St Martin's in the Fields, a Church of England parish church, has been standing sentinel at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London, for centuries. But it's no ordinary church; at 1.6 kilometers (or 1 statute mile) west-south-west of Ludgate, it's far from the usual city limits of Roman London. So, what lies beneath its facade?
In 2006, excavations revealed a group of graves dating from around 350 AD, including a 410 AD sarcophagus burial. These graves remain shrouded in mystery; some believe they signify a Christian centre from that age or a repurposed pagan temple, while others propose they may have sprung up around the tomb of a martyr. The site was recognized by the Saxons, who continued to bury their dead there, fostering the growth of the Saxon town of Lundenwic.
But how many visitors to St Martin's in the Fields today harbor any inkling of this vibrant past? It's a riveting tale, one that surely merits a glimpse.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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