St Martin-in-the-Fields

In London's City of Westminster, on the northeast corner of Trafalgar Square, stands the Church of England parish church known as St. Martin-in-the-Fields. It has Saint Martin of Tours as its patron. Since at least the medieval era, the location has housed a church. When it was given to Westminster Abbey for management, it was then situated in the farmlands and fields outside of the London Wall.

In the early modern era, as Westminster's population increased, it was elevated to the status of a primary parish church west of the old City. The current edifice was built in 1722–1726 under James Gibbs' important neoclassical design when it was discovered that its medieval and Jacobean structure was on the verge of failure. One of the aesthetic landmarks that enhances the open urban environment near Trafalgar Square is the church.

The walls and roof were determined to be in a state of disrepair during a survey in 1710. In 1720, Parliament issued a law authorizing the raising of up to £22,000 through a parishioner tax for the purpose of restoring the church. On the churchyard and on land in Lancaster Court, a temporary church was built. Newspaper ads announced that families might remove the remains and monuments of the deceased interred in a church or churchyard and reinter them elsewhere.

Location: Trafalgar Square, Westminster London
Years built: 1721–1726