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

This is the first of several sketches made at the town of Galashiels in the Scottish Borders near Melrose. Turner arrived at the town on 3 October 1834, during a two-day excursion from Edinburgh that had taken him to Peebles, Innerleithen, St Mary’s Loch and Selkirk. Arriving at Galashiels, he paused to make several sketches looking across the Gala Water from the northern end of the town (folios 42 verso– 46 verso; D26177–D261185 and folio 58–59 verso; D26208–D26211), before following the river east to its confluence with the Tweed and going onto Abbotsford (folio 52 verso; D26197) and Melrose (folio 53; D26198).

This sketch was made from High Road above High Buckholmside on the north side of the Gala Water, and depicts Bridge Place with Bridge Street across the river. In the distance beyond the town is Eildon Hill, with the peak of North Hill at the left and Mid Hill to the right. There are similar views of Bridge Place on folios 43, 44 verso and 59 verso (D26178, D26181, D26211).

There is a light brown mark at the top centre-right of the page.