Rolling Harbour

SOUTH CADBURY Som. – ST THOMAS à BECKET

Published on April 2, 2021April 7, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ST THOMAS à BECKET [also ST THOMAS of CANTERBURY] – earliest religious mention DB 1086; building dates from C13 & C15, with C19 restoration

LISTING † GRADE II*

LOCATION † Six miles N. of Sherborne, six miles W. of Wincanton. One of nine ‘Camelot’ churches; situated close to the steep stone track that leads to the impressive iron-age hill fort Cadbury Castle, with supposed (actual?) links to King Alfred. Serious walking country. 51.0277 / -2.5269 / ST631254

South Cadbury, Som. St Thomas à Becket . Scratch Dial

DIAL † Visited by DEH on April 24th, 1914:

172. This dial is on the s.e. corner of the nave. It is 3 feet 11 inches above the ground, the noonline is 4 inches in length, the stylehole is 7/8 of an inch in depth by 1/2 an inch in diameter, and the aspect is s. by 30° e. Type 3

DEH further notes: ‘the noonline in this dial is considerably out of the perpendicular. This is caused by the stone not facing due s. by as much as 30°’ (see large image in Gallery for the angled pocked noon radial)

NOTES † In the Churchyard stands a small armillary sphere dated 1929, on a slender column. The memorial inscription relates to Robert Read, ‘Ironmaster and Ornithologist’, with a charming and original dedication that I will post in other pages (armillary spheres, mottos) in due course

*Armillary Sphere . St Thomas à Becket . South Cadbury . Som.*

GSS Category: Scratch Dial

All photos: Keith Salvesen April 2021

ST GEORGES DE BOSCHERVILLE . NORMANDY – VERTICAL DIAL

Published on March 25, 2021June 23, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

St Georges de Boscherville . Normandy . Vertical Sundial . Keith Salvesen — St Georges de Boscherville . Normandy . Vertical Sundial

The beautiful C12 Abbey of St Georges de Boscherville in Normandy is very much in the Michelin ‘vaut le voyage’ category. Advantage has been taken of the extensive abbey grounds to display innovative bee-hives and an excellent display of modern sundials. The most complex will feature here in due course. Meanwhile, enjoy this attractive sundial with its cleverly effective gnomon.

The motto Tant ici passerent le temps passé nous passons means roughly ‘So much past time has passed here; we (also) pass’. It sounds better in the original.

THREE VALLEYS BENEFICE: DORSET SCRATCH DIALS

Published on March 24, 2021March 25, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

*St Mary the Virgin . Hermitage . Dorset*

SCRATCH DIALS IN DORSET

SIX CHURCHES IN THE THREE VALLEYS BENEFICE IN WEST DORSET

WINSHAM . Som . ST STEPHEN – 3 Scratch Dials

Published on March 20, 2021July 7, 2023 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ST STEPHEN – C13 origin, mainly C15, C19 restoration, porch link to C20 vestry

LISTING † GRADE II*

LOCATION † In the centre of the village, a few miles SW. of Crewkerne / SE. of Chard. Contains 2 rare treasures (see notes). Close to Forde Abbey 50.8526 / 2.8898 / ST 37400637

St Stephen . Winsham . Som . Scratch dial 3

DIALS † 3 dials on or near the priest’s door, described in detail by DEH (see below for his notes on each). In evening light (hence the vaguely apocalyptic photo), a fine trio of dials to collect.

Later I discovered that (according to HE) there are 6 ‘mass dials’ in all. I need to return to find the other 3…

St Stephen . Winsham . Som . Position of 3 scratch dials

DIAL 1

129. (1) This dial is on the e. side of the window on the w. of the priest’s door. It is 6 feet 5 inches above the ground, the noonline is 6 inches in length, and the stylehole is 2 inches deep by 3/4 of an inch in diameter. The aspect is s.by10°e. Type 5b.

DIAL 2

130. (2) This dial is on the w. side of the priest’s door. It is 5 feet 2 1/2 inches above the ground, the noonline is 3 1/2 inches in length, the stylehole is 1 inch deep by 1/2 an inch in diameter, and the aspect as above. Type 3a or 5b.

