The solitary fisherman is common to these two paintings of water mills a hundred years ago. The seasons separate the two scenes dramatically; May and October. The few noises which can be heard, apart from the lowing cows, are the white geese cackling, and from unseen coots and birds from the distant trees. In the background are the relentless swishing and thrubbing of these respective old water wheels.

The cloud cover covers the Sun's direct brightness over the landscape, offering a short break for the fisherman to anticipate a catch. The waterlillies when in bud provide shade and protection for all pond-life, especially from the eyes of the flying predators who can spot their prey in clear still water. In autumn there is no such protection, so the fish swim deeper. These beautiful pictures show a quiet river, but in both cases heavy rains would flood the water-meadows almost every year. The reeds in the foreground with dropping outer leaves show the river levels have been much higher.

Most of us would long to be just breathing in the splendour of this relative peace. And few realise that there are today, still thousands of these old water mills with paddle wheels still turning. By searching on a simple ordinance survey map, these ancient water mills are always identified and easiest to find when tracking the many rivers up and down the country. - And the same tranquillity too can be found.

Nowadays there is a 'close fishing season' for breeding between March and June, but this restriction did not apply all that time ago. The rivers were so well stocked with carp and bream that supper could always be caught to order. Living in the countryside was easier for big families to feed. Most land owning farmers would ensure that labourers worked best on full tummies.

The hills in the distance in both the pictures are probably the North Downs, an important background in so many other paintings by E. Wilkins Waite. Much of his work featured the landscapes around the long and mysterious *River Mole. Could these two different mills be on a stretch of that same meandering river somewhere in Surrey?

These two wooden buildings could be more than 300 years old. Milling was always a good trade and an important function in all country communities. The wheat would arrive daily by horse and cart from the stores that would have to last all year round after the cutting and threshing season. The granaries themselves in every farm yard would be built on mushroom stilts to prevent the rats from destroying the crops. Stored loose, the grain would then be filled into big jute sacks before loading and the journey to the mill.

Edward Wilkins Waite was a prolific landscape painter who lived just outside Blackheath, and later at Reigate and Dorking. He was a member of the New Watercolour Society and exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1878. His picture titles include 'The Daisy Field', 'The Pineapple Inn', 'Boxhill Bridge', 'Hatch Farm', 'Silent Highway', 'The Water Mill' and 'Autumn at the Mill' amongst many others.