Building    From 952 

St Dunstans, Stepney

Categories: Religion

Records of this church go back to AD 952. Until the 14th century it was the only church in east London. The existing 15th century building is the third on the site, though it was reclad in 1880s. The porch and octagonal parish room were added in 1872. Suffered some bomb damage in 1945.

The port of London nearby, this church has many associations with sailors and was once known as 'the Church of the High Seas'. Sometimes the red ensign, or 'red duster', the flag of the merchant navy, is flown from the tower. An old tradition is supported by a rhyme: ""He who sails on the wide sea, Is a parishioner of Stepney." Seems the church was happy to enter births at sea into their register, but paupers from distant parts expected it to apply to their ocean-born children as well and there the church drew the line.

".... When will that be, say the bells of Stepney" - that's the bells in this tower speaking.

The church website has a good gallery of historic pictures, and is our picture source, but disappointingly no textual history of the church.

From London Gardens Online: "The churchyard closed for burials in 1854 and most of the tombstones and headstones were removed between 1885 and 1887 when high ground around the church was dug away. The MPGA then converted the burial ground into a public garden ... 1887".

2018: A London Inheritance explores this church, with many images.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
St Dunstans, Stepney

Commemorated ati

St Dunstans gates - 1844

This small plaque is on the inner gate pier to the left of our photo. From Lo...

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St Dunstans gates - 1999

This small plaque is on the inner gate pier to the right of our photo. We li...

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St Dunstans - noticeboards

We were reading this board and deciding it really was not interesting enough ...

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Other Subjects

Tubby Clayton

Tubby Clayton

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H. H. C. Richardson

H. H. C. Richardson

Fr. Harry Richardson was instituted n 1925 as vicar of St Benet and All Saints and it fell to him to resolve the long-standing problem of the structurally unsound nave.  The decision was to demolis...

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1 memorial
Church Army

Church Army

A Christian evangelical organisation founded by Reverend Wilson Carlile. Unlike the plaque, their website omits the definite article from their name so so do we.

Group, Religion

1 memorial
Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts / United Society

Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts / United Society

A Church of England missionary organisation (no surprise), created because the church was felt to be in a poor state in the American colonies. In 1965 it joined with the 'Universities' Mission to C...

Group, Religion

1 memorial
Essex Street Chapel and Essex Hall

Essex Street Chapel and Essex Hall

The first Unitarian service was preached by Theophilus Lindsey on 17 April 1774.  Supported by Joseph Priestley, Richard Price (see scientific life assurance) and others he used space recently vaca...

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Harry Dean

Harry Dean

For more information about this hero click on the picture of his plaque.

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial
The Bird Family

The Bird Family

W6, Shepherds Bush Road, 190, Hammersmith Fire Station

2019: The Hammersmith and Fulham Historic Buildings Group tell us that this plaque was installed in 2002/3 before they had established th...

6 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Dvr. J. V. Welbelove
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Piotr Ouspensky

Piotr Ouspensky

Philosopher. Born in Moscow. He became a pupil of George Gurdjieff who taught that most humans live their lives in a state of hypnotic "waking sleep", but that it is possible to transcend to a high...

Person, Literature, Philosophy, Russia

1 memorial
H. Fox

H. Fox

J. Lyons & Co. Ltd. staff member who died in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War dead, WW1
1 memorial