125-581: Barking Abbey is a former royal monastery located in Barking , in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham . It has been described as having been "one of the most important nunneries in the country". Originally established in the 7th century, from the late 10th century the abbey followed the Rule of St. Benedict . The abbey had a large endowment and sizeable income but suffered severely after 1377, when
250-420: A cesspool . He managed to crawl out and make his way to the house of a friend. From there, he journeyed to Winchester and entered the service of his kinsman Ælfheah , Bishop of Winchester. The bishop tried to persuade him to become a monk , but Dunstan was doubtful whether he had a vocation to a celibate life. The answer came in the form of an attack of swelling tumours all over Dunstan's body. This ailment
375-603: A grade I listed building dating back to the 13th century, was built within its grounds. The Abbey Ruins are used as a venue each May for outdoor classical concerts, as well as an annual pilgrimage by members of the Eastern Orthodox Church . Barking Abbey was one of two monasteries built in the 7th century by Saint Erkenwald (later Bishop of London ). Erkenwald founded Chertsey Abbey for himself, and Barking Abbey for his sister Saint Ethelburga . Erkenwald and Ethelburga were of royal ancestry and were born in
500-548: A horseshoe to the Devil's foot when he was asked to re-shoe the Devil's cloven hoof. This caused the Devil great pain, and Dunstan only agreed to remove the shoe and release the Devil after he promised never to enter a place where a horseshoe is over the door. This is claimed as the origin of the lucky horseshoe. A further legend relating to Dunstan and the Devil seeks to explain the phenomena of Franklin nights, late frosts which occur around his Feast Day. The story goes that Dunstan
625-533: A saint shortly thereafter. He was formally canonised in 1029. That year at the Synod of Winchester, St Dunstan's feast was ordered to be kept solemnly throughout England. Until Thomas Becket 's fame overshadowed Dunstan's, he was the favourite saint of the English people. Dunstan had been buried in his cathedral . In 1180 his relics were translated to a tomb on the south side of the high altar, when that building
750-464: A borough-based learning facility. It was officially opened on 10 June 2008 by John Denham , Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills . The town centre development intends to improve the quality and range of housing, aiming to create 4,000 new homes: 25% will be intermediate housing, affordable for local residents to buy. There will be 4,000 socially rented homes, making it easier for first-time buyers and people with low incomes to rent
875-524: A business centre; and to widen employment prospects, mainly by creating new "retail and business accommodation", to increase the income of both existing and new residents. The regeneration also aims to improve people's skills. This is mainly achieved through the Barking Learning Centre , which aims to improve literacy, numeracy and other basic skills people may be lacking due to a previous lack of educational development. It currently acts as
1000-523: A contemporary art gallery (the Laura I Gallery ), with a view to regenerating the area in part by drawing out the industrial heritage architecture. One such Victorian building is a former Malthouse. Adjacent to this building stands a cluster of buildings together styled the Ice House Quarter , which includes a former Ice House and a former Boat House A new building, Ice House Court references
1125-537: A dispute between the two abbeys which was not settled until 1315. A settlement was reached when the Abbess of Barking paid the Abbot of Stratford Lanthorne £200 (equivalent to £181,000 in 2023); in return, the abbot agreed to maintain the bridges and causeway and to pay an annual rent of four marks (equivalent to £2,400 in 2023) to the abbess. Mary Becket, the sister of Saint Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury ,
1250-460: A few exceptions, fixed for around 700 years from the late 12th century onwards. The huge Manor of Barking was served by two Ancient Parishes , Barking and Dagenham . This reversed the usual situation (for smaller, and even quite large Manors) where a parish would serve one or more manors. As with other manors, the area held by the declined over time, but the parish boundaries based on its former extent remained constant. The Parish of Barking covered
1375-713: A former royal monastery, whose ruins are recognisable for its partially restored Grade-II* Listed Curfew Tower, which features on the coat of arms of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham . Eastbury Manor House in Barking is a Grade I listed 16th century Elizabethan manor house and museum run by the National Trust . Fishing was the most important industry from the 14th until the mid-19th centuries. Salt water fishing began before 1320, when too fine nets were seized by City authorities, but expanded greatly from
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#17327753001731500-467: A high price. People who practised this method of fishing were known as 'codbangers'. By 1850 there some 220 smacks, employing some 1,370 men and boys. The boats were typically 75 feet (23 m) long carrying up to 50 tons. During the wars of the 17th and 18th centuries they were often used as fleet auxiliaries by the Royal Navy , based at nearby Chatham Dockyard . The opening of rail links between
1625-542: A man called Bereca" or "the settlement by the birch trees". In AD 735 the area was Berecingum and was known to mean "dwellers among the birch trees ". By AD 1086, it had become Berchingae as evidenced by the manor's entry in the Domesday Book of that year. Barking was a huge Manor (landholding), first mentioned in a charter in 735 AD (though the Abbey is believed to have been founded in 666 AD). The Manor covered
1750-526: A monastic revival in England. About the same time, his father Heorstan died and Dunstan inherited his fortune as well. He became a person of great influence, and on the death of King Æthelstan in 940, the new King, Edmund , summoned him to his court at Cheddar and made him a minister. Again, royal favour fostered jealousy among other courtiers and again Dunstan's enemies succeeded in their plots. The King
1875-637: A municipal borough, a historical pageant featuring over 2000 performers took place in October 1931. Made of ten acts, the Elizabethan section was performed in part by the local Women's Citizens League. Vicarage Field Shopping Centre is located on Ripple Road in Barking town centre. It was opened in November 1990. Barking is located 9.3 miles (15 km) east of Charing Cross in Central London. It
2000-561: A non-league side. The team merged with East Ham F.C. to form Barking & East Ham United in 2001. This club later struggled and went out of business, but Barking F.C. was later reformed once again. Barking RFC are the town's rugby union team. Cricket, basketball and hockey are also popular sports in the area. A Parkrun takes place in Barking Park. Barking Town Centre has a number of recently commissioned sculptures and public art works . In 2007, two small stones from remains of
