When history meets the everyday
There is something quietly powerful about Epsom Clock Tower Market in the early morning. The Victorian clock tower stands watch as it has for over a century, while below, the market stalls begin to wake. Striped awnings catch the first light. Voices echo off old brick. The smell of fresh bread drifts through the square.
This is the kind of scene that does not announce itself. It is not dramatic or loud. But if you stop and really look, there is a story unfolding in every corner.
Why I paint places like this
I have always been drawn to places where community gathers. Markets, town squares, high streets — these are the spaces where life happens. Not the grand, staged moments, but the small, honest ones. A conversation between neighbours. A trader arranging flowers. A child pointing at something bright.
When I set up to paint Epsom Clock Tower Market, I was not trying to capture a postcard view. I wanted to feel the rhythm of the place. The way morning light softens the brickwork. The way people move through the space with purpose and ease. The way the past (that towering clock) and the present (the market bustle) exist side by side without conflict.
The light that morning
Light changes everything. And in Surrey, especially on a crisp morning, the light has this gentle, golden quality. It does not shout. It settles. It finds its way into the shadows and brings out colours you did not know were there.
I worked quickly with watercolour — letting the washes flow, capturing that sense of movement and warmth before the scene shifted. The clock tower became the anchor, solid and reassuring. The market below became rhythm and energy. Together, they told the story of a place that is alive, that is loved, that is real.
A place that matters
Epsom is not just known for the Derby. It is a town with character, with history layered into its streets and buildings. The Clock Tower Market is one of those landmarks that locals know by heart. It is where you meet friends, pick up groceries, or simply pause on your way through town.
For me, painting this scene was about honouring that. About saying: this matters. Not because it is grand or famous, but because it is ours. It is the heartbeat of a community.
See the painting
If you would like to see Epsom Clock Tower Market up close, you can view it in my South London Collection. It is one of several pieces exploring the character and spirit of Surrey and South London — places where history, community, and everyday beauty come together.
And if this painting speaks to you, I would love to hear what it stirs. Drop me a message, or simply take a moment to imagine yourself there — standing in the square, breathing in that morning light, feeling the gentle hum of a market coming to life.
— Simon Robin Stephens, watercolour artist based in Surrey