The Knowledge

East Sheen

The area of East Sheen and Mortlake, combines to make a real community centred around the busy and diverse hub that is the Upper Richmond Road. There are a number of interesting, and often one-off, shops as well as a host of restaurants and cafes all of which ensure that people flock to the area from both Richmond and Barnes as well as further afield.

At the time of the Domesday Book, the Manor of Mortlake was so large it included Putney and Wimbledon! It was held by the Archbishop of Canterbury until the 16th Century. Mortlake was originally a riverside village and you can still find a few early houses dating from the late 15th century along the riverfront at Thames Bank. Mortlake was known for its tapestry works and later for its brewery – which is still a big business in the area.
East Sheen was originally a hamlet within the parish of Mortlake. During the 18th and 19th centuries many large houses were built, unfortunately however, many of these fine houses were demolished in the early 20th Century and the area underwent a considerable amount of development. This however, is a real benefit of the area today, as there is a real selection of property in both East Sheen and Mortlake from the opulent houses in the more suburban-feeling tract to the South on the fringes of Richmond Park (with prices to match) and the smaller and comparitively inexpensive properties on the North Victorian/Edwardian Mortlake side.

The history of the area was extracted from Barnes and Mortlake History Society, for more information visit www.barnes-history.org.uk