2125-681: A property. To help make the development more sustainable, all private sector homes were to meet the Government's decency standards by 2010. Plans for the new town square were unveiled in September 2007. The development is part of the Mayor of London 's 100 Public Spaces, and it was completed in 2008, designed by muf architecture/art and Allford Hall Monaghan and Morris. It won the European Prize for Urban Public Space . Roding Riverside
2250-591: A result of increased levels of immigration, Barking's population has become more multicultural and ethnically diverse, with growing South Asian and African communities forming a significant proportion of the local population. Between the 2001 and 2011 censuses, the White British population in the local borough fell by 38.75 per cent. Local businesses and places of worship reflect Barking's diversity, with churches of various Christian denominations, mosques and gurdwaras serving as major community hubs. In
2375-507: A saint associated with female learning. Prior to 1214, as a "royal foundation", the abbesses of Barking had been chosen by the King. However, following pressure from the Pope, King John allowed the nuns to conduct elections to choose their abbess. The crown would later, however, claim they had the right to select a nun to join the abbey each time a new monarch acceded to the throne. This privilege
2500-520: A small kneeling monk beside him in the Glastonbury Classbook , "one of the first of a series of outline drawings which were to become a special feature of Anglo-Saxon art of this period." Dunstan became famous as a musician, illuminator , and metalworker. Lady Æthelflæd, King Æthelstan's niece, made Dunstan a trusted adviser and on her death, she left a considerable fortune to him. He used this money later in life to foster and encourage
2625-587: A stag at great speed in the direction of the Cheddar cliffs. The stag rushed blindly over the precipice and was followed by the hounds. Eadmund endeavoured vainly to stop his horse; then, seeing death to be imminent, he remembered his harsh treatment of St Dunstan and promised to make amends if his life was spared. At that moment his horse was stopped on the very edge of the cliff. Giving thanks to God, he returned forthwith to his palace, called for St. Dunstan and bade him follow, then rode straight to Glastonbury. Entering
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#17327753001732750-945: A station beside the Vicarage Field Shopping Centre. The western end of the Yiwu-London railway line from China to the UK is located in Barking at the DB Eurohub. It ran its first service in January 2017. Neil Young recorded two tracks for his classic album Harvest , "A Man Needs a Maid" and "There's a World" with the London Symphony Orchestra at Barking Assembly Hall (now the Broadway theatre), released in 1972. Electronic band Underworld named their 2010 album Barking after
2875-507: A storm in December 1863, off the Dutch coast, which caused the deaths of 60 men and damage estimated at £6000–7000. Many of its leading figures, including Hewett & Co, moved to Great Yarmouth and Grimsby . By 1900 Barking had ceased to be a fishing port, leaving only street and pub names as a reminder. A large modern steel sculpture entitled "The Catch" is another reminder. The sculpture
3000-467: Is a name given to an area of Barking comprising the stretch of Abbey Road south of St Pauls Road, which runs parallel to the River Roding / Barking Creek and the area between. The quarter is post-industrial. Many buildings are late 20th century or early 21st century residential and commercial buildings, but some are Victorian industrial buildings adapted for use in arts and leisure fields, including
3125-472: Is bordered by Ilford to the north, Dagenham to the east and East Ham to the west. Barking Town Centre is being regenerated through a number of schemes. It is one of the most deprived areas of Barking. The Abbey and Gascoigne wards in the town centre are ranked 823rd and 554th respectively - within the 10% most deprived wards in the country. The regeneration aims to achieve a more sustainable economy by investing in new quality retail outlets and creating
3250-600: Is on the roundabout at the end of Fanshawe Avenue. The local fishing heritage is recorded at Valence House Museum . Barking Abbey was a female monastery founded in the mid 7th Century by St Erkenwald . His sister St Ethelburga was the first Abbess. Until its dissolution by Henry VIII in 1539, the Abbey was a major centre of female learning. It has been described as "perhaps the longest lived...institutional centre of literary culture for women in British history". The author Mary Wollstonecraft , author of A Vindication of
3375-705: Is situated mostly north of the A13 road and east of the River Roding near its confluence with the River Thames in east London. The Thames View Estate, Barking Reach (a small housing estate) and Barking Riverside are south of the A13. The South Woodford to Barking Relief Road (part of the A406 North Circular Road) runs through the Roding Valley, and access to the town centre is by its junction with
3500-584: Is the burial place of many members of the Fanshawe family of Parsloes Manor. A charter issued between 1175 and 1179 confirms the ancient market right . The market declined in the 18th century but has since been revived. St Margaret's Church is a grade I listed building in the Abbey Green area of the Town Centre, dating back to the 13th century. It is built within the grounds of Barking Abbey ,
3625-543: Is unlikely as another source states that he was ordained during Æthelstan's reign, and he would have been under the minimum age of 30 if he was born no earlier than 924. It is more likely that " oritur " should be taken as "emerged" and that he was born around 910. B states that he was related to Ælfheah the Bald , the Bishop of Winchester and Cynesige , Bishop of Lichfield . According to a later biographer, Adelard of Ghent , he
3750-550: The A124 , which until the late 1920s was the main route to and from London. Barking station is a local transport hub and is served by the London Underground , London Overground , c2c and London Bus and East London Transit routes. The east of Barking is served by Upney Underground station and the area south of the A13 is served by Barking Riverside railway station . The East London Transit bus rapid transit has
3875-566: The Danes and reconstructed in 970 by King Edgar . The celebrated writer Marie de France may have been abbess of the nunnery in the late 12th century. At the dissolution of the monasteries in 1536, Barking Abbey was demolished; the parish church of St Margaret , some walling and foundations are all that remain. The parish church is an example of Norman architecture ; Captain James Cook married Elizabeth Batts of Shadwell there in 1762, and it
