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

With the page turned horizontally, the two sketches were likely made from the same viewpoint, showing aspects of a scene along the Channel cliffs west of Dover (see under folio 2 recto; D18843); above, the prospect is south-west towards Folkestone (see under folio 8 recto; D18855), with the tower of St Mary and St Eanswythe’s Church in the middle distance, and the profile of the coast towards Dungeness on the horizon above.

Below, aligned north to south, are three Martello towers (numbers 1, 2 and 3 of the Kent sequence), built during the Napoleonic Wars towards Copt Point, overlooking the end of East Wear Bay.1 They are seen from below Dover Hill, around the vicinity of what is now Swiss Way. See folio 22 verso (D18883) for more of the forts, to the west of Folkestone. The page is one of a short sequence progressing the seven miles or so westwards between Dover and Folkestone. Compare the overall view from a similar position on the recto (D18851), and the slighter sketch among others on folio 7 recto opposite (D18853). There is a view from nearby in the Richmond Hill; Hastings to Margate sketchbook of about 1816–19 (Tate D10475–D10476; Turner Bequest CXL 34a–35).