From 24 November – 6 December, Essex Wildlife Trust is delighted to be hosting a Ronald Blythe-inspired art exhibition titled ‘The Green Bell Jar’ at Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Discovery Park, in Billericay.  

The exhibition will celebrate the life of the “godfather of nature writing”, Ronald Blythe, and his home, Bottengoms. A series of new paintings by Dan Llywelyn Hall will be on display, inspired by Bottengoms and its beautiful natural surroundings, with a focus on the trees that provided the backdrop to Blythe’s elegiac portrait of life in the countryside. 

Blythe died aged 100 in 2023, gifting Bottengoms to Essex Wildlife Trust with the vision that his home would continue as a location for future creatives. Notable visitors who already found such inspiration at the home include Cedric Morris, Patricia Highsmith, Robert MacFarlane and Richard Mabey.  

The exhibition is free to attend and is open to the public from 24 November to 6 December, 10am – 4pm at Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Discovery Centre.  

50% of sales from the exhibition artwork will go towards Essex Wildlife Trust’s project to restore and upkeep Bottengoms and the surrounding gardens.  

Artist Dan Llywelyn Hall says:  

"Since my first visit to meet Ronald Blythe, the time-locked wonder of  Bottengoms, burns a last memory of complete calm and serenity. The site is a perfect antidote to our world or digital bombardment. Ronald’s writing drifted effortlessly across the ages and I think his writings, deeply rooted in his sense of place, will live on at Bottengoms.” 

Lucy Gallard, Project Manager for Bottengoms at Essex Wildlife Trust, says: 

“Essex Wildlife Trust is honoured to be part of the story of Bottengoms and to be a custodian of this special place. One of the challenges is how to keep the reflections of the past and yet keep the story alive as we look to the future. The natural architecture of the trees are a key part of the magic of this place, and as many of them reach the end of their natural lives it is important that we take the time to recognise that and celebrate it. This is exactly what Dan is doing with this beautiful collection. We hope the public will enjoy this exhibition at Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Discovery Centre and seeing firsthand how Bottengoms is a source of artistic inspiration.”