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4000-750: The English Reformation . Dunstan became patron saint of English goldsmiths and silversmiths because he worked as a silversmith making church plate. The Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church mark his feast day on 19 May. Dunstan is also honoured in the Church of England and in the Episcopal Church on 19 May. In 2023, a pastoral area of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Clifton
4125-649: The Queen mother , Eadgifu of Kent , by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Oda , and by the East Anglian nobles, at whose head was the powerful ealdorman Æthelstan the "Half-king" . It was a policy of unification and conciliation with the Danish half of the kingdom. The goal was a firm establishment of royal authority. In ecclesiastical matters it favoured the spread of Catholic observance, the rebuilding of churches,
4250-480: The River Thames flooded around 720 acres (290 ha) of the abbey's land, which was unable to be reclaimed. However, at the time of the dissolution, it was still the third-wealthiest nunnery in England. The abbey existed for almost 900 years, until its closure in 1539, as part of King Henry VIII 's Dissolution of the Monasteries . It had many notable abbesses including several saints , former queens and
4375-409: The River Thames was flooded. The devastation was severe and the abbey's fortunes never completely recovered: The devastation of the land, and the high cost of repairing dykes led to the abbey's impoverishment. In 1382 the abbey's lands were recorded as still "inundated" (flooded), and their yearly income had fallen to 400 marks (equivalent to £265,000 in 2023). In 1409, 32 years after the flood,
4500-456: The Tower of London . It was also at the abbey that King William received the submissions of the brothers Morcar, Earl of Northumbria , and Edwin, Earl of Mercia ; Morcar and Edwin's sister, Queen Ealdgyth was the widow of the defeated King Harold II (Godwinson). Queen Maud/Matilda (c.1080–1 May 1118), wife of King Henry I , financed the construction of two stone bridges and a causeway over
4625-502: The Witan were held to settle these disputes, at Kyrtlington , at Calne , and at Amesbury . At the second of them the floor of the hall where the Witan was sitting gave way, and all except Dunstan, who clung to a beam, fell into the room below; several men were killed. In March 978, King Edward was assassinated at Corfe Castle , possibly at the instigation of his stepmother, and Æthelred
4750-526: The 16th century. Fisher Street (now the southern part of Abbey Road) was named after the fishing community there. From about 1775 welled and dry smacks were used, mostly as cod boats, and rigged as gaff cutters . Fishermen sailed as far as Iceland in the summer. They served Billingsgate Fish Market in the City of London , and moored in Barking Pool. Scymgeour Hewett, born on 7 December 1797, founded
4875-450: The 2011 census, the largest ethnic group in Abbey ward (which covers Barking town centre) was Pakistani at 17%, followed by 16% White British, 15% Black African, 13% Indian and 11% Other White. Gascoigne ward (southern Barking) was 26% White British, 26% Black African and 13% Other White. Longbridge ward (eastern Barking) was 35% White British, 18% Bangladeshi and 11% Pakistani. Barking's population grew steadily after urbanisation began in
5000-504: The 20th century new industrial estates were established, and many local residents came to be employed in the car plant at Dagenham . On 3 September 1878 the iron ship Bywell Castle ran into the pleasure steamer Princess Alice in Gallions Reach , downstream of Barking Creek . The paddle steamer was returning from the coast via Sheerness and Gravesend with nearly 800 day-trippers. She broke in two and sank immediately, with
5125-896: The Alps as he journeyed to Rome for the pallium . In his place Eadwig then nominated one of his supporters, the Bishop of Wells, Byrhthelm . As soon as Edgar became king, he reversed this second choice on the ground that Byrhthelm had not been able to govern even his first diocese properly. The archbishopric was then conferred on Dunstan. Dunstan went to Rome in 960, and received the pallium from Pope John XII . On his journey there, Dunstan's acts of charity were so lavish as to leave nothing for himself and his attendants. His steward complained, but Dunstan seems to have suggested that they trust in Jesus Christ . On his return from Rome, Dunstan at once regained his position as virtual prime minister of
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5250-554: The Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of Lindsey (roughly located within the modern county of Lincolnshire ). It is said Ethelburga (a Christian) chose to become a nun to avoid having to marry King Edwin of Northumbria , who was a pagan. However, this seems doubtful, and there may have been confusion between Ethelburga and Æthelburh (Ethelburga) of Kent , who did marry King Edwin in 625. Either way, Ethelburga's brother Erkenwald founded Barking Abbey specifically for her. The abbey
5375-537: The Canterbury Passionale , from the second quarter of the 12th century ( British Library , Harley MS 315, f. 15v.). Daniel Anlezark has tentatively suggested that Dunstan may be the medieval author of the poem Solomon and Saturn , citing the style, word choice, and Hiberno-Latin used in the texts. However, Clive Tolley examines this claim from a linguistic point-of-view and disagrees with Anlezark's claim. Another story relates how Dunstan nailed
5500-465: The English in 1306, was confined here from March 1313 to March 1314. Elizabeth de Clare was briefly imprisoned in Barking Abbey in 1322, as part of a campaign to force her to surrender some of her Welsh estates to Hugh Despenser the younger . Whilst imprisoned some of her "valuable possessions" were extorted but they were later recovered. In 1377 a larger portion of the abbey's lands near to
5625-463: The Goblin for short ) is to be renamed the "Suffragette Line" in her honour. Boat building has a long history, being used for the repair of some royal ships of Henry VIII . In 1848, 5 shipwrights, 4 rope- and line-makers, 6 sail-makers and 4 mast-, pump-, and block-makers are listed in a local trade directory. Hewett & Co continued in boat building and repair until 1899. Other industries replaced
5750-593: The Middle Ages, however, the North Gate was demolished around 1885. Today, only the Curfew Tower and the abbey's footprints and footings remain. The majority of the remains are buried: those remains visible were built in the 20th century to show the abbey's layout, although the original walls of the abbey church stand several feet high in portions. A modern ward of the present borough is named Abbey after
5875-517: The North Sea ports and London meant it was quicker to transport fish by train straight to the capital rather than waiting for ships to take the longer route down the east coast and up the River Thames . By the 1850s the Thames was so severely polluted that fish kept in chests quickly died. Consequently, the fishery slipped into decline in the second half of the 19th century. The decline was hastened by
