Barking, London facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Barking |
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 Barking Abbey curfew tower with St Margaret's Church in background |
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 Barking
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| Population | 59,068 (2011 census) |
| OS grid reference | TQ440840 |
| • Charing Cross | 10 mi (16 km) W |
| London borough | |
| Ceremonial county | Greater London |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | BARKING |
| Postcode district | IG11 |
| Dialling code | 020 |
| Police | Metropolitan |
| Fire | London |
| Ambulance | London |
| EU Parliament | London |
| UK Parliament |
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| London Assembly | |
Barking is a town located by a river in East London, England. It is part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Barking is about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) east of Charing Cross, which is a central point in London. In 2011, about 59,068 people lived here. The town has many homes and a busy shopping area. Old industrial areas to the south are now being rebuilt into a new area called Barking Riverside.
Contents
What's in a Name?
Where Did the Name Barking Come From?
The name Barking comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word, Berecingas. This word might mean "the home of the people who followed a man named Bereca." It could also mean "the home near the birch trees." In the year 735 AD, the area was called Berecingum, meaning "people living among the birch trees." By 1086, it was known as Berchingae.
The Manor of Barking
Barking was once a very large land area called a Manor. It was first mentioned in a document from 735 AD. However, a special religious building called Barking Abbey is thought to have started even earlier, in 666 AD. This Manor covered the areas we now know as Barking, Dagenham, and Ilford. It was owned by the nuns of Barking Abbey.
The Fanshawe family was important in the area. They owned the Manor of Barking from 1628 to 1857. They lived in several large houses and even gave a building called the Leet House to the local people.
Old Parish Areas
For about 700 years, from the late 1100s, England was divided into areas called parishes. The huge Manor of Barking was served by two old parishes: Barking and Dagenham. This was different from most places where one parish would cover one or more manors.
The Barking Parish covered the areas now known as Barking and Ilford. It was a very large old parish, about 50 square kilometers (12,307 acres). It was divided into four parts: Chadwell, Ilford, Ripple, and Town. Later, in 1888, Ilford and Chadwell became their own new parish. This left Barking as a smaller parish of about 15 square kilometers (3,814 acres).
Barking's Story Through Time
Barking was an old parish that sat on both sides of the River Roding. It was part of the historic county of Essex. Over time, Barking changed from a place known for fishing and farming to one with market gardens and factories along the River Thames.
Barking railway station opened in 1854. The London Underground trains started serving it in 1908. In the 1900s, London grew a lot, and Barking became much bigger. Its population grew, especially because of the London County Council building many homes in the Becontree area in the 1920s. Barking became a special town area in 1931 and part of Greater London in 1965.
Barking Abbey
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The land of Barking was home to Barking Abbey. This was a nunnery, a place where nuns lived and prayed. It was started in 666 AD by Eorcenwald, who was the Bishop of London. The Abbey was later destroyed by the Danes but rebuilt in 970 by King Edgar. A famous writer named Marie de France might have been the head nun there in the late 1100s.
When King Henry VIII closed down monasteries in 1536, Barking Abbey was torn down. Today, only the parish church of St Margaret, some old walls, and foundations remain. St Margaret's Church is an example of Norman architecture, which is a very old style of building. Captain James Cook, a famous explorer, got married there in 1762. Many members of the Fanshawe family are also buried there.
Barking Market
A special document from between 1175 and 1179 confirmed that Barking had the right to hold a market. This market has been around for a very long time. It became less popular in the 1700s but has since become busy again.
Old Buildings and Architecture
St Margaret's Church is a very important historic building. It is located near the Abbey Green in the town center and dates back to the 1200s. It was built on the land of Barking Abbey. The ruins of the Abbey still include the Curfew Tower, which is also a very old and important building. This tower is even shown on the local council's symbol.
Eastbury Manor House in Barking is another important old building. It is a large house from the 1500s, built in the Elizabethan style. It is now a museum run by the National Trust.
Fishing History
Fishing was the most important industry in Barking from the 1300s until the mid-1800s. People started fishing in salt water before 1320. This industry grew a lot from the 1500s. Fisher Street, which is now part of Abbey Road, was named after the fishing people who lived there.
From about 1775, fishermen used special boats called smacks. These boats were mostly used to catch cod. Fishermen would sail far away, even to Iceland in the summer. They brought their fish to Old Billingsgate Market in the City of London. Their boats would dock in Barking Pool.
Scymgeour Hewett started the Short Blue Fleet, which became England's biggest fishing fleet. It was based in Barking. Around 1870, these boats changed to a different type that could stay at sea for months. To keep the fish fresh, they used ice made by flooding local fields in winter.
Until about 1870, most of the fish were kept alive. Fishermen used "welled smacks," which had a special part in the middle of the boat where seawater could flow through. Live cod were put into this well. When the boat returned to port, the fish were moved to cages in the water. This kept them alive until they were ready to be sold. People who fished this way were called 'codbangers'.
