Exeter St. Martin Church

St Martin’s is the most important and complete church in the centre of Exeter. Having escaped both Victorian refurnishing and the Second World War bombing which severely damaged other Exeter churches, St. Martin's has kept both its mediaeval simplicity and its 18th century charm. Situated at the northern corner of the Cathedral Close, there has been a church on this site since 1065. Although the church has been very much altered, there is some of the original masonry in the walls of the nave. The unusual stone reredos and oak alter rails were installed as part of a refurnishing in the 18th century. Dominated by monuments dating from the 18th and 19th century, one elaborate 18th century monument commemorates the benefactor of the reredos, Philip Hooper. Splendidly bewigged, he kneels at a prayer desk with a skull and pile of books.