Saint Martin’s Church, Coney Street, York
The Church was partially rebuilt in the 1960’s and the principal stained glass window, which had been removed in 1940 and therefore saved from the devastation, was restored. It was re-dedicated as, “a shrine of remembrance for all who died in the two world wars, a chapel of peace and reconciliation between nations and between men”.
Built after the Norman Conquest it was dedicated to Saint Martin of Tours. One could be forgiven for thinking that, along with the dedication of a church to Saint Denys on the site of an older Anglo-Saxon Church, it was simply a Gallic gesture to the beaten English. This could be part of the story but Saint Martin did have some significance relating to York. He was a Roman Soldier who became a Christian and was adopted as the Patron Saint of Soldiers. York was a garrison town from the roman times. His cloak (cappa in Latin) was a religious relic important to the French Kings and part of their collection of relics until it was given to the monks of Saint-Dennis by the Emperor Charlemagne. The monk responsible for looking after the cloak was known as the cappellanu which became ‘chapelain’ in French, priest who serve the military being known as ’chaplains’. Alcuin of York, who was Charlemagne’s tutor, became Abbot of the Abbey of Saint-Martin, this monastery being founded by Saint Martin.
