Dorset Scratch Dial – Page 8 – GAUDIUM SUB SOLE . SUNDIALS . MEDIEVAL TO MODERN

BISHOP’S CAUNDLE – ST PETER & ST PAUL

Published on March 8, 2021March 31, 2023 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

St Peter & St Paul . Bishop’s Caundle . Dorset

DEDICATION † ST PETER & ST PAUL – c14 origins, c15 tower & additions, enlargement & ‘well done’ (OM) restoration c19

LISTING † GRADE I

LOCATION † One of 3 ‘Caundle’ churches in the area, and well worth visiting as trio linked by meandering lanes and puzzling signposts. Bishop’s is about 4 miles S.E. Sherborne on a road leading E. to Sturminster Newton. An elongated village with a typically attractive Dorset church. 50.9171 / -2.4336 / ST696131

*St Peter & St Paul . Bishop’s Caundle . Dorset . Scratch Dial*

DIAL † The dial, in poor condition, is on the E. jamb of the Chancel door. Filled style hole. Faint & poorly preserved (GLP). He noted 6 lines and 7 pocks, with a cross on the mass line.

NOTES † There’s more to this dial than meets the eye, once one gets over slight disappointment on seeing it…

BRADFORD ABBAS – ST MARY THE VIRGIN

Published on March 3, 2021January 9, 2023 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

St Mary, Bradford Abbas (Keith Salvesen)

DEDICATION † ST MARY THE VIRGIN – C12 origins, mainly C15 perpendicular, later additions & restoration

LISTING † GRADE I

LOCATION † 4 miles SW. Sherborne, 3 miles SE. Yeovil. ‘Abbot’s Broad Ford’. A significant settlement from Roman times. Associated with Saxon King Athelstan. One of the larger villages in the area, attractive and with an inviting pub close to the church. 50.9265 / -2.5884 / ST587142

FEATURE † New dial recorded (see Dial 3)

St Mary, Bradford Abbas - Scratch Dials (Keith Salvesen) — St Mary the Virgin . Bradford Abbas . Dorset . Scratch dials 1 & 2

DIALS † High on SW. buttress of porch, two scratch dials, one on top of the other. Well-documented. The top dial seems less sophisticated and more eroded, so perhaps is the oldest (AOW drew it as dial 1). Rather obtrusive vertical repairs to both. I found a 3rd dial high up on the tower, clearly relocated and inverted (see below). I have found no mention of it anywhere: a new find perhaps.

DIALS 1 & 2

The top dial. 13 radial, 7 dots. Deeper & longer 8-line. Style hole filled. AOW notes Square outline. Transitional
Lower dial. Semicircle, 11 radials, 10 dots. Style hole filled. Morning radial notably extend beyond the circle line.

St Mary the Virgin . Bradford Abbas . Scratch Dials (Keith Salvesen)

DIAL 3

NOTES † Dials 1 & 2 recorded and drawn by AOW, mentioned BSS / GLP , BHO; Dial 3 unrecorded

LEIGH . DORSET – ST ANDREW

Published on February 24, 2021March 24, 2022 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ST ANDREW – C15, mid-C19 restoration; C13 font

LISTING † GRADE II*

LOCATION † 5 miles SW of Sherborne, a sprawling village set deep in farming country. Some fine old buildings dating from C16, now mixed in with modern housing. A fine village cross with C15 shaft. A friendly rural place. 50.8762 / -2.5445 / ST617086

St Andrew . Leigh . Dorset . Scratch Dial

DIAL † On W. side jamb of porch, a very small rustic dial, eroded / damaged LHS, mid to late C15. Full circle with 4 detectable radials, the (presumed) noon line being extended outside the circumference at a slight angle. Probably originally divided into eight equal segments GLP, who dates the dial to the second half of C15

Seen close to, there are hints that the adjacent area with the large bolt may once have been a dial, with the hole for a small style (originally centred) overwhelmed by its replacement and erosion. A nearby hole, slightly lower, on the inside of the jamb, looks promising as a dial but on inspection, disappoints.

