St Martin's Church, Canterbury Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Church of St Martin
St Martin's Church
Location	Canterbury, Kent, England
Built	before AD 597
Governing body	PCC St. Martin & St. Paul, Canterbury

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Official name: Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church
Type	Cultural
Criteria	i, ii, vi
Designated	1988 (12th session)
Reference no.	496
State	United Kingdom
Region	Europe and North America


Listed Building – Grade I
Official name: Church of St Martin
Designated	28 February 1952
Reference no.	1242166

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The Church of St Martin is a very old Church of England parish church in Canterbury, England. It is just outside the city centre. This church is known as the oldest church building in Britain that is still used today. It is also the oldest parish church in the English-speaking world. However, Roman and Celtic churches existed centuries before it. The Church of St Martin is part of a World Heritage Site. This site also includes Canterbury Cathedral and St Augustine's Abbey.

Since 1668, St Martin's Church has been linked with St Paul's Church in Canterbury. Both churches hold weekly services. The current leader of the parish is Reverend Mark Richard Griffin.

The Early History of St Martin's Church
- How St Augustine Used the Church
The Architecture of St Martin's Church
Notable Graves in the Churchyard
Music and Bells at St Martin's
Images for kids
See also

The Early History of St Martin's Church

St Martin's was the private chapel for Queen Bertha of Kent. She was a Christian princess from a place called Francia. Queen Bertha came to England with her chaplain, Bishop Liudhard. Her husband, King Æthelberht of Kent, was not a Christian. But he helped her continue her faith. He did this by fixing up an old Romano-British building around 580 AD.

The historian Bede wrote that this building was used as a church in Roman times. He said it later fell out of use. Bede specifically named this church as being dedicated to Martin of Tours. This city was near where Queen Bertha grew up. Some modern experts question if it was truly a Roman church. They suggest it might have been built in the 6th century in a Roman style.

How St Augustine Used the Church

When Saint Augustine of Canterbury arrived from Rome in 597 AD, he used St Martin's as his main base. He quickly made the church bigger in 597 AD. King Æthelberht was soon baptised there. After Canterbury Cathedral and St Augustine's Abbey were built, St Martin's became less important. However, it still holds its special place and historical value.

Around 1844, a collection of gold coins was found in the churchyard. These coins might be from the late 6th century. One of them is the Liudhard medalet. It shows a figure wearing a crown and mentions Liudhard.

The Architecture of St Martin's Church

Roman bricks in the chancel wall

Discoveries in the area show that Christianity was present in this part of the city long ago. The church itself has many reused Roman bricks. These are called spolia. It also has full sections of walls made from Roman tiles. At the very centre of the church, the brick remains of a Roman tomb were built into the structure.

Many parts of the walls are clearly very old. A blocked-up square doorway in the chancel might have been the entrance to Queen Bertha's church. Other wall sections are from the 7th or 8th centuries. This was after the Gregorian mission arrived. Most of the nave is from this later period. The apse, which was once at the east end, has been removed. The tower was added much later. It is built in the Perpendicular style. The church is a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historical building.

Notable Graves in the Churchyard

The churchyard is where many important local families and famous people are buried. These include:

Canon William Cadman, a religious leader from the 1800s.
Thomas Sidney Cooper, a well-known artist.
Mary Tourtel, who created the famous character Rupert Bear.

Music and Bells at St Martin's

The church has a long history of music. This tradition goes all the way back to the monks of St Augustine. It continues to this day.

The church tower has three bells. They are set up for swing-chiming, which means they are rung using levers. The largest bell, called the tenor, weighs about 6.25 long tons.