Morden Hall Park exemplifies a rare piece of rural England, set amid South London's busy suburbia, where the River Wandle meanders through parkland, meadows and ancient woodland, and quietly flows under dreamy footbridges.
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| Footbridge crossing the River Wandle © Veronika Moore |
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| View of the River Wandle © Veronika Moore |
When we turned up at the main gates of this old Victorian country estate yesterday morning, the sky was grey and the air had a fresh biting edge; and as we walked past the Stables and the Snuff Mill, I felt like I was being transported back in time to an era that preceded the steam and power of the Industrial Revolution.
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| Snuff Mill © Veronika Moore |
Snuff Mills For 170 years (1750 - 1920), the Eastern and Western Mills ground tobacco leaves into a fine powder of snuff using the force of the River Wandle, making the fortune of the Hatfeild family (last owners of the park). Following compulsory purchase of much of the land (belonging to the original estate) for new housing and roads, the remaining 125 acre park was left to the National Trust by Gilliat Edward Hatfeild in 1941 and it is still managed by the Trust today.
Landscape features and wildlife habitats
The park is full of wonderful surprises - the Rose Garden (first planted in 1920 by G.E. Hatfeild), the 18th-century statues of Neptune and Venus on the island in the River Wandle, the avenue of lime and horse chestnut trees (once frequented by horse-driven carriages), and the lush wetland teeming with birdlife and small invertebrates. Among other species, we spotted Turdus viscivorus (Mistle thrush) in the Rose Garden and Garrulus glandarius (Jay) sitting high in the tree canopy above the wetlands.
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| Mistle thrush © Veronika Moore |
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| Rose Garden © Veronika Moore |
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| Statue of Neptune © Veronika Moore |
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| Statue of Venus © Veronika Moore |
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| Avenue of lime and horse chestnut trees © Veronika Moore |
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Morden Hall wetland area © Veronika Moore |
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| Hawthorn in bloom © Veronika Moore |
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| Caltha palustris L. (Marsh Marigold) © Veronika Moore |
Morden Hall Park is truly the hidden gem of London's green spaces - it offers an unmissable rural experience, which is on the doorstep of most Londoners. And here is a route suggestion for an easy 1.9 mile walk... Enjoy!
AddressMorden Hall Park, Morden Hall Road, Morden SM4 8LD
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