Morden
Encyclopedia
Morden is a district in the London Borough of Merton
. It is located approximately 8 miles (13 km) South-southwest
of central London between Merton Park
(to the north), Mitcham
(to the east), Sutton
(to the south) and Worcester Park
(to the west).
ic tribes are known to have occupied areas around Wimbledon
, but the first significant development in Morden was the construction of the Roman road
called Stane Street from Chichester
to London
.
The route of Stane Street through Morden followed the current A24
, London Road up Stonecot Hill from the south west crossing Morden Park
to the west of the current dual carriageway
road and passing through the pitch and putt golf course and the grounds of St Lawrence's Church
. The road then descended the other side of the hill towards the town centre passing west of the Underground station
and crossing the north corner of Morden Hall Park heading in the direction of Colliers Wood
and Tooting
. Small Roman
artifacts
, mainly coins and pottery, have been found at various locations within the area although there is no evidence of any settlement.
Ethelstan the Etheling, son of Ethelred the Unready
, left "land at Mordune" to the abbey
of Christ and St. Peter in his will of 1015, which became the site of the first Saxon
parish church of St Lawrence.
In 1086, the Domesday Book
recorded the manor as Mordone, part of Wallington
Hundred. It was held by Westminster Abbey
and its assets were: 3 hides
; 1 mill
worth £2 and 7 plough
s. It rendered £15. in total. Fourteen people were recorded as living in the area.
in Henry VIII
's reign when the manor was sold to Lionel Ducket and Edward Whitchurch. Together, they sold it on the following year to Sir Richard Garth who became Lord of the Manor
. The Garth family owned the land and maintained their connection with the parish for the next four centuries, living at Morden Hall Park
until the manor was sold by another Sir Richard Garth
in 1872.
The prominence of the Garth family is recorded locally in the name of Garth Road, Lower Morden
and the former Garth School. The two lions included in the present civic arms
of the London Borough of Merton
are adopted from the arms of Sir Richard.
Despite the rapid suburban development of nearby Wimbledon
occasioned by the arrival of the new railways constructed in the mid 19th century, Morden remained a rural parish throughout the 19th century. While the population of Wimbledon
grew hugely from 1,591 in 1801 to 41,652 in 1901, the population of Morden was 512 in 1801 and, one hundred years later, had grown to just 960.
In 1871, the area of the parish of Morden was 1474.926 acres (5.969 km²) with the small village clustered around St Lawrence’s church
at the top of the hill on the road from London to Epsom
(now London Road/Epsom Road). Approximately half a mile to the west of the main village and the grounds of Morden Park
stood the hamlet of Lower Morden
.
Close to the church were the George Inn, a 17th century coaching inn
(now modernised and part of a national pub restaurant chain), the estate of Morden Park
and a school.
The other main public house in the village was the Crown Inn, located to the north east of the village with a small cluster of cottages on Crown Road. The rest of what is now the commercial centre of Morden was fields.
In the late 19th century the principal industry remained agriculture, although some industrial activity did exist along the River Wandle
where watermill
s ground tobacco to snuff
and a varnish works existed close to the site of Poplar Primary School. By 1898, the varnish works had gone and there was a brickworks
on the site of Mostyn Gardens in Martin Way (then called Green Lane).
Under the Local Government Act, 1894
, the parish of Morden formed part of the Croydon Rural District
of Surrey
. The first two decades of the 20th century saw little change in the village, with industry still mainly agricultural in nature; however development in the parish of Merton
to the north led to that area being removed from the rural district
to form the Merton Urban District in 1907. Morden was merged with the Merton Urban District, in 1913, to form the Merton and Morden Urban District
. It was not, until 1926, when Morden Underground station
opened as the terminus of a new extension of the City & South London Railway
(now part of the London Underground
's Northern Line
), that the fast and direct route to Central London
opened up the village for residential development.
To complement the new station, a garage was constructed on the other side of London Road, adjacent to the railway cutting and, in 1932, Morden Cinema was built next to it on the corner of Aberconway Road. Around the station a new commercial centre grew quickly as shops sprang up along London Road and Crown Lane, including a rebuilt and enlarged Crown public house (opened in 1932) and a large Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society
(RACS) department store (opened in 1940).
