Published: 10/10/2025
During the course of this century Merton Park and Morden have gradually developed into residential areas, uninterrupted except for the numerous parks and open spaces. But they consist of several districts, each with its own interesting character and history.Photo reference - Church Lane, Merton Park, three bed house available To Let £3,250pcm
Merton Park
Merton Park is one of the earliest, if not the original example of a garden suburb, with its first houses built in the 1870s. It was developed by a remarkable character, John Innes, whose name lives on not only in the Conservation Area named after him, but the wider world through the famous compost. This was first made many years after his death at a horticultural research establishment which he funded with a bequest in his will.
Innes and his architect, H.G. Quartermain, laid out pleasant avenues of chestnut and plane trees, and divided plots with fine holly hedges, holly being the Innes clan emblem. They built attractive houses of varied designs and sizes, many of which are sought after today, in Mostyn, Dorset and Sheridan Roads. Some of the most appealing are in the Domestic Revival style, rich in decorative details, varying from Old English oriels, dormers and chimneys to Dutch gables, Queen Anne windows and Japanese balconies.
Although both Innes and Quartermain died in 1904, another talented architect, J.S. Brocklesby continued building into the 1920s in the Arts and Crafts style. His houses , built with white roughcast, fine brickwork and in the latest examples, flints and pantiles, feature tiny cottage windows and inglenooks. Much of John Innes’ development was designated a conservation area in 1968.
Part of Merton Park’s appeal lay in its accessibility to the railways which from mid-Victorian times linked Merton Park and Wimbledon to the City and Waterloo. The present more extensive rail services are equally important to today’s population of commuters.
Morden
Morden was originally a small village with its economy based on farming. The manor was owned by Westminster Abbey until Henry VIII’s dissolution of monasteries, when the Garth family became lords of the manor, a position they held for over three hundred years.
Two factors combined to change the nature of the Morden area dramatically in the 1920s. The first resulted from the impact of the Great War. From 1914 to 1918 building all over the country virtually ceased. After the war, the government had promised there would be ‘homes for heroes’ and an extensive building programme began. The vastly increased cost of both materials and labour (so many men having been lost in the war) meant that the new houses were much simpler in style, and the shortage of servants, another effect of the war, gave impetus to the idea of ‘labour-saving’ design.
As a London-suburb, Morden was very much part of this increased development, and saw a rapid expansion of population in the twenties and thirties. It was even more affected than many similar areas due to the arrival of the Northern Line tube, Its new terminus was built in 1926 were cornfields and daisy-sprinkled meadows had stood till then. And the convenience of this new transportation service encouraged a flood of newcomers to the area.
Many of the new houses had been built by a number of speculative builders in Morden Park and Ravensbury Park. Though the styles were pleasingly varied, most had good sized rooms and gardens, often with garages, and were set in wide tree-lined roads with plenty of open spaces preserved through vigorous local campaigning.
Cannon Hill
The Cannon Hill development is another good example, the Common being preserved as a park and small lake, bordered by 1930s Blay Houses with unusually spacious dimensions and quality fittings, including hardwood staircase spindles. It is interesting to note that these were made from pick-axe handles left over from the Great War! Houses like these, with larger rooms, including a bigger than usual third bedroom and often with clear views to Cannon Hill Common are as much in demand today as when they were built.
Hill Cross Estate
Much of the Hill Cross Estate was also developed around this time by Selley Building Company. Part of this estate was formerly a golf course, the original club house can still be seen in Maycross Avenue.
St Helier Estate
Now came a new development, the London County Council's vast St. Helier Estate, built to house the overspill population of inner boroughs and named in honour of the LCC dignitary, Lady St. Helier. Again the district was fortunate in its planners. The estate as carefully designed to keep as many existing trees as possible, and well maintained grassy spots were sited throughout. While the well designed, brick built houses of two and three bedrooms were mainly terraced, they had individual gardens and the terraces were all set apart. Today many are privately owned and make an excellent choice for first or second homebuyers looking for a reasonably priced house close to pleasant amenities and public transport links to London and the adjoining boroughs.
Morden Town Centre
Morden town centre has many shops, including several supermarkets, coffee shops, bars and restaurants. The offices of London Borough of Merton are also located here. Although significant building only began 120 years ago, and large scale development not until 50 years later, the district owes much of its charm and many of its present amenities to its more distant history.
Merton Abbey
Merton Abbey rivalled Westminster in medieval times; later there were prosperous mills using the water power of the Riven Wandle, including one printing Liberty silks. William Morris, who set up a craft factory in Merton, encouraged both Liberty and William de Morgan to create their fabrics and ceramics here in late-Victorian times. Today Merton Abbey Mills is the site of a hugely successful Craft Village, with a market, antiques fair, live music venue and children's Colour House theatre, plus many independent shops and eateries.
Morden Hall Park
Morden Hall Park is another favourite leisure spot, an attractive park owned by the National Trust, with interesting buildings including a 17th century manor house, a Regency villa and Gothic style weather-boarded cottage with dairy, stables and the waterwheel of an old snuff mill. There are also attractive cast iron bridges spanning the diminutive River Wandle. One of the districts most famous inhabitants was Lord Nelson, who lived happily for all too short a time at Merton Place. Emma Hamilton wrote, " If the nation was to give my beloved Nelson a Blenheim, Merton would be the place he would like." Unfortunately very little remains of the association with this great national hero apart from a number of street and pub names, The Nelson Arms for example, stands on the site of the entrance gates to what was once Merton Place. Like most inhabitants of past centuries, Nelson and Lady Hamilton might find it hard to recognise their former haunts if they could return today. But they would perhaps be pleasantly surprised at the way things have turned out for Merton and Morden as a whole.