Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
General Collection
Collection
<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/charles-spencelayh-1975" aria-label="More by Charles Spencelayh" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Charles Spencelayh</a>
Rochester Castle
Purchased 1941
architecture
boat - non-specific
cathedral
England
England, South East
England, Southern
Kent
medieval
periods and styles
pier
places
religious
river
River Medway
Rochester, Rochester Castle
society
townscapes / man-made features
transport: water
UK cities, towns and villages
UK counties
UK countries and regions
UK natural features
water: inland
waterfront
<p>Spencelayh was born and grew up in Rochester, travelling from there each day to the South Kensington School (later renamed the Royal College of Art) throughout his training as an artist. He continued his studies in Paris before returning to England, first exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1892. For the next sixty-six years, Spencelayh regularly sent canvases to the Royal Academy exhibitions. Spencelayh frequently returned to the cathedral city throughout his career, evidently making sketches for this painting on one of these visits. This landscape is unusual for Spencelayh who, according to the critic of <i>The</i> <i>Manchester Guardian</i> generally painted, 'old codgers - the obsolete slang rises unbidden - in junk-crammed interiors that will be of considerable interest to the social historian of the future' (quoted in Noakes, p.53). This view is from the Strood end of Rochester Bridge, looking across the River Medway to a wide panorama centred on the Norman castle situated on the hill top. The stone keep, built under the guidance of William the Conqueror's architect, Bishop Gundulf, was the principle part of the castle then remaining. At 113 feet (35m) high and 70 feet (22m) square it dominates the surrounding countryside. To the left of the castle Spencelayh includes the Norman cathedral. The monumental square tower, recently having undergone restoration work by Sir Gilbert Scott, overlooks the Kent town. The only activity in the scene is contained in the boat in the foreground which is sailing past the pier. The topographical accuracy of the picture is evidently Spencelayh's foremost concern in this view of his home town. In 1896, one year after this painting was completed, Spencelayh began to exhibit at the Royal Society of Miniature Painters. His early training as a miniature painter is evident from the highly detailed technique of the painting, a skill which earned him the label 'the Human Camera' by his contemporaries (quoted in Noakes, p.37). Spencelayh continued to paint in this way throughout his career despite the popularity of Impressionism at the end of the nineteenth century. <b>Further reading:</b>Aubrey Noakes, <i>Charles Spencelayh and his Paintings, </i>London 1978 Heather BirchallJune 2002</p>
painting oil paint canvas
Rochester Castle
support: 225 × 610 mm
Purchased 1941
<p>Spencelayh was born and grew up in Rochester, travelling from there each day to the South Kensington School (later renamed the Royal College of Art) throughout his training as an artist. He continued his studies in Paris before returning to England, first exhibiting at the Royal Academy in 1892. For the next sixty-six years, Spencelayh regularly sent <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/canvas" title="Glossary definition for 'Canvas'"><span>canvases</span></a> to the Royal Academy exhibitions. Spencelayh frequently returned to the cathedral city throughout his career, evidently making sketches for this <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> on one of these visits. This <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/l/landscape" title="Glossary definition for 'Landscape'"><span>landscape</span></a> is unusual for Spencelayh who, according to the critic of <i>The</i> <i>Manchester Guardian</i> generally painted, 'old codgers - the obsolete slang rises unbidden - in junk-crammed interiors that will be of considerable interest to the social historian of the future' (quoted in Noakes, p.53). 

</p><p>This view is from the Strood end of Rochester Bridge, looking across the River Medway to a wide panorama centred on the Norman castle situated on the hill top. The stone keep, built under the guidance of William the Conqueror's architect, Bishop Gundulf, was the principle part of the castle then remaining. At 113 feet (35m) high and 70 feet (22m) square it dominates the surrounding countryside. To the left of the castle Spencelayh includes the Norman cathedral. The monumental square tower, recently having undergone restoration work by Sir Gilbert Scott, overlooks the Kent town. The only activity in the scene is contained in the boat in the foreground which is sailing past the pier. The topographical accuracy of the picture is evidently Spencelayh's foremost concern in this view of his home town.

</p><p>In 1896, one year after this painting was completed, Spencelayh began to exhibit at the Royal Society of <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/m/miniature" title="Glossary definition for 'Miniature'"><span>Miniature</span></a> Painters. His early training as a miniature painter is evident from the highly detailed technique of the painting, a skill which earned him the label 'the Human Camera' by his contemporaries (quoted in Noakes, p.37). Spencelayh continued to paint in this way throughout his career despite the popularity of <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/i/impressionism" title="Glossary definition for 'Impressionism'"><span>Impressionism</span></a> at the end of the nineteenth century.

</p><p><b>Further reading:<br/></b>Aubrey Noakes, <i>Charles Spencelayh and his Paintings, </i>London 1978

</p><p>Heather Birchall<br/>June 2002</p>
Summary
2005-09-15T00:00:00
summary
SHORT_TEXT
<p><b>N05272</b> ROCHESTER CASTLE 1895</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Inscr. ‘Charles Spencelayh 1895’ b.l.
<br/>Canvas, 8 7/8×24 (22·75×61).
<br/>Purchased from the artist (Knapping Fund) 1941.
<br/><i>Repr:</i> <i>Studio</i>, CXXIV, 1942, p.15.</p>
<p>The view is that seen from the Strood end of Rochester Bridge, looking across the River Medway to the Esplanade with Rochester Pier in the right foreground. On the hill stands Rochester Castle, built 1126–39 by William Corbeil, Archbishop of Canterbury, of which only the square Keep remains. The <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> shows it before the restoration of 1900. To the left of the picture is Rochester Cathedral, which dates mainly from the time of Prior William de Hoo (1201–27).</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-07T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
architecture boat - non-specific cathedral England England, South East England, Southern Kent medieval periods and styles pier places religious river River Medway Rochester, Rochester Castle society townscapes / man-made features transport: water UK cities, towns and villages UK counties UK countries and regions UK natural features waterfront water: inland