Mayesbrook Park is a large and varied park with sporting facilities, an attractive nature reserve and a newly restored river landscape. The southern section of the park features two large lakes which are rich in wildlife. The park provides over 40 hectares of open space with benches, picnic tables and weather shelters and is home to a number of the borough's sports clubs. The wetland landscape has been developed to help the park to cope with more extreme changes in climate including heavy rainfall and drought. The Mayes Brook runs along the western edge.
Prior to the building of the Becontree Housing Estate, Mayesbrook Park was farmland, most of which had belonged to the Manor of Jenkins, first recorded in the 13th century, and was also known as the Manor of Dagenham, Dagenhams or Dagenham Place, although much of it stood within Barking parish. The name Jenkins manor is possibly derived from a vassal of the abbess of Barking. Its alternative name as Jenkins was in use prior to 1446 and it is possible that it is named after a tenant or owner. It has been theorised that Simon Jenkyn and Richard Jenkyn, the latter who is mentioned in 1456 as having held property near Barking Abbey, may have been tenants of Dagenhams. By 1576 it was known as ‘Jenkynes alias Dagenhames’. In 1567-8 the manor was sold to the Fanshawes who held it until 1628, whereupon it descended with the capital manor. The medieval manor was moated and passed through several iterations. By 1652 the house was described as a large gabled house with a chapel containing stained glass window. The 18th century tithe map which is probably an updated version of the 1653 Map of the Manor of Barking substantiates this description, depicting the manor house as a large gabled house with a long avenue of trees leading from the present day Faircross crossroads to the house. This map also indicates that all of the land which is now Mayesbrook Park belonged to the manor. The house was purchased in 1717 by Sir William Humphreys, and rebuilt soon after. The gardens were laid out in a Dutch fashion with fishponds, terraces, vistas and avenues, remains of which were still visible into the 20th century. His house was demolished before 1796 and a farmhouse was built on the site. Around this time, the house’s name changed from Jenkins to Moat Farm, as seen on the Ordnance Survey Drawing of 1799. The building was finally demolished in 1937 to make way for housing.
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