Title
Cromwell's Bridge River Hodder (2007) - Original painting by Ross Eccles
Size & Type
76 x 51 cm (30 x 20 inches) - Acrylic on canvas
About the Artwork
Cromwell's Bridge is an old packhourse bridge that crosses the River Hodder near Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire. Built around 1561 at the direction of Sir Richard Shireburn of Stoneyhurst Estate, it was named after Oliver Cromwell, who marched an army over it in 1648, on his way to the Battle of Preston. The packhorse bridge is no longer in use an was superseded by the later "Lower Hodder Bridge", some 50 metres upstream.
Ross says; I used to flyfish this stretch of River in my late teens, with a permit from the Co-op Dairies, who controlled the fishing rights. I remember the water was crystal clear at the time, so I was able to take a drink, without too much fear of the consequences! Some of Ross's ancestors, going back 400 years plus, can be traced to this beautiful area.
The painting itself is an expression of these memories!