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32-508: Little is known about the premises of the Works before the nineteenth century, when maps, art, photography, and published descriptions of the site all documented its layout. However, an archaeological dig by Museum of London Archaeology in 1992 confirmed that several of the buildings used by the Works dated from the 1700s and two of the buildings in the site's street frontage originated in the 1500s. When Morris & Co. began their lease in 1881,

64-515: A consortium with Headland Archaeology – MOLA Headland Infrastructure – to enable the delivery of archaeological and heritage services to large-scale infrastructure projects. MOLA originated from a set of departments within the Museum of London but it is now entirely separate. The Department of Urban Archaeology (DUA) was formed in 1973 as part of the Rescue archaeology movement, a response to

96-433: A Sainsbury's shopping centre, and the western portion is office buildings. Museum of London Archaeology Department of Greater London Archaeology (DGLA), L - P : Archaeology, Museum of London Archaeology Service (MoLAS), Northampton, Basingstoke, Stansted, Bristol, MOLA ( Museum of London Archaeology ) is an archaeology and built heritage practice and independent charitable company registered with

128-539: A final decline in the late 4th century and was rapidly abandoned, with little evidence of occupation soon after the Roman withdrawal from Britain . Work in recent years by MOLA has continued to add significant information, with recent research findings including extramural Roman settlement in Westminster at St Martin-in-the-Fields and a post-Boudican fortified enclosure at Plantation Place on Cornhill. Excavation in

160-527: A further factory building. A copper mill, later converted to a paper and cardboard mill, lay to the north and east of the site. To the south was Merton Abbey railway station and, beyond the railway tracks, Merton Abbey Mills . The Works were part of a long history of textile industry along the River Wandle in what is now southwest London. These industries took advantage of the river’s clean water to bleach and dye fabrics. The first textile industry along

192-645: A prize medal at the Great Exhibition in 1851. Afterwards, the factory was written about in The Illustrated exhibitor and magazine of art. By the late 1870s, however, Welch's firm was on the wane, and by 1880 they were ready to give up their lease. By the end of the 1870s, Morris & Co. had outgrown their premises at 26 Queen Square , a row house in Bloomsbury , central London. The company's showroom moved to Oxford Street in 1877, and by

224-580: A small number of staff to found the DUA. The team was led by Brian Hobley and revolutionised the detailed understanding of London 's archaeology and early history. The Department of Greater London Archaeology (DGLA) was formed from several local archaeological societies in the 1980s and led by Harvey Sheldon to address similar concerns in other historical areas of the capital, particularly in Southwark and Inner North London. The 1980s saw rapid development in

256-686: The Chartered Institute for Archaeologists (CIfA), providing a wide range of professional archaeological services to clients in London and across the country. It is one of the largest archaeological service providers in the UK, and is the only one with IRO (Independent Research Organisation) status. MOLA’s operations were historically focused within Greater London but are increasingly nationwide. It employs over 300 staff across 4 locations:

288-638: The indigo discharge technique to achieve the blue he wanted. Inspired, Morris designed many printed fabrics using the technique. One, Wandle (1884), was named "to honour our helpful stream." Morris & Co. operated at the Merton Abbey Works for almost 60 years, creating a wide range of products. However, some of their most well-known goods were manufactured elsewhere, such as wallpapers, which were manufactured by Jeffrey & Co in Islington, London. Morris & Co. Products Manufactured at

320-534: The City of London in the 1970s and 1980s had failed to find virtually any evidence of occupation in the period from the 5th to the 10th century despite apparently unambiguous historical evidence of London's existence at least from AD 604 onwards. However, the Department of Greater London Archaeology (DGLA) had discovered so-called Saxon farms in the area of Fleet Street , Covent Garden , and Westminster . In

352-484: The City of London, and an associated increase in archaeological work. The DUA and DGLA encouraged site developers to fund excavations prior to construction. As a result, both organisations grew rapidly, with each employing over 100 staff by the late 1980s. Changes in the legislation surrounding archaeological work were taking place at the same time. Up until 1990, archaeological units throughout England provided both curatorial advice and contractual services. This dual role

