View of Limehouse with Greenwich in the distance

The view appears to be of Batson's Yard at Limehouse Hole. The lime oasts or kilns around Limehouse Dock, which gave the area its name, are known to have existed from at least the 14th century when supplies of chalk were brought up the river from Kent. The area owed its importance to links with the sea and the growth of London as a commercial centre and it was one of the main centres in London for shipbuilding in the 18th and 19th centuries. To the left, a boat is being breamed to burn off the tar before recauking it. The windmills, a typical feature of this area, were originally used for corn grinding, but by the late 18th century were used for crushing oilseed.