Mortlake
Encyclopedia
Mortlake is a district of London
, England and part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
. It is on the south bank of the River Thames
between Kew
and Barnes with East Sheen
inland to the south. Mortlake was part of Surrey
until 1965.
of 1086 as Mortelage. It was held by Archbishop Lanfranc of Canterbury
. Its domesday assets were: 25 hide
s; 1 church, 2 mill
s worth £5, 1 fishery
, 33 plough
s, 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of meadow
, wood worth 55 hogs. It rendered £38 plus 4s 4d from 17 houses in London
, 2s 3d from houses in Southwark
and £1 from tolls at Putney
. Mortelage is thought to mean a small stream containing young salmon, referring to a fishery in the area on a former tributary of the River Thames
which is now gone. The manor belonged to the Archbishops of Canterbury
until the time of Henry VIII
, when it passed by exchange to the Crown. From the early part of the 17th century until after the civil wars, Mortlake was celebrated for the manufacture of tapestry
, founded during the reign of James I-VI at the Mortlake Tapestry Works
.
Its most famous former resident is Elizabeth I
's advisor, John Dee
. The cemetery of St Mary Magdalene's Church in Mortlake contains the tomb of Sir Richard Burton
, and the ashes of comic-magician Tommy Cooper
are interred at Mortlake Crematorium
.
Since 1845, the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race has had its finish point at Mortlake, marked by the University Boat Race stone
just downstream of Chiswick Bridge
. Several other important rowing
races over the Championship Course
also either start or finish at the stone.
Mortlake bus garage, situated in Avondale Road, was closed in 1983. Much of the site was rebuilt as housing but a small area near the railway was retained as a turning point for buses, with toilet facilities for drivers, and a small office. Mortlake garage had opened very early in the 20th century and originally catered for horse buses. In later years the stables were converted into the traffic office.
constituency South West
, which includes Mortlake, is held by the Conservative assembly member Tony Arbour.
In the 1840s Charles James Philips acquired Mortlake Brewery, which had existed since the fifteenth century.
In 1889 the brewery was acquired by James Watney & Co., which in 1898 became Watney Combe & Reid
after acquiring Messrs. Combe Delafield and Co. and Messrs. Reid and Co. When Watney's Stag Brewery in Victoria, London
, was demolished in 1959, the name was transferred to Mortlake Brewery.
The brewery became part of Scottish Courage
, and is now leased to Anheuser-Busch Europe Ltd and produces Budweiser
pale lager
. On January 6, 2009, InBev Anheuser-Busch said that the company is proposing to close the Stag Brewery in 2010. This is the result of a merger between InBev and Anheuser-Busch. The closure could lead to the loss of 180 jobs at the brewery.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England and part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London, UK, which forms part of Outer London. It is unique because it is the only London borough situated both north and south of the River Thames.-Settlement:...
. It is on the south bank of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
between Kew
Kew
Kew is a place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London. Kew is best known for being the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens, now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace...
and Barnes with East Sheen
East Sheen
East Sheen, also known as 'Sheen', is an affluent suburb of London, England in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It forms part of the London post town in the SW postcode area....
inland to the south. Mortlake was part of Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
until 1965.
History
Mortlake appears in Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 as Mortelage. It was held by Archbishop Lanfranc of Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
. Its domesday assets were: 25 hide
Hide (unit)
The hide was originally an amount of land sufficient to support a household, but later in Anglo-Saxon England became a unit used in assessing land for liability to "geld", or land tax. The geld would be collected at a stated rate per hide...
s; 1 church, 2 mill
Mill (grinding)
A grinding mill is a unit operation designed to break a solid material into smaller pieces. There are many different types of grinding mills and many types of materials processed in them. Historically mills were powered by hand , working animal , wind or water...
s worth £5, 1 fishery
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
, 33 plough
Plough
The plough or plow is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture...
s, 20 acres (80,937.2 m²) of meadow
Meadow
A meadow is a field vegetated primarily by grass and other non-woody plants . The term is from Old English mædwe. In agriculture a meadow is grassland which is not grazed by domestic livestock but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to make hay...
, wood worth 55 hogs. It rendered £38 plus 4s 4d from 17 houses in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, 2s 3d from houses in Southwark
Southwark
Southwark is a district of south London, England, and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Southwark. Situated east of Charing Cross, it forms one of the oldest parts of London and fronts the River Thames to the north...
and £1 from tolls at Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
. Mortelage is thought to mean a small stream containing young salmon, referring to a fishery in the area on a former tributary of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
which is now gone. The manor belonged to the Archbishops of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
until the time of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
, when it passed by exchange to the Crown. From the early part of the 17th century until after the civil wars, Mortlake was celebrated for the manufacture of tapestry
Tapestry
Tapestry is a form of textile art, traditionally woven on a vertical loom, however it can also be woven on a floor loom as well. It is composed of two sets of interlaced threads, those running parallel to the length and those parallel to the width ; the warp threads are set up under tension on a...
, founded during the reign of James I-VI at the Mortlake Tapestry Works
Mortlake Tapestry Works
Mortlake Tapestry Works were established alongside the River Thames at Mortlake, then outside, but near west London in 1619 by Sir Francis Crane.-Royal Patronage:...
.
Its most famous former resident is Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
's advisor, John Dee
John Dee (mathematician)
John Dee was an English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, occultist, navigator, imperialist and consultant to Queen Elizabeth I. He devoted much of his life to the study of alchemy, divination and Hermetic philosophy....
