St. Martin's Church, Stamford, Lincolnshire

Churches in Stamford:

All Saints'

Browne's Hospital

St Mary and St Augustine's

St Mary's

Strict Baptist Chapel

The Salvation Army

Trinity Methodist

United Reformed Church

No longer churches:

St Michael's

St Paul's

No longer standing:

All Saints Beyond the Bridge

General Baptists

Holy Trinity / St Stephen's

Nonconformist Chapels

St. Martin's
Church of England

Location: St Martin's, Stamford [click here for a map]
Rector: Fr Michael Ruff

Services on Sunday: 8am and 9.30am

St. Martin's was founded by 1146, and possibly earlier. By 1473, the chancel was described as 'ruinous', and the church was entirely rebuilt during the second half of the 15th century; possibly c.1482. It is the only medieval church outside the town walls to survive.

It used to be thought that the 1461 sack of Stamford by Lancastrian troops had badly damaged or virtually destroyed many of Stamford's churches, but now it is thought that the complete rebuilding of 2 churches, St. Martin's and St. John's, and the partial rebuilds of the other churches, stems more from the wealth of the town at that time, and the desire to build magnificent structures to worship in.

St. Martin's church houses the tombs of the Cecil family, the earliest being that of William Cecil, Lord Burghley, who was Chancellor to Queen Elizabeth I, and died in 1598.

The north chapel was extended in 1865, the only Victorian addition to this complete Perpendicular style church.