MAIDEN BRADLEY (1) . WILTS. ALL SAINTS – Scratch Dial

ALL SAINTS . MAIDEN BRADLEY (∏ Retired QA)

ALL SAINTS . MAIDEN BRADLEY . WILTS

GRADE I ♱ Saxon foundation. C12 (first record 1102) early C14, C15, 1845 restoration. C12 Purbeck marble font bowl. Jacobean box pews. Spiritual home of the Dukes of Somerset, duly commemorated. Original 14th century oak door, fittings. 18th-century metal sundial LINK. 7m SW of Warminster. Longleat, Stourhead nearby. 51.1468 / -2.2821 / ST803386

DIAL

The dial is located on a quoin stone on the angled W buttress of the nave, in effect facing SE. There are 8 lines (2 faint RHS), with a hint of a horizontal across the filled gnomon hole. In LLQ the large gap between the first 2 lines appears to have a pock midway between them, spaced accurately enough to be deliberate. If so, it may have been intended as a marker of Terce as the most significant hour of observance.

TWO-FACED DIAL: above the porch is an intriguing metal dial with 2 faces at right angles, facing SE and SW. This will be written up separately.

GSS Category: Scratch Dial; Mass Dial

All photos Keith Salvesen except header, Retired QA (OS CC)

Leave a comment