Local parks and open spaces

The park is at Longbridge Road, Barking IG11 8UD.

Barking Park facilities and activities

Castle Green is a largely flat area alongside the A13 trunk road.

Location

Goresbrook Road / Ripple Road, Dagenham RM9 4UX.

There are no car parking facilities.

Facilities

• Sk8topia skating and BMX course 
• flat grass areas suitable for sport 
• features for informal play
• sporting heroes art installation 

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Central Park has a beautiful Peace and Memorial Garden which you can visit and a number of play and sports of facilities you can use. 

Location

Wood Lane/Rainham Road North, Dagenham RM10 7EJ.

There are 3 car parks around the park. 

Facilities

• children’s playground which is a dog-free zone
• outdoor gym
• football pitches for hire 
• 2 rugby pitches 
• 3 7-a-side football pitches 
• 1 hurling pitch 
• 4 hard tennis courts 
• 1 pitch and putt green (mini golf)
• 1 basketball court 
• 1 bowling green
• changing facilities 
• 2 public toilets   

Peace and Memorial Garden 

The Peace and Memorial Garden is a living memorial to all those who have suffered abuse, persecution and death during hostilities and war.

Designed by artist Anuradha Patel and Elizabeth Greenwood, our landscape architect, in response to the call for a designated memorial for individual and community contemplation and remembrance.

The garden is an engaging and distinctive public space that encourages interaction, attention, thought and question.

Peace and Memorial Garden guide (PDF, 13KB)

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Location

Dagenham Avenue, Dagenham RM9 6YG.

There are no car parking facilities.

Facilities

• children’s playground which is a dog-free zone 
• 2 basketball courts 
• 2 5-a-side courts 
• multi-use games area 
• dog bins at all of the entrances into the park

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Location 

Greatfields Road / Movers Lane, Barking IG11 7UH.

The park can be reached by bus routes 173, 287, 368, 387, 673, 687, E1 and E2. 

The nearest tube stations are Barking and Upney. 

There is no car park and parking is restricted in most surrounding roads. 

Facilities

• football pitches
• games areas
• tennis courts
• playground
• toilets

There are also quiet areas in the ornamental gardens and opportunities for viewing wildlife and wild flowers.   

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Mayesbrook Park is a large and varied park with sporting facilities, an attractive nature reserve and a newly restored river landscape. 

Location 

Lodge Avenue, Dagenham RM8 2JR.

Sport and leisure facilities

• trampoline park, skate park and climb zone - for bookings and enquiries please contact Better Extreme (Tel: 020 3859 6358) 
• toddler’s playground is a dog-free zone
• adventure playground
• AdiZone outdoor gym with basketball court
• trim trail
• six football pitches and one cricket pitch - for bookings contact PitchBookings@lbbd.gov.uk (Tel: 020 3589 4612)
• two basketball courts
• local nature reserve with two lakes and woodland
• Sport House and gym  indoor sports centre (Tel: 020 3859 6358)
• Jim Peters Stadium - Operated by Everyone Active (Tel: 020 3948 4961)
• forty hectares of open space with benches, picnic tables and weather shelters 

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Newlands Park is a relatively small, but popular park with the local community.

Location

Roxwell Road, Thames View, Barking IG11 0PT.

There are no car parking facilities. 

Facilities

• a colourful children’s play area
• 1 basketball court
• 1 5-a-side football pitch
• small wheels area

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Old Dagenham Park is a relatively large park of 13.3 hectares.

Location

Ballards Road, Dagenham RM10 9SA.

You can access the park by bus from Ballards Road using the 145 service or from the Heathway using services 173, 174 and 175. 

The nearest tube stations are Dagenham Heathway and Dagenham East.  

Facilities

• football pitches for hire 
• outdoor bowling 
• tennis courts 
• a wheel park 
• a BMX track (currently closed)  

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Parsloes Park is the largest park in Barking and Dagenham.

Location

Parsloes Avenue/Gale Street, Dagenham RM9 5RL.

It has a number of entrances, including: 

• Parsloes Avenue 
• Gale Street 
• Wren Road

There are no car parking facilities. 

