Francis Stevens' Sketchbook, page 18, Artist Notes on the "Beauties" of Clovelly, July 19 1819

Artist notes/journal, dated July 19 1819.

[Working transcription:]

A Very excellent road to Clovelly is now made from

the high road [thro’?] the Grounds of Sir J.H. Williams.

The first dark Green gate after you pass the Post

Which marks the end of Woolfardisworthy parish

& the [Commencement?] of Clovelly, from Bideford is

the one you are to Exeter from it you will have

a very fine View of Lundy Island the Coast Both

East & West- & as you approach the Village will

see it under the Cliffs at the different turns the Road

is obliged to make at the Head of the deep Valley it

Passes over.- Considerable judgement is displayed

in its formation which is on an Easy descent & [there?]

on the Brow of the Precipice is perfectly safe-

It is one of the Beauties of the County-

From it we (Turner & myself) saw the most ex

traordinary combinations of Colour on the Sea inn

umerable- the Day very Cloudy & Raining at many

Places where the sun shone upon the water it was

often most vivid emerald green.

Bideford Bridge is a very remarkable structure.

It [consists?] 24 arches & those of different [spans?] & very

irregularly placed sometimes a large arch then smaller

ones than 2 larger & then many larger until the

number mentioned is completed, it [is?] the appearance

of being very low in structure at high water-

The town is not very Picturesque & the View up is the

Best looking from the lime kilns on the Barnstaple

Road- they are very Picturesque & have the appearance

Of Old [Tower?] at a distance.

Barnstaple appears from the little I saw of it to

Contain very little worthy of artistic attention-

                                                        July 19. 1819

Related Collections

Sketchbook of Francis Stevens, 1819-1823