Saltaire's almshouses

There was lovely light on some of the almshouses as I walked past the other day. The open area around which they cluster - Alexandra Square - has been improved by the felling of several very large trees that used to take all the light. There was a lot of fuss when the trees were removed but they weren't Victorian additions, having been planted some time after the houses were built in 1868. Some smaller trees have now been planted instead. 

A few times when I've walked down this way, there has been an artist sitting and painting roughly this view. I've been tempted to stop and take a photo but didn't want to intrude - and he was wearing headphones, either to cut out the traffic noise or to listen to conducive music as he worked. I might have startled him if I'd peeped over his shoulder. Imagine if I'd caused him to jump and paint a big streak across the canvas!