Constable Country Walk

Eleven of us turned up to meet Fritz at the corner cafe in pretty Dedham on a sunny Saturday morning on 22nd August. After a refreshing drink we set out alongside the River Stour, enjoying the sun as the heat soared.

Fritz gave us a potted history of John Constable on the way to the bridge where we stood and admired the view of Flatford Mill that Constable painted. The National Trust owns 400 acres in the area and has an interesting display of Constable’s work, including the miniatures that Constable drew in such detail before embarking on his 6 foot canvasses. We then passed Valley Farm on our way to Willy Lott’s Cottage which is in The Haywain.

Leaving the Stour valley we climbed through paths and fields in the increasing heat to East Bergholt. Thoroughly hot we stopped at a pub to cool down, apply more suntan lotion and have our lunch before moving on to the interesting church in East Bergholt. It has a bellcage which was erected as a temporary measure – in 1531. Constable grew up in East Bergholt but there is little original evidence left of his existence there.

Descending back to Dedham we had cake and tea in the arts centre and then left for home.

Brian U. 23 September 2015

    The Group near Flatford Mill