Located on the north end of Trafalgar Square, this old church dates back to at least 1222, although it was rebuilt in 1542 and 1721. In 2006, a gravesite from around 410 was found here.
Wikipedia (
visit link) adds:
"The church survived the Great Fire of London which did not reach as far as the City of Westminster, but was replaced with a new building, designed by James Gibbs in 1721 and completed five years later. The design was criticised widely at the time, but subsequently became extremely famous, being copied particularly widely in the United States. St Andrews Church, Egmore, Chennai is a copy of this church. The church is essentially rectangular, with a great pediment in the Classical style supported by a row of huge Corinthian columns. The high steeple is topped with a gilt crown. Gibbs was certainly inspired by Sir Christopher Wren as the interior is very similar to St James's in Piccadilly."
The Church's own website (
visit link) has an entire section for music from which we learn:
"With its superb acoustics, vibrant history and beautiful setting, St Martin-in-the-Fields is a highly sought after performance space for both our evening concerts and our free lunchtime concerts...
Lunchtime Concerts
The Lunchtime Concert Series gives musicians the opportunity to perform in a professional environment to a large and appreciative audience. Concerts, every Monday, Tuesday and Friday at 1.00pm, feature a refreshing range of performers and repertoire. The concerts are free for all, but a suggested audience donation of £3.50 is greatly appreciated to help fund all aspects of the series and work at St Martin’s.
Applications for Lunchtime Concerts in 2015 are now open. Please download and complete the form below and return it to us by Friday 28 March 2014...
Please note that Lunchtime Concerts at St Martin’s are always of an extremely high standard and places in the series are very competitive..
Evening Concerts
Evening Concerts at St Martin-in-the-Fields are an unforgettable experience; you will find a warm and vibrant acoustic which is brought to life by the superb performances which take place most Tuesdays and every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The atmosphere of these concerts is always changing as we benefit from a loyal core audience and a large number of first time visitors who are aware of St Martin’s international reputation.
Please note that applications for evening concerts are closed for 2013 and 2014, however if you are interested in hiring St Martin’s for a concert in the future, please find the application form below...
St Martin’s Embassy Series
Launching in 2014, St Martin’s Embassy Series is a celebration of St Martin-in-the-Field’s reputation as an international church, and as a world-famous concert venue, located in the heart of cultural London.
As part of the Lunchtime Concert Series, St Martin’s Embassy Series will run once a month (on every third Tuesday), and is open to international performers recommended by their embassy in the United Kingdom.
For more information on how you can perform within the series, or how you can recommend a performer to us, please email music@smitf.org."