Winston Churchill was painting the Beach at Walmer auctioned

A painting of a Kent beach by Sir Winston Churchill has been sold out at auction for £313,250.

The Beach at Walmer, which was painted in about 1938 and depicts a beach close to Dover, was auctioned at Christie’s sale of 20th Century British and Irish Art.

The vision in the painting, an oil on canvas, is dominated by one of the ancient cannons that still guard the seaward approaches to Walmer Castle.
The work was a gift to General Ismay, his chief military consultant during WWII.

The year after fetching wartime Prime Minister, Churchill was agreed Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports and Constable of Dover Castle in 1941.

He and his family enjoyed while bathing in the sea and the beach was one of his favourite subjects to paint.

Although it is said that Churchill reviled to give away any of his art, family legend suggests he had always promised Ismay a painting.

While visiting Churchill’s studio he choose the Beach at Walmer because, to him, it represented Churchill: position guard on the coast while England played.