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

Inverted relative to the sketchbook’s foliation, this is a two-part drawing, running across the middle of the page and then continuing to the right below. At the top left is Ladybridge, west of Tamworth Castle, while the south side of St Editha’s Church dominates the lower section, with what appears to be an earlier bridge over the River Anker where the modern Bolebridge Street crossing now runs. The latter forms the eastern sector of a road system which also crosses the river to the west of Turner’s viewpoint along Ankerdrive. This and other developments obscure the view.

There are related views on folio 57 recto opposite and folios 57 verso–58 recto (D22081–D22083; Turner Bequest CCXXXVIII 55b, 55c–56). For Turner’s England and Wales watercolour and other views of Tamworth, see under folio 52 verso (D22072; Turner Bequest CCXXXVIII 51c). There is a more detailed southern elevation of the church in the contemporary Birmingham and Coventry sketchbook (Tate D22386; Turner Bequest CCXL 34a).