Facilities

• an ornamental lake 
• a children’s play area which is a dog-free zone
• football pitches for hire
• wheels area
• multi-use games area
• 2 tennis courts 
• a basketball court 
• a bowling green
• changing facilities   

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Park regeneration plans

We’ve appointed Arup to lead on masterplanning the regeneration and restoration of the park.

This is an opportunity to address a number of priorities for people including:

• healthy living
• opportunities for sport, play and recreation
• managing flood risk

These priorities will be addressed while conserving and enhancing the park’s heritage and wildlife. 

Pondfield Park is a small, 3 hectares park. 

Location

Reede Road, Dagenham RM10 8DP.

It is located at the junction of Reede Road and Pondfield Road in Dagenham.

The park is within a quarter mile of other bus routes in Raynham Road South and is within half a mile of Dagenham East underground station.

There are no car parking facilities within the park but there is free parking in adjacent roads.

Facilities

• an enclosed dog-free playground for smaller children
• basketball area 
• a small cycle track 
• zip wire and climbing structure 
• a small unmarked pitch with 5-a-side goals 
• plenty of space for informal play 
• gardens 
• a small woodland

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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This Victorian-style park covering 15 hectares is the oldest park in the borough with parts of it dating from 1830.

Location

Alexandra Road, Chadwell Heath RM6 6JD. 

The main entrance is from Japan Road, leading to Chadwell Heath High Road.

Other entrances lead to Alexandra Road/West Road, Chadville Gardens, and to Park Lane.

There is a car park situated at the Alexandra Road entrance.

Facilities

• children’s play area with a helter-skelter  -  it's an enclosed, dog-free zone
• outdoor gym
• 2 football pitches for hire 
• 4 tennis courts 
• 1 cricket pitch 
• 2 bowling greens 
• basketball area 
• ornamental gardens 
• wildlife conservation area 
• a quiet seating area

The park has a ranger based there one day a week.  

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Friends of St Chads Park

This active community group meets approximately once every 6 weeks and organises some events.

Meetings take place in the pavilion in the park and times and dates are posted in advance on the park gates.

All those interested in the park are welcome to attend.

Chadwell Heath Cricket Club

For information on the cricket club, contact Steve Lugg on 07973 189228 or visit Chadwell Heath Cricket Club.

The park was once the grounds and garden of Valence Manor House, now the borough’s museum.

Location

Becontree Avenue, Dagenham RM8 3HT.

Facilities

• an attractive tree-lined lake 
• recreation for dog walking and jogging
• children’s playground
• outdoor gym

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Valence Lake temporarily closed to the public

In summer 2019 we found that the lake banks were in danger of collapse in some places. The lake and its surrounds have been closed to the public. Before the banks can be made safe, we need to ensure there are no buried historic artefacts or archaeological remains there. For these reasons it will not be possible to plan for repairs until the necessary studies have been carried out and reports received.  

Abbey Green is an area of parkland next to Barking town centre.

Location

Abbey Green, Abbey Road, Barking IG11 8DD.

The park is adjacent to Barking Town Centre, with many bus routes, including two that pass along the site perimeter. Barking Station is about 5 minutes walk away.

There is no dedicated car park and restricted parking in the surrounding roads. 

Features

Named after Barking Abbey (founded in 666 AD), once one of England’s wealthiest and most important religious institutions. The remains of it can still be found near Abbey Road.

Adjoining the abbey ruins is St Margaret’s Church, the oldest parts of which date from the 12th century.

The churchyard of St Margaret’s is now a public open space, managed by the council.

It is no longer used for burials and is a peaceful green area with some of the largest trees in the borough.

The parkland to the north and the south of these are recreational grounds laid out with trees and some play facilities.

Two ancient buildings remain in the park, one being the church.

The only surviving building from the Abbey is the 15th century Curfew Tower, which now forms an entrance to the churchyard and an access to the church. 

There is a small playground near St Joseph’s School, and there is also space there for informal kick about play and children’s play.

Nearby the St Margaret’s Centre next to the church has a cafe. 