Away from the new commercial centre of Morden, the existing rural roads were widened and rebuilt and the fields were rapidly divided into building plots and laid out for new housing. Further transport improvements came with the construction of a new Southern Railway
branch line from Wimbledon to Sutton
via stations at South Merton
and Morden South
(so named to differentiate it from Morden Underground Station
and Morden Station
(now Morden Road tram stop), although it was actually north east of the original village centre). The new line opened in January 1930. As a result of the new transport links, the population of Morden increased rapidly from 1,355 in 1921 to 12,618 in 1931. In the next fifteen years, the population continued to grow, as most of the parish was covered in new suburban homes.
One of the main residential developments in the 1930s was the St. Helier
estate, built by the London County Council
(LCC) to house workers from Inner London and named in honour of Lady St. Helier, an alderman
of the LCC. The estate was the largest local authority development in South London and has its road names arranged in alphabetical order, from the north-west corner (Abbotsbury
Road) to the south-east corner (Woburn
Road). Reflecting the previous ownership of the land by Westminster Abbey
, all are named after religious establishments. Much of the St. Helier Estate now lies in the London Borough of Sutton
.
In 1943, the council was granted a civic coat-of-arms incorporating lions from the Garth family arms and the fret from the arms of Merton Priory
. The motto, "In Libertate Vis", means "Our Strength is our Freedom". In 1965, under the London Government Act 1963
, the Merton and Morden Urban District Council was abolished and its area combined with that of the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon
and the Municipal Borough of Mitcham
to form the present-day London Borough of Merton.
Little of the earlier, rural, character of Morden survived the suburban expansion, although the area has excellent provision of parks and playing fields, many of them created from remnants of the former country estates. It is, for the most part, a suburb.
The Crown public house was demolished in the early 1960s to make way for the fourteen-storey office block, Crown House, and a large supermarket (the supermarket was in turn demolished in the 1980s and replaced by the Civic Centre/Library). The Crown pub was incorporated into the new building. The largest store, the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society (RACS) closed in 1985, and it, the cinema and the garage were all demolished in the 1980's/1990's.
Nearest tube station:
Nearest railway stations and tramlink
stops (in approximate order of proximity):
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
. It is located approximately 8 miles (13 km) South-southwest
Boxing the compass
Boxing the compass is the action of naming all thirty-two points of the compass in clockwise order. Such names are formed by the initials of the cardinal directions and their intermediate ordinal directions, and are very handy to refer to a heading in a general or colloquial fashion, without...
of central London between Merton Park
Merton Park
Merton Park is a place in the London Borough of Merton. It is a quiet and leafy suburb situated between Wimbledon, Morden, South Wimbledon and Wimbledon Chase. It is 7.3 miles south-west of Charing Cross...
(to the north), Mitcham
Mitcham
Mitcham is a district in the south west area of London, in the London Borough of Merton. A suburban area, Mitcham is located on the border of Inner London and Outer London. It is both residentially and financially developed, well served by Transport for London, and home to Mitcham Town Centre,...
(to the east), Sutton
London Borough of Sutton
The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
(to the south) and Worcester Park
Worcester Park
Worcester Park is a suburb of London, England covering both the extreme north west of the London Borough of Sutton in Greater London , part of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey and The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. The area is south west of Charing Cross...
(to the west).
Origin of name
Morden might get its name either from the British language words Mawr (great or large) and Dun (a fort), or possibly "The Town on the Moor".Early history
Human activity in Morden dates back to the prehistoric period when CeltCelt
The Celts were a diverse group of tribal societies in Iron Age and Roman-era Europe who spoke Celtic languages.The earliest archaeological culture commonly accepted as Celtic, or rather Proto-Celtic, was the central European Hallstatt culture , named for the rich grave finds in Hallstatt, Austria....
ic tribes are known to have occupied areas around Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
, but the first significant development in Morden was the construction of the Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
called Stane Street from Chichester
Chichester
Chichester is a cathedral city in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, South-East England. It has a long history as a settlement; its Roman past and its subsequent importance in Anglo-Saxon times are only its beginnings...
to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
The route of Stane Street through Morden followed the current A24
A24 road (Great Britain)
The A24 is a major road in England. It runs south from Clapham in southwest London through Morden before entering Surrey and heading through Ewell, Epsom, Ashtead, Leatherhead and Dorking...
