CHURCH OF THE HOLY CROSS . BABCARY . SOMERSET

GRADE II* ❖ Early origins; mainly C14 / C15; additions C19 (inc. Ferrey). PEV gives this small church quite a detailed entry. This is lias stone country. The building, the churchyard, and the setting make this a fine country church. There are 2 scratch dials. Visited by DEH on 10 Sept 1912. 12m N of Yeovil. 51.0566 /  -2.6271 / ST561287

❖

DIAL 1

On a quoin stone W side of S porch, the gnomon hole is easily seen. DEH calls it a faint scratchy dial, and thought (without testing) that the hole may still contain the style. There’s no trace now.

DAIL 2

About a foot above Dial 1 is a smear of a dial, if it is one at all. DEH includes it, but dismissively. Examining it close-to 100+ years later, I do detect dial-ish features and give it the benefit of the doubt. 3 wavering lines seem to descend from a small hole now plugged with lichen. It’s clearer IRL than in a photo. There are, perhaps, 2 more faint downward lines. It goes in my ‘doubtful but plausible’ category aka ‘bored sacristan with a small knife’.

GGS Category: Scratch Dial; Mass Dial; Somerset Scratch Dials; 2-dial churches

All photos: Keith Salvesen / Rolling Harbour