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| St Martin's Church, Knebworth | |
|---|---|
 The west front | |
  St Martin's Church, Knebworth Shown within Hertfordshire | |
| 51°51′55″N0°10′54″W / 51.8654°N 0.1818°W /51.8654; -0.1818 | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Architect(s) | Edwin Lutyens,Albert Richardson |
| Style | Neoclassical |
| Completed | 20th century |
| Administration | |
| Province | Canterbury |
| Diocese | St Albans |
| Archdeaconry | Hertford |
| Clergy | |
| Rector | Rev Charles King |
St Martin's Church is an active Anglican church inKnebworth, Hertfordshire, England. The building, which is designatedgrade II*,[1] was designed byEdwin Lutyens in an Italianate style. It is constructed in brick.
The church was built to serve the expanding settlement on theGreat North Road nearKnebworth railway station, over a mile from the medieval parish churchSt Mary and St Thomas. BeforeWorld War I there was a plan by the local landowners, the Bulwer-Lytton family, to develop Knebworth as a type of garden village. This plan was only partly realised, but it resulted in several commissions for Lutyens including a clubhouse for the local golf course andHomewood, adower house for his mother-in-law,Edith Bulwer-Lytton, Countess of Lytton.[2]
Construction began in 1914, but the building was not completed according to the architect's intentions. When the church was consecrated in 1915, it was in an incomplete state because of cutbacks caused by World War I. The west front was added in the 1960s and was designed by SirAlbert Richardson. Richardson did not follow Lutyens' intention to give the church a portico, but his contribution has been described as "harmonious".[1]
The plastered interior features limited use ofPortland stone.The aisles are separated from the nave by small arches onTuscan columns.[3]
Details of the organ are given in theNational Pipe Organ Register. It was built byWillis and was installed in the 1960s replacing an older instrument. Its pipes are in "tubs" on each site of the chancel entrance.[4]
On 27 May 1968, the church was designated agrade II* listed building.[3]
Media related toSt Martin's Church, Knebworth at Wikimedia Commons