This famous Tompion dial in the Privy Garden at Hampton Court is one of a pair, the other being transferred in due course to Kew Gardens. The BSS Bulletin Jan 1997 includes side-by-side photos of both. The dial that stayed in situ, featured here, being on the left. The other dial was transferred to Kew in 1832 and not restored to Hampton Court until 1995.
I took these photos in 2011 when I was dialling-lite, and probably with an iPhone 3. Revisiting these images, I’m pleased at what a good job it did. Puzzlingly, during a quick trawl through the usual resources, inc. the Royal Collection, I have found it difficult to find any detailed images of this dial, though I found a RC image of dial 2.
Only the front of the plate is clear, and it is in remarkable good condition. There is just enough definition to give a good idea of the complexity of the calendar further back on the plate.
The precise date for the two dials in unclear. Tompion was baptised in 1639 and died in 1713. I have seen ‘towards the end of C17’; and the excellent Border Sundials points to evidence of installation in 1699.
Probably, in a sundial resource, it is permissible to include an occasional linked item, and the wonderful Hampton Court astronomical clock merits admiration at any time. I was pleased to get a straight-on shot without resorting to trickery (of which there was not much available in 2011).
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
In the late C19, the first series of collectable themed cards were used in America to encourage trade. The idea caught on, and this early example of product placement gradually spread. Sportsmen (Cricketers), Nature, Actors, Military and Important People, were among the topics. By the turn of the century, British companies including W.D. & H.O. Wills had taken up the challenge. In 1928 they turned to Sundials**
A complete set of 25 Wills Cards was commissioned. The series began with scratch dials and included almost all known types of dial. On the back of each card, concise information was given. Smokers were at last able to indulge their habit with the added bonus of free specialist learning aids. By the 1960s almost every facet of life from tea and exotic animals (Hornimans via football to fighter planes had been covered. These days, we must rely on eBay to bring back the memories now that a cigarette costs 10x the price of an Airfix Tiger Moth kit.
** Wills were slow off the mark: in 1924, Fry’s had already produced a colourful 50 card set, of which more another time. NOW FEATURED HERE
NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY Explore the Cigarette Card Collection HERE
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
✣
DIAL 2
✣
DIALS 3 & 4
DIAL 3
DIAL 4
✣
DIAL 5
✣
DIAL 6
✣
DIAL 7
✣
DIAL 8
✣
DIAL 9
✣
DIAL 10
✣
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.
✣
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
GV II* C13 origins with some C15 work but drastically restored in 1875 BLB. Fine chest tombs. Village of historical importance as a bell-foundry between C16 and C18, originating with the Purdue family. Notable bells survive from its earliest days eg. Wells Cathedral. Somerset / Dorset border 50.8883 / -2.6214 / ST563100
DIAL
An agreeable churchyard dial in a pretty setting. Missing its gnomon, possibly vandalised (cf Lillington quite nearby). The dial plate is a familiar design, though without a maker’s mark or other indication of its origins.
✣
TOMB OF WILLIAM COLLINS, 1609
HERE . LYETH . THE . BODIE . OF . WILLIAM . COLLINS . THE . SONNE . OF . ELLIS . COLLINS . WHO DIED . THE . XXIX . OF . IAN . ANO . DOMI . 1609
GRADE II* ✣ C14 / C15. Pleasantly situated by the Manor. Note that the church is up a driveway the opposite side of the busy road from the signposted village itself. 50.9335 / -2.8843 / ST379152
DIAL
The Whitelackington dial eluded me a year ago when I was looking at several churches either side of the road between Yeovil and Taunton. Cricket at SCC was due to start and took precedence. Having in mind that DEH was enthusiastic enough to include a photo of the dial (taken 5 Sep 1912) in his pioneering treatise, I knew I should try again, and harder.
As it turned out, the dial was invisible until parting the branches of a yew hedge on the Manor side. The S side of St Mary blends into the Manor gardens and It feels sightly transgressive to be poking about in the greenery.
