J.M.W. Turner: Sketchbooks, Drawings and Watercolours

With the sketchbook turned to the right at the centre of the page is a fairly detailed sketch of Stirling’s Parish Church, the Church of the Holy Rude, which Finberg described as Stirling Cathedral.1 This view was made from the end of St John Street to the south-east of the church and looks towards the apse and along the south side of the building to the tower at the west end. Above the church at the top of the page is Stirling Castle. Although the castle is directly behind the church it is not visible above it like this. This must therefore be a separate sketch made from nearby. There is another outline sketch of part of the castle as seen from nearby at the bottom of the page. The spire to the lower right belongs to Stirling’s Tollbooth in Broad Street as seen above the rooftops from St John Street.

This is the first of three pages of sketches made from near the church; see also folios 54 and 54 verso (D26361, D26362). For a full list of Turner’s sketches of Stirling see folio 44 verso (D26342).