t building of a Church for the parish of
Birmingham. Hutton "supposed" there was a church here about A.D. 750,
but no other writer has ventured to go past 1280, and as there is no
mention in the Domesday Book of any such building, the last supposition
is probably nearest the mark. The founder of the church was most likely
Sir William de Bermingham, of whom there is still a monumental effigy
existing, and the first endowment would naturally come from the same
family, who, before the erection of such church, would have their own
chapel at the Manor House. Other endowments there were from the
Clodshales, notably that of Walter de Clodshale, in 1330, who left
twenty acres of land, four messuages, and 18d. annual rent, for one
priest to say mass daily for the souls of the said Walter, his wife,
Agnes, and their ancestors; in 1347, Richard de Clodshale gave ten acres
of land, five messuages, and 10s. yearly for another priest to say mass
for him and his wife, and his father and mother, "and all the faithful
departed"; in 1428, Richard, grandson of the last-named, left 20s. by
his will, and bequeathed his body "to be buried in his own chapel,"
"within the Parish Church of Bermyngeham." Besides the Clodshale
Chantry, there was that of the Guild of the Holy Cross, but when Henry
VIII. laid violent hands on all ecclesiastical property (1535) that
belonged to the Church of St. Martin was valued at no move than L10 1s.
From the few fragments that were found when the present building was
erected, and from Dugdale's descriptions that has come down to us, there
can be little doubt that the church was richly ornamented with monuments
and paintings, coloured windows and encaustic tiles, though its income
from property would appear to have been meagre enough. Students of
history will readily understand how the fine old place came gradually to
be but little better than a huge barn, the inside walls whitewashed as
was the wont, the monuments mutilated and pushed into corners, the font
shoved out of sight, and the stained glass windows demolished. Outside,
the walls and even the tower were "cased in brick" by the churchwardens
(1690), who nevertheless thought they were doing the right thing, as
among the records of the lost Staunton Collection there was one, dated
1711, of "Monys expended in public charitys by ye inhabitants of
Birmingham, wth in 19 years last past," viz.:--

In casing, repairing, &c., ye Old Church L1919 01