The word "Old" refers to the fact that at the beginning of this century it was envisaged that this church would close, and a new church dedicated to St Martin was built to the east of the city. (GC6GCT6). However, "Old" St Martin's survived and is in daily use for worship.The church is of considerable regional importance and significance. It is the only city church which is kept open for short periods nearly every day, with the celebration of Holy Communion throughout the week.
It houses an unrivalled collection of priceless vestments of around seventy items, and along with veils, burses, maniples and stoles takes the tally to well over one hundred and fifty. It also has some fine stained glass windows by John Hardman and Frederick Preedy of the Gothic Revival period. It has become the repository of some important and rare ‘Oxford Movement’ acquisitions, including candlesticks, statues, crucifixes and furnishing; in particular, a fine painted high altar of ‘Arts & Crafts’ design, installed in the 1860s. There are almost forty items of silver, the earliest dating from the 17th century, and a further fifty items of brass, mainly Victorian.
The current building is the third to stand on this site, and was built by Anthony Keck to the designs of Harry Keene, showing the influence of the earlier St. Martin in the Fields, London. A porch was added to the south door in 1827. Since 1984, much stonework has been replaced, the windows have been restored, the roof re-slated, the interior decorated and the fine Nicholson organ rebuilt. The church seats about 200 people. The church is one of a handful of churches that has a claim to be where William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway were married in November 1582.
Head to stage two to find a statue of the pair. Convert the date into numbers only and assign as ABCDEFGH. You will find the cache at the following coordinates: N 52° 11.(E+F)(G-C)(A+D) W 002° 13.(H-A)(B-A)A
****************** ********************
For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro.co.uk
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
****************** *******************