Beech Trees at Sunset on the Hampshire Downs

High on the Hampshire Downs near Burghclere, a familiar stand of beech trees looks north across a broad sweep of country towards Berkshire, Oxfordshire and the distant horizon. Seen at sunset, the trees become a strong, rhythmic silhouette, their smooth trunks and high crowns outlined against the last light of the day.

The trees stand close to the Wayfarer's Walk between Ladle Hill and Watership Down, within a landscape shaped by chalk, wind, grazing and centuries of travel. These exposed ridges have long offered walkers expansive views and a sense of movement through the countryside. A group of mature beeches can become both landmark and refuge here: visible from afar, yet capable of providing shelter when weather crosses the downs.

The surrounding country has a notable literary identity. Richard Adams drew inspiration from the Hampshire landscape for Watership Down, while the routes and settlements of the county also belong to the world described by William Cobbett in Rural Rides. It would be unwise to claim that either writer stood beneath these exact trees, but the photograph shares the same qualities that made the downs so memorable to them: height, distance, changing light and the close relationship between track, field and woodland.

Charles Sainsbury-Plaice has returned repeatedly to these beech trees, photographing them through different seasons and conditions. In this image, sunset strips the scene back to its essential forms. The trees are neither background nor ornament; they are the subject, holding their ground above the darkening landscape.

After working for HM The King for 25 years, Charles brings an unusually close understanding of Britain's managed countryside to his photography. His work records not only beautiful places but also the natural and cultural history that gives them meaning.

Limited Edition Fine Art Print

The artwork is Giclée printed with archival inks on Photo Rag paper. Framed editions are finished in a wooden Black & Gold Luxe Monti Italian frame with a triple mount and Art Glass, which reduces reflections and helps protect the print from ultraviolet light.

• 530 × 430 mm mounted and framed; frame size 790 × 690 mm. Edition of 125 plus 12 artist's proofs. £450 plus delivery. Print-only option £300 plus postage and packing.
• 780 × 580 mm mounted and framed; frame size 1080 × 850 mm. Edition of 125 plus 12 artist's proofs. £650 plus delivery.

For United States customers, framing and mounting may differ because production is undertaken by specialist partners in the USA. Quotations are available for alternative sizes and display methods. Overseas delivery rates for framed artwork vary according to destination and specialist-shipping requirements.

Explore More

Browse more tree prints and woodland wall art, discover our tree and woodland greeting cards, or view the complete Charles Sainsbury-Plaice collection. Britain's most remarkable trees are also celebrated in The Queen's Green Canopy.