The Facilities at Morden College
In addition to living independently in their own flats, residents have access to a host of facilities on site at both Blackheath and Beckenham. From the community halls hosting large social occasions, dinners and music performances to craft rooms allowing residents to continue their creative passions or discover new ones, and extensive gardens allowing residents to enjoy a beautiful natural environment. The varied facilities at Morden College are designed to offer everything a resident needs to enjoy the ‘good life’.
The John Morden Centre
Echoing the 1695 design of the original Quadrangle, The John Morden Centre was completed in 2021, designed to be a hub for residents social activities and health and wellbeing needs. The John Morden Centre is home to Café 19, Merchant’s Hall and resident arts and crafts facilities.
The John Morden Centre was awarded the Royal Institute of British Architects’ RIBA London Award 2023, RIBA London Building of the Year 2023 and RIBA Stirling Prize 2023.
Club Lounges & Bar None
Both of our sites at Blackheath and Beckenham have a Club Lounge with bar. The Club Lounges are a primary venue for resident-led social events and activities, be it bingo, race nights or quizzes. The Club Lounges are open all week for residents to take advantage of, to relax and socialise, with regular bar opening hours many evenings of the week. Bar None (pictured) is Blackheath’s bar, the name being the winner out of many suggested and voted on by residents.
IT Suites
Communal computer suites allow residents to access the internet and e-mail if they don’t have their own devices. IT support is also available via the Health and Wellbeing team via appointment or drop-in workshops and sessions.
Gardens
Substantial gardens make up much of the 11 acres at Blackheath, wrapping around the various buildings, instilling a relaxed and homely feel for the residents, staff and visitors alike.
The sheer size of the award-winning gardens, looked after by a small team of dedicated gardeners, allows for plenty of diverse interest. From the understated elegance of the cloistered Quadrangle with its quartered lawns, box topiary and lily ponds, leading through to the tranquillity of the Club Garden, where residents can sit with a cool drink on a hot day in the dappled shade of the Silver Birch or in the Box parterre. Nearby, there is a memorial garden dedicated to passed friends.
The College gardens at both Blackheath and Beckenham allow residents a wide range of leisure activities, whether that be sporting areas, rose gardens and sweeping lawns. There are plenty of places to relax and take in nature, including the Diamond Jubilee Fountain, opened in 2013 by our Patron, the sensory garden in the Care Home or the more wild Woodland Walk. Allotments allow residents to ‘keep a hand in’ by growing vegetables and soft fruit, and bee hives at Blackheath produce a small batch of Morden College honey. The grounds are home to a variety of birdlife, such as the visiting ducks and ducklings at Ralph Perring Court to fish in the ponds.
The variety in the gardens allows residents a wonderfully safe area that works positively toward their health and wellbeing.
