MEDIEVAL DIALS
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 though it also has a more with a specific meaning. Usage here will mainly (and probably incorrectly) include medieval mass dials and tide dials to avoid repetition.
The dials differ in purpose, in form, in construction, and from crude to elegant. Most dials featured in this section will be ones scratched / cut / incised directly into the stone walls 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, at a time 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. This marking system is a work in progress…
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
ALTON PRIORS Wilts – All Saints
ASHILL Som – Blessed Virgin Mary
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BATCOMBE Dorset – St Mary Magdalene ¶
BINSEY Oxford – St Margaret of Antioch
BISHOP’S CAUNDLE Dorset – St Peter & St Paul
BISHOPS SUTTON Hants – St Nicholas ∂ ∂
BLACKFORD Somerset – St Michael ∂
BRADFORD ABBAS Dorset – St Mary the Virgin ∆
BRAMPTON BRYAN . Herefordshire – St Barnabas
BRATTON Wilts – St James the Great
BROAD CHALKE Wilts – All. Saints
BROAD HINTON Wilts – St Peter ad Vincula
BUCKHORN WESTON Dorset – St John the Baptist
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CHARLTON HORETHORNE Som – St Peter and St Paul
CHARLTON MUSGROVE . Som – St Stephen ∆
CHARMINSTER Dorset – St Mary E
CHESELBOURNE Dorset – St Martin
CHILTHORNE DOMER Som – St Mary ∂ ∂
CHILTON CANTELO Som – St James
CHURCH STRETTON . Shrop – St Laurence ¶
CLUNGUNFORD . Shrop – St Cuthbert
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
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EAST CHINNOCK . Somerset- St Mary
EARDISLAND . Hereford – St Mary
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FIRLE . E Sussex – St Peter E ✣
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GLANVILLES WOOTTON (1) Dorset Jan 21 – St Mary
GLANVILLE’S WOOTTON (2) Dorset Apr 21 – St Mary the Virgin
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HARDINGTON MANDEVILLE Somerset – St Mary W
HAZELBURY BRYAN Dorset – St Mary & St James
HERMITAGE Dorset – St Mary (2) ∆
HINTON ST GEORGE Somerset – St George
HOLNEST Dorset – St Mary (rare sill dial)
HOLWELL Dorset – St Laurence ∆
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KINGS SOMBORNE Hants – St Peter & St Paul
KINGSTONE Som – St John the Evangelist
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LIMINGTON Som – Blessed Virgin Mary ∂
LODERS Dorset – St Mary Magdalene
LONGDON Staffs – St James the Great
LONGBURTON Dorset 2 (‘new’ dial) – St James ∆
LONG MELFORD Suffolk – Holy Trinity
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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
MELBURY BUBB Dorset – St Mary ¶
MELCOMBE HORSEY Dorset – St Andrew ¶
MILBORNE ST ANDREW Dorset – St Andrew
MINTERNE MAGNA Dorset – St Andrew
MUDFORD Som – St Mary (with Cube Dial)
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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
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PEWSEY Wilts – St John the Baptist
PODIMORE Somerset – St Peter ∂
POYNTINGTON Dorset – All Saints ¶
PRESTON CANDOVER Hants – St Mary
PULHAM Dorset – St Thomas à Becket
PURSE CAUNDLE Dorset – St Peter N
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RIMPTON 1 Somerset – St Mary W
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
SHIPTON BELLINGER Hants – St Peter
SIXPENNY HANDLEY Dorset – St Mary
SOUTH CADBURY Somerset – St Thomas à Becket ∂
STANTON ST BERNARD Wilts – All Saints
STOCKBRIDGE Hants – St Peter Old Church
STOCKBRIDGE Hants – St Peter New Church ∆ W
STOKE ST GREGORY Somerset – St Gregory ✣ (inside church)
STOKE-sub-HAMDON Som – St Mary the Virgin
STOUR PROVOST Dorset – St Michael
STRATTON-on-the-FOSSE Som – St Vigor
SUTTON BINGHAM Somerset – ALL SAINTS
SUTTON MONTIS Som – Holy Trinity
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TARRANT GUNVILLE Dorset – St Mary
TATENHILL Staffs – St Michael & All Angels
THORNFORD 1 Dorset – St Mary Magdalene (rare sill dials)
THORNFORD 2 Dorset – St Mary Magdalene ✣ (inside church)
TINITINHULL Som – St Margaret of Antioch
TOLLER PORCORUM Dorset – St Andrew and St Peter
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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
WINFRITH NEWBURGH Dorset – St Christopher
WINTERBORNE KINGSTON Dorset – St Nicholas
WINTERBOURNE MONKTON Dorset – St Simon & St Jude ∆
WINTERBOURNE BASSETT Wilts – St Katherine & St Peter
WINTERBOURNE STEEPLETON Dorset – St Michael
WOODSFORD Dorset – St John the Baptist
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)
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UPAVON Wilts – St Mary the Virgin
URCHFONT Wilts – St Michael Dials 1 – 4 ∆
URCHFONT Wilts – St Michael Dials 5 – 8 ∆
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GAUDIUM SUB SOLE . SUNDIALS . MEDIEVAL TO MODERN 