Barking

A suburban town in North East London, Barking is fast becoming a hotspot for residents of the UK.

With great transport links with buses, the tube and roads, Barking is easy to access and has a variety of amazing things to witness. Enjoying a rich fishing history and heritage, a fish market can be enjoyed in the town, where you can collect fresh and high-quality fish for your home. This heritage is represented in The Catch, a modern sculpture that depicts the fishing history combined with the Saxon heritage of Barking. Of course, Barking is a hive for artwork with many sculptures, including the ancient-looking folly, which was actually constructed in 2007! Barking is also the final resting place of Elizabeth Fry, a familiar face from the £5 note.

History-phobic individuals need not worry as the retail centre of Barking has a variety of high-street and independent shops where you are sure to find something you need.

Eastbury Manor House, Eastbury Square, Barking, London IG11 9SN (020) 8724 1002
Built during the Elizabethan era, Eastbury Manor occupies a site originally housing Barking Abbey. There is a widely-held belief that the Gunpowder plot (a plan to blow up the Houses of Parliament) was contrived within its four walls.

Purchased by the National Trust in 1919 and managed by the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, the house now displays historic rooms, walled gardens and a garden tea room.

Barking Park, South Park Drive, Barking, London (020) 8270 6269
Opened in 1898 after the arrival of railway and the expansion of Barking New Town, Barking Park has undergone a number of re-developments.

Expanded during the 1930s to include a lido and miniature railway, the park now boasts an indoor bowls centre and sports pavilion.