Inventory Site Record

The playing fields were established by Merton Borough Council in 1936 having received funding of £3,500 from the King George's Fields Foundation. The Foundation was set up following King George's death in 1936 as a living memorial and provided funding for the creation or improvement of a great many playing fields. The park is largely grassland with hedging to the road, perimeter and scattered trees. The entrance gates have the King George's stone plaques set into the brick piers.

Site location:

Tudor Drive; Cleveland Rise

Postcode:

SM4 4PF

What 3 Words:

strain.admits.smoke

Type of site:

Public Park

Borough:

Merton

Open to public?

Yes

Opening times:

8am (weekdays)/9am (weekends/Bank Holidays) - dusk

Special conditions:

Facilities:

Car park; playground, paddling pool, tennis courts, cricket and football pitches, outdoor gym

Events:

Public transport:

Rail: South Merton then bus. Bus: 413

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Google Map    
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Research updated:

23/05/2025

Last minor changes:

23/05/2025

Please check with the site owner or manager for latest news. https://www.merton.gov.uk/leisure-recreation-and-culture/parks-and-open-spaces/parks-and-recreation-grounds/morden/king-georges-playing-fields

The King George’s Fields Foundation was established on 3 November 1936 in order to promote the establishment of playing fields in memory of the late King George. It was considered that the King would have approved of such a living memorial, which would benefit the 'individual well-being and the general welfare of the nation', and young people in particular, by providing them with the environment and opportunity for open air exercise. The Trust Deed of the Foundation defined a playing field as 'any open space used for the purpose of outdoor games, sports and pastimes.' Local authorities were able to apply to the Foundation, whose trustee was the National Playing Fields Association, for a grant to provide these new facilities for public recreation. Each new playing field was to be known as King George's Field and was generally provided with heraldic panels that would distinguish it as such. It was a condition of the grant that the tenure of the site was sufficiently secure so that it would provide a meaningful legacy to the king's memory; the land must have been acquired only for the purpose of public recreation. The design of the entrance and the ground's layout had to be approved by the Foundation, which was to receive an annual report for the first five years from the acceptance of the offer. 471 playing fields across the UK were funded and following the demise of the scheme in 1965, their protection has been undertaken by the Fields in Trust. The largest King George's Field is Enfield Playing Fields (q.v.), some 128 acres, and the smallest is in the City of London, King George's Field in Portsoken Street (q.v.).

King George's Playing Fields in Morden were established in 1936 after Merton Borough Council received funding of £3,500 from the King George's Fields Foundation. The land prior to this was open fields. The park remains simply laid out and largely grassland used for sports with perimeter and scattered trees. While the playing fields remain the main provision, tennis courts and a children's play area with paddling pool were later added to the facilities, which now include a pavilion and outdoor gym. The original curved brick entrance on Tudor Drive has the King George's Fields Foundation stone heraldic plaques set into the brick piers either side of the gates, from where a tree-lined path leads through the park with the playground and tennis courts to the right and the raised sports field to the left.

Sources consulted:

'History of the King George's Fields Foundation' and other information on www.fieldsintrust.org

Grid ref:

TQ241668 (524150,166850)

Size in hectares:

8.09

Site ownership:

LB Merton

Site management:

Leisure and Culture Services

Date(s):

1936

Designer(s):

Listed structures:

None

On National Heritage List for England (NHLE), Parks & Gardens:

No

Registered common or village green on Commons Registration Act 1965:

No

Protected under London Squares Preservation Act 1931:

No

Local Authority Data

The information below is taken from the relevant Local Authority's planning legislation, which was correct at the time of research but may have been amended in the interim. Please check with the Local Authority for latest planning information.

On Local List:

No

In Conservation Area:

No

Tree Preservation Order:

No

Nature Conservation Area:

No

Green Belt:

No

Metropolitan Open Land:

No

Special Policy Area:

No

Other LA designation:

Public Open Space

King George's Playing Fields, entrance on Tudor Drive, June 2002. Photograph Sally Williams

Click a photo to enlarge.