St Stephen . Winsham . Som . Scratch dial 1

DIAL 3

131. (3) This dial is on the w. side of the window e. of the priest’s door. It is 6 feet 3 inches above the ground, the noon- line is 6 1/4 inches in length, and the stylehole, which is large, is filled with cement. The aspect as above. Type 4, combining 5c.

The dials Nos. 1 and 3 are carefully cut on very large stones that form the quoins of the windows on either side of the priest’s door. Dom Ethelbert Horne August 19th, 1915

NOTES † The church has one of very few surviving copies of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs on display; also, one of the only two surviving pre-Reformation tympana (rood screens) of the Crucifixion in the world. And 3 scratch dials left for me to find.

St Stephen . Winsham . Som . The Priest’s Door . 3 scratch dials

PURSE CAUNDLE, DORSET – ST PETER

Published on March 18, 2021September 6, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ST PETER – C15, later works & additions

LISTING † GRADE I

LOCATION † S. of A30 between Henstridge & Milborne Port; or reached from S. by a complex network of lanes (map suggested). A notable E-shape C15 Manor House. St Peter is a most attractive example of a typical Dorset church. 50.9569 / -2.4342 / ST696175

St Peter . Purse Caundle . Dorset – Scratch Dial

DIAL † NW. corner of Nave, conveniently by a drainpipe (as so often) for size comparison. Repositioned during building BSS. 5 distinct radials, encircled, 13 pocks including 2 doubles and a triple indicating significant hours. Location and lichen complicate inspection.

St Peter . Purse Caundle . Dorset . Dial Diagram BSS

St Peter . Purse Caundle . Dorset – Scratch Dial Details

NOTES † Nearby STOURTON CAUNDLE (link to come) has a C18 sundial with gnomon on the tower and (worth the visit) an excellent display of graffiti and apotropaic (‘witch’) marks in and around the porch. BISHOPS CAUNDLE has a badly eroded scratch dial, featured HERE

GSS Category -Scratch Dial

All photos -Keith Salvesen

TEDDINGTON GLOS. – ST NICHOLAS

Published on March 15, 2021March 15, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ST NICHOLAS – late C11 or early C12 origin, mainly C13 / C14; tower added late C15

LISTING † GRADE I

LOCATION † 6 miles E. of Tewkesbury; S. of Bredon. One of a small group of appealing hamlets in the Parish of Overbury BHO LINK and beyond. Take in nearby C12 Little Washbourne with its splended hexfoil. A rewarding area for church visits and in particular scratch dials. 51.9951 / -2.0533 / SO964329

DIALS † Two dials on the S. side: one (A) on the R. jamb of the blocked doorway, one (B) on an adjacent buttress. A is clear, with varied line lengths and divisions, and the hint of an outer circle. B is badly eroded with only a partial circle clear. There is a possible ill-defined circle top left of it.

St Nicholas . Teddington . Glos . Dial A

*St Nicholas . Teddington . Glos . Dial* B

*St Nicholas . Teddington . Glos . Scratch Dials A* & B

NOTES † If you are investigating scratch dials, this area of Glos. / Worcs. is prolific for them. Advisable to check TWC ‘counties list’. It’s not infallible and some counties are slight, but it is the most comprehensive county-by-county list for general guidance. His entire short pamphlet can be found online HERE and downloaded. You can sometimes find the 1935 original online, but then you will find his 2 other (rarer) sundial pamphlets and the costs begin to mount…

POYNTINGTON . DORSET – ALL SAINTS . Scratch Dial (unrecorded)

Published on March 9, 2021May 3, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ALL SAINTS – C12 nave, C14 main church, C19 restoration / modern chancel

LISTING † GRADE I

LOCATION † 2 miles N. of Sherborne in a secluded valley beyond Oborne. Fine lynchet systems on the hillsides. A real feel of history here, with a magnificent manor house, tithe barn, former court house, and the church on a slope above the village. 50.9781 / -2.4996 / ST650199

NOTES † Unrecorded dial, relocated and inverted N. porch.

DIAL † No known record of a dial at this church. Checked because local & ‘early’. Approached by path from N., dial visible upper L side of N. porch. Clearly relocated and inverted in the process. 3 clean-cut radials across 2 stones, evenly spaced but differing lengths. Filled style hole. The image of the porch shows the disproportion of this uniform block of relocated stone to the rest of the porch.

