Green London: The Ruins of St Dunstan's in the East

This is one of my favourite gardens in the heart of the City of London. The ruins of St Dunstan's in the East, a historic church near the Tower of London, was deliberately given over to nature after it was bombed during WW2. 

The parish church was originally built in Norman times. It was later rebuilt by Wren after being heavily damaged in the Great Fire of London in 1666. When the church was almost destroyed in the Blitz it was decided not to rebuild it. Instead, the City of London decided to turn the ruins into a public garden, which opened in 1970. To me, it now feels like a place that's sacred to nature.

Ivy and vines grow over the walls and trees offer shade. There are grassy areas shaded by trees and a circular courtyard with bubbling water feature in the centre, surrounded by benches.  It's a popular place for City workers to spend their lunch hour unwinding from the stresses of their jobs, and it's also very popular with tourists. But even when there are a lot of people there, the atmosphere still feels peaceful and relaxing.

If you want to visit, you can find out more here: https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/city-gardens/find-a-garden/st-dunstan-in-the-east-church-garden

I've been blogging regularly about London's green spaces in an effort to dispel a prevalent myth in the pagan community that it's just all concrete. Even in the City, which is of course heavily built up, there are still places where nature thrives.

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