6000-607: The Rights of Women , lived in Barking, then a small rural market town for some of her childhood. Wollstencraft was born in Spitalfields in 1759, but the family moved to Barking when her father, a weaver, moved to Barking to try to become a farmer. Annie Huggett, who died aged 104 in 1996, was from a young age, a prominent local Suffragette activist. Huggett's long life meant she was the last living Suffragette. The Gospel Oak and Barking Overground railway line (generally nicknamed
6125-484: The Short Blue Fleet (England's biggest fishing fleet) based in Barking, using smacks out of Barking and east coast ports. Around 1870 this fleet changed to gaff ketches that stayed out at sea for months; to preserve the fish they used ice produced by flooding local fields in winter. Fleeting involved fish being ferried from fishing smacks to gaff cutters by little wooden ferry-boats. The rowers had to stand, as
6250-442: The Thames". In 1381 Elizabeth Chaucer became a nun at the abbey. Elizabeth was the daughter of the poet Geoffrey Chaucer and Philippa De Roet . When Elizabeth joined the abbey John of Gaunt , a royal prince, paid £51 8s 2d (equivalent to £48,000 in 2023) "for expenses and gifts" for the occasion. Geoffery Chaucer was in the service of the king's court and John of Gaunt much of his life. Katherine Swynford, who eventually became
6375-625: The Treasury is likely to confirm funding in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn 2013 statement. The development will also provide new public facilities, creating "a variety of living, working, leisure and cultural amenities". Two new primary schools and one secondary school will be built, and the public will have access to two kilometres of Thames river front. The Rivergate Centre, designed by van Heyningen and Haward Architects , provides
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#17327753001736500-461: The Unready became king. The coronation took place on Low Sunday 31 March 978. According to William of Malmsesbury , writing over a century later, when the young king took the usual oath to govern well, Dunstan addressed him in solemn warning. He criticised the violent act whereby he became king and prophesied the misfortunes that were shortly to fall on the kingdom, but Dunstan's influence at court
6625-469: The abbess was Æfgiva. King William the Conqueror confirmed Æfgiva's control of the abbey with a royal charter issued in either November or December 1066. William granted her "my peace and love, and all my rights within and without the burgh as fully as any abbess in that monastery of St.Mary had them in the time of King Edward" . At the time, King William was staying at Barking Abbey whilst he constructed
6750-750: The abbey in 693, although his body was taken to Chertsey Abbey for burial. Saint Wulfhilda (Wlfhildis) became abbess of Barking Abbey during the 10th century. Wulfhilda had grown up at Wilton Abbey , Wiltshire. King Edgar the Peaceful fell in love with Wulfhilda at Wilton, but she was committed to pursuing a religious life and spurned his advances, presents and offers of marriage. Eventually Edgar tried to entrap Wulfhilda; getting her aunt, Abbess Wenflaeda of Wherwell to fake an illness and summon Wulfhilda, with Edgar instead waiting when Wulfhilda arrived. On arriving, she "found his fervour so alarming that she fled, leaving her sleeve in his hand, and escaping through
6875-887: The abbey was demolished and much of its wealth was sold off. At the time of the dissolution the abbey also controlled the manors of Barking , Abbes Hall , Bulphan , Caldecotes in Abbess Roding , Cokermouth in Dagenham , Down Hall , Great Warley , Hanley Hall , Hawkesbury in Fobbing , Highall in Tollesbury , Hockley , Ingatestone , Leaden Roding Mucking , Tollesbury , Wangey Hall , Westbury in Barking , Wigborough and Wood Barns ; all in Essex . Demolition started in June 1540 and took around 18 months to complete, with only
7000-403: The abbey's building materials were reused: some of the lead was used to repair Greenwich Palace 's roof, and some of the stone used to construct King Henry VIII 's new Manor at Dartford . In 1551 King Edward VI granted the abbey site and demesne land to Edward Clinton, 9th Baron Clinton (later 1st Earl of Lincoln). After that, the site was used as a quarry and a farm. The remains survived
7125-408: The abbey's north gate and Curfew Tower were left standing. Records from 1540 show £744 was raised from selling the abbey's lead; £122 13s from the sale of the abbey's eleven bells (12,912 lb of "bellmetal"); and £182 2s 10d from the sale of "goods, grain and cattle". The abbey was also in possession of various jewels and valuables; including 3,586 ounces of silver. Following its demolition some of
7250-508: The areas now known as Barking and Ilford . Barking was a large ancient parish of 12,307 acres (49.80 km ) in the Becontree hundred of Essex. It was divided into the wards of Chadwell, Ilford, Ripple and Town. A local board was formed for Town ward in 1882 and it was extended to cover Ripple ward in 1885. In 1888 Ilford and Chadwell were split off as a new parish of Ilford , leaving a residual parish of 3,814 acres (15.43 km ). The parish became Barking Town Urban District in 1894 and
7375-415: The areas now known as Barking, Dagenham and Ilford. The Manor was held by the Nunnery of Barking. The Fanshawes were a prominent local family who were lords of the manor of Barking from 1628 to 1857. They owned and lived in a number of manor houses in the borough, including Valence House, Jenkins, Parsloes and Faulks, and gifted the Leet House to the residents of Barking. The Parishes of England were, with
7500-426: The beginning of the century. His exile was not of long duration. Before the end of 957, the Mercians and Northumbrians revolted and drove out Eadwig, choosing his brother Edgar as king of the country north of the Thames. The south remained faithful to Eadwig. At once Edgar's advisers recalled Dunstan. On Dunstan's return, Archbishop Oda consecrated him a bishop and, on the death of Coenwald of Worcester at
7625-417: The boats were piled high with fish boxes. Rowers refused to wear their bulky cork lifejackets because it slowed down their rowing. At first the fast 50-foot gaff cutters with great booms projecting beyond the sterns raced the fish to port to get the best prices. Until about 1870 the trade was mostly in live fish, using welled smacks in which the central section of the hull, between two watertight bulkheads,
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#17327753001737750-426: The books in the cathedral library. He encouraged and protected European scholars who came to England, and was active as a teacher of boys in the cathedral school. On Ascension Day 988, Dunstan said Mass and preached three times to the people: at the Gospel , at the benediction , and after the Agnus Dei . In this last address, he announced his impending death and wished his congregation well. That afternoon he chose
