East Sheen, also known as Sheen, is a suburb in south-west London
in the
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames () in south-west Greater London, London, England, forms part of Outer London and is the only London boroughs, London borough on both sides of the River Thames. It was created in 1965 when three smaller ...
.
Its long
high street
High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym fo ...
has shops, offices, restaurants, cafés, pubs and suburban supermarkets and is also the economic hub for
Mortlake
Mortlake is a suburban district of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes, London, Barnes. Historically it was part of Surrey and until 1965 was in the Municipal Borough of Barnes ...
of which East Sheen was once a
manor. This commercial thoroughfare, well served by public transport, is the
Upper Richmond Road West which connects
Richmond to
Putney
Putney () is an affluent district in southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.
History
Putney is an ...
. Central to this street is ''The Triangle'', a traffic island with a war memorial and an old
milestone
A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway, railway line, canal or border, boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks like Mileage sign, mileage signs; or they c ...
dating from 1751, marking the distance to
Cornhill in the
City of London
The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...
.
The main railway station serving the area,
Mortlake
Mortlake is a suburban district of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes, London, Barnes. Historically it was part of Surrey and until 1965 was in the Municipal Borough of Barnes ...
, is centred north of this. Sheen has a mixture of
low-rise and
mid-rise buildings and it has
parks and open spaces including its share of
Richmond Park
Richmond Park, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, is the largest of Royal Parks of London, London's Royal Parks and is of national and international importance for wildlife conservation. It was created by Charles I of England, Cha ...
, accessed via Sheen Gate; Palewell Common, which has a playground, playing fields, tennis courts and a
pitch and putt course; and
East Sheen Common which is owned by the
National Trust
The National Trust () is a heritage and nature conservation charity and membership organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The Trust was founded in 1895 by Octavia Hill, Sir Robert Hunter and Hardwicke Rawnsley to "promote the ...
and leads into Bog Gate, another gate of Richmond Park.
Sheen Lane runs south from the junction of
Mortlake High Street and Lower Richmond Road, over the level crossing at Mortlake station and the crossroads at Upper Richmond Road West, and up the hill to East Sheen Gate.
Etymology
The earliest recorded use of the name is c. 950 as ''Sceon'' and means ''shed or shelters''. The area was designated separately from
Sheen (an earlier name for Richmond) from the 13th century, as the southern
manor of Mortlake.
Local politics
East Sheen is in the
Richmond Park
Richmond Park, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, is the largest of Royal Parks of London, London's Royal Parks and is of national and international importance for wildlife conservation. It was created by Charles I of England, Cha ...
constituency. The Member of Parliament is
Sarah Olney of the
Liberal Democrats.
Every four years, residents elect three councillors to
Richmond upon Thames Council. East Sheen was traditionally a safe Conservative
ward, but in the 2022 elections three Liberal Democrats were elected.
East Sheen Ward borders the railway at Mortlake station, and includes a large slice of Richmond Park, extending south to Robin Hood Gate by the
A3 road
The A3, known as the Portsmouth Road or London Road in sections, is a major road connecting the City of London and Portsmouth passing close to Kingston upon Thames, Guildford, Haslemere and Petersfield. For much of its length, it is classifie ...
.
History
Manor and hamlet status
East Sheen was a hamlet in the
parish
A parish is a territorial entity in many Christianity, Christian denominations, constituting a division within a diocese. A parish is under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of a priest#Christianity, priest, often termed a parish pries ...
of
Mortlake
Mortlake is a suburban district of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes, London, Barnes. Historically it was part of Surrey and until 1965 was in the Municipal Borough of Barnes ...
:
Earliest references specifically to the present area of land, rather than references to parts of Mortlake, emerge in the 13th century, generally under its early name of Westhall. Originally one
carucate, it was sold in 1473 by Michael Gaynsford and Margaret his wife in the right of Margaret to William Welbeck, citizen and
haberdasher
__NOTOC__
In British English, a haberdasher is a business or person who sells small articles for sewing, dressmaking and knitting, such as buttons, ribbons, and zippers; in the United States, the term refers instead to a men's clothing st ...
