Description
Barkingside Garden of Rest was set up as an extension to the municipal Barkingside Cemetery to the east. Opened in 1954, the first burial took place on 8 October of that year. It is a functional C20th cemetery laid out with straight roadways and paths, some flanked by ornamental trees. A prominent weeping willow stands near the main carriage sweep at the Longwood Gardens entrance where there is a covered waiting area. Until the early C20th Barkingside was a small village, development taking place after Barkingside Station opened in 1903.
Practical Information
| Site location | Longwood Gardens (west), Barkingside, Ilford |
|---|---|
| Postcode | IG5 0ET |
| What3Words | ///finds.tonic.pillow |
| Type of Site | Cemetery |
| Borough | Redbridge |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | Winter: M-F 7.30am-4.30pm/Sat 9am-4.30pm/Sun/BH 10am-4.30pm |
| Public Transport | Tube: Barkingside (Central). Bus: 129, 462. |
| Research Updated | 1 September 2010 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
Barkingside Garden of Rest was set up as an extension to the municipal Barkingside Cemetery (q.v.) to the east. Opened in 1954, the first burial took place on 8 October of that year. It is a functional C20th cemetery traversed with straight roadways and paths, some of which are flanked by planting of ornamental trees. A prominent weeping willow stands near the main carriage sweep at the Longwood Gardens entrance where there is a 1950s covered waiting area with seating. A memorial rose garden to the right of the entrance gate provides a secluded garden at the east end of the site, enclosed by earthworks presumably to attenuate noise and distractions from Longwood Gardens. A further rose planting area is situated to the left of the entrance gates. ‘Black and white marble slabs set in concrete kerbs aligned to allow sufficient room for a motor mower.' (Meller) The cemetery is now managed and maintained by the Westerleigh Group, along with LB Redbridge's other cemeteries and 4 closed churchyards.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ436898 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 5.5 |
| Site Ownership | LB Redbridge |
| Site Management | Cemeteries Office; management by Westerleigh Group from Forest Park Cemetery & Crematorium, Hainault. |
| Dates | 1953 |
| 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 | Redbridge |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | No |
| Green Belt | No |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
| Other LA Designation | Local Open Space |
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
Barkingside Cemetery is a municipal cemetery, which opened in 1922/23. In 1954 when the cemetery had become full an extension was opened to the west, Barkingside Garden of Rest. It is laid out on a simple grid with wide paths and some covered seats. A small hedged plot on the north east side is reserved for deceased members of Dr Barnardo's Village Home, which had been established in 1875, at which time Barkingside was a small village. Barkingside Station opened in 1903 and the area gradually became built up.
Holy Trinity Barkingside Churchyard is among the oldest burial grounds in Barkingside, now closed to burials. The church is marked on early C19th plans as 'Mosfoot' parish church. In the churchyard are numerous headstones, and a few chest tombs and monuments; the earliest surviving grave dates from c.1790. The churchyard is adjacent to Barkingside Cemetery; it has notable horse chestnut and willow, and the boundary to Mossford Green has a low brick perimeter wall and simple iron entrance gate with arch/light. The present church, a yellow brick building in Norman style, was rebuilt in 1839-40 to designs of Edward Blore, and extended twice since. The chancel was added in c.1898, and the north and west vestries were added in the C20th.
Barkingside was part of the municipal borough of Ilford, which once lay within the large estate lands belonging to Barking Abbey. In the 1880s the hamlet consisted of a few houses and cottages, the church, public houses and the charitable institution of Dr Barnardo, but even into the 1920s the area was quite rural. Barkingside Recreation Ground dates from the early C20th. Near the entrance on Cranbrook Road is a drinking fountain presented in 1906 by Cllr W P Griggs, JP and Chairman of Ilford UDC's Parks Committee.