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 50 hectares of parkland with the River Wandle meandering through it spanned by numerous footbridges. The estate contains Morden Hall itself, Morden Cottage, two Snuff Mills and the restored Stableyard with a dog-friendly cafe, exhibition space and second-hand bookshop. Morden Hall Park is also home to the National Trust's only Garden Centre.

History

The estate land was originally owned by Westminster Abbey.
There is evidence of an earlier manor-house originally built by the Garth family where Morden Lodge now stands. The Hall dates back to the 1770s and contains a variety of natural landscapes, including the parkland of the "Deer Park", meadow and wetland. A number of historic buildings are located in the park, including the Hall itself and preserved watermills where tobacco was once ground into snuff.
The land was occupied by the Garth family for generations before the estate was split in two and Morden Hall was built.
The Hall was occupied, as a school, for young gentlemen about 1840, until it was sold by Sir Richard Garth to a tobacco merchant Gilliat Hatfeild in the 1870s.
The Hall was a military hospital during the First World War and later a Women and Children's hospital. Gilliat Edward Hatfeild lived at the nearby Morden Cottage.
Gilliat Hatfeild's son, Gilliat Edward Hatfeild, left the core of the estate to the National Trust, when he died.
Several Sunday Pictorial garden parties were hosted on the land in this time in aid of the NSPCC with famous British actors such as Richard Attenborough, Alec Guinness and Patricia Roc in attendance.

Access

The main entrance to the park is a short walk from Morden town centre, and car parking is available in the Garden Centre car park. The Snuff Mills and Pottingshed Café are near to the main entrance.
The Tramlink light rail line from Wimbledon to Croydon, Elmers End and New Addington runs through the northern part of the park, and Phipps Bridge and Morden Road tram stops give access to the park. They are respectively and walk through the park to the Snuff Mill and Riverside Café. Morden tube station and Morden South railway station are respectively and walk through the town centre from the main entrance.