A SAFFRON Walden gallery’s exhibition has proved so popular that it has seen more than half its annual visitors through the door in just seven weeks.

Fry Gallery’s exhibition, Ravilious in Essex, has attracted an incredible 3,000 people from all over the country since launching in April.

A spokesman for the Tourist Information Centre in Saffron Walden said that it “had 10 times more queries about the Fry Art Gallery than we normally receive - the exhibition is certainly bringing in many more visitors to the town”.

The display of watercolourist and designer Eric Ravilious’ work provides a unique insight into Essex in the 1930s and 1940s. Ravilious, who lived in Great Bardfield and then Castle Hedingham, died in 1942 while serving as a war artist.

The exhibition of his work is free and open until August 14. The Fry Gallery’s permanent collection, which includes work by Edward Bawden, Keith Vaughan, Kenneth Rowntree, Sheila Robinson, Tirzah Garwood and other artists who worked in north-west Essex, also remains open during the special exhibition.

For more information or details of opening times visit fryartgallery.org or call 01799 513779.

• To complement the Ravilious in Essex exhibition and to provide further information, there will be a talk by James Russell on Wednesday July 13 at 7.30pm at the Friends Meeting House in Saffron Walden High Street.

The author of Ravilious in Pictures: A Country Life is renowned for selecting particularly interesting Ravilious watercolours and going behind the scenes, exploring places, investigating mysteries, telling stories and introducing characters that are relevant to a particular picture.

The talk cost �6, tickets on the door.