St Martin Orgar

St Martin Orgar is a former medieval church in the City of London, with only fragmented remains visible today on Martin Lane. The site features a reconstructed tower that now functions as the bell tower for the neighboring St Clement Eastcheap church, helping visitors locate where the original building once existed.

Founded through a donation by a Danish patron named Ordgarus to St Paul's Cathedral, the church served as a parish church for centuries before the Great Fire of London in 1666 destroyed most of it. Only fragments and eventually a reconstructed tower remained after the disaster.

French Protestants worshipped in the surviving structure for about a century, representing a period when London sheltered diverse religious communities. Their presence reflects how the city offered refuge to people seeking spiritual freedom from persecution abroad.

The site is located at 29 Martin Lane in the City of London and is easily accessible on foot in a central location. Visitors should expect minimal visible remains and can spend only a few minutes here, using it as a brief stop while exploring nearby historic sites along the Thames.

The church name appears in the traditional English nursery rhyme 'Oranges and Lemons', which playfully references various London churches through their bells and has been passed down for generations. This connection to a beloved folk song gives the site cultural significance beyond its physical remains.