. The cemetery of St Mary Magdalene's Church in Mortlake contains the tomb of Sir Richard Burton
Richard Francis Burton
Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton KCMG FRGS was a British geographer, explorer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, cartographer, ethnologist, spy, linguist, poet, fencer and diplomat. He was known for his travels and explorations within Asia, Africa and the Americas as well as his...
, and the ashes of comic-magician Tommy Cooper
Tommy Cooper
Thomas Frederick "Tommy" Cooper was a very popular British prop comedian and magician from Caerphilly, Wales.Cooper was a member of The Magic Circle, and respected by traditional magicians...
are interred at Mortlake Crematorium
Mortlake Crematorium
Mortlake Crematorium is a crematorium in Mortlake, a district of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, United Kingdom. It is situated on the banks of the River Thames by Chiswick Bridge and serves the west and south-west of London, that is the Boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham,...
.
Since 1845, the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race has had its finish point at Mortlake, marked by the University Boat Race stone
University Boat Race Stones
The University Boat Race Stones are two small stone markers on the southern bank of the River Thames in west London, one 129m upstream of Putney Bridge and the other at Mortlake, 112m downstream of Chiswick Bridge....
just downstream of Chiswick Bridge
Chiswick Bridge
Chiswick Bridge is a reinforced concrete deck arch bridge over the River Thames in West London. One of three bridges opened in 1933 as part of an ambitious scheme to relieve traffic congestion west of London, it carries the A316 road between Chiswick on the north bank of the Thames and Mortlake on...
. Several other important rowing
Sport rowing
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
races over the Championship Course
The Championship Course
The stretch of the River Thames between Mortlake and Putney in London, England is a well-established course for rowing races, most famously the Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. It is often referred to as The Championship Course...
also either start or finish at the stone.
Mortlake bus garage, situated in Avondale Road, was closed in 1983. Much of the site was rebuilt as housing but a small area near the railway was retained as a turning point for buses, with toilet facilities for drivers, and a small office. Mortlake garage had opened very early in the 20th century and originally catered for horse buses. In later years the stables were converted into the traffic office.
Governance
The Mortlake and Barnes Common ward of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is highly marginal. In the 2010 local elections the Liberal Democrats lost all three seats to the Conservatives, who now hold a majority on the Council. Richmond Park, the constituency which includes Mortlake, also changed from Liberal Democrat to Conservative in the 2010 general election. The London AssemblyLondon Assembly
The London Assembly is an elected body, part of the Greater London Authority, that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor of London and has the power, with a two-thirds majority, to amend the mayor's annual budget. The assembly was established in 2000 and is headquartered at City Hall on the south...
constituency South West
South West (London Assembly constituency)
South West is a constituency represented in the London Assembly. It has been represented, since its creation in 2000, by Tony Arbour, a Conservative from Richmond upon Thames....
, which includes Mortlake, is held by the Conservative assembly member Tony Arbour.
Stag Brewery
In 1889 the brewery was acquired by James Watney & Co., which in 1898 became Watney Combe & Reid
Watney Combe & Reid
Watney Combe & Reid was a leading brewing business in London. At its peak in the 1930s it was a constituent of the FT30 index of leading companies on the London Stock Exchange. It produced the beer brand Watney's Red Barrel.-The Stag Brewery:...
after acquiring Messrs. Combe Delafield and Co. and Messrs. Reid and Co. When Watney's Stag Brewery in Victoria, London
Victoria, London
Victoria is a commercial and residential area of inner city London, lying wholly within the City of Westminster, and named after Queen Victoria....
, was demolished in 1959, the name was transferred to Mortlake Brewery.
The brewery became part of Scottish Courage
Scottish & Newcastle
Scottish & Newcastle plc was a "long alcoholic drinks" company with positions in 15 countries, including UK, France and Russia. It was headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. In the last 20 years, S&N expanded significantly from its home base to become an international business with beer...
, and is now leased to Anheuser-Busch Europe Ltd and produces Budweiser
Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
pale lager
Pale lager
Pale lager is a very pale to golden-coloured beer with a well attenuated body and a varying degree of noble hop bitterness. The brewing process for this beer developed in the mid 19th century when Gabriel Sedlmayr took pale ale brewing techniques back to the Spaten Brewery in Germany and applied it...
. On January 6, 2009, InBev Anheuser-Busch said that the company is proposing to close the Stag Brewery in 2010. This is the result of a merger between InBev and Anheuser-Busch. The closure could lead to the loss of 180 jobs at the brewery.
Nearest places
- Barnes
- ChiswickChiswickChiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...
- East SheenEast SheenEast Sheen, also known as 'Sheen', is an affluent suburb of London, England in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It forms part of the London post town in the SW postcode area....
- Richmond
- GunnersburyGunnersburyGunnersbury is a place in the London Borough of Hounslow, with its northern edge in the London Borough of Ealing, west London. It has an area of less than half a square kilometre and is within the west area of the Chiswick W4 postal district of London....
Nearest railway stations
- Mortlake railway stationMortlake railway stationMortlake railway station is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains. Postal district and boundary changes over many years mean that Mortlake Station now serves the area...
- Barnes Bridge railway stationBarnes Bridge railway stationBarnes Bridge railway station is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south west London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station and all trains serving it are operated by South West Trains...
- North Sheen railway stationNorth Sheen railway stationNorth Sheen railway station is in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, in south London, and is in Travelcard Zone 3. The station, on the eastern edge of Richmond, is named after the North Sheen area which, in 1965, was absorbed by Kew. It was opened by the Southern Railway in 1930...