Burnham Overy Staithe
Original price was: £975.00.£775.00Current price is: £775.00.
This “en plein air’ watercolour captures Burnham Overy Staithe in the quiet of early morning with a restrained, atmospheric sensitivity.
A wide, luminous sky dominates the composition, washed in cool greys and blue-greens, softly infused with pale yellow light near the horizon.
The clouds are loosely suggested, their edges broken and textured by the paper, conveying the damp, shifting air of dawn. This light spills down into the water, where reflections are muted and gently fragmented.
In the middle distance, a cluster of moored boats sits calmly on the staithe. Their hulls are simplified into dark, horizontal shapes, while the tall, slender masts rise vertically, punctuating the sky with fine, calligraphic lines. These masts create a quiet rhythm across the scene and emphasise the stillness of the morning.
To the right, the distinctive red-roofed boathouse and adjoining buildings provide a warm focal point. Painted with economical brushstrokes, they stand solid yet understated against the softer surroundings. The red roof contrasts gently with the cool palette, anchoring the composition without overpowering it.
In the foreground, grassy banks and a small bridge or embankment are rendered with loose, textured strokes and subtle greens, suggesting reeds and marsh vegetation rather than describing them in detail. The paint here is more broken and expressive, reinforcing the immediacy of working outdoors.
Overall, the painting conveys a sense of calm, freshness, and quiet observation. The loose handling, soft edges, and harmonious colour palette evoke the fleeting light and atmosphere of an early Norfolk morning, capturing not just the place, but the mood of Burnham Overy Staithe at daybreak.
This one of several watercolour paintings of Norfolk painted on location in 2009. There’s also one of Burnham Overy Mill available.
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Artist Delight
Burnham Overy is made up of two settlements, Burnham Overy Town the original village adjacent to the parish church and Burnham Overy Staithe, a rather larger settlement about 1 mile away and next to the creek-side harbour. Burnham Overy Staithe is a delight for artists. I’ve enjoyed two separate painting trips there, working “en plein air” to capture the small boats and big skies, mainly early morning and at low tide.
Historically Burnham Overy which lies on the River Burn was the port for the surrounding villages of the Burnhams. Until the end of the middle ages, trading ships were able to reach the village, however with silting of the river, commercial traffic switched to the downstream Staithe.
Burnham Harbour
Between Burnham Overy Staithe and the sea, a network of tidal creeks reach out trough marshes that fringe this stretch of coast, and finally reach the sea by passing through a gap in the sand dunes known locally as Burnham Harbour. Small boats can reach Burnham Overy Staithe through this gap and creek. Today Burnham Overy Staithe, and the associated harbour, is a major recreational sailing centre.
One of my favourite artists, Edward Seago used to sail and paint around this area. His paintings are well worth looking out for, an inspiration for many artists.
There is a comprehensive chandlery on the quayside. It is also the point of departure for boats out to the Scolt Head Island National Nature Reserve. The Hero pub and restaurant is a couple of minutes’ walk from the quayside.
Norfolk
To the east of the Burnham Overy creek, a stunning stretch of the Norfolk Coast path links Burnham Overy Staithe with the sand dunes and Beach at Holkham.
Just outside the village centre are the stunning six storey Burnham Overy Windmill which I’ve also painted on location and the neighbouring watermill. Neither the windmill nor watermill, are open to the public.
