Mortlake History

MORTLAKE, a parish in the W. division of the hundred of Brixton, county Surrey, 2 miles E. of Richmond, and the same distance S.E. of Brentwood. It has stations on the Windsor and Richmond and Thames Valley branches of the London and South-Western railway. It is situated on the S. bank of the river Thames, and on the road from London to Richmond, and includes part of Richmond park.

On the banks of the Thames are many residences and villas. The parish contains East Sheen, also traces of Mortlake House, anciently the residence of the archbishops of Canterbury. Edward III. resided here in 1352, and Queen Elizabeth frequently visited Dr. Dee.

here was a tapestry factory established here in 1616 by F. Crane, the first in England, but was destroyed in the time of the Civil War. An extensive trade is done in malting and brewing, and there is a small pottery for stoneware. There is a savings-bank for this parish and that of Barnes held in the vestry-room. A great part of the land is occupied by market gardens, in which asparagus is largely cultivated. A farm comprising 80 acres, on the Richmond side of the parish, was formerly the private property of George III. The appropriate tithes, belonging to the Dean and Chapter of Worcester, have been commuted for a rent-charge of £400.

The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of London, value £180, in the patronage of the Dean and Chapter of Worcester. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, has an ancient stone and flint tower, square and embattled, and containing eight bells. The interior of the church contains an old font presented by Archbishop Bourchier in the reign of Henry VI., at which time the church was restored or rebuilt; also several brasses and monuments of persons of distinction, including Sir Philip Francis, Dr. John Dee, and John Partridge. The church was enlarged in 1860. The register dates from 1577. The parochial charities produce about £177 per annum, of which £47 goes to Lady Capel's school, and £45 to Juxon's almshouses, also Colston's almshouses.

There are National, British, Roman Catholic, and infant schools, also an industrial school for girls intended for domestic service. The Independents and Roman Catholics have each a place of worship. Cromwell House is a red brick mansion, erected on the site of General Ireton's house, where, it is said, Cromwell frequently held his councils; it was subsequently the seat of Edward Colston, the great benefactor to the city of Bristol, who during his lifetime expended above £70,000 in the support of various charitable institutions. A cemetery was opened here in 1859.

[Description(s) from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868)
Transcribed by Colin Hinson ©2003] These pages are intended for personal use only, so please respect the conditions of use.