St Martin-on-the-Hill is a high Victorian church designed by George Frederick Bodley. The stained-glass windows feature designs by William Morris, Edward Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Philip Webb and Ford Madox Brown.
The church was consecrated in 1863 and was chiefly funded by a resident named Miss Mary Craven. Her continuous generosity helped enrich it further with commissioned designs by the Pre-Raphaelite artists for many years.
Since 2015, I have worked closely with the Friends of St Martin’s. The church is positioned around the corner from where I live, and an unexpected discovery that my apartment was once part of Mary Craven’s house has created a strong bond. Very little has been written about her, yet somehow, I feel a sense of connection and a certain knowing. Life in Victorian times was well documented, but my curiosity about the era and the life of Mary Craven has developed into a more profound fascination.
I am passionate about sharing what I know, and I have started documenting my findings. It is a fascinating story, which hopefully will be published one day.