, London Road up Stonecot Hill from the south west crossing Morden Park
Morden Park
Morden Park is an area within the district of Morden in the London Borough of Merton, and includes the Park itself, an area of green space in an otherwise dense cluster of 1930s suburban housing....
to the west of the current dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
road and passing through the pitch and putt golf course and the grounds of St Lawrence's Church
St Lawrence Church, Morden
St Lawrence Church is the Church of England parish church for Morden in London Borough of Merton. The building is located on London Road, at the highest point of Morden, overlooking Morden Park.-Services:...
. The road then descended the other side of the hill towards the town centre passing west of the Underground station
Morden tube station
Morden is a London Underground station in Morden in the London Borough of Merton. The station is the southern terminus for the Northern line and is the most southerly station on the Underground network. The next station north is...
and crossing the north corner of Morden Hall Park heading in the direction of Colliers Wood
Colliers Wood
Colliers Wood is an area in south London, England, in the London Borough of Merton. Colliers Wood station is served by the London Underground's Northern Line.It is a mostly residential area, split down the middle by a busy High Street...
and Tooting
Tooting
Tooting is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
. Small Roman
Roman Britain
Roman Britain was the part of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire from AD 43 until ca. AD 410.The Romans referred to the imperial province as Britannia, which eventually comprised all of the island of Great Britain south of the fluid frontier with Caledonia...
artifacts
Artifact (archaeology)
An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
, mainly coins and pottery, have been found at various locations within the area although there is no evidence of any settlement.
Ethelstan the Etheling, son of Ethelred the Unready
Ethelred the Unready
Æthelred the Unready, or Æthelred II , was king of England . He was son of King Edgar and Queen Ælfthryth. Æthelred was only about 10 when his half-brother Edward was murdered...
, left "land at Mordune" to the abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
of Christ and St. Peter in his will of 1015, which became the site of the first Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
parish church of St Lawrence.
In 1086, the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
recorded the manor as Mordone, part of Wallington
Wallington (hundred)
Wallington was an ancient hundred in the north east of the county of Surrey, England. The majority of its area has been absorbed by the growth of London; with its name currently referring to the district of Wallington...
Hundred. It was held by Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
and its assets were: 3 hides
Hide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
; 1 mill
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
worth £2 and 7 plough
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
s. It rendered £15. in total. Fourteen people were recorded as living in the area.
The Garth family
The manor and village remained abbey property until the Dissolution of the MonasteriesDissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
's reign when the manor was sold to Lionel Ducket and Edward Whitchurch. Together, they sold it on the following year to Sir Richard Garth who became Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
. The Garth family owned the land and maintained their connection with the parish for the next four centuries, living at Morden Hall Park
Morden Hall Park
Morden Hall Park is a National Trust park located on the banks of the River Wandle in Morden, south London. It covers over 50ha of parkland with the River Wandle meandering through it spanned by numerous foot bridges. The estate contains Morden Hall itself, Morden Cottage, an old Snuff Mill, and...
until the manor was sold by another Sir Richard Garth
Richard Garth
Sir Richard Garth PC QC was Member of Parliament for Guildford from 1866 to 1868 and Chief Justice of Bengal from 1875 to 1886....
in 1872.
The prominence of the Garth family is recorded locally in the name of Garth Road, Lower Morden
Lower Morden
Lower Morden is an area within the district of Morden in south west corner of the London Borough of Merton, to the west of Morden Park and south of Raynes Park.-History:...
and the former Garth School. The two lions included in the present civic arms
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
of the London Borough of Merton
London Borough of Merton
The London Borough of Merton is a borough in southwest London, England.The borough was formed under the London Government Act in 1965 by the merger of the Municipal Borough of Mitcham, the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon and the Merton and Morden Urban District, all formerly within Surrey...
are adopted from the arms of Sir Richard.
