Cookham

Cookham was home to the artist Stanley Spencer (1891 - 1959), and currently home to the museum named after him. So it is time for a visit.

Getting to Cookham by train involves joining the branch line at Maidenhead. Waiting for the connection gives you time to look across at the local clock tower. Although the view doesn't place it in its best light - it looks more like a watchtower in a prison from this angle. A closer inspection with more flattering photos will have to wait until another day.

Cookham is on a single track branch to Marlow, and if it wasn't for the shine of the rails you might think from this view looking north of the station that the line was disused.

 

 

The station itself is graced with a millennium clock (they seemed to be all the rage about 15 years ago, I wonder why you don't get so many now?!).

The bracket comes with a swan theme - they are big on swan upping in these parts.

Onwards to the gallery (www.stanleyspencer.org.uk). And apologies - on checking on Street View back home, it appears that I have walked right past a clock on the gable end of a nail bar near to the Kings Arms.

The churchyard of Holy Trinity is the setting for The Resurrection, Cookham of 1926, one of Stanley Spencer's most famous works. Luckily for me the church also has a clock.

It is not that uncommon to see sundials and mechanical clocks located next to each other - one assumes that the sundial came first, and then augmented by the mechanical clock which is easier to read, doesn't rely on it being a sunny day, and can be adjusted to British Summer Time.