Barking Past Author:Richard Tames Chosen as his residence while the Tower of London was being built, by William the Conqueror, the great Abbey at Barking was one of the most important in England. Its remains can still be seen by the old town quay-from which, after the Abbey declined in importance, the town built up the largest fishing fleet in the world, supplying Billingsgate m... more »arket. The fishing, in turn, declined as the railways opened up east coast ports to the London market and industry moved in with the biggest gas works in Europe and the world's largest power station, as well as many factories. 160 illustrations.« less