NOTES † Recorded in BSS register as researched by GLP. Not mentioned elsewhere. C13 font; interesting West Door with shields in the spandrels, one bearing three hanks of cord and the other a merchant’s mark BHO; also graffiti with date, initials, witch and other marks; enjoyable gargoyles. Elsewhere, a few incised crosses, presumably apotropaic in purpose.

Graffiti and marks . West Porch . St Andrew . Leigh . Dorset

GSS Category: Scratch Dial

LONGBURTON – ST JAMES the GREAT

Published on February 19, 2021April 6, 2023 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ST JAMES the GREAT C12 origins, C13 tower, C15 rebuilding, later additions

LISTING † GRADE I

LOCATION † 3 miles S of Sherborne, a long narrow village on the main road to Dorchester – rather a traffic bottleneck. ‘A linear village slowly descending to marshy land…’ (PEV) Church slightly set back in its peaceful-seeming churchyard. Besides the excellent scratch dial, there is a fine vertical sundial high on the S. buttress of the tower (merits a separate post in due course) 50.9132 / -2.5008 / ST648127

ADDENDUM: link to subsequent post featuring a hitherto unrecorded scratch dial and the vertical dial on the tower HERE

St James . Longburton . Dorset – Scratch Dial

DIAL † Sundial: On S.E. buttress of nave—stone cut with scratch-dial and two crosses (BHO). Reached through a small stone gateway, not a location easily guessed. Dial in good condition, additional marks shown in images. 4 emphasised radials.

St James . Longburton . Dorset – Scratch Dial with crosses

St James . Longburton . Dorset – Scratch Dial location

NOTES † As mentioned, there is a fine vertical sundial with an interesting split gnomon on the tower S. buttress, to be posted soon. Also, excellent gargoyles and head stops. Below are the 2 crosses on the dial stone, one with dot decoration.

*St James . Longburton . Dorset –* 2 crosses adjacent to the dial

GSS Category: Scratch Dial

CHARMINSTER – ST MARY

Published on February 3, 2021February 4, 2021 by Rolling Harbour1 Comment

DEDICATION † ST MARY Saxon origins, C11 core, C14 – 15 enlarged, tower added 1500

LISTING † Grade 1

LOCATION † A most interesting village a couple of miles N of Dorchester. The fine church stands close to the River Cerne as it rushes to join the nearby River Frome. The mark of the Trenchards is strongly evident here. Worth spending time in both church and village – I recommend reading the Pevsner entry or BLB / HE / BHO online before you do so. 50.733 / -2.4559 / SY679926

St Mary . Charminster . Dorset . Scratch Dial 1

DIALS † Two dials. Dial 1 is on the parapet of S. porch rhs. Dial 2 is on E .quoin of S. aisle, relocated and (not unusually) inverted. BLB mentions ‘sundials’ in passing. BHO describes it as ‘much worn’, but some features are very clearly visible. I’ve added a reverted image for comparison, which improves the readability.

*St Mary . Charminster . Dorset . Scratch Dial* 2 (as relocated and inverted)

*St Mary . Charminster . Dorset . Scratch Dial 2 (*reverted for comparison)

*St Mary . Charminster . Dorset . Scratch Dial*s 1 & 2

NOTES † Besides theses two dials, St Mary’s (fittingly) has a Marian mark VV (Virgo Virginum / Virgin of Virgins) in the porch, with other graffiti. This is one form of medieval RITUAL PROTECTION MARK [link in due course] to ward off evil. The terminal dots are often found (as also with small crosses with the same function). There is also an Undial (lower right) that I momentarily thought might be a (very) crude actual dial cut in the softer Ham stone, with a style hole and 2 coarsely curved radials.

