June 2021 – GAUDIUM SUB SOLE . SUNDIALS . MEDIEVAL TO MODERN

BLACKFORD . SOM . ST MICHAEL – 2 SCRATCH DIALS

Published on June 23, 2021June 23, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

ST MICHAEL . BLACKFORD . SOM.

GRADE II*. C11 origins with Norman features inc. doorway inside the porch; enlarged in C14 (tower) and C15 (S. porch); C19 restoration. One of many attractive villages in the area. 4m W of Wincanton, with only the A303 to spoil the peace. 51.2261 / -2.8478 / ST 65722673

DIALS

Dom Ethelbert Horne DEH visited Blackford on April 24th, 1914, during one of his tours around Somerset examining medieval churches and recording the details of the scratch dials he discovered. Blackford is one of a very small number of Somerset churches where he found a dial inside the porch. It must predate the added C14 S. porch to have had any practical use. Another example of an interior dial can be found at WAYFORD.

DIAL 1

DEH 165. (1) This dial is on the e. side of the inner door of the s. porch, at a height of 4 feet 6 inches above the floor. The noonline is 4 inches in length, the stylehole, which is in a joint, is filled, and the aspect is due s. Type 2

There are 4 sharply incised lines with no discernible traces of others. The mortar line at the top acts as the horizontal ‘6-line’ and the style location. The spacing of the lines is somewhat unusual for such a well-cut, being neither the 15º equal segments of an old design nor the carefully graduated lines of a later scientific dial. Perhaps this indicates an even earlier origin, even possibly contemporary with the original doorway?

*Blackford . Som . St Michael – Dial 1 and possible 1a gallery*

The stone immediately below the dial has a very small (apparent) dial descending in the same way from the mortar line. One could probably dismiss it as a later copy or doodle of the dial above. On the other hand, crude though it is, the radials are differently configured with more emphasis on the LR quadrant. Perhaps a practice dial?

DIAL 2

DEH 166. (2) This dial is on the w. side of the priest’s door, which is blocked up. It is 2 feet 6 inches above the ground, the noonline is 2 1/2 inches in length, the stylehole is small and shallow, and the aspect is due s. Type 3. April 24th, 1914.

This dial on W. side of the blocked Priest’s door would be easy to miss, though the newly mortared surround is not. DEH doesn’t note its state, but I wonder if has eroded significantly in the intervening century since his visit. There is the hint of a full circle. It’s hard to make out a noon line as such. Now only a single pock below the shallow style hole indicates the vertical.

*Blackford . Som . St Michael – Dial 2 gallery*

ADDITIONAL DIALS?

Besides the small ‘dial’ in the porch mentioned above, there are 2 other candidates, both by the Priest’s door. The first one is faint, but there are 2 visible lines leading from a small hole in the stone. Each has a pock at or near the end. Other pocks in the vicinity may be relevant to the theory. The other candidate looked promising, but is less likely I think.

*Blackford . Som . St Michael – plausible Dial* 3

Blackford . Som . St Michael – possible Dial 4

NOTES

St Michael is worth visiting just for the splendid apotropaic marks (ritual protection / witch marks) in the porch, in particular a deeply incised flower-like hexafoil; and a delicate and complex multiple hexafoil design.

*Blackford . Som . St Michael . Ritual Protection (‘witch’) marks*

Useful general information can be found at CAMELOT PARISHES

GSS Category – Scratch Dial

All photos – Keith Salvesen

CÉRET . FRANCE – ST FERRÉOL HERMITAGE

Published on June 21, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

Céret lies south of Perpignan, in the foothills of the Pyrenees quite close to the Spanish border. The Hermitage is a short distance to the north. The modern art museum in Céret has many works by Picasso, including sculpture and ceramics; and by other famous artists of the period.

St Ferréol Hermitage, Céret, France – sundial (2004)

This enjoyably rustic sundial is painted directly onto the facade of the C13 chapel (restoration C18). It is intriguing for the way in which the radials are moored, carefully graduated, on the diagonal of the dial face. The arrow gnomon forms part of the opposite diagonal. As an amateur, to me the design of the dial looks quite complicated, especially the calculation of the angle and distance between 11 & noon.

