St Martin's Church, Colchester facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Martin's Church, Colchester |
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Truncated tower of St Martin's Church, Colchester
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| OS grid reference | TL 996 255 |
| Location | Colchester, Essex |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Eastern Orthodox |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Martin |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 2 December 1971 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint rubble, tiled roofs |
St Martin's Church is an active Orthodox church located in Colchester, Essex, England. It belongs to the Antiochian Archdiocese of the British Isles and Ireland. This church is a very important historical building, listed as Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England. You can find it right in the middle of Colchester, close to the town hall.
Contents
History of St Martin's Church
Early Construction and Damage
The main part of the church, called the nave, and its tower were built way back in the 12th century. Later, in the 14th century, more parts were added. These included the side sections (called aisles), the transepts (which make the church look like a cross), and the chancel (the area around the altar).
Sadly, the church tower was damaged in 1648 during the English Civil War. It was never fixed after that. Because of this damage, the church started to fall apart. In 1748, a historian named Philip Morant wrote that it was in ruins. No church services were being held there at all.
Restoration Efforts Over Time
A big repair project happened in the late 1800s. During this time, an architect named Giles Gilbert Scott uncovered a special curved ceiling, known as a wagon roof, in the chancel. Later, a priest named Rev Ernest Geldart had a grand plan to restore the church even more, but it never happened.
The church became neglected again. In 1953, it was officially declared "redundant," meaning it was no longer needed for regular church services.
New Life for the Church
From 1957 to 1987, a theatre group used the church building. But by 1987, the building was not safe to use anymore. It kept getting worse until 1996, when the Churches Conservation Trust took over. This group helps to save old churches.
Some urgent repairs had already been done with money from English Heritage. The Trust then continued to fix the building in two stages. First, they made sure the church was dry and stable. The second stage involved cleaning the inside, including old wall paintings. They also painted over black paint left by the theatre company and made the church accessible for wheelchairs.
This important work was finished in 2003, thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund. The church even won an award from the Colchester Civic Trust that same year. It is still considered a holy place.
As of January 2022, the church was sold to the local St Helen's Chapel Antiochian Parish. They now use it for their services.
Architecture of St Martin's
St Martin's Church is built from flint rubble, which means it's made from rough, broken pieces of stone. Its roofs are covered with tiles. The tower, which is shorter than it used to be, and the nave are built in the Norman style. This style was popular in England after the Normans arrived in 1066.
You can even spot some old Roman stones mixed into the walls of the tower and the nave! Inside the church, at the top of the arch leading to the chancel, there's a cool carving of a green man. This is a mythical face made of leaves. There are also two special glazed tiles, called encaustic tiles, in the aisles. These were meant for Geldart's restoration plan that never happened.
See also
