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

With the sketchbook turned to the left is a sketch of St Bride’s Church in the Lanarkshire village of Douglas. Seen from the south-west the building is distinguished by its narrow, octagonal clock tower. Much of the church had, by 1834, fallen into ruin or been demolished. The south aisle to the left of the tower was roofless, and only the chancel, to the right of the tower, was in use. Turner made two pages of rough studies inside the chancel: folios 24 verso and 25 verso (D26306, D26308). There is another sketch of the exterior on folio 24 (D26305).

With the sketchbook turned in the opposite direction is a view of a village with two towers seen from across a stream. This is likely to be Douglas with the tower of St Bride’s as seen from across the Douglas Water to the west, though the appearance of the village has changed since then. There is another view of the same village on folio 23 (D26303), though from the other side.

See folio 24 for further information about Turner’s visit to Douglas.