Merton Priory facts for kids
Window tracery from the Priory, on display in the Museum of London.
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 Location in Greater London
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| Monastery information | |
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| Established | 1114 |
| Disestablished | 1538 |
| People | |
| Founder(s) | Gilbert Norman, Sheriff of Surrey |
| Important associated figures | Adrian IV Thomas Becket Walter de Merton |
| Site | |
| Location | Merton, Surrey, England |
| Coordinates | 51°24′52.26″N 0°10′52.58″W / 51.4145167°N 0.1812722°W |
Merton Priory was an important priory in England. It was founded in 1114 by Gilbert Norman. He was the Sheriff of Surrey under King Henry I.
A priory is a type of monastery. It is a place where religious people, like monks or canons, live and work together. Merton Priory was home to Augustinian canons.
The priory was located in a place called Merton in Surrey. Today, this area is known as Colliers Wood. It is part of the London Borough of Merton.
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What was Merton Priory?
Merton Priory was a large religious building. It was built near the River Wandle. This river was crossed by an old Roman road called Stane Street. The priory was about 10 kilometers outside the City of London.
The canons who lived there owned a lot of land. They had farms and pastures in Surrey. They also owned land in other parts of England, like Devon.
A Center for Learning and Diplomacy
In 1117, canons from another Augustinian priory came to Merton. They helped establish Merton Priory as a center for learning. It also became a place for important meetings.
Many famous people were connected to Merton Priory:
- Thomas Becket studied there around 1130. He later became a very important archbishop.
- Walter de Merton likely studied there too. He later founded Merton College at Oxford University.
- Edmund Rich, another important scholar, wrote some of his lectures at the priory.
The priory was also used for diplomacy. In 1205, King John sent a canon from Merton as an ambassador. An ambassador is someone who represents their country. Later, Prince Louis of France came to the priory. He came after peace talks in 1217.
The First English Parliament
In 1236, King Henry III held a Parliament at Merton Priory. A Parliament is a meeting of important people. They discuss and make laws for the country.
During this meeting, they passed the Statute of Merton. This was a very important law. It allowed landowners to fence off parts of common land. But they had to leave enough land for their tenants to use. This was the first recorded law from the first recorded English Parliament.
A King's Crowning Ceremony
On November 1, 1437, King Henry VI had a special ceremony at Merton Priory. He was almost 16 years old. The exact details of this crowning are not fully known.
The End of Merton Priory
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Merton Priory was destroyed in 1538. This happened during King Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries. This was a time when King Henry VIII closed down many monasteries in England.
Merton Priory was quite wealthy. Its value was estimated at a high amount in 1535. The last head of the priory, John Bowles, surrendered it.
Much of the stone from the priory was reused. It was used to build King Henry VIII's Nonsuch Palace. Today, a Sainsbury's supermarket stands on the site of the priory.
However, some parts of the priory still exist. The remains of the Chapter House are now a museum. You can visit it under Merantun Way. It is located between the supermarket and Merton Abbey Mills.
