The above painting is of Brecon Cathedral from the bridge by the Castle (the painting is sold). The old gaol is the building in the centre in front of the cathedral tower. There was another gaol down in Llanfaes which is also dissused.
I have been to a number of prisons in my time fortunately not as an inmate. I was always glad to get out. They are cold forbidding places. You always received abuse or banter from the occupants which you were obliged to return. Probably the worst place I went to was the Main Bridewell in Cheapside, Liverpool in the 1970's this was an old Victorian Lock Up with brick arches, dirty, dark and bleak. It housed all sorts from drunks to violent offenders and smelt of urine. It was used up until the 1990's but is now I believe fashionable flats !
When we lived in Brecon there used to be a good old fashioned butchers next to the bridge, the sort that new all the customers by name. Whenever we went in we were always greeted by,
"Hello Mrs Cox...What can we do for you today.?.."
(I noticed I was never included in the ritual. I suppose they knew the right pecking order. I just carried the bags). The butchers is gone now and there is a supermarket up the road.
I like Brecon and enjoyed going back there to exhibit. We always saw lots of people we knew and as it happens we sold well. It is a shame we have cut down on our exhibitions in many respects but it was a decision we had to come to.
Work is still ongoing with the roof and I still can't get in to my studio so unfortunately I have had no excuse but to start digging the garden over!
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