watercolours, paintings, pictures, greeting cards, art prints, bookmarks

Castle Hill at Christmas This view of Castle Hill looks up Ashes Lane towards Victoria Tower on the summit. The red door of the farm serves as the focal point of the picture, whilst the footsteps of the lone walking figure lead the viewer into the scene. By the look of the clouds, there is a lot more snow to come!
Castle Hill from Ashes Lane Castle Hill is the site of an Iron Age hillfort, later fortified by the Normans who constructed a motte and bailey castle. This picture, with Catterstones Farm in the foreground, shows Victoria Tower, built to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, and the old Castle Hill Hotel, now demolished, which can just be seen over the brow of the hill.
Castle Hill from Park Lane Park Lane runs from Hangingstone Lane near Berry Brow, all the way up to Ashes Lane near the hill summit. The leaning telegraph post is actually a lamp-post, but I preferred to use “artist’s license” to change this.
Fenay Lane, Almondbury The village of Almondbury was, during medieval and Tudor times, a much more important settlement than Huddersfield, situated beneath the protective gaze of Castle Hill. During the Industrial Revolution, Huddersfield grew in size because the mills needed its ready water supply, and Almondbury became just another suburb of the town. This picture shows the Memorial Cross, and looks beyond ‘Taste Fine Wines’ down Fenay Lane, which eventually leads to Kirkburton.
Sid's Cafe, Holmfirth
St Mary’s Church, Honley There has been a church on this site for over 500 years, and the present Church dates from the 19th century. Next to the church, in the Parish Rooms, there is an excellent second hand bookshop, known as ‘Old Peg Bookshop’. You approach the church up a quaint cobbled street, Church Street. In recent years a Christmas street market has taken place here at the beginning of December.
Thurstonland in Winter The church and houses can just be identified under their blanket of snow, as you follow the road that a few undaunted motorists have taken down into the village. Thurstonland sits along the same ridge of hills as Castle Hill and the village of Farnley Tyas. Emley Moor Mast is just ‘out of shot’ on the left-hand side, whilst Holme Moss is further round to the right.
Woodsome Hall Golf Club This beautiful (reputedly haunted) 16th century building is normally hidden from the road, situated as it is down a long drive and surrounded by its golf course. The present hall was mainly the work of Arthur Kaye, on the site of an earlier dwelling which dates back to 1086 A.D. It remained in the Kaye family (and subsequently the Earls of Dartmouth who married into the family) for over 560 years. It was leased to the Golf Club in 1922, and finally purchased by them in 1939.