Merton Hall below, It seems that there was certainly
a house here in medieval times and that it was rebuilt in
early years around 1613. The Hall has been the home to
the de Grey family for over 600 yrs, and dates from the
marriage of 1336 between Sir Thomas de Grey and Isabel,
the heiress daughter of Sir Fulke Baynard a descendant of
Ralph Baynard, a companion in arms to William the
Conqueror who rewarded him for his service by a grant of
the manor of Merton. Sir William de Grey 1719-1781 successively Solicitor-General,and Lord Chief, Created Baron Lord Walsingham on 17th October 1780, he died in 1781... He was succeeded by his son Thomas de Grey 2nd Baron, born 1748 died 1818. George de Grey 3rd Baron, born 1776 died 1831. Thomas de Grey 4th Baron, ( 2nd son of 2nd baron) born 1778 died 1839. Thomas de Grey 5th Baron,born 1804 died 1870. Thomas de Grey 6th Baron, born july 1843 died 3rd Dec 1919. Thomas was considered to be the best game shot of his generation and a noted Cricketer. John Augustus de Grey 7th Baron, born 1849- died 21 March 1929. George de Grey 8th Baron, born 1884 died nov 1965... John de grey is the current 9th Baron. Thomas de grey 4th Baron, once the Rector for Fawley,Hants, & Merton and also the Archdeacon of Surry. The House was enlarged and remodelleed by Edward Blore about 1833, After the death of the 3rd Lord Walsingham and his wife Matilda, in a fire on April 26th 1831 at there London home. A second fire in 1956 which destroyed much of the hall, leaving Blores north east wing and the gate house. Also destoryed were three bedrooms actually called, " The Room of the Babes in the Wood ", " The Room of the Wicked Uncle ", and " The Robin Room ", all derived from the story of The Babes In The Woods.  In the early part of the 1900s the Hall was let out to Shooting syndicates, and at the time of the second fire was being used as a school with pupils from Old Buckenham school, which also suffered from a fire. On the right shows a rear view of the hall and gardens 1917. During the summer months the gardens were a regular event opened to the public and charged an entrance fee, which was donated to local charitys such as the Victoria Hospital at Watton. Viewing the gardens you would see abundence of Roses, various flower beds, colourful rhodoenrons and in the park stood tall old oaks and various types of fir trees. In 1883 one oak was supposed to be 1000 years old. Picture 2 From Merton parish records in the NRO (PD 532/33. Not to be further repreduced without permission. A visit through the gardens and park, and a visit to the Shell House (below) was included, a miniature building with the entire interior made of sea shells from a collection of the 5th Baron Walsingham and set in place by his spinsters sisters. The 5th Baron was also responsible for many of the exotic trees and wood plantation within the Merton estate. Merton estate at one time consisted of villages Tottington, Thompson, West Tofts, Stanford, Buckenham Tofts, Sturston, Langford, with land as far as Great Ellingham. The Hall also held regular Christmas events for employed workers of the estate. And one man tells me that he remembers going to the childrens party in the 1930s, this would be a personal invite from Lord Walsingham via a Pink card which had to be shown at the door to the 8th Baron, Part of the party entertainment was to sit and watch a reel-reel movie of Micky Mouse, and then watch a conjurer with his many tricks.. |
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