
'Survey of London' in Trafalgar Square and neighbourhood The Parish of St Martin-in-the-Fields Part 3: Volume 20 , , Vol. 20, (1979)

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.