A dish is brought to the table of the Border chiefs of Northumberland: instead of food, the dish contains a spur, indicating that the men should ride out and plunder for food. Photograph after W.B. Scott.

Scott, William Bell, 1811-1890.

Date:: [19--?]

Reference:: 3163022i

Pictures

About this work

Also known as

Composition known as : The spur in the dish warns the Border chief that the larder needs replenishing

Description

"The lady of the house brings a platter to the table but the food is missing and has been replaced by a spur, indicating to the Laird and men of the household that it was time to 'ride and rieve' if they wanted to eat. The room represented is in the castle at Newcastle, the features of the Laird are those of William Henry Charlton of Hesleyside Hall (who was responsible for the railway built from Hexham to Riccarton Junction in Scotland to serve the North Tyne Valley) and the monk is Wilson, his gamekeeper and the man pointing is William Armstrong of Linacres, a noted Northumbrian piper of the day."--National Trust website, accessed 31 May 2019

Publication/Creation

[19--?]

Physical description

1 photograph : photoprint, toned in brown ; sheet 36.2 x 36.2 cm

Contributors

Scott, William Bell, 1811-1890.

Lettering

The painting is signed and dated, on top of the stool: W B Scott Aug 1858 to Jan 1859

Reference

Wellcome Collection 3163022i

Reproduction note

After one of eight oil paintings illustrating the history of the English Border with Scotland painted between 1856 and 1861

Notes

The series of eight paintings was "commissioned in 1855 by Sir Walter Trevelyan to decorate the courtyard at Wallington; began in 1857 and the series was exhibited at regular intervals at the Literary Society in Newcastle and completed in 1861 ... [they were] given with the property to The National Trust in 1941 by Sir Charles Philips Trevelyan, 3rd Bt (1870–1958)"--National Trust website