Description
The Leys is an open area of grassland with trees, shrubs and the Wantz stream running through it. It was formerly meadowland of Leys Farm, and once part of the Manor of East Hall, which dated back to at least the C14th. The site was purchased by Dagenham UDC in 1928 to provide for public recreation and at one time had a fine open-air swimming pool, which opened in 1939. The filtration plant was destroyed in WWII in 1940 and the pool eventually closed.
Practical Information
| Site location | Ballards Road, Dagenham |
|---|---|
| Postcode | RM10 |
| What3Words | ///wings.pirate.freed |
| Type of Site | Public Open Land |
| Borough | Barking & Dagenham |
| Open to Public | Yes |
| Opening Times | unrestricted |
| Facilities | Car parks, children's play area, football pitches, mini-soccer pitches |
| Public Transport | Tube: Dagenham East or Dagenham Heathway (District) then bus. Bus: 145. |
| Research Updated | 1 February 2018 |
| Last Updated | 18 October 2026 |
Full description
In 1928 Dagenham Urban District Council purchased 69 acres under a Special Act of Parliament for the creation of Dagenham Park (q.v.) and The Leys, so-called after Leys Farm meadows on which it stood. The Leys open-air swimming pool, 165 ft by 75 ft and which boasted that 1,200 bathers could bathe in it, was opened on 29 July 1939 on a 3 acre site. It was designed by F C Lloyd at a cost of £30,000, and had a main pool 165ft x 50ft with a 15ft diving pit in the middle and three concrete diving boards, with a superior filtration plant capable of purifying the pool every 6 hours. It was damaged by enemy action in October 1940 and although it re-opened, it eventually closed after the 1969 summer season; the diving boards had been closed the year before because of their bad state of repair. Although estimates for long-term repairs were put together the pool never re-opened. It was filled in late 1969 although the changing rooms and springboard were not demolished until 1971. A new indoor pool was opened at Becontree Heath. Part of the site abutting Ballards Road is flat, open green space with some trees and shrubs, but beyond this is a wilder area of countryside on undulating ground through which runs the Wantz stream. In the far south, there is a children's play area.
Further Information
| Grid Reference | TQ499839 |
|---|---|
| Size in hectares | 15.43 |
| Site Ownership | LB Barking & Dagenham |
| Site Management | Parks & Countryside Ranger Service |
| Dates | 1928-1939 |
| 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 | Barking & Dagenham |
| In Conservation Area | No |
| Tree Preservation Order | No |
| Nature Conservation Area | Yes |
| Green Belt | Yes |
| Metropolitan Open Land | No |
| Special Policy Area | No |
Gallery
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
Dagenham Park opened in 1931 on land purchased by Dagenham UDC. The land was once part of the Manor of East Hall, which dated back to at least the C14th. The park was laid out with children's playground, drinking fountain, bandstand, rose beds, formal planting, bowling green, a Sports Arena with stands and pavilion, tennis courts and a putting green. Over the years various facilities were added to the park including a new stadium stand in 1950 and new children's playground in 1961. The park lodge remains near the original entrance gates.
St Peter and St Paul's parish church dates back to the early C13th and was in the heart of Dagenham Village, one of the earliest Saxon settlements in Essex. The churchyard was originally c.1 acre but was extended to the south in the C19th. It was in use for burials until the 1990s, and has numerous tombs, including twenty dating from the C17th. The area around the church is neatly tended, while the area beyond is in a more natural state as the churchyard has been maintained for wildlife since the 1990s.
King George's Field is an enclosed grassed area laid out by Dagenham Borough Council in 1953 with a grant of £2,000 from King George's Fields Foundation to lay out the 2.1 acre site. The Foundation was set up as a memorial following the death of George V on 30 January 1936 and provided funding for the creation or improvement of a great many playing fields before it was dissolved in 1965. The small park was ‘to be laid out ... with provision for gardening facilities for Marsh Green School'. The gate piers have the characteristic heraldic stone plaques that denote all King George's Fields.
