St Dunstan-in-the-East Garden - St Dunstan's Hill, London, UK
N 51° 30.584 W 000° 04.929
30U E 702473 N 5710548
Tis garden opened in 1971 and is in the grounds where St Dunstan-in-th-East church used to stand. The church tower survives but the remainder of the church is in ruins following bombing in 1941.
Waymark Code: WMJADB
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/19/2013
Views: 5
The
Garden Visit website tells us about this Corporation of London maintained
garden:
The bombed ruins of a medieval church and Wren Tower
made into a charming scene by imaginative planting of wall chrubs and
climbers and an effective fountain. An outstanding example of a small City
space, which makes the maximum use of scarce resources. Designed by the City
of London Architects and Parks Departments in 1971. It won a Landscape
Heritage Award in 1976.
There is a plaque, that has had the Corporation of London crest removed, that
tells us:
The church of St Dunstan in the East
stood on this site from ancient times.
Sir Christopher Wren rebuilt the church
after the Great Fire of 1666 and the only part
of his design which survives is the tower.
The remainder of the church was rebuilt in 1817
and destroyed by enemy action in 1941.
The garden was created by the Corporation of London
and opened by the Rt. Hon the Lord Mayor Sir Peter Studd
on 21st June 1971.
The
City of London website tells us:
The Church of St Dunstan was originally built around
1100 and is a Grade I listed building. A new south aisle was added in 1391
and was repaired in 1631. It was severely damaged in 1666 by the Great Fire
of London. Rather than being completely built it was patched up. A steeple
and tower was added in 1695-1701 by Sir Christopher Wren.
The Church was again severely damaged in the Blitz of 1941. Wren’s tower and
steeple survived the bombing. During the re-organisation of the Anglican
Church after World war II it was decided not to rebuild St. Dunstan’s.
In 1967 the City of London decided to turn the remains into a public garden,
which opened in 1970.
You really will feel secluded in this gem of a City Garden. Those with green
fingers will appreciate the range of plants wending their way around the
ruins: the walls and majestic windows have been draped and decorated over
time with virginia creeper and ornamental vine, vitis coignetiae, which
turns crimson in the autumn. Exotic plants such as the pineapple-scented
Moroccan broom, cytisus battandieri, and the new zealand flax, phormium both
thrive here in the sheltered conditions. An unusual plant in the lower
garden is winter's bark, drimy winteri. Its leaves are high in Vitamin C and
were once eaten to prevent scurvy. Near to the fountain is a japanese
snowball, viburnum plicatum, whose blossom in late spring is breath-taking.
As mentioned, the church tower is Grade I listed with the entry at the
English Heritage website telling us:
Tower, 1698, by Wren. Large, Portland stone structure
in gothic style. 3 main stages, Diagonal buttresses rising to octagonal
turrets with large finials. Smaller finials between. Stone spire supported
on open diagonal arches. Enriched doorways to west and south. North side now
obscured by low building. East side rendered where formerly within church.
Fine gates and railings to both doorways. Body of church, 1817-18, by David
Laing. Destroyed except for walls in World War II. Gothic style with
buttresses, traceried windows pinnacles etc. Yellow brick faced externally
in Portland stone. North-east vestry. East wall reduced to sill level in
centre.