Leather Tor from Narrator Meavy, Devon

John White Abbott 1763-1851
Leather Tor from Narrator Meavy, Devon

Signed with initials, dated and inscribed, verso on the original mount: Leather Tor, from Narraton Meavy, Devon/JWA Augt. 14. 1834.
Pen and ink and watercolour over traces of pencil
15 by 23.8 cm., 5 ¾ by 9 ¼ in.

The landscape around Leather Tor has changed dramatically since White Abbott drew this work. It now sits at the north-east end of Burrator reservoir, which was built between 1892 and 1898 with one of the two dams constructed to form the reservoir, sited across the River Meavy. It seems from the position of Sharpitor on the summit of the hill, with Leather Tor slightly below and to the left, that White Abbott was on the banks of the Meavy slightly to the north-east of what is now Burrator reservoir.