Something I like to do when I’ve got some free time in between getting on with daily tasks is take a seat somewhere with a hot drink and just sit and watch the world pass me by. One of my favourite spots, probably within the whole of London is St. Dunstan in the East, which is a short walk Monument tube station. This pubic garden is set in a church ruin and is a true hidden gem of the city, surrounded by towering buildings and hustle and bustle, it quietly sits tucked away from the main road, with a view over looking the Thames in the distance and modern buildings sheltering it from most views.
The church was originally built around 1100 and over time was built up with new additions here and there, however the tragedy of The Great Fire of London in 1666 damaged the church, resulting in it being patched up so to keep it standing. Although the Church survived over 500 years from its original construction, it was taken down in 1817 due to the structure being considered too poor to be left standing. Thus, the new gothic style church was erected in the same foundations as the original structure before it. However, even this structure wasn’t to last as it was caught in the bombing of the Blitz in 1941. Only the church tower and steeple survived in tact from the bombings, with only north and south walls remaining of the rest of the structure.
The bad luck of this place has now come to a halt and i’m hoping it stays that way. The ruined walls that are left standing have become one with the nature that surrounds it. As you sit on the circled benches between the crumbled shell of the building, you can hardly imagine the turmoil that the structure has gone through. You see busy city workers take a break from their days to sit and have some tranquility for a short time before they had back into their busy lives. Although it has undergone refurbishment, demolishment, fires and the tragedy of the Blitz, it is now a place of peace and quiet, a million miles from its unlucky past.
The best times of year to go are probably Spring and Autumn. Around these seasons the nature that surrounds the church is allowed to grow a little more than in summer and isn’t as bare as in winter, so there’s a certain dream-like quality to the surroundings. You can get some fantastically fantasy-like photographs when its over grown, I usually have my DSLR in tow whenever I plan on stopping by this location. Its also best to go on a weekday either side of 1pm so that you miss the little lunch rush of people wanting to sit in the garden and enjoy their packed lunch. So head down with a hot drink, take a good book or listen to some music, and just have some quiet time of either reflection or to just chill and forget about your troubles for a bit. I promise you won’t regret it!
Address: St Dunstan’s Hill, London EC3R 5DD
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