Francis Towne

The Lake District in watercolours

The four landscapes seen on this website were painted by the English watercolourist Francis Towne (1740-1816). He made them, along with thirty-eight other watercolours, in 1786 on a tour of the English Lake District.

In 2016 The Winterbourne Press published a beautiful facsimile edition of this work, compiled by Timothy Wilcox, under the title Francis Towne's Lake District sketchbook.

The four reproductions on the homepage and the three subsequent sections, have the following titles: 

        1. A Valley in the Lake District 
        2. The Vale of St. John
        3. Rydal Water 
        4. Raven Cragg with Part of Thirlmere

As far as we can ascertain these images are in the public domain. In case this should be otherwise, please let us know.