St Martin's Church, Wareham

St Martin’s Church stands in Wareham, a town in Dorset, and is the most complete Anglo-Saxon church in the county. Built in about 1020, it replaced an earlier foundation reputedly started by Saint Aldhelm in the 7th century. The nave and a small north-side chancel window remain from that first period. Anglo-Saxon features include a narrow nave, wall arcading and traces of a Saxon door. Later centuries added a 12th-century fresco of Saint Martin on horseback and a row of red stars possibly marking plague deaths in the 17th century. The church’s survival through centuries of fire and neglect is part of its significance. During the Great Fire of Wareham in 1762 it sheltered homeless townspeople. By the early 20th century it had fallen into disuse, but a restoration programme led to rededication in 1936. Inside the north aisle is a stone effigy of T. E. Lawrence, created by Eric Kennington. Weekly communion services continue to be held every Wednesday. Visitors find a plain nave and chancel with original fabric visible on the north wall. The 12th-century fresco shows Saint Martin dividing his cloak, while red stars mark earlier tragedy. The effigy of Lawrence lies in the north aisle, and the small chancel window remains as it was in Anglo-Saxon times. The church sits within Wareham’s old walls, close to the town centre.