St Dunstan in the East, London, Besucherguide & was in der Nähe unternehmen

St Dunstan in the East is a ruined medieval church in the City of London, a short walk from the Tower of London. Bombed in the Second World War and never rebuilt as a church, it now serves as a quiet public garden, with ivy-covered walls and a surviving tower among the surrounding office blocks.

The story behind it

A church has stood on this spot since the Middle Ages, dedicated to St Dunstan, the Archbishop of Canterbury. It lived through some of London's hardest years. The Great Plague of 1665 killed a large share of the city, and many people then believed it was a punishment for sin, so they turned to fasting, prayer and sermons, along with a good many desperate remedies. The following year the Great Fire damaged the church. It was repaired, and Christopher Wren added a tower and spire in the late 1690s.

In the early 19th century the old building was in poor shape, and a new Gothic nave went up in its place. Then the Blitz hit it in the Second World War and destroyed the roof and much of the interior. Rather than rebuild, the City turned the shell into a garden, which is why trees and climbing plants now grow where the congregation once sat.

What to look for

• Wren's tower and spire still stand at one end of the ruin, and they are the best landmark for finding the place from the street.
• The tall Gothic window openings now frame the sky and the nearby office buildings instead of glass.
• Ivy and climbing plants cover the stone walls, so the ruin looks soft and green rather than burned.
• Inside the old nave, benches and small trees sit where pews once stood, and you can picture the layout of the lost church.

Tips for your visit

• Allow 15 to 30 minutes. It is small, and most of the pleasure is sitting and looking around.
• Visit in the morning or mid-afternoon for the quietest time. City workers fill the benches at lunch.
• Entry to the garden is free, but there is no church interior to enter. Check current opening hours before you go.
• The Tower of London, Tower Hill and Leadenhall Market are all within an easy walk, so it pairs well with a wider stroll.

See it on a quest

The quest Plague of London: The Doctor’s Last Hope passes St Dunstan in the East. You reach the ruin on foot as one stop on a longer route through this part of the City. The app tells you about the place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle in front of the ruins. It suits the church's own history with the plague years. One ticket covers the whole group.