A framed oil on canvas about 20" x 24" seen Friday October 21st 2022 in Hadleigh Market in the possession of its private owner.

Main features are:

• A central arched bridge
• Above the bridge a row of houses
• Below the bridge a river, possibly tidal, at low water
• A small fishing boat resting on the riverbank
• On the left a row of stilt houses
• On the right there is a substantial building
• Behind the bulding on the right is the top of a taller building
• Through the bridge a jettied building suggests another block of stilt houses
• The sky is predominantly blue with white clouds
• Buildings on the right are in shadow
• Buildings on the left are sunlit
• The bridge houses are sunlit but a shadow on the right suggeststhat the light source is behind and to the right of the observer.
• Generally the lighting suggests middle of the day

If this were a scene in the northern hemisphere the sun would be to the south and the observer is therefore looking approximately west to south west, the right hand side of the picture is south to south east and the left of the picture is north to north west.

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The bridge and bridge houses are central and form the main features

With washing hanging over the parapet, people standing at a partly open window, shallow roof pitch and white rendered walls this has the appearance of a European scene. However, these bridge houses are found in England and are sometimes referred to as 'Glory Holes'!. Lincoln is the most famous and an internet search such as 'Loncoln Glory Hole' or 'Lincoln High Bridge' will reveal similar features to this painting.

Often built on the site of Roman bridges the bridge houses seem to range from mediaeval to modern, no doubt being rebuilt many times due to dilapidation.

There are some interesting details:

• There are two ladders, one on the lower right of the extract leading up from the riverbank where the boat is moored and the other on the left showing just abover the top of the roof.
• The sash windows are high in relation to the figures but low in relation to the roofline
• Chimneys are tall with clear discontinuities about half way up
• Tiles, not slates, on the roof

These features may indicate previously thatched houses. They certainly point to many stages of modification

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Stilt Houses on the Left

There are two distinct stilt patterns:

• Vertical stilts
• Jetties

Small Stilt Building on the Right

Note that only part of this building is visible. This suggests an inlet to the right of where the boat is moored.

The more Substantial Building on the Right

This looks like two buildings set against the riverbank at different angles possibly curving round the other side of the inlet mentioned above. Mud from the river has washed up against them.

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Overall Impression as to the Time of Painting

The painting looks like a real point in time scene. The ladders particularly suggest that the artist was painting a scene as he saw it. The bridge houses, modified over time have the appearance of early nineteenth century houses. The more substantial building perhaps a bit later. There do not appear to be any 20th century features. The latest feature is perhaps the tall flue just to the left of the bridge houses.

It is possibly a scene painted in the 1870's or 1880's.

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Inscriptions

There is no obvious signature or monogram on the face of the picture.

An address is inscribed on the canvas:

• It is prbably in ink and is largely illegible
• 1st line; "Mrs" perhaps "Good"
• 2nd line; possibly "70 Clarendon Rd"
• 3rd line; "B/B" then possibly "fch"

There are Clarendon Roads in Bath, Bournmouth, Bristol, Manchester, and London (and probably others) and a Clarendon Way in Colchester. The 'B/B' could be 'bought by'.

The word 'PAGE' is written in chalk in two places on the stretcher. This could be the artist's name.

Another chalked inscription on the stretcher could be "CR" but is difficult to read.

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Canvas and Stretcher

The canvas does not appear to be relined. (However, to be absolutely sure, the assembly would need to be dismantled.):

• The canvas is folded over and nailed to the back of the stretcher.
• Canvas looks like a pre-primed artists canvas
• It is roughly trimmed and nails are not regularly spaced
• It is a two key stretcher typical of those produced commercially after the mid nineteenth century.
• Six of the keys are in place. Another older key is inserted (top right in the image) where the two original keys are missing.

A similar canvas and stretcher was found on the online site by David Love Ltd (44 (0)1423 565797): "An oil painting of Lendal Bridge in York by J. Knowles, monogrammed and dated 1867 Dimensions Overall width 26ins, 66cms; Height 19.75ins, 50cms". However, I am not suggesting that 'Bridge Houses Over a River at Low Tide' is by the same artist - this reference is merely a clue to the date of the assembly.

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Artists Named 'Page'

The features so far considered suggest a painter working during the latter half of the nineteenth century. On the left is a list of painters named 'Page' from 'The Dictionary of Victorian Painters' by Christopher Wood [Antique Collector's Club, 1985]. (click image to enlarge)

I also examined entries in Graves' 'Royal Academy Exhibitors'

• H. R. Page may be worth investigating.
• Robert Page is possible and lived at Clacton which may explain how the picture came to be in Colchester.
• T Page exhibited 'Lendal Bridge' in 1863. Although working at the right time he was an architect. 'Bridge Houses' is not an architectural study so I doubt this is the artist.
• In Graves I found Fred Milner 1890's who exhibited a scene in Frome in 1897 and 'Low Tide in Lelant Creek', Cornwall, in 1894. However, Milner seems to have painted oil on panel and his style is more modern than that exhibited on this painting.

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Location

The image on the right is Frome Bridge from a photograph of around 1910. The observation angle is different, however:

• Three central chimneys are approvimately in the same place.
• Roof angles on the part over the arch are similar.
• Buildings on the photograph have been extended but retain a similarity.
• on the left the stilt houses retain similar shapes although on the photograph they have been modernised.
• On the right the industrial building curves around to the right on both images.
• The little stilt building on the right of the arch is almost the same.

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Location (continued)

The map shows a survey date of 1885.

• The angle of observation is shown by the blue arrows (A).
• It can be seen that the main flow of the River Frome is from (H) to (G).
• At the time of writing (27th October 2022) it is unclear as to whether the river (Frome) is actually tidal at this point.
• The line of observation in the picture 'Bridge Houses Over a River at Low Tide' is from (A) through (C), the bridge, to (D).
• On the map at (D) is a Blue Coat School but it has been impossible to identify features from the internet, information and images of the many Blue Coat Schools is muddled.
• On Google Earth it appears that the stream in these images, (E, F, C, & D) is now drained.
• The stilt houses (B to C) can be seen on the map but have probably now been demolished.

...

On the image, left, which is undoubtedly Frome at the same place (and can be viewed at www.rareoldprints.com), early 20th Century, the stilt houses are clearly visible.

On the photo, right, the arch is just visible below the small stilt building but it appears to be dry.

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Conclusion

I am reasonably confident that I have found the location below 'The Bridge, Frome, (near Market Place, BA11 1AR)'

However, I have failed to establish the artist in this preliminary study.

I will e-mail:

Frome Museum, Somerset

North Parade

Frome BA11 1AT

01373 454611

e-mail info@frome-heritage-museum.org

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