HOME | DD

Description

Corfe Castle, on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, was built by William the Conqueror soon after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The castle is roughly triangular and divided into three enclosures. Its first phase made it one of the earliest English castles built using stone – the vast majority were built with earth and timber at this time. Situated on a hill top, Corfe Castle is a classic image of a medieval castle, however despite popular imagination, occupying the highest point in the landscape was not the typical position of a medieval castle. In England, a minority are located on hilltops, but most are in valleys; many were near important transport routes such as river crossings. The castle was built on a steep hill in a gap in a long line of chalk hills, created by two streams eroding rock on either side. The name Corfe derives from the Old English ceorfan, meaning 'a cutting', referring to the gap. Castle construction means little is known about previous activity on the hill. However, there are postholes belonging to a Saxon hall on the site, which may be where Edward the Martyr was assassinated in 978. Corfe Castle underwent major structural changes in the 12th and 13th centuries. It played a role in the English Civil War and was partially demolished in 1645 on Parliament's orders. (source: Wikipedia)

I painted this a few years ago after being randomly drawn to an image in a book of the castle, I had not heard of it before or visited the area. A week later I was invited to go camping in Dorset, and realised it was right next to the exact same castle I had chosen to paint by chance the week before. Strange synchronicity

9in x 12in watercolour

Description

Corfe Castle, on the Isle of Purbeck in Dorset, was built by William the Conqueror soon after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The castle is roughly triangular and divided into three enclosures. Its first phase made it one of the earliest English castles built using stone – the vast majority were built with earth and timber at this time. Situated on a hill top, Corfe Castle is a classic image of a medieval castle, however despite popular imagination, occupying the highest point in the landscape was not the typical position of a medieval castle. In England, a minority are located on hilltops, but most are in valleys; many were near important transport routes such as river crossings. The castle was built on a steep hill in a gap in a long line of chalk hills, created by two streams eroding rock on either side. The name Corfe derives from the Old English ceorfan, meaning 'a cutting', referring to the gap. Castle construction means little is known about previous activity on the hill. However, there are postholes belonging to a Saxon hall on the site, which may be where Edward the Martyr was assassinated in 978. Corfe Castle underwent major structural changes in the 12th and 13th centuries. It played a role in the English Civil War and was partially demolished in 1645 on Parliament's orders. (source: Wikipedia)

I painted this a few years ago after being randomly drawn to an image in a book of the castle, I had not heard of it before or visited the area. A week later I was invited to go camping in Dorset, and realised it was right next to the exact same castle I had chosen to paint by chance the week before. Strange synchronicity

9in x 12in watercolour