By 1850, there were about 220 fishing boats, employing around 1,370 men and boys. The boats were usually about 23 meters (75 feet) long and could carry up to 50 tons of fish.
The fishing industry started to decline in the late 1800s. This was because new train lines made it faster to transport fish from North Sea ports directly to London. Also, by the 1850s, the River Thames was so polluted that fish kept in the cages quickly died. A big storm in December 1863 also caused many deaths and damage. Many important fishing companies moved to other towns like Great Yarmouth and Grimsby. By 1900, Barking was no longer a fishing port. Today, only street names and a large modern sculpture called "The Catch" remind us of this history. The local fishing story is also kept at Valence House Museum.
Women's Influence in Barking
Barking Abbey was a monastery for women. It was founded in the mid-600s by St Erkenwald. His sister, St Ethelburga, was the first head nun. Until King Henry VIII closed it in 1539, the Abbey was a very important place for women to learn. It has been called "perhaps the longest lived...centre of literary culture for women in British history."
The writer Mary Wollstonecraft, who wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women, lived in Barking when she was a child. She was born in Spitalfields in 1759. Her family moved to Barking when her father tried to become a farmer there.
Annie Huggett, who lived to be 104, was a well-known local activist for women's right to vote, called a Suffragette. She was the last living Suffragette when she passed away in 1996. A railway line, nicknamed 'the Goblin', is being renamed the "Suffragette Line" in her honor.
How Barking Grew Economically
Boat building has a long history in Barking. Some of King Henry VIII's royal ships were repaired here. By 1848, many people worked in boat building, rope making, and sail making. Other industries took over after the nautical trades declined. These included making jute, paint, and chemicals.
In 1878, Daniel de Pass opened the Barking Guano Works, which later became part of Fisons. This factory made fertilizers. Creekmouth was also home to the large Barking Power Station from 1925 until the 1970s. This station burned coal that was brought in by river. In the 1900s, new industrial areas were built. Many local people found jobs at the car factory in Dagenham.
The Thames Disaster
On September 3, 1878, a ship called Bywell Castle crashed into a pleasure boat called SS Princess Alice. This happened in Gallions Reach, near Barking Creek. The Princess Alice was returning from a trip with almost 800 people. It broke in two and sank immediately. More than 600 lives were lost. This was the biggest loss of civilian lives in UK waters from a single event. After this, new rules were made to improve safety on the Thames.
Historical Pageant
To celebrate Barking becoming a special town area, a historical show was held in October 1931. More than 2000 people performed in this show. It had ten acts, and the part about the Elizabethan era was performed by the local Women's Citizens League.
Barking's Economy Today
The Vicarage Field Shopping Centre is in Barking town center. It opened in November 1990 and is a main shopping spot for the area.
Where is Barking?
Barking is about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) east of central London. It is next to Ilford to the north, Dagenham to the east, and East Ham to the west.
Barking Town Centre
Barking Town Centre is being rebuilt and improved. Some parts of the town center, like the Abbey and Gascoigne areas, are among the most in need of help in the country.
The improvements aim to make the economy stronger. This is done by bringing in new shops and creating a business center. It also aims to create more job opportunities, especially in retail and business. This helps both current and new residents earn more money. The plan also wants to help people improve their skills. The Barking Learning Centre helps with this. It teaches reading, writing, and other basic skills. It opened on June 10, 2008.
The town center plan also wants to improve housing. The goal is to build 4,000 new homes. A quarter of these homes will be affordable for local people to buy. There will also be 4,000 homes for social rent, making it easier for first-time renters and people with lower incomes to find a place.
New plans for the town square were shown in September 2007. This project was part of the Mayor of London's plan to improve 100 public spaces. It was finished in 2008 and won an award for urban public space.
Roding Riverside Area
Roding Riverside is the name for an area of Barking near the River Roding / Barking Creek. This area used to be industrial. Many buildings there are new homes and businesses from the late 1900s or early 2000s. However, some old Victorian industrial buildings have been changed into art galleries and leisure places. This helps to bring new life to the area by showing off its old industrial buildings.
One of these old Victorian buildings is a former Malthouse. Next to it is a group of buildings called the Ice House Quarter. This includes an old Ice House and a former Boat House. A new building, Ice House Court, also uses the name of the old Ice House. It provides more space for artists to work.
Barking Riverside Development
The Barking Riverside project is part of a bigger plan called London Riverside. This plan aims to rebuild the Thames riverside area in East London. It will create new homes, jobs, and services. Barking Riverside is built on about 1.4 square kilometers (350 acres) of old industrial land. This land needs to be cleared and old power lines removed before building can start.
