The River Wandle runs through the London Borough of Merton, whose name derives from the ancient parish of Merton, centred around St. Mary’s in Merton Park. Merton appears in the Domesday Book as Meretone, which is thought to mean farm by the mere (a small lake).

 

Along the Merton section of The Wandle Trail, there’s a wealth of fascinating places to visit. Wandle Meadow Nature Park was once a sewage works but is now a nature reserve. For weekend arts and crafts shopping, there’s Merton Abbey Mills, formerly used by Liberty’s Print Works. Deen City Farm is a great place for young people to learn where their food comes from. The National Trust runs Morden Hall Park, a tranquil country estate with renovated snuff mill.

 

History abounds in Merton. In 1236 under Henry III, Merton Priory was the seat of the first recorded parliament. It was demolished in 1538 as part of Henry VII’s dissolution of the monasteries, but remains can still be seen from the foot tunnel under Meratun Way, near Sainsbury’s.

 

In 1802, Admiral Lord Nelson bought Merton Place and loved to spend time there with Lady Hamilton.

 

From the 17th century, the River Wandle powered mills driving a developing textile industry – at Merton Abbey, a silk manufacturing works and later a calico-printing factory. Renowned Arts and Crafts designer, William Morris, established a textile printing factory in 1881.

 

Other Merton industries included flour-milling, copper and iron-working, brazil wood and snuff-milling, and leather-working, with goods being taken to the Thames along the horse-drawn Surrey Iron Railway from 1803.

The Pickle Ditch

SW19 2RG

3 Kings Piece

Commonside East
CR4 4HA

3 Kings Pond

Mitcham,
Greater London
CR4 2QA

Bennett’s Hole

Willow Lane,
Mitcham
CR4 4NF

Brangwyn Crescent

Brangwyn Crescent,
London
SW19 2UB

Bunces Meadow

98 Phipps Bridge Rd,
London
SW19 2ST

Canons Recreation Ground

Madeira Road,
Mitcham
CR4 4AL

Cranmer Green

Madeira Road,/Commonside West/King George VI Avenue/Cranmer Road
CR4 4HD

Cricket Green

Mitcham
CR4 4LB

Deen City Farm

39 Windsor Avenue
Merton Abbey
LONDON
SW19 2RR

Durnsford Recreation Ground

Wellington Road,
London
SW19 8EY

Garfield Recreation Ground

Garfield Road
Wimbledon
SW19 8SJ

Havelock Allotments

Havelock Rd,
London,
SW19 8HD

Merton Abbey Mills

Watermill Way
London
SW19 2RD

Merton Priory

Merton Priory Chapter House
Watermill Way,
London
SW19 2RD

Mill House Ecology Centre

Windmill Rd,
Mitcham,
Surrey
CR4 1HT

Mitcham Common

Windmill Road,
Mitcham,
Surrey
CR4 1HT

Mitcham Cricket Green

Mitcham
CR4 4LB

Morden Hall

Morden Hall, Morden,
Greater London
SM4 5HX

Morden Hall Park

Morden Hall Rd,
Morden, London
SM4 5JD

Phipps Bridge Allotments

Phipps Bridge Road,
Colliers Wood,
London
SW19 2SY

Poulter Park

Peterborough Road
Mitcham
SM5 1DT

Ravensbury Mill

CR4 4DJ

Ravensbury Park

Ravensbury Lane
CR4 4DH

Rock Terrace Recreation Ground

Belgrave Road,
Mitcham
CR4 3PS

Snuff Mill

Morden Hall Rd,
Morden, London
SM4 5JD

Spencer Road

Spencer road,
Beddington Corner
Sutton
Greater London
CR4 4JT

The Canons

Madeira Rd,
Mitcham
CR4 4HD

Vestry Green

CR4 3AF

Wandle Industrial Museum - The Vestry annex

Vestry Hall Annexe,
London Rd,
Mitcham
CR4 3UD

Wandle Meadow Nature Park

North Road via Mead Path/Belgrave Road,
SW19 1TJ

Wandle Park

Wandle Bank/Byegrove Road/Merton High Street,
Colliers Wood
SW19

Watermeads

Bishopsford Road
CR4 4NF