...on revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a tour: July 13th, 1798.
Having lived for more than fifteen years amidst 'these steep woods and lofty cliffs, And this green pastoral landscape', we felt the time had come to tackle the work that we have come to regard as 'our' poem.
We can almost see William Wordsworth's footprints on our riverbank. Even before we came to live here we felt a deep affinity with this poem. Wordsworth helped us to understand and to accept the 'sense sublime of something far more deeply interfused' of which we have always been aware. The images involved Nicolas editing photographs which had been taken on our stretch of the river but Frances too spent long hours at the vat to make paper for the entire project text, endpapers and binding.
Spring water on its way to the Wye is an essential part of this paper making process and plants grown beside that stream were used in the endpapers. Altogether a very personal project!
Editions & Inscriptions
Copies of the Main Edition are Signed by Nicolas McDowall
The book was designed and printed by Nicolas McDowall, on paper handmade, at The Old Stile Press, by Frances McDowall. The type is Bulmer and two different colours of ink were used. The images, within the book and for the binding, were derived, by Nicolas McDowall, from photographs. The binding, involving blue leather spines as well as the handmade paper, was completed at The Fine Bindery, Wellingborough.
Lines composed a few miles above Tintern Abbey
Published in 2002
330 x 224 mm
Editions & Availability
125 copies were printed of the Main Edition
The Main Edition is no longer available.
ISBN: 0 907664 58 X
Special Editions are not available.