DEH’s RECORD
115 YEARS LATER
Photo 3 shows the features noted by DEH, including the possible noon hole in the lower joint
THE BUTTRESS
GSS Category: Scratch Dial; Mass Dial; Hidden Dial
All photos: Keith Salvesen except B&W, Dom Ethelbert Horne
GRADE I ✣ Late C13, records from 1334. A charming small church, with its 3 bells hung on wheels. A plaque lists 19 men who returned safely from WW1; it is a ‘Doubly Thankful’ village with no casualties in WW2 either. See also neighbouring STOCKLINCH OTTERSEY, a closely linked church. Close to Barrington Court NT. 50.9508 / -2.8797 / ST383171
✣
DIAL
The dial is perched on the apex of the squat porch. It is square, significantly canted, and with ‘shoulders’ upon which rests a ball finial. Given its exposed position, the dial is in good condition. BSS dates it to 1612. There is a clear-cut semicircle with a full complement of lines, and with pocks marking the half hours.
CANTING
GNOMON ANGLES
INSCRIBED MOTTO
The words WATCH AND PRAY are inscribed above the dial face. Erosion and lichen have made it hard to see. Below the dial are the words REDEEME THE TIMES, with the final S fitted in above the line. The numerals – damaged LHS – are Arabic.
GRADE I † Early Church recorded at HestrebeDB. C12 origin as collegiate church; continuing development to C16; mid-C19 restoration (Butterfield). C13 work of particular note. One of the excellent churches to be found in the Wylye valley between Steeple Langford and Sutton Veny. 51.1821 / -2.1086 / ST925425
DIAL
The dial is on the SE face of the angled buttress at E end (by the green tank). It is a fine example of a dial on which all the lines have terminal pocks. At some time it was inverted, and I have shown it reverted below. I cannot find any record of it, BSS or elsewhere.
REVERSION
This dial is primarily a morning dial, with lines marking (in clock terms) the 5 hours from 8 to noon. The deeper lines marking 9 & 10 correspond to the morning Mass time Terce. Possibly, the fainter line LRQ indicates None, another significant time during the day’s observations. In all there are 9 visible lines with terminal pocks during daytime, and a hint of a line above the horizontal in URQ. The vertical ‘midnight’ groove above the gnomon hole can be discounted as part of the dial, I think. It is certainly out of keeping with the carefully thought overall design. Also, it doesn’t reach the gnomon hole.
PLAUSIBLE DIAL?
I noticed this patterned stone and photographed it as I walked past. I would very much like it to be a ‘pock-only’ dial. There is certainly a hole close to the centre of the stone, with a pattern of small holes that look crudely drilled, approximately forming a perimeter. Probably I am overthinking this.
CHURCH MARKS
Here is a selection of church marks – masons’ marks, consecration cross; ‘pilgrim’ crosses; graffiti; a small dial-like design that merits further investigation.
GRAFFITI INCLUDING RITUAL PROTECTION SYMBOLS
GSS Category: Scratch Dial; Mass Dial; Church Marks; Consecration Cross; Masons’ marks; Pilgrim Cross; Graffiti
GRADE II* † C13 (of which traces), C15, major C19 restoration. An attractive church to visit, close to Barrington Court NT. 50.9606 / -2.8884 / T377182
DIAL
DEH visited in Sept 1912 and recorded: The dial is on the W side of the Priest’s door… 2 early A.M. lines are all that show but the stone is badly weathered and others may have been on it.
The erosion is doubtless worse now. One can just about make out a short horizontal 6-line L side, and a trace line below. Without DEH’s pioneering scratch dial project, I doubt that this little dial would ever have achieved a later mention.
An extraordinary and diverse collection of dials on a lovely church that is a short walk from the dreaded A303. The village is the first traffic choke-point on the road W of Stonehenge. Who would guess, inching forwards in your car where pedestrians daily take a life-or-death decision when to cross, that a lane to the south offers such a rich treat?