19th century
| 19th century | 20th century | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1801 | 512 | 1901 | 960 |
| 1811 | 549 | 1911 | 1,202 |
| 1821 | 638 | 1921 | 1,355 |
| 1831 | 655 | 1931 | 12,618 |
| 1841 | 685 | 1941¹ | war |
| 1851 | 628 | 1951 | 35,417 |
| 1861 | 654 | 1961² | 68,011 |
| 1871 | 787 | 1971² | 62,872 |
| 1881 | 694 | 1981² | 61,108 |
| 1891 | 763 | 1991³ | n/a |
|
|||
| source: UK census | |||
Despite the rapid suburban development of nearby Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
occasioned by the arrival of the new railways constructed in the mid 19th century, Morden remained a rural parish throughout the 19th century. While the population of Wimbledon
Wimbledon, London
Wimbledon is a district in the south west area of London, England, located south of Wandsworth, and east of Kingston upon Thames. It is situated within Greater London. It is home to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships and New Wimbledon Theatre, and contains Wimbledon Common, one of the largest areas...
grew hugely from 1,591 in 1801 to 41,652 in 1901, the population of Morden was 512 in 1801 and, one hundred years later, had grown to just 960.
In 1871, the area of the parish of Morden was 1474.926 acres (5.969 km²) with the small village clustered around St Lawrence’s church
St Lawrence Church, Morden
St Lawrence Church is the Church of England parish church for Morden in London Borough of Merton. The building is located on London Road, at the highest point of Morden, overlooking Morden Park.-Services:...
at the top of the hill on the road from London to Epsom
Epsom
Epsom is a town in the borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England. Small parts of Epsom are in the Borough of Reigate and Banstead. The town is located south-south-west of Charing Cross, within the Greater London Urban Area. The town lies on the chalk downland of Epsom Downs.-History:Epsom lies...
(now London Road/Epsom Road). Approximately half a mile to the west of the main village and the grounds of Morden Park
Morden Park
Morden Park is an area within the district of Morden in the London Borough of Merton, and includes the Park itself, an area of green space in an otherwise dense cluster of 1930s suburban housing....
stood the hamlet of Lower Morden
Lower Morden
Lower Morden is an area within the district of Morden in south west corner of the London Borough of Merton, to the west of Morden Park and south of Raynes Park.-History:...
.
Close to the church were the George Inn, a 17th century coaching inn
Coaching inn
In Europe, from approximately the mid-17th century for a period of about 200 years, the coaching inn, sometimes called a coaching house or staging inn, was a vital part of the inland transport infrastructure, as an inn serving coach travelers...
(now modernised and part of a national pub restaurant chain), the estate of Morden Park
Morden Park
Morden Park is an area within the district of Morden in the London Borough of Merton, and includes the Park itself, an area of green space in an otherwise dense cluster of 1930s suburban housing....
and a school.
The other main public house in the village was the Crown Inn, located to the north east of the village with a small cluster of cottages on Crown Road. The rest of what is now the commercial centre of Morden was fields.
In the late 19th century the principal industry remained agriculture, although some industrial activity did exist along the River Wandle
River Wandle
The River Wandle is a river in south-east England. The names of the river and of Wandsworth are thought to have derived from the Old English "Wendlesworth" meaning "Wendle's Settlement". The river runs through southwest London and is about long...
where watermill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
s ground tobacco to snuff
Snuff
Snuff is a product made from ground or pulverised tobacco leaves. It is an example of smokeless tobacco. It originated in the Americas and was in common use in Europe by the 17th century...
and a varnish works existed close to the site of Poplar Primary School. By 1898, the varnish works had gone and there was a brickworks
Brickworks
A brickworks also known as a brick factory, is a factory for the manufacturing of bricks, from clay or shale. Usually a brickworks is located on a clay bedrock often with a quarry for clay on site....
on the site of Mostyn Gardens in Martin Way (then called Green Lane).
20th century
Local Government Act 1894
The Local Government Act 1894 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that reformed local government in England and Wales outside the County of London. The Act followed the reforms carried out at county level under the Local Government Act 1888...
