66 BOROUGH OF LEWISHAM. 
of which took in the entire country from Blackheath to the Eltham 
Road. The estate, anciently known as Wricklemarsh, is entered 
separately in Domesday Book. After passing through several 
hands it was sold to Sir John Morden in 1669, who founded the 
college, which bears his name, on a portion of the estate. The 
mansion house and the main portion of the park he left to Dame 
Susan Morden for her life, and on her death in 1721 it was sold to 
Sir Gregory Page, Bart., of Greenwich. He rebuilt the house in a 
most magnificent style, and at the time it was considered one of 
the finest seats in England. It was built entirely of stone from 
designs by John James, and, notwithstanding its size, is stated to 
have been erected in the space of eleven months. It cost £90,000. 
The centre of the building consisted of a basement, state and attic 
storey, with a large Ionic portico on the south front, the ascent to 
which was by semi-circular flights of steps. The wings projected 
two hundred feet from the north front at right angles, and con- 
tained the offices, stables, etc., communicating with the house by 
colonnades. The picture gallery contained a very choice collection 
of paintings by Reubens, Vandyke, Titian, and other masters. 
Sir Gregory died in 1775, leaving no issue, and the estate 
passed to his great-nephew, Sir Gregory Turner of Ambrosden, 
Bart., who assumed the surname and arms of Page. He sold the 
estate fh 1783 to John Cator, Esq., of Stump’s Hill, Beckenham, 
for £22,500, who resold the house in lots to be taken down. It 
was accordingly dismantled in 1787, and stood in a half-ruined 
condition for many years. The Paragon and Montpelier Row were 
built on the Blackheath frontage of Wricklemarsh Park. There is 
a tradition that the columns of the colonnades in The Paragon and 
the stone of some of the houses in Montpelier Row came from the 
old house. 
Pond Road, Morden Road, Blackheath Park, The Manor Way, 
and Part of Weigall Road are on the site of the park, as also the 
houses fronting’ Lee Road. The pond from which Pond Road takes 
its name, was the piece of ornamental water which stood in the 
centre of the avenue of the north front of Wricklemarsh House; 
another piece, now drained. stood to the south of the mansion. 
The Avenue and Wemyss Road, both in Lewisham Parish, are 
more recent formations. 
On the map of 1695 the boundary of the Heath varies con- 
siderably from that at the present day. At the corner now occupied 
by the ‘‘ Princess of Wales” Hotel were two cottages marked 
‘Sir John Morden’s two new tenements,” and beyond these no 
houses seem to have been erected on this part of the Heath; the 
boundary of which appears to have then been where Paragon Place 
and The Avenue now stand. Within this triangle (which must 
have been subsequently enclosed from the Heath) stood a maze. 
The ground at the bottom of the slope, now occupied by the rail- 
way, is shown as Sir John Morden’s vineyard and orchard, whilst 
at the point where Tranquil Vale and Montpelier Vale meet, 