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384-616: The Great moved the Londoners back into the City of London and the shelter of the Roman defensive walls, which still stood. The Late Saxon reoccupation of the Roman town site was known as Lundenburgh . 51°32′06″N 0°05′25″W  /  51.53500°N 0.09020°W  / 51.53500; -0.09020 Thomas Wardle (industrialist) Too Many Requests If you report this error to

416-562: The Merton Abbey Works Morris & Co. closed in 1940. The Merton Abbey Works site was sold to the neighboring cardboard factory, the New Merton Board Mills. The Board Mills expanded onto the site, demolishing the Merton Abbey Works buildings and building on its open land. The Board Mills operated until 1984. The site was then redeveloped. The eastern portion of the site is now part of the premises of

448-460: The Merton Abbey Works. The Works was used by many fabric-printing firms throughout the second half of the 1700s and the first half of the 1800s. Between 1752 and around 1819, the works were used for calico-printing. They were then variously used to print silks, calicos, and woolens between 1819 and 1844. In 1846, Thomas Welch took possession of the Works and began to use it to print tablecloths. Welch's work became well known: one of his tablecloths won

480-482: The Works consisted of a seven-acre site spanning the River Wandle , which runs northeast through the area. The smaller northwestern portion of the premises ran south from Merton High Street to the river and included a street frontage of old homes with a yard and factory buildings beyond. A wooden bridge crossed the Wandle. Beyond the river, the site expanded both south and east, and included a millpond and fields as well as

512-674: The acquisition of Northamptonshire Archaeology to form a new company: MOLA Northampton), and Basingstoke in 2017. In 2015 MOLA became the host for the Coastal and Intertidal Zone Archaeological Network , known by its abbreviation CITiZAN , a community archaeology project, led by Gustav Milne , working in areas of England's coastline documenting coastal and intertidal history before it is washed away by tidal forces. In 2022 MOLA acquired L - P : Archaeology, incorporating former L – P offices in Stansted, Chester, and Bristol. In 2023 one of

544-677: The case of the other Greater London boroughs. Meanwhile, the DUA and DGLA merged in 1991 to form MoLAS (Museum of London Archaeology Service) to provide services as an archaeological contractor. In 2011, MOLA separated entirely from the Museum of London, becoming an independent charitable company. It became one of only a handful of non-academic institutions to hold IRO (Independent Research Organisation) status in 2014. MOLA's operations continue to expand nationwide, with subsidiary offices established in Birmingham in 2011, Northampton in 2014 (with

576-1004: The central London headquarters, and further offices in Northampton , Basingstoke , and Birmingham . MOLA is a registered charity (since 2011 ) with its own academic research strategy and extensive community engagement and education programmes including the Thames Discovery Programme , CITiZAN and the Time Truck. Commercial services offered include expertise and advice at all stages of development from pre-planning onwards: management and consultancy advice, impact assessments, excavation , mitigation (urban, rural, infrastructure, and other schemes), standing building recording, surveying and geomatics , geoarchaeology , finds and environmental services, post-excavation and publication, graphics and photography, editing, and archiving . Since 2017 MOLA has been part of

608-495: The discovery of a Saxon princely burial at Prittlewell in Southend-on-Sea . Excavations by the DUA and DGLA in the 1970s and 1980s revealed that the history of the Roman founding and development of Londinium was much more complex than previously realised. London was established on a militarily-strategic and economically important location which is now the site of the City of London and North Southwark. The settlement

640-419: The early 2nd century. An extensive fire, economic changes, and plague saw growth stagnate in the mid-2nd century, though defensive walls were added around AD 200 during or after the contention between Clodius Albinus and Septimius Severus . Later Roman London experienced urban renewal in many areas and remained an important centre, though it was no longer a large port or centre of trade. The town suffered

672-497: The end of 1880, the need for a dedicated manufacturing space was also clear. William Morris set out to find a factory space with his friend, ceramicist William De Morgan , who was also looking for a space for his pottery operation. After visiting several sites on the outskirts of London and as far away as Blockley in the Cotswolds, Morris settled on the Merton Abbey Works. The site had much to offer: convenience to central London,

