MEDIEVAL SCRATCH DIAL CUMULATIVE INDEX

 

MEDIEVAL SUNDIALS

SCRATCH DIALS & MASS DIALS

The idea of this project is to locate, photograph, research and record medieval dials on churches. I generally refer to them throughout as scratch dials, the term most widely used as general description of these time-markers. Occasionally I have used the term Mass Dial, though that term has fallen out of favour. The term tide dial references the earliest dials, when the day was divided into eight periods of 3 hours.

These dials differ in purpose, in form, in construction, and from crude to elegant. Most dials featured will be ones scratched / cut / incised directly onto the stones of a church at some time between C13 and C16. Early dials were intended to mark the general passage of the day rather than a specific o’clock, when the concept of time as we know it was fluid and might differ even between adjacent villages. As the understanding of the concept of ‘time’ advanced – especially after the invention of clocks in C14 – so did the construction and accuracy of the dials. Eventually they were outcompeted by clocks and became obsolete. There is other material here that expands on this progression.

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CUMULATIVE LIST OF CHURCHES RECORDED

Churches with previously unrecorded dial(s) are marked ¶; with additional (unrecorded) dials ∆; with dials inside porch ∂; dials inside church ✣ . unusual Location N.E.W.

ACLE Norfolk – St Edmund

AFFPUDDLE Dorset – St Laurence

ALCISTON E Sussex – No Dedication

ALFRISTON E Sussex – St Andrew

ALSTONE Glos – St Margaret of Antioch

ALL CANNINGS Wilts – All Saints

ALREWAS Staffs – All Saints

ALTON BARNES Wilts – St Mary

ALTON PRIORS Wilts – All Saints

ALVEDISTON Wilts – St Mary

ASHILL Som – Blessed Virgin Mary

ASHINGTON Som – St Vincent

AXMOUTH Devon – St Michael

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BARRINGTON Som – St Mary

BARWICK Som – St Mary Magdalene

BATCOMBE Dorset 1 – St Mary Magdalene ¶

BATCOMBE Dorset 2 – St Mary Magdalene ¶

BINCOMBE Dorset – Holy Trinity

BINSEY Oxford – St Margaret of Antioch

BISHOP’S CAUNDLE Dorset – St Peter & St Paul

BISHOPS SUTTON Hants – St Nicholas ∂ ∂

BLACKFORD Somerset – St Michael ∂ 

BOYTON Wilts – St Mary

BRADFORD ABBAS Dorset – St Mary the Virgin ∆

BRADFORD-ON-AVON Wilts . TITHE BARN

BRAMPTON BRYAN . Herefordshire – St Barnabas

BRANSCOMBE Devon – St Winifred

BRATTON Wilts – St James the Great

BROAD CHALKE Wilts – All. Saints

BROAD HINTON Wilts – St Peter ad Vincula

BROADMAYNE Dorset – St Martin

BROADWEY Dorset – St Nicholas ∂

BROCKENHURST Hants – St Nicholas

BRYMPTON Som – St Andrew

BUCKHORN WESTON Dorset – St John the Baptist

BUCKLAND NEWTON – Holy Rood

BURCOMBE Wilts – St John

BURNHAM THORPE Norfolk – All Saints ∆

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CANFORD MAGNA Dorset – No Dedication ∂

CHARLTON HORETHORNE Som – St Peter and St Paul

CHARLTON MUSGROVE . Som – St Stephen ∆

CHARMINSTER Dorset – St Mary E

CHESELBOURNE Dorset – St Martin

CHICKERELL Dorset – St Mary

CHIDEOCK Dorset – St Giles

CHILTHORNE DOMER Som – St Mary ∂ ∂ 

CHILTON CANTELO Som – St James

CHITTERNE Wilts – St Mary

CHURCH STRETTON . Shrop – St Laurence ¶

CLUNGUNFORD . Shrop – St Cuthbert

CODFORD Wilts – St Peter

COLTON . STAFFS – St Mary

COMPTON PAUNCEFOOT Som – St Mary

COOMBE BISSETT Wilts – St Michael and All Angels

COWLEY Ox – St James the Apostle ∂ ∂

CREECH ST MICHAEL Som – St Michael ∆

CREWKERNE Somerset – St Bartholomew

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DAMERHAM Hants – St George ∆ ∂

DINNINGTON Somerset – St Nicholas

DOWNTON Wilts – St Laurence ∆

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EAST CHINNOCK . Somerset- St Mary

EARDISLAND . Hereford – St Mary

EVERCREECH . Somerset – St Peter

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FENITON Devon – St Andrew

FEOCK Cornwall – St Feock

FIRLE . E Sussex – St Peter E ✣

FISHERTON DE LA MERE Wilts . St Nicholas N, low on buttress facing W

FOVANT Wilts – St George

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GILLINGHAM MUSEUM Dorset – ex St Mary (on Anglo-Saxon stone)