I am still trying to work out the inscription at the top. It seems to be ‘Ultimum’, which could be a neat Latin way of saying something like ‘To the end of Time / Jusqu’ à la fin du temps’

GSS Category: Modern Dial

All photographs: Keith Salvesen

MANNINGFORD BRUCE . WILTS . ST PETER – DOUBLE SCRATCH DIAL

Published on June 20, 2021June 20, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

ST PETER . MANNINGFORD BRUCE . WILTS

GRADE 1 . On a Roman site. Late C11 or early C12 origin. Development C13 and C15, restoration 1882. Romanesque features. Between Amesbury and Marlborough, close to UPAVON. 51.3212 / -1.801 / SU139580

DIALS

E. quoin stones of transept. Two adjacent and remarkably similar encircled dials with complete semicircles of radials. Both have additional pocks in LR quadrant. Both edge into the mortar at the top; and Dial 2 is cut short by the quoin edge RHS. Possibly this evidences relocation of one or both dials.

DIAL 1 (upper)

Complete semicircle of lines, 5 pocks. Equal 15º radials. BSS notes ‘eroded, damaged, irregular dial with 15º lines in both quadrants’.

DIAL 2 (lower)

Also complete semicircle of lines, 5 pocks, 15º radials. BSS notes as ‘worn’ and with shorter radials.

It is almost as if two people competed to make the most complete or accurate dial to the same design

St Peter . Manningford Bruce . Wilts – Scratch Dials

NOTES

Dial 3? Near the bottom of the image above there are 3 radials spreading downwards from the mortar line. The farthest left is vertical, and (if a dial) is the noon line. The lines were clearly deliberately cut, and it is quite possible that there is a filled style hole above them, though it is hard to tell from the image.

St Peter . Manningford Bruce . Wilts – possible 3rd scratch dial

Graffiti: Initials, dates on quoin stones

GSS Category – Scratch Dial

Dial photographs: Jenny John, to whom many thanks. I recently failed to visit St Peter, having driven through the village en route from Upavon to Marlborough. Next time, I clearly need to check it…

Photographs of the Church: Wilts Council / History Centre; ‘Vale of Pewsey Churches’

UPAVON . WILTS . ST MARY THE VIRGIN – FOUR SCRATCH DIALS

Published on June 14, 2021June 14, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

GRADE 1. C11 origins connected to St Wandrille (Normandy). Early C13 and early C15, with C19 restorations. Midway between Amesbury and Marlborough; close to Kennet &Avon canal. 51.2943 / -1.8071 / SU135550

Upavon . Wilts . St Mary the Virgin. Scratch Dial 1

DIALS

BSS records 4 dials, all on quoin stones of the tower. Two are obvious (1 & 2). The other 2, described as eroded, are much less clear. Quite possibly my ID of at least one of these is incorrect – at the time I only knew of the 2 main dials and didn’t have locations / descriptions of the 2 degraded ones to go on. My photos of 4 don’t quite match up with the BSS record. Comments welcome.

DIAL 1

An eroded encircled dial that appears to have been relocated. The lower radials end abruptly, suggesting that one or more originally extended beyond the edge of the stone.

DIAL 2

A simple dial with 2 clear-cut radials, possible traces of a couple more. Several pocks in the area, probably not all related to the dial. Style hole in the mortar line.

Upavon . Wilts . St Mary the Virgin . Scratch Dial 2

DIAL 3

A dial with a filled style hole and a puzzling orientation. A single clear angled line on eroded soft stone; a less defined rough horizontal line from the centre to the quoin edge. This was perhaps the noon line on the stone, later relocated and rotated 90• anticlockwise.

DIAL 4 (?)

More contentious: if this is a 4th dial, it is in very poor condition. There is the hint of a style hole, with an apparent noon-line and other trace lines. Not totally convincing, I agree.

UNDIAL

Two sideways arrows, faint (L) and distinct (R) with other trace lines. Possibly apotropaic marks, or perhaps doodles… or helpful directions to the porch.

GSS CATEGORY: Scratch Dials

All photos: Keith Salvesen

PULHAM . DORSET . ST THOMAS À BECKET – SCRATCH DIAL

Published on June 1, 2021June 9, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

PULHAM . DORSET † ST THOMAS À BECKET

GRADE II*. Fragments indicate C12 origin, otherwise mainly C15 with later additions and rebuilding. The dial survived the C19 work. C16 gargoyles of note. Situated some way down a long lane on the NE. edge of the village, next to the sizeable rectory. 9m SE. of Sherborne. 50.8754 / -2.4111 / ST71108

DIAL

The dial is set low down on the E. side of the S. porch. Dated by GLP as early C16. Faint, rather randomly cut, and much eroded. 6 definite lines, as GLP recorded. As dials go, it is somewhat underwhelming. In fact I had missed it on an earlier visit, so I am glad I returned to check again.