Journey 2
William Gilpin
Ross-on-Wye
Are Gilpin’s sketches truthful?
Ross-on-Wye was the boarding point for the river tours Gilpin popularised. His writings inspired what amounted to a ‘package tour’ that, by 1800, was a must for people of taste and fashion.
From here, Gilpin’s group traveled four miles downstream to Goodrich Castle. For once, Gilpin
thought he’d found a scene perfect in nature. Due to rain, his party didn’t disembark, so
Gilpin sketched the castle from midstream.
Nick Crane rows around trying to match the exact spot, but soon realises that Gilpin used artistic licence to improve his drawing – removing trees and adding a gorge for impact.
Maybe for Gilpin there was never going to be a perfect view. He loved this place, but if it didn’t meet his criteria, where would? Perhaps what he was really looking for was a hint of what perfect design might look like from God’s grand and – to us – incomprehensible perspective.