St Martin-in-the-Fields

St Martin-in-the-Fields is a landmark at the heart of London. It is renowned throughout the world for its music, architecture, broadcasting, hospitality and social care. St Martin‘s has long been one of London's busiest and most popular parish churches. Since the 13th century it has been at the centre of a vibrant and evolving community. The current church, completed in 1726 was designed by architect James Gibbs. His designs were copied throughout the world.

St Martin-in-the-Fields takes its name from the 4th century St Martin of Tours who, on a cold winter's day, cut his soldier's cloak in two to share it with a beggar. It is in the same spirit that St Martin-in-the-Fields welcomes people regardless of their circumstances, with the first record of a collection for the poor dating from 1547. In 1916, the vicar, Dick Sheppard, opened the church to give refuge to soldiers in transit to and from the front lines during World War I. This was the start of the fight against homelessness that has become a central part of St Martin's mission, work that continues today through The Connection at St Martin's.

The 20th century saw many other developments too: the first-ever broadcast of a religious service in 1924 and the first radio appeal to help homeless people. The Academy of St Martin in the Fields was established here by Sir Neville Marriner in 1958 - as well as a busy Chinese People's Community Centre, called the Ho Ming Wah, which serves an important role for many in London's nearby Chinatown. Today St Martin's has a thriving commercial enterprise. Londoners and visitors to London take delight in the award-winning Café in the Crypt, visit the Shop and London Brass Rubbing Centre or buy tickets for one of the 350 classical concerts performed in church or weekly Jazz Nights in the Café.

In 2008/9 St Martin's completed a renewal project, making the entire site fully accessible for the first time, flooding the Church and Crypt with natural light, and restoring old spaces and creating new ones for events, meetings, and rehearsals. There are now three meeting rooms suitable for up to 30 people, a new St Martin's Hall which can cater for up to 120 guests and the Neville Marriner Rehearsal Room for performing groups of up to 40. The Gallery and the Crypt have also been refurbished and are available to hire for a range of events for 120 and 350 guests respectively. Catering is provided by the Café in the Crypt and St Martin's Trafalgar Square location makes it an ideal central London venue.

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