GRADE I ✣ Late C12, C13, early C14, C15 and C17; restoration 1879. Interior has much of interest, described in detail by PEV. Two squints. One of several fine churches in the Wylye Valley, ranging from ruined Sutton Veny via tiny Tytherington small, medium to large. Most have at least one dial, all are worth a visit. 8m SE of Warminster 51.1433 / 2.0272 / ST981382
DIALS
St John is the supreme multi-dial church in the Wylye valley. BSS lists 17 in its records (some with circumspection). Although locations are noted, there are no drawings / images. It isn’t possible / practical to try to match my photos to the given locations in a helpful way. I have tried to sort indisputable dials from the probable, possible, and ‘not really’. My search started at the E end and mostly went W along the S side. I found 17 dials, from indisputable to some that I think meet the broad criteria.
There are 2 clusters on the ‘red’ buttresses: dials 6 – 9; and dials 11 -13
There are too many dials for detailed comment, with a variety of mostly conventional designs. A few may be rotated / re-sited. I have tried to display photos of the dials informatively and in approximate sequence E to W. A separate section deals with other candidates.
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DIAL 1
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DIAL 2
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DIAL 3
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DIAL 4
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DIAL 5
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DIAL 6
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DIAL 7
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DIAL 8
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DIAL 9
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DIAL 10
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DIAL 11
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DIAL 12
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DIAL 13
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DIAL 14
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DIAL 15
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DIAL 16
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DIAL 17
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DEBATABLE DIALS
PLAUSIBLE IN SOME WAY?
UNLIKELY / NOT AT ALL
GSS Category: Scratch Dials; Mass Dials; Multiple Dials; Medieval Church Sundials
GRADE I ✣ Saxon origins, remnants from late C12; Chancel C13, north and south chantries C14, aisles rebuilt late C14, remainder C15. Highly praised *** by SJ: the screen is the best in Wiltshire; excellent stained glass… A small town fortunately by-passed by the dread A303. 51.0893 / -2.2711 / ST 811322
DIALS
St Michael provides plenty of scope for scratch dial sleuths to bicker about. BBS records 6. The Mere Historical Society records show Handwritten notes on green paper by John Ingram to Dr David Longbourne relating to a sundial (scratch dial) on the buttress of St Michael’s Church, Mere, 1990’s. The Church’s helpful info suggests 2 or perhaps 3. I believe there are at least 6 and possibly up to 10 dials in all.
The BSS record of 6 dials gives 1 – 3 in a cluster on buttress 2 E of the porch (see 4, 9 & 10 below); and 4 – 6 grouped further E on buttress 5 / S wall stairway area.
DIAL 1
DIAL 2
DIAL 3
DIAL 4
(and see plausible dials 9 & 10 on same stone))
DIAL 5
DIAL 6
DIAL 7
DIAL 8 (?)
DIALS 4 (above), 9 & 10
Dials 4, 9 and 10 – all different types – are on the same stone and to an extent impinge on each other.
DIAL 9
DIAL 10
CONCLUSION: enthusiasm can be an enemy of accuracy, and there is always some leeway with multiple dial Churches. I haven’t tried to analyse each dial – the array will with any luck elicit some opinions.
GRADE II ✣ C12, C13, C16. Originally cruciform with crossing tower. Chancel arch blocked and west part of church partly dismantled 1868, gradual deterioration. Chancel used as a mortuary. Declared redundant 1970; now in the care of CCT. A surprising and rather poignant place to visit, all well worth examining. Note the bier. 3m SE of Warminster. 51.1728 / -2.1323 / ST908415
DIALS
St Leonard is a multi-dial church with 9 dials recorded by BSS (1994), of which some details are scant. Four are described only as ‘gnomon hole only’ / ‘cannot be classified’. Featured below are 8 designs that I have concluded are dials, or might be (if only doubtful) in a couple of cases.
