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.)

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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

Philip Murdin

Philip Murdin

Of the English Heritage Stone Carvers Studio.

Person, Craft / Design

1 memorial
John Hutton

John Hutton

Glass engraver. Born New Zealand. Moved to London as a young artist. Best known for work at Coventry Cathedral, where he is buried.

Person, Craft / Design, New Zealand

2 memorials
Christopher Pinchbeck

Christopher Pinchbeck

Clock maker. Invented the alloy of copper and zinc which closely resembles gold.

Person, Craft / Design

1 memorial
Mather and Smither
1 memorial
George Graham (clocks)

George Graham (clocks)

Horologist (clockmaker), maker of scientific instruments, inventor, and geophysicist. Born near Carlisle and left Cumberland in 1688 for London. Joined the Tompion household and workshop in about 1...

Person, Craft / Design, Science

2 memorials

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Greater London Council

Greater London Council

Replaced the LCC. The GLC was abolished, some say, because Mrs Thatcher could not abide its left-wing politics, nor its leader, Ken Livingstone.  On its 50th anniversary Diamond Geezer posted a goo...

Group, Politics & Administration

244 memorials