Mortlake Tapestry Works

It was to be under the management of Sir Francis Crane who undertook the recruitment of weavers and to meet the cost of building and fitting up premises.

Since there was no effective pool of labour in England, some 50 Flemish workers were brought in great secrecy, mainly from Brussels and the Low Countries (Belgium) where tapestry weaving was a major industry.

Initially, the factory mostly copied designs from the large collection assembled by Henry VIII, with updated borders in more contemporary styles.

The English Civil War was a difficult period, but the Commonwealth supported the workshop, and in 1656 Francis Cleyn was paid for making new designs.

Charles I's set was bought by Cardinal Mazarin when his collection was broken up under the English Commonwealth, and now belongs to the French government.

[13] Lord Leverhulme acquired a Mortlake tapestry series in 1918 from Stella Hall, near Newcastle, home of the family of the industrialist Sir Joseph Cowen (1800–73).

This was a complete set of six of one of the most popular tapestry series woven by Mortlake, illustrating the ancient Greek story of the tragic love of the priestess Hero for Leander.

Leander swam the dangerous currents of the Hellespont, the straits between Europe and Asia at the Bosphorus, in order to see his love, but was drowned one stormy night.