There is an absence of any mountain range or deep gorge in the Stour Valley. It is a very unassuming and gentle landscape with no formidable geological formations to draw attention. Low hills and shallow bowls form the boundary by which the valley is defined. In this peaceful and serene little valley, humankind left its impression. 1 Canals, locks, bridges, and dams control the river while expert ploughmen cut perfect furrows down the hillsides.
Cattle graze lazily in the pastures while millers grind their grain.
In the later part of the eighteenth century, John Constable called this place home. Perhaps the tranquillity of the valley helped him to become a fine observer and see the importance of his immediate surroundings. John Constable, Hampstead Heath Reproduced by permission. Janet Turner Print Gallery. It is a scene taken straight from the floor of the valley in which he was raised.