Building    From 1619  To 1703

Mortlake Tapestry Works

Categories: Craft / Design

Barnes History has a nice hand-drawn map with a pin showing the location of these Tapestry Works, and it gives the history of the site. John Dee (1527 -1608) lived in a house on this site (with a large and important library) from 1566 until his death by which time he was very poor. In 1619 the estate was purchased and repurposed as the Mortlake Tapestry Works which employed skilled Flemish weavers to produce highly valued products. This closed in the early 18th century.

Another excellent source is Panorama of the Thames. This has another image of the river front which makes clear that the Lower Dutch House is the pink building, shown in our image, to the left of the steps down to the river. Our image is centred on the adjacent Queen's Head pub. The picture source website has researched the 'J.Firmston' named in the picture and this dates it to 1871-8. So the Lower Dutch House was still standing then.The name suggests there was another, upper, 'Dutch House' possibly standing further back from the river. 'Dutch' presumably came from the language/culture of the people working there.

The tapestries were so successful that Mortlake became famous for this product. The Lady Lever Art Gallery holds a set of the tapestries.

(The pub was rebuilt in 1885, closed in the 1940s and, by 2011 was developed into the residential Tapestry Court.)

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Mortlake Tapestry Works

Commemorated ati

Mortlake Tapestry Works

Site of the Lower Dutch House, part of the Mortlake Tapestry Works, 1619 - 1703.

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Other Subjects

Sulloniacae

Sulloniacae

Roman pottery, also called Sulloniacis. It is known only from an entry in the 'Antonine Itinerary', (a listing of routes and facilities in the Roman Empire). There is some doubt as to the authentic...

Place, Craft / Design, Romans

1 memorial
George Tinworth

George Tinworth

Ceramic artist. Born 6 Milk Street, SE5. The whole area has been rebuilt but Milk Street used to run parallel to Red Lion Row, just to the east. From Mapping of Sculpture: "... enrolled at Lambeth...

Person, Art, Craft / Design

4 memorials
James Radley Young

James Radley Young

From Tessellations: "James Radley Young was a major designer for Carter Tiles during the early part of the 20th century. In addition to single tiles he also designed a number of major tile panels f...

Person, Art, Craft / Design

1 memorial
Dan Parkes

Dan Parkes

Clock-maker. We had 1989 as his date of death but in July 2024 we received this contact from Chris: "Dan’s distant nephew (grandson of his sister Elizabeth) here. Just to correct that 1989 is when...

Person, Craft / Design

1 memorial
William de Morgan

William de Morgan

Potter, tile designer and novelist. Born 69 Gower Street as William Frend de Morgan, to the mathematician Augustus de Morgan. Lifelong friend of William Morris, he designed tiles, stained glass an...

Person, Craft / Design, Literature

23 memorials

Previously viewed

Cicely House

Cicely House

NW8, Cochrane Street, Cicely House

British Pathe News has film of the Queen Mum's visit including shots inside a flat.

1 creator