Church of St Martin in the Fields is a Grade I listed building in the Westminster local planning authority area, England. First listed on 24 February 1958. A 1722-26 Church. 4 related planning applications.
Church of St Martin in the Fields
- WRENN ID
- narrow-cobalt-rowan
- Grade
- I
- Local Planning Authority
- Westminster
- Constituency
- Cities of London and Westminster MP: Rachel Blake (Lab)
- Country
- England
- Date first listed
- 24 February 1958
- Type
- Church
- Address
- Church of St Martin in the Fields, Trafalgar Square Wc2, City of Westminster, WC2N 4JJ
- OS grid reference
- TQ 301 805
- Coordinates
- 51.50883, -0.12666
- Source
- Historic England listing
Description
The Church of St Martin-in-the-Fields is a Grade I listed parish church located in Trafalgar Square, Westminster. It was built between 1722 and 1726 by architect James Gibbs. The church is constructed from Portland stone and features a leaded roof. Its design is notable for combining elements of a Vitruvian temple with a steeple, while incorporating a restrained use of Baroque details, which serves as a political contrast to St Mary-le-Strand.
The west front of the church features a giant Corinthian hexastyle portico with two columns deep, set on a podium of steps, and topped with a pediment-gable that continues the roofline. The portico is flanked by two additional bays on either side, with a staged tower and steeple rising behind it. The end bays are accentuated by giant Corinthian pilasters, and the returns are highlighted by giant Corinthian columns in antis. The body of the church consists of five bays with two tiers of semicircular arched "Gibbs surround" windows, culminating in a bay similar to that of the tower. A large Venetian window is located at the east end.
Inside, the church features a fine interior that draws inspiration from Wren's St Clement Danes and St James's Piccadilly, showcasing a giant order that supports arches and a segmental tunnel vault. The inevitable galleries butt into the column shafts. The chancel is narrower than the nave and includes a noteworthy feature of boxes on either side, with the Royal Pew located on the north side, set at an angle to transition between the nave and chancel. The interior also boasts fine plasterwork by Artari and Bagutti, along with various fittings and monuments, including lowered box-pews. The church was isolated by John Nash as part of his West Strand Improvements, integrating it into the overall composition of Trafalgar Square.
Local climate
Church of St Martin in the Fields sits in one of the driest parts of the UK, with an average of 690 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 95% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 98% of listed buildings.
It experiences an average of 35 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 57% of listed buildings. Of these, 16 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.
Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.
More on this building
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- No EPC on record for this property
- No sale records on file
- Related listed building consents — 4 applications
- Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
- Flood risk assessment
- Radon risk assessment
- Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
Matched applications, energy data and sale records are assembled automatically and may contain errors. Flag incorrect data.
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- Churchyard Walls and Railings Surrounding Church of St Martin in the Fields on North, South, East and West Sides
- John Law Baker Memorial Drinking Fountain (St Martin in the Fields Churchyard)
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- K6 Telephone Kiosk
- St Martin's Vicarage
- St Martin in the Fields Secondary School
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