The Tudors
Henry VIII declared himself Head of the English Church, and closed down the monasteries. Although Westminster Abbey was used for Coronations, it was surrendered to the Crown in January 1540.
The manor of Morden remained Crown property until 30 June 1553, when Edward VI sold it to Edward Whitchurch, a London haberdasher, and Lionel Ducket, a mercer, together with property in Nottinghamshire and Staffordshire, for £699 18s 1d.
As the manor was still at lease, Whitchurch rebuilt a copyhold property called Growtes, while Ducket occupied a Ravensbury copyhold.
Edward VI died a week after the sale, to be succeeded by Mary, an ardent Roman Catholic.
Whitchurch was a prominent Protestant, and had been involved in the printing of Miles Coverdale's 'Great Bible'. He was also the official printer of both Prayer Books of Edward VI. On Mary's accession he went into hiding, selling the Morden estate to Richard Garth on 7 March 1554.
Merton Priory had been dissolved in 1538, and Mary gave Hobalds and other lands to the newly formed Priory of Shene. On Mary's death in 1558, Elizabeth I closed Shene Priory, the lands returning to the Crown.
