historical house
Mae Architects, 2021
Morden College, 19 St Germans Place, SE3 0PW
Morden College is a charity dedicated to supporting older people, founded in 1695 by the pioneering merchant, Sir John Morden. The original 1695 Grade I listed Quadrangle by Edward Strong, Sir Christopher Wren's master stonemason, has provided older people with accommodation for over 300 years. Across the site and beautiful grounds, the John Morden Centre, a new community space, won the RIBA Stirling prize in 2023.
Blackheath, Kidbrooke
108, 132, 178, 286, 53, 54, 89
At various points of interest in the tour, there is seating available for visitors.
John Morden Centre is a day care centre for residents of Morden College. It brings together facilities currently spread across the college site into an innovative, characterful new building designed to tackle social isolation among older residents by providing spaces to interact.
Sir John Morden made his fortune working in Aleppo in Syria as a factor, trading in spices. for the Levant Company. He and his wife had no children of their own to leave their money to and he decided to create Morden College as an almshouse for “decayed” merchants i.e. having fallen on hard times through no fault of their own. They had to be single or widowed, over 50 with no family to help them and practising members of the Church of England and were given a flat, cloak, coals, servants and an allowance. In 1699 Sir John bought the Manor of Old Court, as the endowment to fund the College. The Manor comprised tracts of Greenwich which have been carefully managed by the Trustees. Under their administration, leases were granted. The Quadrangle was designed as flats for 40 men. The first five beneficiaries came into residence in 1700. The College was in the care of 7 Trustees with day-to-day administration by the Treasurer and Chaplain. Lady Morden, when she died, left £100 to be invested for the benefit of the chaplain. The Trustees used this money to buy a plot of land on the south side of the heath which yielded substantial rents for its beneficiary. Over the years many changes have come in such as Charity Commission schemes, relaxation of entrance criteria, admission of married couples and single women. There has been expansion of residential accommodation plus the addition of a dining room, library, club house and a care home and most recently the John Morden Centre.
Almshouses are the oldest form of social housing with the earliest example still in existence dating back to 990. Almshouses such as Morden College provide genuinely affordable community led housing and there are 30,000+ almshouse dwellings throughout the UK providing affordable homes for over 36,000 residents. Resident beneficiaries of an almshouse pay a ‘contribution’ that is usually monthly and goes toward the maintenance and upkeep of their accommodation.
Morden College continues today in providing accommodation for now close to 250 beneficiary residents at the original site in Blackheath and another site in Beckenham. Residents contribute to a bright and vibrant community with resident-led groups, events and outings filling the social calendar. Ageing well is more important than ever and the charity works hard to support residents so that they can live independently for as long as possible.
The start of the tour at the main entrance is up four steps, however volunteers will be able to take anybody with accessibility concerns around via level access to the starting point.
The section of the tour that takes in the Dining Hall and Library is down three steps with no level access.
The remainder of the site and tour is level access.
Please be advised that during the Quadrangle section of the tour you will be walking by accommodation still occupied by residents. We ask that you are respectful of the residents by not making too much noise and do not go anywhere not directed by the steward.