7875-417: The borough was renamed Barking and Dagenham. Historically, Barking was an ancient parish that straddled the River Roding in the Becontree Hundred and historic county of Essex . It underwent a shift from fishing and farming to market gardening and industrial development on the River Thames . Barking railway station opened in 1854 and has been served by the London Underground since 1908. As part of
8000-418: The branches of the River Lea in Stratford-by-Bow . As Barking Abbey was the closest to the bridges, the queen gave the abbey the responsibility for maintaining the bridges and donated lands as an endowment to finance those future repairs. After the foundation of Stratford Langthorne Abbey in 1135 (which was closer to the bridges), the Abbess of Barking transferred the responsibility to Stratford. This started
8125-415: The channel to Flanders, where he found himself ignorant of the language and of the customs of the locals. The count of Flanders , Arnulf I , received him with honour and lodged him in the Abbey of Mont Blandin , near Ghent . This was one of the centres of the Benedictine revival in that country, and Dunstan was able for the first time to observe the strict observance that had seen its rebirth at Cluny at
8250-480: The chapel was redecorated and the windows repaired. In 2005/06 the tower was extensively repaired at the cost of £130,000. The staircase roof, and the covering of the main roof were replaced, and the tower's masonry was re-pointed, with the irreparably damaged stone replaced. Inside the chapel was again redecorated. The tower is Grade-II* Listed, and is featured on the coat of arms of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham . In 2007, two small stones from remains of
8375-421: The children of Owen Tudor and Catherine of Valois ; herself the widow of King Henry V and Henry VI's mother. The Tudors were raised and educated at Barking under the care of Abbess Katherine. An allowance of £52 12s (equivalent to £46,300 in 2023) was paid for their maintenance. Edmund went on to father King Henry VII , who seized the throne at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485. The abbey's water supply
8500-501: The church, the king first knelt in prayer before the altar, then, taking St. Dunstan by the hand, he gave him the kiss of peace, led him to the abbot 's throne and, seating him thereon, promised him all assistance in restoring Divine worship and regular observance. Dunstan, now Abbot of Glastonbury, went to work at once on the task of reform. He had to re-create monastic life and to rebuild the abbey. He began by establishing Benedictine monasticism at Glastonbury. The Rule of St. Benedict
8625-415: The civic facilities for the initial phase of Barking Riverside, while a new square and 3FE primary school, which includes embedded community facilities, a nursery, church, flexible office suites for the PCT and Community Development Trust, as well as a MUGA and sports pitches are also planned. As yet unbuilt, the second phase provides 90 flats, local shops and a neighbourhood police post. In recent years, as
8750-434: The daughters of kings. The abbess of Barking held precedence over all other abbesses in England. The ruined remains of Barking Abbey now form part of a public open space known as Abbey Green . It is recognisable for its partially restored Grade-II* Listed Curfew Tower, which features on the coat of arms of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham . Barking Abbey is also notable because the adjacent St Margaret's Church ,
8875-421: The day of Eadwig's coronation, when he failed to attend a meeting of nobles. When Dunstan eventually found the young monarch, he was cavorting with a noblewoman named Ælfgifu and her mother, and refused to return with the bishop. Infuriated by this, Dunstan dragged Eadwig back to the royal gathering. Later realising that he had provoked the king, Dunstan saw that his life was in danger. He fled England and crossed
9000-469: The drains". Wulfhilda pursued her ambition and became a nun. King Edgar then created her Abbess of Barking and donated "considerable estates" to Barking Abbey. Wulfhilda herself donated 20 villages to the abbey and established another monastery at Horton in Kent. King Edgar's eventual queen, Ælfthryth became jealous of Wulfhilda, and following her husband's death deposed her as Abbess of Barking. Wulfhilda
9125-449: The end of 957, Oda appointed Dunstan to the see. In the following year the see of London became vacant and was conferred on Dunstan, who held it simultaneously with Worcester. In October 959, Eadwig died and his brother Edgar was readily accepted as ruler of Wessex. One of Eadwig's final acts had been to appoint a successor to Archbishop Oda, who died on 2 June 958. The chosen candidate was Ælfsige of Winchester, but he died of cold in
9250-614: The extension of the Docklands Light Railway at Barking Riverside DLR station , and the extension of the Gospel Oak to Barking line of the London Overground from Barking railway station to Barking Riverside, completed in 2022. Barking and Dagenham Council has said that it does not believe the 10,800-home brownfield development to be viable without improved transport connections, and expects that
9375-557: The high level of immigration that took place at that time. It would appear from William of Malmesbury 's later history that the objection was limited to the mercenary seaman, employed from around the North Sea littoral, to assist in the defence of the country. In 975, Edgar was succeeded by his eldest son Edward "the Martyr" . His accession was disputed by his stepmother, Ælfthryth , who wished her own son Æthelred to reign. Through
9500-434: The influence of Dunstan, Edward was chosen and crowned at Winchester. Edgar's death had encouraged the reactionary nobles, and at once there was a determined attack upon the monks, the protagonists of reform. Throughout Mercia they were persecuted and deprived of their possessions. Their cause, however, was supported by Æthelwine , the ealdorman of East Anglia, and the realm was in serious danger of civil war. Three meetings of
9625-607: The initiation, but as the culmination of his reign (a move that must have taken a great deal of preliminary diplomacy). This service, devised by Dunstan himself and celebrated with a poem in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle forms the basis of the present-day British coronation ceremony . There was a second symbolic coronation held later. This was an important step, as other kings of Britain came and gave their allegiance to Edgar at Chester . Six kings in Britain, including
