Hulne Priory in the Duke of Northumberland's Park, Alnwick

This previously unpublished drawing by Girtin has been identified by Charles Nugent as a view of the ruins of Hulne Priory. The drawing must date from 1800, when Girtin returned to Northumberland, a county he had first visited in 1796. The tour of 1800 resulted in several major watercolours including Morpeth Bridge, Warkworth Castle and Alnwick Castle from Brizlee. Hulne Priory is situated on a bluff above the River Aln, almost opposite Brizlee Hill. It was an early (possibly the earliest) Carmelite foundation in England, established around 1260. After the dissolution of the monasteries some of the priory buildings were converted to dwellings and the Earl of Northumberland made one into a hunting lodge.

By the time of Girtin's visit the old priory was beginning to be frequented by travellers in search of the Picturesque. Stylistically the present pencil study is closely related to a group of Yorkshire drawings of 1800 from the 'Shepherd Sketchbook'. These drawings, catalogued by Martin Hardie in 1939, are now in the Whitworth Art Gallery. No other drawing or watercolour of Hulne Priory by Girtin is known.