Through the art I collect, I am able to travel the width and breadth of this country.  Art is able to take me to places I have been, to places I have not and at times to places that have never and will never exist.  Travelling both in time and space.

Harlech Castle, North Wales
by Philip van Dyke Browne @ 1830

We begin with a hop over to the coast of Wales and the magnificent Harlech Castle.  Harlech is considered to be one of “the finest examples of late 13th century and early 14th century military architecture in Europe”, it is a ‘World Heritage Site’.  The fortification is built of local stone and its’ features include a massive gatehouse that probably once provided high-status accommodation for the castle constable and visiting dignitaries. The sea originally came much closer to Harlech than now-a-days, since it has a water-gate and a long flight of steps leading down from the castle to the former shore, which allowed the castle to be resupplied by sea during sieges.  Harlech has been painted by many great artists including JMW Turner, Paul Sandby, John Sell Cotman and David Cox.  The beautiful watercolour  to the left is by #PhilipvanDykeBrowne and is a view of #HarlechCastle from the north west possibly from the Tremadoc Road.  A little known artist of some talent.

Late Simmer Dale
by Pat Mallinson

If we travel south down into the Malvern Hills we come across scenery like that on the right.  Rolling hills with farms dotted here and there.  A land for farming and the keeping of animals.  At times beautiful – at times harsh and unforgiving.  Or maybe I should take you closer to my home to an area that is hill-less. A place below sea level.

Norfolk Broads
by Maurice Barrett @ 1989

Out into the #NorfolkBroads.  A place that armies were unable to traverse.  Only the locals knew how to cross them without getting bogged down.  Or possibly we could take our chances out in the #Fens.  Mostly drained, today, to be used as farmland the Fens were impassible by outsiders.  The magnificent #ElyCathedral rises out of the fens. The ‘Ship of the Fens’.  A place of prayer, worship and service for hundreds of years.

Ely Cathedral by Hilda Cooper