9750-671: The king, by a donation of 100 pounds of silver, to stop his persecution of the See of Rochester . Dunstan's retirement at Canterbury consisted of long hours, both day and night, spent in private prayer, as well as his regular attendance at Mass and the daily office . He visited the shrines of St Augustine and St Æthelberht . He worked to improve the spiritual and temporal well-being of his people, to build and restore churches, to establish schools, to judge suits, to defend widows and orphans, to promote peace, and to enforce respect for purity. He practised his crafts, made bells and organs and corrected
9875-546: The kingdom. By his advice Ælfstan was appointed to the Bishopric of London, and Oswald to that of Worcester. In 963, Æthelwold , the Abbot of Abingdon , was appointed to the See of Winchester. With their aid and with the ready support of King Edgar, Dunstan pushed forward his reforms in the English Church. The monks in his communities were taught to live in a spirit of self-sacrifice, and Dunstan actively enforced
10000-409: The kings of Scotland and of Strathclyde , pledged their faith that they would be the king's liege-men on sea and land. Edgar ruled as a strong and popular king for 16 years. Edgar's reign, and implicitly his governing partnership with Dunstan, was praised by early chroniclers and historians who regarded it as a golden age. The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle caveated the acclaim with one complaint, criticising
10125-483: The land had still not been reclaimed, despite the abbey having spent over £2,000 (equivalent to £1.78 million in 2023) in attempts to save it. Around 720 acres of land had been lost; 600 of which was in Dagenham Marsh. Various attempts were made to try to help the abbey. In 1380 the king released the abbey from certain charges. In 1384 they were given permission to " impress " (force) labourers to help improve
10250-468: The late 19th century. Barking's population (if defined as approximating to the Abbey, Eastbury, Gascoigne and Longbridge wards) was 48,340 in 2011. Primary schools 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 an independent Muslim Girls Secondary School which opened in September 2011 on Victoria Road. The town
10375-494: The law of celibacy whenever possible. He forbade the practices of simony (selling ecclesiastical offices for money) and ended the custom of clerics appointing relatives to offices under their jurisdiction. Monasteries were built, and in some of the great cathedrals, monks took the place of the secular canons; in the rest the canons were obliged to live according to rule. The parish priests were compelled to be qualified for their office; they were urged to teach parishioners not only
10500-487: The local board became an urban district council. The urban district was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Barking in 1931. It was abolished in 1965 and split, with the majority merged with the former area of the Municipal Borough of Dagenham to form the London Borough of Barking . The part west of the River Roding , which included part of Beckton , became part of the London Borough of Newham . In 1980
10625-474: The loss of more than 600 lives, the highest single loss of civilian lives in UK territorial waters. At that time there was no official body responsible for marine safety in the Thames; but the official enquiry resolved that the Marine Police Force based at Wapping be equipped with steam launches to replace their rowing boats to help them perform rescues. To mark the incorporation of Barking as
10750-651: The medieval London Bridge were joined in a sculpture in front of St Margaret's church facing the Barking Abbey ruins as part of several public artworks placed in Barking Town Centre by artist Joost Van Santen. Notable footballers from Barking include former England captains and defenders Bobby Moore and John Terry . The successful racing driver Scott Malvern who has won British and European Championships in Formula Ford and Formula Renault
10875-593: The members of Dunstan's community at Glastonbury were monks who followed the Benedictine Rule . In fact, Dunstan's first biographer, 'B.', was a cleric who eventually joined a community of canons at Liège after leaving Glastonbury. Dunstan's first care was to rebuild the Church of St. Peter, rebuild the cloister, and re-establish the monastic enclosure. The secular affairs of the house were committed to his brother, Wulfric, "so that neither himself nor any of
11000-586: The moral reform of the clergy and laity, and the end of the religion of the Danes in England. These policies made Dunstan popular in the North of England, but unpopular in the South. Against all these reforms were the nobles of Wessex, who included most of Dunstan's own relatives, and who had an interest in maintaining established customs. For nine years Dunstan's influence was dominant, during which time he twice refused
11125-484: The nautical trades, including jute spinning, paint and chemicals manufacture. By 1878 Daniel de Pass had opened the Barking Guano Works (later de Pass Fertilisers Ltd , part of Fisons ) at Creekmouth . Creekmouth was also the site of the major Barking Power Station from 1925 until the 1970s, burning coal shipped in by river; the current station known as Barking is further east near Dagenham Dock . In
11250-411: The office of bishop (that of Winchester in 951 and Crediton in 953), affirming that he would not leave the king's side so long as the king lived and needed him. In 955, Eadred died, and the situation was at once changed. Eadwig , the elder son of Edmund, who then came to the throne, was a headstrong youth wholly devoted to the reactionary nobles. According to one legend, the feud with Dunstan began on
11375-679: The old Ice House and provides more artist studio space. The Barking Riverside development is part of the London Riverside project, which aims to regenerate the Thames riverside area of East London through new homes, jobs, and services. Barking Riverside consists of 350 acres (1.4 km ) of brownfield land and therefore needs site clearance and the removal of overhead power lines before it can go ahead. Construction began in 2008, with completion due around 2025. 10,000 homes are to be built, housing around 25,000 people. New transport links will be provided, including East London Transit and
11500-539: The old medieval London Bridge were joined together in a sculpture in front of St Margaret's church facing the Barking Abbey ruins as part of several public artworks placed in Barking Town Centre by artist Joost Van Santen. Abbesses of Barking Abbey: Barking, London Barking is a riverside town in East London , England, within the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham . It is 9.3 miles (15 km) east of Charing Cross . The total population of Barking
11625-492: The other abbesses in England. She was also one of four abbesses who, "holding of the king by barony" were required to perform military service. The abbess had to perform these duties during the reigns of both King Henry III and King Edward I . In the Taxation Rolls of 1291, the abbey was recorded as having an income of £300 13s 1¼d (equivalent to £314,000 in 2023). Elizabeth de Burgh Queen of Scots, captured by
