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Morden is a borough and area in the London Borough of Merton, situated approximately 13 km (8 miles) south-southwest of Central London. Morden part of Surrey until 1965 when it was incorporated into Greater London. It was bordered to the north by Wimbledon and Merton Park, to the south by Sutton, to the west by Worcester Park, and to the east by Mitcham.
There are many significant places in the area such as the Bait’ul Futuh Mosque, which was constructed by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community and recognized as Western Europe’s biggest mosque, and Morden Hall Park, a 50-hectare parkland situated on the banks of the River Wandle.
Notable individuals who are associated with the area include singer and songwriter Sampha; Royal Geographical Society founder Alexander Maconochie; Commander of the Royal Navy Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot; Chief Justice of Bengal Sir Richard Garth; and engineer of the sanitary system of London Sir Richard Garth.
There are a few different versions about where the name of the area came from. It might be derived from the words ‘Mawr’ and ‘Dun’ which mean ‘large’ and ‘fort’. However, it might also simply mean ‘The Town on the Moor’.
The area was occupied by people since the Iron Age. But the place started to develop a lot later when a Roman Road named ‘Stane Street’ and leading from Chichester to London was constructed.
Nearby Wimbledon developed a lot faster than Morden throughout the years. The area remained a rural parish in the 19th century, while new railways were constructed in Wimbledon.