Abbey Green is an area of parkland next to Barking Town Centre. It is named after Barking Abbey, which was once one of England’s wealthiest and most important religious institutions, founded in 666 AD. The remains of it can still be found near Abbey Road. Adjoining the abbey ruins is St Margaret’s Church, the oldest parts of which date from the 12th century. The churchyard of St Margaret’s is now a public open space, managed by the council. It is no longer used for burials and is a peaceful green area with some of the largest trees in the borough, forming an important part of the historic core of Barking. The parkland to the north and the south of these are recreational grounds laid out with trees and some play facilities. Two ancient buildings remain in the park, one being the church. The only surviving building from the Abbey is the 15th century Curfew Tower, which now forms an entrance to the churchyard and an access to the church.

History

The Abbey was the original settlement at Barking and the original village of Barking was adjacent to it. The Abbey was demolished shortly after the dissolution of the monasteries in 1541 AD. However the outline of the original buildings have been reconstructed and can be seen as low walls on the ground. The abbey had its own church, and St Margaret’s Church was developed later to serve the village. By the early 20th century, the land on the south side including St Joseph’s School was built up with housing areas and industrial estates. Most of these were demolished in the mid 20th century, and converted to the modern grassy field. Houses were also present on the north side, alongside London Road; these were also demolished to make the modern open space.

Leisure facilities

There is a small playground near St Joseph's School, and there is also space there for informal kick about play and children's play. Nearby the St Margaret's Centre next to the church has an attractive café. Other facilities can be found in the town centre.

Accessibility

Most of the site is accessible to wheelchairs.

Getting there

The park is adjacent to Barking Town Centre, with many bus routes, including two that pass along the site perimeter. Barking Station is about five minutes walk away. There are no dedicated car park and restricted parking in the surrounding roads. Cycles can be secured by Broadway.