St Martin's Church, Knebworth

Church in Hertfordshire, England

Church

51°51′55″N 0°10′54″W / 51.8654°N 0.1818°W / 51.8654; -0.1818DenominationChurch of EnglandArchitectureHeritage designationGrade II* listedArchitect(s)Edwin Lutyens, Albert RichardsonStyleNeoclassicalCompleted20th centuryAdministrationProvinceCanterburyDioceseSt AlbansArchdeaconryHertfordClergyRectorRev Charles King

St Martin's Church is an active Anglican church in Knebworth, Hertfordshire, England. The building, which is designated grade II*,^[1] was designed by Edwin Lutyens in an Italianate style. It is constructed in brick.

History

The church was built to serve the expanding settlement on the Great North Road near Knebworth railway station, over a mile from the medieval parish church St Mary and St Thomas. Before World War I there was a plan by the local landowners, the Bulwer-Lytton family, to develop Knebworth as a type of garden village. This plan was only partly realised, but it resulted in several commissions for Lutyens including a clubhouse for the local golf course and Homewood, a dower house for his mother-in-law, Edith Bulwer-Lytton, Countess of Lytton.^[2]

Construction began in 1914, but the building was not completed according to the architect's intentions. When the church was consecrated in 1915, it was in an incomplete state because of cutbacks caused by World War I. The west front was added in the 1960s and was designed by Sir Albert Richardson. Richardson did not follow Lutyens' intention to give the church a portico, but his contribution has been described as "harmonious".^[1]

Interior

The plastered interior features limited use of Portland stone. The aisles are separated from the nave by small arches on Tuscan columns.^[3]

The organ dates from the 1960s. Its pipes are in "tubs" on each site of the chancel entrance.^[4]

Conservation

On 27 May 1968, the church was designated a grade II* listed building.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b "Church of Saint Martin". Historic England.
^ Skelton, Tim (2009). "Visit to Knebworth Village". The Lutyens Trust. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
^ ^a ^b Historic England. "Church of St Martin (1174371)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
^ "R01764". National Pipe Organ Register. Retrieved 2 February 2024.

External links

Media related to St Martin's Church, Knebworth at Wikimedia Commons

Official website

Listed buildings in Hertfordshire

Grade I

Broxbourne	Eleanor Cross Wormleybury
Dacorum	130–136 Piccotts End Ashridge Business School Beechwood Park Berkhamsted School Old Building St Mary's Church, Hemel Hempstead
East Hertfordshire	Aston Bury Manor Balls Park Benington Castle (remains) Hertford Castle Gatehouse Hunsdon House Rye House Gatehouse Scott's Grotto Shire Hall, Hertford St James' Church, Stanstead Abbotts St Leonard's Church, Bengeo St Mary's Church, Ware St Mary the Virgin's Church, Little Hormead Waytemore Castle (remains) Woodhall Park (Heath Mount School)
Hertsmere	Tyttenhanger House
North Hertfordshire	Hitchin Priory Holy Trinity Church, Weston St John the Baptist's Church, Royston St Katharine's Church, Ickleford St Mary's Church, Ashwell St Mary's Church, Baldock St Mary's Church, Hitchin St Mary and St Thomas's Church, Knebworth Royston Cave
St Albans	Clock Tower Old Gorhambury House (remains) Rothamsted Manor St Albans Cathedral St Helen's Church, Wheathampstead St Mary's Church, Redbourn St Michael's Church, St Albans Verulamium
Stevenage	Rooks Nest House St Nicholas' Church
Three Rivers	Moor Park
Watford	Holy Rood Church, Watford St Mary's Church, Watford
Welwyn Hatfield	Brocket Hall Hatfield House/Old Palace New St Lawrence Church, Ayot St Lawrence

