Samuel Scott was primarily a topographical painter in both oil and watercolour, who lived at Twickenham from 1749-1765 and many of his subjects are views on the Thames. He was one of William Hogarth’s (1697-1764) companions on Five Days' Peregrination Around the Isle of Sheppey of William Hogarth and His Fellow Pilgrims, Scott, Tothall, Thornhill, and Forrest, 1732. They visited Gravesend, Rochester, Chatham and the Isle of Sheppey: the present watercolour is of particular interest as it stems from this excursion. Ebenezer Forrest's accoutn of it was published in 1782, together with etched versions of drawings by Scott and Hogarth (now in the British Museum). The journal describes their arrival at Rochester Castle, 'It is a Very High Building Scituate On the River Medway Strong Built But almost Demolish'd . With Some Difficulty wee Ascended to the Top of the Battlements and tok a View of a Beautiful Country a Fine River and Some of the Noblest Shipps in the World ... ' After lunching on ' Soles & Flounders with Crab Sauce' they slept, and then continued to the Town Hall , where 'Hogarth and Scott Stop'd and played at Hop Scotch in the Colonade' . Scott also made a drawing from Rochester bridge looking in the opposite direction , which was acquired by the British Museum in 1847.
Here Rochester Castle is seen from across the River Medway from a point close to the medieval bridge and the spire of Rochester Cathedral can be seen to its left . For further information see, 'A Catalogue of the Works of Samuel Scott ', Walpole Society, XLVIII, 1982, p. 97, no. D91. The present drawing affirms Binyon’s assertion that, ‘[Scott] shows a genuine feeling for the beauty of old brick-work and gliding water’ (L. Binyon, English Water-colours, London 1933, p. 16). It also characteristically is unfinished in parts with figures engaged in vigorous activity.