Churches Gallery

The Ringers of Launcells Tower, Frederick Smallfield (1829-1915)

Oil on canvas, English School, 1887. This painting was inspired by the poem The Ringers of Launcells Tower by Rev. R.S. Hawker of Morwenstow in his book Cornish Ballads and Other Poems'. In this poem, the bell ringers who rang at the accession of George III in 1760 were still alive to ring at his golden jubilee in 1810. The church of Launcells is midway between Stratton and Bude. The picture was painted 77 years after George III's golden jubilee and so is a total reconstruction. There is, therefore, no possibility that the figures are actual portraits of the 1810 ringers. Nevertheless, Smallfield had visited the church tower before he started the painting but made certain alterations to the layout for artistic reasons. He also studied the bell ringers at his local church in Willesden, north west London, to get the action and the angle of the ropes correct. A watercolour version of this painting was exhibited at the Watercolour Society in 1878. Frederick Smallfield studied at the Royal Academy and subsequently exhibited there several times. He lived for most of his life in London and at Lee-on-Solent in Hampshire

© RIC

Boston, Lincolnshire, 1838, (1943). Creator: Unknown

Boston, Lincolnshire, 1838, (1943). View of St Botolph's Church and ships on the River Witham in the town of Boston. After an engaving by JMW Turner. From "English Cities and Small Towns", by John Betjeman. [Collins, London, 1943]

© The Print Collector/Heritage Images

1940s, 19th Century, 20th Century, Architecture, B W, Bamp W, Betjeman, Black And White, Black White, Boston, Boston Stump, Bridge, Bridges, Britain, Britain In Pictures, British, Building, Bw, Century, Christianity, Church, Collins, Country, Decade, England, English, Exterior, Forties, Geographical Feature, Geography, History, J M W Turner, Jmw Turner, John, John Betjeman, Joseph Mallord William, Joseph Mallord William Turner, Joseph Turner, Landscape, Lincolnshire, Location, Nineteenth Century, Outdoors, Outside, Religion, Religious, River, River Witham, Saint Botolphs Church, Ship, Ships, Sir John Betjeman, Social History, St Botolphs Church, Structure, Tgn, The Print Collector, The Stump, Tower, Town, Transport, Transportation, Turner, Turner Jmw, Water Transport, William, William Collins, William Collins And Sons, William Collins Sons

The most famous buildings of the world 1885

Comparative heights of famous buildings in 1885, including 1. Porcelain Tower, Nankin China. 2. St. George's Hall Liverpool. 3. Tomb of Thedoric, Ravenna. 4. Chichester Cathedral. 5. Victoria Tower, Westminister. 6. Boston Church, Lincolnshire. 7. Taj Mahal, Agra. 8. York Cathedral. 9. Temple of Bacchus, Teos. 10. Alexandrian Column, St Petersburg. 11. Column of July, Paris. 12. Torre Asinelli, Bologna. Date: 1885

© Mary Evans Picture Library