Day Two - Walking along the lower Wye
Today started literally in a fog; early morning fog is rather typical in the river valley. As the sun began to break through it was pretty obvious it would be another fine day, weatherwise anyway.
After a fine breakfast we headed towards Chepstow and the start of our lower Wye quests.
Chepstow, the city, is the site of a mighty castle at the Wye's graceful merger with the Severn. The formidible structure is easily seen, mostly in bits and pieces from across the river in Tutshill or Sedbury, otherwise the bridge across the Wye is a passable, but possibily dangerous solitary clear viewpoint.
We began our site selection by joining one of the many available public walking trails. Today's trail is part of one of the longest in all of the UK, Offa's Dyke Trail. Named for an ancient king, it separates southwest England and Wales via a long defunct earth-barrier against war-like neighbors. On the same order as Hadrian's Wall or the Great Wall of China. It's now a very popular and often used path for ramblers, dog-walkers, and tourists wanting to see some back-country.
Our main difficulty wasn't finding the view, but finding an unobstructed one with the new houses and small developments ..."Castle View" or "Wye View," etc. With houses blocking almost every viewpoint, I decided to improvise. Similar to The original Re-Photography Project or Mark Klett's recent Third View, some of the original views (or pictures) just aren't possible. I shot a few of the new scenes from (I believe) earlier engravings and picture-postcard's vantage points.
I got a rather nice Claude Glass image too.
As we drove out of the area I stopped to photograph the newish house atop Wintour's Leap. What an amazing view.
We broke for lunch at the White Lion (Chepstow) and had my first real Welsh ale. It was ok, but I was too busy trying to get the Internet connection working to really notice. Oh joy of joys.
Next came, for me, the highlight of the day -- Piercefield Park (old spelling Persfeld). Once the single most important estate on the lower Wye River and a required stop for anyone of stature and high culture during the early (Romantic period) days of Picturesque tourism. With views of the estate created on both sides of the river, a massive landscape design, and a manor house the envy of all, Piercefield Park was the epitome of desire (and excess) of the English gentry. Owned and developed by Valentine Morris, the lands began to deteriorate after Morris was imprisoned for debts.
There were a few subsequent owners, but none with the ambition or vision of Morris. Purchased by the Chepstow Racecourse in the early 20th century, it is now a rambling ruin -- possibly one to please an uninformed Picturesque tourist. I wonder how Gilpin, so fond of ruins, would receive the view today? I also wonder what depth of humility Morris might find to consider his creation's current state of visual glory?
I had a marvelous afternoon peering in doorways and windows trying to find traces of past glory.
Check out some of the other images from the day in Day Two Gallery.
Today started literally in a fog; early morning fog is rather typical in the river valley. As the sun began to break through it was pretty obvious it would be another fine day, weatherwise anyway.
After a fine breakfast we headed towards Chepstow and the start of our lower Wye quests.
Chepstow, the city, is the site of a mighty castle at the Wye's graceful merger with the Severn. The formidible structure is easily seen, mostly in bits and pieces from across the river in Tutshill or Sedbury, otherwise the bridge across the Wye is a passable, but possibily dangerous solitary clear viewpoint.
We began our site selection by joining one of the many available public walking trails. Today's trail is part of one of the longest in all of the UK, Offa's Dyke Trail. Named for an ancient king, it separates southwest England and Wales via a long defunct earth-barrier against war-like neighbors. On the same order as Hadrian's Wall or the Great Wall of China. It's now a very popular and often used path for ramblers, dog-walkers, and tourists wanting to see some back-country.
Our main difficulty wasn't finding the view, but finding an unobstructed one with the new houses and small developments ..."Castle View" or "Wye View," etc. With houses blocking almost every viewpoint, I decided to improvise. Similar to The original Re-Photography Project or Mark Klett's recent Third View, some of the original views (or pictures) just aren't possible. I shot a few of the new scenes from (I believe) earlier engravings and picture-postcard's vantage points.
1905-1912 postcard view from Valentine & SonsNext we visited Lancaut, a thin finger of land caught between a sharp bend in the Wye near Chepstow. There we found St. James church ruins. It's believed the site has been in settlement since 625, but the church dates from the 1200s. The other feature in this area is Wintours Leap and a fine view across the riverbend to the Wyndcliff.
I got a rather nice Claude Glass image too.
As we drove out of the area I stopped to photograph the newish house atop Wintour's Leap. What an amazing view.
We broke for lunch at the White Lion (Chepstow) and had my first real Welsh ale. It was ok, but I was too busy trying to get the Internet connection working to really notice. Oh joy of joys.
Next came, for me, the highlight of the day -- Piercefield Park (old spelling Persfeld). Once the single most important estate on the lower Wye River and a required stop for anyone of stature and high culture during the early (Romantic period) days of Picturesque tourism. With views of the estate created on both sides of the river, a massive landscape design, and a manor house the envy of all, Piercefield Park was the epitome of desire (and excess) of the English gentry. Owned and developed by Valentine Morris, the lands began to deteriorate after Morris was imprisoned for debts.
There were a few subsequent owners, but none with the ambition or vision of Morris. Purchased by the Chepstow Racecourse in the early 20th century, it is now a rambling ruin -- possibly one to please an uninformed Picturesque tourist. I wonder how Gilpin, so fond of ruins, would receive the view today? I also wonder what depth of humility Morris might find to consider his creation's current state of visual glory?
I had a marvelous afternoon peering in doorways and windows trying to find traces of past glory.Check out some of the other images from the day in Day Two Gallery.
