Canvas
Castle Combe,
Wiltshire, England – 1988
During a working visit to England, I came upon the stunning village of Castle Combe set in a wooded valley. It is known as “the prettiest village in England” and I would not dispute that.It lies on the doorstep of the Georgian city of Bath and is located on the breathtakingly southern edge of the Cotswolds.
A weaving industry once flourished in Castle Combe and utilized the waters of the River Bybrook, which ambles through the middle of the village and has a narrow three arched bridge crossing over the stream.
This image was taken one very cold, early January morning. Standing in the quiet, picturesque street, villagers’ chimneys puffed smoke from their cozy lit firesides while I feverishly captured the calm of the village before it awoke to become the typical hustle and bustle of village life.
As the sun began to rise over the proud standing church tower and honey-colored Cotswold stone dwellings built hundreds of years ago the village began turning to pure gold; it was an incredibly beautiful moment.
In 1966, drama temporarily disturbed this peaceful, tranquil village when filmmakers chose it as their location for Dr Doolittle. This image captures the timeless architectural qualities in harmony with nature; both elements co-exist comfortably and without each other the connection would be lost.In a fast and ever changing world little stays the same but I believe this scene of Castle Combe village will live on in the centuries to follow.