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St Martins Church Birmingham

i maybe going into town tomorrow pol so i will take and look..must remember me camera just in case work has started...
 
I love this one Astoness, so much atmosphere! Thank you for sharing!
I also have many family members who were Christened, married or buried in St Martins from the 1820s on.
 
Astoness, what a stunning pic of St Martins, the atmosphere is spell binding, must attempt a painting of it, just my subject (will have to be careful of copyright though) any idea of date and sauce of photo. Eric
 
Fabulous picture Lyn - do you know an approx date? Is that "my" window there on the right, before that horrid extension was built on the back.
 
hi polly..i first posted this one back in may and the date is 1948...

eric i would love to see what you make of this one....it is as you say right up your street...now as to the source of it..i just cant remember but i it would have been in a book or more than likely out of one of carl chinns very early mags and knowing carl as i do he would have no objection what so ever in you painting it...

lyn..
 
Sorry Lyn, I have just read through the earlier posts and seen that you put the date of the picture was Nov 1948
 
For anyone searching for photos of St Martins to put in family information it might be worth noting the following dates as the church has changed over the years.

1290 -The de Bermingham family built a medieval church in red sandstone on the site
1690 - the church was adapted - the tower was encased in brick to protect the sandstone, the stained glass windows were removed and side chapels
destroyed and new galleries built.
1855 - The tower and spire were restored. Prince Albert was there when the top stone was placed on the spire.
1873 - The whole building - apart from the tower and spire - was demolished and rebuilt in high Gothic style - designed by Architect Alfred Chatwin.
1941 - Birmingham was bombed - stone work and masonry from the west wall and gable fell down. The only window to survive was the Burne Jones window - it had been taken down and packed away earlier that day.
1957 - Following the war damage a parish hall was added to the church - designed by Anthony Chatwin, the grandson of the original architect.
1987 - The hammer-beam roof was restored.
2000 - The church interior was refurbished, keeping Victorian features.
2003 - The outside was cleaned and restored. A cafe, health and healing centre and learning service were added

I hope this information helps you find the right picture for the year you are looking for - it has helped me -and if you have managed to get your family back to 1290 - WELL DONE!
 
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An early view (1731) of St. Martin's Church from Buck's SW Prospect of Birmingham drawing. Seems almost impossible! (Apologies if this was posted before, but afraid I can't tell since images were lost). Viv

St__Martin_s_Church_from_Bucks_SW_Prospect_of_Birmingham_1731.JPG
 
Thank you polly for the detailed info on St Martins that is a great help with my original request. Thanks to Astoness and Viv for the amazing photo and picture this is just what I wanted. By the way Polly found another couple of beautiful Burne Jones stained glass windows at St Margarets Ward End will post them on the right thread.
 
Great picture vivienne thanks for posting it :encouragement: I am trying to find picture's around 1770 - 1788 and then about 1818 - so your picture is quite close to the early one I am looking for.
What year/s are you looking for Wendy?
Thank you for telling me about the Burne Jones windows - I will try and find that thread and have a look.:adoration:
 
Wonderful window Wendy.

Pollypops, here's a drawing from the John Morris Jones Collection (from the bgfl site), showing the view of St Martin's from Old Moat. Can't be 100% certain, but it's date is around 1770s. (Again apologies if it was posted before). Viv.

St_Martins_from_Old_oat1775.jpg
 
Viv that is lovely I am going to save that one for my own records if thats ok.
 
Thank you very much for the lovely images of St Martin, also to pollypops for the timeline info, good to know! Thanks!
 
In answer to an earlier question about whether Nelson has been moved. Yes in the 1960s Bull Ring he was at the end of the higher level shops near Moor Street Station looking down on the open air market but probably out of the way for many people to see him
 
I came across a couple of drawings which might be of interest. The first is of High St Market looking towards St. Martin's. The second is the old Parsonage House of St. Martin's which "stood about two hundred yards westward from the church. The house which was protected by a moat, was of an early date, and was sheltered by a group of aged trees. It stood until 1825 when a new parsonage was found, andthe old building was levelled to the ground". (From James Jaffray's Graphic Illustration of Warwickshire 1862). Viv.

High_Street_Market.JPG


St_Martin_s_Parsonage.JPG
 
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