Browne Willis - St Martin's Church and The Fenny Poppers

St Martin's Church and The Fenny Poppers

Between 1724 and 1730, Browne Willis built St. Martin's Church on the site of the old Chantry Chapel of St. Margaret and St. Catherine at Fenny Stratford. He erected the church as a memorial to his grandfather Dr. Thomas Willis, a famous physician, who lived in St. Martin's Lane in the parish of St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London, who died on St. Martin's day, 11 November 1675.

In order to perpetuate his own memory, Browne Willis arranged for a sermon to be preached at St. Martin's Church on each St. Martin's Day, for which a fee was payable. During his lifetime, he also celebrated the occasion with a dinner attended by local clergy and gentry. The firing of the 'Fenny poppers', six small cannon, dates from this time, but there is no record of their first use. In 1740, Browne Willis bought a house in Aylesbury Street, Fenny Stratford and the rent from this was used to pay for the sermon and gunpowder. Following his death in 1760, the traditions were carried on and later documented.

All six poppers were re-cast by the Eagle Foundry, Northampton in 1859, after one of them burst. It is these that are still in use today and they were recently examined and x-rayed to ensure there are no cracks.

During their long history, many sites have been used for this battery. These include; the Canal Wharf, land behind the Church, St, Martin's Hall, the Churchyard and now the Leon Recreation Ground that was once part of the lands belonging to the Chantry.

The poppers each weigh about 19 pounds (8.5 kg). The bore, 6 " by 1.75" (150 by 44 mm) will take up to 1oz. (28g) of gunpowder, which is plugged with well-rammed newspaper. They are fired three times on St. Martin's Day; noon, 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. precisely. There is of course no connection with Remembrance Day.

In 1901 they were fired to mourn the death of Queen Victoria, the 81 salutes were heard as far as Olney.

On the 1 January 2000 at 11.00 a.m. the poppers were fired to mark the beginning of the Second Millennium.

At 2.00 p.m. on the 4 August 2000, a salute of Six poppers was fired to celebrate the 100th Birthday of the Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.