, of London. The Welbecks held it until selling in 1587. Later owners of what remained, the Whitfields, Juxons and Taylors were equally not titled, as with Mortlake's manorial owners, nor had an above average size or lavish
manor house
A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were usually held the lord's manorial courts, communal mea ...
.
[
]
Development of the Temple Grove, Palmerston country estate
The southern estate of Temple Grove, East Sheen, first belonged to Sir Abraham Cullen, who was created a baronet
A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...
in 1661. He died in 1668, and his first son Sir John in 1677. His second son Sir Rushout Cullen seems to have sold the estate shortly afterwards to Sir John Temple, attorney-general of Ireland, brother to Sir William Temple, diplomat and author, who was earlier of adjoining West Sheen, giving the home his name. It belonged to the Temples until Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, who later would serve as Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister
A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...
, sold it soon after coming of age in 1805. It was bought by Sir Thomas Bernard, who rebuilt the Jacobean style front of the house shown in a drawing hung in the house of 1611. Sir Thomas sold it about 1811 to Rev. William Pearson who founded the Temple Grove Preparatory School for boys. The school moved in 1907 to Eastbourne
Eastbourne () is a town and seaside resort in East Sussex, on the south coast of England, east of Brighton and south of London. It is also a non-metropolitan district, local government district with Borough status in the United Kingdom, bor ...
and the estate was given over to house and apartment builders.
Administration
East Sheen was included in the Metropolitan Police District
The Metropolitan Police District (MPD) is the police area which is policed by the Metropolitan Police Service in London. It currently consists of the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, which excludes the City of ...
in 1840. Before 1900, Mortlake developed a secular vestry
A vestry was a committee for the local secular and ecclesiastical government of a parish in England, Wales and some English colony, English colonies. At their height, the vestries were the only form of local government in many places and spen ...
to help administer poor relief, maintain roads, ditches and other affairs.[IGEW]
John Marius Wilson: '' Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales'' (1870–72) From 1892 to 1894 Mortlake (including East Sheen) formed part of the expanded Municipal Borough of Richmond.[Vision of Britain �]
Mortlake parish
historic map
) In 1894, nearby North Sheen was created as a civil parish, being split off from Mortlake and remaining in the Municipal Borough of Richmond.[Vision of Britain �]
North Sheen parish
historic map
) The remainder of Mortlake (including East Sheen) was instead transferred to the Barnes Urban District,[Vision of Britain �]
Barnes UD/MB
historic map
) which became the Municipal Borough of Barnes in 1932.
In 1965 North Sheen was incorporated into Kew
Kew () is a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its population at the 2011 census was 11,436. Kew is the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens ("Kew Gardens"), now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace. Kew is ...
which, with the rest of the Municipal Borough of Richmond, joined the Municipal Borough of Twickenham and the Municipal Borough of Barnes to form the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames () in south-west Greater London, London, England, forms part of Outer London and is the only London boroughs, London borough on both sides of the River Thames. It was created in 1965 when three smaller ...
.
Economy
East Sheen concentrates its commercial area to the main through street: its long high street
High Street is a common street name for the primary business street of a city, town, or village, especially in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth. It implies that it is the focal point for business, especially shopping. It is also a metonym fo ...
has transport/furniture/hardware shops, convenience services, offices, restaurants, cafés, pubs and suburban supermarkets and is also the economic hub for Mortlake
Mortlake is a suburban district of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes, London, Barnes. Historically it was part of Surrey and until 1965 was in the Municipal Borough of Barnes ...
of which East Sheen was once a manor. This wide-footpath street is the Upper Richmond Road West which connects Richmond to Putney
Putney () is an affluent district in southwest London, England, in the London Borough of Wandsworth, southwest of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.
History
Putney is an ...
. Central to this street is ''The Triangle'', a tree-lined traffic island with a war memorial and an old milestone
A milestone is a numbered marker placed on a route such as a road, railway, railway line, canal or border, boundary. They can indicate the distance to towns, cities, and other places or landmarks like Mileage sign, mileage signs; or they c ...
at the intersection of Upper Richmond Road West with Sheen Lane. The main railway station serving the area, Mortlake
Mortlake is a suburban district of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes, London, Barnes. Historically it was part of Surrey and until 1965 was in the Municipal Borough of Barnes ...