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Barking Abbey Ruins are part of the larger area of parkland that is now called Abbey Green.

Location

The Broadway, Barking IG11 8AJ.

Features

The location is that of the original buildings of Barking Abbey, founded in 666 AD, until it was demolished shortly after 1541 AD.

The only surviving building of this period is the Curfew Tower, which is now the gateway to the adjacent St Margaret’s Church, but was originally a gatehouse to the Abbey.

Most of the remaining ruins are now buried and hidden. The walls that are currently visible are under a century old, and were built to indicate the original layout.

The Abbey ruins are the venue for each May for the Classical Concert, and its associated fireworks event.

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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The information is for St Margaret's Churchyard but there is additional information on access to Barking Abbey Ruins. 

Location

Uvedale Road, Dagenham RM10 7PR. 

King George’s Field is a small enclosed grass area created as part of a request of King George V.

Location

Baddow Close, Dagenham RM10 9PS.

There are no car parking facilities. 

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Also known as Tantony Green, Marks Gate Open Space is a small green with a medium-sized play area, a meeting shelter and basketball court.

Location

Tantony Green, Chadwell Heath RM6 5NA.

There are no car parking facilities.

Features

There are good play facilities for all age groups. 

• a 5-a-side football pitch 
• children’s playground which is a dog-free zone 
• outdoor gym
• 1 basketball court 
• wheels area
• meeting shelter
• an orchard

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Millennium Green is an open space in Dagenham. 

Location

Siviter Way, Dagenham RM10 9SS.

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Location

Padnall Road, Chadwell Heath RM6 5EL

Quaker Gardens is an open space in Barking. 

Location

Harts Lane/North Street, Barking IG11 8JA.

There are no car parking facilities. 

Features

A walled, flat wildlife area between housing and Northern Relief Road.

It is the burial place of prison reformer Elizabeth Fry.

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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St Margaret's Churchyard is an open space in Barking. 

Location

The Broadway, Barking IG11 8AS.

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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St Peter and St Paul’s Churchyard is a unique green space within the borough. It is only a couple acres in size and was closed to new burials in the 1990s. Since which it has been managed as a nature reserve.

Location

Church Lane, Dagenham RM1 4AJ.

Features

The area surrounding the church is maintained very much as gardens where nature can thrive but the emphasis is on formality.

Further away from the church the gardens give way to an area of meadow where gravestones are found resting among spring and summer flowers.

The long grass, bramble and trees provide the obvious habitats and the old walls and headstones are valuable for lichens and mosses that are not common in the borough.

However, the main importance of the churchyard is for invertebrates. In summer you can find the long grass full of butterflies and crickets and there are lots of flying insects. These insects provide food for bats.

In recent years a kestrel has nested on the church tower and woodpeckers regularly feed on the avenue of lime trees.

A family of foxes live in the churchyard and can often be seen in the early morning and late evening.

Events

We run regular events for the public with the Wildlife Trust.

Access for disabled users

The churchyard is accessible by wheelchair.

The Leys consists of sports pitches near Ballards Road and country park to its east.

Location

Ballards Road, Dagenham RM10 9AJ.

There are 2 car parks off Ballards Road.

Features

The land is situated between Ballards Road and the valley of the Wantz stream, and covers 17 hectares.

The country park areas are managed for wildlife and have attractive walking areas.

There are also: 

• 7-a-side football pitches for hire 
• changing facilities   

Access for disabled users

For information about access for disabled users, visit AccessAble.

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Victoria Gardens is an open space in Barking.

Location

Charlton Crescent, Barking IG11 0NL.

Park gates and car parks are opened at 6.30am each day.

Closing times

Park gates and car parks are locked at these times:

Barking Park

Spring/Summer (1 April to 30 September) - 10pm

Autumn/Winter (1 October to 31 March) - 7pm

Mayesbrook Park

Spring/Summer (1 April to 30 September) - 10pm

Autumn/Winter (1 October to 31 March) - 7pm

Eastbrookend Country Park and Millennium Centre

Spring/Summer (1 April to 30 September) - 7pm

Autumn/Winter (1 October to 31 March) - 4.30pm

All other parks