LUDLOW, the Shropshire market town dubbed ‘the loveliest town in England’ by Sir John Betjeman, has it all: the curving embrace of the River Teme, a brooding medieval castle, a concentration of some 500 listed buildings, delectable food shops and a glorious church accessed by an alleyway of ancient pubs. I go there often, but by way of a little black sketchbook, rather than in person. I open a page and I’m back at the Harp Lane Deli: I remember the weather that day (sunny), the noise of the market behind me (bustling) and the Yorkshire terrier inspecting my foot (somehow both nosy and dismissive).
Drawing is to photography what walking is to driving: it’s more work, it’s slower, it demands patience and it’s something we’ve increasingly forgotten how to do. Yet it pays dividends: the work is the reward, the pace allows a scene to sink in and be appreciated. Concentration breeds a contemplative mind set and it’s something that can be re-learned. Anyone can draw, and the more you do it, the more you’ll want to.
I always travel with a camera, but, with my Luddite love of drawing en plein air, the distractions drop exponentially. It’s likely that more photographs have been shot in the past year than in the whole first century of photography: we all carry cameras in our pockets now. However, after posting a few selfies, we go tumbling down the rabbit hole once more, scrolling our way to a world of worry far from the Georgian streetscapes we’ve travelled three hours to enjoy.
Esta historia es de la edición September 30, 2020 de Country Life UK.
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Esta historia es de la edición September 30, 2020 de Country Life UK.
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Kitchen garden cook - Apples
'Sweet and crisp, apples are the epitome of autumn flavour'
The original Mr Rochester
Three classic houses in North Yorkshire have come to the market; the owner of one inspired Charlotte Brontë to write Jane Eyre
Get it write
Desks, once akin to instruments of torture for scribes, have become cherished repositories of memories and secrets. Matthew Dennison charts their evolution
'Sloes hath ben my food'
A possible paint for the Picts and a definite culprit in tea fraud, the cheek-suckingly sour sloe's spiritual home is indisputably in gin, says John Wright
Souvenirs of greatness
FOR many years, some large boxes have been stored and forgotten in the dark recesses of the garage. Unpacked last week, the contents turned out to be pots: some, perhaps, nearing a century old—dense terracotta, of interesting provenance.
Plants for plants' sake
The garden at Hergest Croft, Herefordshire The home of Edward Banks The Banks family is synonymous with an extraordinary collection of trees and shrubs, many of which are presents from distinguished friends, garnered over two centuries. Be prepared to be amazed, says Charles Quest-Ritson
Capturing the castle
Seventy years after Christian Dior’s last fashion show in Scotland, the brand returned under creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri for a celebratory event honouring local craftsmanship, the beauty of the land and the Auld Alliance, explains Kim Parker
Nature's own cathedral
Our tallest native tree 'most lovely of all', the stately beech creates a shaded environment that few plants can survive. John Lewis-Stempel ventures into the enchanted woods
All that money could buy
A new book explores the lost riches of London's grand houses. Its author, Steven Brindle, looks at the residences of plutocrats built by the nouveaux riches of the late-Victorian and Edwardian ages
In with the old
Diamonds are meant to sparkle in candlelight, but many now gather dust in jewellery boxes. To wear them today, we may need to reimagine them, as Hetty Lintell discovers with her grandmother's jewellery
