Morden College - Definition

Morden College is a long-standing charity which has been providing residential care in Blackheath, south-east London, for over 300 years.

It was founded by philanthropist Sir John Morden in 1695 as a home for 'poor Merchants... and such as have lost their Estates by accidents, dangers and perils of the seas or by any other accidents ways of means in their honest endeavours to get their living by means of Merchandizing.'

Morden College was built (to a design sometimes attributed to Sir Christopher Wren, but largely carried out by Edward Strong, his master mason) on the north-east corner of the Wricklemarsh estate.

The original college buildings were intended to house 40 single or widowed men. College trustees were drawn from the British East India Company and Turkey Company. During the 20th century, admission requirements were amended so that the college could accommodate women and married couples, and several new buildings were added. The College also manages other homes in Blackheath and in Beckenham.