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

Sketches in folios 14–18 (D25787–D25795) are of Kendal at the south-east of the Lake District. These appear in the sketchbook following views of Preston (folios 8–13; D25776–D25786) and directly preceding views near Keswick (folios 18 verso–24 verso; D25796–D25808).

This was Turner’s second visit to Kendal following his northern tour of 1816. Sketches in the Yorkshire 2 and Yorkshire 4 sketchbooks show that he was concerned with depicting the same views as in 1831: the Parish Church and Castle (Tate D11061, D11062, D11517 and D40842; Turner Bequest CXLV 13a, 14, CXLVII 44a and inside back cover); and views from the south (Tate D11090, D11091 and D11516; Turner Bequest CXLV 34a, 35 and CXLVII 44).

Views of Kendal in the present sketchbook begin here on folio 14 with a sketch of the Parish Church. This view was taken from opposite the thirteenth-century church on the eastern side of the River Kent, and looks south down the river towards the three-arched Nether Bridge. Beneath the church are a series of numbers, which refer to how many arches are in each window (at the bottom row only). The trees behind the church are reflected in the water.

There is a view of the River Kent from the other side of Nether Bridge on folio 16 (D25791), and a view of the bridge over the river on folio 18 (D25795). Kendal Castle is sketched on folios 15 and 15 verso (D25789, D25790), and there are views of the town from the south on folios 14 verso–15, and 16 verso–17 (D25788–D25789, D25792–D25793). There are also views of nearby mountains on folio 17 verso (D25794).