Monday 17 September 2007

St. Martin le Grand - Coney Street


If I have walked past this church once I have walked past it a hundred times (or more)! On Friday, I saw that it was open, the signs saying "Church Open" are a certain giveaway, and went in for the first time in 48 years. Inside, it is an absolute gem of a church.



Above the alter below the window is a masterpiece depiction of the "Last Supper" in gold painted aluminium by artist Frank Roper which can only be described as awe inspiring and powerful.

Having suffered heavily from bombing by the Luftwaffe air raid of 29th April 1942 during World War II the shape of the church is a little bit strange with half the structure missing making the outside view from Coney Street a little unsymetrical. For images of the damaged church and before it was damaged see the archives of "Imagine York : Historic Photographs"

The main west window was taken down and stored for safekeeping at the start of the war and placed into a new, rebuilt wall at the side of the church during restoration.It depicts the life of St. Martin le Grand also known as St Martin of Tours.


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