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704-612: The founding partners of L - P : Archaeology Guy Hunt was appointed as the Chief Executive of MOLA. Some of the larger and more important excavations have included the Roman amphitheatre at Guildhall Yard, a complex Roman and medieval sequence at No 1 Poultry near Bank Station, excavations within the Middle Saxon settlement at Covent Garden during the expansion of the Royal Opera House , excavations along

736-556: The good dyeing water of the Wandle, and the pre-existing buildings and dye facilities of the Welch factory. Morris signed a lease, and in June 1881, Morris & Co. moved in. De Morgan did not join them, but set up his pottery nearby in Merton. Morris & Co. converted the existing factory buildings to their needs. The primary buildings were two long, two-story "sheds", one on either side of

768-470: The mid 1980s, Alan Vince and Martin Biddle independently came up with the theory that London had been re-established not in the City but a couple of miles to the west, centred on the area called Aldwych . This Middle Saxon settlement was known as Lundenwic . Lundenwic was subjected to increasing Viking attack in the 9th century and the population may have been forced to scatter. Around the year 886, Alfred

800-548: The river, in the mid-1600s, was bleaching. By the 1690s, calico printers were also working there. The Works occupied part of the former site of Merton Priory . After the Priory was destroyed during dissolution of the monasteries in the late 1530s, several industrial premises were set up on its former lands. By the 1660s, these industries included a bleaching ground. In 1724, a calico printworks had opened at Merton Abbey Mills and in 1752 another followed just downriver (north) at

832-465: The river. The shed on the north side ran alongside a factory yard. It housed the dye workshop on the ground floor and the stained glass workshop above. The shed on the south side was near the millpond. The hand-weaving workshop for tapestries and carpets was on the ground floor and the fabric printing room was above. Another smaller shed on the north side of the river held a workshop for semi-automated Jacquard-weave looms. Later, in 1909, another workshop

864-685: The route of the Jubilee Line Extension in Southwark and Westminster, and the recovery of over 15,000 human skeletons during excavation of the Priory and Hospital of St Mary Spital in Spitalfields . Other notable work has been an English Heritage-funded programme of publication. General popular booklets and academic monographs are published in-house and have attracted consistently good reviews and several awards for private clients and developers. Major non-London projects have included

896-404: The threat posed to unrecorded archaeological remains by increasing deep-basement office redevelopment in the City of London . Prior to this, recording remains prior to destruction was carried out by individuals and volunteers, including Andrew Westman . Public reaction to the publication of The Future of London's Past  by archaeologist Martin Biddle helped to secure government funding for

928-458: The windows, and sunshine and fresh air brighten the faces of artist and mechanic." The move to Merton Abbey enabled Morris & Co. to expand their manufacturing operations and to pursue new techniques. Morris had long wanted to find a vivid, consistent, and lightfast blue dye, but had been disappointed by experiments with his former collaborator and manufacturer, Thomas Wardle. At the Merton Abbey Works, Morris and his master-dyers were able to use

960-510: Was added in the factory yard to accommodate the company's expansion into the repair of historic tapestries. A shed overhanging the river held a wheel that was used for washing fabric. In 1886, the American poet Emma Lazarus visited Morris at the Works. In her article about the visit, she recorded that "One is not surprised to find his factory a scene of cheerful, uncramped industry, where toil looks like pleasure, where flowers are blooming in

992-486: Was formed shortly after AD 43 AD, probably around the year 47, and a permanent river-crossing was established very near to the current position of London Bridge . Londinium grew rapidly in the 50s but was destroyed in the Boudican revolt around AD 60. The town was rebuilt shortly afterwards and became the provincial capital, enjoying substantial public investment and spectacular economic growth until its height in

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1024-408: Was increasingly seen as carrying a potential conflict of interest, and after the controversial redevelopment of Shakespeare 's Rose Theatre site in Southwark changes were made to the planning guidance ( PPG 16 ). Responsibility for curatorial advice was transferred to local authorities in the cases of the City of London and Southwark, and to Greater London Archaeology Advisory Service (GLAAS) in

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