BARKING (District/Hammersmith & City line)

One of my favourites. Turn left out of the Tube station and walk down Station Road and lively, pedestrianised East Street. Suddenly you see facing you across Broadway an old stone building. This is the Curfew Tower (c1460), the only remaining building from the once important Abbey. Originally founded in AD666, later destroyed by Vikings, the abbey was refounded in the tenth century under royal patronage, the roll of abbesses including queens and princesses. In the sixteenth century it met the fate of other religious foundations, being disbanded by Henry VIII. Eventually the site became a quarry and a farm. Some of the walls of the old buildings are still visible.

St. Margaret's Parish Church adjoins the site of the abbey and is full of interest - well worth a visit. In 1762 the explorer Captain Cook was married there. The church has quite a few excellent monuments, including one to sea captain John Bennett who died in 1706 (see photos). His actual tomb is in the churchyard and has a carving of his ship, The Lennox on one side. Most unusually for London it is possible to get into the church on weekdays (Monday to Friday 10-2). Access is through the modern extension, which includes a very pleasant refrectory.The whole site is an island of peace while the traffic whizzes round just far enough away for it to be an astonishing contrast rather than a distraction.

Fishing was a key industry especially in Victorian times, with a large fleet operating out of Barking Creek. The Town Quay was a trading centre for centuries, and the old Granary still stands there on the edge of the Mill Pond.

©DR2006

MAP
Directions. Turn right out of Tube station down Station Parade and East Street. Cross over the Broadway and you are in the Abbey precincts. To get to the Town Quay, walk diagonally to the left across the park and you will come to Abbey Road. On the other side of this you will find Highbridge Road.

This is just one walk from the many to be found at London Tube Rambles. There are architectural gems, beautiful country views, historic places and whacky buildings to be found, even in the most unpromising areas covered by the Greater London Underground stations. Usually the places listed are within a mile of the Tube - often only five minutes walk away. If you reached this as an individual page via a search engine, you might like to go to www.londontuberambles.co.uk to see the other destinations explored . You'll be amazed at what's out there!