DIAL 1
Dials 1 and 2 are together LHS of the Priest’s door
DIAL 2
DIAL 3
Hint of a circle, esp. ULQ
DIAL 4
A hint of a circle, esp ULQ
DIAL 5
Dial stone presumed to have been re-sited and rotated 90º
DIAL 6
A remarkable dial within a square, with 2 large holes at bottom that appear to represent noon. It’s almost certainly unique. There’s mention of a Norman dial: perhaps this is it. There’s an apotropaic feel to it.
DIAL 7
Nearly excluded from consideration. However the small holes are accurately on a circumference, and there’s the possibility of a small gnomon hole under the lichen. Borerline.
Probably not a dial but looks a bit more promising when rotated 90º. The pocks are (roughly) evenly spaced and there is a slight curve. No evident gnomon hole. Maybe simply a drilled design bored by a bored sacristan.
The area between Caen and Alençon contains a surprising number of churches with scratch dials. There are some rich pickings for scratch dial and church mark enthusiasts. It is not exactly a destination in itself, but is certainly vaut le voyage if you are in the region. Several churches have a plethora of designs and Urville is one of them. I gave up counting the dials and disentangling overlapping ones when the score reached twenty. 49° 01′ 31.44″ N, 0° 17′ 53.88″ W
There is no point in trying to analyse this amazing collection of dial art, nor guess its significance. It’s hard to find out much about the church at all except for the official write up to the effect This parish church, built in the village centre, replaced the former place of worship which had become too small. The present church is said to be C17. Using British churches as a guide, some of the dials & graffiti seem earlier. Presumably some of the original church’s stones were reused. It might make sense that the new church tempted the villagers to add to an existing display. Here is a varied selection.
DIALS
APOTROPAIC SYMBOLS, GRAFFITI and other designs
GSS Category: Scratch Dial (Normandy France); Mass Dial (Normandy France); Medieval Sundial (Normandy France); Church Graffiti; Apotropaic Symbols; Protection Marks
The image above is enhanced to show this renowned castle in all its dramatic glory. The ancient seat of the Earls of Glasgow dates from C13 – one of the oldest castles in Scotland and the longest continuous family line of descent. This article is adapted from an earlier one published elsewhere. You will find further information about this magnificently daring blend of ancient and modern at the end.
A FINE MULTI-FACETED SCOTTISH SUNDIAL AT KELBURN CASTLE, AYRSHIRE
If you want to find a good choice of multi-faceted sundials, Scotland is the place to go. A considerable number may be found at country houses and castles, or elsewhere having originated from a large estate. Many, perhaps most, are 200-300 years old. Some are relatively simple; others are so complex that their purpose is clearly as much ornamental as horological. Good examples can be found at Glamis, Haddo House, Castle Fraser and Culzean Castle.
The 1707 multi-faceted oblelisk sundial at Kelburn is one of the most important sundials in Scotland. Some restoration has been carried out, and it now appears to be in overall good condition. While there seems to be no agreed figure for the exact number of individual dials, the count starts at 70.
I’ve made no attempt to describe the dials for obvious reasons, but there are links at the end that will be helpful for those who want to investigate further than looking at the photos.
THE SUNDIAL FROM EACH ORIENTATION
EAST SIDE
NORTH SIDE
WEST SIDE
SOUTH SIDE
SPIRE
NOTES
Kelburn’s astonishing transformation from early medieval stronghold into an outrageous post-psychedelic House of Fun began in 2007. The building’s concrete cladding needed to be replaced, following which (and with official approval) four Brazilian graffiti artists were invited to let their imaginations run loose. And did.
There is plenty of material online about this remarkable building – see link to its website below. Enterprises on offer include weddings; yurts; summer music festival; a reputedly scary Halloween. Summed up in the estate material: It’s a cultural safari for the mind, body and soul.
