Cultural Perceptions of the Landscape
6.1 Introduction
6.1.1 The cultural perception of the area’s
landscapes has been dominated by two principal areas, the Cotswolds
and the Mendips. These areas have attracted writers and travellers
for centuries. The River Avon and its valley has generally been
celebrated to a lesser extent.
6.1.2 The Cotswolds have a huge reputation for
the quality of its landscape; soft and romantic, the warm stone and
gentle undulations of the plateau lands creates an image that is
the very epitome of the English shires. Consequently there is much
that celebrates this valued area.
6.1.3 The Mendip Hills has an image that is
quite different with its dramatic limestone features and remote
plateau that breaks to wooded slopes that flow down to the
surrounding valleys. It too is celebrated, especially by the 19th
century ‘romantics’ who appreciated the rugged and wild aspects.
However it is the valley around Cheddar and the gorge itself that
attracts most cultural attention not the part within the area.
6.1.4 Other areas are less frequently
recognised. The Radstock valleys for example are very much more
industrial and so historically have not attracted the same
response. In these areas, records of the landscape are mainly by
local amateur artists and writers.
6.2 Literature
6.2.1 John Betjeman in his poem ‘Bristol’ (1)
wrote of the Avon:
“Green upon the flooded Avon shone the after-storm-wet
sky
Quick the struggling withy branches let the leaves of autumn
fly”
“And an undersong to branches dripping into pools and
wells.
Out of multitudes of elm trees over leagues of hills and
dells”
6.2.2 Much of what has been written to
celebrate the landscapes of the area is in the form of walking and
other tour guides or ‘coffee table’ books of pictures. Again these
are dominated by the Cotswolds and to a lesser extent the
Mendips.
6.2.3 A 1973 guide to the Cotswold Way by Mark
B. Richards (2) describes the landscape:
“The walks along woodland ways, the following of
enchanting paths in the company of the escarpment with its far
reaching views over valley and plain”
“the delights of rural scenes and quiet villages, the song
of the birds and the rustle of leaves reflecting the peace and
tranquillity of a lovely countryside …”
6.2.4 The north Somerset landscape was
described by H. V. Morton, the journalist and travel writer, in his
travelogue “In Search of England”(3). It was written in the early
days of the motor car. The landscape described typified the
landscape of much of the area west of Bath across to the Chew
Valley.
“Whenever I hear men boast of hills, I will rise up in
praise of the hills of North Somerset, the Devon hills are fair and
woody, the Cornish hills are wild and craggy, but the hills of
Somerset rise up to the sky clothed in the cloth of
heaven”.
“Somerset hills lift up to the sky fields which are among
the loveliest in England. Seen from a distance they are squared
patchwork of gold, sage-green, apple-green and red; the gold is
mustard, the apple-green is wheat, the sage-green is barley and the
rich red-brown is ploughed soil. When the sun is over them the
cloud shadows moving like smoke, the scent of warm hay in the air
and larks holding up the blue sky with their little wings,
…”
6.2.5 Another rich source of written
description is found in the many books on the countryside; a
popular genre especially in its heyday of the 1950s. As always the
Cotswolds are a popular subject.
“Nowhere in all England is there such a lack of stridency.
The colours; the gray of the stonewalls which over much of the land
do duty as hedges, and of the cottages and the manor houses. The
green and pale gold of pasture and arable field seem softly
blended. The landscape is a watercolour” (4)
6.2.6 There are some poems influenced by the
Cotswold countryside. These include Ivor Gurney’s ‘In Flanders
Field’ (about a soldier in the trenches of the First World War who
is dreaming of the Cotswold countryside) and ‘The High Hills’.
Another notable example is Walter Savage Landor’s ‘Widcombe
Churchyard’
“The place where soon I think to lie,
in its old creviced wall hard by”
6.2.7 A visitor to Combe Hay in the 18th
century described the Cam valley landscape as follows.
“Yet bounteous nature here, with lavish hand, Has poured
her artless charms o’er hill and dale; Pindaric Hills, Arcadia all
the vale.”
6.3 Art
6.3.1 As with the other cultural activities
the Cotswolds and the Mendips are the most celebrated landscapes of
the study area. Other parts are recorded by local artists; one
notable example is Alan Durman from Saltford. Three of his works
are on display in Saltford Community Hall. A large mural, which
celebrates the community, shows the landscape as a backdrop to
dancing locals. The other two paintings show, in one, the view
across Kelston village to Kelston Round Hill, a local landmark, and
in the other a typical view of the River Avon.
6.3.2 Somerset has generally been known for
its gentle rural scenes, and images have been used in advertising
that are typical of the undulating landscape of the Chew Valley. A
good example is the 1948 poster for British Rail simply titled
‘Somerset’ painted by Jack Merrion.
6.3.3 The Ealing Comedy ‘The Titfield
Thunderbolt’ from 1952 was filmed on location in the Cam Valley. It
used the station at Camerton and the old coal railway that ran from
Paulton to Dundas Basin taking advantage of the picturesque
landscape.
“Cold blows the wind on Costall,
In winter, snow and storm,
But the heart of England’s in Costall,
And the hearts of England’s warm: “(5)
6.4.1 Somerset has a particularly strong
tradition for folk music. The great collector of folk music, Cecil
Sharp, travelled widely through the west country and collected some
of the verses to ‘The Holly and the Ivy’ from West Harptree.
Sharp’s collections also formed the basis of Gustav Holst’s
‘Somerset Rhapsody’ and ‘Songs of the West’ as well as Vaughan
Williams’ ‘March from Somerset’ in his English Folk Song Suite.
6.4.2 The landscape itself has been an
inspiration. Once again this is particularly true of the Cotswolds.
Holst, born in Cheltenham, held a deep love of the Cotswold Hills
and like Elgar, who famously drew inspirations from the Malverns,
used this to great effect in his writings. His Symphony in F
‘The
Cotswolds’ (1900) was an early piece that helped establish him
as a major composer. Ralph Vaughan Williams was also born in
Gloucestershire and again drew upon his early experience of walking
in the Cotswold Hills for his Pastoral Symphony and his ‘Cotswold
Romance’; a cantata from his opera ‘Hugh the Drover’.
6.4.3 In more recent times composer and
performer Peter Gabriel drew inspiration from Solsbury Hill in the
song of the same title. The song reflects the mystical nature of
the landscape, derived in part from the Iron Age hill fort, and
mentions the view towards the city of Bath at night.
“Climbing up on Solsbury Hill
I could see the City light
Wind was blowing, time stood still “(6)
6.4.4 Acker Bilk is a jazz legend. Born in
Pensford in 1929 he became famous in the 1950s and 1960s for his
'trad jazz' hits such as ‘Stranger on the Shore’. His 21
instrumental piece Summer Set reflects his Somerset background. He
continues to maintain a house in Pensford but lives in London where
he is still much in demand on the jazz circuit. Acker Bilk also
played an important part in the growth of the Wurzels as a Somerset
music phenomenon. Wurzels songs colourfully depict the agricultural
and social details of country living of the area. Songs of
particular local significance include ‘When the Common Market comes
to Stanton Drew’ and ‘The Chew Magna Cha Cha’.
