After my trip to Compton a week or so ago, I was musing on the existence of The Briary - the house that GF Watts built on the Island in Freshwater.
On Friday I thought I'd take a trip over to the West Wight and look around for it. After drawing a blank I thought I'd go to Dimbola Lodge and ask there.
On Friday I thought I'd take a trip over to the West Wight and look around for it. After drawing a blank I thought I'd go to Dimbola Lodge and ask there.
As fate would have it I was introduced to Elizabeth Hutchings who has written a book about GF Watts - Discovering the Sculptures of George Frederick Watts, OM, RA - which is on sale at Dimbola and at Compton. She told me she had a picture of The Briary on her PC at home, and that I was welcome to go along and have a look.
So, here is the The Briary, built by Watts for his friends the Prinseps. He stayed here whilst painting landscapes of the Island. Sadly it burned down in 1934.
So, here is the The Briary, built by Watts for his friends the Prinseps. He stayed here whilst painting landscapes of the Island. Sadly it burned down in 1934.
I'd have been impossibly lucky to find it by just randomly driving around!
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