GATTY(p 140)
BSS
The Kelburn Dial featured in Bulletin 1996 in connection with a later dial based on it
There is a second, smaller obelisk sundial NW of the castle that receives rather less attention: Sundial to west of Kelburn Castle, Kelburn Castle Estate, Fairlie (LB7298). Listing details can be found HERE
Image from the Canmore photographic records for Kelburn
GRADE 1 † Mid-C13 with earlier origins; expansion to C16; restorations by Ferrey and Scott 1860 and later. A most impressive Parish church with a 4-stage tower. Admired by PEV as one of the loveliest of Somerset churches on account of its splendid Perp. work on the nave; and for being remarkably airy and spacious. 50.9693 / -2.7687 / ST461191
DIALS
A most rewarding multi-dial church. As often, estimates of the number vary. DEH recorded 5 dials in June 1915 and included a photograph of the dial above in his book.
BHO refers to 7 dials [and also notes that one buttress on the north side has footholds cut in it to aid the recovery of fives balls from the leads when the game was played there in the 18th century. There’s a whole book to be written about the fives courts of Wessex] BSS records 7 dials, without details.
There are so many excellent dials to admire that I am not including interpretations of individual dials. The light was good for photos and the various designs speak for themselves. I haven’t given locations either. Most are in obvious places; also check sides of buttresses. It was a lot of fun finding a couple of new dials, and anyone reading this may prefer to investigate for themselves. DEH’s record is given at the end.
DIAL 1
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DIAL 2
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DIALS 3 & 4
DIAL 3
DIAL 4
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DIAL 5
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DIAL 6
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DIAL 7
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DIAL 8
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DIAL 9
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DIAL 10
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DIAL 11
ARCS etc
Having recently written up Winterbourne Stoke and a few other multi-dial churches, I have decided not to include a plain arc as (part of) a dial unless there’s at least one other dial-ish feature – evidence of a centered hole in the mortar line; perceptible lines; pocks; and so on. I’ll still feature them but not as part of a dial count. Unless corrected of course – please do.
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CONSECRATION CROSS OUTSIDE PORCH
ADDITIONAL NOTES
The pride of Martock Church is its superb angel roof, installed in the first decade of the 16th century and completed in 1513. The roof design is a king-post style with tracery infill between the truss beams. There are central pendants from each cross-beam, above which rise beautifully carved figures. (David Ross, Britain Express)
DOM ETHELBERT HORNE’S 5 DIALS
200. (1) This dial is on the w. side of the s. porch. It is 6 feet 1 inch above the ground. The noon line is 3 3/4 inches in length, the style hole is 1 inch deep, and is in a joint. The aspect is s. by 5° e. (See No. 12.)
201. (2) This dial is under the first window E. of the s. porch. It is 4 feet 7 inches above the ground, the noon line is 3 inches in length, the style hole is 1 3/4 inches deep, and the aspect is s. by 15° e. Type 6.
Dial No. 2 is of the unique shape that exists at Tintinhull (224) and Swainswick (25).
202. (3) This dial is on the second buttress e. of the s. porch. It is 5 feet 9 inches above the ground, the noon line is 3 1/2 inches in length, the style hole is very shallow, and the aspect is s. by 15° e. Type 3.
203. (4) This dial is under the third window e. of the s. porch. It is 3 feet 10 inches above the ground, the noon line is 2 inches in length, the style hole is If inches deep, and the aspect is s. by 15° e. Type 10.
204. (5) This dial is on the fifth buttress e. of the s. porch. It is 5 feet 1 inch above the ground, the noon line is 5 1/4 inches in length, the style hole is 1 1/4 inches deep, and the aspect is s. by 15° e. Type 5c.
