Firstly, it is the only example of a Saxon church in Dorset that survives close to its original state.
Like most early churches, the focus is the altar round which the mass was celebrated. Indeed, the altar takes up a big chunk of the church. The simple tall, narrow nave as well as a tiny window in the north side of the chancel are original, dating back to 1030. In the northwest aisle is Saxon wall-arcading and traces of a Saxon door.
Next, there are the 12th century frescoes on the north wall of the chancel depicting St Martin on horseback dividing his cloak to give one half to a beggar.
Finally, the church is home to a life-sized recumbent effigy of T. E. Lawrence in full Arab dress. His friend Eric Kennington, the official war artist for the First and Second World Wars, carved it out of Purbeck marble and Portland stone. Lawrence is portrayed wearing an Arab headdress and holding camel whips as well as two books: the Greek Anthology of Verse & the Oxford Book of English Verse and a dagger given to him by Prince Faisal.
Finally, the church is home to a life-sized recumbent effigy of T. E. Lawrence in full Arab dress. His friend Eric Kennington, the official war artist for the First and Second World Wars, carved it out of Purbeck marble and Portland stone. Lawrence is portrayed wearing an Arab headdress and holding camel whips as well as two books: the Greek Anthology of Verse & the Oxford Book of English Verse and a dagger given to him by Prince Faisal.
The monument was originally intended for St Pauls who rejected along with both Westminster Abbey and Salisbury Cathedral. It was their loss as around 10,000 visitors a year come to the church just to see the sculpture.
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