HE is considered by many to be the most important British artist of his generation.

Now, more than 200 years later, and following a chance discovery by an amateur enthusiast, a piece of work by JMW Turner could be on its way back to Hampshire.

Winchester City Mill employee Ric Weeks called it a “once in a lifetime” discovery and said he simply couldn’t believe his eyes when he stumbled upon the small watercolour.

Mr Weeks, assistant manager at the National Trust run mill, said: “I recognised it immediately. I was absolutely dumbfounded because I know every image of the mill there is. To see one I did not know of was just amazing.”

“I was just browsing through the Tate’s Turner collection as I had heard that a lot of their collection had been digitalised.

“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.”

A spokesman for the Tate said it would certainly consider lending the picture to its city of origin – something Winchester City Council’s deputy leader says could be a real possibility.

Cllr Rob Humby said: “Clearly it’s something we would love to be able to do.

We need to speak to our museum guys first, but I will get on to them and see if it’s possible”

The watercolour was 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 his tour of the south coast when a Royal Academy student.

“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.

The sketchbook also features a watercolour of Winchester Cathedral and a sketch of Southampton’s Bargate.