The Ruins Of An Anglo-Saxon Abbey In Barking

In Barking you can find the remains of one of Anglo-Saxon England’s most significant buildings, but one that has been largely forgotten: Barking Abbey.

It is one of the oldest Christian sites in the country and has played host to both Kings and Saints. If you find yourself in Barking, it is worth paying a visit to this historic site.

Founding The Abbey

Barking Abbey was founded in 666AD by someone called Erkenwald, sometimes spelt ‘Earconwald’. It was one of two sites he founded, one at Chertsey where he served as Abbot and one at Barking where his sister Ethelburga became Abbess. Barking was always to have an Abbess in charge.

Erkenwald and Ethelburga are thought to have been of Anglo-Saxon royal ancestry, born in the Kingdom of Lindsey (in modern day Lincolnshire).

Erkenwald became one of the first Bishops of London in 675AD and died at Barking Abbey in 693AD. Buried in the old St Paul’s Cathedral, his grave became a popular pilgrimage destination and he was later named as a patron saint of London.

Ethelburga and/or Erkenwald are thought to have established All Hallows by the Tower church (also known as All Hallows Barking) in the City of London in 675AD after her brother became the Bishop of London. You can read my blog post on All Hallows here.

The Rise And Fall

From the late 10th century Barking Abbey was a Benedictine monastery and became, for a time, the wealthiest in the country. It became a great centre of scholarship in England, particularly female scholarship with an Abbess at the helm. The Abbess of Barking also held precedence over all other Abbesses in the country.

After the Norman Conquest in 1066 William the Conqueror actually stayed at Barking Abbey whilst the Tower of London was being built, showing its significance as a religious centre. In 1173 Mary Becket, sister of the murdered Thomas Becket, was made Abbess at Barking by way of an apology for her brother’s murder.

It lost some wealth and status in 1377 when the Thames flooded around 720 acres of the Abbey’s land. It was however still third wealthiest in the country when Henry VIII’s men arrived to tear it down.

The Abbey’s end came in 1539 when it was closed down during Henry VIII’s Dissolution of the Monasteries. The buildings were mostly destroyed over the course of the following 18 months.

What Is Left To See Today?

To be honest there is not a great deal left to see. A little bit of imagination is required with this one.

The main surviving part is the Curfew Tower built in around 1460. It was the central of three gates into the Abbey grounds.

The curfew bell would have rung from this tower, after which point the gates would be shut for the night. The word ‘curfew’ comes from the French ‘couvre-feu’, meaning ‘cover the fire’. Making sure your fire was extinguished was an essential task to avoid events such as the Great Fire of London!

The outline of the Abbey has been marked out with stones today.

Most of the original fabric below ground level but there are good information boards showing what the Abbey would have looked like and what each section was.

There is also the lovely Grade I listed St Margaret’s Church. It was built in 1215, in the grounds of Barking Abbey, originally as a chapel for the people of Barking. Much of the church today dates from the 15th century.

It sits in a peaceful churchyard. I particularly enjoyed this example of Memento Mori on this monument with the skulls. ‘Memento mori’ translating as, ‘remember you must die’. All very cheerful.