300 Anniversary History Exhibition

There’s not always the space or time to tell people about the background of a building that is such an established “fixture” in a busy place. A place that everyone familiar enough with central London knows and may have walked past countless times. That overseas visitors have on their “list”. Whether for a concert or just a cuppa. And that’s what makes our 300^th birthday a special time to do just that.

The St Martin-in-the-Fields 300 Heritage Project has been made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to put on a special exhibition, undertake a variety of community projects and outreach activities and make more of St Martin’s story available online. This is a platform from which to bring our communities together to appreciate the past, present and future of St Martin’s.

Some stories are old gems from the depths of our archives or perhaps items kept by others that shine a light on past times. And these are a joy to share.

The best part is that we get to hear the tales we don’t know. We get to ask people what St Martin’s means to them and what draws them back. A place for reflection in a noisy world. Somewhere to be lost in beautiful music. A place with no expectation of you. A bit of the magic of London.

Your St Martin’s Story – St Martin-in-the-Fields

We were inspired by a story and a precious piece of art we were given. A private sketch book belonging to the late Vanessa Tinker, filled with her drawings of everyday images of St Martin’s. Capturing people in our sacred space. It will now be on view at our exhibition. And we have taken the cue to include photography of people visiting the church and sharing their answer to the question, “Why St Martin’s?

St Martin in the Fields: 300 Years at the Heart and on the Edge is a free exhibition in the Crypt Foyer, 25 June to 16 November 2026

My St Martin’s is a photographic series by Jayne Lloyd, inspired by the sketches of Jane Tinker, exhibited on the railings of Duncannon Street

There is a family trail available onsite as well as 4 family outreach days (details on the 300th anniversary events page)

In addition, online content supporting the exhibition includes:

A self-guided audio guide of St Martin-in-the-Fields
A collections page to learn more about artworks and memorials in the church.
A ‘Memories of St Martin’s page containing people’s stories about St Martin’s and an opportunity to submit your own.