St Martin's Church, Ruislip facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Martin's Church |
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| Parish Church of St Martin | |
View of the southern side of St Martin's Church
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Martin |
| Consecrated | 1245 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I - Listing 1285697 |
| Style | Norman |
| Years built | 1245 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Parish of Ruislip |
| Deanery | Deanery of Hillingdon |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Northolt |
| Episcopal area | See of Willesden |
| Diocese | Diocese of London |
St Martin's Church is a historic church located in Ruislip, a town in west London. It's a very important historical building, called a Grade I listed building, since January 1950. The main parts of the church, like the chancel (the area around the altar) and the nave (the main part where people sit), were built in the 13th century. You can find St Martin's Church at the north end of Ruislip High Street, close to the Manor Farm site.
History of St Martin's Church
The first church in Ruislip was mentioned way back in 1086 in the Domesday Book. But as more people moved to Ruislip, a bigger church was needed. So, the church you see today was built in 1245. Some old stones with markings from the Norman period have been found. These are believed to be from the very first church building.
Monks from Bec Abbey, a religious group, owned Ruislip a long time ago. They named the church after Saint Martin of Tours, who was from Normandy. William de Guineville, a leader from Bec Abbey, probably pushed for the church to be rebuilt. He lived nearby at Manor Farm. The first known vicar (church leader) of St Martin's was William de Bermington in 1327.
Between 1404 and 1414, Bec Abbey lost its lands because of high taxes during the Hundred Years War. By 1422, the church building was in poor condition. It was then given to the Dean and Canons of Windsor. They had the chancel rebuilt later in the 15th century. The people of the parish rebuilt the south aisle in 1440. The church tower was also built in the 15th century and had a set of bells. In 1463, a man named Thomas Bettz left money in his will to help fix the bells. An extension was added to the south aisle around 1500.
In 1870, the church building was greatly repaired and updated. This work was done by a famous architect named George Gilbert Scott. In 1958, a special wooden beam, called a rood beam, was added. It was a memorial to the local Gower family.
The Ruislip war memorial remembers those who died in the First World War. It was originally in the church graveyard. In 1976, it was moved closer to the entrance of Manor Farm.
Important People Remembered Here
St Martin's Church has memorials for several notable people. These are special plaques or monuments inside the church that help us remember them.
- Lady Mary Bankes: She was born in Ruislip. Lady Mary was famous for bravely defending Corfe Castle during the English Civil War.
- Sir John Anderson (1852–1924): He was a Scottish merchant, which means he was involved in trade and business.
- Elisabeth Schumann (1888-1952): She was a talented German opera and lieder singer.
- Jessie Matthews OBE (1907-1981): She was a well-known British entertainer who performed in films and on stage.
Images for kids
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View of the southern side of St Martin's Church
