Elstow, Bedford 01 The porch at Hillersdon Manor

The building was also known as Elstow Place. I sat with my back to the church and tried to get the perspective right. Hmm… 1hr 55 min.

Reading 03 175 Friar Street, Bristol and West Arcade

As you can see from the articles below, nothing much has happened to the West and Bristol Arcade since it was built in the 1950s. But the history of the site before that is interesting. 1hr 20m.

http://readingonthames.com/2017/07/23/175-friar-st-past-present-and-future/

2006 article https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/business/7-million-revamp-bristol–4261584

2017 article https://www.inyourarea.co.uk/news/flats-and-shops-plans-for-bristol-and-west-arcade-among-reading-applications/

Reading 02 Friar Street

I did the barest pencil lines first and then went straight into putting paint on paper. The school children from my previous sketch came past. “Are you still drawing?” Two women who stopped to look, but didn’t know the name of the tall building on the skyline. I think it’s the Novotel. 1hr 15m. There’s a lot to see in Reading Museum.

https://www.readingabbeyquarter.org.uk/town-hall-square

Reading 01 St Laurence Church

At one point my view of the fountain was obscured by a group of clipboard-clutching school children, all wearing high-vis jackets. 1hr 25m. I realised that I’d got myself into another detailed piece (see previous sketches,) and resolved to something different next time.

https://www.getreading.co.uk/news/berkshire-history/eight-reading-buildings-you-probably-13460851

Aberdeen Maritime Museum 02

This wedding dress is part of the Sea Change exhibition at the Maritime Museum.

See below for the full story…

https://news.aberdeencity.gov.uk/sea-change-the-cruel-and-bountiful-sea-exhibition-opens/

Aberdeen Maritime Museum 01

I loved the architecture of the stairwell. The rest of the museum was good as well.

http://www.aagm.co.uk/Visit/AberdeenMaritimeMuseum/amm-overview.aspx

Flamsteed House, Greenwich

A bitterly cold day but bright sunshine. And rather lurid colours again! Some delightful children in maroon blazers paid me compliments. And tourists took pictures of themselves astride the Prime Meridian.

The red ball (the Time Ball) on the top of Flamsteed House is lowered at exactly 1.00 pm each day so that mariners on the Thames can set their ships’ clocks. This has happened every day since 1833. However, it was stuck in the down position on the day I visited. One of the staff  said “If the ball was modern, then we’d just hit it with a hammer to free it, but it’s old, you see.”

Market Place, Beverley

Although it’s half term in Derbyshire, here in Beverley the schools are still in session. The market place filled up with children heading home. I’m still not really brave enough to sketch people in detail. Another case of not enough time. But I thought I would post the sketch anyway. 15 minutes.

Ladygate, Beverley

A couple of hours in Beverley. It stayed dry. Several people stopped to see what I was doing, including three women. One said to the others “Stop here. We can be three wise monkeys!” I asked her if she thought people would recognise the Minster from my sketch. She told me the church was not the Minster, bur St Mary’s. Oh well. Actually, I don’t much like my work on the church but I’m pleased with how the houses turned out. So my link is to Ladygate, not St Mary’s. 70 minutes.

Foyer, Robert Winston Building, Sheffield

Just round the corner. My second display case! 40 minutes.