St Martin's Church, Wareham
St Martin's Church, Wareham, sometimes St Martin's-on-the-walls, is an Anglo-Saxon church in the town of Wareham in Dorset, England. It is the most complete example of an Anglo-Saxon church in Dorset.[2] It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.[1]
History and features
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fd/Church_of_St_Martin%2C_Wareham_-_T_E_Lawrence_effigy_-_geograph.org.uk_-_722196.jpg/220px-Church_of_St_Martin%2C_Wareham_-_T_E_Lawrence_effigy_-_geograph.org.uk_-_722196.jpg)
The church is reputed to have been founded by Saint Aldhelm in the 7th century.[3] It is thought that this earlier building was destroyed by King Canute in 1015.[3] The present building dates from about AD 1030. Anglo-Saxon features include a tall, narrow nave and chancel, late Anglo-Saxon wall-arcading in the north west aisle and traces of a Saxon door.[4] The building has been altered and expanded over the years but the nave and a tiny window in the north side of the chancel are original features. On the north wall of the chancel are 12th-century frescoes depicting Saint Martin on horseback, escorted by attendants, dividing his cloak and giving one half to a naked beggar.
On one of the walls a number of red stars have been painted, possibly representing plague deaths in the 17th century.[2]
During the Great Fire of Wareham in 1762, the church was used as a temporary refuge for those who had lost their homes. Later the church fell into disuse but at the beginning of the 20th century a programme of restoration began and the church was rededicated on 23 November 1936.
In the north aisle sits a stone tomb effigy of T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia), created by his friend Eric Kennington.[5] Lawrence was buried at Moreton, Dorset in 1935.
The church is still in use, with a regular weekly communion on Wednesdays.
References
- ^ a b Historic England. "St Martin's Church (Grade I) (1003573)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Dorset's oldest church". BBC. 7 March 2006.
- ^ a b Ladle, Lilian (1986). Explore Wareham. Lady St Mary Parochial Church Council. ISBN 0-9511365-0-X.
- ^ Taylor, H. M.; Taylor, Joan (1965). Anglo-Saxon Architecture. Vol. 2. Cambridge University Press. p. 638.
- ^ Knowles, Richard (1991). "Tale of an 'Arabian knight': the T. E. Lawrence effigy". Church Monuments. 6: 67–76.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Wareham Churches
- Medieval Wall Painting in the English Parish Church: Wareham