The Painting
A watercolour measuring 9¼” x13½”. Signed C. J. Adams.

About the Artist
Charles James Adams (1859-1931) was a landscape painter. He was born in Gravesend, Kent and studied at the Leicester School of Art where he later became an art teacher. He won the Mulready gold medal for life drawing. He lived and worked in Leicester and later in West Sussex and Surrey. He also painted animals, history and genre subjects, in both watercolours and oil. He exhibited in 1881-1919 including at the Royal Academy (37) and the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours (30). His works are in the collections of Leicester’s New Walk Museum & Art Gallery and Brighton Museum & Art Gallery.

The Subject
The Parish Church of St Thomas the Martyr, Winchelsea, East Sussex. This was or was planned to be a cruciform church, but the nave was either never finished or was burned by the French in the 14th century. The chancel with aisles and the arches and ruins of the transepts remain. Except for the 15th century west porch, the whole building is 14th century and is considered to be the finest Decorated work in Sussex. The church contains earlier canopied tombs. This painting pre-dates the installation in 1929-33 of the stained glass windows designed by Douglas Strachan.