St Martin-in-the-Fields: 300 Years at the Heart and on the Edge

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.

Visit the free exhibition in our foyer to experience 300 years of St Martin’s stories and see a wide range of unique objects and extraordinary video footage. We are also running four family days across the duration of the exhibition; bring the little ones to join in our hands on activities.

Experience our new audio guide, launching to coincide with the exhibition; explore seven sites in and around the church and crypt. Available via a QR code onsite or listen remotely on the website.

On the edge of Trafalgar Square there will be an outdoor photographic exhibition created by Jayne Lloyd using the sketchbook of congregant Vanessa Tinker as inspiration. The images will capture 15 individuals’ answer to the question: Why did you come? Why have you stayed?

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Hands on History

Hands on History presents a weekend of Mudlarking displays from 10am to 4pm on the 20 & 21 June here at St Martin-in-the-Fields. Celebrating the 300th year Anniversary of this iconic building, the Mudlarks will exhibit some amazing Georgian finds. You’ll see gentlemen’s wig curlers, dandy buttons and fancy shoe buckles and ladies cameos, skirt-lifters and dress fastenings, and you might raise an eyebrow at the love tokens, syphilis syringes, and gambling dice. There will be older treasures too, from Neolithic stone tools to Roman oil lamps, Medieval pilgrim tokens and Tudor wine bottles. Come see thousands of historic artefacts discovered in the River Thames and meet the Mudlarks who found them. You’ll learn how Mudlarks search for finds, all about researching their artefacts, how the Mudlarks are licenced, and how they record their treasures with the Museum of London. Best of all, some artefacts are available for handling, so you will get to touch real history. It’s the closest you’ll ever come to time travel!

Saturday: 10am – 4pm
Sunday: 11am – 4pm

Find out more

Flower Arranging Demonstrations

Join our flower arranging demonstrations in the atmospheric 300-year old Gallery and be inspired by a highly-experienced designer. Eleven sessions across three days.

There is a wealth of experience and talent so you are sure to find a demonstration that’s right for you.  Come and learn from an industry veteran and discover fresh approaches from young designers.

The demonstrator’s designs will be auctioned at the end of the demonstration – so there’s the opportunity to take some beautiful flowers home with you.

Open House 2026

Join us for a day of free activities including church and wider site tours and the chance to climb the many steps to the bell tower. Experience our secret garden or spend some quiet time sketching.

Listen to a rehearsal for our evening concert: Vivaldi Four Seasons by Candlelight and get 20% off concert tickets for the actual performance by showing your Open House programme.

Unfortunately, the Crypt Café and 300th Exhibition will be closed today for a private event.

Book for an Open House event:

Event: Church Tour
Times: 11am, 12pm, 1pm
Architecture, worship, history, music, enterprise, see some of the many aspects of our amazing building.
Book now here

Event: Bell Tower Tour
Times: 10:30am, 12pm, 1:30pm
Ever wondered how the amazing sounds from the bells are created? Come and see!
Book now here

Event: Garden Tour
Times: 11am, 11:40am, 12:20pm
Secret garden in the square
Book now here

Event: Come and draw
Bring your sketch book and enjoy the opportunity to draw in our wonderful building. Basic materials can be provided.
No booking required

Event: Come and sing your favourite hymns
Time: 1:30pm – 2pm
Join us at the grand piano. All welcome, no audition required!
No booking required

Explore the full programme here

Family Activity: Marvellous Maps, The Past, Present and Future of St Martin’s

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.

Come along to St Martin’s for this fun family activity, suitable for children aged 5-13 years.

Become a city planner for the day: explore old maps of London from the church’s archive, and using toy blocks, build a 3D city map to create a new St Martin-in-the-Fields Parish. Will you add schools, police stations and bath houses? How will you look after the poor and what other buildings do you need for locals?

Location for this event TBC. Check back for further information. Crypt Café and 300th Exhibition will be closed today.

Family Activity: Marvellous Maps, The Past, Present and Future of St Martin’s

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.

Come along to St Martin’s for this fun family activity, suitable for children aged 5-13 years.

Become a city planner for the day: explore old maps of London from the church’s archive, and using toy blocks, build a 3D city map to create a new St Martin-in-the-Fields Parish. Will you add schools, police stations and bath houses? How will you look after the poor and what other buildings do you need for locals?

Drop in. No booking required.

London Festival of Architecture 2026: Belonging

We are delighted to be part of LFA  2026. A month-long celebration of architecture and city-making.

On Saturday 20 June, we are offering free guided tours of the building (please book your free slot when they are available), plus the opportunity to sketch this iconic landmark (paper and pencils provided). Join us at 12.30 in the church for a short talk from Neil MacGregor, congregation member and former Director of the British Museum. Free tickets available to book online or at the box office. See a free open rehearsal of Brahms Requiem by Candlelight at 4pm plus get 20% off concert tickets for the actual performance by showing your programme. Look out for discounts in the café and 10% off brass rubbing.

Find out more here

St Martin-in-the-Fields 300th Anniversary Concert

300 years of St Martin-in-the-Fields: Clive Myrie, Danielle de Niese and Aaron Azunda Akugbo lead a musical birthday celebration.

In 1726, King George II was on the throne, Voltaire sought asylum in Britain and Handel’s Alessandro was rocking the London stage. And in a part of London that wasn’t yet known as Trafalgar Square, a church was completed that would become the living heart of the capital’s spiritual and musical life. An evening like this comes only once every three centuries. Tonight, compered by Clive Myrie, St Martin-in-the-Fields’ own choir comes together with the orchestra that took its name from the church plus established and emerging stars of 21st century music – Danielle de Niese and Aaron Azunda Akugbo – for a pageant of music celebrating the 300th anniversary of the nation’s parish church.

The English Concert: Handel’s Scipione

‘What use is it to triumph in war, when the tyranny of Love destroys our honour?’ In 1726, the year that St Martin-in-the Fields was consecrated, Handel’s opera Scipione was the hit of the season at the King’s Theatre, just a short walk away on Haymarket. Rome’s enemies tumble before the invincible might of General Scipione – but the human heart demands a very different strategy. 300 years later, Scipione conquers again: and who better to bring back this drama of jealousy, honour and unrestrained passion than master-Handelian Harry Bicket, The English Concert, and an all-star cast?

Courageous Change: Windborne in Concert

Over the years, St Martins has been a place of courageous change, challenging the status quo with a radical approach to mission and social justice. Experience the power of music and activism with US a cappella group Windborne, who bring their signature harmonies to life in songs that resonate with courage, empathy, and hope.

Singing is where struggle, resistance, and utopian dreams meet in solidarity – whether it be the Diggers in the UK, civil rights movements in the USA, or the international struggle against apartheid in South Africa. Tonight, US a cappella folk group Windborne continue folk music’s longtime alliance with movements championing the oppressed, the poor, and the disenfranchised, bringing songs of hope to St Martins. The Boston-based group came to public prominence in 2017 when a spontaneous video of them singing the 1840s protest song ‘The Song of the Lower Classes’ outside Trump Tower struck a chord worldwide.

Join us for an unforgettable evening where every note fuels a movement, and where the courage to change the world begins in the heart of the audience.

This concert is part of our 300th anniversary celebrations.