, the parish of Morden formed part of the Croydon Rural District
Croydon Rural District
Croydon was a rural district in north east Surrey, England, from 1894 to 1915. It was created by the Local Government Act 1894 and replaced the Croydon Rural Sanitary District...
of Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. The first two decades of the 20th century saw little change in the village, with industry still mainly agricultural in nature; however development in the parish of Merton
Merton (historic parish)
Merton was an ancient parish in the Brixton hundred of Surrey, England. It was bounded by Wimbledon to the north, Mitcham to the east, Morden to the south and Kingston upon Thames to the west. The 1871 Ordnance Survey map records its area as . The parish was centred around the 12th century parish...
to the north led to that area being removed from the rural district
Rural district
Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the administrative counties.-England and Wales:In England...
to form the Merton Urban District in 1907. Morden was merged with the Merton Urban District, in 1913, to form the Merton and Morden Urban District
Merton and Morden Urban District
Merton Urban District and Merton and Morden Urban District was an urban district in Surrey, England. It was formed in 1907 from the parish of Merton and was expanded in 1913 to take in Morden...
. It was not, until 1926, when Morden Underground station
Morden tube station
Morden is a London Underground station in Morden in the London Borough of Merton. The station is the southern terminus for the Northern line and is the most southerly station on the Underground network. The next station north is...
opened as the terminus of a new extension of the City & South London Railway
City & South London Railway
The City and South London Railway was the first deep-level underground "tube" railway in the world, and the first major railway to use electric traction...
(now part of the London Underground
London Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
's Northern Line
Northern Line
The Northern line is a London Underground line. It is coloured black on the Tube map.For most of its length it is a deep-level tube line. The line carries 206,734,000 passengers per year. This is the highest number of any line on the London Underground system, but the Northern line is unique in...
), that the fast and direct route to Central London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
opened up the village for residential development.
To complement the new station, a garage was constructed on the other side of London Road, adjacent to the railway cutting and, in 1932, Morden Cinema was built next to it on the corner of Aberconway Road. Around the station a new commercial centre grew quickly as shops sprang up along London Road and Crown Lane, including a rebuilt and enlarged Crown public house (opened in 1932) and a large Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society
Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society
The Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society was a consumer co-operative based in south east London; taking its name from the royal munitions works at Woolwich....
(RACS) department store (opened in 1940).
Away from the new commercial centre of Morden, the existing rural roads were widened and rebuilt and the fields were rapidly divided into building plots and laid out for new housing. Further transport improvements came with the construction of a new Southern Railway
Southern Railway (Great Britain)
The Southern Railway was a British railway company established in the 1923 Grouping. It linked London with the Channel ports, South West England, South coast resorts and Kent...
branch line from Wimbledon to Sutton
Wimbledon and Sutton Railway
The Wimbledon and Sutton Railway was a railway company established by an Act of Parliament in 1910 to build a railway line in Surrey from Wimbledon to Sutton via Merton and Morden in the United Kingdom. The railway was promoted by local landowners hoping to increase the value of their land...
via stations at South Merton
South Merton railway station
South Merton railway station is in the London Borough of Merton in South London. The station is served by First Capital Connect trains, and is on the Thameslink loop. It is in Travelcard Zone 4.-History:...
and Morden South
Morden South railway station
Morden South railway station is in Morden in the London Borough of Merton. The station is served by First Capital Connect trains, and is on the Thameslink loop...
(so named to differentiate it from Morden Underground Station
Morden tube station
Morden is a London Underground station in Morden in the London Borough of Merton. The station is the southern terminus for the Northern line and is the most southerly station on the Underground network. The next station north is...
and Morden Station
Morden Road tram stop
Morden Road tram stop is a stop on the Tramlink service in the London Borough of Merton. It is on the site of the former Morden Road railway station on the Wimbledon-West Croydon line, which closed to heavy rail traffic in 1997....
(now Morden Road tram stop), although it was actually north east of the original village centre). The new line opened in January 1930. As a result of the new transport links, the population of Morden increased rapidly from 1,355 in 1921 to 12,618 in 1931. In the next fifteen years, the population continued to grow, as most of the parish was covered in new suburban homes.
