Caffyn was born in Dorking where lived at various addresses over the years. He specialized in river scenes and harvesting landscapes. Like many artists Caffyn was drawn to Surrey because of its abundant woodland, rolling hills and scenic views. His palette was based on ochres of many hues, lightened with dashes of reds and yellows. He was a regular exhibitor at the Royal Academy 1876-1897, as well as the Royal Society of British Artists in Suffolk Street. Caffyn was popular with his fellow artists and combined with his friends HR Rolfe, JF Herring Jnr and KA Roland on a number of canvases. His obituary records that he was a man of many parts, being an excellent violinist, conductor of a local orchestra as well as founding the Dorking Gymnasium, amongst other talents.

This is possibly the windmill at Hurt Wood, Ewhurst, which was built in 1845. If so, it is where George Harrison and Eric Clapton wrote Here Comes the Sun in 1969, apparently while avoiding a meeting with the Beatles' record company, Apple Records. Atop a hill, enjoying a magnificent vista over the Surry/Hampshire countryside, one can well imagine the scene bringing inspiration.