A WINCHESTER City Mill employee has made an incredible discovery.

Ric Weeks, assistant manager at the National Trust property, has chanced upon a small watercolour of the mill by British landscape artist, Turner.

Mr Weeks said: “I couldn’t believe it; I was aware that much of the Tate’s collection had been digitised recently and I was taking time to look through some of Turner’s work, when suddenly there was an unmistakable picture of the city mill.

“To find an old painting of the mill is fantastic, but for it to be by Turner is unbelievable. The people at the Tate have been really helpful and we have arranged for a high quality print of the painting to become part of the Mill’s permanent exhibition for our visitors to enjoy.”

The watercolour had been bequeathed to the nation over 150 years ago, but was unknown to the National Trust until now.

Dated 1795 and painted in grey and brown wash, the painting forms part of Turner’s Isle of Wight Sketchbook, from Turner’s tour of the south coast as a student of the Royal Academy.

Following consultation with the Tate, a copy of the painting will now be on permanent display at the City Mill.

“It is amazing how little the building has changed, and it’s wonderful to think that this world-famous artist once stood outside my place of work and sketched it over two centuries ago,” Mr Weeks said.