Had I gone to Ingleby to sketch in 1797, I imagine I would have chosen the Anchor Church caves as my subject matter. Maybe this seemed too ‘old school’ for the artists of the enlightenment, because they’re not on my list.
George Robertson chose this footpath and sat on this hill, overlooking the River Trent and sketched what he saw. It was a glimpse of the river and a field with a horse in it. Oak trees lining the path look like they have been doing battle with the elements for at least 200 years. I keep asking myself why the artists chose to paint the scenes they did. Faced with any scenery they seemed to find beauty in it. Their depictions were realistic with none of the sentimentality that was to come in the mid 1800s.
It reminds me of contemporary artist George Shaw’s paintings of Coventry council houses, garages and play areas. He seeks out the most overlooked places. On the council estate of his youth he finds beauty.
I walk on to the caves. The terrain is not easy. Himalayan Balsam is taking over the path, pushing the walker ever closer to the river. Then the narrow path rises up to a vertiginous height and the view opens up for miles into the distance. I notice the cooling towers have got in on the act again!
The Anchor Church caves were hacked out of sandstone and they are thought to have been used since the 6th or 7th Century. Once, they were damp homes to hermits and even had windows and doors.
Now I see they are part-time homes for graffiti artists.
Dovedale is one of the most scenic places in Derbyshire. It is also one of the most popular tourist areas and has been since tourists first went there in the 18thC.
With this in mind we set off early and arrive, the second car in the car park. Before I get my boots on, other cars start streaming in. We decide to make a dash for the stepping stones. I need to photograph them and four other places without the tourists. I take my photos quickly and see that the hoards are coming … On one Sunday in August 1990 over 8,000 people were counted walking along these footpaths either side of the River Dove.
We walk the three miles down the wooded ravine past Ilam Rock and limestone caves to Thorpe Cloud. There’s plenty of wildlife here but also a couple of sad sights along the way. We see a mole on the footpath that appears to have drowned, the fur around it’s head has been wet. I’ve never seen a mole before. Then, what appears to be a bird flapping in mid air over the river. In fact it’s a bat, out in the daytime heat, entangled on a fishing line. We watch helplessly from across the fast flowing river as the bat fights desperately to bite itself free.
I can see why the 18thC artists came here to paint and why it’s still popular with artists today. There is inspiration at every turn and it seems like nothing has changed here. What I’m noticing generally when comparing the painting with the contemporary landscape is that all the rivers seem higher and there are far more trees than are in the paintings. This is not what I was expecting.
With the map out again, I was scouring the River Trent, Nottingham for a church with a spire. I find two, one in Sawley and the other in Attenborough. It looks impossible to photograph either church from the river without a telephoto lens, but at least both are near water. I head for Sawley Marina.
Yet again, it’s a hot and sunny day and I get plenty of decent photos. It’s only when I return home that the doubts begin to creep in …
I get a magnifying glass to look more closely at the painting of the church. It’s sketchy but I can see it has two arched windows. The Sawley church only has one rectangular one!
Dissapointed, I set off for Attenborough Nature Reserve where I know I can see the other church with a spire. This must be the one.
I find a good viewpoint from one of the stilted hides and can see an arched window. Great, now I just need some close-ups.
As I approach the church, I notice there is only one arched window. Has the artist painted two to make it look better or is this the wrong church too?
I check out two other aspects from the churchyard. All have one window. The last one is more difficult to see because it’s hidden by trees in the rectory garden. The Rectory has been built onto the side of the church at a later date but just above the roof I can see the partially hidden second arched window. Eureka!