11750-410: The professed monks might break enclosure." A school for the local youth was founded and soon became the most famous of its time in England. A substantial extension of the irrigation system on the surrounding Somerset Levels was also completed. Within two years of Dunstan's appointment, in 946, King Edmund was assassinated. His successor was Eadred . The policy of the new government was supported by
11875-594: The ruin. The ruins sit within a public open space known as Abbey Green . The Curfew Tower, also known as the Fire Bell Gate, was one of the abbey's three gateways and is the only part of the abbey not in ruins. The original tower was built in 1370, however the current tower was built around 1460. Above the gateway is "The Chapel of the Holy Rood", named for the 12th-century stone rood displayed within it. The building has been repaired several times. In 1955/56
12000-509: The sister of Mary of Bethany and Lazarus in the Gospels of Luke and John . In c. 1156 , Osbert of Clare wrote a letter to Adelzia, who was abbess at the time, requesting that the Barking Abbey nuns pray for him; Katie Ann-Marie Bugyis states that it demonstrates his "confidence in the promptness and solicitude" of their prayers. At the time of the Norman conquest of England ,
12125-459: The situation on Dagenham Marsh. The abbey was granted "various liberties in Becontree hundred " in 1392 and 1462, and exempted from payment of " tenths " for ten years from 1409. It seems the land was never reclaimed, as during the reign of King Henry VII (1485–1509) the flooded lands were "exempted from the statute", thus "extending the jurisdiction of the Mayor of London as the conservator of
12250-515: The spot for his tomb, then went to his bed. His strength failed rapidly, and on Saturday morning, 19 May, he caused the clergy to assemble. Mass was celebrated in his presence, then he received Extreme Unction and the Viaticum , and died. Dunstan's final words are reported to have been, "He hath made a remembrance of his wonderful works, being a merciful and gracious Lord: He hath given food to them that fear Him." The English people accepted him as
12375-517: The suburban growth of London in the 20th century, The Urban District of Barking significantly expanded and increased in population, primarily due to the development of the London County Council estate at Becontree in the 1920s, and became a municipal borough in 1931, and part of Greater London in 1965. The manor of Barking was the site of Barking Abbey , a nunnery founded in 666 by Eorcenwald, Bishop of London , destroyed by
12500-503: The third wealthiest nunnery in England; behind Sion Abbey and Shaftesbury Abbey . One of the abbey's seals , which was used during the 13th century until its dissolution in 1539, elevates their patron saints as many conventual seals did at the time. The Virgin Mary holding the infant Christ, St. Paul , and St. Peter are depicted, as are its three abbess-saints, Æthelburh of Barking , Hildelith , and Wulfhilda of Barking . The abbey
12625-558: The town. The band are associated with nearby Romford . The artist Ramz wrote a song called " Barking " in 2017. Bedrock is the local hospital radio service available online to the local area and broadcasting a range of health-related information focused on the local King George Hospital in Goodmayes and Queen's Hospital in Romford. The Barking & Dagenham Post provides local news in print and online. Barking F.C. are
12750-502: The truths of the Christian faith, but also trades to improve their position. The state saw reforms as well. Good order was maintained throughout the realm and there was respect for the law. Trained bands policed the north, and a navy guarded the shores from Viking raids. In 973, Dunstan's statesmanship reached its zenith when he officiated at the coronation of King Edgar. Edgar was crowned at Bath in an imperial ceremony planned not as
12875-525: The wife of John of Gaunt, was Philippa Chaucer's sister. Elizabeth Chaucer's brother, Thomas Chaucer , served in John of Gaunt's home at an early age and rose through the ranks to become very successful. Thomas's daughter would go on to become Duchess of Suffolk. During Katherine de la Pole 's time as abbess, the young Edmund and Jasper Tudor were sent to be brought up in the abbess's custody by King Henry VI 's council. The boys were Henry VI's half brothers:
13000-411: Was 59,068 at the 2011 census. In addition to an extensive and fairly low-density residential area, the town centre forms a large retail and commercial district, currently a focus for regeneration. The former industrial lands to the south are being redeveloped as Barking Riverside . The name Barking came from Anglo-Saxon Berecingas , meaning either "the settlement of the followers or descendants of
13125-472: Was a great brewer and negotiated an agreement whereby the Devil could blast the blossom of local apple trees with frost, damaging the cider crop so that Dunstan's own beer would sell more readily. As Bishop of London, Dunstan was also Lord of the Manor of Stepney , and may, like subsequent bishops, have lived there. Dunstan is recorded as having founded (or rebuilt ) Stepney's church , in 952 AD. This church
13250-453: Was a nephew of Athelm , Archbishop of Canterbury , but this is less certain as it is not mentioned by B, who should have known as he had been a member of Dunstan's household. As a young boy, Dunstan studied under the Irish monks who then occupied the ruins of Glastonbury Abbey . Accounts tell of his youthful optimism and of his vision of the abbey being restored. While still a boy, Dunstan
13375-548: Was an English bishop and Benedictine monk . He was successively Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey , Bishop of Worcester , Bishop of London and Archbishop of Canterbury , later canonised . His work restored monastic life in England and reformed the English Church. His 11th-century biographer Osbern , himself an artist and scribe, states that Dunstan was skilled in "making a picture and forming letters", as were other clergy of his age who reached senior rank. Dunstan served as an important minister of state to several English kings. He
13500-480: Was born in Barking Hospital. Jason Leonard , who won 119 caps as a rugby union prop forward , was born in Barking and began his club career at Barking RFC . The singer-songwriter and activist Billy Bragg was born in Barking, as was U2 guitarist The Edge , and singer Megan McKenna . Actor Danny Lee Wynter was born in Barking. Dunstan Dunstan ( c. 909 – 19 May 988),
13625-407: Was created abbess of Barking in 1173, as reparation for the murder of her brother. The abbey has been described as "perhaps the longest lived...institutional centre of literary culture for women in British history". During the twelfth century, Clemence of Barking , a nun at the abbey and a rare female author in this period, wrote, among other works, an innovative life of St Catherine of Alexandria ,