DIALS
St Peter is a multiple scratch dial church. Estimates vary of precisely how many: perhaps 8 or 9, depending on individual interpretation. BSS records 4. The range of plausibility covers all bases: obvious dials, probable dials, possible dials, not-a-dials. Some candidates – whole or partial – may simply be decorative. Others look promising but are unlikely to work as dials in design or (present) position. I have grouped various candidates, accepting that my choices may be lightly contentious. Note that I have mostly not specified locations. I started (2 visits) on the SE corner, if that helps. I have given links below with helpful details. Anyway, a multi-dial church is always a pleasing challenge for locating them.
DIAL 1
A simple dial on a RHS window jamb, consisting of 2 circles and a central gnomon hole. The double rings, badly eroded, look compass drawn. There are no visible lines, nor any pocks.
DIAL 2
On a LHS window jamb, a plugged gnomon hole with very little else remaining. Enlarging the image reveals a faint trace of what might once have been a circle; and the ghost of a noon line.
DIAL 3
A much clearer dial on a quoin stone, though quite badly eroded. Originally it was presumably a complete circle of lines with terminal pocks. Only about 12 lines and 9 pocks are visible.
DIAL 4
Another quoin stone dial, with 2 lines emerging downwards from the gnomon hole, diverging either side of noon. L line possibly has a terminal pock; R line is badly eroded, barely visible. It’s hard to make sense of the bent grooves LLQ – somewhat pointless as parts of a dial.
DIAL 5
Dials 5, 6, and 7 are collected together in corner, one above the other. Dial 5 is at the top. Heavy-handed repairs have been carried out in this area. The gnomon hole is in the mortar line, with 4 defined radials and traces of 1 or 2 more. There’s a hint of an arc LRQ, perhaps the remains of a semi-circle.
DIAL 6
The lowest dial of the 3. Again the gnomon is in the mortar line. It looks as though the dial stone must have split vertically at some time. 3 lines LRQ, the noon line less deeply cut. The single line LLQ corresponds to the Mass time Terce.
DIAL 7 (?)
Dial 7 is (as others note) a doubtful dial, and I share reservations. It would certainly work in a most rustic way, with a stick in the large hole and the smaller indentation below denoting noon. However, in a multi-dial church one might expect something rather more complex or decorative..
DIAL 8 (?)
Again, this design is taken to be a dial, which it may well be. I’ve never seen one quite like it, with a short arc at one side with no sign of a semi- or complete circle. The large deep hole has a minimal cut at noon, hardly a call to prayer. I wonder if this is in fact apotropaic in purpose, a protection symbol to ward off evil.
DIAL 9 (?)
I originally discounted this as a dial but reviewing photographs made me look more closely. The slapped-on filler helps to the extent that it suggests a gnomon hole in the mortar line that was large enough to need filling. There is a faint near-vertical that might be a noon line with a pock to mark it; and a hint of a line with a pock at roughly 9 / Terce. Doubtful.
SEMI-CIRCLES
Although these semi-circles are generally included in mentions of the dials of St Peter’s, I have reservations, in particular for the double circle in the fine archway. It is very large for a scratch dial, and the church is quite small to require such a one. There are no marks – radials, pocks, numbers – to suggest use as a dial. I wonder if is an example of simple compass-drawn decoration on a large scale. Also the blocked door and its arch are set back, with a buttress in front on either side. The position is a most unlikely one for enabling the community to mark the passage of the day.
This double semi-circle is more dial-ish, but is still quite large, with (it seems) damage but no relevant dial marks. Too small in diameter to be the other half of the semicircle above.
A segment of a single circle on the edge of a clean-edged stone, clearly re-sited at some time. If a dial, one would expect there to be lines / pocks in the lower half ie from 6 to noon.
NOT-A-DIALS
I include these without conviction that any one of them is a dial. The top one, similar to Dial 8 above and on the same kind of stone, is simply a shallow hole. There’s no hint of another relevant mark.
A very helpful analysis by the Parish Council of the dials of St Peter is recommended HERE
GSS Category: Scratch Dial; Mass Dial; Multiple Dials
All photos: Keith Salvesen; Winterbourne Stoke PC (A. Shuttleworth)
GAUDIUM SUB SOLE . SUNDIALS . MEDIEVAL TO MODERN 
