"MY "BARKING TOWN"" Barking Town by MikeStarr5

Barking Town Travel Guide: 62 reviews and 124 photos

What's in a Name ?

Strange as the name "Barking" may seem, my research has shown me that we are anything but unique. If you do a search on Virtual Tourist you will find both a Barking and "Barking Town" in East London - Essentially these are both the same place and information about the two should perhaps be amalgamated.

Further afield but still in the UK, there is village called Barking in the county of Suffolk. Over the pond in America, you can find another Barking near Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.

My "Barking Town" is situated roughly 10 miles to the east of Central London. It's not the most obvious London suburb to visit while you are in England but for those who take the time and make the effort, Barking Town has many hidden gems and a rich history to explore.

There is another great advantage to staying here and that is the cost. We have a clutch of reasonably priced hotels and Bed and Breakfast places. These charge a mere fraction of Central London prices. However, in less than 25 minutes you can be at the Tower of London and in another 15 you are the heart of the West End.

Food lovers will not be disappointed either as Barking Town Centre is a Mecca for very cheap places to eat (especially if you like Asian or Oriental food.)

Those who like proper English beer, as opposed to fizzy continental lager, used to be able to drink at the pub on which CAMRA (Campagn for Real Ale) bestowed the honour of "London Pub of the Year 2007". This was Barking Town's "The Britannia" Sadly, this closed in 2009.

For old time's sake I have left details of the Brit in my "Nightlife" and "Local Customs" tips. No doubt I will remove them in due course, once my tears have dried sufficiently to enable me to see the keyboard clearly - Ah well, I had been drinking there regularly since I was a nipper !

My recommendation for a good (but not quite as good) alternative is "The Spotted Dog". See my separate tip about that

But if you happen to be in the area in which the Brit used to be, why not have a stroll around Barking's brand new, award winning, ultra modern Mediterranean style village in "Tanner Street" (See My Things To Do Tip".)

But please don't think of Barking Town as just somewhere cheap to sleep and eat and drink excellent beer, there's a diverse selection of museums, sculptures, markets and other things to please our visitors.

A VERY BRIEF HISTORY

Barking Abbey Curfew Tower & St Margaret's Church

Barking is an ancient market town with a bustling modern day market which still thrives today. It was founded in 666AD by the then Bishop of London. Barking Abbey was built but later destroyed. A picturesque Norman church called St Margaret's was built on its ruins and it is there that Captain Cook married in 1762. Around 700 years previously in 1066, William the Conqueror had established his first council in Barking Abbey.

FISHING

Throughout its history, fishing has always been an important industry to Barking Town. Unfortunately by 1900, it had ceased to exist as a working fishing port, leaving only a few street and pub names as a reminder of its former importance to the town. But to commemorate this, a large and very impressive modern sculpture called "The Catch" has been errected near the town centre (See my "Things to Do Tip" for full details.

I have given a brief summary of Barking Town's history both here and in some of my tips but those who wish to can research further on Ian Vickers excellent website www.barkingdagenhamlocalhistory.net

My thanks to Ian for all his hard work.

Stop Press

The Catch-Modern Sculpture With Links to the Past.

Last Updated 26th March 2010 - To be continued as and when time permits .......

Pros and Cons

Pros:Easy to reach from Central London with several inexpensive hotel chains on the outskirts of town. Lots of inexpensive places to eat and some excellent local pubs. Plenty to do and see, particularly for those interested in history or modern sculpture.
Cons:Some Town Centre bars are not that friendly but there are plenty of good ones too.
In a nutshell:Not the most obvious London suburb to visit but lots of history and hidden gems for those who are prepared to look for them.

Intro Updated Jun 2, 2010
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Reviews (54)

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Comments (44)

enash Mar 6, 2011 at 8:44 AM Report Abuse

The structure WAS NOT BUILT BY STUDENTS. I KHOW THIS BECAUSE I WAS THE BRICKLAYING FOREMAN WHO WORKED ON THE PROJECT
arikorpela Jan 19, 2011 at 6:40 AM Report Abuse

Great story, proably the best pub in the world.
hunterV Mar 18, 2010 at 10:25 AM Report Abuse

Hello, Mike! Thanks for your wonderful story!...Great humour!
Minstrelette Jan 7, 2008 at 1:27 PM Report Abuse

Yep, the Barking Dog cafe in New York sounds much better than your pub. And I like your taste in cuisine- my favourite Indian dish is Aloo Gobi as well.
awladhassan Jan 7, 2008 at 12:43 AM Report Abuse

Thanks for visiting my Cairo page. It doesn't bear comparison to Barking Town as you have described it. Haven't read anything so good, or amusing for absolute yonks. Good work.
toonsarah Dec 14, 2007 at 6:03 AM Report Abuse

Who knew there was so much to Barking? Certainly not me, despite living in London all my life. Great page - thank you for sharing, especially the Catch which I love!
orix Dec 13, 2007 at 8:30 PM Report Abuse

Thanks for visiting my newcastle page and sharing the barking sculpture. It's a shame i missed it at the time i lived not so far away...
LoriPori Dec 11, 2007 at 4:42 AM Report Abuse

Well Mike you sure have made a good case for tourists to visit and stay in your home town of Barking Town. Wonderful tips on where to eat & stay and things to do.
DSwede Dec 9, 2007 at 8:32 PM Report Abuse

Thanks for the visit to P'yongyang page. It was definately a unique experience! Barking town... reminds me of Dog Town near where I grew up that had 8ppl and 240 dogs.
SLLiew Dec 9, 2007 at 7:21 PM Report Abuse

Excellent page. Enjoyed thoroughly a virtual tour of Barking Town. Woof woof! :)