Lockdown High Street, Ross on Wye

The terms of the most recent Covid 19 lockdown severely restrict the circumstances under which people may leave their home. For someone of my age the two main reasons are shopping and physical exercise. I combine photography with the latter. But, a further restriction - the requirement to remain "local" to my home - limits the subjects on which I can focus my camera. Consequently one has to look more carefully at the immediate surroundings and search out subjects that, in more relaxed circumstances, might not be considered worthy of a shot. Not a bad discipline. Today's image was taken because of the way the sunlight was reflected from buildings across the street and from the damp road and pavements. The normally busy High Street at Ross on Wye is usually thronged with shoppers and visitors but on this occasion there were only two.

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2

High St and Market House, Ross on Wye

Most UK towns have a "High Street". It is the name that is usually applied to the settlemen's first and principal shopping street. Consequently, as in Ross on Wye, today it may be a relatively smaller street that in later years was replaced or augmented by adjacent streets that could accommodate the increasing number of shops. In Ross on Wye two contiguous, larger streets were developed with shops but the presence of the old Market House (late C17, poss. 1660-1674), an adjacent market space (out of shot to the right), and the continued use of the space under the Market House by market stalls, ensured that the High Street remained one of the focal points of the town. The normally bustling scene is deserted because the shot was taken during the coronavirus "lockdown".

photo © T. Boughen     Camera: Lumix FZ1000 2