One of the main residential developments in the 1930s was the St. Helier
St. Helier, London
St. Helier is a residential estate in the London boroughs of Merton and Sutton. The portion of the estate north of Green Lane and Bishopsford Road is in Merton, the rest is in Sutton.-History:...
estate, built by the London County Council
London County Council
London County Council was the principal local government body for the County of London, throughout its 1889–1965 existence, and the first London-wide general municipal authority to be directly elected. It covered the area today known as Inner London and was replaced by the Greater London Council...
(LCC) to house workers from Inner London and named in honour of Lady St. Helier, an alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
of the LCC. The estate was the largest local authority development in South London and has its road names arranged in alphabetical order, from the north-west corner (Abbotsbury
Abbotsbury
Abbotsbury is a large village and civil parish in the West Dorset district of Dorset, England; situated north-west of Weymouth. It is located from Upwey railway station and from Bournemouth International Airport. The main road running through the village is the B3157, connecting Abbotsbury to...
Road) to the south-east corner (Woburn
Woburn Abbey
Woburn Abbey , near Woburn, Bedfordshire, England, is a country house, the seat of the Duke of Bedford and the location of the Woburn Safari Park.- Pre-20th century :...
Road). Reflecting the previous ownership of the land by Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
, all are named after religious establishments. Much of the St. Helier Estate now lies in the London Borough of Sutton
London Borough of Sutton
The London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
.
 |
In 1943, the council was granted a civic coat-of-arms incorporating lions from the Garth family arms and the fret from the arms of Merton Priory
Merton Priory
Merton Priory was founded in 1114 by Gilbert Norman, Sheriff of Surrey under Henry I. It was located in Merton, Surrey, England at the point where the Roman Stane Street crossed the River Wandle....
. The motto, "In Libertate Vis", means "Our Strength is our Freedom". In 1965, under the London Government Act 1963
London Government Act 1963
The London Government Act 1963 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which recognised officially the conurbation known as Greater London and created a new local government structure for the capital. The Act significantly reduced the number of local government districts in the area,...
, the Merton and Morden Urban District Council was abolished and its area combined with that of the Municipal Borough of Wimbledon
Municipal Borough of Wimbledon
Wimbledon was a local government district in north-east Surrey from 1866 to 1965 covering the town of Wimbledon and its surrounding area. It was part of the London postal district and Metropolitan Police District....
and the Municipal Borough of Mitcham
Municipal Borough of Mitcham
Mitcham was a local government district in north east Surrey from 1915 to 1965 around the town of Mitcham.It was created in 1915 as an urban district from part of the abolished Croydon Rural District...
to form the present-day London Borough of Merton.
Today
The Crown public house was demolished in the early 1960s to make way for the fourteen-storey office block, Crown House, and a large supermarket (the supermarket was in turn demolished in the 1980s and replaced by the Civic Centre/Library). The Crown pub was incorporated into the new building. The largest store, the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society (RACS) closed in 1985, and it, the cinema and the garage were all demolished in the 1980's/1990's.
Landmarks
- St Lawrence Church, MordenSt Lawrence Church, MordenSt Lawrence Church is the Church of England parish church for Morden in London Borough of Merton. The building is located on London Road, at the highest point of Morden, overlooking Morden Park.-Services:...
- Morden Baptist ChurchMorden Baptist ChurchMorden Baptist Church is a Baptist church in the London Borough of Merton. The church building is on Crown Lane part of the Morden one-way system.-History :...
- Morden Hall ParkMorden Hall ParkMorden Hall Park is a National Trust park located on the banks of the River Wandle in Morden, south London. It covers over 50ha of parkland with the River Wandle meandering through it spanned by numerous foot bridges. The estate contains Morden Hall itself, Morden Cottage, an old Snuff Mill, and...
- Morden ParkMorden ParkMorden Park is an area within the district of Morden in the London Borough of Merton, and includes the Park itself, an area of green space in an otherwise dense cluster of 1930s suburban housing....
- The Bait'ul FutuhBaitul FutuhThe Baitul Futuh Mosque in London has been deemed the second largest mosque complex in Western Europe, behind the Mosque of Rome. Completed in 2003 at a cost of approximately £5.5 million, entirely from donations of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, the mosque covers an area of and the full complex...
mosque, the largest mosqueMosqueA mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
in Western EuropeEuropeEurope is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, built by the Ahmadiyya Muslim CommunityAhmadiyya Muslim CommunityThe Ahmadiyya Muslim Community is the larger of two communities that arose from the Ahmadiyya movement founded in 1889 in India by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian . The original movement split into two factions soon after the death of the founder...