Grade II*

Broxbourne	Rawdon House Theobalds House
Dacorum	173 High Street, Berkhamsted Ashlyns Hall Bridgewater Monument The Bury, Hemel Hempstead Cell Park Dean Incent's House Gaddesden Place Golden Parsonage The Old Bell, Hemel Hempstead St Peter's Church, Great Berkhamstead Tring Park Mansion
East Hertfordshire	All Nations Christian College All Saints' Church, Hertford Almshouses, Buntingford Bayfordbury Chapel at St Edmund's College, Ware County Hall Cromer Windmill Fanhams Hall Goldings Haileybury and Imperial Service College Hare Street House Hanbury Manor Marden Hill House Much Hadham Palace Pishiobury Park Mansion St Andrew's Church, Buckland Stansted Hall Yeomanry House, Hertford Youngsbury Stable Block
Hertsmere	Aldenham House Dyrham Park lodges and arched gateway Hilfield Castle Knightsland Farm House Lululaund Salisbury Hall Wrotham Park
North Hertfordshire	All Saints Church, Radwell All Saints Church, Willian The Cloisters, Letchworth St Nicholas' Church, Hinxworth Hinxworth Place Homewood, Knebworth Knebworth House Princess Helena College Spirella Building St Margaret of Antioch's Church, Bygrave St Martin's Church, Knebworth St Mary Magdalene's Church, Caldecote St Paul's Walden Bury St Vincent's Church, Newnham
St Albans	All Saints Pastoral Centre St Albans Town Hall New Gorhambury House Redbournbury Mill St Leonard's Church, Sandridge St Nicholas Church, Harpenden St Peter's Church, St Albans St Stephen's Church, St Albans Westwick Cottage
Three Rivers	Hunton Park Langleybury Oxhey Chapel Redheath
Watford	The Grove The Mrs Elizabeth Fuller Free School building
Welwyn Hatfield	Ayot House Digswell Viaduct Mill Green Museum and Mill Old St Lawrence Church, Ayot St Lawrence Shaw's Corner Templewood Primary School
Other boroughs	Stevenage

Grade II

Broxbourne	Broxbourne railway station Cheshunt Great House (remains)
Dacorum	Ashlyns School Berkhamsted Town Hall Goldfield Mill The Green Dragon, Flaunden Inns of Court War Memorial The Mansion, Berkhamsted Old Town Hall, Hemel Hempstead Pendley Manor Rex Cinema Rossway Shendish Manor Stocks House St John's Church, Boxmoor Tring Market House
East Hertfordshire	All Saints' Church, Hockerill Benson Memorial Church Brent Pelham Windmill Buntingford Manor House Button Snap Christ Church, Ware Hertford Museum Tooke House Hopper's Hall The Horns, Bull's Green Little Munden Primary School Panshanger orangery, conservatory and stables Red House, Buntingford Rowneybury Cottage St John's Church, Letty Green The Tilbury, Datchworth The White Horse, Burnham Green The White Horse, Hertford
Hertsmere	Bhaktivedanta Manor The Chequers, Potters Bar Duke of York, Potters Bar Dyrham Park Country Club The Green Man, Potters Bar Ladbrooke School The Lion, Potters Bar Oakmere House Potters Bar War Memorial Shenley Hall Shenley Lodge Wall Hall The White Hart, South Mimms The White Horse, Potters Bar Wyllyotts Manor
North Hertfordshire	Ashwell Bury Ashwell War Memorial Breachwood Green Mill British Schools Museum Hitchin Town Hall Howgills Lannock Mill, Weston Letchworth Garden City railway station Letchworth Town Hall Lytton Mausoleum Minsden Chapel Putteridge Bury St George's Church, Letchworth St Nicholas' Church, Norton St Mary's Church, Letchworth Stagenhoe
St Albans	The Blue Anchor The Boot Childwickbury Manor The Cock Colney Heath Mill Fleur de Lys Hare and Hounds The Lower Red Lion The Old Kings Arms Ye Olde Fighting Cocks The Queen's Head, Sandridge Rose and Crown The Six Bells St Albans School Sopwell House Sopwell Nunnery (ruins) Verulam House The White Lion
Stevenage	Barclay Academy Shephall Manor Stevenage Clock Tower The Thomas Alleyne Academy Trigg's Barn/37 High Street, Stevenage
Three Rivers	Croxley Green Windmill
Watford	High Elms Manor The Old Station House St John's Church, Watford Watford Grammar School for Boys Watford Palace Theatre Watford Town Hall
Welwyn Hatfield	The Beehive, Welwyn Garden City The Brocket Arms Digswell House The Eight Bells, Hatfield Hope and Anchor, Welham Green The Horse and Groom, Hatfield The Green Man, Hatfield The Red Lion, Hatfield Statue of Robert Gascoyne-Cecil Tolmers Park The Wrestlers, Hatfield