Barrington Court Som. Pedestal Sundial – GAUDIUM SUB SOLE . SUNDIALS . MEDIEVAL TO MODERN

BARRINGTON COURT . SOMERSET

Barrington Court is a fine county house near Ilminster in Somerset, now in the care of NT. There is wonderful multi-faceted dodecahedral pillar dial in front of the house that I have written about HERE.

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Barrington Court . Som . Horizontal Dial

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ROSE GARDEN DIAL

The sturdy horizontal pedestal dial stands on a double plinth in the centre of the large rose and iris garden. It has a sad recent history. In Spring 2000 the original C19 bronze dial plate by Carey was levered off and stolen. It has never been recovered.

Barrington Court . Som . Horizontal Dial after theft of plate in 2000

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On the bright side, a wonderful faithful reproduction by John Davis was installed in 2013, and the dial is restored to its glory for the future.

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It is described as an attractive horizontal dial of some complexity. The Equation of Time scale is engraved around the dial; all points of compass are shown; and it has one minute time marks BSS. These complex features can be seen clearly in the final image below.

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GSS Category: Horizontal Dial; Pedestal Dial

All photos: Keith Salvesen except NT / Simon Harris above

BARRINGTON COURT (NT) . ILMINSTER . SOMERSET

DODECAHEDRAL DIAL WITH PENTAGONAL FACETS

A SPECTACULAR DIAL IN A PERFECT SETTING

BSS RECORD

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.