This locale in south Barking is a combination of Edwardian terraces, legacy high-rises and rapidly-emerging modern developments. On the east side the neighbourhood area is bordered by the River Roding and the North Circular. In the south, Alfred’s Way (A13) brings lorries into the capital and separates the area from Thames View and Creekmouth just south of here. The Gascoigne Estate is the main residential space and is currently in transition from a 1960s estate to a modern high-density redevelopment. To the east of the estate, a few of the original pre-war dwellings populate the streets around Greatfields Park – a 6-hectare open space with football pitches, tennis courts, and ornamental gardens. Part of Barking Town Centre also lies within this neighbourhood area: the Georgian Barking Town Hall stands in close proximity to the Abbey Leisure Centre, the Broadway Theatre and the Barking Library – housed beneath a block of vibrant modern apartments. The primary schools within the neighbourhood area are typically Catholic and Church of England Schools, while Greatfields Secondary is the newest arrival; having opened in September 2016, it moved in early 2018 to the permanent building at the centre of the Gascoigne Estate redevelopment.

The Gascoigne Estate has preserved its name since the 18th century. A series of aristocratic connections landed ownership of the locale’s mansion – the Bifron Estate – into the hands of Sir Crisp Gascoyne, Lord Mayor of London from 1752. The estate was sold off by his grandson in the early 19th century and throughout the Victorian era, the land was dealt with by various nobles. Rows of workers’ terraces sprouted in the locale; most people worked at the docks just south of the area or at the Fords automotive plant in Dagenham, which employed 40,000 people by the 1950s. By the 60s, the council was under pressure to build high-density living spaces and, after an all too familiar stand-off between the council and the residents, the terraces were replaced with looming high-rises. However, as public opinion towards tower blocks deteriorated over the latter half of the 20th century, so did the living conditions in the post-war Gascoigne Estate. Over the past decade, plans to replace the sixteen blocks of flats with a modern development have started to materialise. Sir Crisp’s name, however, will carry through into the 21st century.

The 18th century estate was inherited by Sir Crisp Gascoigne in 1753. Born to Benjamin and Anne Gascoyne in at Chiswick, Sir Crisp entered the brewing business and set up his brewery in Houndsditch in the City of London. Later, he met and married the daughter of Dr John Bamber, Margaret, and the two lived at Dr Bamber’s residence at Mincing Lane. Gascoigne became alderman of Vintry in 1745 and his political career was notable in a number of ways. As sheriff of London and Middlesex, he served the interests of the City’s orphans by passing an act to improve their guardianship. As Lord Mayor, he was the first to reside at the new Mansion House in the City – a tradition which came into effect in the mid-18th century. Upon Gascoigne’s death, the Barking estate passed into the ownership of his son Bamber.

According to the folk rock singer and activist Billy Bragg, the name Alfred’s Way (the A13 road) originates from Alfred the Great – King of Wessex between 871 and 899 AD. The Anglo-Saxons had settled around the River Roding in 666AD, but during the time of the said monarch, the settlement was attacked by Vikings. The part of the motorway south of Barking was constructed in 1928 and was given this name in honour of the Anglo-Saxon King.

Although the action did not take place anywhere near Barking Creek, the Battle of Barking Creek was an air battle between a Hurricane and a Spitfire on 6th September 1939. In response to a false alarm, one of the pilots was shot down by the other aircraft, making him the first pilot to be killed in WWII.

Policymakers and activists have been aiming to counter some of the adverse consequences fostered by the living conditions of the older tower blocks in the area. In effect, the regeneration and redevelopment projects have, at their core, the objective of making south Barking a more socially favourable place to live. The Mayor of London has also granted £22,000 to Barking and Dagenham Council to improve the green spaces in the borough. Hamid, who works in the town centre, says that “you can see more young families moving to the area as its already quite different to what it was about five years ago.”

The 10-year strategy to regenerate Barking Town Centre is underway and sets out the plan for the area up to 2030. With a focus on the ‘15-minute city’ the plan aims to bring amenities to within 15 minute’s walk from all residential areas, improving access to work, learning, retail, culture and food and drink, as well as enhancing green spaces such as Abbey Green, Barking Park and Greatfields, and connecting them to smaller parks. One of many planned large-scale mixed-use developments is the rebuilding of the old Vicarage Field shopping centre opposite Barking Station, which will include over 900 new homes, culture and arts spaces, a 150-room hotel, improved green space, and a new healthcare facility. It will be exciting to see how Barking is transformed over the coming decade!