ALL SAINTS . MIDDLE WOODFORD . WILTS

GRADE II ✣ C12, C15; T.H.Wyatt restoration 1845. A fine church by the R. Avon, with plenty of interest. Focus here is on the splendid C12 inner doorway of the porch with nook shafts and scalloped capitals, and an outer order of arch lozenges, inner of horizontal chevrons BHO. See below for Church History. 5m N of Salisbury. 51.1244 /  -1.8301 /  SU119361

SCRATCH DIALS

DIAL 1

Dial 1 is by the capital LHS of the door, and quite easy to overlook. Weathered and damaged, with 3 lines visible within what remains of a double circle. Filled gnomon hole.

DIAL 2

Dial 2 is RHS on the arch of the doorway, and much easier to read. A morning dial with 4 clear lines from 9 (terce) to noon, and another fainter line earlier. The random line LRQ was evidently added some time later. Filled gnomon hole and remnants of a narrow double circle, as with dial 1. Perhaps this dial was cut as a replacement for dial 1 which certainly seems earlier; they could hardly be contemporary.

DIALS 1 AND 2

CHURCH HISTORY

VERTICAL DIAL (CHANCEL BUTTRESS)

The dial is on a south buttress. Motto across the top in angular lettering reads: ‘Tempus Fugit’. Upright Arabic numerals – 10, 11, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 still just visible. Divided to 5 mins? Three-dot half hours (remnants of fleur-de-lys? Square frame with wide border, inset into stone of second buttress RHS of south porch. Needs restoring soon if it is to be saved. Would have been quite a good dial originally BSS

The most recent report was in 2005. Given the details mentioned above, the prediction of further deterioration has sadly come to pass.

GSS Category: Scratch Dial; Scratch Dial within porch; Vertical Dial

All photos: Keith Salvesen