Merton Priory facts for kids
Window tracery from Merton Priory, on display in the Museum of London (February 2010)
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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 Augustinian priory (a type of monastery) in England. It was started in 1114 by Gilbert Norman, who was a powerful official called the Sheriff of Surrey for King Henry I. The priory was located in a place called Merton in Surrey. Today, this area is part of Colliers Wood in London.
Contents
What Was Merton Priory?
Merton Priory was a home for Canons Regular, who were like monks but followed a different set of rules. They were part of the Augustinian order. The priory was built near the River Wandle, where an old Roman road called Stane Street crossed it. This was about 10 kilometers (6 miles) outside the City of London.
The priory owned a lot of land. This included farms and pastures in Surrey. They also owned other properties and had influence over churches in different parts of England.
A Place of Learning and History
Merton Priory became a very important place for learning and for solving big problems between countries. Many famous people visited or studied there.
Famous Visitors and Students
- Around 1130, Thomas Becket, who later became a very important archbishop, studied at Merton Priory for a short time.
- Walter de Merton likely studied there in the 1230s. He later started a special house for students from Merton. This house eventually moved to Oxford and became Merton College, a famous part of Oxford University.
- Edmund of Abingdon, another important scholar, wrote some of his university lectures while staying at the peaceful priory.
Important Meetings and Laws
Merton Priory was also a place for important political events:
- In 1205, King John sent one of the canons (monks) from Merton to be an ambassador (a representative) to Normandy.
- In 1217, Prince Louis of France came to the priory to show he was sorry after peace talks that led to the Treaty of Lambeth.
- In 1236, King Henry III held a Parliament (a meeting of important people to make laws) at the priory. Here, they passed the Statute of Merton. This was the first recorded law from the first recorded English Parliament! It allowed powerful landowners (called lords of the manor) to fence off some shared land, as long as there was still enough for their tenants (people who rented land from them).
- On November 1, 1437, King Henry VI had a special crowning ceremony at Merton Priory, just before his 16th birthday.
The End of Merton Priory
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Merton Priory was destroyed in 1538. This happened during a time called the Dissolution of the Monasteries. King Henry VIII decided to close down many monasteries across England. He took their wealth and lands.
Merton Priory was quite rich, valued at a high amount in 1535. Its leader, John Ramsey, handed over the monastery to the King. Many of the stones from the priory were then used to build the King's new Nonsuch Palace.
Today, a Sainsbury's supermarket stands where the priory once was. However, you can still see some parts of the old priory. The remains of the Chapter House (a special meeting room) are now a small museum. It is located under Merantun Way, between the supermarket and Merton Abbey Mills.
Images for kids
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Window tracery from Merton Priory, on display in the Museum of London (February 2010)
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Remains of a knapped flint wall, a rare survival from Merton Priory
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The ruins of the chapter house