.
Transport
- Morden Underground stationMorden tube stationMorden is a London Underground station in Morden in the London Borough of Merton. The station is the southern terminus for the Northern line and is the most southerly station on the Underground network. The next station north is...
Nearest railway stations and tramlink
Tramlink
Tramlink is a tramway system in south London in the United Kingdom which began operation in May 2000...
stops (in approximate order of proximity):
- Morden South railway stationMorden South railway stationMorden South railway station is in Morden in the London Borough of Merton. The station is served by First Capital Connect trains, and is on the Thameslink loop...
- Morden Road tram stopMorden Road tram stopMorden Road tram stop is a stop on the Tramlink service in the London Borough of Merton. It is on the site of the former Morden Road railway station on the Wimbledon-West Croydon line, which closed to heavy rail traffic in 1997....
- South Merton railway stationSouth Merton railway stationSouth Merton railway station is in the London Borough of Merton in South London. The station is served by First Capital Connect trains, and is on the Thameslink loop. It is in Travelcard Zone 4.-History:...
- St. Helier railway stationSt. Helier railway stationSt. Helier railway station is in the London Borough of Merton in South London. The station is served by First Capital Connect trains, and is on the Thameslink loop. It is in Travelcard Zone 4.-History:...
- Belgrave Walk tram stopBelgrave Walk tram stopBelgrave Walk tram stop is a stop on the Tramlink service near Mitcham in the London Borough of Merton. The stop is named for Belgrave Walk, an adjacent residential street to the north....
- Mitcham tram stopMitcham tram stopMitcham tram stop is a Tramlink stop in Mitcham in the London Borough of Merton. The stop is on Tramlink route 3 between Belgrave Walk and Mitcham Junction. It was formerly Mitcham railway station, whose station closed in 1997...
- Sutton Common railway stationSutton Common railway stationSutton Common railway station is in the London Borough of Sutton in South London. The station is served by First Capital Connect trains, and is on the Thameslink loop. It is in Travelcard Zone 4.-History:...
Notable people associated with Morden
- Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot - Commander of the Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in North America during the American War of Independence. - Sir Joseph BazalgetteJoseph BazalgetteSir Joseph William Bazalgette, CB was an English civil engineer of the 19th century. As chief engineer of London's Metropolitan Board of Works his major achievement was the creation of a sewer network for central London which was instrumental in relieving the city from cholera epidemics, while...
- Engineer of London's sanitary systemLondon sewerage systemThe London sewerage system is part of the water infrastructure serving London. The modern system was developed during the late 19th century, and as London has grown the system has been expanded.-History:...
, the ChelseaChelsea EmbankmentChelsea Embankment is part of the Thames Embankment, a road and walkway along the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England.The western end of Chelsea Embankment, including a stretch of Cheyne Walk, is in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea; the eastern end, including...
and Victoria EmbankmentVictoria EmbankmentThe Victoria Embankment is part of the Thames Embankment, a road and river walk along the north bank of the River Thames in London. Victoria Embankment extends from the City of Westminster into the City of London.-Construction:...
s lived in the village for a few years in the 1870s. - Sir Richard GarthRichard GarthSir Richard Garth PC QC was Member of Parliament for Guildford from 1866 to 1868 and Chief Justice of Bengal from 1875 to 1886....
- Lord of the Manor, Privy Counsellor and Chief Justice of Bengal - Alexander MaconochieAlexander Maconochie (penal reformer)Alexander Maconochie was a Scottish naval officer, geographer, and penal reformer.- Early life :Maconochie was born in Edinburgh on 11 February 1787. He joined the Royal Navy in 1803 and as a midshipman he saw active service in the Napoleonic Wars and was a prisoner of war from 1811 to 1814...
