ST MARTIN'S SCHOOL OF ART
Saint Martin's School of Art was established in 1854 by Henry Mackenzie, vicar of the church of St Martin-in-the-Fields but became independent from the church in 1859. As St Martin's Lane Academy, the school was at first housed on the top floor of St Martin's Northern School in Shelton Street, then called Castle Street, to the north of Long Acre. In 1989 it merged with the Central School of Art and Crafts (which became the Central School for Art and Design in 1966) to form Central Saint Martins. Both believed in the fundamental importance of learning through making and were known for their radical approach to art and design. They welcomed Drama Centre London in 1999 and the Byam Shaw School of Art in 2003. In 2011, they moved to the award-winning building in King’s Cross, where all these elements now flourish under one roof. Part of the University of the Arts London.