The 17th century
During the early 17th century both of Merton Priory's former Morden estates also came into Garth ownership, though Spittle Farm was sold again in 1639, on the death of Richard Garth II.
Richard Garth II restored the Rectorial tithes and appointed William Booth as Rector in 1634.
The refurbishing of the church in its present form was started at this time.
William Booth married Richard's daughter, Ellen, in September 1635. Ellen's first husband, Thomas Hicks, had died 15 months before. Thomas and Ellen had leased the farm later known as Lower Morden Farm.
By the mid-17th century the Garths had bought virtually all the freeholds and copyholds in Lower Morden, enabling them to complete the enclosure of the open fields and to reorganise the farms there.
Twelve Morden inhabitants contributed almost £19 towards a "Free and Voluntary Present" to King Charles II in 1661-2, following his return from exile.
The Hearth Tax returns for 1664 list 40 Morden properties, of which 31 paid the tax. One property had 19 hearths, three had 15, one had 11, one 10, one 6, two 5, three 4, five 3, seven 2 and sixteen only 1. Eleven of the householders were widows.
