J.M.W. Turner: Sketchbooks, Drawings and Watercolours

With the page turned horizontally, the view is west across the harbour at Folkestone, as tentatively suggested by Finberg,1 with a few boats overlooked by St Mary and St Eanswythe’s Church on the cliff beyond. It is probably a partial reprise and continuation to the right of the more southerly view from the eastern pier on folio 9 verso opposite (D18858). Few if any of the houses survive, while the harbour was later considerably expanded and redeveloped. The rugged cliff is now wooded. The letters below the houses indicate the colours of individual frontages, presumably white and yellow. Folio 14 recto (D18867) shows a similar prospect from the western harbour arm.

This is among numerous sketches showing aspects of the harbour. For Turner’s other Folkestone views in this sketchbook and elsewhere, see under the comparable view on folio 8 recto (D18855).