ST MARY THE VIRGIN . BARRINGTON . SOMERSET

GRADE l † C13 origins; mainly C15 with C19 slightly controversial restoration. Dec and Perp. A fine-looking church with a handsome octagonal tower (one of a number in the area). Picturesque PEV. Combine with Barrington Court (NT) – 2 remarkable pillar dials: one is a dodecahedron with pentagonal faces (post in due course). 4m N of Ilminster. 50.9592 / -2.8712 /  ST389181

DEH the pioneering Downside monk visited on Sept 10th 1912 on one of his early dialling expeditions using a motorbike to get around. He recorded 3 dials in a group on the buttress at the W corner of the S transept. There is a fourth plausible dial in the same location.

DIALS

DIAL BUTTRESS

DIAL 1

This interesting dial has 10 / 11 radials extending from an enlarged gnomon hole. 8 & 9 are marked by deeper cut lines, suggesting the most important Mass time was Terce. The lower half of the dial has a few pocks on or near the circumference. Intriguingly the top half of the dial has a complete semi-circle of pocks. These are quite carefully graduated so that midnight has the largest, and on either side the size of pock reduces. There’s a trace of a single line upwards from the gnomon hole to midnight. DEH noted This dial has been added to and made into a wheel.

DIAL 2

Immediately above Dial 1, with a blocked gnomon hole in the mortar-line. There are 2 clear lines and 3 (4?) others. 2 (3?) appear to end in pocks.

DIAL 3

Dial 3 is sandwiched between Dials 1 and 4. The most obvious feature is the blocked hole. There is a faint noon line and the hint of a 9 line.

DIAL 4

On a quoin stone E of Dial 1 is a shallow hole from which a single thin line extends to mark noon. Plausibly a dial – especially as in a group – but perhaps not definite.

DIAL GROUPING

GSS Category: Scratch Dial; Mass Dial; Dial Group

All Photos: Keith Salvesen