You don’t need to be inside a cathedral or museum to find faith and history in London – sometimes, it’s just waiting around the corner.

These walking wonders are little gems scattered across the city: bits of ruins, quiet plaques, unexpected statues, and stories tucked right into the streets. They’re the perfect add-on to a family pilgrimage day or a spontaneous faith-fueled treasure hunt.

Turn your strolls through London into an exciting treasure hunt! These bonus spots are free, fun, and full of faith and history hiding in plain sight. Each stop offers a couple of fun facts, something to find, and where to go.

Let’s explore!

🌳 St Dunstan in the East
Once a medieval church, this spot was patched up after the Great Fire of London, only to be bombed again during WWII. Today it’s a peaceful garden – trees growing inside ruined walls, birdsong echoing where Mass was once sung. It’s one of London’s most atmospheric hideaways.

Fun Fact: Sir Christopher Wren redesigned it – the same architect behind St Paul’s Cathedral.

Look For: A tree growing inside the old church walls.

📍 St Dunstan’s Hill, London EC3R 5DD (5-minute walk from Monument Station)

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🔵 Blue Plaques of Famous Catholics
London’s iconic blue plaques are scattered across houses and buildings, marking where notable people once lived – and quite a few were Catholic!

Fun Fact: You’ll find plaques for G.K. Chesterton, Cardinal Newman, and even one near the site of St Thomas Becket’s birthplace.

Where to Find Them:

• G.K. Chesterton: 11 Warwick Gardens, Kensington W14 8PL
• St John Henry Newman: 103a George Street, Marylebone W1U 8HQ
• St John Henry Newman birthplace: 60 Threadneedle St, EC2R 8HP
• St Thomas Becket birthplace: near 90 Cheapside, EC2V 6EB

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✨ Corpus Christi, Maiden Lane
This little jewel of a church hides down a quiet lane near Covent Garden. It’s home to London’s shrine to Blessed Carlo Acutis and focuses on perpetual Eucharistic Adoration.

Fun Fact: It was one of the first Catholic churches reopened after centuries of persecution.

Look For: A golden monstrance near the altar and a photo of Carlo by the side shrine.

📍 1 Maiden Lane, London WC2E 7NB
(short walk from Covent Garden Station)

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🧱 Blackfriars Monastery Wall
Hidden behind Blackfriars Station is a crumbling wall — one of the last remnants of the Dominican friary that once stood here before the Reformation.

Fun Fact: The term “Blackfriars” comes from the black cloaks the Dominican friars wore.

Look For: The historic plaque marking the site.

📍 Carter Lane & Church Entry, EC4V 5EQ
(behind Blackfriars Station)

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🏰 Winchester Palace Ruins
Home of the medieval Bishops of Winchester, this palace once hosted royal guests and banquets. Walk past Borough Market and you’ll spot a rose window rising out of stone ruins – the last trace of a bishop’s medieval palace.

Fun Fact: The Bishops of Winchester were so powerful, they had their own palace and court here in Southwark.

Look For: The rose window from the Great Hall and details in the stone archways.

📍 Clink Street, Southwark SE1 9DG
(near London Bridge Station)

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⛪ All Hallows-by-the-Tower
The oldest church in the City of London, founded in the 600s. It has a crypt with Roman pavement and helped shelter people during the Great Fire of 1666. After their execution, St Thomas More and St John Fisher were buried in the current entryway – they are now in the crypt of the chapel inside Tower of London.

Fun Fact: William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, was baptized here.

Look For: The Saxon arch and the font where Penn was baptized.

📍 Byward Street, London EC3R 5BJ
(right next to the Tower of London)

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🏛️ London Wall Ruins (Barbican)
What’s left of Roman Londinium? Quite a bit actually – and some of it’s hiding in plain sight near the Museum of London. Most people see or know about the part near the Tower of London, however, not many realize there are more sections in another part of London!

Fun Fact: Some sections date back to the 2nd century!

Look For: A tower built into the wall and the historic plaque. Can you also find the medieval tower still standing of what was once a hospital next to a church?

📍 Noble Street, EC2Y 5AQ
(between Barbican Station and Moorgate Station)

👟 Final Thoughts

These walking wonders are like breadcrumb trails – small, sometimes-overlooked places that remind us London is a city layered with faith, story, and resilience. They’re easy to miss but impossible to forget once you’ve seen them.

Pair them with your family pilgrimage, or just pop by one or two on your next outing. You never know what you’ll discover when you slow down and look up.

Stay tuned as I add more to this list!