Joseph Mallord William Turner

This sketch of the ruins of Berwick Castle from the north-west, continued on folio 47 (D26006; CCLXVII 47), must have been made directly before or after Turner drew the sketch on folios 48 verso–49 (D26009–D26010; CCLXVII 48a–49) that became the basis of the watercolour Berwick-upon-Tweed circa 1832 (whereabouts unknown).1 The two sketches were made from a similar viewpoint, and both show the castle ruins with a mill building, parts of Berwick-upon-Tweed beyond, and the River Tweed to the right (continued in this sketch on folios 47).

Robert Cadell described Turner as taking ‘his Sketch at the Scotsgate in a field on the left hand side on the Dunse Road’,2 by which he probably meant Castle Terrace, which runs into Duns Road. The present sketch was made from the northern end of the field, while the sketch for the watercolour was taken from the cliff edge to the west of the castle.

There is a similar view in the Berwick sketchbook (1831) (Tate D25692; Turner Bequest CCLXV 28a).