erton 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, which dates of the marriage in 1336 between Sir Thomas de Grey and Isabel, the heiress daughter of Sir Fulke Baynard a descendant of Ralph Baynard the 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, 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. The 6th baron 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, also the Archdeacon of Surry.
The Hall was enlarged and remodelled 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 destroyed much of the hall, leaving Blores north east wing along with the gate house. Also destroyed were three bedrooms which had there own chosen names, " The Room of the Babes in the Wood ", " The Room of the Wicked Uncle ", and " The Robin Room ", all derived from the tale of  The Babes In The Woods.

In the early part of the 1900s the Hall was let out to Shooting syndicates,  at the time of the second fire the hall was being used as a school with pupils from Old Buckenham school which had also suffered from a fire.
On the right  a photo that shows a rear view of the hall and gardens in 1917. During the summer months the gardens were a regularly opened to the public with a small entrance fee, which would be donated to local charities such as the Victoria Hospital at Watton.
Viewing the gardens one would see abundance of Roses, various flower beds, colourful rhododendrons and in the park stood tall old oaks and various types of firn trees.  In 1883 one oak was supposed to be 1000 years old.

Included in the open day would be a visit through the gardens, park area, along with a visit to the Shell House (below) , 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 children's 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..

Bert Baldwin on the door at the shell house. 1 courtesy of Mary Fleming.

Merton Hall 2001

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