SAINT MARTIN IN THE FIELDS

The pointed spire of the beautiful eighteenth century church Saint Martin in the Fields is to the right of the National Gallery. The name reminds you that this very central church was once outside the walls of the Westminster area. You can visit its elegant interior and the vast crypt that houses the tombs of illustrious figures including the painter William Hogarth and the philosopher Francis Bacon. All around the church you might notice people wearing strange costumes with mother-of-pearl buttons: they are representatives of the Pearly Kings and Queens, a Victorian institution that collects funds for charitable and social purposes.