Merton (London, England)

Merton is an ancient parish historically in Surrey, but which has since 1965 been part of Greater London (under its current name Merton Priory). It is bounded by Wimbledon to the north, Mitcham to the east, Morden, Cheam and Cuddington (Worcester Park and rest of Motspur Park) to the south and (New) Malden to the west. The 1871 Ordnance Survey map records its area as 1,764.7 acres (7.1 km2) (2.7 sq mi). The parish was and is centred on the 12th-century parish church of St Mary in Merton Park. As a result of the disestablishment of the vestries the parish became of two legal types and areas: religious and civil. It had in the late 19th century seen breakaway ecclesiastical parishes but the civic aspect in 1907 was transformed into Merton Urban District; this in turn was enlarged and empowered into the London Borough of Merton in 1965.