- Founder of the Royal Geographical SocietyRoyal Geographical SocietyThe Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
and penal reformer. - Good ShoesGood ShoesGood Shoes are a four-piece English indie pop band, hailing from Morden, London.-Biography:Good Shoes was formed by lead singer Rhys Jones and guitarist Steve Leach who often wrote and played music together as a hobby. Rhys and Steve appeared as a two piece under the Good Shoes name for a friend's...
- an indie music band whose first album, Think Before You SpeakThink Before You SpeakThink Before You Speak is the debut album from Good Shoes, which was released on 26 March 2007 on Brille Records. The album was recorded in nineteen days in Malmö in Sweden by Per Sunding at Tambourine Studios.-Track listing:# "Nazanin" – 1:55...
, included the track "MordenMorden (Good Shoes song)"Morden" is a single by Good Shoes.It was only released on 7" vinyl perhaps to cater the growing number of indie fans choosing vinyl over digital sound, and the...
"
Nearest places
- Merton ParkMerton ParkMerton Park is a place in the London Borough of Merton. It is a quiet and leafy suburb situated between Wimbledon, Morden, South Wimbledon and Wimbledon Chase. It is 7.3 miles south-west of Charing Cross...
- Lower MordenLower MordenLower Morden is an area within the district of Morden in south west corner of the London Borough of Merton, to the west of Morden Park and south of Raynes Park.-History:...
- South WimbledonSouth WimbledonSouth Wimbledon is a locality in the London Borough of Merton in southwest London, England.-Toponymy:It is marked on an Ordnance Survey map of 1876 as New Wimbledon and on a 1907 map as South Wimbledon...
- St. HelierSt. Helier, LondonSt. Helier is a residential estate in the London boroughs of Merton and Sutton. The portion of the estate north of Green Lane and Bishopsford Road is in Merton, the rest is in Sutton.-History:...
- Mitcham
- Raynes ParkRaynes ParkRaynes Park is a suburb within the London Borough of Merton south-west London, centred around Raynes Park station and situated between Wimbledon and New Malden. It is 8.2 miles south-west of Charing Cross. The area is effectively divided into two by the Waterloo - Southampton mainline railway...
- Motspur ParkMotspur ParkMotspur Park, also known locally as West Barnes is a suburb in South West London situated across the boundary between the London Borough of Merton and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. It owes its identity to the railway station of the same name, which has six trains an hour to London's...
- Wimbledon
- SuttonLondon Borough of SuttonThe London Borough of Sutton is a London borough in South London, England and forms part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the 80th largest local authority in England by population. It is one of the southernmost boroughs of London...
- Colliers WoodColliers WoodColliers Wood is an area in south London, England, in the London Borough of Merton. Colliers Wood station is served by the London Underground's Northern Line.It is a mostly residential area, split down the middle by a busy High Street...
- HackbridgeHackbridgeHackbridge is a suburb in London Borough of Sutton, Greater London. It is situated 9.07 miles south-west of Charing Cross. Hackbridge was home to the first Country dogs home opened by the Duke and Duchess of Portland...
- Wimbledon ParkWimbledon ParkWimbledon Park is an urban park in Wimbledon and the suburb south and east to which it lends its name. It is the second largest park in the London Borough of Merton and also gives its name to Wimbledon Park tube station. To the immediate west of the park resides the All England Lawn Tennis and...
External links
- British Library Collect Britain archive - Mordon, Surrey, 1780 Aerial view of Morden town centre in 1926 when the Underground station opened. The first roads have been laid out but the area is still mostly fields. The Crown Inn is visible on the left.
- http://www.britishpathe.com/product_display.php?canisternumber=UN+79+C&sortnumber=&filmid=&szin=&group=&decade=&date1=&date2=&date3=&datefrom=&dateto=&choice=all&description=Enter+search+word%28s%29+here&searchword=&choice1=all&title=Enter+a+film+title+here&choice2=all&keywords=Enter+key+words+here&choice3=all&summary=Enter+a+summary+search+here&advanced.x=25&advanced.y=25British Pathe News Archive] 1930s Newsreel footage of construction of Morden Cinema (download - select low resolution free preview)
- Motco.com 15 Miles Round London (First edition), J Cary, 1786, Morden
- Odeon Cavalcade - Morden Cinema, 1960s