, is centred 300m north of this.[Grid square map]
Ordnance Survey
The Ordnance Survey (OS) is the national mapping agency for Great Britain. The agency's name indicates its original military purpose (see Artillery, ordnance and surveying), which was to map Scotland in the wake of the Jacobite rising of ...
website
Churches
East Sheen lies in the ecclesiastical parish of Mortlake with East Sheen. In addition to the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin the district has two daughter churches: Christ Church, and All Saints. Christ Church, situated near the crossroads of Christchurch Road and West Temple Sheen, was built by Arthur Blomfield on land formerly part of a farm at the entrance to Sheen Common in the 1860s. It was originally planned to be opened in April 1863; however, the tower collapsed shortly before completion and had to be rebuilt. The church was finally completed and consecrated nine months later, on 13 January 1864.
All Saints was built on land bequeathed under the will of Major Shepherd-Cross, MP for Bolton
Bolton ( , locally ) is a town in Greater Manchester in England. In the foothills of the West Pennine Moors, Bolton is between Manchester, Blackburn, Wigan, Bury, Greater Manchester, Bury and Salford. It is surrounded by several towns and vill ...
who lived at nearby Palewell Lodge from 1896 until his death in 1913. The church was consecrated on All Saints' Day
All Saints' Day, also known as All Hallows' Day, the Feast of All Saints, the Feast of All Hallows, the Solemnity of All Saints, and Hallowmas, is a Christian solemnity celebrated in honour of all the saints of the Church, whether they are know ...
1929, a year and two days after the foundation stone was laid by Elizabeth, Duchess of York (later Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon (4 August 1900 – 30 March 2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 to 6 February 1952 as the wife of King George VI. She was al ...
).
East Sheen has two other churches: East Sheen Baptist Church and Parkside Christian Centre.
East Sheen has no separate Roman Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics worldwide as of 2025. It is among the world's oldest and largest international institut ...
church; the church of St Mary Magdalen Mortlake and Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, Richmond also serve East Sheen.
Other notable features
There is a Grade II-listed air raid shelter, dating from before the Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, at St Leonard's Court, a block of flats on St Leonard's Road, near Mortlake railway station.
Notable residents
Living people
* Sir Tim Berners-Lee
Sir Timothy John Berners-Lee (born 8 June 1955), also known as TimBL, is an English computer scientist best known as the inventor of the World Wide Web, the HTML markup language, the URL system, and HTTP. He is a professorial research fellow a ...
(born 1955), computer scientist and inventor of the World Wide Web, grew up in East Sheen and attended Sheen Mount Primary School. A mosaic by Sue Edkins was placed at Sheen Lane Centre in June 2013 to commemorate his association with East Sheen.
* Carol Cleveland
Carol Cleveland (born Carol Gillian Frances on 13 January 1942) is an American-English actor, comedian, dancer, and model. She is particularly known for her work with Monty Python.
Early life
Born in East Sheen, London, she moved to the United ...
(born 1942), actress and comedian, who worked with Monty Python
Monty Python, also known as the Pythons, were a British comedy troupe formed in 1969 consisting of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin. The group came to prominence for the sketch comedy ser ...
, was born in East Sheen.
* Abigail Cruttenden (born 1968), actress, lives in East Sheen.
* Omid Djalili
Omid Djalili (; born 30 September 1965) is a British comedian, actor, and writer.
Early life and education
Djalili was born on 30 September 1965 in St Mary Abbots Hospital in Kensington, London, to Iranian Baháʼí parents Ahmad and Parvane ...
(born 1965), actor and comedian, lives in East Sheen.
* David Gandy (born 1980), model, lives in East Sheen.
* Philip Glenister (born 1963), and Beth Goddard (born 1969), actors, live in East Sheen.
* Tom Hardy (born 1977), actor, lives in East Sheen.