Construction began in 2008 and is expected to finish around 2025. About 10,000 homes will be built, providing housing for around 25,000 people. New ways to travel will be added, including the East London Transit bus system. The Docklands Light Railway will be extended to Barking Riverside DLR station. The Gospel Oak to Barking line of the London Overground was also extended from Barking railway station to Barking Riverside in 2022.
The local council believes that this large housing project needs better transport links to work well. The development will also have new public places. Two new primary schools and one secondary school will be built. People will also have access to two kilometers of the Thames riverfront. The Rivergate Centre provides community facilities for the first part of Barking Riverside. A new town square and a primary school with community facilities are also planned.
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Woodgrange Park | Ilford & Loxford | Mayesbrook Park | |
| East Ham |  |
Upney | ||
 Barking  |
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| North Beckton | Beckton | Creekmouth |
Who Lives in Barking?
In recent years, more people from different countries have moved to Barking. This has made Barking's population very diverse, with many people from South Asia and Africa. Between 2001 and 2011, the number of White British people in the local area decreased by almost 39 percent. Local businesses and places of worship show Barking's diversity. There are churches for different Christian groups, mosques, and gurdwaras (Sikh temples) that are important community centers.
In the 2011 census, the largest group in the Abbey area (Barking town center) was Pakistani, at 17%. This was followed by White British (16%), Black African (15%), Indian (13%), and Other White (11%). The Gascoigne area (southern Barking) had 26% White British, 26% Black African, and 13% Other White. The Longbridge area (eastern Barking) had 35% White British, 18% Bangladeshi, and 11% Pakistani.
Barking's population grew steadily after towns started to develop in the late 1800s. If we look at the Abbey, Eastbury, Gascoigne, and Longbridge areas, Barking's population was 48,340 in 2011.
| 1881 (may include Ilford) | 16,848 |
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| 1891 | 14,301 |
| 1901 | 21,547 |
| 1911 | 31,294 |
| 1921 | 35,523 |
| 1931 | 51,270 |
| 1941 | # |
| 1951 | 78,170 |
| 1961 | 72,293 |
| # no census was held due to war | |
| source: UK census | |
Learning in Barking
Primary schools in Barking include Northbury Primary School, Eastbury Primary School, St Margaret's Church of England, and St Joseph's Roman Catholic.
Secondary schools include Barking Abbey School. Lady Aisha Academy is a private Muslim Girls Secondary School that opened in September 2011.
Getting Around Barking
Barking is mostly north of the A13 road and east of the River Roding. This river meets the River Thames in east London. Areas like Thames View Estate and Barking Riverside are south of the A13.
The South Woodford to Barking Relief Road, which is part of the A406 North Circular Road, runs through the Roding Valley. You can get to the town center from its junction with the A124. This road was the main route to and from London until the late 1920s.
Barking station is a major transport hub. It is served by the London Underground, London Overground, c2c trains, and London Bus routes. The East London Transit bus system also has routes here. The eastern part of Barking is served by Upney Underground station. The area south of the A13 is served by Barking Riverside railway station. The western end of the Yiwu-London railway line, which connects China to the UK, is in Barking. Its first train service ran in January 2017.
Barking's Culture
Music Connections
Neil Young, a famous musician, recorded two songs for his album Harvest in 1972. These songs, "A Man Needs a Maid" and "There's a World," were recorded with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barking Assembly Hall (now the Broadway theatre).
The electronic music band Underworld named their 2010 album Barking after the town. The artist Ramz also wrote a song called "Barking" in 2017.
Local News and Radio
Bedrock is a local hospital radio service. It is available online and shares health information, especially about the local King George Hospital and Queen's Hospital.
The Barking & Dagenham Post provides local news in print and online.
Sports in Barking
Barking F.C. is a local football team. The team once joined with East Ham F.C. to form Barking & East Ham United F.C. in 2001. This club later closed, but Barking F.C. was started again. Barking RFC is the town's rugby union team. Cricket, basketball, and hockey are also popular sports in the area. A weekly running event called Parkrun takes place in Barking Park.
Public Art
Barking Town Centre has several new sculptures and public artworks.
In 2007, two small stones from the old London Bridge were put together in a sculpture. This sculpture is in front of St Margaret's church, facing the Barking Abbey ruins. This was part of several public artworks placed in Barking Town Centre by artist Joost Van Santen.
Famous People from Barking
Many well-known people come from Barking. Famous footballers include former England captains and defenders Bobby Moore and John Terry. The successful racing driver Scott Malvern, who has won championships in Formula Ford and Formula Renault, was born in Barking Hospital. Jason Leonard, who played rugby union and earned 119 caps, was born in Barking and started his career at Barking RFC.
The singer-songwriter and activist Billy Bragg was born in Barking. U2 guitarist The Edge and singer Megan McKenna were also born here.
Actor Danny Lee Wynter was born in Barking.
See also
In Spanish: Barking para niños
