Description
There has been a church here from ancient times, with a large churchyard in existence by the C12th. St Dunstan-in-the-East suffered damage in the Great Fire of 1666, after which the shell was repaired by Christopher Wren in 1695-1701, who added the tower and steeple. The church was rebuilt in 1817-21, but destroyed by enemy action in 1941 although the spire was reconstructed in 1953, and the tower later restored in 1970/1. The Corporation of London acquired the ruins in 1967, which with the former churchyard were incorporated into a well-designed garden, which opened to the public in 1971.
Practical Information
| Previously known as | St Dunstan in the East Garden, St Dunstan in the East Open Space |
|---|---|
| Site location | St Dunstan's Hill/Idol Lane |
| Postcode | EC3R 5DD |
| What3Words | ///pinch.lasts.nasal |
| Type of Site | Public Gardens |
| Borough | City of London |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | 8am - 7pm or dusk if earlier |
| Events | Occasional open-air gatherings, parish events, e.g. on Palm Sunday prior to procession to All Hallows along St Dunstan's Hill and Great Tower Street. Has opened for OGSW |
| Public Transport | Tube: Bank (Central, DLR, Northern, Waterloo & City) / Monument, Tower Hill (Circle, District). Bus: 15, 42, 78, 100, RV1, N15 |
| Research Updated | 1 May 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
According to the plaque on the site, a church has been here from ancient times, with a large churchyard by 1193/4. In 1366 the church required rebuilding but the Archbishop had to compel parishioners to contribute to the costs. In 1417 it closed temporarily after a fatal brawl, and in the 1450s a school was set up in the church. The building suffered damage in the Great Fire of 1666, after which the shell of the church was repaired through a private benefactor by Christopher Wren in 1695-1701. Wren re-built the tower and steeple, possibly assisted by Nicholas Hawksmoor. The church was in a bad state by the early C19th and was later rebuilt in 1817-21 by David Laing, but it was destroyed by enemy action in 1941 and little survived although the spire was reconstructed in 1953 and the tower restored in 1970-72 by Seely and Paget Partnership for use as offices.
The Corporation of London had acquired the church ruins in 1967 and these and the former churchyard were incorporated into a well-designed garden on several levels, which includes a circular cobbled area with a central fountain. Unusual trees, shrubs, flowers and climbers grow among the ruined arches and tracery. It was the largest garden to be created by the Corporation of London in the City in the C20th and was opened by the Rt. Hon the Lord Mayor Sir Peter Studd on 21 June 1971. The walls, gates and railings to the churchyard are of the Wren period. The tower and adjoining All Hallows House are now used as a complementary medicine centre and form part of the parish of All Hallows by the Tower (q.v.).
In 2010 the City of London and British Land collaborated in 'Beyond the Hive', an architectural competition to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity. The design brief called for proposals for 'Insect Hotels': ecologically sustainable and creative insect habitats, and resulted in five finalists. The winning entries were built during June 2010 in 5 public gardens in the City: Bunhill Fields, Cleary Garden, Postman's Park, West Smithfield Garden (q.q.v.) and here in St Dunstan-in-the-East.
The Corporation of London had acquired the church ruins in 1967 and these and the former churchyard were incorporated into a well-designed garden on several levels, which includes a circular cobbled area with a central fountain. Unusual trees, shrubs, flowers and climbers grow among the ruined arches and tracery. It was the largest garden to be created by the Corporation of London in the City in the C20th and was opened by the Rt. Hon the Lord Mayor Sir Peter Studd on 21 June 1971. The walls, gates and railings to the churchyard are of the Wren period. The tower and adjoining All Hallows House are now used as a complementary medicine centre and form part of the parish of All Hallows by the Tower (q.v.).
In 2010 the City of London and British Land collaborated in 'Beyond the Hive', an architectural competition to celebrate the International Year of Biodiversity. The design brief called for proposals for 'Insect Hotels': ecologically sustainable and creative insect habitats, and resulted in five finalists. The winning entries were built during June 2010 in 5 public gardens in the City: Bunhill Fields, Cleary Garden, Postman's Park, West Smithfield Garden (q.q.v.) and here in St Dunstan-in-the-East.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ331807 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 0.1526 |
| Site Ownership | City of London Corporation (Church: Church of England, All Hallows by the Tower) |
| Site Management | City of London Corporation Open Spaces Dept. |
| Dates | C17th; C19th; 1967-71 |
| Designers | 1967-71 Garden: Corporation of London Architect's Department |
| Listed Structures | LBI: Ruin of St Dunstan's Church. LBII: walls, gate and railings to St Dunstan's Church |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | City of London |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Strategic View - Consultation Area; Monument Views and Setting |
Gallery
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
The church of St Mary at Hill is referred to in the late C12th and there was a churchyard on the north side by 1299. A number of former Lord Mayors of the C14th to C16th were buried here. The medieval church was partially destroyed in 1666 and rebuilt by Wren in 1670-74 re-using the medieval west end and heightening the north and south walls of the earlier building, much of which had survived. The churchyard was closed to burials in 1846 and it is simply laid out as a public garden, with paving stones, a central rectangular flower bed and a small tree; a lead rainwater butt (dated 1788) is used as a planter and two seats were provided by the MPGA. It is surrounded by a brick retaining wall.
There has been a church dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch on this site for some 900 years. The fourth church was destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and rebuilt by Wren. St Margaret Pattens was so-called to distinguish it from other City churches dedicated to St Margaret, the name possibly originating from a benefactor, or more likely connected with 'pattens', a type of undershoe made and sold near here. Rood Lane was at one time called St Margaret Pattens, its name changing when a rood or cross was erected in the churchyard while the church was being rebuilt. The small paved area to the south of the church features a single tree, but is important in the transition from the medieval street to the modern street of Eastcheap.
One Tree Park is on the site of the Upper Burying Ground of the parish of St Botolph by Billingsgate, with a plaque to this effect set into the paved courtyard. Old gate and stone piers, possibly dating from the C18th, remain at the corner of Monument Street. The medieval church of St Botolph Billingsgate stood south of Lower Thames Street to the east of the former churchyard; it was rebuilt in the late C16th but later destroyed in the Great Fire of 1666 and not rebuilt. Part of the site was used for the widening of Thames Street. The parish was joined to that of St George Botolph Lane, for which the churchyard become an additional burial ground.
