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

There are two main sketches here, inverted relative to the sketchbook’s foliation. Across the middle register the outline of Shrewsbury Castle is seen on the left, with the tower of Shrewsbury School (now Shrewsbury Library) and the church spires of St Mary the Virgin and St Alkmund to the right, seen from the north from the vicinity of present-day Cross Street and Chester Street near the railway station, where later buildings obscure the view. Above are details of the tower and spire of St Mary’s and the school’s tower. Compare the views on the verso (D22282) and folio 73 recto (D22283; Turner Bequest CCXXXIX 72).

Below is a view with buildings and trees along on a river, probably the Severn at Shrewsbury. On the right is a very brief continuation of the English Bridge from the view of Shrewsbury on folio 71 verso opposite (D22280; Turner Bequest CCXXXIX 70a). For other sketches of the town, see under folio 24 recto (D22182).