St Martin in the Bull Ring

St Martin in the Bull Ring stands between Birmingham’s Bull Ring Shopping Centre and the markets. It is the original parish church of the city, replacing a 13th-century predecessor recorded in 1263. The present building, designed by J. A. Chatwin, was completed in 1875 and uses Grinshill stone on the outside. Inside, sandstone and an open timber roof recall Westminster Hall, with beams carved with angels. The roof itself weighs ninety-four tonnes and spans the hundred-foot nave. The church is notable for its medieval wall paintings found during rebuilding. A Burne-Jones window by William Morris, saved the day before a 1941 bomb strike, survives in the south transept. The tower’s spire was rebuilt in the 18th century with an iron spindle and later repaired after lightning damage. The bells, first recorded in 1552, now number sixteen, the largest ring in regular use in the world. John Wesley once preached here while the bells rang to drown his voice. Visitors enter beneath the lofty arch and see Minton tiles bearing the de Bermingham arms. The bronze font by Jacqueline Stieger sits near the north aisle. The Harrison & Harrison organ, rebuilt in 1955, fills the north transept with sound during Sunday services. Outside, the spire rises above the market stalls, marking the spot where Birmingham’s earliest parish gathered.