A Heritage Discovery Day is being hosted by Merton Council for people to find out more about the borough’s history.

A special heritage marketplace will feature stalls and displays supplied by 22 organisations from across the borough. These include Merton museums, local history societies, genealogists, archaeologists and community groups.

There will be open air cinema outside Merton Civic Centre in London Road, Morden, showing historic films provided by the London Screen Archives.

Inside, visitors can see an exhibition of historic images of bygone Merton. They can also discover a series of family war stories, shared by local people descended from First World War combatants. Children’s activities will include block printing, archaeology and tambourine workshops.

The programme also features local history films, talks and workshops about the Merton Priory Chapter House, Mitcham Cricket Green, African communities in Merton and reminiscences of the St Helier Estate.

Residents will be able to view pictures from the Merton Memories online photographic archive and find out more about Carved in Stone, both projects run by Merton Council’s heritage service. Carved in Stone has recently uncovered the life stories of more than 500 First World War combatants commemorated on local war memorials. An extensive online archive has also been developed with the support of an £80,900 grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Merton Council’s Director of Community and Housing, Simon Williams, said: “Merton has a rich heritage and this discovery day is a fantastic opportunity for the whole family to learn more about the borough’s history.

“Find out what life in Merton was like in the past and how the memories and archives are being preserved for future generations.”

The Heritage Discovery Day will take place on Saturday 13 May between 12.30pm-4.30pm at Morden Library in London Road, Morden.

The full programme for the day can be found on the council’s website.