 In 1854 he was admitted to King's College, Cambridge where he took Classical Honours, graduating Bachelor of Arts in 1859 and Master of Arts in 1862.In 1857 he was elected a Fellow of King's College, subsequently becoming bursar in 1870–1871 and Senior dean of the college in 1871–1872.Morton was ordained as a Church of England deacon in 1861 and as a priest in 1863.