Description
Land for the park was purchased by Lord Bethell in 1905 with money raised through public subscription, and donated to the Council. Barking Road Recreation Ground was opened in 1908 by Princess Louise, the Duchess of Argyll. It had been laid out by unemployed workmen as part of local relief works under the Unemployed Workmen's Act of 1905, with the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association providing some seats. The park has floral displays, shrubberies and rose beds. At the most westerly entrance on Barking Road the Albert Monk Memorial Gates were erected 'as a tribute to his memory and his life-long service to the youth of the Borough' according to a plaque dated 17 September 1955.
Practical Information
| Site location | Barking Road/Burges Road, East Ham |
|---|---|
| Postcode | E6 2LW |
| What3Words | ///dare.invite.vines |
| Type of Site | Public Park |
| Borough | Newham |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | dawn to dusk |
| Facilities | Multi-use games area, 5-a-side football goal, trim trail; children's play area |
| Public Transport | Tube: East Ham (District). Bus: 5, 238, 300, 325. |
| Research Updated | 1 April 2012 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Land for the park was purchased by Lord Bethell in 1905 with money raised through public subscription, and donated to the Council. Prior to purchase, the land formed general farmland associated with Wallend Farm.
Comprising 3.23 hectares, Barking Road Recreation Ground was opened in 1908 by Princess Louise, the Duchess of Argyll. It had been laid out by unemployed workmen as part of local relief works under the Unemployed Workmen's Act of 1905, with the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association providing some seats. From a 1915 map (published 1920) it can be seen that the perimeter was designed to be surrounded by trees - the plane trees remain today. The park has floral displays, shrubberies and rose beds. At the most westerly entrance on Barking Road the Albert Monk Memorial Gates were erected 'as a tribute to his memory and his life-long service to the youth of the Borough' according to a plaque dated 17 September 1955. The original entrances were designed from Kempton Road and the south west corner on Barking Road remain today. There is one additional entrances on Burges Road - it is unclear when this was introduced.
Comprising 3.23 hectares, Barking Road Recreation Ground was opened in 1908 by Princess Louise, the Duchess of Argyll. It had been laid out by unemployed workmen as part of local relief works under the Unemployed Workmen's Act of 1905, with the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association providing some seats. From a 1915 map (published 1920) it can be seen that the perimeter was designed to be surrounded by trees - the plane trees remain today. The park has floral displays, shrubberies and rose beds. At the most westerly entrance on Barking Road the Albert Monk Memorial Gates were erected 'as a tribute to his memory and his life-long service to the youth of the Borough' according to a plaque dated 17 September 1955. The original entrances were designed from Kempton Road and the south west corner on Barking Road remain today. There is one additional entrances on Burges Road - it is unclear when this was introduced.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ433838 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 3.23 |
| Site Ownership | LB Newham |
| Site Management | Parks Service |
| Dates | 1908 |
| On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens | No |
| Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965 | No |
| Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931 | No |
| Local Authority | Newham |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | Yes |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Please note the Inventory and its content are provided for your general information only and are subject to change. It is your responsibility to check the accuracy.
Nearby parks and gardens
This is the site of Barking Abbey, which had been founded in 666 AD, restored by King Edgar in 970 AD, and eventually dissolved in 1539 by which time it was the greatest Benedictine nunnery in the country. In 1910 Barking Town UDC purchased the site to create an area for public recreation and during associated road works the Abbey foundations were discovered. The site was carefully excavated to reveal the ruined foundations. The Abbey Playing Field, incorporating the site of Barking Abbey, was opened as a public garden in 1913. There are plans for re-landscaping of the whole Abbey Green site including the Abbey Ruins, subject to full approvals in 2011.
The Abbey Playing Fields were first proposed in Barking Town UDC's 1943 Report on Post War Redevelopment to provide a 'worthy setting' for Barking Abbey and St Margaret's Church, to be achieved by acquiring and demolishing properties on the site. The plan proposed by Professor G. Peter Youngman was eventually approved in 1965 and the completed scheme based on his design included various areas created as 'a composite whole by the continuity of footpaths, the repetition of similar trees and structural elements and by a sequence of views, enclosed spaces and open spaces.' Central Area Open Space (North & South) was substantially complete by December 1974. In 2009 plans for improving the wider site as Abbey Green commenced, with design proposals by Lynch Architects in partnership with Kinnear Landscape due to commence in 2010.
St Margaret's Church was founded in 1215 within the precincts of Barking Abbey; it may have been a chapel prior to becoming the parish church in c1300. The churchyard has remains of ancient stone wall abutting the Abbey ruins, and its main entrance is through the C14th Curfew Tower. There are numerous interesting tombs, headstones and monuments as well as fine plane and lime trees.
