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The Pillory in the Castle Ruins, Saffron Walden

William P Robins

1941

watercolor

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Early Modern

Dominant colour

The Pillory in the Castle Ruins, Saffron Walden is a 1941 watercolor by William P Robins, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: William P Robins
When & what style?: 1941
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This watercolour shows a quiet scene of old stones and a wooden pillory. It’s set in the ruins of Walden Castle, which has stood empty for two centuries. The pillory is a rare clue to everyday punishments long ago. Built when the castle was still in use, it was last used before people even reached 1837. Look up the artist who painted it, Robins, William P.

The story of this work

Overview

The drawing depicts a pillory, a device historically used for public punishment, surrounded by dense foliage with fragments of the nearby Walden Castle ruins visible through the branches. Executed in monochrome wash, the work is signed, dated, and titled by the artist. The scene reflects the castle’s long-standing ruin, its stone having been repurposed in the eighteenth century, leaving only the flint core of the original Norman keep. Part of the "Recording Britain" collection, the piece documents British heritage during the Second World War under a government-sponsored initiative to capture…

Read the full account in the museum source.