* Carrie Johnson (born 1988), conservationist and wife of Prime Minister Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964) is a British politician and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He wa ...
, was brought up in East Sheen.
* Andrew Marr (born 1959), political broadcaster and Jackie Ashley (born 1954), political journalist, have lived in East Sheen.
* Sir Trevor McDonald
Sir Trevor Lawson McDonald (born George McDonald; 16 August 1939) is a Trinidadian-British newsreader and journalist, best known for his career as a news presenter with Independent Television News (ITN).
McDonald began his career working as a ...
(born 1939), broadcaster, lives in East Sheen.
* Steven Moffat (born 1961), television writer and producer, and his wife Sue Vertue (born 1960), television producer, live in East Sheen.
* Valerie Vaz (born 1954), politician and solicitor, Labour MP for Walsall South, was brought up in East Sheen.
Historical figures
18th century
* John Partridge (1644–c.1714), astrologer, was born at East Sheen and apprenticed to a local shoemaker. He died in Mortlake and is buried there.
* Robert Shirley, 1st Earl Ferrers (1650–1717), peer and courtier, was born in East Sheen.
19th century
* Sir Charles Pole, 1st Baronet (1757–1830), Admiral of the Fleet
An admiral of the fleet or shortened to fleet admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to field marshal and marshal of the air force. An admiral of the fleet is typically senior to an admiral.
It is also a generic ter ...
, who married Henrietta Goddard, niece of Henry Hope of Sheen House, in 1792, lived at Sheen House from 1806 onwards.
* Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey (1764–1845), British Prime Minister from 1831 to 1834, rented Sheen House from the Marquess of Ailesbury
Marquess of Ailesbury (later styled Aylesbury), in the Buckinghamshire, County of Buckingham, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 17 July 1821 for Charles Brudenell-Bruce, 1st Marquess of Ailesbury, Charles Brudene ...
during his premiership, for use as a country house near London.
* Robert Stewart, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry
The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of '' Hruod'' () "fame, glory, honour, praise, reno ...
, usually known as Lord Castlereagh (1769–1822), British Foreign Secretary, rented Temple Grove, East Sheen, from Lord Palmerston
Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston (20 October 1784 – 18 October 1865), known as Lord Palmerston, was a British statesman and politician who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1855 to 1858 and from 1859 to 1865. A m ...
's trustees, from 1802 to 1806. His wife's mother, the Countess of Buckinghamshire, lived next door, at The Firs.
* Joshua Bates (1788–1864), the Boston-born banker, had a villa in Sheen from 1841 to 1863.
* Edwin Chadwick
Sir Edwin Chadwick Order of the Bath, KCB (24 January 18006 July 1890) was an English social reformer who is noted for his leadership in reforming the Poor Laws in England and instituting major reforms in urban sanitation and public health. A ...
(1800–1890), social reformer, died at Park Cottage, East Sheen.
* Sir Henry Parker (1808–1881), Premier of New South Wales
The premier of New South Wales is the head of government in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The Government of New South Wales follows the Westminster system, Westminster Parliamentary System, with a Parliament of New South Wales actin ...
, acquired Stawell House, East Sheen, on his return to England in 1868, and his family continued there until 1935.
* Thomas German Reed (1817–1888), composer, musical director, actor, singer and theatrical manager, died at St Croix, Upper East Sheen, and is buried at Old Mortlake Burial Ground.[Jane W Stedman]
"Reed, (Thomas) German (1817–1888)"
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from History of the British Isles, British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') ...
, Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
, 2004; online edition, January 2008, accessed 1 February 2013 With his wife Priscilla Horton (1818–1895), he created the German Reed Entertainments.
* The novelist Mary Anne Evans, better known as George Eliot
Mary Ann Evans (22 November 1819 – 22 December 1880; alternatively Mary Anne or Marian), known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator, and one of the leading writers of the Victorian era. She wrot ...
(1819–1880), took rooms at 7 Clarence Row, East Sheen (now demolished) from May to September 1855.
* Sir Arthur Blomfield (1829–1899), architect, one of whose early works was Christ Church, East Sheen, designed and lived in The Cottage, now divided into two as 53 and 55 Christ Church Road.
