Painting of the Old Post Office, Church Street, Ropley. Early to Mid-19th Century
Photo of painting of Church Street facing South with St. Peters behind the perspective of the painter.
The painting shows a village scene of locals working and walking through Church Street, then the main artery of the village. With a cart yard visible in the back where individuals are seen repairing various carts and wheels.
The house shown in the centre is the Old Post Office, Church Street no. 3 built in 1771 which provides a rough date for the painting. The individuals shown in the painting seem to be dressed in a broadly 19th Century fashion.
The layout of buildings is identical to the same area shown on the 1839 tithe map of Ropley with two residencies on the left of the painting and a barn and yard visible to the right. Whereas in an 1870 map of the village the barn on the right was replaced by a longer building ehich went right up to the road.
The piece was likely painted by a local resident at some point prior to the later 1800s and is therefore one of the oldest examples of folk art, and the oldest painting of Ropley at all.
By Emmanuel La O Kirchner
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