GLANVILLES WOOTTON (1) Dorset Jan 21 – St Mary

GLANVILLE’S WOOTTON (2) Dorset Apr 21 – St Mary the Virgin

GREAT DURNFORD Wilts – St Andrew ¶ ∆

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HAMMOON Dorset – St Paul ∂ 

HAMPRESTON Dorset – All Saints

HARDINGTON MANDEVILLE Somerset – St Mary ¶ W

HARDINGTON MANDEVILLE Somerset – St Mary (update)

HAUXTON Cambridge – St Edmund

HAZELBURY BRYAN Dorset – St Mary & St James

HERMITAGE Dorset – St Mary

HERMITAGE Dorset – St Mary (2) ∆

HEYTESBURY Wilts – St Peter & St Paul ¶

HILTON Dorset – All Saints

HINTON ST GEORGE Somerset – St George

HOLTON Somerset – St Nicholas

HOLNEST Dorset – St Mary (rare sill dial)

HOLWELL Dorset – St Laurence ∆

HOUGHTON Hants – All Saints

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IFFLEY Oxon – St Mary

ILCHESTER Som – St Mary Major

IWERNE MINSTER Dorset – St Mary

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KEEVIL . Wilts – St Leonard

KILPECK Herefs – St Devereux / St Dubricius ∂

KIMPTON . Hants – St Peter

KINGS BROMLEY . Staffs – All Saints

KINGSBURY EPISCOPI Som – St Martin

KINGS SOMBORNE Hants – St Peter & St Paul

KINGSTONE Som – St John the Evangelist

KINGTON . Herefs – St Mary

KINSON Dorset – St Andrew ✣

KNIGHTON Powys – St Edward

KNOOK . Wilts – St Margaret

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LEIGH Dorset – St Andrew (1)

LEIGH Dorset – St Andrew (2) ∆

LILLINGTON Dorset – St Martin

LIMINGTON Som – Blessed Virgin Mary ∂ 

LITTLEHAM Dev – St Margaret & St Andrew

LITTLE LANGFORD Wilts – St Nicholas of Myra N

LLANGARRON Herefs – St Deinst

LODERS Dorset – St Mary Magdalene

LONGDON Staffs – St James the Great

LONGBURTON Dorset – St James

LONGBURTON Dorset 2 (‘new’ dial) – St James ∆

LONG MELFORD Suffolk – Holy Trinity

LYDEARD ST LAWRENCE Somerset – St Lawrence

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MAIDEN BRADLEY Wilts – All Saints

MAIDEN NEWTON Dorset 1 – St Mary

MAIDEN NEWTON Dorset 2 – St Mary

MANACCAN Cornwall – St Manaccus

MANNINGFORD BRUCE Wilts – St Peter

MAPPOWDER Dorset – St Peter & St Paul

MARSTON MAGNA Som – St Mary

MARTIN Wilts – All Saints

MARTOCK Som – All Saints ∆∆∆∆

MELBURY BUBB Dorset – St Mary ¶

MELCOMBE HORSEY Dorset – St Andrew ¶

MERE Wilts – St Michael ∆∆

MIDDLE CHINNOCK Som – St Margaret

MIDDLE WOODFORD Wilts – All Saints ∂

MILBORNE ST ANDREW Dorset – St Andrew

MILTON ABBAS Dorset – Abbey Church of St Mary

MILTON CLEVEDEN Som – St James

MINSTER LOVELL Oxon – St Kenelm SW

MINTERNE MAGNA Dorset – St Andrew

MONTACUTE Som – St Catherine

MUCHELNEY ABBEY Som – Abbot’s House ¶

MUDFORD . Som – St Mary E

MUDFORD Som – St Mary (with Cube Dial)

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NETHERBURY Dorset – St Andrew

NETHER COMPTON Dorset – St Nicholas

NEWTOWN LINFORD Leics – All Saints

NORTH CADBURY . Som – St Michael

NORTH CURRY Som – St Peter & St Paul

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ODCOMBE Somerset – St Peter and St Paul

ODDINGTON Glos – St Nicholas

OKEFORD FITZPAINE Dorset – St Andrew

OSMINGTON Dorset – St Osmund

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PEMBRIDGE Herefs – St Mary

PENDOMER Somerset – St Roch

PETERCHURCH Herefs – St Peter

PEWSEY Wilts – St John the Baptist

PODIMORE Somerset – St Peter ∂

PORTESHAM Dorset – St Peter

POTTERNE Wilts – St Mary

POYNTINGTON Dorset – All Saints ¶

PRESTON CANDOVER Hants – St Mary

PUCKINGTON Som – St Andrew

PUDDLETOWN Dorset – St Mary

PULHAM Dorset – St Thomas à Becket

PURSE CAUNDLE Dorset – St Peter N

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QUARLEY . Hants – St Michael