20th and 21st centuries
* Ralph Knott (1879–1929), architect of County Hall, the former London County Council building on the South Bank, Westminster, lived and died in East Sheen.
* Princess Alexandra, 2nd Duchess of Fife (1891–1959), granddaughter of King Edward VII and great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in January 1901. Her reign of 63 year ...
, was born at East Sheen Lodge.
* Princess Maud, Countess of Southesk (1893–1945), granddaughter of King Edward VII, was born at East Sheen Lodge.
* Esmond Knight (1906–1987), actor, was born in East Sheen.
* Desmond Hawkins (1908–1999), author, editor and radio personality, was born in East Sheen.
* Frank Broadbent (1909–1983), architect, designed churches and schools for the Roman Catholic Church, lived at 71 Christchurch Road, East Sheen.
* Richard Dimbleby
Frederick Richard Dimbleby (25 May 1913 – 22 December 1965) was an English journalist and broadcaster who became the BBC's first war correspondent and then its leading TV news commentator.
As host of the long-running current affairs pro ...
(1913–1965), radio broadcaster, was born in the borough and lived in a flat at Cedar Court, East Sheen. This has been commemorated by an English Heritage
English Heritage (officially the English Heritage Trust) is a charity that manages over 400 historic monuments, buildings and places. These include prehistoric sites, a battlefield, medieval castles, Roman forts, historic industrial sites, Lis ...
blue plaque.
* Patricia Hornsby-Smith, Baroness Hornsby-Smith (1914–1985), Conservative Party politician, was born in East Sheen.
* John Chadwick
John Chadwick, (21 May 1920 – 24 November 1998) was an English linguist and classical scholar who was most notable for the decipherment, with Michael Ventris, of Linear B.
Early life, education and wartime service
John Chadwick was born at ...
(1920–1998), linguist and classical scholar, was born in East Sheen.
* Peter Graham Scott
Peter Graham Scott (27 October 1923 – 5 August 2007) was an English television producer, television and film producer, television director, film director, Film editing, film editor and screenwriter. He was one of the producers and directors wh ...
(1923–2007), film producer, director, editor and screenwriter, was born in East Sheen.
* Don Lawrence (1928–2003), comic book artist and author, was born in East Sheen. Don Lawrence at Lambiek's Comiclopedia
Retrieved 19 January 2018.
*
Leslie Dew (1914–1999), insurance executive and a Chairman Lloyd's London lived Sheen House 1960-1963.
Education
Schools in the area include:
Richmond Park Academy;
Tower House Boys' Preparatory School, a small independent prep-school for boys aged 4–13; East Sheen Primary School, a state school on Upper Richmond Road West; Sheen Mount School, a state primary school on West Temple; and Thomson House School, located on Vernon Road.
Transport
The area is served by
Mortlake railway station, which is 300m north of ''The Triangle'' and can be accessed from Sheen Lane.
Transport for London
Transport for London (TfL) is a local government body responsible for most of the transport network in London, United Kingdom.
TfL is the successor organization of the London Passenger Transport Board, which was established in 1933, and His ...
bus routes are 33, 337 and 493 which serve Upper Richmond Road West.
Demography and housing
East Sheen in art
The Triangle in East Sheen is the subject of a painting, ''The Triangle, Sheen Lane, East Sheen, Surrey'' by James Isaiah Lewis (1861–1934), which is in the Richmond upon Thames Borough Art Collection and is held at
Orleans House Gallery in
Twickenham
Twickenham ( ) is a suburban district of London, England, on the River Thames southwest of Charing Cross. Historic counties of England, Historically in Middlesex, since 1965 it has formed part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, who ...
.
See also
*
Barnes, London
*
Mortlake
Mortlake is a suburban district of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes, London, Barnes. Historically it was part of Surrey and until 1965 was in the Municipal Borough of Barnes ...
References
External links
Barnes and Mortlake History Society(which also covers East Sheen)
{{LB Richmond
Areas of London
District centres of London
Districts of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames