London - St Martin-in-the-Fields Church

St Martin-in-the-Fields is the royal parish church (hence the royal coat of arms above the Corinthian portico), and also the parish church of the Admiralty. There has been a church on this site since 1222 at least. The original church was rebuilt in the reign of Henry VIII (1544) and replaced in 1726 by the present structure, designed by James Gibbs, a pupil of Carlo Fontana. The church is Gibbs's masterpiece, notable particularly for its Corinthian portico, its 56m/185ft high steeple and its elliptical ceiling (of Italian workmanship), supported on Corinthian columns. The font belonged to the previous church, of which there are some other relics in the crypt (worth seeing for its own sake, with massive square piers). To the north of the altar is the royal box or pew, to the south the Admiralty box. Above the chancel arch are the arms of George I. The church is notable for its variety of worship, its many musical concerts, and its social care work with the needy.