Marian Mark (Ritual Protection Mark) St Mary Charminster Dorset; Undial with 2 curved radials

GSS Category: Scratch Dial, Marian Mark

HERMITAGE DORSET – ST MARY

Published on January 19, 2021March 16, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ST MARY C14; C17 restoration; further work c. 1800

LISTING † Grade II*

LOCATION † 4 miles N. of Cerne Abbas (S. of Sherborne) 50.8611 / -2.4991 / ST649069

A very small, simple church (‘free chapel‘) tucked away under a hillside in a discreet corner of this hamlet. Approached along the edge of the drive of the former Rectory. Supposed hermetic origin. If you didn’t know it was there, you’d miss it – the bell-cote hardly shows above the trees.

DIAL † Low down on the SE quoin of the nave, well-preserved and readily visible. It seems complex considering the simplicity of the building. I’d be interested in an analysis of the dial / possible date – the varied radials and (as I assume) the ‘dropped dot’ at 12 (best seen in #6)

NOTES † Plenty of interest here despite (or because of) comparative remoteness. Medieval (C14?) N. door. C17 font and floor slabs. Graffiti (initials) on W. buttress, including tablets dated 1682 (date of restoration?) & 1799 (date of work inc. addition of bell-cote?). The large village green is perfect for a village cricket square. Listed RCHM & BHO; few mentions elsewhere.

Hermitage . Dorset . St Mary . Scratch Dial

Hermitage . Dorset . *St Mary .* Dial Diagram (BSS)

GSS Category: Scratch Dial

SANDFORD ORCAS – ST NICHOLAS

Published on January 3, 2021January 6, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ST NICHOLAS – early C14 / C15

LISTING † Grade 1

LOCATION † Sandford Orcas, Dorset 50.9876 / -2.5394 / ST622210

A village sunk in a valley just 4 miles north of Sherborne yet seemingly isolated in place and time by long narrow lanes. The church is on higher ground, by a fine manor house.

DIAL † Well-marked scratch dial on the E. side of the attractively simple porch, angled slightly into the arch. Since the porch is a C15 addition, the dial (which seems quite early) may perhaps have been relocated – it sits slightly awkwardly.

BLB LINK † HE LINK for Church (no mention of this dial)

NOTES † Very few references to this dial. Not mentioned in standard sources eg RCHM, or (as far as I have seen) online. However, included in Cole’s list for Dorset (p.10).

GSS Category – Scratch Dial

THORNFORD (1) . DORSET . ST MARY MAGDALENE – Rare Sill Scratch Dials

Published on December 20, 2020August 20, 2022 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

St Mary Magdalene Thornford Dorset (Keith Salvesen) — St Mary Magdalene, Thornford, Dorset

DEDICATION † ST MARY MAGDALENE – C14 / C15, later restoration

LISTING † Grade 2*

LOCATION † S. of the Sherborne – Yeovil A30 road, approx half way between the towns 50.9175 / 50°55’3″N / ST603132

One of the larger local villages, with more facilities than most inc. a school, a pub, a nearby station & a cricket club. In Doomsday book as Torneford

DIALS † Two unusual ‘sill’ scratch dials, both in the quoins of the E. corner of the window sills either side of the blocked chancel doorway, with the window jambs acting as gnomon. There is a rare internal dial in the chancel, to be featured when access to the church is possible (Covid).

ADDENDUM 2022: the rare interior dial on N side of the Chancel is now written up HERE

St Mary Magdalene Thornford Dorset Scratch dial 1a — Thornford – window scratch dial 1a

St Mary Magdalene Thornford Dorset Scratch dial 1b — *Thornford – window scratch dial 1*b

St Mary Magdalene Thornford Dorset Scratch dial 2a — *Thornford – window scratch dial 2a*

St Mary Magdalene Thornford Dorset Scratch dial 2b — *Thornford – window scratch dial* 2b

NOTES † Stone screen, c15 font, early organ, a number of Consecration crosses, from badly eroded Hamstone to clear-cut. Tithe Tomb in the churchyard with a basin into which tenants contributed to the wealth of the Lord of the Manor by making an annual payment ‘on St Thomas’s Day’ to be allowed to keep their own hay

St Mary Magdalene Thornford Dorset Scratch dial location — Dial locations: E. corner of each window sill, jamb acting as gnomon

GSS Category – Scratch Dial