BISHOP’S CAUNDLE – ST PETER & ST PAUL

Published on March 8, 2021March 31, 2023 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

St Peter & St Paul . Bishop’s Caundle . Dorset

DEDICATION † ST PETER & ST PAUL – c14 origins, c15 tower & additions, enlargement & ‘well done’ (OM) restoration c19

LISTING † GRADE I

LOCATION † One of 3 ‘Caundle’ churches in the area, and well worth visiting as trio linked by meandering lanes and puzzling signposts. Bishop’s is about 4 miles S.E. Sherborne on a road leading E. to Sturminster Newton. An elongated village with a typically attractive Dorset church. 50.9171 / -2.4336 / ST696131

*St Peter & St Paul . Bishop’s Caundle . Dorset . Scratch Dial*

DIAL † The dial, in poor condition, is on the E. jamb of the Chancel door. Filled style hole. Faint & poorly preserved (GLP). He noted 6 lines and 7 pocks, with a cross on the mass line.

NOTES † There’s more to this dial than meets the eye, once one gets over slight disappointment on seeing it…

BRADFORD ABBAS – ST MARY THE VIRGIN

Published on March 3, 2021January 9, 2023 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

St Mary, Bradford Abbas (Keith Salvesen)

DEDICATION † ST MARY THE VIRGIN – C12 origins, mainly C15 perpendicular, later additions & restoration

LISTING † GRADE I

LOCATION † 4 miles SW. Sherborne, 3 miles SE. Yeovil. ‘Abbot’s Broad Ford’. A significant settlement from Roman times. Associated with Saxon King Athelstan. One of the larger villages in the area, attractive and with an inviting pub close to the church. 50.9265 / -2.5884 / ST587142

FEATURE † New dial recorded (see Dial 3)

St Mary, Bradford Abbas - Scratch Dials (Keith Salvesen) — St Mary the Virgin . Bradford Abbas . Dorset . Scratch dials 1 & 2

DIALS † High on SW. buttress of porch, two scratch dials, one on top of the other. Well-documented. The top dial seems less sophisticated and more eroded, so perhaps is the oldest (AOW drew it as dial 1). Rather obtrusive vertical repairs to both. I found a 3rd dial high up on the tower, clearly relocated and inverted (see below). I have found no mention of it anywhere: a new find perhaps.

DIALS 1 & 2

The top dial. 13 radial, 7 dots. Deeper & longer 8-line. Style hole filled. AOW notes Square outline. Transitional
Lower dial. Semicircle, 11 radials, 10 dots. Style hole filled. Morning radial notably extend beyond the circle line.

St Mary the Virgin . Bradford Abbas . Scratch Dials (Keith Salvesen)

DIAL 3

NOTES † Dials 1 & 2 recorded and drawn by AOW, mentioned BSS / GLP , BHO; Dial 3 unrecorded

LEIGH . DORSET – ST ANDREW

Published on February 24, 2021March 24, 2022 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ST ANDREW – C15, mid-C19 restoration; C13 font

LISTING † GRADE II*

LOCATION † 5 miles SW of Sherborne, a sprawling village set deep in farming country. Some fine old buildings dating from C16, now mixed in with modern housing. A fine village cross with C15 shaft. A friendly rural place. 50.8762 / -2.5445 / ST617086

St Andrew . Leigh . Dorset . Scratch Dial

DIAL † On W. side jamb of porch, a very small rustic dial, eroded / damaged LHS, mid to late C15. Full circle with 4 detectable radials, the (presumed) noon line being extended outside the circumference at a slight angle. Probably originally divided into eight equal segments GLP, who dates the dial to the second half of C15

Seen close to, there are hints that the adjacent area with the large bolt may once have been a dial, with the hole for a small style (originally centred) overwhelmed by its replacement and erosion. A nearby hole, slightly lower, on the inside of the jamb, looks promising as a dial but on inspection, disappoints.

NOTES † Recorded in BSS register as researched by GLP. Not mentioned elsewhere. C13 font; interesting West Door with shields in the spandrels, one bearing three hanks of cord and the other a merchant’s mark BHO; also graffiti with date, initials, witch and other marks; enjoyable gargoyles. Elsewhere, a few incised crosses, presumably apotropaic in purpose.

Graffiti and marks . West Porch . St Andrew . Leigh . Dorset

GSS Category: Scratch Dial