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.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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...

Read More

St Dunstans gates - 1999

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

Read More

St Dunstans - noticeboards

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

Read More

Other Subjects

Canon Joseph Robinson

Canon Joseph Robinson

Joseph Robinson was born on 23 February 1927, the elder of the two children of Thomas Robinson and Mary Robinson née Wright. His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1927 in the Wigan Registr...

Person, Liveries & Guilds, Religion

1 memorial
St Gabriel Fen(church)

St Gabriel Fen(church)

Dating back to at least 1331, the church was destroyed in the Great Fire after which the parish united with that of St Margaret Pattens, in 1670 and then in 1954 was included in that of St Edmund t...

Building, Religion

3 memorials
Catherine Booth

Catherine Booth

Evangelist. Born Catherine Mumford in Ashbourne, Derbyshire. She married fellow methodist William Booth in 1855, and they embarked on a preaching tour of the country. Returning to London in 1864, t...

Person, Religion, Social Welfare

3 memorials
Hanover Chapel

Hanover Chapel

Designed by Charles Robert Cockerell. Stood at the top of Regent Street.

Building, Religion

1 memorial