QUEEN CAMEL Som – St Barnabas

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RIMPTON 1 Somerset – St Mary W

RIMPTON 2 Somerset – St Mary

RIPE East Sussex – St John the Baptist

ROCKBOURNE Hants – St Andrew

ROMSEY ABBEY Hants

ROTHBURY Northumberland – All Saints

RUGELEY Staffs – Old Chancel (St Augustine)

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SANDFORD ORCAS Dorset – St Nicholas

SEAVINGTON ST MARY Somerset – St Mary

SEAVINGTON ST MICHAEL . Somerset

SHARNFORD Leics – St Helen

SHERE Surrey – St James

SHIPTON BELLINGER Hants – St Peter

SIXPENNY HANDLEY Dorset – St Mary

SOUTH CADBURY Somerset – St Thomas à Becket ∂

SOUTH NEWTON Wilts – St Andrew

SOUTH PERROT Dorset – St Mary

SPETISBURY Dorset – St John

STANTON Glos. – St Michael

STANTON ST BERNARD Wilts – All Saints

STANWAY Glos – St Peter (doubtful)

STEEPLE Dorset – St Michael

STEEPLE LANGFORD Wilts – All Saints

STOCKBRIDGE Hants – St Peter Old Church

STOCKBRIDGE Hants – St Peter New Church ∆ W

STOCKLINCH Som – St Mary

STOCKLINCH OTTERSEY Som – St Mary

STOCKTON Wilts – St John the Baptist

STOKE ST GREGORY Somerset – St Gregory ✣ (inside church); ¶

STOKE-sub-HAMDON Som – St Mary the Virgin

STOUR PROVOST Dorset – St Michael

STRATTON Dorset – St Mary ∆

STRATTON-on-the-FOSSE Som – St Vigor

SUTTON BINGHAM Somerset – ALL SAINTS

SUTTON MONTIS Som – Holy Trinity ∆

SUTTON VENY Wilts – St Leonard

SYMONDSBURY Dorset – St John

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TARRANT CRAWFORD Dorset – St Mary ✣

TARRANT GUNVILLE Dorset – St Mary

TARRANT RUSHTON Dorset – St Mary

TATENHILL Staffs – St Michael & All Angels

TEMPLE GUITING Glos – St Mary

THORNCOMB Dorset – St Mary

THORNFORD 1 Dorset – St Mary Magdalene (rare sill dials)

THORNFORD 2 Dorset – St Mary Magdalene ✣ (inside church)

TIMSBURY Hants – St Andrew

TINITINHULL Som – St Margaret of Antioch

TODBER Dorset – No Dedication

TOLLER PORCORUM Dorset – St Andrew and St Peter

TOLPUDDLE Dorset – St John

TOTNES Devon – St Mary

TRENT Dorset – St Andrew

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WAYFORD Somerset – St Michael & All angels ∂ 

WENTNOR Shropshire – St Michael & All Angels

WEST CAMEL Somerset – All Saints ∂ ∂ 

WEST CLANDON Surrey – St Peter & St Paul ✣ ✣✣ (inside church)

WESTON BAMPFYLD Somerset – Holy Cross ∂ 

WHITCHURCH CANONICORUM Dorset – St Candida & Holy Cross

WHITELACKINGTON Som – St Mary

WIGMORE Herefs – St James

WINFRITH NEWBURGH Dorset – St Christopher

WILCOT Wilts – Holy Cross

WINSHAM Somerset – St Stephen

WINTERBORNE HOUGHTON Dorset – St Andrew

WINTERBORNE KINGSTON Dorset – St Nicholas

WINTERBORNE STICKLAND Dorset – St Mary

WINTERBOURNE MONKTON Dorset – St Simon & St Jude ∆

WINTERBOURNE BASSETT Wilts – St Katherine & St Peter

WINTERBOURNE STEEPLETON Dorset – St Michael

WINTERBOURNE STOKE Wilts – St Peter

WOODSFORD Dorset – St John the Baptist

WOOTTON Oxon – St Peter

WOOTTON RIVERS Wilts – St Andrew

WORMINGTON Glos. – St Katherine (also, St Catherine)

WRAXALL Dorset – St Mary (Dials 1 & 2)

WRAXALL Dorset – St Mary (Dial 3)

WYCHNOR Staffs – St Leonard

WYLYE Wilts – St Mary 1

WYLYE Wilts – St Mary 2

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UPAVON Wilts – St Mary the Virgin

UP CERNE Dorset – No Dedication

URCHFONT Wilts – St Michael Dials 1 – 4 ∆

URCHFONT Wilts – St Michael Dials 5 – 8 ∆

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WICKENBY Lincs – St Peter & St Lawrence

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YETMINSTER Dorset – St Andrew