The Ruins of St Dunstan in the East are located halfway between London Bridge and the Tower of London; hidden away on a secluded side street in the heart of the city.  

With it being over 900 years old, it is one of London’s most secret gardens and has a very interesting history behind it. The Great Fire of London initially caused terrible damage to the church, but thankfully it was rebuilt back to its former glory and topped with the beautiful steeple (designed by Sir Christopher Wren) that you can still see today. Unfortunately, in 1941 the church was devastated by the Blitz with a direct hit, which obliterated everything, apart from the church walls and Wren’s steeple. 

When the rebuilding of London began after the war, instead of repairing the church the Corporation of the City of London decided to turn the ruins into a public garden of remembrance to commemorate the horrors of the war and to also act as a testament to the resilience shown by the people of London.

A visit here is extremely special and the perfect place to photograph as its overgrown trees, ivy and climbing vines twist and twine through the ruined arches, creating something that’s straight from a fairy tale.