Shrewsbury artist shares interesting history behind pretty streets he has intricately drawn
An artist who has been drawing highly-detailed pictures of Shrewsbury’s prettiest streets has shared some interesting history behind his latest works.
Six years on from starting the Shrewsbury Streetscape Project, James St Clair Wade, a recently retired architect, has just completed Bellstone and Barker Street after just over a month of drawing.
He said: "I've really enjoyed drawing this handsome part of town and am full of admiration for Arthur Ward the borough engineer who, having widened Wyle Cop in the 1920s, went to do the same to Barker Street.
“He sliced off the front of the houses, moved the whole street back to accommodate motor cars and rebuilt everything. I've enjoyed playing house detective and seeing where the old buildings on Claremont Hill meet the 1930s buildings on Barker St along with spotting the plaques high up on Cooper Green Pooks.
“I remember the Eagle Star Insurance building when I was younger and drawing it now, it's been fascinating to spot the timber eagle and the timber star pattern in this rebuilt timber building from 1940. It’s extraordinary to think that during the World War Two timbered buildings were being rebuilt."
James has just started to draw Claremont Hill and hopes to move onto Swan Hill before too long.
He might consider drawing Pengwern Boathouse and Shrewsbury Station if there's enough interest.
James and his wife Katriona will be opening their garden as part of the Belle Vue Arts Festival Garden Trail from 12pm to 5pm on Sunday, June 22 and will have a mini streetscape exhibition with a selection of panoramas.
The Streetscape Map will be on display along with cards and prints for sale. If dry, James will have his clockwork Hornby train layout in the garden.
