St. Martin's Church, Birmingham
Saint Martin's is the original parish church of Birmingham. It stands by the Bull Ring Shopping Centre and the markets. The church is a Victorian neo-Gothic building. It has a high nave and chancel and a spire. The spire was rebuilt many times and thrice struck by lightning.
The church was demolished and rebuilt in 1873 by the architect J. A. Chatwin. The exterior is of Grinshill stone. The inside is of sandstone. Victorian floor tiles by Minton show the arms of the de Bermingham family.
The Blitz of World War II destroyed all the stained glass windows except the near irreplaceable Burne-Jones window. The other windows were replaced by 1954.
The church is provided with 16 bells. This is unusual. Other than Saint Martin's, only three rings of sixteen bells exist in the world.
The pipe organ in use today is by Harrison & Harrison. It dates from 1906. Since 2004 the church has stopped using the organ for the 11am service but it is still played at the 9.30am communion and at the 6pm Choral Service.
The church was demolished and rebuilt in 1873 by the architect J. A. Chatwin. The exterior is of Grinshill stone. The inside is of sandstone. Victorian floor tiles by Minton show the arms of the de Bermingham family.
The Blitz of World War II destroyed all the stained glass windows except the near irreplaceable Burne-Jones window. The other windows were replaced by 1954.
The church is provided with 16 bells. This is unusual. Other than Saint Martin's, only three rings of sixteen bells exist in the world.
The pipe organ in use today is by Harrison & Harrison. It dates from 1906. Since 2004 the church has stopped using the organ for the 11am service but it is still played at the 9.30am communion and at the 6pm Choral Service.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Birmingham. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Download The GPSmyCity App
St. Martin's Church on Map
Sight Name: St. Martin's Church
Sight Location: Birmingham, England (See walking tours in Birmingham)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Birmingham, England (See walking tours in Birmingham)
Sight Type: Religious
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Birmingham, England
Create Your Own Walk in Birmingham
Creating your own self-guided walk in Birmingham is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Birmingham Introduction Walking Tour
The word Birmingham derives from the Old English term "Beormingas." A Beorminga was a person who was one of "Beorma's people." Who was Beorma? Who knows? Something was always stirring around Birmingham.
In 1166, Peter de Bermingham received a charter from the King, Henry II, to build a market at his castle (Peter's castle, not Henry's). As Lord of the Manor... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
In 1166, Peter de Bermingham received a charter from the King, Henry II, to build a market at his castle (Peter's castle, not Henry's). As Lord of the Manor... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.2 Km or 2 Miles
Birmingham Historical Buildings Tour
Although existent as a settlement since the early 7th century AD, Birmingham, UK is a relatively young city that has grown rapidly, as a result of the Industrial Revolution, from the 18th century onward. Thus, the local architecture is overwhelmingly a product of the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries, with little survived from the earlier days.
Traces of the ancient settlement, dating back to... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
Traces of the ancient settlement, dating back to... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles