There was a medieval church on this site from 1174, rebuilt in 1437 and the tower was struck by lightning in 1561.

In 1643 William Penn, whose son founded Pennsylvania, USA, was married in the church. On 4th September 1666 the Great Fire of London gutted the church. Rebuilding was mainly completed by 1680, but not finally till 1703.  In 1890 the three parishes of St Martin's, St Mary Magdelene Old Fish Street, which had been burnt down in 1888 and not rebuilt, and St Gregory by St Paul's, destroyed by the Great Fire, were united (See the paintings to the right of the altar).

1894 saw major rebuilding and alteration giving to St Martin's much of the layout it has today. The floor level was raised at the east end, creating the chancel area.

In 1941 an incendiary bomb damaged the roof, but St Martin's received the least damage of all the city churches in the war.

In 1954 St Martin's became a Guild Church (ie it does not have a parish but has other responsibilities and functions).
Ludgate Hill EC4
Tube: St Paul’s
www.stmartin-within-ludgate.org.uk

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