MERTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY Documents relating to the Church and Clergy of Morden
WAM 1851 (c) The Dean & Chapter of Westminster
The cartulary known as the Westminster Domesday (WD) contains copies of a collection of official documents relating to the abbey’s appropriation of the rectorial rights to tithes of the parish of Morden in 1301. Vicars were appointed to serve the spiritual needs of the parishioners, and agreements for the support of the vicars were recorded in 1331 and 1442/1443. 16th-century copies of these agreements survive at Surrey History Centre, as part of a fascinating collection of documents relating to a late 16th-century dispute over tithes between the vicar and the lord of the manor. Earlier documents relating to clergy also exist, and the Register Books also include some information on the appointment of clergy.
Click on the links below to download the transcripts without images.
- WD 336: Papal confirmation of pension from tithe at Morden to precentor of Westminster Abbey: 1230
- WD 336 = WAM 1846: Presentation, admission and institution of Thomas de Senesfeld to St Lawrence Church on ancient payment of half mark per annum to Westminster Abbey: 1230-41
- WAM 1840: Nycolaus Lupicij, Canon of St Peter’s Rome and Rector of Morden, appoints proxy to receive 20 marks due to him from the farm of the church: 1246
- WAM 1841: Acquittance of 16 marks 13 shillings for the farm of the church – Nycolaus Lupicij, Canon of St Peter’s Rome and Rector of Morden: 1246
- Bishop’s Register (Surrey Record Society I – 1913): Two confirmations of Gerard de Staunden as Rector of Morden (since 1273): 1283
- WD 171a-b: Resignation of Gerard de Stauntone as Rector of Morden: 1301
- WD 171b/172a = WAM 1863: Appropriation of church to Westminster Abbey by Bishop of Winchester: 1300
- WD 172/172b:= WAM 1854: Appropriation of church confirmed by Prior and Convent of St Swithin Winchester:1300
- Bishop’s Register (Surrey Record Society I – 1913):Bishop’s instruction to Dean of Ewell to induct Abbey’s proctor into appropriated rectory: 1301,
- WD 172b: Dean of Ewell’s letter concerning the induction: 1301
- WD 172b: Commissary Official’s letter concerning the induction: 1301,
- WD 173a: Memorandum relating to above documents: 1305
- WD 172a = WAM 1916*: Royal pardon for appropriation of Morden church without royal consent: 1319
- WD 173b = WAM 1851: Ordinance of Morden vicarage by Bishop of Winchester: 1331
- WAM 1853 = SHC K85/3/29: Ratification of composition concerning the scantiness of the portion of Morden vicarage: 1442/3
- Lambeth Palace Library Reg. Stafford (Kemp) f. 245v: Indulgence granted by Cardinal John Kemp, Archbishop of Canterbury for repair of Morden church: 1453/4
- WAM Register Book 2 f.90: Presentation of Henry Hendy clerk to vicarage of Morden: 1516
- SHC K85/3/6: Extracts from Bishop’s Registers relating to presentations to the vicarage of Morden 1359-1572
- Valor Ecclesiasticus: Valuation of the vicarage of Morden 1535
- SHC K85/2/9: 17-year lease of tithe corn by John Welshe, lessee of the manor and rectory of Morden, to Robert Bust, vicar of Morden: 1554
- SHC K85/2/10: Surrender of sub-lease of tithe corn by Robert Bust, late vicar of Morden, to Richard Garth, lord of manor of Morden: 1556
- SHC K85/3/5: Lands, landholders and tithes in Morden: 1583
- SHC K85/3/35: Tithes due to the vicar of Morden: c.1583
- SHC K85/3/19: The case between Frances Medcalfe vicar of Morden, John Sharfeilde parishioner there and Richard Garth Esquire proprietor: 1590
- SHC K85/3/23: Copy of part of the judgement of the court in the case Garth v. Medcalfe: 1590
Or click on the thumbnails below to download the transcripts with images.
The initial transcriptions and translations were by Dominic Alexander, with corrections to the transcription by Shirley Corke. They have all been checked and corrected by Simon Neal, Barbara Harvey and Jane Sayers providing additional expertise.