On St Dunstan

As mentioned previously, I studied A-Levels at St Dunstan’s College, Catford. It’s a tradition for international students to visit St Dunstan-in-the-East in the city of London. The school has been associated with the parish since 1446.

The church was originally built around year 1100. It was severely damaged in the Great Fire of London in 1666, and it was patched up rather than being completely rebuilt. A steeple was added to the design of Sir Christopher Wren, who also designed St Paul’s Cathedral, London where the larger replica of the painting The Light of the World hangs. The smaller original painting hangs in the Side Chapel of Keble College, Oxford where I studied computer science between 2016 and 2019.

The church was severely damaged again in the Blitz of 1941, and they decided not to rebuild the church and turned it into a public garden instead. It’s marked as good for kids on Google Maps and described as a city oasis surrounded by church ruins. The church is surrounded by three roads named St Dunstan’s Aly, St Dunstan’s Hill and Idol Ln.

You can access the London City Voices Choir (City branch) on the west side of St Dunstan’s Aly. I guess on busy and chaotic days, it’s the aly (valley) where the kids collide into the morning.

Going uphill to the north on St Dunstan’s Hill, you can reach The Minister Building across Great Tower St. On the foot of St Dunstan’s Hill and the building that’s also accessible via Idol Ln, you can find the museum Billingsgate Roman House & Baths, 2000-year-old ruins of a Roman bath.

If you travel east from the church, you will go through Cross Ln and Harp Ln, before reaching Water Ln or All Hallows by the Tower, a presidential wedding venue & museum. Dunstan loved his Harp and didn’t stop playing it when the devil paid him a visit and tempted him.

If you travel west from the church, you will go past St Mary at Hill before reaching the Monument to the Great Fire of London. I saw the monument on my way to the underground station. They gonna need a much bigger one once I’m done playing with fire.

You tell me if I’m a chosen one.

Luke 20:43

[43] until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

The Gospel of Thomas

[21] Mary said to Jesus, “What are your disciples like?”

He said, “They are like little children living in a field that is not theirs. When the owners of the field come, they will say, ‘Give us back our field.’ They take off their clothes in front of them in order to give it back to them, and they return their field to them.

[32] Jesus said, “A city built on a high hill and fortified cannot fall, nor can it be hidden.”

[39] Jesus said, “The Pharisees and the scholars have taken the keys of knowledge and have hidden them. They have not entered nor have they allowed those who want to enter to do so.

[42] Jesus said, “Be passersby.”

[75] Jesus said, “There are many standing at the door, but those who are alone will enter the bridal suite.”