GSS Category: Scratch Dial; Mass Dial; Multiple Dial Church
Located on the south lawn. Dodecahedron dial with pentagonal faces. Two ‘rows’ of five dials. The top row reclines, the bottom row inclines. All lines and numerals are visible, all gnomons are intact and 4mm thick. Overall the dial shows 4am to 8pm in hours. The numerals are Arabic, and are in relief, as is light scroll work on some faces. The dial is mounted 1760 mm high on a stone pedestal. It is surmounted by a weathered lion rampant 460 mm tall. The dial is said to have come from Scotland about 1910. SRN 8046 at East Ruston, Norfolk, appears to be a direct copy of this dial.
This post relates directly to its companion in Pt 1. Both articles feature the remarkable cube dial dated 1689, now preserved inside the Grade I listed church of St Nicholas, Trellech, Monmouth – the original and a fine recent (2007) wooden replica. You can find images of the original dial and each of its faces, with detailed descriptions, HERE. The location is 5m S of Monmouth 51.7459 / -2.725 / SO500054
DIAL . 2007
The images of Face 4 below illustrate a frequent experience with cube dials. Invariably, prevailing conditions preclude more than 3 faces being properly photographed. One face will always frustrate all attempts to get a decent photo. Furthermore, it is very difficult to improve a poor photo – it just becomes a different kind of poor. Quite often the only answer is to make the image B&W to catch detail .With apologies, this is what has emerged from the darkroom.
Below the dial are inscriptions on the substantial columns, with carvings that relate to the 3 features of historical importance to the village and its community: Tump Terret; Harold’s Stones; and Virtuous Well.
GRADE I † Early C14 with earlier origins; reconstruction & restorations 1890s. An exceptionally fine and well preserved medieval church (Cadw); One of the finest churches in the county (PEV). Coat-of-Arms of Charles II dated 1683. Weathercock of 1792. You need no further recommendation. 5m S of Monmouth. 51.7459 / -2.725 / SO500054
DIAL
St Nicholas . Trellech . Mon – Cube Multidial
A wonderful C18 cube dial dated 1689, the gift of Lady Probert. Once, it stood in the village near the school. It was moved in 1895 and one source suggests that a concrete cast was made. The Latin inscriptions on the dial are descriptive of 3 features that are of historical importance to the village: Tump Terret; Harold’s Stones; and Virtuous Well. The details (PEV) are:
The detailed BSS record adds further details, including the full Latin motto on S, N & E faces: EUNDO HORA . DI…EM . DEPASCIT (The Hour Itself Consumes the Day).
Also included are the inscriptions on the square stone below the dial: 1. Terret Tump – O QUOT HIC SEPULTI (O How Many Buried Here); 2. Harold’s Stones – HIC FUIT VITOR HAROLD (Here was Harold Victorious); 3. DOM MAGD PROBERT OSTENDIT (Lady Maud Probert set this out to view).
DIAL DETAILS
SOUTH FACE
WEST FACE
NORTH FACE
EAST FACE
PART 2 will examine the excellent modern wooden replica (out)standing in a small field by a crossroads. It has been beautifully designed and is a dial of distinction in its own right.
GSS Category: Cube Dial; Multiple Dial
All photos Keith Salvesen; Pevsner extract Gwent & Monmouthshire; BSS records; church noticeboard
The attractive gardens of the Van Loon Museum contains 3 very different dials. In the centre is an armillary sphere (C19?). By the steps is a complicated early scaphe dial dated 1582. I have included B&W images, which can sometimes be useful for seeing details on multiple dials. The third dial with a weather vane is high up in the centre of the upper gallery overlooking the garden. I am trying to find out a date for it.
ARMILLARY SPHERE
SCAPHE / LECTERN DIAL 1578
Correctly know as a lectern dial because of its angle. Scotland in particular has many of these (eg Culzean), as it also has with obelisk dials (eg Kelburn Castle).
VERTICAL DIAL AND WEATHER VANE
GSS Categories: Armillary Sphere; Cube Dial; Multi Dial; Scaphe Dial; Modern Dial; Amsterdam Dial
GAUDIUM SUB SOLE . SUNDIALS . MEDIEVAL TO MODERN 
