September 19th, third sketch of the day. I descended the narrow, steep road to Kirkham and was surprised to find the rail crossing barriers down. A modern, swish train was on its way to Scarborough. It may have been a trans-Pennine from Lime Street, Liverpool. Stopping at Kirkham Priory after visiting Castle Howard I parked near the Priory. My attention was grabbed by seeing people jumping from the bridge over the deep River Derwent. Not far away from here, up river is the fascinating hydroelectric Archimedes screw project run by the Howsham Mill renewable Heritage Trust. I had visited some time ago with a dear friend, now deceased, who introduced me to M and his wife. M was one of several people who drove the project forward, overcoming many problems. The young men jumping into the river carried on. It is a significant leap and I worried about submerged hazards. Looking at this old ruined entrance ( no charge to wander on this day) I decided to try and sketch it. I noted the shallow puddles which reflected the facade. As I was working a family group stopped and we chatted briefly. So, if you see this it was lovely meeting you all. The late September day proved exceptionally warm and as I sketched I could see cattle roaming the ‘greened’ up pasture adjacent to the river. They looked well conditioned as they walked by the ruined Priory. They were prevented from entering the Priory by a ha-ha. Though this sketch shows what remains of the entrance, the ruins inside the grounds are rather extensive and well worth a visit.The site is under the custodianship of English Heritage who charge for entry, though as I have said, it was free to roam today. As I was leaving I remembered P and her father with whom I had chatted earlier about art. I stopped a group who were entering and asked if they would pass on a book for P. They happily agreed and it was confirmed later that the delivery was indeed successful.
Pausing,
Looking down
At the water,
Bare chested,
Standing on a thin stone lip,
Holding the parapet behind,
He looks down.
The young man waits,
Considering,
Speculating.
Then with a small push,
He is airborne,
Gravity and fate combine
To create an explosive splash.
He disappears
In a mist of bubbles
Time is stretched,
Where is he?
Is he safe?
A head pops up, to the sound of
Cheers from peers,
He swims to the shore.
Books available
Art books featuring the Yorkshire Wolds ( Low and High) full of paintings done at various venues. Video here of the HIGH WOLDS book. Other books feature panoramic sketching using a concertina sketchbook, a Yorkshire sketchbook and how to paint plein air and make your own painting box
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