Does anyone check these things out? 

Well, if you do... this is for you.

Finally we had some amount of SNOW in Cambridgeshire! I've been waiting sooooo long and you know me I was out first thing and walked to find a decent scene to paint... far from the maddening crowd. I did two paintings in all and was out for arounf seven hours... I felt a bit worse for that, but ok now.

Do you like to know the history of the places where you live

 

I love finding these things out about the places I paint... and Cambridge, UK is full of history! 

 

Biggin Abbey, the summer residence of the Bishops of Ely, was never occupied by monks, it stood on a formerly moated site in the north-west extension of the parish, opposite Bait's lock on the river Cam. It still has a Chapel in the attic known as "Monks Prison". This would of been a great place to have a Summer residence, as it is not far down the River Cam, where the biggest medieval fair in Europe was held... the Bishops could then purchase their Oysters, Wine and other things

 

I loved painting in the snow and trying to capture some of the atmosphere and history of this place.