13750-404: Was dissolved in 1539 as part of King Henry VIII 's Dissolution of the Monasteries . It was formally surrendered by the abbess, and the 30 nuns, in the abbey's chapter-house on 14 November 1539. The abbess and nuns were all granted annual pensions 12 days later. The abbess' was 200 marks a year. Many of these pensions were still being paid during the reign of Queen Mary I . After the dissolution,
13875-452: Was ended. Dunstan retired to Canterbury, to teach at the cathedral school . Only three more public acts are known. In 980, Dunstan joined Ælfhere of Mercia in the solemn translation of the relics of King Edward, soon to be regarded as a saint, from their grave at Wareham to a shrine at Shaftesbury Abbey . In 984, he persuaded King Æthelred to appoint Ælfheah as Bishop of Winchester in succession to Æthelwold. In 986, Dunstan induced
14000-562: Was endowed by "the East Saxon Princes", who came from the Anglo-Saxon Kingdom of the East Saxons/Kingdom of Essex , and initially dedicated to Saint Mary . However, Ethelburga served as the Abbey's first abbess , and it was later dedicated to both Saint Mary and Saint Ethelburga . Saint Hildelitha , a nun brought from abroad to teach Ethelburga, would become abbess after her death. Erkenwald himself would die at
14125-427: Was later appointed to the court of King Æthelstan. Dunstan soon became a favourite of the king and was the envy of other members of the court. A plot was hatched to disgrace him and Dunstan was accused of being involved with witchcraft and black magic . The king ordered him to leave the court and as Dunstan was leaving the palace his enemies physically attacked him, beat him severely, bound him, and threw him into
14250-578: Was later restored by Edgar's and Ælfthryth's son, King Æthelred the Unready . Another version of the story says that Queen Ælfthryth , as overseer of the abbey, deposed the abbess Wulfida after complaints made by the nuns; and that it was the Queen, not her son, who reinstated her twenty years later. Saint Dunstan, Archbishop of Canterbury changed Barking Abbey to follow the Rule of St. Benedict . According to medieval scholar Katie Ann-Marie Bugyis, Barking Abbey may have been "especially devoted to Martha ",
14375-459: Was named in honour of Dunstan. English literature contains many references to him: for example, in A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens , and in this folk rhyme: St Dunstan, as the story goes, Once pull'd the devil by the nose With red-hot tongs, which made him roar, That he was heard three miles or more. This folk story is already shown in an initial in the Life of Dunstan in
14500-479: Was pierced to create a 'well' in which seawater could circulate. Cod caught live were lowered into this well, with their swim bladders pierced, and remained alive until the vessel returned to port, when they were transferred to semi-submerged 'chests', effectively cages, which kept them alive until they were ready for sale. At this point they were pulled out and killed with a blow on the head before being despatched to market, where because of their freshness they commanded
14625-477: Was prepared to send Dunstan away. There were then at Cheddar certain envoys from the "Eastern Kingdom", which probably meant East Anglia . Dunstan implored the envoys to take him with them when they returned to their homes. They agreed to do so, but it never happened. The story is recorded: ... the king rode out to hunt the stag in Mendip Forest . He became separated from his attendants and followed
14750-477: Was ransomed by John Rigby of Cranbrook Manor in 1462. The water conduit to the abbey had broken and John Rigby had it repaired. He then decided that the abbey should pay an annual fee for its water supply. Katherine de la Pole was annoyed at this and instigated work to find an alternative and independent supply from their own spring. The Valor Ecclesiasticus of 1535 records the abbey's gross income as £1,084 6s 2¼d (equivalent to £836,000 in 2023), which made it
14875-411: Was restored after being partially destroyed by a fire in 1174. The monks of Glastonbury used to claim that during the sack of Canterbury by the Danes in 1012, Dunstan's body had been carried for safety to their abbey. This story was disproved by Archbishop William Warham , who opened the tomb at Canterbury in 1508. They found Dunstan's relics still to be there. However, his shrine was destroyed during
15000-452: Was so severe that it was thought to be leprosy . It was more probably some form of blood poisoning caused by being beaten and thrown in the cesspool. Whatever the cause, it changed Dunstan's mind. He took Holy Orders in 943, in the presence of Ælfheah, and returned to live the life of a hermit at Glastonbury. Against the old church of St Mary he built a small cell 5 feet (1.5 m) long and 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 feet (0.76 m) deep. It
15125-445: Was stricken with a near-fatal illness and effected a seemingly miraculous recovery. Even as a child, he was noted for his devotion to learning and for his mastery of many kinds of artistic craftsmanship. With his parents' consent he was tonsured , received minor orders and served in the ancient church of St Mary. He became so well known for his devotion to learning that he is said to have been summoned by Athelm to enter his service. He
15250-519: Was the basis of his restoration according to the author of 'Edgar's Establishment of the Monasteries' (written in the 960s or 970s) and according to Dunstan's first biographer, who had been a member of the community at Glastonbury. Their statements are also in accordance with the nature of his first measures as abbot, with the significance of his first buildings, and with the Benedictine leanings of his most prominent disciples. Nevertheless, not all
15375-548: Was the most popular saint in England for nearly two centuries, having gained fame for the many stories of his greatness, not least among which were those concerning his famed cunning in defeating the Devil . According to Dunstan's earliest biographer, known only as 'B', his parents were called Heorstan and Cynethryth and they lived near Glastonbury . B states that Dunstan was " oritur " in the days of King Æthelstan , 924 to 939. " Oritur " has often been taken to mean "born", but this
15500-427: Was there that Dunstan studied, worked at his art, and played on his harp. It is at this time, according to a late 11th-century legend, that the Devil is said to have tempted Dunstan and to have been held by the face with Dunstan's tongs. Dunstan worked as a silversmith and in the scriptorium while he was living at Glastonbury. It is thought likely that he was the artist who drew the well-known image of Christ with
15625-453: Was used to nominate Alice de Belhus on the accession of King Edward II in 1307, Margaret Swinford (daughter of Katherine Swynford and later abbess) on the accession of King Richard II in 1377, Maud Kylet in 1404 (five years after the accession of King Henry IV ), and Goda Hapton in 1430 (eight years after the accession of King Henry VI ). The abbey's status granted it several rights and responsibilities. The abbess had precedence over all
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