Sometimes on a weekend I like go out and explore parts of the Cotswolds. If I’m in the mood and can find somewhere suitable to draw then it can be a pleasant way to spend an hour or so; just sitting drawing out in the country and maybe chatting to occasional strangers. Where the Cotswolds lie exactly is open to debate and I am not sure that there is any actual line defining this. So a string of villages south of Burford – ‘the gateway to the Cotswolds’ – probably qualifies.

Black Bourton is one of these villages. it is a quiet place, but it has a pub and also some really nice Cotswold Stone cottages. On the edge of the village, I came across Bridge House and High House, two adjoining houses which though slightly different architecturally form a pleasing composition. With my subject chosen I set up and did some sketching.

Here’s a view of these buildings, my sketch in-situ and a scan of my nearly finished sketch.

I later added a few small details and then turned it into a watercolour, below.

Here are some links to some of my similar sketches

Back to Bath Road, Abingdon

Blewbury cottages

Sketching Ivy Farm Cottage, West Hagbourne

Sketching the ‘Tudor House’ at East Hagbourne