Service Times
What’s happening?
Below are some upcoming events. Check back for updates.
What’s happening?
Below are some upcoming events. Check back for updates.
What’s happening?
Below are some upcoming events. Check back for updates.
St Martin’s Church has an amazing history that stretches back to before the Norman conquest. Today, that story continues, for you will find a church community that is large and engaged in a great diversity of activities involving people of all ages.
At the heart of everything is the daily worshipping life of this church where Mass is celebrated twice on Sundays and on every weekday, accompanied by the quiet rhythm of Morning and Evening Prayer. The church is open every day from early morning until early evening so that people can come in and spend some time being still, surrounded by the beauty of a building set aside for prayer.
Next door, the church hall hosts a constant variety of community activities.
We hope you will enjoy exploring the life of this place which continues to speak of the presence of God in our midst.
A Domesday reference to a priest holding 40-60 acres of land in Ruislip suggests that a church, possibly wooden, existed from at least the 11C. The Norman lord Ernulf de Hesdin granted the manor of Ruislip and probably the church to the Benedictine Abbey of Le Bec Hellouin in 1087.
Officials administering this alien priory’s English lands had a small chapel at Manor Farm. The prestige of Bec and an increase in population apparently caused the church’s enlargement. The present flint and stone building dates from mid-13C and probably stands on the site of earlier wooden and Norman stone buildings. Heavy taxation of alien priories in the 14C brought about disrepair and confiscation. John, Duke of Bedford, brother of Henry V, became the sole possessor and in 1422 he granted the church’s income to the Dean and Canons of Windsor who continue to appoint the vicar.
Major reconstruction of the building followed in the 15C when the tower was added and the chancel and south aisle were rebuilt. The north aisle was rebuilt around 1500 and the bell chamber was added to the tower and the south aisle was extended. In early 17C the tower staircase was added. Around 1870 Sir Gilbert Scott and Ewan Christian restored the church. A west porch and two lych-gates were added, followed by a 20C vestry, sacristy and hall.
Medieval features survive, notably wall-paintings, two piscinas, a priest’s door and two wooden chests. Furnishings include monumental brasses, linenfold panelling, 17C pulpit and livery cupboard, wall monuments and funeral hatchments. The stained glass windows are of 19C and 20C.
A Guidebook (price £3), giving further details and illustrating features of the church building, is available at the back of the church.
Becoming a Christian
Choir
St Martin’s has a traditional robed choir who sing a choral Eucharist with psalm (responsorial or chanted) and a communion motet at the 9.15am service. The choir also sings at Special Services and Feast Days throughout the church year, and at weddings and funerals by arrangement.
We are always pleased to welcome new choristers. There are no auditions to join the choir at St Martin’s as we believe that participation in the musical life of the church should be available to everyone. There is, however, an expectation of regular attendance at rehearsals as well as services. For those who are interested, there are programmes of study with the Royal School of Church Music for adult choristers to follow. For children interested in joining the choir we have a separate page with full details of our Junior Choir.
Rehearsals are held in Church on Thursday evenings:
Children: 7.00pm to 8.30pm
Adults: 7.45pm to 9.15pm (9.30pm during Lent and Advent)
And on Sunday in the Bec Room before the service:
Children: 8.30am
Adults: 8.45am
For weddings and funerals rehearsals are on the day of the service. For Special Services and Feast Days during the church year rehearsals take place half an hour before the start of the service.
Although no formal preparation is expected before Thursday practices it is helpful, at busy times like Holy Week and Christmas when large amounts of music have to be prepared, if you are able to listen to a recording of anything you are unfamiliar with before the rehearsal.
The choir is very welcoming, friendly and social and there are various parties and events organised throughout the year. These include trips to concerts, theatre and opera, and for the junior department (and those ‘young at heart’) trips to the cinema, theme parks and other social events.
If you are interested in joining the church choir, our Director of Music can be contacted via the Parish Office.