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This reach is generally considered to span the two bridges - from Barnes Railway Bridge to Chiswick Bridge (which carries traffic), though some claim it can still be called Mortlake downstream as far as Kew Bridge. It is likely that the riverside at Mortlake was settled in prehistoric times with the discovery of ancient shards of pottery and neolithic flints dating from as long ago at 8000BC Mortlake Manor was once held by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and until about 1350 the parish church was at Wimbledon. Visits from the priest may be the origin of the name of the nearby "Priests Bridge" over the Thames tributary of the Beverley Brook. By the late 16th century Mortlake had become a popular residential village and was home to the celebrated alchemist Dr John Dee who died here in 1608 and whose name is perpetuated on a block of modern flats in the High Street. In 1619 tapestry works were set up in buildings along the riverside, of which only Suthrey House remains. Tapestry Court, a building in Italianate style, celebrates the industry through its name, though this building was in fact once a public house, the Queen's Head. Mortlake's tapestries were numerous and excellent, but as a business it was not financial success. Charles I bought the works in about 1640 and the tapestries then became known as the King's Works. As a luxury trade, business suffered during the Civil War and failed to benefit from the Restoration. The works was closed in 1703 by order of Queen Anne but Mortlake Tapestries are still acclaimed today and continue to grace stately homes and palaces far and wide. Later industries included potteries, sugar refining, market gardening and brewing, which still flourishes today at the Mortlake Brewery. The first evidence of brewery works was in the latter half of the 18th century and the industry expanded rapidly in the late 19th century with government contracts to supply ale to the British Army in India. Mortlake's river frontage today is one of contrasts with the hard urban edge of the modern brewery adjoining some fine 18th and 19th century houses whose gardens extend to the towpath. The riverside embraces a rich mix of uses - industrial, residential, leisure, commercial and gardens, which contribute to its robust character. The gentle curve of the Thames at this point emphasises the panoramic nature of the built frontage in Mortlake, particularly from the Middlesex bank at Duke's Meadow or from the river itself. The eight storey 1903 granary building is fine example of Mortlake's industrial heritage and an important local landmark along this stretch. The tower and cupola of St Mary's Church is another landmark, particularly when framed in views down the historic alleys which link the towpath to the High Street. In the churchyard of the nearby Catholic church there is an unusual mausoleum in the style of a sheik's tent, of Sir Richard Burton, an early explorer in Africa. Acting as a focal point along the reach is the domed turret of the White Hart public house. Less attractive along this riverside conservation area are the large scale advertisements for the brewery and the intrusive residential and tower blocks in the High Street. A number of industrial artefacts remain along the river frontage and are reminders of its rich industrial past. The remains of wooden jetties and ancient mooring posts are revealed at low tide. At the former wharves there are the remains of a drawdock, pier and sections of iron track leading out on to a cobbled quay from within the brewery compound. There are also old access steps down to the foreshore. Mortlake is famous world wide as the finish for the annual University Boat Race, which has been rowed from Putney since 1845. The finish, along Thames Bank close to Chiswick Bridge, is marked by a boundary stone on the riverside.
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