Listed Building record MDO8109 - St Martin's Church, North Street, Wareham

An eleventh-century church, possibly on site of church mentioned in AD 700. There have been some with later alterations, and the building was restored in 1935-6. The church contains a sculpture by Eric Kennington of T E Lawrence ('Lawrence of Arabia') as a reclining figure in arab dress in the style of a medieval tomb.

Church of St Martin, Wareham has rubble walls with ashlar dressings and has a chancel and nave of the 11th century. In the late 12th century part of the north wall of the nave was demolished and rebuilt with an arcade of two bays opening to a new north aisle; late in the 15th century the west ends of the nave and north aisle were rebuilt. The level of the chancel roof has also been lowered. The south tower is of the 16th century, restored and with the top rebuilt in 1712. In the 18th century the church fell into disuse but was restored in 1935-36. Plan. <4-5> St Martin's Church described. <6> Efforts have been made by Williams (5) and Moilliet (6) to identify St Martins Church or a predecessor with the church near Wareham built by St Aldhelm, circa 700AD (see SY 98 NW 55 for historical references). <8> During drainage improvements to St Martins Church, it was observed that the West wall of the C11th nave began on a line just West of the South porch, giving an original length of ca. 7.5m. <9>

Record last edited

May 31 2023 12:20PM